senior girl he had a crush on.
He shoved his hands into his pockets but managed to stop himself from rocking back and forth on his heels.
Her gaze returned to the point, and she spoke in a wistful tone. “I suppose it would be impossible for me to locate my bag from below.”
Zach was more familiar than he’d have liked with the section of the Double R Ranch that lay below Lover’s Leap because he had to deal with the bodies of the jumpers. “It would take a miracle, I’m afraid. It’s possible to predict where heavy things fall, but something as light as that drawstring bag … no telling how far the wind carried it.”
Savannah’s teeth tugged at her full lower lip as she sighed. “I’m detail-oriented, and I thought I had everything planned out. The bag was a sentimental choice but a poor one. I’ll simply have to live with it.”
“The land in the valley below belongs to a rancher friend of mine. I’ll put out the word for his people to keep an eye out for it.”
“Again, thank you for your assistance, Sheriff. I apologize for keeping you from whatever you were doing when you decided I needed rescue.”
“Fishing. It’s my day off, and I’ve been fishing a little lake not far from here. Didn’t have much luck, I’m afraid.”
“That’s a shame.” She glanced toward the parking area, where an old Ford Taurus was the lone car parked. “I didn’t see another vehicle when I arrived.”
The Taurus surprised him. He’d have expected something flashier—and more expensive—from a woman with her million-dollar looks. “My truck’s back in the trees. I fished the creek before I climbed to the lake.”
“I see. Well, don’t let me keep you, Sheriff. I’m going to gather up my basket and my dog and return to town. I promise to dispose of all my litter and properly observe all traffic signs on the way. I’ll be the poster child for law-abiding citizens of Eternity Springs.”
If she wanted to be an Eternity Springs poster child, then the Chamber of Commerce people should tag her for tourist brochures. She was every bit as beautiful as the photo of sailboats on Hummingbird Lake that they currently used. Jeez, Turner, keep this line of thought up and next thing you know you’ll be spouting sonnets.
“We’re always happy to have more law-abiding residents. Welcome to Eternity Springs, Savannah. If there is anything I can do to help you settle in, just let me know. My office is on Cottonwood Street.”
“Thank you.”
She bent to pick up her dog, and he couldn’t think of anything else to say, so he turned to go. He was halfway to his truck before he realized he’d walked off without the gear he’d dropped when he believed he had another jumper on his hands.
Zach felt like an idiot. It wasn’t like him to let a woman throw him off stride this way. Honestly, Savannah Moore wasn’t that much more gorgeous than Inga, and he’d never gone stupid over the ski instructor.
Had she noticed that he’d walked off without his stuff? How could he retrieve it without looking like a fool? “Good luck with that,” he muttered.
He could leave it and return for it later. Were it not his new fly rod …
Turning around, he trudged back toward Lover’s Leap, completely annoyed with himself and casting about for an excuse he could give. He finally decided that the best excuse was no excuse. He would simply stroll back to where his gear lay and act like he’d intended to walk off without his stuff. Let her think what she would.
But as he approached the point, the sound of her voice had him slowing his steps. As a former undercover cop, he had plenty of experience at eavesdropping, and even though he knew doing so now bordered on stalking, he did it anyway.
“… moved to Mayberry. I was hoping for Andy Taylor, but instead I get clueless Barney Fife. It’s scary to think someone like that is allowed to carry a gun.”
Zach stopped abruptly. Barney Fife? Did that woman just call me Barney Fife?
“And he was a bit of a perv, spreading his hand all over my butt when he carried me …”
A pervert? She’s calling me a pervert, too? I was saving her life!
“… and he kept checking out my chest.”
Okay, he pleaded guilty there, but what did she expect when she wore a scoop-neck top that teased him by gaping? And who the hell was she