head home and have lunch first? Then we can think about how to break the news to Laura that you blew up her car.”
“Nothing exploded,” Jami said with a wince, and she rubbed Nancy’s wing with her thumb.
“Here’s the card to where it was towed.” Lana held out a crisp, white business card with a picture of a car in red on the front.
I plucked it from her fingers and tucked the card into the back pocket of my jeans.
“Thanks again, Sheriff.”
Sheriff Lana Holland had been the sheriff here in Castle Ridge for twenty years. She was one of the few people in this town who had treated my family with respect. My parents told us we were forever in her debt when Jami wandered off at eight years of age. She was alone and barefoot in the woods for hours as the temperature dropped on that cool spring evening.
My mother was frantic, and even though I was only seventeen, I was ready to search for her all night if I had to.
Thankfully, Lana found her near Sullivan’s Creek, about a mile from our house. My mom baked the sheriff cookies for the next month to thank her.
My sister used to wander off a lot before she got the help she needed after her diagnosis. Jami had grown so much since those early days. She was so responsible now and the one keeping me in line.
“What were you doing with Laura’s car?”
Laura never let me drive it, but she trusted Jami.
“Nathan had a doctor appointment.”
We moved into the hallway of the police station and headed toward the front entrance. Glancing down, I saw Nathan’s head wobble to the side as he slept.
“Crap. I forgot about that. Thanks.”
Like I said, she was more responsible than me.
“Have you been fired?” she asked as we got to the door.
I stopped and turned to her. “Why would you think that?”
“You’re here and not at work. When you aren’t at work during the day, it usually means you’re fired.”
“Well, I haven’t been fired. No more of that. I like the job I have now. I took a half day because I got a call from the police station saying they had my sister.” I side-eyed Jami.
“It was only the car. And that officer took Nancy from me.”
“That officer is new. Cut him some slack.”
“If I cut him, then they’ll arrest me.”
I sighed, pushed on the door, and let her pass. “It’s just a saying.”
Once we were outside, a cool breeze swept over me. I shivered, realizing I needed more than a light jacket. No more warm days in October around here.
As we stepped down the three cement steps to the sidewalk, I glanced up. There, only a few feet in front of me, was Monty.
He saw me. There was no time to hide.
“Crap,” I mumbled.
“Oh look, it’s Nathan’s dad. We should say hi.”
My head snapped to Jami. How did she know? I had said nothing to her. I shook my head. Laura must have told her.
“Let’s not,” I added, but it was too late.
Jami was waving at Monty, and he looked as stunned as I felt.
“Hello. Are you here to complain about Officer Kolsti?” Jami asked.
“No. I don’t even know who Officer Kolsti is,” Monty said as his eyes dipped to Nathan in the car seat. “How is he?”
He wasn’t taking his eyes off him. As mad as I was at him, my heart broke as I watched him. I knew he loved his son and wanted to be a part of his life, but he’d done some crazy things since September.
And the part that bugged me the most was that he took so long to tell me. Even if he never acknowledged Nathan, he’d still technically be his father. No one can just pretend a son away.
“He’s fine. Sleeping a little longer at night. I now get a full four hours a night. Yay!” I shook my fist in the air.
His chocolate eyes, the ones I missed staring at me with desire, widened. “A full four hours. Must be luxury. I bet you wish you had someone to help. Someone to maybe get up a few nights a week with him.”
I would love that. As helpful as Jami was, I wasn’t about to interrupt her beauty sleep. Without a full eight hours, she was impossible to be around.
“It’s fine. I have to breastfeed him anyway, so I have to get up during the night.”
I noticed his field of vision switched from Nathan to my