on it. She’d tolerated it but could never quite get over the need for some peace every once in a while. It would be a shame to lose this little corner of peace in the world.
She turned to go inside before she got eaten alive, and pain shot up her arm. That was one part of the equation she hadn’t mentioned to Sandra. Someone in this town wanted her gone in the worst way.
Well, too bad.
If she decided to leave it wasn’t going to be because someone forced her out. They’d made a huge mistake coming after her like that, because it only made her want to dig her heels in harder.
Nadya kicked off her sandals and padded barefoot to the kitchen. J.T. stood by the stove with a beer in one hand and stirring a pot of something with the other. He’d taken off his uniform and wore jeans and a T-shirt and looked good enough to eat. He still took her breath away every time she saw him.
“Hey,” she called softly so as not to startle him.
“Oh, good, you’re done. The soup’s almost ready. Who were you on the phone with?”
“My friend, Sandra, from New York. She wanted to be kept in the loop.”
“And what did you tell her?”
“Not everything, that’s for sure. You know, I’ve lived in New York City for twelve years and never once been mugged. I’ve been in Dale a week and had my car trashed and been assaulted.”
“I’ve been a cop in Dale for five years, and we haven’t had an assault or vandalism like that since I’ve been here.”
“Are you saying it’s my fault?”
“No, I’m saying it’s damn weird. I know you think we’re a bunch of redneck bigots, but things really are different. We have several Hispanic families, and they’re part of the community. I don’t recall anyone threatening them when they moved here.”
“Orleane Campbell told Mary Ellen not to hire Rosa because she’s Mexican,” she couldn’t resist pointing out.
“Okay, there are still some idiots. Every barrel has a few bad apples, but no one attacked Rosa or her family. With the population dropping the way it is, I think most folks know we need to have new blood or the town will die out.”
“So do you support the development?”
J.T. poured the soup into a mug and got a spoon out of a drawer. “I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the privately owned land being used for something, but I don’t think building a bunch of overpriced houses is the answer to Dale’s problems.”
“What do you think of Nokas?”
“I met the man when he petitioned the town council. I think he’s the Antichrist in an expensive suit. He’s not just a business man who’s looking to the bottom line. He really doesn’t give a shit about anything but profit. He’s hell-bent on suing the town and the state until they get so sick of him they’ll give in. It doesn’t matter that he’ll bankrupt the town he’s so determined to build in.”
“But if I don’t sell him the land, it renders the point moot.”
“Have I ever mentioned how hot it is when you talk all lawyery?”
“Dork.”
“I’m just a guy, sorry. Anyway, yes, if you don’t sell him the land, he can still sue the state for access rights, but he won’t win. The state forest is protected under more laws than he can throw lawyers at.”
“After I hung up with Sandra, I stayed outside and listened to the creek in the distance. I hate the thought of never hearing that again. But I also don’t want to see Dale turn into a ghost town because there aren’t any jobs.”
“Don’t take on all the worries of the town. Do what’s right for you. Not for Mary Ellen and Bill, not for the town, for you. If you need that money to pay off your bills, sell the land. Dale will survive or it won’t. You can’t put all of that on your shoulders.”
“I don’t need the money. It would be a really nice cushion, but I make a good living even when you consider the cost of living in New York City.”
“What do you need?”
You. Her heart answered immediately. “Answers,” she said aloud. “I want to know who is behind the attacks on me. Is it one person or more than one? I want to know who told the protestors the deal was as good as done. And I want to know what my half brothers think of me.”
That last part popped