driving her insane. “Yes, that is correct.”
“Be sure to advise me of any change of address.” He flipped through papers again. “Now, as we discussed prior to your admission for inpatient treatment at Sedona Sunset, the terms of your probation required you to find full-time employment when you returned. How is the job search coming?”
Tanyalee tried to keep her mouth from falling open but didn’t succeed. “I just got home! I haven’t even unpacked! I haven’t even had a chance to make amends to my sister! Plus, I only recently found out my friend Candy Carmichael got kidnapped by those horrible drug dealers out in Preston Valley while I was away! Don’t you read the paper?”
Temple blinked rapidly. “You seem to be associated with more than your share of kidnappings, Miss Newberry.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Tanyalee could not believe this man. “That drug dealer thing had nothing to do with me, and Wim Wimbley never technically kidnapped me, as you are aware. He just held me at gunpoint along with Cheri and Candy.”
“Uh-huh.”
“All I’m saying is that I’ve been preoccupied since I got back. I haven’t had time to look for a job. Of course, because my gun-happy former fiancé is going to federal prison for a long, long time, I doubt I’ll be able to continue my work as his real estate assistant.”
Mr. Smathers’s expression went blank. “How about now? Was that sarcasm?”
“No! Of course not!”
“So I take it you’d welcome some assistance from the Cataloochee County Department of…”
“No, I most certainly would not!”
“… Job Services?” He frowned.
Tanyalee forced herself to find her pleasant smile once more. “What I actually meant was, no, thank you. That is so very kind of you to offer, but I don’t need job services.”
Temple sighed deeply, as if her visit were downright painful, which Tanyalee found offensive. She was being sweet as pie!
“You have two weeks to secure full-time employment, Miss Newberry. That’s forty hours on the job, per week, minimum. And you need to find a community service opportunity by then as well. Once you have found employment and completed your hours you will be eligible for early termination of probation. You will be free.”
Tanyalee gasped. “Why, that’s wonderful, Mr. Smathers!”
“I’m glad that makes you happy, Miss Newberry.”
“But…” Tanyalee suddenly worried she would fail. “Volunteering will be a snap, but jobs are scarce in this economy, as I’m sure you’re aware. What if I can’t find full-time work?”
He didn’t look up from the form he was scribbling on. “Then you’ll find two or three part-time jobs that add up to forty hours. This is not rocket science, Miss Newberry, and we all know that you usually find a way to get what you want. I’ll see you in two weeks.”
My goodness! Such an unpleasant little man! Tanyalee accepted the appointment card, slid her bag onto her shoulder, and headed for the door. She spun back around to find him staring at her ass.
“Caught you red-handed,” she snapped.
Mr. Smathers grinned. “On behalf of the entire Cataloochee County law enforcement community, allow me to say that makes us even.”
Chapter 4
“Taffy?”
Tanyalee groaned in exasperation, letting her head fall back against the porch swing. She couldn’t get a moment’s peace in this damn place! All she wanted was to sit outside in the dusk—alone—and listen to the bugs. Was that too much to ask?
“Out here, Aunt Viv.” Her voice sounded as exhausted as she felt.
Within seconds, the front screen door creaked open and slammed shut, and Viv plopped down next to her on the swing. She set the contraption in motion with her pink-laced tennis shoe.
“Phew! It’s a warm one tonight!” Aunt Viv took a sip of the frozen drink she held in her hand, an elixir she called “risky slush”—strawberry daiquiri mix, ice, and vodka whirled around in the blender until it became a cold, crunchy soup. Not that it needed to be a warm night for Viv to break out the Osterizer. In fact, it didn’t even need to be night at all. Tanyalee knew Viv had been fond of these innocent-looking concoctions as long as Tanyalee could remember, which was most of her life, since she’d come to live with her great-aunt when her parents died. Tanyalee had been five, and Cheri seven. Vivienne Newberry was the closest thing to a mother they’d had since.
“Thank you for helping wash up after supper.” Aunt Viv patted her on the knee. “You’ve always been such a helpful girl, Taffy.”
Tanyalee squeezed her eyelids shut for a