A Deep and Dark December(31)

“He has a tattoo,” Jessica said smugly. “On his left shoulder blade. Some kind of Chinese symbol. What I wouldn’t give to trace it with my tongue.” She sighed dramatically.

“Jessica Ann Conway!” Mabel exclaimed, blushing all the way to her white roots. “You naughty thing.”

“Oh, come on, Mabel,” Jessica said, tucking a strand of blond hair behind one ear. “I’m sure you’ve had your share of impure thoughts about our sexy sheriff. I bet Erin has too. Haven’t you?”

Oh, yes. “No.”

Jessica crossed her arms over her chest and gave Erin a mocking look. “Then why are you blushing?”

Erin touched fingertips to her flaming cheek. “I’m not.”

“You’re embarrassing her,” Mabel said. “Besides, what would Erin be doing lusting after the sheriff when she’s got such a handsome boyfriend like Keith?”

“As my grammie says, just because you’ve already ordered dinner doesn’t mean you still can’t look at the menu.” Jessica’s naughty smile flared up again. “And what a fine menu it is. I’ll take one of everything.”

“Jessica!” Mabel admonished.

“Did Graham say when he’d be down?” Erin asked, trying to change the subject.

Jessica narrowed her eyes. “Graham? Don’t you mean Sheriff Doran?”

The door down the hall opened and Elmer hobbled into view, his cane thumping against the wood floor. “I wouldn’t go in there for a while if I was you,” he said, waving a hand in front of his face.

Jessica settled at her desk with a sigh. “If only he was a back sleeper. I would’ve gotten to see all the goods.”

“Your mother would box your ears if she heard you talking about the sheriff like that,” Mabel said without any heat, a rosy glow tinting her cheeks. “You didn’t happen to take a picture with your phone, did you?”

“Mabel!” Jessica echoed Mabel’s tone. “I’m shocked!” She snapped her fingers. “Wish I’d thought of it.”

Elmer finally made it across the room and sat down next to Erin. “I used to give the ladies a time myself when I was the sheriff’s age. That is, until Ruth snared me in her net. God rest her.”

“Did the sheriff say when he’d be down?” Erin asked again. “I really do have to get to work.”

“Probably be another ten minutes or so,” Mabel answered. “Not like he has to take the time to shave.”

“I like the scruff. It’s sexy,” Jessica said.

So did Erin. And the way his soft beard had felt against her skin as he’d kissed her. She flushed again for an entirely different reason.

The phone on Mabel’s desk rang. “Sheriff’s office… A what?” She scrambled around on her desk before finally coming up with a pen and paper. “Say that again, Ned. Uh-huh. And you’re sure that’s where you put it?”

Jessica scooted her rolling chair over to Mabel’s desk to read what Mabel was writing. “Auto theft? Who’d want to steal Ned Jenkins’ Cadillac? That thing’s older than me.” Mabel scribbled some more, then underlined something she wrote, pointing it out for Jessica to read. “Computer, jewelry, stereo… whoa. A break-in? Are you sure Ned hasn’t been drinking and pawning again?”

Mabel clamped a hand over the mouthpiece. “Keep your voice down. He can hear you.”

Jessica crab-walked her chair back to her desk, shaking her head. “Must be a full moon or something. A murder/suicide and now a break-in. Nothing ever happens around here and then within twenty four hours—whammo—crime spree.”

Mabel’s other line rang. She stared at it as though it was a live wire, then turned to Jessica. Pointing at the blinking light, she mouthed line two?

Jessica’s brows shot up her forehead. “I didn’t even know that line worked.”

“Can you hold on for a moment, Ned? I have a call on the other line.” Mabel said the last sentence as though the devil himself was calling in from hell. She punched the hold button, took a deep breath, then pressed the blinking second line. “Sheriff’s office. A streaker,” she gasped, clasping a hand to her chest. “Running down Main Street?”

Jessica rolled back over to Mabel’s desk. “Who is it? Who’s streaking?”

“I’ll send a deputy to take care of it,” Mabel said, her face reflecting the shock Erin felt. Mabel hung up the phone. “A streaker. We never even had one when they were fashionable.”

“Who’s the streaker?” Jessica asked as Mabel’s second line flashed again.

“Chris Farnsworth.” Mabel cast Elmer an uncomfortable look. “You’ better go down there, Elmer. Maybe you could help Pax subdue your grandson and talk him into putting his clothes back on.” She pressed line two with even more trepidation than before. “Sheriff’s office.”

Jessica leaned close to Mabel. “What’s happened now?”

“Yes, we know,” Mabel said into the phone. “It’s already been called in. A deputy will be there shortly.” She hung up the phone only to have the line light up again. “If that call is about the streaker, they can just hold their horses. Shesh.”