A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1)(67)

“Gee, thanks. I didn’t sleep well.”

“Yeah? Anybody I know?”

“Quincy, not everything is about sex. I slept in the cruiser.”

He stopped and gaped at her.

“I went back out to the search area.”

His expression morphed into one of extreme concern. “What the fuck, Sunny?”

“I didn’t actually search. I didn’t even get out of the cruiser. That blizzard was brutal.”

“Worst we’ve had in twelve years, according to the hot meteorologist on channel seven. If you didn’t search—”

“I went out there to wait. Levi’s truck was still there, so I waited to see if they came off the mountain.”

“Of course Levi Ravinder would be involved. Did he? Come?” He waited just long enough to make sure his not-so-subtle innuendo was understood, then added, “Off the mountain?”

“Funny. And yes, but they didn’t find Jimmy. He went back out there in the middle of that melee.”

“He’s got spunk. That’s for damned sure.”

“Spunk? That’s what you call it when someone risks his life to save his nephew?”

He shrugged. “I don’t like the guy, okay? Never have.”

Levi had always been a sore spot for him. “Why?”

“He’s not good enough for you,” he said matter-of-factly while checking his phone.

Anita walked into the office before Sun could question him further. “There’s someone here who’d like to talk to you, Sheriff.”

“About what? I really need to get out there.”

“She said you’re friends and that it’ll only take a minute. A Melody Hill? She seems pretty desperate.”

“Most of her friends are,” Quincy said.

Sun smiled. “You’re my friend.”

“Most,” he said with a wink. “Not all.”

She just happened to look past Quincy to the lobby. A man was sitting there covered in bandages. “Is that Mr. Madrid?” she asked, shocked.

“Oh yeah,” he said, chuckling. “I think the chicken is winning.”

“Rooster. And I have to agree. What does he need? Besides an ambulance?”

Anita looked at the exit longingly, then faced her duties like a champion. “He wants to file a complaint against Mrs. Sorenson. Says she’s harassing him about her rooster, because, and I quote, he didn’t take the god-danged thing, end of story.”

Sun tried to feel sorry for the guy. She failed. But she did feel sorry for the rooster. “Poor Puff Daddy. Caught in the middle of all this.”

“I think he’s the only sane one,” Anita said. “Do you want me to send the woman back?”

“Yes, thanks, Anita.”

Quincy grabbed his jacket. “Want me to wait?”

“No. Will you meet up with the field coordinator? Make sure we’re good to go?”

“You got it.”

Anita showed in Melody Hill, a sweet girl who was a year ahead of Sun in high school. She’d grown into her curves, her attire much more attractive than what she’d worn in school, but Sun figured that was due to her mother’s constant reproach of her. The fact that the poor girl had been on a diet every day of her life couldn’t have helped her self-esteem.

“Melody,” Sun said, surprised to see her. She rose to shake her hand, then gestured toward the chair.

“Sunshine. I can’t believe you’re the sheriff. I totally voted for you.”

Sun offered her a grateful smile. “Thank you. What’s up?”

“Oh, right, I’m so sorry, but I didn’t know what to do. Who to tell.”

That sounded serious. “Who to tell what?”

“Okay, first I want immunity.”

Sun smothered a grin. “If you’ve killed someone, I’m afraid I can’t grant that.”

Melody burst out laughing, but it was one part humor and two parts nerves. Then she sobered and said, “No, really. I don’t want to be prosecuted for lying to a U.S. Marshal.”

Ah. Deleon had said a woman lied to him when he was doing his interviews. Two, actually, but Sun was about 110 percent positive one was Darlene Tapia. She’d know for sure once the intrepid Royce Womack reported back to her.

“All right. I promise not to prosecute you for lying to a U.S. Marshal. Tell me what’s going on.”

She breathed in deeply through her nose, gathering her courage. “Well, someone told the marshals that I had seen that boy who escaped from jail.”

“And had you?”

“Well, I think so, but I may have lied to the marshal.”

Sun’s adrenaline redlined. So, they were right. The fugitive really was in the area. She took out a notebook to take some notes, but it was really just for show. Sometimes when people were confessing to a crime, they didn’t want anyone looking directly at them. It was a psychological thing. “Okay. Can you tell me why you lied?”

“Well, I’m not positive I did. He may have not been the same boy.”

“Gotcha. Why did you possibly lie?”

“Because, if it’s the same guy, he saved my daughter’s life.”

Sun looked up. “How?”