The Homecoming (Thunder Point #6)(48)

Seth left the house, his boots striking the wood of the porch and steps loudly. He got into his car. Before pulling away from the curb, he called Charlie. “I’m done here,” he said. “How’s the town?”

“Quiet. The only residence party I saw seems to be breaking up early, most of them leaving on foot. Not many kids out anymore. I checked in on one noise complaint—just music and they apologized and turned down the volume. The Knudsons’ haunted house is still open but in the past twenty minutes there haven’t been any kids around there.”

“Business district?” Seth asked.

“Under control the last time I looked. A few adults and teenagers wrapping things up.”

Seth looked at his watch. It was after nine. “If you don’t need me, I’m going to get off the clock and get something to eat.”

“Sure thing, boss. I’ll give you a call if anything important comes up, but I think we’re good.”

Seth drove slowly down the street toward the pizza place, now pretty busy with teenagers. He phoned from the car and ordered a large pizza and for the next fifteen minutes he just hung around in front, talking to people. Then he went in for his pizza and took it a few blocks up the hill to Iris’s. He wanted to see Iris to escape the nasty feeling Sassy had left on him.

Funny thing about Sassy. He’d thought she was his first until Iris had informed him about that night before the prom when he’d lost his virginity in a drunken stupor. Of course he’d known about Sassy’s reputation, he’d heard the talk. He hadn’t really cared that much whether she’d been with other boys before him. She’d made a lot of assertions about her virginity and he’d just let her. It’s not like he owned her. What happened before they’d started dating wasn’t his business. Besides, their relationship had been short and troubled.

He phoned the dispatcher and clocked out for the night. Then he called Iris from the car and when she answered he said, “I hope you’re up.”

“Sure. What’s going on?”

“I’ve been on duty since early this morning. I’ve taken pictures of a lot of little goblins and princesses and witches, plus I have a pizza in the car because I’m starving. I’m done for the night.”

“Well, bring that pizza in here!” she said.

Just the sound of that made him feel better. He couldn’t get in there fast enough. He pulled his squad car right into her drive and parked.

Eleven

Troy worked at Cooper’s bar on Halloween night. Cooper had been snagged by his wife to go to town to trick-or-treat at a few spots with their three-month-old daughter, who was dressed as a little duck and didn’t have a clue how they were exploiting her cuteness. Rawley had gone into town to help Carrie hand out treats at the deli and it wasn’t likely to be busy at the bar, not with the weather as cold as it was and all the real action in town.

He wasn’t particularly sentimental about Halloween, but he did have to admit the kids he saw were pretty hilarious. The doctor’s kids came out to the beach for a little show-and-tell before going house to house in town with Devon, the coach and their kids, Mercy and Austin. The little girls were, predictably, princesses. Austin was a zombie and five-year-old Will was with SEAL Team Six.

By seven o’clock Cooper was back and by seven-thirty the coach and his kids were done for the night. It wasn’t even nine when Troy had swept, mopped and put everything straight. He headed for town, looking for a little diversion. He’d chosen to walk to work since it was a dry night. Going back to town across the beach, he passed a pretty big bonfire and a bunch of high school kids bundled up and chasing each other around the sand. When they saw him there was a lot of shouting. “Hey, Troy, hey!” It made them feel so cool to call him by his first name when they weren’t at school and when he wasn’t with other teachers. He got a kick out of them. He did manage an adult move and told them to be careful around that fire.

Troy had a small two-bedroom apartment in town in a pretty ratty and cheap building—one bedroom to sleep in, one to store toys. Besides semi-decent furniture the only thing he’d done to improve his surroundings was reinforce all the locks—his toys and sports gear were valuable.

He walked past his street and up the hill toward Iris’s house. Parked in front of her house was the Sheriff’s Department SUV. That was pretty blatant. Usually Seth at least parked in his parents’ drive, though that was just about as close to Iris’s back door as her own drive. Even though they insisted theirs was merely an old friendship, Troy could pick up the vibes. He wasn’t convinced either Iris or Seth would admit it, but Troy could see what was happening. There was some kind of chemistry going on there that was more intense than friendship.

He turned around and walked back down the hill. He could head to Cliff’s or maybe even Waylan’s. He felt like having a beer. Maybe a little distraction. He should’ve thought it through before taking a job in a little town like this because as far as single women went, they were few. The chances of finding himself lucky on Friday were pretty slim. Of course, when there was snow on Mount Hood, he could head up there and after a day of skiing he would usually find someone to flirt with.

He’d met Iris soon after moving to Thunder Point and had congratulated himself on both good taste and wisdom—she was pretty, smart, funny and sexy. It didn’t take him long to ask her out. Figuring he could enjoy a long time with someone like Iris, he’d settled into the little town very happily. But it didn’t work out for them. Troy had been around the block a few times—it happened that way sometimes. He was disappointed, but he told himself that would pass.