Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(30)

Five minutes later, Piper helped Kerrie and Mr. Winston unload at the Lanes’ house. She kissed the old man on the cheek and she could have sworn he blushed.

As Colby drove the few blocks to the town square, Piper realized she hadn’t said a word to Colby since he’d accepted the lunch invitation from Winston for her. And now, her head was filled with what needed to be done. She had to take care of her town, her people.

She hadn’t even sat next to Colby at lunch. Marcie and she had far too much to talk about.

In the silence of the car, they were alone with nothing to say. This was not the time to make up or break up.

Colby must have felt the same way because his jaw was set as he herded everyone to the cars.

Piper glanced at Colby. Wishing they had time. To talk. To make love. To understand why what they had was crumbling.

“I’m sorry,” she said, touching his arm as he swung into a parking place and cut the engine. “I guess I was mad at you earlier, and then Marcie came in and I needed to set things right with her.”

Colby turned toward her. He looked confused. “Why were you mad?” He reacted like she’d pulled him away from his concentration on the storm with a slap, not an apology. “I don’t understand.”

She’d finally got his attention. It wasn’t the time or place, but she had to say something. It couldn’t end like this.

“It bothers me when you speak for me. I’m perfectly able to make decisions and answer questions.”

He glared at her as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “What are you sorry for again? It sounds more like you think I did something wrong.” His voice came hard and fast. “I think sometimes we’re on different planets and are trying to yell at each other.”

“Never mind. It’s nothing.” She watched the rain and felt trapped in the car.

His words sounded ice-cold. “Maybe I should make a list of all the nothing, Mayor. I’ve spent one day of my weekend looking for you. No sleep for two days to get here, and you didn’t even notice. We haven’t spent ten minutes alone together all day today.” He swore under his breath. “And now with the storm is not the time to talk about what’s wrong with us.” Colby gulped down his anger. “We’ve both got a job to do and the job for both of us always comes first. Right?”

“Right.” Part of her wanted to be mad at him again for not saying he was sorry, but now wasn’t the time. He seemed to think what was wrong between them was her fault.

Piper shoved the door open and ran for the sheriff’s office. Raindrops fell on her as tears ran down her face. Colby would have had to look at her to notice.

He caught up with her and managed to hold the door for her as she darted inside.

Both froze as a roar of voices met them. The room was packed with firemen, deputies, volunteers.

She instinctively leaned closer as the noise all but drowned out her question. “What’s wrong with us?” she whispered. She could almost hear the bond between them tearing. She told herself when this crisis was over they’d talk, but deep down she knew it might be too late.

He dug his fingers through his wet hair and moved into action. She did the same.





Chapter 20


Pecos


Pecos moved into place like a seasoned fighter pilot going into battle. Everything was ready. The desk was made in the shape of an S. Usually there was just one dispatcher on duty, but if another was needed she’d sit on the other half of the desk. Her computer screen faced the main operator’s computer so all Pecos had to do was turn his head to see both. They’d each have their own headset but they’d almost be shoulder to shoulder, making passing information easy. If only one line was active, the other dispatcher could listen in.

Pecos sat down at his cluttered station and Marcie took the other. When she swiveled toward him she could see everything he was doing. If he wasn’t on the phone, he was talking or filling her in on the rules, answers, and information she had to collect. Numbers she might need were taped to both desks. She would be taking a crash course in being a dispatcher. If she didn’t learn fast, the country singer would be out the door within an hour.

“I can switch over if you get a call that you can’t handle.”

She nodded, then sat quietly as Pecos answered a few calls, sending one call to the fire department. A fall victim called, needing to be transferred to the clinic. The next call was a woman who couldn’t find her cat. Pecos explained that cats hate water, so it was probably up high and dry. He also said if it was not an emergency, she’d have to wait until the storm was over.

The woman was not happy with that answer and wanted to be passed to the sheriff, so Pecos did. Three calls followed, asking about the weather.

The sheriff wandered in to complain about the cat call and gave them both the official statement about the weather. “It bugs me when people call in like we’re the weather channel. They’ll want to know what to do, like they’ve never even thought a flood might come along. Hell, they live on a river. Our job is to give them direction and keep them from doing something stupid like trying to float out on their blowup mattress.”

Marcie nodded, taking in every word.

Sheriff LeRoy Hayes continued, “Tell them if they’re between the river and the highway to evacuate now. Let us know if they need help. That means to evacuate, not move out. Back in ’93, a fisherman wanted to take all his trophies with him. Turns out they filled the whole boat. That flood wiped out a dozen fishing shacks, but they came back the following spring like weeds.”