Strange Medicine (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries #1)(18)

“Look, I wasn’t judging you.”

“Sure about that?”

“Yep.” He sighed. “I’m trying to get to know you. Sometimes knowing things about a person’s family helps you understand the person better.”

“Oh.” I frowned.

“Would you say your parents were affectionate?”

“Not particularly.” My face warmed, and I avoided looking at him. “My father felt affection made you weak. My mom agreed.” I cleared my throat. “But they gave me everything I needed.”

“Now why on earth would affection make a person weak?”

“Because you might come to depend on it. Then if no one’s there to pat you on the head and tell you what a good and special boy you are, maybe you won’t be able to function.”

“Do you believe that?” He sounded skeptical.

“I do think emotions can make you weak. Fear can paralyze a person.” I swallowed hard. “And um… love can make you blind.”

“I guess that’s sure enough true.”

We’d reached the lake, and there were some children splashing down by the water’s edge. Royce led the puppy to the water, and it sniffed and wagged its tail. Grumpy stepped into the water tentatively and looked up at Royce as if asking permission.

“Well, go on. Play.” Royce grinned, but the dog just kept staring at him.

A little girl in a bright pink and yellow bathing suit came over. “Oh, a puppy!” She dropped to her knees in the water and hugged Grumpy.

I was surprised when he licked her face; it was probably the first truly puppyish behavior I’d seen. “I think he likes you,” I addressed the child.

“Oh, yes. All dogs like me, and I like them.” She giggled as Grumpy started nibbling her bathing suit.

Royce looked over at me. “If he keeps this up, we’ll have to change his name.”

“Ha. Yeah. Maybe he should be called Nibbles or something.”

The little girl grabbed hold of Grumpy’s collar and tugged. “Come in the water, puppy!” She laughed, and the puppy lunged toward her, knocking her onto her behind. But instead of being upset, the child giggled even louder.

I half thought the child might have a screw loose. What was there to laugh about being jumped on by a wet dog? I stepped back so that they didn’t splash me, and Royce unhooked the leash. Grumpy and the little girl paddled around under our watchful eyes, and we perched on a picnic table a few feet away.

“Is that child down here by herself?” I asked.

Royce chuckled. “Nah. That’s Marsha Tate’s little girl. Her mom is over there under the pine trees with her boyfriend.” He pointed toward a couple who were kissing. “I should say boyfriend of the week.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. She gets around.” He shrugged. “To each their own I guess.”

“True.” I felt his gaze on me.

“Have you had any night visitors?”

At first I thought he was asking if I’d had any lovers. I wasn’t sure why my mind went there first, but it did. I cleared my throat. “Um… no. Or none that I’ve noticed.”

He seemed completely unaware of my embarrassment. “I still find it really weird they were digging.”

“Me too.” I ran my fingers over some initials carved into the wood. Were those two even together any longer, or had their initials outlived their love? “Maybe they were looking for buried treasure.” I smirked.

“Not a lot of that around Rainy Dale.”

“Or anywhere.”

He smiled and his gaze warmed. “I’m glad you came along. It’s nice to have some human company. Not that Grumpy doesn’t hold up his end of the conversation or anything.”

I was surprised to realize I was enjoying myself. I barely knew Royce, but I definitely always liked being around him. “I feel like I never really thanked you for staying with me the other night.”

“You did.” His voice was soft.

“You probably think I’m a wimp.”

He frowned. “No.”

I laughed uneasily. “Sometimes I do.”

“You were understandably nervous.” He sighed. “I just wished I knew who it was.”

“Maybe they found what they wanted, and that’s why they haven’t returned.” I didn’t really believe that for one minute. I had a bad feeling they’d be back.

“If uh… they do come back, call me. Don’t try and confront them yourself.”

“I won’t. Confront them I mean.”

We sat there for a while longer as the puppy worked off some excess energy. Eventually Marsha called her little girl, and they left. The sun was on the verge of setting, and the western skyline was tangerine and raspberry colored. Royce put Grumpy back on the leash, and we started for home.

I’d enjoyed my time with Royce and had the strongest urge to invite him to dinner at my house, but all I had was soup. That didn’t seem like a very exciting meal, so I held my tongue. Besides, he probably already had plans. It was Saturday night, and he was a good-looking man. Just because he’d wanted some company while he walked his dog didn’t mean he wanted to hang out with me the rest of the evening.

As we reached my house, Royce touched my elbow. “I was thinking… would you want to have dinner?”