Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Oh my God! That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in ages.” Kiesha wiped at her eyes.
“What did you do?” she asked.
“Just an exploding dick package.”
“Fuck. Kiesha, you’re lucky he doesn’t reprimand you for that,” the deputy said.
“If he hadn’t told on me to Harry then I wouldn’t have had to retaliate.” Kiesha huffed. “Really, he brought that dicking on himself.”
The deputy walked away, muttering to himself.
They both started giggling again as Ed walked back in, sighing. He’d brushed himself off. Too bad, she’d liked the sparkly dick look on him.
“Ms. Anderson, my deputy told me about last night. How are you doing?”
“Oh my God! I’m such a bad bestie! I didn’t even ask if you were okay!”
“I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt.” Just terrified. Although that part had come later. After he’d run off.
“Ed is going to catch that asshole, aren’t you, Ed?” Kiesha said. “What a jerk, hitting someone smaller than him. Although it seems Liv isn’t keen to cough up who it was.”
“Is that right?” Gwen stared over at the sheriff.
He gave Kiesha a firm look. “That is police business, Kiesha.”
Kiesha sighed. “But my New Bestie is part of the investigation.”
“That doesn’t matter. When is Harry coming for you?” Ed asked, looking slightly desperate.
“Soon. He got held up with a client. Harry’s a lawyer,” Kiesha told her. “But we don’t hold that against him.”
“I’m a lawyer, too.”
“You are? I could totally get you a job at Harry’s law firm if you wanted one.”
“Um. Oh.”
“Harry’s law firm consists of Harry getting accosted wherever he is by someone with a complaint,” Ed said dryly. “In other words, he doesn’t really have a law firm.”
“So? He might create one and my New Bestie needs a job.”
“Um, thanks. Uh, Sheriff, if you have time, I’ve got something I need to talk to you about?”
“Sure,” he said easily. “Come back with me. And call me Ed.”
Kiesha started following them. Ed turned to frown at her. “Not you. You clean up that mess and wait here for Harry. And you might want to show him how much candy is in that drawer.”
“I will never!” Kiesha put her hand on her heart. “And if you want to avoid laxative in your coffee, you won’t tell him either.”
Ed heaved a sigh.
“Besides, my New Bestie needs me to make her a hot chocolate. She looks kind of pale, don’t you think?”
“Fine,” Ed said. “You can make her a hot chocolate before you leave. Knock on the door before entering the office.”
“So many rules. So bossy. Definitely needs a good cleaning out,” Kiesha muttered as she walked away.
“Sorry about that,” Ed apologized as he led Gwen into his office.
“The two of you seem, um . . .”
“Like bickering siblings? We grew up together. Kiesha is like my very annoying baby sister. Please sit.”
She sat across from him.
“She is right, though. You do look rather pale. Is everything all right?” he asked.
Great. She should have pinched her cheeks before coming here. Everyone seemed to think she looked like crap.
“Oh, it’s all fine. Well, maybe not fine exactly. More like okay.” Stop blathering, Gwen.
“Is it something to do with what happened last night? This town is usually safe. But still, bad things can happen anywhere.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t think. Maybe it is.”
More rambling.
“Okay, deep breath,” Ed ordered in a commanding voice. “Now, let your breath out. Slowly.”
She let out a breath and instantly felt better. “Sorry.”
“No need for apologies.”
“You sound like Dominic.”
“I’m surprised he’s not with you,” he said. “You haven’t told him what happened?”
“Not yet. He’s away working and will mostly be out of contact until tonight. I’ll tell him then.”
“Good. I expect that you will do that.”
Whoa. Were all the men around here so bossy?
There was a knock on the door. Then a few seconds passed and another knock. More seconds. A third knock.
Ed sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “Why? Why me?”
She had to bite her lip not to start giggling.
“Come in, Kiesha.”
“How’d you know it was me?” She walked in with a large hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles on top.
“Just a good guess,” Ed said dryly.
“Here you are, New Bestie. I made you my special hot chocolate. You need the sugar.”
She really didn’t, but the hot chocolate looked amazing. However, it was the fact that Kiesha cared about her that had tears entering her eyes.
Stop being silly, Gwen.
“What’s wrong?” Kiesha asked, sounding alarmed. “Is it Ed? Did he do something?”
“No, no,” she said hastily. “I’m fine. Really.”
“You sure?” Kiesha asked. “Do you need me to stay?”
“No. Thank you. I’m fine.”
“Little monster?”
“Oops, that’s Harry. Are you sure you’re all right, New Bestie?”
“Yes, I am. Promise.”
“Okay, then. I’ve got to go. Call me! Ed will give you my number. We are going for drinks at the Wishing Well tomorrow night and you’re invited.”
Ed waited until the door shut behind her, then he turned back to her. “Kiesha is right. Liv is refusing to talk. Her parents are trying to get her to go visit her grandparents in Florida, but she’s eighteen so she doesn’t have to do what they want. Unfortunately, there were no cameras at the back of the parking lot. Something this attacker may have known.”