A Better Man. Emilie Rose

in Florida. You had friends who would have forwarded a letter or given him your number. But he didn’t call and he didn’t write.”

      “Neither did Daddy—until you threatened to move to Florida to be with Josh and me.”

      “Whether you choose to forgive your father or not, we need him in our corner right now. He still has legal connections we might need if Roth isn’t as disinterested as you think.”

      “You expect me to forgive and forget Daddy’s betrayal just like that?”

      “No. But please don’t shut your father out. You may not need him. But Lou has lost everything that matters to him. He needs you and Josh. He has nothing else to live for.”

      The words landed like an avalanche of guilt on Piper’s shoulders. “You don’t think he’d hurt himself?”

      “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him like this, and I’m worried.”

      Piper might not ever forgive her father. But she would never forgive herself if he did something stupid because she shut him out of hers and Josh’s lives.

      “Okay. I’ll call him. And I’ll let him spend time with Josh. But I won’t trust him.”

      * * *

      “WHY IS EVERYBODY acting so weird?”

      Josh’s plaintive question stalled Piper’s heart. “What do you mean weird?”

      “You’re all antsy. You can’t sit still. Like Will when he hasn’t taken his ADD medication. And Grandpa keeps looking down the road like he’s expecting somebody to run us off. And why are we fishing here anyway? This isn’t our lucky spot.”

      Her son was too perceptive. Piper looked at her father, silently pleading for help. She could hardly tell Josh they’d chosen the isolated spot because they were hiding from the new chief or that she’d tagged along on what was usually a male-only fishing trip because she was ticked at her father.

      Lou snapped to attention. “I heard a rumor of a big catfish wallering in the mud under that downed tree. You plan on standing here chattering all day or are we gonna bait up and cast a line to see who catches him first?”

      The distraction worked like a charm. Josh hustled to his grandfather’s side. Her father glanced her way and Piper nodded her thanks.

      As a result of his stroke her father had lost dexterity in his left hand, and while he’d regained a lot of control, some of his fine motor skills were still lacking. Piper bit her lip and resisted the urge to help.

      Luckily, Josh took over, grabbing the beef liver as soon as her father cut it and threading the chunks onto the barbed hooks. “I don’t know why we can’t just set trotlines like Will.”

      “Trotlines are lazy-man’s fishing. You set ’em and come back the next day. Where’s the sport in that? Catching a big’un with a rod and reel takes skill and patience. You have to outsmart that bottom dweller and muscle him into your frying pan. Now that’s fishing. Not fetching.”

      “If I catch him, what will you give me?” Josh taunted.

      Piper’s father smiled, the left side of his mouth turning up slightly less than the right. “The best fried catfish dinner you ever had. Will’s mama has nothing on my secret recipe, and you can tell her I said so.”

      Their banter thawed Piper’s heart slightly. There was no doubting her father’s love for his only grandchild. Josh desperately needed a male influence and without her father she wasn’t sure where he’d get it. Was she making a mistake in trying to keep Josh and Roth apart?

      No. For a lot of reasons, involvement with Roth wouldn’t be good for Josh. That meant she’d have to contain her anger and disappointment and let him spend as much time with his grandfather as he needed.

      They strolled toward the riverbank with their rods in hand. Piper caught her breath when she recognized Josh’s stride. He walked like his father. In the twelve years Roth had been out of her life, she’d forgotten his walk—it was one of the few details she’d been able to wipe from her mind. Until now.

      Her father put his hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Listen up, Josh, starting tomorrow my deputies will be adjusting to the new chief and learning his ways. Don’t know how he feels about ’em giving civilians a ride. So take the bus home from school. Don’t be hitchin’ a ride, ya hear?”

      “I hate the bus. And why do we have to have a new chief?”

      “’Cuz I’m not one hundred percent healed yet. And Quincey needs someone to run the department until I am.”

      “You don’t like being retired?”

      “It’s like summer vacation. You know how you get bored by the end? I can’t fish every day. There are more important matters to tend to, an’ I can’t do ’em sitting in my recliner.”

      Piper heard the frustration in his voice that his reassuring smile couldn’t hide, and her heart ached for him. No matter how furious she was, she didn’t wish him ill. And yes, she supposed a part of her still loved him and wanted the old chief back.

      She especially wanted the new chief gone. The sooner the better. She just didn’t know how to convince Roth there was nothing here for him now.

      But if there was a way, she’d find it. And she needed to do it soon.

      * * *

      ROTH STOOD OUTSIDE the squat brick building housing the Quincey P.D. early Monday morning, eager to get this show on the road. The sooner he took control and assessed his officers the sooner he’d know who he could trust—and who he couldn’t.

      Quincey’s mayor climbed from his Tahoe and joined Roth on the sidewalk.

      “Snodgrass, you might have warned me that you’d forced Chief Hamilton to resign.”

      “Former Chief Hamilton has been a figurehead since his stroke. He’s been unable to perform his duties, and his prolonged visits to the station keep the deputies who sit on their behinds entertaining him from doing theirs. The council’s decision was the best one for Quincey.”

      Two of the town council members joined them, then shadowed them on their trek up the sidewalk. The mayor paused outside the door. “We’ve had an increase in petty crime of late, primarily vandalism and some spray painting.”

      “Gangs?”

      “Doubtful. It’s not gang signs. But if the officers are here playing cards with the former chief, they are not out looking for our troublemakers.”

      “You are aware that I was once one of Quincey’s troublemakers.”

      Snodgrass’s expression turned wily. “That should give you an advantage in ferreting out ours.”

      “Still, I would have appreciated a heads-up about the hostility.”

      “You’re a Marine. You can handle hostile natives, can’t you?”

      Oohrah. “Absolutely.”

      “And it is only the natives who will require…let’s call it an adjustment period. The newer citizens aren’t as backwoods or close-minded.”

      Had the man read his résumé? “I am one of the backwoods natives.”

      “You were. We are hoping your combination of native know-how and military and police experience will have widened your view and will help us run things more efficiently. Quincey’s police force has become…complacent.

      “As for your deputies, the only one to watch is Butch White. He has seniority and has been acting unofficially as interim chief. He wanted this job and was convinced he was entitled to it.”

      Snodgrass nodded and one of his minions jumped to open the door, then the mayor motioned for Roth to precede him. The trio of new blood followed Roth in like fish in a school.

      “Good