Single Father Sheriff. Carol Ericson

boy in Ms. Maynard’s class, who announced to everyone that his mom and the mailman were boyfriend and girlfriend.”

      Coop chuckled. “Out of the mouths of babes. Does Mr. Unger know about that relationship?”

      “I think it was all a misunderstanding.”

      “Riight.”

      “Doesn’t your daughter give you the kindergarten report every day?”

      His daughter? Kendall sucked in a quick breath, her gaze darting to that finger on his left hand again.

      “Steffi’s in her own little world half the time.” He stood up and stretched. “When I ask her about school, she tells me bizarre stories about unicorns and fairies. Should I be concerned?”

      Jen and a few of the other women laughed. “She just has an active imagination, and all the kids are crazy about that fairy movie that just came out.”

      Coop piled up his trash, and his hand hovered over her mostly empty plate. “Are you done?”

      “You don’t need to wait on me.” She pushed back from the table, crumpling her napkin into her plate. “After all that food, I need to move. Let me take your empties, and you can go over there and discuss kindergarten.”

      A vertical line flashed between his eyes as he handed his paper plate and bowl to her. “I’ll do that.”

      “Another beer?”

      “Wouldn’t do for the sheriff to set a bad example, would it?”

      “Not at all.” She meandered back to the kitchen, exchanging a few words here and there with Melissa’s guests.

      She slipped the trash into a plastic garbage bag in the kitchen and cleaned up some other items from the counter. Maybe Coop was divorced and had joint custody with his ex. Melissa would know. She made it her business to know everyone else’s.

      But the interrogation would have to wait. Melissa took her hostessing duties very seriously, and Kendall couldn’t get one word with her alone.

      After chitchatting and helping out with the cleanup duty, Kendall checked the time on her phone and decided to call it a night. She had a meeting with Rebecca tomorrow morning and wanted to check out a few online auction sites to assess Aunt Cass’s collections.

      She eyed Coop across the room talking with a couple of men and mimicking throwing a football. Thank God she hadn’t stuck her foot in her mouth and admitted to never, ever wanting children since Coop had one.

      Not that Coop’s parenthood, marital status or anything else about his personal life would matter to her one bit once she flew the coop. She grinned at her lame joke and strolled to the den off the foyer to grab her shawl.

      She dipped next to Melissa sitting on the couch and whispered in her ear. “I’m going to take off. I’m exhausted.”

      “Are you sure? There’s still dessert.”

      “I can’t handle another bite, but let’s try to get together for lunch before I leave.”

      “Let me see you out.” Melissa rocked forward, and Daryl placed a hand on her back to help her up.

      “Nice to meet you, Daryl. You and Mel are welcome in Phoenix anytime.” She pecked him on the cheek, and he gave her a quick hug around the neck.

      Melissa took her arm as they walked to the front door. “Daryl and I are taking off for Seattle for a few days, but we should be back before you leave. Don’t be a stranger while you’re here and if you need any help with Aunt Cass’s house, call me.”

      “Call you for help cleaning a house?”

      “Hey.” Melissa nipped her side with her fingertips. “I know people.”

      “I think I know the same people.”

      Coop materialized behind Melissa. “I’ll walk you to your truck.”

      With her back to Coop, Melissa gave her a broad wink.

      “Okay, thanks.” Kendall hugged her friend goodbye and stepped out onto the porch with Coop close behind her.

      He lifted his face to the mist in the air. “Ahh, refreshing.”

      “Are you a native of Washington?”

      “No, California. I’ve been here about five years.”

      “Oh, the reviled California transplant.”

      He spread his arms. “That’s me.”

      “Well, this is me.” She kicked the tire of her aunt’s truck.

      He took her hand as if to shake it, but he just held it. “Good to talk to you tonight about...other things.”

      “It’s always good to talk about other things.” She squeezed his hand and disentangled her fingers from his.

      She climbed into the truck and cranked the key twice to get the engine to turn over. Waving, she pulled into the street. As the truck tilted up the slight incline, an object in the truck bed shifted and hit the tailgate.

      She drew her brows over her nose. She didn’t have anything in the back.

      She reversed into her previous parking spot and threw the truck into Park. As she hopped from the seat, Coop turned at the porch.

      Using the light on her cell phone, she stood on her tiptoes to peer into the truck bed. She traced the beam along the inside where it picked up a bundle wrapped in a tarp. Then the light picked up one small, pale hand poking from the tarp.

      Kendall screamed like she’d never stop.

       Chapter Four

      Kendall’s scream pierced the still night and turned the blood in his veins to ice. Coop had already been making his way back down the drive when he’d heard Kendall’s truck coming back to the house. Now his boots grappled for purchase against the soggy leaves on the walkway as he ran toward Kendall.

      “What is it? What’s wrong?” By the time he reached her, he was panting as if he’d just run a marathon.

      She’d stumbled back from the truck and stood staring at the tailgate with wide, glassy eyes. Raising her arm, she pointed to the truck with her cell phone. She worked her jaw but couldn’t form any words—no coherent words, anyway.

      He pried the phone from her stiff fingers and aiming the light at the truck bed, he jumped on the bumper. The phone illuminated a light-colored tarp with something rolled up in it.

      “I-it’s a body.”

      His heart slammed against his rib cage when his gaze stumbled across a hand peeking from the tarp. He leaned in close, aiming the phone’s flashlight at the pale appendage, sniffing the air.

      He smelled...turpentine. The hard plastic of the hand gleamed under the light and he poked it with the corner of the phone.

      Pinching a corner of the tarp between his fingers, he lifted it, exposing the foot of the mannequin.

      He blew out a breath and jumped down from the truck. “It’s not a body, Kendall. It’s a mannequin.”

      Her eyebrows collided over her nose. “A mannequin?”

      “Do you want to have a look?”

      She hunched her shoulders and drew her shawl around her body. “No. What’s it doing in my truck? I didn’t put a mannequin in my truck. I don’t even have a mannequin. Why is it wrapped up like that?”

      “Beats me, but I’m going to get a few of my guys down here to collect some evidence, and I’d better call the FBI.”

      “FBI?” Her voice squeaked and she burrowed further into her shawl. “Why would you call the FBI?”

      “I’m