The Lawman's Convenient Family. Judy Duarte

Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Extract

       About the Publisher

       Chapter One

      Detective Adam Santiago never wore costumes, unless you counted a disguise for use when he went undercover or on a stakeout. Yet here he was, dressed up as Zorro and attending the Autumn Gala, a local charity event.

      The guy at the Halloween store had tried to talk him into getting a fake rapier, but Adam had declined. The costume was kitschy enough—he didn’t imagine he needed to add any props to complicate things.

      He had, of course, gone with the black eye-mask, which was resting on the passenger seat. If he didn’t wear the typical Zorro eyewear, people might think he was just wearing a ruffled shirt for no reason. Or maybe that he was a bullfighter.

      And speaking of other people, there’d be plenty of local folks inside who’d be surprised to see him here, since his idea of fun parties tended toward the smaller variety, something like having a few beers with a couple of friends at his favorite sports bar. Or better yet, a romantic dinner date that ended with breakfast. But tonight’s gala was an exception. Adam had actually gone so far as to pay a hundred dollars to attend the event that would benefit both of his favorite local Brighton Valley charities, the Rocking Chair Ranch and Kidville, a children’s home.

      When he’d first learned of the gala, he’d planned to make a generous donation and to tell the folks in charge that he had to work tonight. But he’d changed his mind when he’d heard that Lisa Dawson would be here. A mutual friend had shown him a picture of her, although the image was a bit blurry.

      Adam didn’t need help when it came to meeting women, but his friend Stan had been pretty convincing. Lisa’s perfect for you. She’s a flight attendant, house sitter and part-time dog walker, which means she’s away from home a lot. So she won’t expect you to spend every free moment with her. She’s also bright and fun to be around. And like you, she’s a big Star Wars fan. More important, her life’s goal isn’t to get married and to drive around town in a minivan full of kids. When he still hesitated, Stan added, She’s also a blonde—and I know you’re partial to them.

      That was when Adam agreed to meet Lisa. Lately, he’d gotten a little tired of playing the field. He wouldn’t mind settling down some, but he wasn’t going to make a major commitment to anyone. He liked his freedom way too much, not to mention his privacy.

      But from what he’d gathered, Lisa might actually like the idea of having a one-on-one relationship with some well-defined boundaries. So he’d decided to approach her at tonight’s gala. He had no idea what she’d be wearing, but he figured he could find her in the crowd and introduce himself.

      Who knew? Maybe they’d hit it off immediately. And if so, they might even cut out early. Together.

      He parked his classic 1973 Ford Bronco under one of the streetlights and headed to the front entrance, yanking at his shirt, wishing the damn sleeves weren’t so poofy. As he approached the main entry to the Wexler Grange Hall, the outside of which had been decked out with bales of straw, scarecrows and the usual Halloween decorations, he slipped on his half mask. Then he stepped inside and scanned the crowd. Even in costumes, he recognized a lot of the townspeople, but he was more interested in seeking out one petite blonde.

      And there she was, packing a fake lightsaber on her hip and wearing a skimpy outfit befitting an intergalactic warrior princess. The black strips of fabric that made up her short skirt revealed plenty of skin, including a striking pair of shapely legs. Her hair was swept up in a prim twist, an interesting contrast to that sexy outfit.

      She had her back to him, but it had to be Lisa. She was the only petite blonde here. And, apparently, the only Star Wars fan.

      Before he could cross the room and lay a little buenos dias on her, he spotted Donna Hoffman, who was dressed as Mrs. Claus. Donna and her husband, Jim, were in charge of Kidville, the home for abused and neglected kids between the ages of five and twelve. Adam met the couple when he’d offered to mentor some of the older boys. After he’d given them his résumé and shared his background as well as his reason for wanting to work with the troubled youths, he’d added, Who better to lead a kid in the right direction than a guy who grew up in a similar situation?

      The Hoffmans had agreed, and he’d been volunteering his time there ever since. It was cool knowing he had something to offer those kids. He just hadn’t counted on getting something from them in return.

      “Hey, Donna,” Adam said, greeting the older woman with a smile. “Or should I call you Mrs. Claus?”

      She gave him a warm hug, then took a moment to check out his costume. “Did you lose your sword, Zorro?”

      “I don’t have a concealed carry permit for it, so I left it at home,” he joked. “Besides, this seems like a pretty tame party. I doubt I’ll need to use it.”

      Donna laughed and handed him a candy cane from the white frilly apron she wore over a red flannel skirt. “Jim and I bought our costumes for the Kidville Christmas party. I know they’re not very Halloween-y, but rather than invest in something else for tonight, we decided to utilize them twice this year.”

      “Good idea.” Adam’s gaze drifted across the room, seeking Lisa—at least, he thought it was her. Who else could it be?

      He spotted her near the buffet table, her back still to him, her hands on her hips. What was she doing? And when was she going to turn around so he could get a glimpse at her face?

      The party had barely begun, yet Lisa’s appeal and his interest in her were growing steadily. He wondered what she had planned for the rest of the evening.

      “Will you be coming out to Kidville again on Monday?” Donna asked, drawing him back to the here and now.

      “You bet. I’m making some headway with Tommy.”

      “We’ve noticed. And so has his teacher. We all appreciate what you’ve done for him—the private tour of police headquarters, the ride-along in a patrol car, the visit to the ice cream shop afterward. Tommy’s never had anyone take a special interest in him.”

      “Sometimes, that’s all it takes.” At least, that’s how it had worked for Adam. Stan, his mentor, had been a cop, too. A patrolman who’d found him hanging out in the city park one night after curfew. A guy who’d eventually become his foster dad and his best friend.

      Adam again glanced to the buffet table where he’d last seen Lisa, when Donna tugged at his poofy sleeve. “You keep looking across the room. What, or rather who, has caught your eye?”

      Donna had been happily married for more than thirty-five years, and she thought everyone ought to take that same route, including Adam.

      “I like looking at all the costumes,” he lied.

      “Aren’t most of them great? It’s amazing how some people go all out for an event like this.”

      He agreed, although it was one particular outfit that had caught his eye. He was just about to excuse himself and head for the buffet table when he glanced that way again and realized Lisa was no longer there. He took another scan of the room, including the dance floor, but she seemed to have vanished.

      Maybe she’d gone to powder her nose—or whatever it was that sexy space women did.