The Cowboy Lawman. Brenda Minton

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      “Have you been watching Dr. Phil again?” Mia admitted to herself the joke was getting old. But her grandmother’s words ached deep inside and she didn’t want to explore her feelings today, tomorrow or anytime soon.

      They had reached Mia’s house and Granny Myrna pulled up to the garage and parked. “You need to think about what I’ve said.”

      “I will.”

      “And I am going to come in and fix you both sandwiches.”

      “Thanks, Gran.”

      Mia managed to wake Caleb up. He rubbed his eye a few times and blinked. “Is the horse here?”

      She reached for his hand. “No. Let’s go in and have lunch. The horse won’t be here until tomorrow.”

      “Oh. I think I had a dream.”

      “Did you?”

      He nodded as Mia opened the door wider for him to get out. “Yeah, we were riding that horse faster than Uncle Gray’s motorcycle.”

      “That would be something, huh? Someday maybe we’ll ride her.”

      “Soon?” He rubbed his face again and yawned.

      “Yeah, soon.”

      They walked up the steps of the porch, Granny Myrna in the lead. When they reached the door she turned and looked back at Mia and Caleb.

      “Didn’t you lock this door?”

      Mia’s neck hairs tingled and the sensation slid down her spine. She stopped Caleb and at the same time reached for her grandmother, pulling her back lightly.

      “Yes, I did.” She always locked her doors. Out of habit she reached for her sidearm. But she didn’t have one. She stepped toward the door, listening. She leaned against the door frame, motioning her grandmother back. Her weapon was in the house. Locked up, but if a person didn’t mind breaking down a front door, he wouldn’t have a problem breaking into a gun cabinet.

      “Mia, I’m calling 911.” Her grandmother’s voice shook as she whispered from a few feet away.

      Mia eased through the door. “Stay here and don’t touch anything.”

      She could hear her grandmother already talking to the 911 operator. Mia stepped farther into her living room.

      The cushions were off the sofa and the end tables had been ransacked. She stood in one spot, listening. Nothing. She eased through the house, room by room. Whoever had been here was gone now.

      But someone had definitely been in her house, in her sanctuary, the place she’d kept separate from her job, that life. This had been her place of light, away from the dark world that always felt too much like her childhood.

      A world she kept going back to, even though she’d escaped from it.

      A car pulled up. A radio squawked. Mia walked out the front door and met a county deputy coming up the sidewalk.

      “The house is clear.” She motioned him inside.

      “You went in?” He stepped to the door, pushing it open with his gloved hand. “No sign of forced entry.”

      Another car cruised down the road and pulled in. She smiled at Caleb, standing next to her, thinking to reassure him. He appeared to be having the time of his life. At five, everything was an adventure. She did have a moment’s hesitation when she thought about explaining this to Slade.

      The second car was unmarked. The trooper nodded to Mia’s grandmother and to Caleb.

      “I’d like for you all to take a seat in my car until we’ve looked the house over.”

      “Jim, the house is clear.” Mia protested and the trooper shook his head.

      “Mia, I’m asking you to let us do our job.” He pointed to his car. She sighed and headed that way with her grandmother and Caleb. “I’m going, but not because I want to.”

      He laughed as he walked through her front door. “Mia, I wouldn’t expect anything else from you.”

      “What’s going on?” Caleb slid into the backseat of the sedan.

      “Just being careful, Caleb.” Mia stood outside, peering in at her grandmother and Slade’s son. She had put them in danger. She should have gone to the ranch after church, then none of this would have happened. She could have come home alone, noticed the unlocked door and handled things herself.

      The boy leaned forward, watching her house through the window. “But why?”

      Oh, yes, the questions. She remembered that with Bryan, her youngest brother and with a few foster children the Coopers had taken in over the years. She knew he wouldn’t stop until he had answers.

      “Because my front door was open and because it’s always good to be careful.”

      “Oh.”

      She stepped away from the car door. “I’m going to make a phone call.”

      Her grandmother peered a little too closely. Mia never liked that look. It felt too much like her grandmother knew what she was up to. And Myrna Cooper usually did.

      Mia dialed her phone as she walked away from the car. She waited and finally a soft voice said, “Hello.”

      “Tina, it’s Mia. I wanted to check on you.” She watched as another vehicle came up the road. Slade’s truck. She hadn’t wanted this. He should be in Grove at the hospital.

      “Mia, I...”

      “Tina, what?” Mia’s back tingled and she waited, holding her breath. “Are you and the kids okay?”

      “Of course. Yes, we’re fine.”

      Mia stood there for a long moment. She watched Slade get out of his truck and walk to the car where Caleb still waited, jumping out when he saw his dad. She watched Myrna explain what had happened. Slade looked her way, his eyes narrowing, his mouth tightening in a firm line. He took off his hat and ran a hand through his short, dark hair.

      The tightness in her chest eased and she breathed a little easier. Because Slade was there? She shook it off and returned to Tina and the conversation that had lagged.

      “Tina, maybe you should come visit me.”

      “No, I don’t think so, Mia. I’m fine. Really I am.”

      “I’ll stop by and see you in a few days.” Mia waited and knew that Tina would protest.

      “You really don’t have to do that.”

      “I know I don’t, but I have a doctor’s appointment and I’ll be in Tulsa. I think it would be great if we could have lunch, maybe take the kids out.”

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