Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents
road. “About a quarter mile back. It was such a lovely day we thought we’d walk to your house and say hel o to El e and then walk back.â€
“We brought you a card, dear,†Mrs. Darden added.
“Thank you,†El e said, trying not to sound nervous. “That was so thoughtful of you.â€
“Maybe we should al just get home,†Jackson said, sounding like the authoritative deputy. “The fog can get pretty bad and I’d rather you were safe. You know how thick it can get and I wouldn’t want you driving in it.â€
“Do you think it’s going to get that bad?†Mrs. Darden asked, looking out at the sea, obviously disappointed that the weather might spoil her visit. “I looked at the forecast and it didn’t say fog.â€
“El e needs to rest anyway. I’l bring her with me when I come to look at the generator,†he added.
The couple beamed and quickly agreed. Jackson watched them until they were safely around the bend and out of sight before he urged Bomber and El e toward the house.
13
THE fog stayed where it had gathered a distance offshore for most of the evening. It was dark and just hung in the sky like a heavy pal in spite of the wind picking up. Jackson kept El e indoors, forcing her to play cards with him and crowing when he thoroughly trounced her.
“I thought you were supposed to be so good at this,†he teased.
“Yeah, wel , I’m not a professional card shark. Sheesh. What did you do? Go to school for this? No one wins every single hand at gin rummy.â€
“I do,†he said with a little smirk. “I made a lot of money playing most card games in the army.â€
“And now you own a grocery store.â€
He scowled at her. “You’d better not mention that to anyone. Or bring it up again. It’s embarrassing. And Inez just won’t stop with the groceries. She brings me al sorts of things.†He sounded exasperated. “I tel her not to, but she doesn’t listen. I can’t eat al that food.â€
“What do you do with it?â€
He shrugged, his scowl deepening. “I don’t know.â€
Her eyebrow shot up and amusement crept into her expression. “Does it find its way to the Dardens?â€
“El e,†he said her name in warning, jumped up and busied himself pouring them both a cup of tea. Adding milk, he carried a smal tray of cookies to the table and set them in front of her.
“You make cookies, too? Is there anything you don’t do?â€
Another faint flush spread up his neck as he seated himself opposite her. “I didn’t make the damn things. But they’re good so eat them.
You’re stil too thin.â€
“I’m just right.†But she took a cookie anyway. “These are great. Who did make them?â€
He sighed. “Marie did.â€
El e’s grin widened. “With the ingredients you brought her from the groceries Inez brings you? You lead a very complicated life, don’t you?â€
“I’m a very complicated man.†He took a cautious sip of tea and tried to look casual.
El e burst out laughing. “You’ve got this entire circle of people you look after. Al this time, al of us thought you were such a loner, but you’re surrounded by people.â€
His scowl was back. “I’m a deputy. I’m supposed to help people when they need it.â€
“I thought your job was to shoot bad guys.â€
“Wel , that, too. Technical y, I’m supposed to arrest them. Jonas frowns on us shooting people, but once in a while, just to stay in practice . . .â€
She laughed again, amazed that he could make her do so when the fog hung heavy out the window and the dog paced restlessly up and down, keeping a wary eye on the fog. Bomber could sense the psychic energy looking for a target, and yet Jackson had stil managed to distract her. She leaned across the table. “How in the world did you get so involved with these people?â€
He shrugged. “People rarely check on the elderly in bad weather and long cold spel s. Sometimes they don’t have heat or they can’t drive their cars to get to the store, or they don’t have a car and they can’t walk. I just like to check on them and make certain everything is going fine for them. No big deal.â€
She sat back, regarding him with shining
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