Hidden Summit

Leslie, he’d call Katie and tell her.
    When he pulled into town, it was with an entirely new appreciation for the way the sunlight sifted through the tall trees and cast late-afternoon shadows along the street. There were a few cars at Jack’s, but no throbbing music—folks would be having a quiet, friendly beer or early dinner. The streets were still; dinner was being fixed in these houses. Tomorrow was Saturday—kids would be anticipating soccer and softball.
    He turned down Leslie’s street. She’d been such a rock through this. It reminded him yet again how like his sister she was—she was brave. Stalwart, a word he hadn’t heard or used since his long-past military days.
    He pulled up to her house and saw her on the porch. The second she saw his truck, she stood up from her chair, and he jumped out of the truck, coming around to her side. For a moment, he just looked at her. She was so beautiful with a soft smile for him.
    Then he said it. “He’s dead, Les. Mathis didn’t survive a gunshot wound.”
    Her hand came up to her open mouth, and a little squeak escaped her. Then she ran down the porch steps and flung herself into his arms.
    For a while all he could do was kiss her and kiss her, changing the angle of his mouth to get a deeper kiss. Finally he broke away enough to ask, “Did you know what was going on down there? That he was shot on the courthouse steps? I didn’t call you on purpose—there wasn’t any solid information and I kind of made a run for it.”
    She nodded. “Brie called about fifteen minutes ago. But why, Conner? Who would shoot him?”
    “The victim’s girlfriend, or a reasonable facsimile. I talked to the D.A. less than an hour ago—he’s dead. No more trial. No more villain.”
    “God, Conner. The one thing I never dared imagine.”
    “It’s over, Les,” he whispered. “Over.”
    She shook her head. “No, Conner. This is just the beginning.”
    “Right,” he said, giving her a kiss, longer, deeper than before. “ Our beginning.”
    * * * 
    www.boox.to