Undercover Hunter(89)
“These folks do a tough job,” the sheriff was saying. “They do it well.”
DeeJay was smiling. “It must be a hard one. I can’t imagine all the grief and despair you must deal with.”
“Actually,” said Calvin, “it makes me feel good to help people.”
Her dark eyes, so like his mother’s, settled on him. “Then you’re a remarkable person, Mr. Sweet.”
“Calvin, please. We’re not too busy tonight. Would you like me to show you around?”
She agreed. Of course she did. She was drawn to him the way most people were. In his role as savior and saint, he ushered her around the small office, explaining that the phones were manned around the clock, but they tended to get busiest at night and when the winter deepened. “Cabin fever isn’t a great thing for people who are alone or who are in so-so marriages.”
“I wouldn’t think so,” she agreed. “Did the storm we just had cause any problems?”
“I can’t say,” he admitted honestly. “We were sent home and the calls were transferred to the sheriff’s department.”
“Purely for safety reasons,” Gage said from his position by the door. “No point in having people camp out in this office when we were going to be working anyway.”
Calvin smiled at him. “Of course not.”
“So did you grow up here?” DeeJay asked him as they returned to his console. The computer screen remained blank as no calls were happening right now.
“I did,” Calvin said. “Born and bred. I have a small ranch outside of town, but I don’t work it. I was away for a while, and my mother died. I came back as soon as I could, and I still haven’t decided what I want to do with it.”
DeeJay nodded, listening to him. “It would be a hard decision,” she said. “I come from a town even smaller than this.”
He looked at her, wondering about her. But it didn’t matter. She was still glowing, still drawing him. “Why’d you leave?”
“Too small for me.” She gave a little laugh. “I wanted more travel and excitement. How about you?”
“I had this crazy idea I’d like the big city better.”
He noticed the way her gaze suddenly focused on him. “Which city?”
“Oh, a few of them.” For some reason he felt reluctant to name them. “But I did this kind of work there and I loved it. I’m glad I could do it when I came home.”
She nodded, her gaze drifting away. “That was a great break. I recently lived in Houston,” she added. “You been there?”
“On a visit,” he said vaguely. “I lived in Boston for a brief while.”
She nodded, but he could tell he was losing her. That offended him somehow. He sought a way to get her attention back. “If you’re after scenic pictures, you should come to my ranch. Fantastic view of the mountains.”
She returned those dark eyes to him, and he felt soothed. She was interested. He could see it. “I’d like that. We usually send a photographer out, though. A pro. But I could take some pictures to give him ideas.”