Cuffing The Law Book 2 in The Willowbrook Series

Chapter 4

Deacon

I glance through the shop window and see her head bowed down over some green fabric. She moves her hands delicately over it as if she's smoothing it out. Damn am I a stalker now or a voyager? Shit. I feel like one.

"What you up to there, Son?" The rusty voice of one of the town's elders, Mr Hicklebottom takes me away from the window. Shit. Now I've been caught red handed looking in on Daisy. All I wanted was a last little glance before I go on about my day.

"Good morning, Mr Hicklebottom. How's your morning?" I don't give him an answer. He gives me a wink, his pale blue eyes have that little glint in them.

"I know what you're up to young man. 'Bout time you asked the young lady in there for a date." I keep my jaw from dropping to the ground. Everyone says this, well not quite everyone. Jasper Hilton doesn't that's because the slimeball has got his eye on Daisy. I swear I'd have to cuff him and throw away the keys if he ever laid a hand on Daisy's head. There's nothing per se wrong with the guy, but he's not for Daisy. Am I jealous? Okay, so maybe I am.

"We're just good friends. What is it with the folk in this town?" I say and start to walk towards my truck that's parked up at the end of Main street. I have to head into the station and catch up on some reports that need filing.

"Well then you ought to stop spying on her like some creepy pervert." He says, huffs and tips his beaten, brown cowboy hat to me. Great, now the oldies are calling me a creepy pervert. Fantastic.

"You mind your step today, Mr Hicklebottom."

"Right you are, Son." He raises his gnarled cane. I grin, he's a good old man that one. Heart of a dinosaur but shrewd as they come. He owns a large chunk of land at the edge of the town, and about five years ago he sold me some off so I could keep a couple of horses and build myself a cabin with a view over the lake and to the West Virginian mountains. It's a sight I'm telling you. One day I'm going to find my happy ever after woman and our lives will be a dream.

Mitzi is my Appaloosa girl, she's now four and rides like a dream. I got her from the rescue auction in Copper Town when she was two and we've been tight ever since. That girl loves her daddy and her apples. My other horse, Lady Night is a magic black, Arabian and she is something else. Her brain must be the size of an elephant, she's smart as hell and doesn't let anyone close except me. They're my girls and I love them to pieces.

As I walk towards my truck I pass the hardware store and can see Bob busy with a customer showing him something or other, I tip my hat as he looks up and greets me with the wave of his hand. Next to him is the new florist that opened back up a few months ago, after a complete revamp. Shyann took it over from her mother who sadly passed away eight months ago, before that it belonged to her granny. It's good to see that some of the younger generation are keeping the old business going. What she needs now is a good young man to sweep her off her feet. She sure is a hardworking lass. Never went to college or nothing but I understand from Daisy that she's completed her diplomas in business via an online course. Fair play to her.

"And what are you two up to?" One of the Baxter's boys is ambling towards me with a deck of cards in his hand, he's with another kid I don't recall seeing around here. I stop so they can't pass me on the sidewalk.

"Nothing, Marshal Deacon." They say together.

"Haven't you got school today?"

"Yes, Sir. It's a free period is all. We're on our way to Bluebell's for a shake. We've got an hour to kill." Baxter's boy, Johnny says. Free period, wow these kids sure are growing up fast around here. Was only like yesterday when his mother, Tate was pushing him around in a damn pushchair and I was his age at school. Time has flown.

"Okay, off you go then but straight back to school in time. You hear me."

"Yes, Sir," both kids say as I let them pass. At my truck I press the fob and get inside the large cab and switch on the radio. I have my laptop installed and radio in.

"Curtis, anything to report? I'm heading back to the station now." I tell my right hand guy.

"Nothing new, Marshal. Come on in and get these reports done so we can get them cleared."

"You got it." I turn the ignition on and hear as the engine ticks over. It's a beast of a truck, a Ford Ranger. I glide her easily off the small dust parking area and reverse onto Main street then swing the wheel and head into the other side of town where our station is.

Outside of the two floor, brick building with black metal window frames I step out. There's a couple of other officers having a cigarette. "That shit is going to kill you." I shout over at them.

"We know, Marshal." They continue to smoke in any case. I shake my head. Never did understand why folk want to pollute their lungs like that and increase their chances of all sorts of nasty conditions and diseases.

"Hey. What took you so long this morning?" Curtis asks as he looks up from his desk.

"Coffee at Bluebell's. Stopped to say hi to Daisy then caught up briefly with Mr Hicklebottom. He's looking good for an old 'un."

"Didn't you bring me a coffee, Deacon you're such an ass."

"Yeah, I know. What can I say? You can run out and grab us some coffee and doughnuts in an hour or so. Let's get cracking on the paperwork."

Curtis nods and bends his head back down to his laptop and starts clicking away. My other two offices come back in, acknowledge me and get to their desks.

"Y'all up for pool tonight?" Lacey asks. He's broad and brooding, dark as jet black hair and eyes like emeralds. He's a ladies man, I don't ever see him settling down but you never know, some young girl may just walk into town and he'll be a gonner.

"Not for me. I've got a date with my girls tonight." I reply.

"You know, Deacon you sure ought to find something else you can ride aside from those girls of yours." We are of course referring to Mitzi and Lady Night. I throw a paperclip at him.

I do have a woman I see from time to time, we're not serious. She wants nothing from me and I want nothing from her. I enjoy my company with Molly Jenkins and that is as far as it goes. We don't date as such, you know it's more kind of to hook up. Like me, she is twenty-nine and doesn't want any relationship right now. A few years back she left her over-bearing ex who was from the sound of it a total dick, moved herself from Idaho and hasn't looked back.

Molly works as vet assistant in Copper Town, and it's safe to say that nobody round here knows about Molly and my goings on. I'm a man with a healthy libido so don't judge me. Although I'm not going to lie, I do have some dirty thoughts about Daisy from time to time, then guilt washes over me since she's my friend and I kind of feel ashamed.

It's a pickle, right?