601 Twilight Ln. by Kat Baxter

Chapter 3

AUSTIN

I’m still thinking about Selina by the time I get off work and am heading home. I’m still in my black and white, but thankfully I changed out of my uniform before I left the station. That polyester is not comfortable on hot days. My radio buzzes to life and Jodie’s voice comes over the speaker.

“We have a potential 10-14 at the old Franklin property,” she says.

Trespassing. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I press the button on my radio. “I’ve got it. I’m nearly there anyways.”

“You’re off duty, Oakley,” Jodie says.

“Yep, but I’m close. I’ll call it in if I need back-up.”

She laughs. “It’s doubtful you’ll need backup. Deputy Littleton called it in.”

“Isn’t he still on suspension?” I ask.

“Yes, for another few weeks. This is the third call he’s made this week alone. At this rate, I’d rather him just be here to get on my nerves.”

I don’t turn on my lights or siren as I head to the old Franklin property. My house and my mama’s diner aren’t too far from here so I was already heading in this direction. I cut the engine and my lights and sit there. It’s dusk and getting darker by the minute, but I can still see enough of the general area. More than likely it’s just a bunch of teenagers up to no good, but I need to make sure before I get out of my cruiser.

At first, I don’t see anything out of place, and I’m about to call Jodie and let her know it’s nothing, when I see the familiar female shape. I’ve only known her a handful of days, but I’d know that ass anywhere. I’ve seen in in my dreams and behind my own fucking eyelids, every time I grip my dick in my shower.

What the hell is she doing out here?

I grab my flashlight and step out of the car. I turn on the light and aim it in her general direction, trying not to shine it directly into her eyes.

“Sweet girl, what are you doing out here?” I ask, crossing the open field between the road and the old barn on the edge on the property.

“Fuck my life,” she mutters and it just makes me smile. “Are you following me?”

“Not on purpose. Got a call reporting trespassing out here.” By this time I’ve made it so that I’m standing in front of her.

She’s got on jeans that hug her every curve and a some kind of vintage concert tee. Seems to be her uniform of choice, from what I’ve observed. Her eyes are heavily lined and shadowed, but her lips are bare except for a sheen that I want to lick off.

I do not need to get a hard-on while I’m out here on unofficial, official duty. Or whatever.

“So you going to tell me what you’re doing here?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“You trespassing?”

She holds up her own flashlight and a duffle bag. “Does it look like it? I’d have to be pretty stupid to come out here, dressed like this and carrying a damned bag if I was trying to break the law. I mean I’m not hiding what I’m doing or being inconspicuous.”

I will not laugh at her despite the fact that this woman is the most fun I’ve had. Ever. And she doesn’t even seem to like me. That’s probably called something…you know, when men are attracted to women who don’t like them. Stupid, that’s probably what it’s called.

“Listen, Selina, I have to call it in, so can you just give me some details, please?”

She blows out a breath. “If you must know, I’m housesitting for Rosie, who is my cousin. Before she left town, she introduced me to her old neighbor, Mr. Franklin. He’s over at the Cherry Falls assisted living facility now, but this is still his property. He and I got to talking about old cars and he gave me permission to do some scavenging.”

I nod. Then I radio the information into Jodie.

“Let me guess, Littledick called it in?” Selina glares over her shoulder to where I know Deputy Littleton lives. The curtains move. She holds her hand up and gives him the finger.

Fuck me, I think I love this woman.

“What are you scavenging out here?” I ask.

She arches one perfectly sculpted brown brow. “That part of your official report?” Then those eyes scan me from head to toe and my dick sits up and takes notice. He definitely likes her. “You don’t look like you’re on duty.”

“Just got off.”

“That seems kind of personal, Officer.”

I laugh and she finally cracks a smile. God damn, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen when she smiles.

“I make things from old stuff.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Anything I can repurpose.” She slings her duffle back over her shoulder and starts walking toward Rosie’s barn, which sits between Rosie’s house and the Franklin property. “Like I take an old surveyor’s tripod, the old wooden ones and make it into a lamp. Our I take old suitcases and add some legs and it becomes an end table.” She lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “That kind of thing.”

“Wow, that’s pretty amazing. Do you sell it?”

She give me a look like I am the dumbest man she’s ever met. “Well, I sure as fuck don’t make it for the fun of it. Of course I sell them.”

Her phone chimes and she sets down her duffle as she pulls her phone out of her back pocket. She presses a button, then holds it up to her ear.

“Hey Sandy.” She listens for a minute, waving her hand at me like she’s trying to shoo me away again.

No chance of that. Who knows when I’ll have another time and opportunity to chat with her.

When I don’t leave, she shoots me an adorable glare and then angles her body away from me and says to the person on the phone, “Thanks for the heads up. He’s there now?” she asks. Then she nods her head, her mouth widening in a grin. “Great. Okay, do whatever you can to keep him there and I’ll get there as fast as I can. Thanks.” Then she hangs up and pockets the phone again. She slings the duffle bag over her shoulder and walks past me to cross the field and move over to Rosie’s property.

“Hot date?” I ask, because I can’t fucking help myself. I fall into step beside her.

“None of your business. You can actually be going now that you know I’m not doing anything nefarious out here.”

“Just making sure you get to Rosie’s safely. It’s dark out. There could be real criminals out there.”

“I can take care of myself,” she snaps.

“Of that I have no doubt.”

When we finally reach Rosie’s she steps onto the porch and fiddles with her keys. “Uh, thanks.”

“My pleasure.”

Then she slips into the house and I stare at the closed door for several beats before I walk back to my car. I don’t leave though. I’m too curious.

Is she going to meet a man? I want to know. That’s certainly what it sounded like from her phone call.

I try to tell myself it’s none of my business who she meets up with or where she’s going.

When that doesn’t work, I try to tell myself I’m just following through on my promise to Jacob.

Ten minutes later, when I’m just about out of excuses, she comes back out of the house and gets into her car. I wait until she’s pulled out onto the main road before I follow her.

I wish I wasn’t in my patrol car, but it can’t be helped.