Here Today, Gone Tamale by Rebecca Adler Page B

called.
    Lightfoot swung around.
    Without hesitation, she walked closer. “Do you think it’s okay for Josie to stay at Milagro on her own tonight?”
    His head turned in my direction and he frowned. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?”
    Had I given him the impression I was frail? Or was he asking because I was a mere female? “Definitely.” Either way, I had to set him straight.
    Patti piped up. “She has a watchdog.”
    His frown deepened. “That’s not a dog. That’s a shrimp cocktail.”
    â€œHey!” Lightfoot had better watch it or he would get a bite from Lenny’s bad side.
    He shook his head and removed a small notepad and pen from his pocket. “Is your plan to stay there alone?”
    You couldn’t pay me to sleep there, but that didn’t mean Iwanted him to tell me what I could and couldn’t do. “I don’t know yet.”
    The strong, silent deputy jotted a few lines.
    â€œWhy?” Patti smiled. “Does that sound suspicious?” She pointed a tattooed finger at what he’d written.
    In the silence that followed, Lightfoot and Patti made serious eye contact. Or at least Patti tried to get something going. Nothing on the deputy’s face changed, but he lifted one eyebrow.
    My longtime friend shot me an exasperated look.
    With a sigh of resignation, I gave in to her romantic aspirations, no matter how useless love had proven to be to me. “Uh,” I began, “this is my good friend Patti Perez.”
    â€œDude,” Patti said.
    At least she hadn’t giggled. I turned to the silent and watchful deputy. “Lightfoot . . . what’s your first name?”
    â€œQuint.”
    Patti, in my humble opinion, was the only intelligent, talented, and independent woman left in Broken Boot; but due to his dark sunglasses, I had no idea whether or not the stoic deputy was interested. That hacked me off. “Like squint?”
    Even behind the shades, I could feel the foul look he gave me. “Yeah,” he muttered.
    â€œWell, we’ve got to be going. Milagro’s going to be crowded today.” I grabbed Patti by the arm and herded her down the sidewalk toward the parking lot.
    â€œSee you around,” she called over her shoulder.
    As I spotted her jeep, I increased our speed and she laughed. “Is he yours?”
    â€œDefinitely not,” I said a bit too emphatically.
    She retrieved her key from her shoulder bag and unlocked the doors. “You sure?”
    â€œI’m on the wagon.” I slid into the passenger seat and stared resolutely out the window.
    Backing out of her parking space, she threw me a quick glance. “I didn’t know you were addicted.”
    â€œHe’s a man, isn’t he?” What did it matter if Lightfoot was attractive or not? Brooks, the slime bucket, had proven that looks and love could be deceiving.
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œI’m taking a break from all of them.”
    She made a cheering sound under her breath and slammed the jeep into drive. “Perfect timing.”
    *   *   *
    On the way home, I poured out all the details of the past two days including my plan to free Anthony as soon as possible.
    â€œLet me make some calls about his bail this afternoon.” Patti was on the highway, but barely going the speed limit. “That’s the least I can do while you help your family get the restaurant back on its feet.”
    I realized something was up when an old lady driving a Taurus passed us. “Why are you driving slower than a turtle in a mud bath?”
    â€œI’m trying to prevent global warning.” She shot me a superior look. “You didn’t ask me why I was at city hall.”
    â€œYou wanted to take a picture of the largest brass boot in the state of Texas?”
    She stuck out her tongue piercing. “Remember how you forced me to take pictures of the