Stranger in Cold Creek by Paula Graves Page B

you’re going to be helping out with the repairs.”
    She felt more than saw John tense up. “Is that going to be an issue for him or something?”
    â€œNo.” Her father wouldn’t have an issue with John helping out, really. But he might find it a matter of curiosity, and that was why she needed to tell him sooner rather than later and explain it in a way that wouldn’t make him run right home and start cleaning his gun.
    â€œThat doesn’t sound like a very confident no .”
    She laughed. “My dad is protective of our relationship. It’s been just the two of us since I was pretty young, and my dad tends to be a little overprotective.”
    â€œToo overprotective?”
    â€œNot really—”
    â€œI just wondered, because of something you said the other night, about wanting to stand on your own two feet.” He paused a little longer than necessary at the four-way stop at Temple and Main, slanting a curious look her way. “Is your dad being overprotective what you were talking about?”
    â€œSort of,” she admitted. She nodded toward the intersection, indicating he should keep going. The hardware store was halfway down the next block. The sooner they got this over with, the better. “I’ll tell you more about it when we get back to the house.”
    Her father took the news better than she’d anticipated, though the curiosity she’d seen in his eyes earlier was back. At least he didn’t say anything embarrassing.
    â€œI’ve got my card game tonight, but I’ll be sure to come help tomorrow night,” he told her with a tight smile, his gaze darting toward John, who was wandering through the power tools aisle.
    â€œI know you will.” She touched her father’s hand, and his smile loosened up, growing warm.
    â€œYou sure you can trust that fella?”
    â€œHe seems to check out,” she answered carefully.
    â€œYou don’t think it’s odd you meet him the same day someone tried to shoot you?”
    â€œThey tried to shoot him, too.”
    Gil looked at John, who looked up at that moment. John gave a friendly nod and went back to examining the electric sander he was holding.
    â€œYou think I’m a nosy old man.”
    She reached across the counter and gave his work-roughened hand a squeeze. “I think you’re a hardheaded, softhearted daddy who’s still having a little trouble lettin’ go of his baby girl.”
    â€œYou’d think after all this time I’d have it down.” He put his hand over the back of hers. “Call me if you need me.”
    â€œAlways do.”
    John approached the checkout counter with the power sander and an electronic level. “I didn’t remember seeing these things among your tools.” As she brought out her debit card, he shook his head. “I might need them before I’m done at my place as well, so they’re on me.”
    As he was paying for the tools, the bell rang over the front door and Miranda turned to see Rose McAllen enter, her thin hand closed around the plump little fist of her three-year-old granddaughter. She lifted sad eyes to meet Miranda’s gaze, managed a brief, unconvincing smile and headed toward the back of the store.
    â€œStill nothing on that case?” Gil asked quietly.
    Miranda shook her head. “No witnesses, no trace evidence on the body—everything seems to be a dead end.”
    â€œA murder right here in Cold Creek?” John murmured as he handed over a credit card for the purchase. “I thought this place hadn’t seen a murder in years.”
    â€œTechnically, it’s not a murder,” she explained as her father rang up John’s purchase. “It was a hit-and-run accident. Rose McAllen, the lady who just walked in, lost her daughter a couple of years ago. Lindy was a teen mom, always a little on the wild side, and she’d sneaked out of the house one