at Brown then dropped out after one year. She ’ d driven across the country in a Volkswagen Bug until she ran out of road and ended up in San Francisco in the Haight District. It had been a one-way trip.
“Not out of the country,” she admitted. “Not yet.”
International travel took cash she didn ’ t have.
“You ’ ve got plenty of time,” he allowed.
Maybe. Sometimes, here in Strong, it felt like time practically stood still. And then some days it flew. She ’ d wake up and find herself forty one week and fifty the next. There was nothing wrong with those numbers, but she had so much more living she wanted to do before she hit those milestones. San Francisco had been a good start, making models for the opera and sharing a one-bedroom apartment with five other girls. They ’ d danced in the rain, drank too much. Good times, although she couldn ’ t imagine doing it again. Those days were water under the bridge now.
“Are you planning on staying in Strong forever?” She knew the reputation the smoke jumpers had. They were summer ’ s bad boys, here one month and gone the next. They spent more time out in the field, jumping and fighting fires on the front line. It wasn ’ t a get-rich-quick occupation and the teams traveled wherever the fires were. Even if Donovan Brothers had set up a base camp and command center here in Strong, she didn ’ t think he could stay forever. Eventually, the team would ship out somewhere, to fight more fires, and maybe then he wouldn ’ t come back. She ’ d seen it happen in the last year as older team members drifted away and new ones joined.
“ I don’ t know,” he said. Mack was always honest. “I could.”
“Or you could go.”
“ True. ” He was silent for a minute. “What do you want? Seeing as how I asked you to marry me last night, I think what you want counts for a whole lot.”
“I didn ’ t say yes ,” she pointed out.
“I ’ ll just have to work on making sure you do.”
***
Mimi had no idea how she ’ d ended up in the sheriff ’ s office, because she ’ d already overshared, but Mack had marched her butt over here just as soon as she ’ d gotten dressed. Despite their early arrive, the good sheriff still looked impatient, gesturing for them to come in with a brusque wave of her hand.
“I ’ ve got the Oakland D.A. on a speakerphone,” she said, point to a phone that was mostly buried beneath a mountain of paperwork. “Ms. Hart just joined us,” she added for the benefit of the caller on the line as Mimi took a chair. Mack moved to stand behind her.
“Sheriff Hernandez has filled us in on what ’ s been happening in Strong. It seems not unlikely that Sol Herring may be in the area. We can put you in protective custody,” the voice on the line offered like it was a simple choice. Red wine or white?
“Absolutely not.” She hadn ’ t done anything wrong.
“Alternatively, if Sheriff Hernandez has the resources, we could ask her group to have an officer keep an eye on you.”
“Like a tail?” She tried—and failed—to imagine that one. As far as she knew, the entire Strong police force consisted of Sheriff Hernandez and two part-time deputies. While she was sure Sheriff Hernandez was a perfectly lovely person when off-duty, she didn ’ t need the woman glued to her backside.
The Oakland guy droned on, explaining how this hypothetical police officer could watch her house. Watch her. Imagining Sheriff Hernandez forced to camp out in her bar was amusing, but hardly good for business.
“ Not happening, ” she said, interrupting the flow of explanations.
Just possibly, Mercedes Hernandez looked relieved. The Oakland DA signed off, leaving them to it.
“So what are our other options?” Mack slouched in the seat beside her. Sheriff Hernandez hadn ’ t questioned his presence. Unfortunately, that probably meant the rest of Strong had also decided she and Mack were a couple. Wow. If only they knew. They ’ d
“Not out of the country,” she admitted. “Not yet.”
International travel took cash she didn ’ t have.
“You ’ ve got plenty of time,” he allowed.
Maybe. Sometimes, here in Strong, it felt like time practically stood still. And then some days it flew. She ’ d wake up and find herself forty one week and fifty the next. There was nothing wrong with those numbers, but she had so much more living she wanted to do before she hit those milestones. San Francisco had been a good start, making models for the opera and sharing a one-bedroom apartment with five other girls. They ’ d danced in the rain, drank too much. Good times, although she couldn ’ t imagine doing it again. Those days were water under the bridge now.
“Are you planning on staying in Strong forever?” She knew the reputation the smoke jumpers had. They were summer ’ s bad boys, here one month and gone the next. They spent more time out in the field, jumping and fighting fires on the front line. It wasn ’ t a get-rich-quick occupation and the teams traveled wherever the fires were. Even if Donovan Brothers had set up a base camp and command center here in Strong, she didn ’ t think he could stay forever. Eventually, the team would ship out somewhere, to fight more fires, and maybe then he wouldn ’ t come back. She ’ d seen it happen in the last year as older team members drifted away and new ones joined.
“ I don’ t know,” he said. Mack was always honest. “I could.”
“Or you could go.”
“ True. ” He was silent for a minute. “What do you want? Seeing as how I asked you to marry me last night, I think what you want counts for a whole lot.”
“I didn ’ t say yes ,” she pointed out.
“I ’ ll just have to work on making sure you do.”
***
Mimi had no idea how she ’ d ended up in the sheriff ’ s office, because she ’ d already overshared, but Mack had marched her butt over here just as soon as she ’ d gotten dressed. Despite their early arrive, the good sheriff still looked impatient, gesturing for them to come in with a brusque wave of her hand.
“I ’ ve got the Oakland D.A. on a speakerphone,” she said, point to a phone that was mostly buried beneath a mountain of paperwork. “Ms. Hart just joined us,” she added for the benefit of the caller on the line as Mimi took a chair. Mack moved to stand behind her.
“Sheriff Hernandez has filled us in on what ’ s been happening in Strong. It seems not unlikely that Sol Herring may be in the area. We can put you in protective custody,” the voice on the line offered like it was a simple choice. Red wine or white?
“Absolutely not.” She hadn ’ t done anything wrong.
“Alternatively, if Sheriff Hernandez has the resources, we could ask her group to have an officer keep an eye on you.”
“Like a tail?” She tried—and failed—to imagine that one. As far as she knew, the entire Strong police force consisted of Sheriff Hernandez and two part-time deputies. While she was sure Sheriff Hernandez was a perfectly lovely person when off-duty, she didn ’ t need the woman glued to her backside.
The Oakland guy droned on, explaining how this hypothetical police officer could watch her house. Watch her. Imagining Sheriff Hernandez forced to camp out in her bar was amusing, but hardly good for business.
“ Not happening, ” she said, interrupting the flow of explanations.
Just possibly, Mercedes Hernandez looked relieved. The Oakland DA signed off, leaving them to it.
“So what are our other options?” Mack slouched in the seat beside her. Sheriff Hernandez hadn ’ t questioned his presence. Unfortunately, that probably meant the rest of Strong had also decided she and Mack were a couple. Wow. If only they knew. They ’ d
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