The Marriage Profile by Metsy Hingle

awareness that he’d spent all morning trying to keep leashed. Suddenly he realized how close her mouth was. All he had to do was lean forward an inch, maybe two, and he’d be kissing her as he’d wanted to do from the first moment he’d seen her the other night at the dedication.
    As though reading his thoughts, she sucked in a breath. Justin lifted his gaze to hers, and the answering need he saw darkening her eyes sent heat firing through his veins like a blowtorch. He started to lower his mouth when the blare of a horn slapped him back to his senses. He yanked himself from the brink, released his hold on her and cursedhis own weakness where she was concerned. Frustrated, he punched the steering wheel and found some measure of satisfaction at the jolt of pain that shot up his arm.
    After a long moment he said, “I’m sorry. I should have been paying closer attention to the road.” And he was also sorry for allowing himself to get worked up as he had and nearly getting them both killed. He was even sorrier for letting his guard slip and coming dangerously close to kissing her. It was a mistake that he didn’t intend to make again. Feeling somewhat more in control, he allowed himself to look at her. “You sure you’re all right?”
    â€œI’m fine,” she said.
    Only, he knew she was lying. Already he could sense her retreating into herself once more, shutting him out as she’d done so often during their marriage. Which was just as well, he told himself as he refastened his seat belt and started the truck up again. The last thing either of them needed was to go tiptoeing through the emotional mine-fields of what went wrong with their marriage. No, the sooner this case was closed and she was on her way back to San Antonio, the better off they’d both be, he told himself. He maneuvered his truck back onto the roadway and aimed it toward Angela’s condo.
    For the next twenty minutes neither of them said a word. Silence settled inside the truck like a dense fog. Feeling edgy and far too aware of Angela sitting quietly beside him, Justin was almost grateful to have Audrey Lou call him on his radio transmitter. “Wainwright,” he all but barked out in answer.
    â€œSheriff, we’ve got a fender bender with an overturned horse trailer on Pine Street. The trailer was empty, and the driver’s only got a few scratches, but the trailer’s blocking two streets and has traffic in a mess. Hank’s on the scene,but he’s still taking statements. He could use a hand clearing the streets.”
    â€œTell Bobby to get over there and help him,” Justin instructed.
    â€œTried,” Audrey Lou said. “But the boy’s not answering his radio. I sent him to clear up a scuffle between the Mitchell and Hawkins boys. He radioed in fifteen minutes ago, saying everything was under control and he was heading back here after he made a quick stop. But so far, there’s no sign of him.”
    Justin swore. “Keep trying until you get him,” he ordered. “I’m only a few minutes from Angela’s now. As soon as I drop her off, I’ll be heading back to the office. In the meantime, call Roy and ask him if he’ll give Hank a hand.”
    â€œWill do,” Audrey Lou replied.
    â€œAnd, Audrey Lou?”
    â€œYeah, Sheriff?”
    â€œYou tell Bobby I want to see him when I get back,” he said before ending the call. He liked Bobby, thought the kid had potential. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that his new deputy wasn’t being straight with him. He’d been a lawman too long not to be able to get a sense when something was off. And something was off with his deputy. The kid was hiding something.
    He’d been sorely in need of another deputy when Bobby had applied for the job. And although Audrey Lou said Bobby’s references had checked out, it wouldn’t hurt for him to take a closer look. He