A Little Dare (44 page)

Dare
walked
around
the
shop,
wondering
just
what
kind
of
flowers
Shelly
would
like,
then
decided
on
roses.
According
to
Storm,
roses,
especially
red
ones,
said
everything.
And
everyone
knew
that
Storm
was
an
ace
when
it
came
to

wooing
women.

“Have
you
decided
on
what
you
want,
Sheriff?”

He
turned
toward
Mrs.
Coleman.
A
woman
in
her
early

sixties,
she
attended
the
same
church
as
his
parents
and
he’d
known
her
all
of
his
life.
“Yes,
I’d
like
a
dozen
roses.”

“All
right.
What
color?”

“Red.”

She
smiled
and
nodded
as
if
his
selection
was
a
good
one,
so
evidently
Storm
was
right.
“Any
particular
type
vase
you
have
in
mind?”

He
shrugged.
“I
haven’t
thought
about
that.”

“Well,
you
might
want
to.
The
flowers
say
one
thing
and
the
vase
says
another.
You
want
to
make
sure
you
select

something
worthy
of
holding
your
flowers.”

Dare
frowned.
He
hadn’t
thought
ordering
flowers
would
be
so
much
trouble.
“Do
you
have
a
selection
I
can
take
a
look
at?”

“Certainly.
There’s
an
entire
group
over
on
that
back
wall.
If
you
see
something
that
catches
your
fancy,
bring
it
to
me.”

Dare
nodded
again.
Knowing
she
was
watching
him
with
those
keen
eyes
of
hers,
he
crossed
the
room
to
stand
in
front
of
a
shelf
containing
different
vases.
As
far
as
he
was
concerned
one
vase
was
just
as
good
as
any,
but
he

decided
to
try
and
look
at
them
from
a
woman’s
point
of

view.

A
woman
like
Shelly
would
like
something
that
looked

special,
soft
yet
colorful.
His
gaze
immediately
went
to
a

white
ceramic
vase
that
had
flowers
of
different
colors

painted
at
the
top.
For
some
reason
he
immediately
liked
it
and
could
see
the
dozen
roses
arranged
really
prettily
in
it.
Without
dallying
any
further,
he
picked
up
his
choice
and

walked
back
over
to
the
counter.

“This
is
the
one
I
want.”

Luanne
Coleman
nodded.
“This
is
beautiful,
and
I’m
sure
she’ll
love
it.
Now,
to
whom
will
this
be
delivered?”

Dare
inwardly
smiled,
knowing
she
was
just
itching
to
bits
to
know
that
piece
of
information.
“Shelly
Brockman.”

Her
brows
lifted.
“Shelly?
Yes,
I
heard
she
was
back
in

town,
and
it
doesn’t
surprise
me
any
that
you
would
be
hot
on
her
heels,
Dare
Westmoreland.
I
hope
you
know
that
I

was
really
upset
with
you
when
you
broke
things
off
with
her

all
those
years
ago.”

You
and
everybody
else
in
this
town,
Dare
thought,
leaning
against
the
counter.

“And
she
was
such
nice
girl,”
Luanne
continued.
“And

everyone
knew
she
was
so
much
in
love
with
you.
Poor
thing
had
to
leave
town
after
that
and
her
parents
left
not
long
after
she
did.”

As
Luanne
accepted
his
charge
card
she
glanced
at
him
and
said,
“I
understand
she
has
a
son.”

Dare
pretended
not
to
find
her
subject
of
conversation

much
to
his
interest.
He
began
fidgeting
with
several
key
rings
she
had
on
display.
“Yes,
she
does.”

“Someone
said
he’s
about
eight
or
nine.”

Dare
knew
nobody
had
said
any
such
thing.
The
woman

was
fishing,
and
he
knew
it.
He
might
as
well
set
himself
up
to
get
caught.
“He’s
ten.”

“Ten?”

“Yes.”
Like
you
didn’t
already
know.

“That
would
mean
he
was
born
soon
after
she
left
here,
wouldn’t
it?”

Dare
smiled.
He
liked
how
this
woman’s
mind
worked.
“Yes,
it
would
seem
that
way.”

“Any
ideas
about
his
father?”

“No.”

“No?”

Dare
wanted
to
chuckle.
“None.”

She
frowned
at
him.
“Aren’t
you
curious?”

“No.
What
Shelly
did
with
her
life
after
she
left
here
is
none
of
my
business.”

Dare
couldn’t
help
but
notice
that
Luanne’s
frown

deepened.
She
handed
his
charge
card
back
to
him
and
said,
“I
have
Shelly’s
address,
Sheriff,
since
she’s
staying
at
her
parents’
old
place.”

Dare
nodded,
not
surprised
that
she
knew
that.
“When
will
the
flowers
be
delivered?”

“Within
a
few
hours.
Will
that
be
soon
enough?”

“Yes.”

“Sheriff,
can
I
offer
you
a
few
words
of
advice?”

He
wondered
what
she
would
do
if
he
said
no.
She
would