Secrets of Ugly Creek (11 page)

“Mr. McDuffy, nice to see you.” Well, what else was I going to say?

He glared. “What were you doing playing tongue hockey with an outsider?”

I glared back. “And that’s your business how?”

He leaned closer, putting his formidable glare inches from my face. “Because I care about our town, which is more than I can say for you.”

Boy, was this discussion way past ironic and into the strange. “Gibson McFain is not a threat to this town.”

Mr. McDuffy’s eyes narrowed and he leaned even closer. “And just what is it that makes you believe that?”

“Because I believed he was until I saw his sincerity in action.”

Surprise flitted across his face. “What did you see?”

I smiled right into his glare. “You’re just going to have to trust me on this.”

“But—”

At the sound of the first loud pop, crew and onlookers hit the ground. I saw at least one of the guards on one knee, his ugly, black gun pointed toward the woods behind us.

The second and third pops provoked squeals, but nobody moved. Then Mac jumped to his feet and rushed into the woods. Shocked, I stared after him. The man was obviously unhinged. The sounds might be gunshots—and if they were, he was running into extreme danger.

“It’s firecrackers,” one of the crewmembers said, as he held up a spent one.

Warily, everybody got off the ground as the security guards separated to check out the spent firecrackers and the area around. None went after Mac, I noticed, as worry for his safety grew rapidly in my heart. Maybe I should have gone after him.

When no more pops were heard, and more spent firecrackers were discovered, the rhythm of conversation renewed. My attention, however, was locked on the area where Mac had disappeared. I had no idea what he’d run toward and just wished he’d return quickly.

When he came back into the clearing, he was gasping and didn’t look at all happy. I rushed toward him. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” He took a moment to catch his breath, then looked around him. “Did anybody see anything?” he asked the crowd.

“I was too busy hoping not to die,” one of the crew said. There was a general round of people nodding and agreeing with the sentiment.

“It sounded like gunshots,” someone said.

“I know.” Mac sighed. “If any of you saw something, or remember something, please let me know, or tell the sheriff. For now, let’s take an early, long lunch. I’ll see you back here at two.”

The crew started clearing up the equipment and locking it the van, while the onlookers began filtering out of the area. Mac looked at me. “I’m going to the sheriff’s department. Go with me and I’ll buy you lunch.”

I started to agree, but then I caught a glimpse of the mayor and Kate Stone chatting off to one side. “There’s something I need to do, but I could meet you.”

“Okay. Is the Taco King really as good as I heard it was?”

I smiled. “Pretty tasty, if you ask me.”

“Meet me there in an hour, and I’ll still buy your lunch.”

“I’ll be there.”

He gave me a smile then headed out. I slowly edged toward my goal. I couldn’t get close enough to hear anything, but I did see a furry little spy. Smiling, I backed away from the targets, I’d get the goods from Gizmo later.

I edged toward Haven, who was standing nearby and looking toward Kate with a wistful expression. “I’m surprised to see you still here in Ugly Creek,” I said.

She shrugged. “You’re still here.”

Well, that was a weird thing to say. “This is my hometown,” I told her. “I’m taking some vacation time.”

“I’m taking some time too.” Haven’s gaze had never left Kate.

“See you around.” I walked away and wondered what was up with her. She was a strange one.

I piddled around for a bit until I saw Gizmo come running toward me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kate and the mayor head off in different directions. I scooped up the dog and took him to my car.

“Kate’s still trying to get Bigfoot info out of the mayor,” Gizmo said.

“Figures.” I sighed as I pulled onto the road. “He hasn’t told her anything, has he?”

“Not yet. Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to Mom’s so I can meet Mac for lunch.”

“That’s good. I like your mom.”

“Because she babies you.”

“And the problem with that is?”

I laughed. “Nothing, I guess.”

“I don’t trust that Kate person.”

“Me either.” I considered for a minute. “Or Haven either, for that matter. There’s something about her that doesn’t quite add up.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Thanks.” I smiled toward the little furball that I’d reluctantly come to care a lot about.

Rather like one frustrating human man.

I dropped Gizmo off at Mom’s and took a quick drive by the park where the security guards were still watching the area where documentary filming was taking place. Nobody was there, so I headed toward Taco King by way of the crappy motel I’d seen the mayor and Kate at earlier. I didn’t see anything there, but I did see the mayor’s car at a nearby strip mall. Maybe he was shopping. Or maybe not. If he and Kate were having an affair—for whatever reason—Ugly Creek was too small a town for it to stay secret.

I was still contemplating when I reached my destination. Mac was waiting for me beside his car near the front. I got out of my Aveo and headed toward him and was rewarded with a big, sexy smile. “Hello, gorgeous.”

My heart stumbled and my face heated. “Hello, yourself. How did it go with the sheriff?”

“About like I figured it would. I could probably identify the kid if I saw him, but I don’t know who he is.”

“Kid?”

Mac nodded as he put a hand against my lower back and we started toward the restaurant. “Yeah, older teenager. I saw the side of his face, but not straight on. Not to mention, the sheriff thinks it was a prank.”

“He doesn’t think this guy is related to the other attacks?”

“Nope.”

We got our food and sat at a corner table. “I’m sorry, Mac. The sheriff should be taking this more seriously.”

He shrugged, though his frown remained. “Maybe it isn’t related.”

“You think it is.”

“My gut says yes, but I’m not convinced this kid was the perpetrator of the other attacks.”

He studied my face for a moment. “You know, I tend to forget you’re a journalist. I probably shouldn’t be telling you all this.”

I took a bite of my taco and swallowed it before I replied. “Don’t worry, I’m off the clock.”

“I know.”

I stopped with my taco halfway to my mouth. “Haven, right?”

He nodded. “Told Kate, who told me.”

Sighing, I leaned back in my seat. “Dang, it’s a small town. Probably everybody knows by now that I’m on vacation.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” He reached across the table and took my hand. “But, vacation or not, you’re still a journalist.”

“So are you.”

He grinned. “That’s why I know I shouldn’t be telling you everything.”

I took a bite of taco. “I wouldn’t worry. You’ve already convinced me you’re nothing like what I thought you’d be.”

“What did you think I’d be?”

I raised my chin to meet his gaze. “A selfish bastard who stepped on people to get what he wanted.”

He leaned back in his seat and eyed me curiously. “You certainly believe in being honest.”

“I believe in admitting it when I’m wrong.” I shrugged.

“So you were wrong about me.”

“Yes.”

He leaned toward me again, challenge in his expression. “What is it you think of me now?”

He was close enough to smell the spicy cologne he was wearing mixed with the scent that was all Mac. It took me a moment to sort out my thoughts. “I think you’re a good man who got caught in an impossible situation and is still paying the price.”

“Very astute.”

I looked him in the eye then. “It could have happened to me. It still could. It’s the risk journalists run every day.”

He focused on his taco for a moment before he looked at me again. “That’s why I choose to not be a journalist anymore.”

I took my time absorbing this. “So you don’t consider yourself a journalist?”

“No. My plan is to make travel and location documentaries. If I highlight a social problem, so be it. But I’m not planning to dig into people’s lives anymore.”

I took a sip of Coke to moisten my throat and give myself a moment to think. “Don’t you think you’ll miss the challenge?”

“No.”

His answer was so quick it surprised me. He took a bite of taco, so I took a bite of mine. I think we both needed some room to think. It seemed hard to believe he could so easily give up a career he’d apparently enjoyed. Except when I considered the stress, the hours, the frustration when a story came hard—or didn’t come at all. I thought about how even with the attacks, watching his documentary being made was relaxing and fun. Not that he and the crew didn’t work hard, they did, but it was a different sort of hard work than trying to track down a transvestite senator’s aide. Very different.

“Think less of me because I no longer consider myself a journalist?”

That pulled a smile from my lips. “From what you said, you never intended to be one in the first place.”

His lips pulled to one side as if in thought. “That’s true. Although I did think I was doing something worthwhile.”

“I’m sorry you got burned.”

He swallowed, the movement drawing my eye to his throat. How could a throat be that sexy?

“All I want now is to make films about interesting places.”

“Ugly Creek is definitely interesting.”

“I’ve noticed.” He wasn’t laughing, he was looking right at me.

When his hand took mine, I had to stifle a happy sigh. Warm and firm, it was wonderful. We stared at each other for a minute, then he pulled away.

“Finished?”

It took me a moment to register what he’d said. “Sure.”

Outside, he walked me to my car. There he put his arms around my back and pulled me against him.

He kissed me gently, then looked pointedly around him at the passing people and the cars—the noise of even a small town. “Is there no place to be alone in this town?”

“I have an idea,” I said.

Ten minutes later, we were standing in a wooded area near town. Mac smiled. “I like your idea.”

He pulled me into his arms and the next thing I knew I was being kissed like never before in my life. Deeply, passionately, and yet gently. His arms pulled me against his hard body, and I melted into the moment. Awesome. I couldn’t believe a man could kiss so well. That I could enjoy a kiss so much. That a kiss could all but push me over the edge.

Maybe it was a flash of light, or a movement that caught my eye. Whatever it was, I saw her near a tree, a camera in her hand, and I shoved Mac and started marching toward the woman. “I don’t believe this,” I muttered, as I stomped up to Dani Phillips. “What the hell are you doing?”

“My job.” the perfectly lipsticked smile irritated me soundly. “Unlike you,” she said, as if that were the icing on her cake.

Before I realized what was happening, Mac snatched her camera away, pulled out the memory card, and handed the camera back to her.

“You can’t take that, it’s mine.” Her perfect little face was getting more crimson by the minute.

“You’ll get it back.” He stuck the card in his pocket, then turned to me. “Let’s get out of here.”

We headed for his car, while she ranted about lawyers and lawsuits. Personally, I was thinking more in terms of a baseball bat, but then I was still upset over having the best sexual experience of my life interrupted.

“At the risk of sounding crass, is it possible we could get a room in a hotel?” He glanced toward me. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want. I’d just like to have some private time with you.”

I leaned against the back of my seat. “I guess my idea didn’t work out so well.”

He smiled. “It worked great for a while.”

“Until Dani showed up.”

“Rather unlike a
New York Times
reporter, I would think.”

My angered brain began to think more clearly. “Yes, it is.” Actually, it was more like something a reporter from
Capitol Spy Weekly
would do. The thought had me cringing. “She probably did it more to irritate me than to actually get a story.”

“It worked. She seems to have irritated you, but she made me furious.”

“Yeah, I was more than irritated too.”

He smiled and took my hand in his. “Forget her. Let’s just enjoy the rest of the day.”

When the car pulled up in front of the B&B where he was staying I was surprised, but he winked and told me to stay in the car. Before I could wonder too much about what he might be going after, he was back, laptop in hand. I felt like smacking myself in the forehead. The photo memory card. Duh! Get your mind out of the gutter, Madison.

Mac pulled out and soon we were on the Interstate headed toward privacy. As he drove, he made a couple of quick phone calls, cancelling the afternoon shoot. When he was finished, he took my hand in his, and my heart quickened in hopeful anticipation.