Roy has decided to remove Dustin from harm's way, keep him safe in Burnham until it's time to put the plan to catch Jordan into effect. They run into Lee and Marshall at the diner and have lunch with them. Will things get awkward again? Find out in this week's chapter of The Sheriff. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they've been up to. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
The four men took a booth together back in the corner.
Dustin found himself sitting next to Roy on one side, Marshall and Lee across
from them. Nobody stared at him, but he knew they had to have questions.
Luckily, Roy took the lead. Once they’d placed their orders with the waitress,
he explained what was going on, beginning with the burglaries in Tucker Falls,
and ending with Jordan’s probable involvement.
“This guy is real bad news,” Roy said. “A real asshole. He
needs to be put away for a long long time.”
“Wow,” Marshall said. “That is unreal. Are you okay,
Dustin?”
Dustin glanced at Marshall, and what he saw in the other
man’s eyes was nothing but compassion. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “Thanks for asking.”
“No problem, man.”
When Marshall smiled at him, Dustin noted with some surprise
that it didn’t affect him the way it had before. That was a relief. He could be
friends with Marshall now, and not let the other stuff get between them again.
If Marshall was willing, of course. That remained to be seen. And there was Lee
to consider too. He didn’t blame the older man for being distrustful of him, he
deserved it.
“That’s why I’m keeping Dustin out of Tucker Falls until
tomorrow night. Things’ll be better once we get that little jackass behind
bars. Him and his stooges.”
“You think maybe they can get him for more than just the
computer store?” Dustin wondered. He was afraid Jordan might not get much time
for just one robbery, but if they could prove there was more than that…
“Didn’t you say his friends aren’t all that bright?” Roy
asked.
Dustin snorted. “That’s a definite understatement.”
“Then it should be easy to get one or both of them to roll
on him,” Roy said. He turned to Dustin and gave him a quick wink.
Dustin felt himself go hot and cold at the same time. For
one insane moment, he had the crazy impulse to grab Roy and press their lips
together. He had to get that man out of his head or this wasn’t going to work.
Luckily, the waitress arrived with their food, and the
clatter of dishes and utensils shook him out of his strange mood as everyone
settled down to the business of eating.
They conversed as they ate, nothing in particular. Dustin
was content to let them talk while he listened. They seemed to comfortable with
each other. He wondered how long they’d been friends, and how they’d met.
Probably an interesting story there. He’d have to ask Roy about it sometime.
Everything was very tasty. Dustin’s burger was just the way
he liked it, with onions and cheese and hot sauce, and mustard for his fries.
Denver used to tell him he was weird for doing that, but Dustin said he’d heard
of worse. In some place they liked to dip their fries in mayonnaise. Both
agreed that was even stranger than mustard.
The waitress came back to take their dirty dishes and get
them out of their way. “How’d you boys like some dessert?” she said with a
grin. “Milly made some of her chocolate lava cake, and I’m telling you it’s to
die for.”
“Lava cake?” Dustin had thought he was full, but his mouth
watered at the sound of that.
“Oh man, her cake is to die for,” Marshall all but moaned.
He and Lee exchanged glances, and Lee laughed.
“Go ahead, you know you want to.”
“Like you don’t?” Marshall snickered.
Dustin looked up to find Roy’s eyes on him. “What do you
say, shall we make it unanimous?”
“Well, it does sound good,” Dustin admitted.
“That’s right, sugar, you know what’s good, don’t you? All
righty, boys, be right back with four big hunks of that cake.” She turned and
sashayed away.
Dustin couldn’t help but wish this was his real life, and
not something temporary, until they got Jordan put away. He could get off on
coming to Milly’s Diner to eat, spending time with Marshall and Lee. And most
of all, hanging out with Roy, playing deputy to his sheriff.
He stifled a sigh. Might as well enjoy it while he could.
to be continued
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