Dancing With Tad

The Grooster police department was housed in a small, white painted block building on a corner in a slightly disreputable part of town. The building, despite the fact that it faced an exotic lingerie store and was flanked on one side by a donut shop and on the other by the Poke and Pierce, Grooster’s version of the tattoo and body piercing parlor, was actually quite tidy looking and nicely presented.

The public information and complaint area at the front of the Grooster PD building was empty and quiet when she arrived. A bell over the door announced her arrival and Sherriff Bone lumbered toward her down the hall within seconds of her arrival.

He held out a large square hand and smiled at her, his wide craggy face crinkled faintly with concern. “Thanks for coming in, Clancy.”
She clasped his hand and he encompassed it in both of his. “How are your parents?”

Clancy nodded, “They’re great, thanks. Enjoying Florida.”

“That’s good. That’s real good. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Soda? A bottle of water?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.”

He lowered his head and nodded, seeming to consider saying something else. But then he looked up and motioned her toward his office. “Let’s get started then.”

Clancy preceded him down the hall to his dimly lit office. She entered and moved to a chair in front of his desk, glancing around with nervous anticipation. Something was up and the Sherriff’s obvious nervousness was starting to affect her. She’d be glad to hear what was worrying him, no matter how bad it was. At least then she could deal with it. She suddenly wondered if her kids were in some kind of trouble and her heart rate picked up. Maybe the tying up of the twelve-year-olds hadn’t been just a teenage prank.
Sherriff Bone moved around behind his desk and then swept a large hand toward the dim corner behind her. “Clancy, this is Thadeous Johanssen.”

Clancy jumped and swung around. A tall man was lounging against the wall in the shadows. His broad back rested against the wall, one denim clad leg crossed over the other at his ankles. Strong arms crossed a wide chest. A cowboy hat slanted across a square jawed face, hiding eyes that Clancy knew would be dark and suspicious.
He lowered his head slightly in a nod. “I believe we’ve met, Sherriff.” His voice was deep and husky, making Clancy think of candlelight and strawberries dipped in sweet cream. Clancy felt her body clench in sudden need and her face grew warm with embarrassment.

The man pushed himself from the wall and approached her, moving like a jungle cat in a small cage. As he reached her he held out a hand that was rough and warm when she clasped it. “Nice to catch your name though, Clancy.”

She opened her mouth to respond but something had grabbed her tonsils and nothing would emerge. Finally, after croaking a couple of times like a gawky adolescent she simply nodded and whispered, “Mr. Johanssen.”

He stared at her from beneath the shadow of the hat’s wide brim and a slow smile spread across his lips. Clancy found herself staring at that smile and pressing her knees together in self defense.

Sherriff Bone’s voice, sounding slightly miffed, intruded on their moment. “Thadeous is a Federal Agent, Clancy. He’s here to help us with our little problem.”

Clancy’s eyes grew wide. “Our little problem? In my woods?”

“Actually,” interjected Agent Johannsen, “I’m here because the problem Grooster is experiencing fits the parameters of a case I’m working. I came down here because I think Grooster’s recent problems might be tied to the same ring I’ve been hunting all over the Midwest.”

Sherriff Bone motioned for them to sit and sat down behind his desk, forcing Clancy and Agent Johanssen to sit too. They each took one of the chairs facing the Sherriff’s desk.

“Drugs, Clancy.” Sherriff Bone said in a weary voice. “I’m sure you read Poppy’s column in the Rooster?”

When Clancy nodded the Sherriff went on. “We’ve had a sudden influx of drug related trouble in town and we suspect one of the rings from Chicago or Indianapolis has recruited or positioned somebody here in Grooster.”

Clancy’s mouth fell open but she forced it closed and swallowed against her clenched throat. “Is it bad?”

Agent Johanssen reached up and pulled off his hat, revealing wavy dark brown hair with golden highlights. He ran a hand through the naturally curly strands, creating an appealing tangle on the top of his head where the hat had flattened it slightly. “So far they’ve only been distributing marijuana. We want to stop them before they move on to the more dangerous drugs.”

She nodded, “Why were you in the woods behind my house?”
He shook his head. “We had a tip that there had been some suspicious activity out at the old abandoned drive in theater. We were checking it out.” He leaned back and, placing the hat across his legs, which he’d crossed ankle over knee, man style, he eyed her closely with those dark eyes. “Have you noticed anything strange going on in those woods?”

She shook her head. “Actually I don’t usually go that deep into them. I ride through the woods every week, once or twice, but I generally turn at an earlier path and circle back around towards my house.”
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What made you come further into the woods this time, Clancy?”

Despite the suspicious glint in his eyes, he made her name sound like a caress with his deep, honey voice. It kept her from taking offense at his suspicious question. She shrugged. “I was enjoying the day and just felt like riding a little longer. There was no real reason.”

He stared hard at her for a few beats and then gave her a slow nod. “You might want to stay closer to home for a while until we get to the bottom of this.”

His tone was dismissive and just slightly condescending and it annoyed Clancy. She shrugged in a non-committal way. “I won’t give up my rides, Agent Johannsen. But I will tell you if I see anything…” she paused and gave him a meaningful look, “or anyone suspicious.”

Sherriff Bone spoke up, startling her. Clancy had been so immersed in Federal Agent Thadeous Johannsen that she’d forgotten the Sherriff was in the room.

“Clancy, I would heed Agent Johannsen’s warning if I were you. These men he’s hunting are ruthless. They’re not to be messed with.”

Clancy looked at her fingernails, trying for innocent but failing miserably. “The paper said something about a local connection. You don’t really think somebody in Grooster is involved with this drug ring do you? Could it be somebody who recently moved here?”

Sherriff Bone gave her his best blank cop stare. “I can’t talk about that with you.” Then he gave her a smile to soften his words. “I know you don’t want me to jeopardize the investigation, Clancy.”
Clancy stared at him for a beat, “Why did you ask me here, Sherriff?”

The Sherriff glanced at Agent Johannsen before responding. “I knew you were worried about having seen Agent Johannsen in your woods, Clancy. I wanted to put your mind at ease.” He cleared his throat. “I also wanted to warn you that something might be happening around there, so you could keep yourself and those kids safe.”

“I wouldn’t do anything to interfere with your investigation, Sherriff.”

He sat up straighter, shaking his graying head much too emphatically. “Of course not, Clancy. Of course not. I wasn’t trying to imply that you would…”

“This drug ring is dangerous, Clancy.” Agent Johannsen interrupted, “It would be in your family’s best interests to keep to yourself for a while and let us get this cleaned up.”

Agent Johannsen’s dark gaze was unreadable. But his tone was eminently readable. It clearly said, stay out of the way little woman and let the big, strong men take care of this.

Clancy glared at him. “I get the message, Agent Johannsen, and believe me, I won’t go out of my way to interfere.”

He lowered his head, peering at her through suspicious, dark eyes, “But…”

She gave him a mean little smile, “But if the investigation intersects my life I can’t be blamed for that now, can I?”

She walked out of the Sherriff’s office under a twin beam of speculative masculine gazes.

Agent Johannsen kept his gaze on her as he spoke to the Sherriff.

“Hopefully her husband can keep her in line, Sherriff? I’d hate to see her get hurt.”

Sherriff Bone sighed, aware of a certain probing aspect to the agent’s question. “I’m sorry to say that Drew Rogers died about five years ago. That young woman has been on her own and working without any real restraint system ever since.” He shook his graying head. “If you’re worried about Clancy Rogers getting mixed up in this thing and possibly getting into trouble with it, you have reason to be. I’d bet my next paycheck on that happening.”

“Just awesome,” murmured Agent Johannsen in a wry tone. Then, glancing at the Sherriff he added, “I guess I’ll have to keep my eye on her then.”

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