So far, Miranda is investigating the disappearance of Waylon's dad, and her former lover, Dougie Wilcox. She's low key investigating Rita, her co-worker's husband, since Rita thinks he's stepping out on her. Aaron Earl, has returned home from seminary school, having dropped out. And, now, she finds herself working with a new employee.

*********************************

Mitch is waiting on the porch steps when I finally get home. He's a sight for sore eyes, I gotta admit.

"So, how were things at the Little Eagle tonight?"

"Riveting as always. You'll be happy to know I'm no longer working by myself. Matt hired a guy to help me close up a few nights a week." I leave out the niggling details about it being a kid.

He has a half smile on his face. "Should I be jealous?"

"I'm not gonna lie, he is cute. And, he's entertaining. Showed up with a basketball under his arm. I don't know much about the game but he seems pretty handy. He showed me some fancy dribbling, spun the danged ball on his fingertip for a good two minutes."

"Was he a Harlem Globetrotter?"

I laugh thinking about the light hair and wide eyes of Preston. "If he is, he's the whitest Globetrotter in the history of the team."

Mitch pats the spot next to him. "Well, I'm sure you're not happy, but knowing you aren't alone anymore, is a load off my mind."

I lean against him. "She's in prison, you realize that, don't you?"

Mitch slips his arm around my shoulder. "You realize there are other crazy people out in the world, don't you?"

I sigh as I look up at the sky. I know the next thing out of my mouth is going to make me sound crazy but I can't hold it in any longer. "I found one of Dougie's beer bottles, actually Waylon found it. It was propped up against the post under my mailbox."

"Miranda, it could just be a coincidence. Or, maybe some fruitcake thinks it's funny."

"Someone is messing with me, Mitch. Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Because, it's all random things. There's no evidence."

I shake my head and pull away. "And there it is. That damn cop logic."

He frowns. "I am a cop. It's not a switch that I can turn on or off. I deal in facts, evidence, deduction. You play things by ear."

"You should try it my way," I mumble.

He grins. "Perhaps, you could try it my way, once in a while."

I move back closer to him. He looks so handsome in the moonlight. I'm betting I look nine ways to crazy but I'll own it. "Mitch, someone was watching the store tonight. Just standing by the dumpster."

He's leaning in closer. "Maybe they were walking their dog."

"No dog to be seen," I whisper, puckering my lips for a kiss.

"Maybe it was an optical illusion. Maybe you're seeing things you want to see."

"If that were true, I'd have seen my favorite cop standing there."

"That so?" He brushes his lips against mine.

"Yes, that's so."

He kisses me, his fingertips graze my cheek. "Miranda, I worry about you. No one is as strong as you pretend to be."

"I'm not going to a shrink, Mitch. Let it go."

He finishes his kiss, then rises to his feet. "It isn't a sign of weakness. God knows, you don't want anyone to think you can't handle things. Just take this card. Don't throw it away." He reaches in his pocket and places a business card in my hand.

"What's this?"

"It's who we use for counseling at the Sheriff's office. Tyler went to her, I've been to her. She's good at what she does. Just think about it."

I clench my teeth. How many times do I have to say I'm fine before someone will believe me? I know he's concerned. And I agree, nine out of ten people would lose their shit if they had gone through what happened to me and Tyler at Haynes Pond. But I'm not like that. I'm a survivor. "I'll keep it. But no promises."

"No promises necessary," he says, and kisses the end of my nose.

The door squeaks open behind us.
"Oh, I wasn't sure you'd gotten home." It's Waylon.

I turn to look at him. "I'll be in in a few. Sorry. I should have let you know."

"No big deal. Hey, Mitch."

Mitch nods.

After the squeak of him closing the door, Mitch sits and takes me in his arms again. "I'm thinking maybe you and I can go paint the town red on Saturday night. How does that sound?"

"Graffiti. Sounds like a misdemeanor. "

"Shut up, Miranda," he laughs. "Dinner and drinks, then back to my place for dessert."

"What about your girls?"

"Molly is going out with friends and Sasha will most likely be with her boyfriend."

"Sounds good."

I look across the yard and see Aaron's porch light turn on. Mitch looks up then turns to me. "He's back for a visit, I see."

I shake my head. "Nope. He's just back."

"He can't be done with Seminary school. That takes years. He quit?"

"He said it wasn't for him."

"Well, shit, here he comes. The eternal third wheel." Mitch whispers with a laugh.

"Stop."

Aaron bounds down his steps and jogs over to where we are sitting. "Hey, what are y'all doing?"

"Just looking at the stars. What are you up to?"

Aaron doesn't wait to be invited to join us, he just sits next to me. "I've been thinking, you know, since I'm not going to pursue the preacher thing, I can still reach people."

I nod, not willing myself to ask how. It's late and I'm tired. But Mitch misses my lead and eagerly jumps.

"How are you going to do that?" he asks.

"Tik Tok."

"Come again?"

"I'll post videos everyday. From different spots around the county."

I glance at Mitch who sits with his mouth open. Heck, he may not even know what that is. But I can tell from the look on his face, he is about to crush Aaron's dream.

I gently elbow him as I turn to look Aaron in the eyes. "That is probably the most brilliant thing I've ever heard."

There are some people who can handle the truth, then there's Aaron.