Page 44 of The Moment He Couldn’t Walk Away

“No, just wondering if I can leave now,” Finch lied. People knew he was grumpy and unsociable, so the answer wouldn’t surprise the Sheriff of Lyntacky. He’d known the man most of his life.

“You can leave anytime, Finch, and everyone will understand.”

“Thanks.”

“I need a favor, Finch.”

“Don’t tell me you need a deck built too?”

So far today, he’d been asked to work in the Swing Through Café—another square-dancing name seeing as that was also law in Lyntacky—and to put some edging around Mrs. C.’s garden. Plus, JD needed some loose boards fixed in his barn, which Finch thought was a pile of BS, as the man was on top of things like that.

“No, my deck’s all good. Thanks, though, and I’ll keep you in mind if that changes,” Sheriff Dans said.

“Appreciate it,” Finch drawled.

“Has Nina told you anything about what’s going on with her?”

He looked for her again and found her heading into the kitchen. Finch wondered how she was holding up.

“Personal stuff,” the sheriff added.

“Not sure why I’d be the one she’d talk to about that kind of thing, Sheriff. We’re not close.”

“Okay, must have read that wrong, then. Saw you two upstairs earlier when I was getting something for Nancy.”

He didn’t add the word “kissing,” but it was a given by the look in his eyes.

“Completely wrong.”

Sheriff Dans held up his hands. “My bad. Just do me a favor and keep your eyes out for anyone in town who makes you uneasy. You military types can spot that kind of thing a mile off.” He then wandered away, leaving Finch with more questions than he’d had minutes ago.

Keep an eye out in town for anyone that makes you uneasy? What the fuck did that mean? And what did it have to do with Nina? Was she in some kind of trouble?

People were saying their goodbyes now around him, and he needed to make sure she had a ride home. He headed for his family.

“Jump in with Mom and Dad, Lynx. I need to drop someone home,” Finch said to his brother.

“Who?”

“Mom and Dad. You know, the people who raised us.”

“Very funny. Who are you dropping home?”

“Bart. He and June have had too much to drink,” Finch lied easily.

“Right, of course, that’s who it is, and not that pretty lady you’ve been watching all day.”

“If I punch you here, at least Dr. Hannah is close to fix your pretty face so your fans don’t come after me,” Finch growled before walking away.

He moved through the remaining guests, nodding and saying goodbye as they did the same to him. Finch finally tracked Nina down in the kitchen.

“I want things to stay as they are for now, Sergio, so you don’t need to worry, ’kay?”

“All good, Nina. We can talk about this another day. Today’s a tough one for you.”

The man looked a little desperate to Finch, facing a tipsy, emotional woman.

“It is,” she said. “B-but it’s important you know your job is safe.” She spoke slowly, like English was a second language.