Page 17 of No Bed Of Roses
Now, he was calling in the local deputy because he was worried someone was out to hurt her. Sure, a few people didn’t like her much, starting with her family, but she couldn’t imagine any of them caring enough to do her harm. What would be the point? Her father had already disinherited her years ago.
She didn’t want to air her embarrassing family past with anyone, but she suspected she was about to do just that. Annoyed with pretty much everything, Isla turned her attention to the barn and its contents. The tractor that had saved her from a severe fall held her interest.
When she moved to pull off the tarp, Levi stopped her. “I think we should leave everything as it is until Marcus looks things over.”
She clamped her teeth together to keep from snapping at him. “This is ridiculous. Hurting me won’t help anyone. I’m not rich. I don’t have hidden assets. And I haven’t done anything requiring vengeance. The ladder was probably cut decades ago.”
Levi shrugged. “Maybe. But it’s always worth making an official report on things. Makes it easier to track any incidents. Marcus is a good guy, and he’d want to know about this.”
Which made her feel like she had a stalker. Great. That ought to help her sleep at night.
Needing to stomp out the embarrassment and annoyance she felt, Isla headed out of the barn, grabbing a shovel on the way. She wasn’t in the right frame of mind to attempt to put together the greenhouse, and she needed to do something to improve her mood before meeting the town’s deputy.
She didn’t spare Levi a glance as she stomped by him on the way to her little garden patch. When she reached it, she slammed the shovel into the dirt hard enough to nearly dislocate her shoulders. This was probably why she didn’t waste much time on anger. It never led to anything productive.
But annoyance and anger simmered beneath her surface, along with fear. Not from the fall, although that was still there as well. But from the possibility that Levi was right.
Was this another place she wouldn’t fit? Another place where someone would do whatever it took to get rid of her?
She hadn’t been in the state for long, but she’d fallen in love with her tiny cottage and fields. The possibilities excited her. She wanted nothing more than to settle in and lead a normal life. Work hard and sleep peacefully. Apparently, that was too much to ask.
The ground hadn’t been tilled in decades, and it wasn’t impressed with Isla’s pitiful attempts to turn it over. She was wasting her time. A tractor was sitting inside that barn. If she could get it working, this job would take less than an hour. The way she was doing it would take her a week. She kept digging anyway.
When Hopper barked, she saw him staring up the driveway with his tail between his legs. Instead of dropping the shovel, she carried it and stood beside the dog. “It’s okay, Hopper. No one’s going to hurt you.”
Levi hadn’t been in sight, but she felt his presence walk up behind her as she realized the car was a police cruiser. Levi’s friend.
Levi closed the distance to stand beside her, then squatted down to pat the dog. “It’s okay, Hopper. Marcus is a buddy. You’ll like him. He’s an old friend of mine from the military and one reason I moved here.”
Levi’s words were probably meant for her, not the dog. He was trying to reassure her. She had to give him credit for giving her some space to work out her frustration and for telling her about his friend in an easy way.
She eased her hold on the shovel and took a couple of deep breaths to help her relax. This wasn’t an inquisition. There was no proof this place and these people didn’t want her.
The deputy approached with a strong gait, similar to how Levi walked. Aware of his surroundings, confident he could handle whatever came his way. Exactly the way a lawman should be.
When he neared, he nodded at Levi, turned his attention to her and kept his gaze on hers. “Hi. I’m Deputy Marcus Ramirez. Welcome to Phail. I’m sorry we have to meet this way.”
She shook his offered hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Isla Duggan, and I think we’re probably wasting your time.”
That produced an easy grin. “Let’s hope so. But it’s always better to be cautious and take notes in case it is something. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”
Isla closed her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts. No sense in acting like a child. “I decided to explore the barn this morning because I hadn’t been inside yet. I used the key Tansy gave me to unlock the padlock. It was dark inside, so I unlocked the big doors and shoved one open a little way.” No reason to mention she hadn’t been strong enough to open it any farther.
“I saw the ladder leading to the hayloft. From the bottom, it seemed sturdy enough, so I climbed up. Dumb move, but I was curious.”
Marcus grinned. “Sounds reasonable to me.”
She relaxed more at that comment. This wasn’t a grumpy man who blamed women for any trouble that came their way. “I thought so at the time. In hindsight, not so much. When I neared the top, I couldn’t see anything. I took one hand off the ladder to grab my phone. I was planning on using the flashlight app. Instead, my feet went out from under me, and the ladder toppled to the side. I landed on a tractor, so I didn’t fall all the way.”
Marcus frowned. “Are you hurt? Should we call the doctor?”
She shook her head, grateful that Levi didn’t intervene with his opinion. “I’m fine. I didn’t bang my head. Just had the wind knocked out of me.”
Marcus studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, but if you change your mind, we’ve got a doctor in Phail. Lia Moreno. She’s a friend of Tansy’s and she’d be happy to check you out if you need it.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.”
“Okay. So I assume from Levi’s call that the ladder was tampered with.”