She batted her eyelashes. “Thank you.” Flipping open her storage clipboard, she affixed forms to it and pursed her lips. “So you were closed down two weeks ago due to the presence of pests, is that correct?”
“Yes.” He pressed his lips together, signaling he was fighting the urge to blurt out that the whole thing was a travesty and that he’d been set up.
“And we’re here on a re-inspect based on some recent discovery of irregularities … Hmm.” She frowned as she reviewed the paperwork. “It’s not clearwhatthose irregularities were, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll proceed as if this were a regular inspection. Perhaps you can tell me what you’ve done since the closing to prevent another infestation?”
Red slashes appeared on Noah’s cheekbones, and Hailey could read his indignation. Behind him, Dewey fidgeted as if he stood on a bed of hot coals and needed to hop foot to foot. Dixie elbowed him and glared.
To his credit, Noah calmly produced the exterminator’s report and expounded on the findings and all the steps taken since the shutdown. “The pests were confined to one small space in the pantry. Let me show you.”
Hailey gave him a thumbs-up when he glanced over his shoulder.
For the rest of the inspection, Dixie and Dewey played cards at a back table and Hailey hovered close by—but not too close. Ashley directed her questions and comments entirely at Noah, and the inspection came to an end.
The inspector pulled off her gloves. “Mr. Hunnicutt, I’m pleased to inform you that I see nothing that would prevent you from reopening. I’ll be filing my report recommending that the seal be removed immediately so you can get back to your regular food service.”
He gusted out a breath. “That’s great news. How soon will that happen?”
“You’re my last inspection today, so I’ll be uploading my report shortly. You should hear back by the end of business today or tomorrow. Someone put a rush on this—probably due to thoseirregularities—so I don’t think it’ll take long.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure. And thankyoufor being so accommodating. You have no idea how difficult some owners make our jobs.” She slipped her clipboard into her bag and hoisted the thing on her shoulder.
He raised his eyes to Hailey’s. “I’ve heard about that. I’m sure what you do isn’t easy, and I’m glad someone is willing to do what it takes to protect the public.” His eyes sparkled with a triumphant look that broadcast, “See what I did there? Aren’t you proud of me?”
Ashley canted her head and smiled up at him. “Thank you for that.” She presented him with a business card. “You call me if you have questions.Anyquestions. That’s my personal cell number.”
Ooh, the little trollop!
To Hailey, she said, “We have a position opening up soon at the Mesa County Health Department, and I think you’d be a great fit. Interested?”
Hailey didn’t hesitate. “No, but thank you. I’m exploring what the civilian world has to offer.”
Ashley looked around the tavern and shrugged. “Bet you won’t find better benefits.”
Hailey sent Noah a wink over Ashley’s shoulder.Bet I already have.
As soon as Ashley walked out and Noah had locked the door behind her, he rushed over and scooped Hailey up in his arms until she squealed. “You did it, surfer girl! You did it!”
“Wedid it,” she laughed, looping her arms around his neck. Her gaze skipped to Dixie and Dewey. “Wealldid it.”
“We didn’t do squat,” Dewey groused.
Dixie added her own complaint. “All we did was play cards. She didn’t ask nothing about how hard Dewey scrubs that kitchen.”
“She didn’t need to,” Hailey replied, “because she could see it. The fact that you two gave up your spare time to make yourselves available to helpherwas huge.” She turned to Noah. “Andyou, Mr. Charming, about fogged her glasses every time she looked at you. Which I can understand because you fogmyglasses too.” She gave him a smoldering look, and he instantly returned one of his own.
Dixie’s painted brows drew together. “But you don’t wear glasses.”
“Exactly.”
Noah sprouted a wide grin. “That’s what hunks of man meat do. Seriously, babe, we couldn’t have done it without you pulling the right strings.”
“I didn’t pull any strings. You’re the one who filed the appeal.”
He snorted. “Along with the pictures and a narrative from a CDC scientist showing the wrong kind of mice were discovered. And even if someone’s pet mice had gotten loose in the pantry, the pictures you took made it clear there were no signs they’d started their own subdivision. That, timed with everything you told HR about Meissner, made a neat little bundle they couldn’t ignore. That was all you, sweetheart.”
Someone up the food chain determined Noah had been caught in the cross hairs of a disgruntled rival and that the head of the food inspection arm of the Montrose County Health Department had been, at the very least, duped in a scheme to undermine the Miners Tavern. The finding, coupled with Hailey’s allegation she’d uncovered bribery of a public official—which had led to her suffering an attack by said official and leaving her no choice but to resign—had thrown the county into an epic tailspin. Sniffing a disastrous lawsuit and a whole lot of egg on their faces, they had placed Cliff Meissner on leave while they investigated. Dan Williams had personally offered Hailey her job back, verging on panic as he did so, and she had reveled in turning him down. Job security be damned. Let them find some other sucker to drive all over kingdom come while putting up with their tactics.
