“Oh, I don’t know,” his stupid inner voice said. “Maybe because they’re not all walking around with their heads up their asses.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t screwthemover,” he answered it.
Fuck my life.
Chapter 24
Humble Pie Is a Bitter Pill
Noah stood by anxiouslywhile Neve prodded Chance’s ribs. She’d checked his eyes, his mouth, stuffed a thermometer up the poor dog’s butt, and inspected his neck. “What do you think, Doc?”
She pulled back, looking mighty pleased. “If I hadn’t seen this dog myself when he first arrived, I wouldn’t guess he’d been through such a hellish ordeal. He still needs to put on weight, but he’s already gained two pounds, and he’s healed so fast I can barely find evidence of his trauma. Are you feeding him some kind of miracle drug?”
“No, just lots of TLC and a ton of attention, especially now that I don’t have a bar to run.”
Neve pulled off her latex gloves. “I didn’t say so at the rink earlier, but I’m really sorry you were shut down. Selfishly speaking, I miss my favorite hangout.”
This surprised and delighted him. “So if I reopened tomorrow—with the health department’s blessing, of course—you’d come back?”
“In a heartbeat! Come on, Noah, we grew up together, so Iknowhow fussy you are, which means I also know you’re no slacker when it comes to keeping your place clean. So does everyone else in this town. From what I know of that health inspector guy, he’s a real piece of work.”
“He did find mice, though.” That reality continued to puzzle Noah. Why only in the pantry? Why hadn’t Noah caught any?
“Well, that’s unfortunate, but it also sounds like you drew the short straw. I heard he was positively gleeful.”
“Don’t forget Hailey played a part in it too,” he grumbled. And now Noah found himself with a contemptible offer from the king of assholes.
Neve turned her back to him while she washed her hands. “She didn’t have much choice. He blindsided her. And when she stood up to him, she paid a hefty price.”
His brows crashed together. “What do you mean?”
Neve yanked a few paper towels from the dispenser with more force than necessary and dried her hands. “You didn’t hear? He stranded Hailey the other night. Amy had to go pick her up in Ridgway, and Hailey was a mess. She came in yesterday morning to have me take a look at her wrist, but all she would say is that she slipped on ice. That doesn’t explain the fat lip or the bruise on her cheekbone. Plus, she was working a littletoohard trying to brush it off as nothing.”
Shock rooted him to the spot. “That explains why she yelped when Dixie grabbed her wrist. That was before she got a brace.” The smudge on her cheek this morning rocketed back into his consciousness. “And she has a bruise on her face? I saw something, but I thought it was dirt.”
“She’s done a good job concealing it with makeup, so it’s a little hard to see. And don’t you dare tell her I told you.”
“Is she okay?”
“I took some X-rays. No fractures that I could see, but I advised her to get an MRI. I don’t know if she’ll follow through. She headed off to buy that brace instead.”
“What do you think happened?” He scratched Chance’s ears when the dog pressed against his legs.
Neve crossed her arms, leveling him with a hard stare. “I think that bastard attacked her, and that’s why she up and quit so suddenly. I don’t know her well, but she doesn’t seem like the type to do anything drastic—especially when she’s stranded in a strange town. Anyway, Amy and I havebeen connecting the dots, and they don’t paint a pretty picture.” Neve wadded up the towels and tossed them into a pop-lid trash can. “You might want to check in with Amy. She has more details.”
Noah could barely control the seething inside. “I think I’ll check with Hailey instead.” His voice came out in a snarl he hadn’t intended.
Neve didn’t flinch. “Good luck with that.” She gave him a head bob. “Kinda interesting, when you think about it.”
His hands shook when he leashed Chance. “What?”
“She’s only been here a week, but it feels like she’s part of our town, you know? And I don’t likeanyonemessing with one of us.”
“Neither. Do. I.”
Noah clipped Chance into his restraint in the backseat, and the dog didn’t resist. He probably sensed the rage waving off Noah, and it frightened him. Noah rubbed the pup’s head. “You’re a good dog. I don’t understand how—”
An image of Inspector Pretty BoyhittingHailey flashed in his mind’s eye. He fired up his truck, and his pulse kicked into the next gear right along with it. A few minutes later, he turned into the tavern’s rear parking lot and parked beside Charlie’s truck, telling himself to calm the fuck down.
