City of the Lost (Rockton 1)

"To think. You stay for the autopsy. Beth? The report goes to Detective Butler."

Anders mutters under his breath. Dalton gets as far as the next room. Then, "Butler?" Curt. Impatient. As if I should know I'm supposed to follow him. I take one last look at Powys, and then I leave.

We get three steps out of the clinic and Dalton says, "Beer?"

I jog to catch up. "What?"

"You drink beer?"

"Uh, no. There are a few things we need to talk about, sheriff, and beer definitely isn't on the--"

He wordlessly turns into the Roc. There are more people there, the bar cleaned up after the fight. Isabel's at a table, talking to a patron. She says, "Sheriff," when Dalton walks in. He strides behind the bar.

"What do you drink?" he asks me.

"Tequila, but I don't need--"

He pulls out two bottles. "Which one?"

I hesitate before pointing to the cheap brand. He snorts, puts that one away, and takes the other to the door.

Isabel blocks his exit. "Help yourself, sheriff."

"I did."

"From your pissier-than-usual mood, I'm guessing that you didn't find anything on Jerry. Can I bar him from my establishment now?"

"No."

"I'd like--"

"Too bad. I want him to keep coming here," Dalton says. "It's the place he's most likely to screw up."

"And what do I get in return?"

"My grudging tolerance of your establishment."

"You can't shut me down, Eric."

"Not officially, but I can sure as hell find a way to make you decide to shut your doors." He moves her aside. It's not a shove, but it's not a gentle nudge, either.

As we pass, she calls after him, "You know what, Eric? I bet you'd be a lot happier if you did more than grudgingly

tolerate my establishment. I don't believe I've ever met a man more in need of--"

He turns on her so fast she jumps.

"I was teasing you, Eric," she says, her voice softening.

"You want to make me happier? Stop complaining about Hastings and help me pin something on him, so we can get this dope out of our town."

"I know," she says. "I'm sorry." She moves closer. "About Powys ... I know you don't like answering questions on open cases, Eric, but I heard ... it was bad."

"He'd been in the forest for a week. Course it was bad."

She studies him. "And if anyone asks, that's what I tell them. Until you're ready to say more."

"Yeah."