Gloria guessed that that made sense. Hamlet was super tiny barely two hundred people calling it home. She couldn’t imagine that the self-proclaimed village had much crime—if any at all. The baby-faced deputy acting like a welcome wagon didn’t surprise her after these last few weeks.
She had met Sheriff De Angelis—the head honcho of the local law enforcement squad—during one of her first trips back into Hamlet. Someone had reported Gloria’s car putt-putting its way in and out of town as she moved in. Renting a U-Haul to bring everything she wanted to have on hand for the next year had seemed like a good idea until she remembered the narrow mountain path and resigned herself to taking as many trips as she needed to.
Of course, when her repeated trips over a couple of days caught the locals’ attention, the sheriff flagged her down for a chat. A slender, vivacious redhead who looked like she’d been born to wear her sheriff’s hat, Sheriff De Angelis treated her like an unwanted outsider until Gloria mentioned that she was moving into her Great Aunt Patti’s mountain cabin. Suddenly, the sheriff couldn’t be more helpful.
Sadie was right about her family being respected in town. It didn’t matter to the townsfolk that Gloria was born and raised in a city about an hour away from Hamlet. Her family had its roots here and, because of that, she belonged.
Ever since then, no matter who she met while she was learning the ins-and-outs of her new home, for the most part they acted like she was a long lost friend once they talked to her for a few minutes.
Deputy Walsh was no different.
“It was so great to finally meet you. Put a face to the name and all that. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Of course he had. “Good things, I hope.”
“The best,” agreed the deputy.—“You know, since you seem to be a regular there already from what I’ve heard… if you want, I could always meet you at the coffeehouse sometime, maybe get a cup with you when I’m off duty.”
Her smile didn’t waver, even if she all she wanted to do was sigh.
This wasn’t the first time one of the locals she met invited her to sit down with them, have a cup of coffee or a muffin, and tell them all about her. And, from the eager look on Deputy Walsh’s face, something told her it wouldn’t be the last.
“That’s so sweet of you to offer.” At least, she hoped he was just trying to be sweet. ‘Yeah. Sure. Why not?”
“What’s your line?”
“You mean my number?” asked Gloria. “I thought there weren’t any phones here.”
The deputy laughed. “Oh, there’s not. If you want to make a call, you’ve gotta head all the way out past the gulley. No. I meant your channel for your radio.” When Gloria just stared blankly back at him, he took his police communicator off of his belt. “Like this.”
Why would she have one of th
ose? “Sorry. No. I don’t work for the police.”
“Wow, you really are new in town, aren’t you?” He showed her the radio again. “This is how we all communicate in Hamlet. You buzz people on your radio instead of calling them on the phone.” He twiddled with one of the knobs on the side. A loud chiming sound rang out. “See? Buzz.”
Suddenly, the way everyone in town referred to talking to everyone else as buzzing finally made sense to Gloria.
“Oh. Wow. I didn’t know. I guess I am still kinda new.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon. Then we’ll make that coffee date.”
Gloria felt her smile freeze on her face—and it wasn’t because her car window was still rolled down. Date? Oof. That wasn’t at all what she meant when she said she’d have a cup of coffee with him.
Before she could say anything, though, the deputy was waving goodbye, already heading back to his cruiser.
He’d only gone a couple of steps before he stopped. His brow furrowed, then he jogged back toward her side of the car, handcuffs clanking against his belt as he moved.
She was just thinking about how she could get out of any future dates with the young deputy when he said something that totally caught her attention.
“Real quick. Did you know that your back tire is wobbling a bit? I’m sure it’s nothing, but I thought I’d mention it before I go.”
Gloria’s stomach sank. Car trouble. She knew it.
“Ugh,” she said, letting out a groan. “I thought that was just me. Something seemed a little shaky. I was hoping it was all in my imagination.”
“Nope.” The deputy wrinkled his nose, an apologetic grimace. “Sorry. It’s actually another one of the reasons why I stopped you. If you were who I thought you were, I know you’re up in the mountains. It’s rocky up there. You need your tires in good shape to take on that road.”
Know what? He was absolutely right.