Judd stiffened. “How many other deputies do you have?”
Wade grinned. “None, and since you’re going to be stuck here until your Jeep is fixed, I thought you might consider helping me out with this case. I could probably work a small consultation fee into the budget, although it wouldn’t be much.”
Judd sighed. This wasn’t what he’d planned to do, but like the man said, what other options did he have?
Then Wade added the kicker. “And, since you’ll be staying on here until your vehicle is up and running…”
“Okay,” Judd said. “But no fee is necessary. Technically, I’m still employed in Oklahoma.”
Wade grinned. “Thanks, man, I really appreciate this.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Judd said.
Wade shrugged off the warning, but before he could comment, someone honked outside.
Wade refilled his coffee cup and then motioned with his chin. “That will be Tooter Beel.”
“Tooter?”
Wade grinned. “Don’t ask.” Then he added, “He’ll tow your car to the garage in town, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to the mechanic.”
Judd frowned. This meant another day’s delay added on to the rest. Then he sighed. Why wasn’t he surprised?
“Why tomorrow?” he asked.
“Because today is Monday and Harold doesn’t open the shop on Mondays.”
Judd knew he shouldn’t ask, but the question came out, anyway.
“And why doesn’t he open on Mondays?”
Wade’s grin widened. “Because he’s usually sleeping off a weekend drunk. Even if he came in and unlocked the shop, you wouldn’t want him working on anything. He’s real mean until the liquor wears off.”
“So, all that’s going to happen today is my Jeep gets parked in town?”
“That’s about the size of it.”
“Fine. Then I’ll stay here and help Charlie.”
Wade looked nervous. This wasn’t what he had in mind.
“Uh, I don’t think…”
“Is there anyone…maybe a neighbor, or a friend, who can come stay with her?” Judd asked.
Wade frowned. “No.”
“Maybe you were planning to stay here and help her?” Judd asked.
“Not with Shuler missing. In fact, I should already be at the office,” Wade said.
“So, what’s-his-name can tow my car and I’ll stay here and help. Maybe by tomorrow the swelling in her foot will be down.”
The horn sounded again. Wade was out of excuses. He set his coffee cup down and headed for the door.
“Fine,” he said shortly. “I’ll tell Tooter to hook ’er up and pull it into town. You can talk to Harold tomorrow about repairs.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Judd said, and wondered why he’d been so bent on baby-sitting a woman and a kid. It wasn’t like him. In fact, it wasn’t like him at all.
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