Graham was still outside pleading their cases with Jonah. Apparently, one couldn’t accidentally tranquilize one’s crush without the cops being called. Zoey glanced at the living room window, through which Lana could see Jonah and Graham in a heated discussion.
“Graham will get Jonah to back off, but don’t be surprised if Jonah wants to talk to you.” Zoey hesitated. “I should stay and help.”
“Rick and I are perfectly fine. Right?” She ran her hand through Rick’s hair, earning a grunt of agreement from Rick in her lap.
Jonah walked in, giving Lana a look that she was sure had convinced many a reluctant witness into talking. However, she’d grown up in the Montgomery household, and it would take more than his side-eye to crack her.
The officer sat on the coffee table, elbows on his knees.
“I’m not all that surprised to be getting called out on a hunting accident, but I’m surprised to find you, Ms. Montgomery.”
“There was no hunting.”
At her calm reply, Jonah cleared his throat, eyeing her ghillie suit. She’d taken the headpiece off, but the rest of her was covered in white and gray strings.
“It was more of a moose-stalking situation.”
“So I’m hearing a lot of what could have happened and what probably happened. I’m wondering what actually happened.”
“I’ll be happy to tell you,” she said. “But I’m sorry, it will have to wait until the morning. I’ll have to call my lawyers.”
“Lawyers? Plural?”
“Yes.” Lana readjusted the washcloth on Rick’s forehead. “How are you feeling?”
Rick watched them through bleary, reddened eyes. “Like you shouldn’t say anything. Jonah, leave her alone.”
He had stopped slurring, but he still seemed out of it. When Rick started to push himself up to his elbows, Lana stopped him.
“I don’t need you fighting my battles for me,” she said gently. “The paramedics said to rest.”
The door slammed, making him groan, a low, pained noise. So far, Diego had stayed on the far wall, watching everything but not saying a word. But when Jonah frowned, Diego stepped forward.
“If Uncle Rick says nothing happened, then nothing happened.” Diego spat off to the side. Inside the house. On a perfectly nice rug. Eyes fierce, Diego added, “If you’re going to keep calling him a liar, maybe we should get our lawyer involved too.”
Jonah sighed. “All right, I know when I’m not wanted. But, Ms. Montgomery, I’d like to talk to you again. I have a court appearance to make in Anchorage tomorrow morning, and I’d like to see you afterward.”
He was more than overworked. He was exhausted. The expression on his face had bypassed stressed and bordered resentment.
“Jonah? Do you have any help? This town is too big for a single officer without any backup. Even Andy of Mayberry had Barney Fife to help him.”
“It’s occurred to me more than once, ma’am.” He looked at her. “But if you’re thinking of suggesting something to help, I’d like to remind you that I’m here because of your drunken, disorderly, and dangerous conduct. So if you’re about to add bribing a police official on top of that, you may want to think long and hard about what you say next.”
That wasn’t what she had been intending, but like always, the people here didn’t trust her intentions at all.
Lana lifted her chin, holding his eyes. “Go ahead and arrest me. I’m still going to make sure you have the support staff you need to keep Moose Springs safer. It’s not a bribe. It’s a solid business decision. I have a lot of money invested in this town.”
Jonah looked at Rick, then rested a hand on his shoulder. “You sure we can’t take you to the hospital?”
“The hospital will make trouble for her.”
“Between us, I have the feeling that Ms. Montgomery is more than capable of handling herself.”
The officer headed outside to his cruiser, leaving Diego, Rick, and Lana in the living room. Diego watched through the window until Jonah was gone, then he turned back to Rick. A smile almost cracked his face.
“Still stoned?” he joked.
Rick rolled his eyes, flopping a hand at Diego. “Can’t you be anywhere else right now?”
“Yeah, I know when I’m not wanted.” Smirking, Diego headed down the hall, presumably to his room. Rick shook his head, then groaned as if the motion hurt him.
“Headache?” Lana bit her lower lip, worried.
“I’ve had worse,” he promised. “It’ll pass.”
Readjusting the blanket higher on his shoulders, Lana said softly, “I’m so sorry for tonight. Are you mad at me?”
“For thinking I was a moose?” Rick reached up to tug the end of the same hair tendril he’d been fixated on all night.
“For trying to capture you.”
“You did that a long time ago.”
Lana ran her fingers through his much shorter hair. “You’re still drugged, dearest,” she said. “Try not to say things you’ll regret tomorrow.”
Or maybe things she wished he meant now.
“I’m not mad at you. Don’t think I have it in me.”
As she held Rick’s head in her lap, it occurred to Lana that he was the only one in Moose Springs who didn’t.
* * *
“I think it’s time I start dating again.”
They were halfway through a morning coffee and a cinnamon roll at Frankie’s when Rick made the quiet announcement to his friends. Normally, Rick didn’t splurge like this, but he’d recently survived a near moose-catching experience, and he was celebrating. Graham blinked at his announcement. Ash stared at him. Easton said nothing, but he did take a sip of his coffee. After this much time single, Rick figured they could have reacted a little more supportively.
“I think I want to ask out Lana,” he continued on, because it was the truth. And…well…they were his best friends. They should know he was finally taking this step. All three had expressed their concerns about how long he’d been single after his divorce, so he’d expected a little more enthusiasm than this.
“Are you insane?” Ash finally asked, reaching over the table to squash her hand on his face.
“What are you doing?”
“Feeling for a temperature. Graham, feel him. Is he running a fever?”
Graham dutifully followed suit. “Yep, definitely feeling hot over there, buddy.”