back ones.
Nothing.
“That’s the damnedest thing.”
“Is there a problem?” She didn’t sound the least bit anxious.
“I don’t have the key.” He met her gaze, waiting for her to mock this turn of events.
Lani held her breath, waiting for Russ to figure out that she’d taken his keys and shoved them under the “yoga mat.” She was feeling very bold for some reason and figured she had nothing to lose. The plan was conceived in desperation, and she didn’t expect to get away with it, but couldn’t think of any other way to stop him from arresting her brother.
“I guess you forgot to put the keys in your pocket. And that’s understandable considering how crazy it is out there. It feels like a horror movie—night of the living party-animal apocalypse.”
One corner of his mouth tilted up, and for a moment she thought he was going to give her one of his adorable smiles. But he seemed to catch himself then pulled his cell phone from a back pocket.
“I’ll just give Gage a call.” He pushed some keys and frowned. “Apparently, water and sensitive electronic devices are incompatible.”
“I’m so sorry.” And she really was. Ruining his phone hadn’t crossed her mind when all she could think about was helping her brother. And the longer Russ was distracted with her, the better it would be for Anderson. So she was kind of glad he couldn’t call the sheriff. “I’ll pay for a new phone,” she offered.
He glared at her. “I don’t suppose you have one that works.”
“I do. Because it’s at home.”
“A likely story.”
“Seriously?” She glanced down at her dress and realized the still-damp cotton made her body half a step from being naked. She should be embarrassed, but that tendency toward boldness was still firing on all cylinders. “I rode to the park with my parents and left my purse at home. And really, if I had one on me, it would be as wet as yours. It would also have to be somewhere a gentleman wouldn’t go looking for it.”
“No one would accuse me of being a gentleman, but you’re right about one thing. There’s no point in searching even if you’re lying.”
“Well, that hurts my feelings.”
“Which part?” he asked.
That she was a liar? Or her body was not interesting enough? “Both.”
But what was that saying about poking an angry bear? Lani had lost count of all the times Russ Campbell had been at the Ace in the Hole with Gage Christensen and never talked to her. She’d asked Gage about him and knew Russ was a detective on the Kalispell Police Department and had moved back to Montana from Denver. No one knew why.
Now she was finally having a conversation with him, but it was about her being deceptive and lacking even a speck of sex appeal. That was disappointing and humiliating in equal parts. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, now there was every reason to believe he really didn’t like her. Well, he was pretty cute, but that didn’t stop her from being a little annoyed with him right now, too.
He sighed. “I just meant that if you had a phone, yours wouldn’t work, either.”
“It’s really not important,” she finally said.
That all-seeing hazel gaze of his narrowed on her. “You’re one cool customer, Lani Dalton.”
“Oh?” Cool as in attractive, intriguing and alluring? Or cool as in nervy and annoying?
“Yeah. I’ve seen women fall apart over being stopped for a speeding ticket, and you don’t seem the least bit upset about the fact that you’ve been arrested and locked up in jail.”
“So are you,” she reminded him.
“But I’m not in legal trouble.”
Okay, he won that round. She wasn’t too worried about the fountain dance, although after tonight probably a notice would be posted on it with a warning to keep out. But destroying his phone and helping herself to the jail cell keys could be a problem. Intellectually, she knew that, but her lovely buzz made it impossible to care.
“I’m not really worried. Ben Dalton is my father. You may have heard he has an excellent legal reputation.”
“Ah.” He nodded, but the tone and his expression hinted at a deep well of sarcasm.
“What does that mean?”
“That you’re the little princess. Rules don’t apply to you because daddy can find a loophole and make it all go away.” He moved back until bumping up against the bars stopped him.
Lani was pretty sure he was staying as far away from her as he could get, and it bummed her more than a little.
“You don’t know my father. Or me.” She didn’t much care about the angry defensiveness in her tone. Russ had gone out of his way not to know her. “He took an oath to uphold the law and wouldn’t compromise his principles. Ever. Not even for one of his children.”
That was the truth and probably why Anderson hadn’t said anything to anyone else in the family about his legal trouble and made her swear not to, either. She’d caught her brother at a weak moment, and he apparently had been feeling the stress of carrying this burden alone. That’s the only reason she knew.
Russ didn’t say anything, but clearly he wasn’t a happy camper. And who could blame him? Her cotton dress was drying faster than his jeans and T-shirt, and those boots were probably dead to him. She should offer to pay for those, too.
“Look, Russ—”
“I should be out there. Gage hired me to help him keep the peace with so much going on today, and now he’s alone.” He started pacing. “There’s no telling when he’ll check in. It might not be until morning what with half the town three sheets to the wind.”
Guilt weighed on Lani. If only she knew that Anderson and Travis had walked away and not escalated the situation, she would confess her sins and take her punishment. But she didn’t know and had to keep up her distraction as long as possible.
“Okay,” she said, “we’re stuck. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We should talk.”
The look he sent in her direction was ironic. “I suppose it was too much to hope we wouldn’t have to.”
“Are you always this mean or do I just bring out the worst in you?” She met his gaze and refused to look away. “We should get to know each other.”
“That’s really not a good idea—”
“It could be. You have an opinion of me. I have an opinion of you and maybe we’re both wrong. Attitude is everything. Think of it as an opportunity to make a better impression.” She refused to be put off by the stubborn, skeptical expression on his face. “Okay, I’ll start.”
