Chapter 7
After breakfast, Myles stood by the window looking outside, waiting for Tara to wake up. Noticing some movement on the road, he watched Craig and Hank return in the van followed by a rusted old tow truck pulling what was left of his car.
With a quick glance at Tara, Myles went out the front door to survey that extent of the damage. Seeing it in the daylight made him realize just how lucky they'd been to make it out of there alive.
"That one's not going to take you home," Craig stated as he slammed the door to the van.
"No, I guess not," Myles muttered as he stared at the car in shock. When he had purposely clipped Joseph Vanderwylen, aka Arif Dessa, to give Bobby and D more time to install spyware on his computer, it had cost quite a bit to get it repaired. Unfortunately, this time he didn't think there was any chance of fixing it. Oh, great! he thought with a sigh, More groveling to that officious, overzealous, librarian gone wild Office Services Manager Randy Pitts!
Movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to turn, realizing for the first time Craig and Hank didn't come back alone. Craig stood next to a young woman with a bright smile.
"Myles, this is Danni," Craig announced, draping his arm over her shoulders. "She towed your car back for us."
"You're a tow truck driver," Myles stammered, his eyes widening in disbelief. He knew it was sexist but she was such a petite little thing, he had trouble believing this to be her chosen profession.
"The tow truck's my dad's," Danni replied defensively hearing the chauvinistic tone of his voice. "I'm a computer specialist," she stated with an arrogant flip of her hair.
"More like a web master," Craig boasted proudly. "She's the youngest web designer ever for Virgin Designs, the top Fortune 500 Web Design Company in the U.S. She's awesome," he stated, looking down at her lovingly.
"Stop!" Danni insisted, playfully whacking him in the stomach while a flush of pink tinged her cheeks.
Before any more could be said, Myles heard the crunching of tires on the gravel behind him. Noticing the weird glances shared between the other three, he cautiously stepped beside them to watch the patrol car come up the driveway, and two men get out.
"Danni. Craig. Hank," the deputy acknowledged with a slight smile as the two of them approached the group. "I'm Deputy Webster and this is Doc Johnson," he said, extending his hand towards Myles.
"Myles Leland the Third," he politely shook the other man's hand, all the while conscious of the nervous shifting of those beside him.
"I hear I might have a patient to attend to," Doc Johnson stated, causing Myles to look for confirmation from the others.
"Doc's the only medical services we have in a 40 mile radius, and since we can't get you out because of the roads being blocked, we thought it best if he come up to check on you both," Hank explained.
"We were told you were delivering Miss Traci's baby," Craig addressed the doctor.
"Well, the wee one decided to come quickly," the doctor told them with a distinctive drawl. "Mother and baby are doing fine so Deputy Webster offered to drive me up here."
"I just wanted to make sure everyone that needs the Doc gets to see him," the Deputy clarified.
"More likely wanted to check on who our guests were," Craig muttered under his breath. The words were too quiet for the deputy to hear, but Myles eyed the young man as he heard every word.
"Myles, Tara's awake and she's asking for you," Annie called from the porch. Her normally bright eyes turned to an icy glare as she saw the deputy.
"Miss Annie," the deputy said, tipping his hat in acknowledgement.
"Deputy," she responded coldly, waiting for Myles to join her.
Myles looked from Annie to the deputy and back. All is definitely not right in Hooterville! he thought as he hurried up the steps with the doctor fast on his heels.
Right now, Myles was more concerned about Tara and her injuries. However, he vowed as soon as the doctor checked her out that he would question Annie about what just happened. Something told him everything turning so chilly when the deputy arrived wasn't just coincidence.