“Excuse me, Sheriff,” someone called, “but could we have a shot of you talking to the alternative-program people?”
Buck felt the back of his neck tighten. He had already discarded the sling on his arm, aware that “I fell over a dog” did not project the best image for a county sheriff. His arm throbbed painfully. In spite of it, he stuck both thumbs into his Sam Brown belt.
“If there’s an alternative program I don’t know anything about it,” he said sternly. “And if there is such a thing, it’s not in my jurisdiction.”
At the same time Buck was a little nervous about Scarlett Scraggs; it was almost as if he could feel her eyes on his back. He had asked her to stay out of sight until he could get rid of the delegation and the media, his excuse being that he wanted to get to work quickly afterward and organize a search for the little sister.
That, he told himself, was only the truth.
“But Sheriff, you’re going to be down there tomorrow night,” the TV cameraman said, his camera right in Buck’s face. “To make sure the local committee for the Real Meaning of Christmas doesn’t bring on their own manger scene, right?”
Surprise showed on Buck’s face for a brief second. “There’s no plan at this time,” he said even more sternly, “to bring on a manger scene.” He was beginning to feel that at any moment something was going to happen. Like Farrah Fawcett Scraggs coming up the driveway, deciding not to run away after all. “I haven’t got the authority to permit any alternative programs,” he told them. “Nancyville is still under a court order not to have any religious Christmas displays of any kind on the courthouse lawn tomorrow night.”
“Will you be there?” one of the TV crew called.
Buck peered into the rain, trying to locate the voice. “Yes, I’ll be there,” he answered.
“Are your deputies armed?” the same voice asked.
“Well yes,” Buck said, “they’re always armed.”
Too late, he saw what was happening. County sheriff will confront Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus at courthouse with armed deputies. He’d bet anything that was the way it was going to come out on the evening news. He could have kicked himself.
The TV news people were looking excited and happy at this element in their story, but the Hare Krishnas stopped their circling and came to stand at the steps, looking alarmed.
Buck’s face felt like granite, but he tried for a smile. “Well, no matter what’s planned for tomorrow night,” he began, “Nancyville welcomes all -”
“Okay, that’s a wrap,” the cameraman said to the TV sound man. “Thank you, Sheriff.” They turned their backs and abruptly walked off toward their van.
Seeing the TV news crew call it a day, the Hare Krishnas filed toward their vehicle, hopped inside, and pulled shut the doors.
At that moment Kevin Black Badger chose to arrive at the end of the driveway in a county patrol car, lights flashing. Buck leaped from the porch.
“Hey,” Black Badger said, sticking a long leg out of the patrol car. He watched interestedly as the Hare Krishnas’ van backed to turn out of the drive to the faint hum of bare ram chanting. “What goes on, Sheriff? I was told you need me to track a runaway child?”
Buck reached down and dragged his deputy out of the patrol car. The TV crew was still in the driveway, close enough to hear. “Open your mouth again,” Buck growled, “and I’ll put you on a month’s suspension.”
Kevin’s eyes widened. “Yes, sir,” he said.
Buck led him toward the house.
Scarlett met them at the door. She had on her denim jacket, jeans, and a red sweater, and looked beautiful and determined. “What was that all about?” she demanded. “Are those people going to look for Farrie?”
Kevin Black Badger stopped short, transfixed. His black eyes took in Scarlett Scraggses’ dark hair flowing becomingly over her shoulders, her trim, luscious figure, and he reacted with an appreciative quiver.
Buck pushed him out of the doorway. Now recognition dawned in the deputy’s eyes. Kevin Black Badger recoiled. “Sheriff, I swear, but isn’t she – this – she looks like -”
“Scraggs,” Buck said tersely. “She’s a Scraggs.” He put his hand in the middle of his deputy’s back and pushed him down the hall. As he opened the door to the parlor he explained in a few words who Scarlett was, and how she had come to be his Christmas houseguest. “There are two of them, Devil Anse’s granddaughters. They’re runaways, and Susan Huddleston is in Atlanta taking a long holiday.” Buck couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice. “I’ve got custody until she returns.”
“Well,” Kevin said, “that’s something.” He seemed to shake himself. “Who’s the missing child you want me to track?”
Before Buck could answer, Scarlett cried, “It’s my little sister, she’s run away, and I need to get out there!” Whirling, she made for the door. “I want to go in the patrol car so I can look for her.”
Kevin Black Badger rushed forward to open it. “That’s a good idea,” he said with considerable enthusiasm. “I’ll just drive you around, Miss Scr -”
“Never mind!” Buck reached over the deputy’s shoulder and slammed the door, forcefully. Somehow the idea of Black Badger riding around with Scarlett Scraggs all afternoon in the patrol car did not make him happy. Not with that look on Black Badger’s face.
“You’re going to track on foot,” Buck told him, taking a perverse pleasure in seeing the deputy’s face fall. “I want you to do this whole area and the woods in back of the house.”
The woods in back of the house covered virtually all of Makim’s Mountain. They were thick enough to keep Black Badger busy for a week.
“I’ve already called in an All Points Bulletin,” Buck went on, “so there’ll be cars patrolling the immediate vicinity. The missing child’s only ten years old or so, let’s hope she can’t get very far. And,” he added, remembering, “she doesn’t walk too good.”
At his words Scarlett gave a low cry and started for the door again. “You can’t keep me here! I’ve got to get out there and look for her myself!”
Buck caught her and motioned to Black Badger that he could leave.
“You’ve got to stay here, Scarlett,” he said, holding her in spite of her struggles. “When the patrols come back with your sister she’s going to be cold and tired and wet. She may even be running a fever.” He knew how she worried about her little sister getting sick. “You’ve got to be here in the house to look after her.”
He felt her go slack in his arms. “She’s out there, just walking around in the rain,” she whimpered. “Farrie’s worried because we’ve got no home, no place to go!”
She was tearing him apart. Buck tightened his arms around her and bent his head to kiss her lightly, on those rosy, tempting lips. More a gesture of comfort, he told himself, than anything else.
But that kiss was fated to be something more. A lot more. She seemed to shudder, then opened her mouth to respond to him. It was as though lightning struck them both. A sort of rainbow-hued, dazzling display of earthly delight that sent Buck’s head spinning and his knees to shaking. With a groan, he deepened the kiss and drew her closer.
But only for an instant.
With a howl, Scarlett Scraggs wrenched herself so violently away from him that Buck staggered back in stunned surprise. While his head was still reluctantly clearing she yelled: “Don’t touch me!”
“What the devil?” Buck exploded. He rubbed the stabbing pain in his bad arm.