“I majored in criminal justice. How about you? I have no manners. Sit down, please. Would you like some coffee or a soft drink?”

“No thanks. I’m fine.” Cady sat down in a comfortable leather chair and crossed her legs, the skirt of her dress hiking up. She swished her ankle back and forth. “I’m working on my dissertation. My grandmother is in frail health, so I came back to help her. That’s why I’m here today. She asked me to drop this off to you. She said it might make your new job a little easier. Actually, I think she said she hoped it would ease your way into your new job. It’s really nice to see you again after all these years, Boomer.”

“Yeah, yeah, you, too. I can’t get over the fact that you just walked in here after all these years. It really is good to see you. I said that, didn’t I? I saw Pete Danson at the gym the other day. He’s a lawyer. I don’t know why, but that blew me away. Andy is into insurance, and Amy is a stay-at-home mom. Do you ever think about the old days? Hey, before I forget, I saw that article on your grandmother. She sounds like quite a character. I watch her old movies late at night. It was really a good article, though. I never knew what happened to you after she took you away. It must have been tough on you.”

Cady sucked in her breath. “It was hard. I remember the pain, the therapy. For a while there they thought I might not walk again. Sometimes when I’m really tired, I limp.”

“I’m really sorry, Cady. Listen, I have to go to a meeting with some of the town fathers in a few minutes. Since this is only my second week on the job, I don’t think I should be late. How about dinner this evening? We can talk all night long.”

“Dinner would be nice. What time?”

“How does seven-thirty sound?”

Cady nodded.

“Ozzie, come out here and meet a friend of mine. Ozzie, shake hands.”

Cady blinked. Staring at her and offering his paw was the biggest dog she’d ever seen in her life. “I have a shepherd, too,” she blurted. “His name is Atlas.”

“Somebody said you had a killer dog. Maybe it was in the article. All women should have a dog as a protector.”

“Oh, he protects me all right. I never go anywhere without him. He’s waiting in my car for me. I have to go next door now to pay a ticket. I went to the Judas Grove yesterday, and one of your officers gave me a ticket for trespassing. Forty-five big ones.” She laughed.

Mac Ward stared at the laughing young woman standing in front of him. She was so beautiful, she took his breath away. He felt like he was thirteen again, when he was trying to protect her. “Give it to me. I’ll take care of it.”