How Little We Know - M J Marlow (top 10 novels .TXT) 📗

How Little We Know
- Mary Evans learns that life is never as uneventful as one might think it is when two warring brothers ask her to marry them.

Nothing ever happens around here, Mary Evans thought as she stepped out of her house to walk to work. In the town of Evansville, population 250, there was no place that was not within walking or jogging distance. Nothing much changed here, either, she thought as she passed all the familiar turn of the century houses two blocks away on Main Street that had been built for the workers at the Evans’ Bakery in 1802. At her side was her brindle coated mutt, a dog of undetermined breed that the joker of a friend who had gifted him to her had named Thug. A less descriptive name could never be found for the sweet-natured couch potato who shared her home. Since her stepmother had died a year ago, he had been her only companion. “Well, Thug,” she smiled down at the dog that came up to her hip as she zipped up her jacketand made certain her unruly auburn hair was secured in its pony tail, “ready to hit the road?’ Thug yawned up at herand wagged his tail exactly three times before collapsing on the porch. He put his head on his pawsand looked up at her with his ‘who me’ expressionand she laughed. “All right, lazybones. You stay here. I have to go to work.” She waited for him to stirand he refused. “Let yourself back in when you’re ready. You know where the food dish is.” She stepped offand jogged down her street three blocks, waving at the people who came out. There wasn’t anyone in this town she didn’t know except for the boarders at the B&B, unless they were regulars,and people passing through on their way somewhere else. Her ability to remember namesand facesand other vital data made her a valuable secretary for the Sheriff’s Office. She passed the mechanic’s place on the next street downand saw a stranger beside a really sharp-looking black Mustang convertible. Deep brown hair with a touch of redand gold glowed like banked embers as he bent over to look at the engineand the sunlight struck off of it. He had a nice lean frame, like a swimmerand she shook her head to clear it of the attraction that stirred in her. Sam, the shop ownerand head mechanic hailed her,and the stranger looked up so she could see hazel eyes filled with irritation. He was one of those people who thought everyone should cater to them, she thought. “Hey, Sam,” she smiledand stopped. “How are things this morning.” “Were slow till the city boy showed up, Mary Elizabeth,” Sam smiled at her in open admiration. He was the only person in town who called her by her full given nameand she hadn’t the heart to ask him to stop. Mary sighed as the man she had known all their lives, put his arm around her shoulder like she was his best buddy. Since he was shorterand heavier than she was this forced her to stoop. She let him have two seconds before she moved away. “How are things in the Sheriff’s Office?” The man looked at her sharplyand she wondered what he was thinking now. He was far more interested in the word ‘sheriff’ than a passing motorist should be. She didn’t have time to worry about it, though. Today was Sheriff Braden’s last day. He was moving onand he had some detective from Denver coming in to take over the rest of his term until elections. “It’s Sheriff Braden’s last day, Sam,” Mary reminded him. She added with a voice heavy with irony. “We’re looking forward to meeting his stand-in with baited breath.” “Funny girl,” Sam laughedand tugged on her ponytail as he had every day since they were six. “ He looked at her seriously then. “I heard a rumor the city boy is going to clean house when he gets here.” “Not much to clean,” Mary replied. “There’s only the four deputiesand me on staff now with the financial cut-backs.” “But you’re working for free, Mary Elizabeth,” Sam reminded her. “You should really think about that. Pretty girl like you should be thinking of settling downand making a home for some happy man.” “Not me, Sam,” she said firmly. “I’m not ready to go that route yet.” “But, Mary Elizabeth,” Sam laughedand tugged the ponytail again. “I haven’t gotten in this month’s proposaland there’s only two days left to the month.” “I’ll spare your game knee, Samson Henry,” Mary smiled at her friend, “and say no.” She nodded to him. “Gotta run. Say hello to Delilah for me,” she added, referring to his sister who worked for Mary’s aunt in the beauty parlor. She heard a familiar baying soundand sighed. “Here comes the lump,” he laughed as Thug came running. He smiled as Mary crouched downand ruffled his ears. She really was such a pretty thing. He wished she would find a good manand get over what had happened to her. He wished even more fervently that she would look his way. “Finally got off your lazy butt, Thug?” The dog’s tail made its obligatory three wagsand then the hound licked her. “Oof! That was uncalled for you big dope!” “Lucky dog,” Sam laughed. “Only male in town that gets even that close to a kiss with you, Mary Elizabeth.” “And that’s just the way I like it,” Mary nodded. She got back on her feet. “Bye, Sam,” Mary laughedand took off for the Sheriff’s Office. She ran inand went to wash her faceand change into her uniform. She was not an official deputy but she wore the same outfit as they didand had a permit to carry a weapon. The only thing missing was the badge. She had cleaned up the mess the deputies on night duty had left, set fresh coffee brewingand put the doughnuts Sue Ellen Gentry made on the table in the break room before the deputies, twin brothers named Oscarand Theo Baldwin, arrived. The night deputies had clocked out, Mary noted with a frown, before the Sheriff or their replacements had arrived. “Sheriff,” she said as she walked in with a cup of coffeeand two doughnuts on a plate for him as usual without looking at him. She set it downand then laid the wires she’d collected for him from the machine on his desk. “Here’s your coffeeand the latest alerts…” She froze as the man with the expensive car rose to his feet from the couch along the wall the door was inand smiled at her. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to the Sheriff having people in here without my being aware of it. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” “Mary,” Braden said, “this is my cousin, Robert MacGregor. He’s agreed to be my replacement. Robbie, this is Mary Warner, the best damned Office Manager/Secretary a Sheriff could ever have.” “Miss Warner,” Robert bowed his head to her slightly. He looked past her to the lump of dog curled up near her desk. “And your body guard?” “Thug?” Mary laughed, her voice like silver chimes in the wind. “More like I’m his body guard.” She panicked. “He won’t get in the way, Mr. MacGregor. He’s like an unofficial mascot around here.” “Don’t worry, Miss Warner,” Robert said, hiding his amusement, “I don’t plan on making many changes around here just yet.” “Good,” Mary said before she could control her tongue. “I mean,” she blushed as he looked at her quizzically; “you’ve just arrived. You should see how things go around here before you make any changes.” She reddened even more as he looked at her even more closely. “The bookends are here,and the night watch signed out early again.” “Thank you, Mary,” Braden smiled at her. “You know you really should think of finding a man of your own instead of mothering my deputies.” “I’ve already had one marriage proposal this morning, Sheriff,” Mary smiled at her former boss fondly. “Do you want to join the queue of lovelorn swains now that you’re no longer in a perilous job?” “Would I have a chance?” Braden asked her half-joking, half-serious. She was just a kidand he was twice her age at this point in their lives. He knew there was a better man out there for her than him. “If anyone did, Matthew,” she said with honesty, “it would be you. I’ll get to my desk now.” She nodded to Robertand wondered why she was feeling so strange around the man. She caught a look on Braden’s face that confused herand decided to ignore it. “I’m certain there’s a ton of calls from Widow Marvin by now.” Robert watched the girl goand wondered how a child like that happened to be on the staff of the Sheriff’s Office. She couldn’t be more than sixteen. He could see why men were falling all over themselves to gain her attention though. She was a pretty thing. “Nineteen,” his cousin said as Robert turned. There was a knock on the doorand Mary came back with a cup of coffeeand a box filled with creamand sugar. She set it downand left without speaking. “And staked out by the Evans’ boys.” “You’ll have to give me the low down on that,” Robert nodded as he guessed there was a great deal more to Mary Evansand her history than his cousin had said. “Maybe while we’re out on patrol.” “You certainly won’t hear it from Mary,” Braden nodded. He nodded. “She makes the coffee in the morning so it’s excellent. Later, after she leaves, it’s any man’s guess what the coffee will be like.” “So she’s an asset to the Office,” Robert nodded. “I get it, Matt. She’s a wounded angel that I should tread carefully around.” “Hell no,” Braden shook his head. “Mary will not appreciate any man who treats her like she’s fragile. You let her know right off who you areand stay honest with her.” The intercom buzzed. “Yes, Mary?” “Sheriff,” Mary stated, her voice edged with amusement. “Widow Marvin says the imps are back in her petunias. She wants you to come overand tell them to leave her prize flowers alone.” “Tell her I’m on the way,” Braden laughed. “It will be a good chance to introduce my cousin to her.” “Won’t that just make his day,” Mary laughed then. She hung upand Robert saw her talking into the phone with a perfectly serious expression on her lovely face. The woman was an imp herself. “We’ll make the rounds,” Braden told him as he got upand grabbed his holsterand jacket, “so I can introduce you around. Shouldn’t take more than two hours in town, another two on the outliers. We’ll be ready for lunch then.” “Sheriff, I…” Mary quieted as she picked up the phone. “Evansville Sheriff’s Office.” She covered the receiver. “It’s the Widow again, Sheriff.” “Tell her I’m on the way, Mary,” Braden nodded. “Ready, Sheriff MacGregor?” “Yes, Widow Marvin,” Mary was saying in a long-suffering tone as they left, “He’s on his way to help you right now.” Robert got into the car with Braden, deep in thought. She might look like a child, but she had a competenceand calm about her that was reassuring. Braden began to share her history with himand he was astounded by what he was being told. “So she’s had a child?” Robert was astounded. “You didn’t say she was married.” “Married?” Braden shook his head. “No. Sean Evans raped her the night of her sixteenth birthday partyand got her pregnant. The baby was born weakand died a few hours after it was born.” He saw Robert’s look. “It’s