“Shooting isn’t really my thing.”
He studied her for a long moment before he closed his laptop with a snap and got to his feet. “I need a break. All the reports are starting to look the same.” He grabbed his hat off the hook and pulled it on, then grabbed hers and tossed it to her. “Well, don’t just sit there, Deputy Meriwether. Let’s go.”
She got up. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
The surprise turned out to be Lincoln taking her to the same place Dixie still had nightmares about. As soon as they pulled up to the copse of trees, she shook her head. “Oh, no. I want nothing to do with Rattlesnake Springs.”
He laughed. If she hadn’t been so scared, she might’ve enjoyed the way it transformed his face from serious ranger to impish bad boy. “I figured you might feel that way. Which is why I didn’t tell you where we were going. And it’s called Mesquite Springs, by the way.”
“I don’t care if it’s called Bunny Rabbit Haven. There are snakes here and I want nothing to do with it or them.”
He got the look he got on his face whenever he switched into teacher mode. Which had been a lot lately. In fact, ever since she had told the little white lie about having a dream to become a deputy, he’d been giving her lawman lessons. It was starting to get a little old. “You’re a deputy, Dixie. You can’t be afraid of snakes. Nor can you be uncomfortable shooting a gun.”
“We’re here to shoot rattlesnakes? I don’t like them, but I don’t want to massacre them either.”
“We aren’t going to massacre snakes. We’re going to shoot at a target.” He opened his door. “Now come on.”
“I think I’ll just stay here.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself, but I’m going to do some target practice. And you’re going to get pretty hot sitting here in the sun.” He grabbed the keys and got out.
He was right. It was hot sitting in the truck. She couldn’t even roll down the windows, because he had taken the keys. She opened the door but sweat still beaded on her forehead and collected between her boobs. She glanced at the trees that were no doubt teeming with snakes as her mama’s words came back to her. The only thing to fear is lack of courage.
It took a lot of courage to get out of the truck and even more to walk through the snake-infested trees. She pulled out her gun and held it at the ready just in case she spotted one. When she arrived at the springs, she found Lincoln sitting on a hollowed-out log. He grinned when he saw her.
“Glad you decided to join me. But the first rule of guns is never pull one out unless you intend to use it.”
She glanced around the ground. “I do intend to use it. Especially if you’ve seen a snake.”
“Not a one and I searched the entire area just in case you changed your mind.”
“You did? You’re not lying?”
He held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor. The coast is clear.” He stood and handed her a pair of tiny sponge earplugs. “Put these in and shoot at the knothole in that dead mesquite tree on the other side of the springs.”
She holstered her gun and took the earplugs. “So you were a boy scout?”
“No. I was too much of a troublemaker.”
“Then that promise meant nothing.”
He laughed again. This time, she enjoyed the crinkles in the corners of his eyes and the way the dimple in his chin flattened and then returned. “Yep, but it got you to trust me. Now show me what you got.”
She put in the earplugs and then pulled her gun back out. She held the Glock straight out, steadied her arm with her other hand, took aim and a deep breath, then fired. Wood splintered off the very center of the knothole. Her next shot hit as close. As did the next shot and the next shot. By the time she’d finished the clip, the tree had a big splintered spot in the center.
She holstered her gun, removed her earplugs, and turned to see Lincoln staring at her with wide eyes.
“Nice shooting, Tex. Now do you care to explain why you didn’t do well on the shooting range at the academy?”
She blew out her breath. “Because I didn’t like shooting the targets that looked like real people—even if they were pointing a gun at me.”
Lincoln studied her for a moment before he nodded. ““A good law officer should never feel comfortable about using their gun. Most situations can be dealt with using a cool head and a calm voice. Unfortunately, there are some instances where a gun is needed.”
“I know that. But knowing it and implementing it are two different things. Have you shot anyone?”
“Yes.”
She swallowed. “Fatally?”
He nodded. “The gunman had already killed his girlfriend and wounded two police officers by the time I took him out. Still, I was pretty screwed up for a good year after it happened. It’s never easy to take a life. Even if you’re saving others.”
“What if I can’t do it? What if I can’t shoot and innocent people get hurt . . . or killed?”
“If you need to, you’ll be able to. You have good instincts.”
“Not like you. You stay calm and cool in all situations. I find it hard to believe you were a troublemaker as a kid. But I guess if you got sent to a boys’ ranch, you must’ve been.”
“People can change. You did.”
“What do you mean?”
“When was the last time you gave yourself a facial or painted your toes?”
She glanced down at her chipped fingernail polish. “I’ve been a little too busy for spa days.”
He smiled. “Exactly. You’ve started to take your job seriously. That’s change.”
She guessed she had changed, but so had he. “You’ve changed too.”
“How’s that?”
“You don’t look at me like I’m a complete ditz anymore.”
“I never thought
