When he returned to the wait station area, Natalie was back, introducing a guy in a leather jacket who reminded Mac of Daniel Craig to the sheriff. “And this is Mac,” she said. “He’s trying to convince my cousin, Claire, to give up her wild ways and settle down.”
“How’s that working for you?” Natalie’s friend asked.
“She’s a tad skittish.”
Natalie laughed. “Only a tad?” She straightened her shirt and combed back a loose strand of hair, shooting a sly glance at her friend before looking up to catch Mac watching her with a raised brow.
She wrinkled her nose at him, but her cheeks darkened.
Ah ha. Now he understood the makeup and fancy duds.
“According to the police report Claire filed,” the stranger said, catching Mac’s attention, “she’s also prone to lead with a right hook.”
What police report was he talking about? He looked at Grady. “Does he work for you?” Or was he one of the city of Yuccaville’s boys in blue?
The stranger held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mac. I’m Detective Cooper of the Deadwood Police Department.”
Deadwood? “Are you the guy I spoke to on the phone last Halloween?”
The detective nodded. “And you’re the guy who offered to post bail for the two troublemakers.”
“Yep. That would be me.”
Detective Cooper grinned. “You have a nice bar here. Pretty busy, too. I’ve heard the food alone is worth the drive south.”
It took a second for Mac to realize he meant The Shaft. The detective had him confused for Butch. “The Shaft isn’t mine. Butch Carter deserves the compliment, but he’s visiting family out of state. I’m just helping out.”
“Butch lives with Natalie’s cousin, Kate,” Grady explained.
“You mean Kathryn Morgan, the five-foot-six blonde known to tackle bartenders and beat them with fake rubber hands?”
Mac grinned at the image the detective painted.
“Claire and Kate ended up in a bar fight up in Deadwood when they were there this last fall,” Natalie explained to Grady. “They were dressed as Marcia and Cindy Brady of The Brady Bunch at the time.”
“Of course they did and were.” Grady looked at Detective Cooper. “Did you throw them in jail?”
He shook his head. “Charges were dropped. The bartender admitted he instigated the fight.”
“Mac,” Natalie said, “will you grab the spare bar stool back there and set Coop up with a drink while I take these over to Ronnie’s FBI pal and the two drunk college girls trying to pick him up.”
He nodded, handing the stool over the counter. Grady scooted closer to the wait station, making room for the detective.
Detective Cooper stared after Natalie as she walked away. “Did she say FBI?”
“She did,” Grady answered. “Veronica is Claire’s older sister. She’s currently being monitored by the FBI due to her ex-husband’s history. He laundered money for several big names in the drug and illegal guns market. After he was caught and sentenced, he started squealing on his old customers to lighten his prison sentence.” Grady held up his empty glass to Mac, who nodded and grabbed the pitcher of tea for a refill.
“He sounds like a real winner,” the detective said.
“Yeah, he does his damnedest to keep us on our toes down here.”
“So, what’s a Deadwood cop doing in Jackrabbit Junction, Arizona?” Mac asked, placing a napkin on the bar in front of him. “And what can I get you to drink, Detective Cooper?”
“You can call me ‘Coop.’ I’m off-duty this week. Enjoying my first real vacation in years.” He looked at the shelves of liquor bottles on the wall behind the bar. “I’ll just have a whiskey on the rocks, for starters. Maker’s 46 will do.”
While Mac poured the drink, Grady asked, “So, it’s your first vacation in years and you came down to Jackrabbit Junction, huh?”
“Yep.” Coop threw out a few bills when Mac set the glass in front of him.
Grady took a drink of tea. “What do you think, Mac?”
Mac shrugged. “You do know about Natalie’s so-called sabbatical from men, right?” he said to the detective.
Coop nodded once and then sipped his whiskey.
Mac grinned at Grady. “Well, then I think he’s up shit creek, paddling along beside you and me, Sheriff.”
“That sounds about right,” Grady said. “Tell me something, Coop. Does Natalie get in as much trouble up in Deadwood as she does down here in my county?”
Coop chuckled. “She’s allergic to the law.”
Grady let out a deep laugh and patted Coop on the shoulder. “I feel your pain, partner.”
“What are you planning to do while you’re down here on vacation?” Mac asked. “Besides change Natalie’s mind.”
“My uncle is here with me. He’s sort of interested in seeing Cochise Stronghold and Fort Bowie. I was thinking we might take a trip down that way tomorrow.”
Mac nodded. “You taking Natalie with you?”
“I’d like to, but she mentioned needing to work.”
“I’ll print you out a map from Butch’s computer when I get a chance tonight,” Mac said. “I’ve been to both of those sites multiple times and can show you some landmarks not listed on most maps.”
“I’d appreciate it.” Coop glanced toward where Natalie was taking an order at a table near the pool tables. “I’d also welcome any help you can offer with convincing Natalie to come with me.”
Mac rubbed his jaw. “She’s pretty hard-headed, but let me talk to Claire. She and Natalie are building my aunt’s deck together. If anyone can sabotage Natalie’s work plans, it’s Claire.”
Just then Claire returned to the bar with an empty drink tray, still wearing the frown she’d had by the pool tables. She handed Mac an order sheet. “Give that to the nutty broad in the kitchen, will you?”
When Mac returned from the kitchen window, Claire was eyeing the detective and the sheriff, who were talking shop. Her mouth was set in
