Neil narrowed his eyes. “I can wait until after Christmas,” he said. “I’ve got plenty of work flying packages to the villages for the post office. I’m heading out with another sleigh full of goodies today. I wanted to stop by to see you.”
It hung there for a minute, like the candy cane that showed up on her desk lamp while she had the nuisance in Noorvik.
“Thank you, Neil,” Meghan said again. “Fly safe.”
Louder voices at the front told them, more people arrived at the office. Neil used the commotion to wave before he slipped out of the office again. There was a lingering scent of musky aftershave in his wake.
Oliver appeared at the door. “There’s a guy from the post office here to see you.”
“Thanks, Oliver.”
Myles Campbell moved around the impressive and protective giant of Oliver’s form, ducking into the office. He appeared in good spirits. She saw him looking around suspiciously, taking in everything in sight as if absorbing information. She knew the attention to detail. It was the kind of thing she did, was trained to do. It was part of the law enforcement ideology, if it was in plain sight, it’s evidence.
“Is it always this exciting around here,” he asked. Myles slipped into the chair opposite Meghan and leaned back. He crossed his legs, settling in to stay awhile. “I saw some Troopers at the airport.”
“Sometimes, we have something out of the ordinary,” Meghan said. “What can I do for you, Myles?”
“I hoped we’d have a little time together while I was in town.” He smiled wryly. “I fly out tomorrow.”
He gave Meghan a long, concentrated look. It was as if he saw beyond the tired, puffy bags under her eyes, ignored the campfire stench, and didn’t care about the attempt to organize the tragedy that was once her hair. Wearing makeup, Meghan learned quickly when she took the job in the village, wasn’t something worth doing every day.
Either the postal inspector was a player, or he had a genuine interest in getting to know Meghan a little better. It was extremely flattering. But incredibly wrong timing.
Myles slipped his hand into the inside jacket pocket. He removed a folded note and placed it gingerly on the desk between the candy cane covered lamp and her laptop. She opened it, reading the list of names on the paper. She saw four names, none that she recognized.
“Who are these people?” Meghan asked.
“We’ve monitored some suspicious packages coming into Kinguyakkii. Some of them go through the hub to the outlining villages. As Postal Inspector for the area, I can flag anyone I want. Since I don’t live out here, I don’t have access to recipients. These are a few people we’re actively monitoring for shipping alcohol through the mail. I thought you’d like that list as a courtesy.”
It was the same kind of material handshake Meghan gave to Margery Goodenoth, the store clerk at Tonraq Store in Noorvik. Involve someone who had eyes and ears in the village that might want to reach out and make suggestions without insinuations.
“Oh, I appreciate that.”
Myles snapped his fingers and pointed at the notepaper. “That didn’t come from me,” he said.
Meghan quickly made the list disappear. It went into her pants pocket. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“How did everything go with Barbara’s visit out to Noorvik?” he asked. “I thought her mother died. She didn’t take off much time off. She’s a hard worker. I’m glad she’s back, though.”
“Lester and I are going to see her soon.”
“Well, she has my vote as Postmaster as soon as a position opens out here.”
It was small talk. Meghan didn’t know enough about the postal community to understand how it worked, or if it was a prominent position. She had enough to worry about with her job.
Myles lowered his voice. He leaned toward the desk. “Can I take you out to dinner tonight?” He had pleasing honey-colored eyes.
Meghan smiled. She felt as if blushing was involved in the request. It helped her process everything that happened over the last week. Whatever the case in Noorvik, Alaska, everything else continued to happen. He saw through the muck and ignored the dirty clothes and disheveled hair.
“Can I get a rain check? I got a lot of paperwork.”
Myles had no clue what she endured over the last week.
“Sure, I understand. It was just a question.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Myles. I appreciate the offer.” Meghan knew the man faced a potentially burning bridge. She wanted him to think there was some salvaging the framework, if not the structure itself. “Like you said, it’s ‘exciting around here.’ But after some exciting business in Noorvik, these reports make the cases.”
“You don’t have to justify it to me,” Myles said. “I know it’s tough and lonely. I don’t carry a gun for my job, so I can appreciate your job must be a lot tougher.”
Meghan stood up. She wasn’t trying to show off her hips to the man. Wearing denim for more than a few days changed the texture of the material. She knew they were dirty, but they looked good on her. She felt it was important that he understood her next statement. “I don’t carry a gun either for this job.”
Myles glanced at her belt. He saw the pepper spray canister in its holster. His words to her suggested Myles knew she was single, perhaps available. Meghan wasn’t interested in a one night stand any more than she wanted something complicated in her lonely life. Eventually, she’d find balance. Maybe she’d trust love again.
She sat down. It gave Meghan a sense of calm facing Myles. Here was a
