“This is a pretty sudden shift. What did Seth say to you?”

“Nothing so much—just that Bruno is not a threat and it was only a note, not a crime.”

“Are you sure you’re not in shock?”

She took a deep breath and leaned one hip against the worktable. “Sometimes I forget about my greatest accomplishments growing up because they weren’t medals or ribbons or plaques. Do you know what one of the ESPN commenters said about me when I was fifteen? He said, ‘That little girl is one hell of a fighter. Don’t mess with her.’”

That made Troy smile. “You must regret leaving it sometimes.”

“Never. I was done with that life. I did everything I could do. You can’t imagine what it was like—I don’t even expect you to try. No,” she said, sliding her arms around his waist. “I like this life. And if I ever figure out who would try to screw it up with a scary little note, I’m going to make his life miserable.”

“When I said I wanted you to be brave, I didn’t mean that you should take any chances. I’ll watch the shop while you go get some dinner for later. I want you to call me tonight. Then I’ll come over when I’m off work.”

“I love it when you come over. But you don’t have to babysit me. You had a life before all this, a busy life. We can talk on the phone later, if you want to go home.”

“I think I’ll come over, if it’s all the same to you. At least tonight.”

“Then go home and change, bring your work clothes and laptop...you know the drill.”

“Are you faking brave? Because of what I said last night?”

“No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m faking brave because I just remembered it’s how I get control. It’s how I begin to feel brave. Now stay put—it shouldn’t take me ten minutes to walk down to Carrie’s.”

* * *

Two days later, Troy decided to stop by the deputy’s office after school before going to the flower shop. As luck would have it, Seth was there, sitting behind his desk, one foot propped casually on the desk while he talked on the phone. Another deputy, Charlie, seemed to be working at the computer on the desk behind Seth’s. When Seth saw Troy he made excuses into the phone and disconnected.

“Hey,” Seth said. “Everything all right?”

“Fine. I just thought I should tell you—that stuff I ordered came today. Grace texted me that she got it at the flower shop. Pepper spray and a Taser.”

“Really,” he said, standing up. “Mind if I look at it?”

“No, of course not. But it’s completely legal.”

“Sure. But I’d like to know what you could buy so easily and have delivered in just a couple of days. If you can, anyone can. I’d just like to know.”

Troy shrugged. “Come on, then. There’s a DVD with the package. Should be instructions and safety measures. I’ll feel a lot more comfortable knowing Grace has something handy she can use to protect herself if...well, you know. She had that scare years ago.”

“I don’t think we’re dealing with the same set of circumstances, Troy.”

“I get that, but wouldn’t you feel better, if it was Iris, knowing she had some kind of self-protection?”

Seth laughed. “Have you met Iris’s left hook?” he asked. “I’m not sure I’d arm her on top of that.”

“Grace needs a little something, if only for her confidence.”

“Yeah? Well, be careful. Don’t sneak up on her,” Seth advised. “I wouldn’t mind having a look at the DVD after you’ve seen it. If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” He opened the shop’s front door and yelled, “Gracie?”

“Troy! Come and see! You’re not going to believe how cool this is! It even comes with a holster!”

He walked into the workroom and the box stood open on the table. Scattered about was packing material, extra Taser cartridges, two small pepper spray cartridges, a DVD and a catalog.

“Look at this!” she said, turning to one side so he could see the Taser affixed to a leather belt that was far too large. She took a gunfighter’s stance, arms out at her sides. Then she did a fast draw, popped the Taser off the belt, pointed and...

Shot him.

She screamed and dropped the Taser while Troy felt the jolt go through him. He stiffened, trembled and down he went. His hearing was fine, even if he couldn’t move his body. In fact, his hearing was a little too good—Grace wouldn’t stop screaming.

“Troy! Troy! Troy! Oh, my God, Troy!”

All he could do was twitch on the floor.

Suddenly she stopped.

He heard her talking into her phone. “It’s Grace at the flower shop! Send the doctor and hurry! I shot Troy! I electrocuted him! He might be dead!”

As the stinging shock passed, he lay still and pain free, except for the back of his head, which had hit the floor pretty hard. And his right thigh, where the Taser prongs hit. A few more inches and he’d have been a eunuch.

Seth crouched beside Troy, grinning. “Well. That works pretty good.”

“Shut up.”

“Great idea, Troy. Get a figure skater a stun gun.”

“I said, shut up.”

“Good thing it wasn’t a Magnum.” He chuckled. “I don’t think she watched the DVD. What do you think?”

Troy groaned and struggled into a sitting position. There was a small amount of blood, very small, where one of the prongs stuck into his jeans, his flesh. He reached for it and Seth grabbed his wrist.

“Leave it, since Grace called for a doctor. Or I could take it out for you.”

Then she was there, kneeling on his other side. “Oh, my God, Troy! It just fired itself!”

“Because you had your finger on the trigger! Don’t you know you can’t put your finger on the trigger?”

“I didn’t! I mean, I didn’t think I did. Oh, Troy, I’m so sorry! Scott’s coming.”

“Do you see where this is? I’m lucky he isn’t going to pull it out of my dick! Didn’t I tell you not to open the box? You could have neutered me!”

Seth smothered a chuckle as he stood. “I guess you turned it on, right, Grace?”

“The instructions said it wouldn’t fire just because it was armed. You have to turn it on because it runs on batteries, but... Oh, never mind. I didn’t mean to, I promise.” Grace added some tears to her apology, hovering and begging for his forgiveness.

“All right, all right,” he said. “I think you’re perfectly safe from any potential attackers. Might want to work on your aim so you don’t kill the poor bastard.”

“Troy, really, I thought it would take a little pressure to make it fire! I can’t believe I shot you! Oh, God, I’m so sorry. I would never hurt you!”

The shop door crashed open and Scott Grant, breathless, ran in carrying his medical bag.

“Take it easy,” Seth said in a calm voice. “It was just a Taser. He’s fine.”

“Just a Taser?” Troy said. “It came a little close to the next generation of schoolteachers! Grace obviously has a shaky trigger finger.”

Right behind Scott was Peyton and their office manager, Devon. Behind them was Carrie, who shouldn’t be able to move that fast with her bad knees. Then crowding into the little shop was Waylan from the bar across the street and at least two of his customers and, in addition, every person who happened to be outside or even driving by when Scott Grant was seen running down the street with his medical bag.