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Clayton and Thibault

Deputy Keith Clayton hadn't heard them approach, and up close, he didn't like the looks of the was part of it He wasn't fond of Ger quietly, re that rode with Deputy Kenny Moore and was quick to bite suspects in the crotch at the slightest coarded Moore as an idiot, but he was still just about the closest thing to a friend that Clayton had in the depart those crotch-biting stories that hter And Moore would definitely have appreciated the little skinny-dipping party Clayton had just broken up, when he'd spied a couple of coeds sunning down by the creek in all their lory He hadn't been there for more than a few ital caea bush After quickly ditching the camera in the bushes behind him, he'd stepped out from behind the tree, and a moment later, he and the coed were face-to-face

"Well, what have we got here?" he drawled, trying to put her on the defensive

He hadn't liked the fact that he'd been caught, nor was he pleased with his insipid opening line Usually he was s

irl was too e, and she al like an answer as she tried to cover herself with her hands It was like watching soame of Twister by herself

He aze Instead he s not to notice her body, as if he bumped into naked women in the woods all the ti about the camera

"Now cal on?" he asked

He knew full as going on It happened a few tiust: Coeds fro, last-chance weekend at Ean, oftenroad that twisted and bu the point where Swan Creek made a sharp turn toward the South River There was a rock-pebble beach there that had co--how that happened, he had no idea--and Clayton often et lucky Teeks ago, he'd seen six lovelies; today, however, there were three, and the tho'd been lying on their toere already reaching for their shirts Though one of the the brunette standing in front of hio crazy Deputies, too

"We didn't know anyone was out here! We thought it would be okay!"

Her face held just enough innocence to make hiirl was up to? It aht say to that, but since he was in unifor official Besides, he kneas pressing his luck; if word got out that the sheriff's office was actually patrolling the area, there'd be nohe didn't want to contemplate

"Let's go talk to your friends"

He followed her back toward the beach, watching as she tried unsuccessfully to cover her backside, enjoying the little show By the ti by the river, her friends had pulled on their shirts The brunette jogged and jiggled toward the others and quickly reached for a towel, knocking over a couple of cans of beer in the process Clayton motioned to a nearby tree

"Didn't y'all see the sign?"

On cue, their eyes swung that way People were sheep, waiting for the next order, he thought The sign, s branches of an ancient live oak, had been posted by order of Judge Kendrick Clayton, who also happened to be his uncle The idea for the signs had been Keith's; he knew that the public prohibition would only enhance the attraction of the place

"We didn't see it!" the brunette cried, swiveling back to him "We didn't know! We just heard about this place a couple of days ago!" She continued to protest while struggling with the towel; the others were too terrified to do le back into their bikini bottoms "It's the first time we've ever been here!"

It ca her sound like a spoiled sorority sister Which all of them probably were They had that look

"Did you know that public nudity is a misdemeanor in this county?"

He saw their young faces grow even ression on their record Fun to watch, but he reo too far

"What's your name?"

"Amy" The brunette sed "Amy White"

"Where are you from?"

"Chapel Hill But I'inally"

"I see some alcohol there Are y'all twenty-one?"

For the first time, the others answered as well "Yes, sir"

"Okay, A to take you at your word that you didn't see the sign and that you're of legal age to drink, so I' deal out of this I'll pretend I wasn't even here As long as you promise not to tell my boss that I let you three off the hook"

They weren't sure whether to believe him

"Really?"

"Really," he said "I was in college once, too" He hadn't been, but he knew it sounded good "And you ht be people lurking around" He flashed a smile "Make sure you clean up all the cans, okay?"

"Yes, sir"

"I appreciate it" He turned to leave

"That's it?"

Turning around, he flashed his sain "That's it Y'all take care now"

Clayton pushed through the underbrush, ducking beneath the occasional branch on the way back to his cruiser, thinking he'd handled that well Very well indeed Amy had actually smiled at him, and as he'd turned away, he'd toyed with the idea of doubling back and asking her for her phone nuood enough alone More than likely they'd go back and tell their friends that even though they'd been caught by the sheriff, nothing had happened to theet around that the deputies around here were cool Still, as he wove through the woods, he hoped the pictures came out They would make a nice addition to his little collection

All in all, it had been an excellent day He was about to go back for the ca He followed the sound toward the logging road and saw the stranger with a dog, walking slowly up the road, looking like some kind of hippie from the sixties

The stranger wasn't with the girls Clayton was sure of it The guy was too old to be a college student, for one thing; he had to be late twenties, at least His long hair reer's back, Clayton could see the outlines of a sleeping bag poking out from beneath a backpack This was no day-tripper on the way to the beach; this guy had the appearance of so how long he'd been here or what he'd seen

Like Clayton taking pictures?

No way It wasn't possible He'd been hidden from the main road, the underbrush was thick, and he would have heard soht? Still, it was an odd place to be hiking They were in thehe wanted was a bunch of hippie losers ruining this spot for the coeds

By then, the stranger had passed hi toward the Jeep that the girls had driven Clayton stepped onto the road and cleared his throat The stranger and the dog turned at the sound

Froer see, and there was soaze that unsettled hi with the Ger's expression was aloof and wary at the saent, almost--which was the same way Panther often appeared before Moore set him loose His stomach did a quick flip-flop He had to force himself not to cover his privates

For a long minute, they continued to stare at each other Clayton had learned a long tio that his uniforot nervous around the law, and he figured this guy was no exception It was one of the reasons he loved being a deputy