Chapter 36

As soon as she was no longer within earshot, we burst out into fits of laughter.

"I have never heard that word before," remarked Sheriff Brown, "but I don't think I approve."

I snickered.

"I probably ought to go talk to her or something, don't you think I ought to?"

"At your own risk," was the response he gave me. "Though I think it's really me that she's pissed at."

After taking a moment to compose myself by taking a big breath, I stood up from the table and headed toward the stairs. I conducted some additional preparation, including some deep breathing, before I knocked on her door because I saw that it was closed.

“What?”

"Can I come in?"

“No.”

"Aw, come on, Ruth," I prompted her to say. After she failed to acknowledge my knock, I repeated it once again. I started knocking to a beat, playing a little hip-hop rhythm on her bedroom door till she finally flung it open and glared at me again. She ignored me, so I started knocking to a beat, playing a little hip-hop rhythm on her bedro