The Sheriff (12 page)

“Somehow they know he’s Homeland Security and send someone in posing as...”

“The phony agent,” they said together.

“How would they have known he was DHS? Your dad’s man from the desert was pretty beat up. They could have gotten the info from him.” Pete stood, shaded his eyes and checked out the terrain behind him. “Then again, it makes more sense that they discovered him if he was trying to warn your dad about the danger you were in.”

“If all of this is just coincidence, though... Why is Sharon still missing?”

Not answering said more than trying to soothe her guilty conscience. He thought Sharon was dead. Once they got the necessary information from her, they wouldn’t need her any longer. “Do you think they killed Sharon or that she was working with them?”

“I don’t believe these men think twice about eliminating anyone who stands in their way.”

“I’m sorry one of those people was your deputy. Logan seemed nice.”

“I had to cover for him a lot. Now I know why. He was a good kid. I didn’t have much else to do. If I hadn’t worked all night, I’d be up taking care of ranch chores. I’d rather ride on patrol.”

He lifted an eyebrow, smiled and she knew the subject was changing. “Hey, you going to share how you got outside from the maintenance closet?”

She waved her injured wrist. “Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. Good thing I can pull my own weight, injured or not. Once I got into the crawl space and found a way to the roof, I climbed down the steel beams that formed the partial shade over the door. They were at a slant and got me close enough to the ground that I could drop.”

“Is that the Commander’s chopper?” he asked, facing the south to catch a glimpse. She nodded, and he dusted off his jeans with his good hand. “You’re a very competent, capable woman.”

“Tell that to my father.” She followed him back the way they’d come. There was plenty of room for another chopper to land. “He’s going to command me to leave. I doubt he’ll hang around long enough to drop you by the hospital.”

“I don’t blame him.”

“I’m not certain I’m leaving.” There was too much unfinished business here. “I don’t want to run away.”

“Of course you should.” He stopped, grabbing her upper arms, wincing at the sudden movement of his own injury. “Seven men are dead. You can’t just shrug that off. It’s dangerous for you here.”

“Whatever reason they had to abduct me, it’s gone now.”

“You don’t know that.” His grip tightened, but it didn’t hurt. It seemed he was fighting to keep her at arm’s length. She would have preferred to be pulled next to his chest.

“But you agreed with me.”

The chopper was getting closer.

“A good guess doesn’t mean we’re correct.” His good hand cupped her shoulder.

“I know you’re right.” Then why was the first thought in her head how to ditch her new escort that hadn’t even been assigned to her yet? Then find a way back to Pete’s place. She didn’t even know where Pete’s place was. “What if I don’t go back with my father?”

“But you agreed—” Pete searched her eyes and she wasn’t certain what he saw, but he dropped his hands to his sides. “Come on, Andrea. What would be gained from staying? You have nothing to prove.”

She didn’t want to stay just for Pete. She barely knew him. But her heart dropped when he started back down the path, leaving her to follow again. “How are you going to catch the men responsible for Logan’s death? What about Sharon? You said I was good at this detective stuff.”

“Do you really think your father’s going to allow you to stay? He was packing you off before the attack. There’s no way he’s saying yes.”

That was true. She’d rarely stood up to her parents. Their advice was usually firm and logical. So there had never been a reason to question them. The exception was when her father had declared she couldn’t come to West Texas in person. Perhaps if he’d explained his reasons instead of dictating, seven men wouldn’t be dead and a young woman wouldn’t still be missing.

“There’s one thing that everyone around me keeps forgetting. You can’t force me to leave the observatory.”

Chapter Thirteen

There had been many times throughout Pete’s teenage years that he’d argued with his dad. During the past six weeks, he’d been holding back because of his dad’s heart attack, but he was building up to a doozy of a fight. If he confronted him, he’d been thinking that all hell would break loose.

“They still at it?” Honey asked from her desk.

“I didn’t know people could yell that long without a drink or shot of tequila,” his dad joked.

Andrea and her father might not have the exact family problems, but they definitely had a lot of words to
share
. If he’d known, he would have taken them to the middle of the desert for this confrontation instead of his dad’s old office.

The door flew open and the Commander marched out, eyes front without any acknowledgment as he passed them. Pete had no illusions. That was not the expression of a man who had achieved his goal—which was to get Andrea on the next transport home.

Commander Allen executed a one-eighty to be face-to-face with him. “You should get that wound seen to.” His voice was void of inflection yet full of buried emotion.

Or maybe it was just Pete’s own anxiety pushing its way onto others. He didn’t need the responsibility of an attractive woman in his life or workplace. It was time for decisions.

“She’s determined to stay,” Allen continued. “And mad as hell at me because she’s not.”

“Yes, sir. I understand your frustration.” She wasn’t going to be his responsibility. That was good. Very good. His personal desire didn’t amount to anything in this decision.

“I need coffee before round two.”

“Does it matter if it’s good?” his dad asked.

“I’m used to the worst.”

“Around the corner and you’ll smell the sludge,” his dad directed but walked beside the Commander, who threw back his head laughing at something else his father had said.

Pete could only scratch his head.

“Everyone show up for their shift?” he asked Honey. “When will the Griggs family arrive?” Could he pull off business as usual? Swing by the café for a break without the rest of the town asking what the hell was going on? He needed a minute to take care of his responsibilities. Another minute to think. But where? His best bet for a reprieve was his house.

“Yes, and in about forty-five minutes,” Honey answered.

No time to make it to the house and back. He needed a real meal, not just a package of pretzels from the vending machine, before he could face Logan’s parents. He glanced up to see Andrea standing in the office doorway and then their dads rounded the corner with smiles on both their faces.

“Pete, would you join me a minute?” Andrea’s father asked, gesturing to the office.

Did anyone lower on the totem pole ever tell this man no?

“We’ve been tracking a high number of gun purchases by a few individuals. We believe something big’s in the works, that the cartel is tired of receiving their guns one or two at a time. Homeland likes your distraction theory, Pete,” Commander Allen stated once the door was closed.

Pete kept his hands tucked in his armpits and his mouth shut. Andrea had let her father believe he had thought up the distraction angle. He was sure they both sort of followed that trail together.

“We checked out some satellite pictures and discovered a large number of trucks crossing the border at Presidio into Manuel Ojinaga. You were right. They wanted us focused on the attempted abduction instead of the payment delivery for a major drug deal. I think it’s time I brought you onto the team, Sheriff.”

There wasn’t any doubt which sheriff their visitor from Homeland Security was directing his comment to. Pete caught himself swallowing hard, nervous. He knew his job and his county and didn’t have anything to feel nervous about. Nothing except losing everything if DHS checked into his background.

Pete understood the sideways glance from his father. A look that said keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking.

Easy for his dad, who had kept his mouth shut for over twenty-six years. He’d kept a secret that could potentially destroy them both. Andrea sat in his father’s chair, head down, not making eye contact.

“I’m setting up a task force and I need you to be a part of it.”

Pete snapped his attention back to the Commander. “You need me. Why?”

“You’re familiar with the area and think on your feet. We need some of that and someone to coordinate with the other county sheriffs or local police.”

“Thank you, sir, but I have to pass. My plate’s about as full as it can get right now.” He ignored his dad’s attempt to get his attention. “I have work to do. I’m actually in charge of a few things around here and need to get ready for Logan’s family. Excuse me.”

The two older men parted, and he passed between them.

“Maybe I should explain?” Andrea asked behind him.

“No, this one’s my responsibility,” his dad said. “Wait here a minute, will ya?” He followed him out the door. “Son, this is a great op—”

Pete bit down hard—teeth on teeth. He knew where the conversation was headed and didn’t want to have it publicly, so he pushed through to the locker room. His dad caught the employee only door before it slammed in his face. Pete verified no one was there so they could talk freely. “You’re really for me joining a Homeland task force?”

“Of course I am. It’s a big step for you.”

“It’s a family power struggle. She wants to stay, he wants her to go. The last thing I need is to be around any of that mess.” He lowered his voice. “Especially involved with the daughter of one of the top dogs in Homeland Security.”

“She’s leaving with her father. Besides, no one’s going to uncover who you really are. You don’t need to think of that right now.”

“Hell, Dad, it’s all I ever think about since you dropped this bomb on me.”

“Keeping your identity a secret is for your own safety.”

He dropped his hands onto his dad’s shoulders. The muscle under his fingertips was less solid than two months ago. A lot less solid than two years ago. He shook his head. He wasn’t a crying man—neither one of them was. But the only man he’d ever called family stared at him with his brown eyes about to overflow.

“I love you, you old coot. But I already know who I am and who my biological father was. I’ve just been waiting for you to tell me why it all happened.”

“How did you find out?”

“I’m the sheriff. At least that’s what you all are telling me. It didn’t take much investigating to discover where I came from twenty-six years ago or the identity of the man I assume was my biological father.”

“We’ll talk about that at a more appropriate time. Right now Commander Allen needs your help.” Pride or excitement or envy weaved its way into his father’s words. Maybe because of the times their department had been overlooked for opportunities like this one.

Would his dad be let down to know that it was Andrea’s idea and had nothing to do with the Commander’s need for help?

“What happens if he decides to run a background check on me? What then? How much trouble are you going to be in? You’re right. This isn’t the place to talk about forging our relationship with the Department of Homeland Security or why that’s impossible. The best thing is to bow out and assist where needed.”

His dad’s face grew older under the fluorescent lights. “I know you have a lot of questions, but you’re right. This is a talk more appropriate for home. I do wish you’d reconsider working on the task force.”

“Not a chance. It’s just a disaster waiting to happen.”

“It can’t be all bad, son.” His dad winked. “I’ve seen the way his daughter looks at you.”

“You haven’t seen anything. And it’ll never happen. It might have been fun while she was here, but I have no future. A woman like that needs a future.” He couldn’t risk the complications of becoming involved with the daughter of such a powerful man.

“What are you talking about? You have job security here. You’re running unopposed.”

“Let’s drop it.” Now wasn’t the time to tell his dad he hadn’t submitted the election paperwork to run for sheriff. He hadn’t decided—yet—if he would. But he could set him straight on one thing. “I’m not getting involved with anyone, especially Andrea Allen. My babysitting days are long behind me.”

*

O
UCH.
A
NDREA
WAS
careful not to allow the door to slam, hearing a gentle clicking noise as it closed. She’d completely misread their friendship. Following him to apologize, ready to abide by her father’s wishes and leave Marfa, she hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, especially on a father-and-son chat that seemed very private. But now she was glad she’d overheard Pete say he wasn’t getting involved with anyone...especially her.

Now she was having second or third or fourth thoughts. She’d lost track of how many times she’d changed her mind about staying here. It was as if her decision-making ability had evaporated with one look at Pete’s dimples.

Pete’s earlier look of disappointment had deflated her desire to be around him. She’d thought staying in the area worked to everyone’s advantage. Before the shooting at the observatory, she thought she’d keep her promise to her father and get her dissertation finished and maybe allow a few distractions with the sheriff.

Not anymore. Not now that she knew those men were willing to kill anyone. And not now that she knew how Pete really felt.

It could be all business for her and not matter who stood guard outside the telescope. No. She was acting like a scorned lover. Staying meant putting more people at risk and she couldn’t do that. She’d have to find another way to obtain telescope time.

It wouldn’t be the end of everything if she finished up the thesis in Austin. But she could be disappointed for not being able to finish here. She couldn’t stay. It would be horribly selfish. She hit the employees only door as she pushed it open again, catching Pete with a hand on the other side and a surprised look on his face.

“You aren’t going to talk me into joining his task force,” Pete said to his father, then turning to Andrea, “and neither are you.”