The Sheriff (7 page)

“Sounds like you need to get a move on.” She raised her wrists to him. “Do your duty, Sheriff Pete. Lock me away.”

His moment of indecision played on his handsome face. Then it was chased away with confidence. “Honey, get my dad or somebody from the accident last night on the radio.”

“Yes, sir,” the receptionist said.

“I’m not doing it. Send Dominguez and Hardy.” He muttered something under his breath. “Come on, Andrea.”

“Mind if I take the jacket from your office?”

“It’s not my office, but I’m sure the sheriff won’t mind.”

With Honey answering the ringing phone and Pete rubbing the bridge of his nose, she walked to the coatrack in the corner. All the framed pictures on the wall were of Pete growing up. There was no mistaking the cleft in his chin or the tall, lanky frame. They were snapshots from his life of sports, school and graduation. One caught him shoving his hand through his hair and setting his hat on his head.

“That one’s my favorite. He looks so uncomplicated, don’t you think?” Honey stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her Davis Mountains souvenir T-shirt.

“I imagine he’s rarely uncomplicated.”

“You’re a smart woman for picking up on that so quickly. He went for breakfast or he’s using you as the excuse to fill his belly. We didn’t get to officially meet earlier. I’m Honey, part-time dispatcher and unofficial receptionist around here. You met my sister, Peach, when you arrived earlier.”

“You look alike.”

“Don’t tell her that.” Honey laughed. “Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes, thanks. Sorry if the Commander offended you earlier. I wish I could say he was stressed and this wasn’t his usual behavior, but today is just business as usual. I love him, but sometimes he’s rather rude.”

“I totally understand, sweetie. I hope you like breakfast burritos. That’s just about all Pete ever has time to grab from that café.” Honey crossed her arms over her heaving bosom and planted herself in the middle of the doorway.

“Anything’s fine. Some of these pictures are really good. Have you known them long?” She quickly received the message that Pete had gone to the café alone and she was staying put. She might as well glean useful information about her adversary.

“Pete’s worked with his dad since he was— Actually, I can’t remember a time Pete wasn’t here in this office. The sheriff prior to Joe paid him to empty the trash and sweep up as soon as he could hold a broom.”

“Was his mom behind the camera in all these?” Andrea pointed at the wall, noticing that there weren’t any with women.

“No. One of Pete’s parents was a second cousin or something to Joe. They died and Pete came to live in Marfa. Poor man never considered marrying, but adopted a three-year-old without missing a beat. Peach and I moved here close to the same time.”

“I’m glad Pete found someone and things worked out for him. And thanks. I would have really stepped in it asking about his mom if you hadn’t shared.”

“The whole community’s been contributing to that wall. He’s like one of our own, you know.”

“I sure didn’t want to spend all morning locked in that cell. Maybe we should go back to your desk.” She got close enough to hug Honey—even though that was the furthest thing from her mind. She gestured to move out of the room, and then it hit her. “I get it. You’re supposed to watch me until Pete gets back. Aren’t you?”

Honey smiled, crossing her arms and planting her large frame in the doorway. “He reminded me that it’s part of my job responsibilities designated under ‘other.’ I offered to get his breakfast, but he said he needed a break. Sorry, but you aren’t going anywhere until Pete comes for you. He’s smarter than he is cute.”

“Ha, he is pretty darn cute. This doesn’t have anything to do with him. Not really. I’ll lose two years of work if I’m here when the Commander comes back. He’ll haul me to Austin or worse, DC. I’ll be unable to finish my thesis and...” Trying to talk her way out of the office wasn’t working. “You don’t care one rogue meteor what this is going to do to my life.”

This couldn’t be happening. She only needed six more days.

“Take a seat, Miss Allen.” Honey crossed her arms and stood as straight as her aged body would allow. “I do know that
caring
about prisoners is not in my job description.”

For a split second she considered making a run for it out the restricted door through the back exit. But there was nowhere for her to go. Staying with Pete wasn’t a bad idea. He was the only one who could solve her current problem. She had to avoid her father and stay in West Texas for at least six more days.

Chapter Seven

“I can’t be here when my father comes for me.”

“You won’t be. Let’s go.” Pete waited for Andrea to follow, cell phone still to his ear.

“Some days are busier than others. Enjoy your ride.” Honey answered her ringing phone.

He escorted Andrea to the Tahoe without any instruction. She hopped in and quickly dropped her head against the headrest, closing her eyes and looking completely relaxed.

Pete knew different. He recognized the compliance she thought was necessary until she could talk herself into a different position.

Pete tapped his smartphone and left another message for his dad. “We didn’t finish our conversation. Be prepared. I’m dropping Miss Allen off with her father and returning with you. I will lock you up to make you rest. Honey’s plumping the pillows in the holding for you. No scene or I swear you won’t like being cuffed and thrown into the backseat of your old service vehicle.”

He disconnected, debating the logic of moving his witness. She was safer here, in a building filled with law enforcement officers. Yet Commander Allen had been adamant when they spoke. His daughter would be brought to him at the Viewing Area immediately. A chopper was on its way to airlift them home. The directive had included instructions not to inform Andrea where they were heading or why.

Prisoners were kept better informed than this guy treated his daughter.

“When did he call?” Andrea asked as soon as he sat behind the wheel. Questioning arched brows, innocent open eyes and an impish suggestive grin—she looked totally in control.

“Who?” That wouldn’t fly. She knew that
he
knew who she was talking about.

“The Commander. I’ve seen the look of having to swallow his orders many times.”

“What you witnessed was me leaving a message for my dad.”

“Oh.” She looked at him and then her chin went up a notch with her aha moment. “You aren’t denying that the Commander called.”

“No, I’m not. Why do you call him Commander?”

“I’ve always addressed him by his rank. Well, at least since I was a teenager. It was easier. He answered to it faster when we were in a crowd and he’s never seemed to mind. Since you aren’t sharing our destination, I suppose he told you not to tell me. Afraid I’d pitch a fit or something?”

“He didn’t mention fits of any sort. In fact, he didn’t explain his reasoning with me at all. He seems very concerned about your safety. Why is that exactly?” It had to be finding that man from the desert. Whoever he escaped from—that didn’t take a genius to determine—knew he’d made contact with Andrea and they thought she knew something. Including her father.

“I don’t know what you mean. I spent all of five minutes in his presence. How does that make him appear concerned?”

“We can skip all the tippytoeing around.” He took another look behind them and yet another along the horizon, searching for he didn’t know what. “Your father asked me to bring you to the accident site. I disagreed. If men are after you, then you’re much more vulnerable alone with me in this vehicle. Doesn’t matter that it’s only nine miles to their location.”

“Did he mention why he wants me there?”

“To leave.”

Either Andrea had seen or heard something from her passenger or these men were so well connected they knew she was the daughter of the man investigating them. That would account for a DHS impostor trying to remove her from the hospital.

Her fingers curled into her palms. “I’ve said this before, but I’m an adult and he has no right—”

“Pete?” Honey’s shaky voice broke through on the radio. “Pete, are you there?”

He could tell she was upset. “What’s wrong?”

“Jeff Davis County just called. They found our missing deputy’s car abandoned near the state park. You want me to send one of the new guys to check it out?”

“Negative. Ask Hardy to head over.” He released the button on the microphone.

“You need to go and I’m in the way,” Andrea said. “You can drop me off with Honey. I promise to be good.”

He pulled the car to the side of the road. “The Viewing Area is still three or four miles. I could drop you off, then hightail it back north.”

“Or?”

Something hadn’t been sitting right about the facts in this case. Too many coincidences. Too many orders issued. Too many gut feelings that he needed to be doing something active instead of reactive.

“Did I lose you, Pete?” Honey asked.

He spun the vehicle around and brought the microphone up to his mouth. “I’m here. Tell Jeff Davis County I’m on my way and ask if they can wait to move anything.”

“That’s what they wanted to hear, Pete. They’re searching for our deputy as we speak.” The radio clicked off and back on. “You still babysitting?”

Andrea rolled her eyes and shook her head. A laugh escaped as he answered, “That’s an affirmative.”

Honey laughed into the microphone. “Think they’ll find our deputy passed out on a park bench?”

“I’ll write the reprimand myself. On my way.”

Pete’s rash decision about bringing a witness to a crime scene would come back and bite him. He was certain about that. He was also certain she’d done her best to manipulate him with the make-out session and talk about second auditions. Andrea Allen sat next to him because
she
wanted to be there. She might have just hypnotized him or something with those large, dark blue eyes. Yep, this decision would definitely bite him in the end.

“I never stood a chance,” he mumbled aloud.

“Did you say something?”

“Yeah, stay in the car when we arrive until I give you permission to get out. Or I’ll put you in cuffs for your own protection.”

“Sure thing. That was a good breakfast burrito.”

Was she agreeing just a little too quickly? Changing the subject even quicker? If she wanted it changed, he could roll with that.

“Always is from the café. I’m thinking you should tell me what’s going on between you and your dad. Why are you afraid he’s going to take you home? You’re a little old for a runaway.”

“That’s funny, but not far from the truth. I’ve been running from my parents since I was twenty and wanted to change my major the first time.”

“You’ve changed more than once?”

“Not really. I let them talk me into completing three.”

“So you’re an overachiever. Will this be a fourth?”

“Not an overachiever as much as... Well, I feel more like a compliant child. I’m working on my doctorate in space studies and need to be here to finish up.”

“Sounds like a complicated relationship.”

“You know how parents and college are,” she said casually.

“Not really.” He repeated her words, wanting to avoid his life history as much as possible.

“You didn’t have to go to become a police officer?” She looked genuinely confused. “You’re looking at me like I’m a cat with two heads.”

“My dad has been sheriff in this county since I graduated from high school. He was a deputy before that. I’ve been around that office my entire life. I didn’t need any references or education except what he could teach me.”

“Is this all you ever want to do? Be sheriff?”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“No, I’m sorry. I always have an uncanny ability to say exactly what makes people uncomfortable or just end up insulting them.”

“Well, now that you mention it...”

“Seriously, I apologize. I just meant...is being sheriff your dream or your father’s?”

“Both, I guess. I haven’t ever given it much thought. Everyone just assumed I would be.”

He hadn’t given it much thought until his dad’s heart attack and he’d been asked to step in. It was always one day in a future he assumed was way down the road. Now? His father’s bombshell had exploded and was a constant distraction.

He couldn’t dwell on that problem. Andrea was enough distraction for any man to handle.

“Not too many people have wanted the job. It’s a lot of territory and a lot of nothing. It’s just so excitin’ and all.”

“Now you’re just teasing. You’ve had alien visitors, a missing body, an attempted homicide and Homeland Security taking over an investigation all in less than twelve hours. I am very confident that everyone wants to be in your shoes.” Andrea smiled, teasing him at every turn.

“Yeah, I see what you mean.” He did have a decision to make about the election. Soon. But not before he needed to find a missing deputy and determine what was really going on in his county. And if he let this woman go before he had some basic questions answered, they might go unanswered for quite a long while.

He drove. Quickly, efficiently. He knew every shortcut not only in his county, but also to the north and east.

“I’ve always been told I’d achieve certain things. There are only problems when I assume I can go about them in my own fashion...” Her voice drifted off and she looked out the window.

“Sheriff, this is Honey. Where are you?”

He picked up the car radio. “About three miles south of Fort Davis.”

“They found Logan.”

He heard the shakiness to her voice. She wasn’t irritated—a tone he’d heard plenty of times from her being interrupted. She’d been crying. “What aren’t you saying?”

“It’s not good, Pete.”

“Are you talking about Logan Griggs?” Andrea asked, gripping his arm.

He nodded. “Why? Do you know him?”

“That’s Sharon’s boyfriend. She’s the woman I was covering for last night. They had a date. Do you— Do you think...?”

He knew what she didn’t want to ask. If they’d been returning from Alpine and were stopped by the same men who had tried to kill her...