Forever Chance (Five Points Book 2)

by CJ Murphy

  Maggie came and took the spatula from Chance. “Go sit and talk with your mother about aiding and abetting her next stroke with the links you’ll slide onto her plate. Honestly, do you think I came by the eyes in the back of my head easily? Trying to keep ahead of you and Kendra granted them to me permanently.”

  Jax nearly doubled over laughing. “Honey, you are so busted.” Jax kissed Chance as she passed her.

  Chance eyed Kendra snickering behind her hand and sat quietly down between her and Dee. She leaned over and whispered in her sister’s ear. “Good thing your shirt’s on correctly now, or it would be you on the hot seat, Bullseye. I’d stop laughing at me if you know what’s good for you.”

  Kendra turned ghost white and slumped down in her seat.

  “It also gave me pretty good hearing, girls.” Maggie looked at them both over her glasses.

  Breakfast was a lively affair with each person telling their tales from the festival. Once the dishes were loaded in the dishwasher and the kitchen wiped down, Brandi and Kendra went to take the horses out. Maggie and Dee headed home. Jax and Chance made their update calls in their favorite room, the library. Jax reclined with her head in Chance’s lap. They’d picked out comfortable, soft leather furniture for this room with the intention that this was where they would spend most of their indoor downtime. They didn’t watch much TV and chose to occupy cool evenings by reading one of the books from the shelves or magazines from their respective professions.

  Chance hit speed-dial number three to connect with Taylor and put the phone on speaker.

  “Morning, Sheriff. How’s the better half today?”

  Chance ran her fingers through Jax’s hair. “She’s trying to be a good patient while she rests on the couch with me. How’s our little mother?”

  Taylor sighed with a small chuckle. “Restless and bugging the shit out of me to go back to work tomorrow.”

  “We did promise she could. I think there will be a revolt if we don’t. If her doctor is agreeable and she feels up to it, let her come in. We’ll keep her workday light. You can take her home after lunch and park her ass on the couch. I know what it’s like to be forced into recuperation, it’s maddening.”

  Taylor snickered. “And you were a terrible patient too, the worst if you ask Maggie. I can’t help but worry. I’ve never been that scared.”

  Chance looked down at Jax and thought about the radio call that had alerted her to a medic down. When she’d heard it, her heart nearly stopped, and all the air left her lungs. The thought of Jax and a child being in danger was something that stopped her heart. “I can relate. You’re going to be a good mom, Taylor, both of you are. Next subject. Have you talked with Harley?”

  “Earlier this morning. The task force has a rush on the lab work to see if it’s the same chemical makeup. At least if that comes back positive, we can try to tie them together and find the source. With the overdoses coming that close together, it has to be. Any thoughts as to who brought it in for sale?”

  Chance remembered how quickly Leland Kurst and his brothers scattered to the wind as the calls started dropping. “I’m leaning toward our usual suspects. I know the task force has them under surveillance. Let’s double our efforts. If Leland Kurst still has a direct connection to Baltimore, this won’t be our last run. I’m going to make some calls to a few friends in the DEA, see if I can shake some assistance out of them. If I have to, I’ll rattle a few chains on our high-profile politicians who sit on both the state and national level. They enjoy the protection and privacy they find here for their second homes, and we help make that happen. Let’s see if they can help us with resources. Okay, I guess I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

  Jax spoke up. “Give Penny my best, Taylor.”

  “That I will. Get some rest, Jax.”

  “Will do.”

  Chance hung up and smiled at the twinkling eyes looking up at her. “What do you say to some music and a lazy afternoon?”

  “If we can talk weddings and you get me a glass of iced tea.”

  “Your wish is my command.” Chance bent over and kissed Jax, knowing Jax could ask for anything and she’d do everything she could to fulfill her wish.

  Chapter Thirteen

  CHANCE CRITICALLY EXAMINED PENNY when she stepped up to the reception desk and set a travel cup of peppermint tea in front of her friend. “How are you?”

  Penny narrowed her eyes and bit her lip. “Enough worrying. If you and Taylor had your way, I’d be in a glass box. Now, let’s get on with what the people elected us to do. Go do sheriffy things, please?”

  Chance squinted at her. “Sheriffy things? Is that even a word?”

  Penny stood and put one hand on her hip while the other pointed directly to Chance’s office. “If you don’t get in your office right now, I will call for Midas and order him to chase you there. I may even ask Zeus to do the same if you don’t quit worrying. Taylor is doing enough of it for the whole world.” She came around the desk, one hand protectively on her abdomen. “I promise you, we’re fine. Now, let’s get to work.”

  Chance stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

  Penny pulled her into a hug before going back to her chair. Zeus followed Chance to her office. A text message buzzed her phone and she smiled at the display with Taylor’s name on it.

  Is she okay?

  Chance typed back. Kicked you out of the front office, didn’t she?

  Yes, dammit. I’m relying on you to keep an eye on her.

  Chance chuckled and typed her reply. Use your access to the cameras, but don’t obsess.

  Like you aren’t obsessing about Jax at work? How often is Lindsey reporting in?

  “She’s got me there.” Chance mumbled. Busted. Every two hours.

  Chance shook her head and put her phone in her pocket, as she heard Taylor coming down the hall.

  “Did you see that lab report yet?” She took a seat in front of Chance as Midas and Zeus greeted each other.

  “I read it in my email this morning.”

  Taylor shook her head. “I printed it out and put it on your desk. The potency of that stuff was lethal. We’re incredibly fortunate no one died. Jax saved that little boy; I hope she knows that.”

  Chance remembered Jax crying in her arms when they’d gone to bed that night, the weight of what could have happened tearing her apart. “It’s hard for her to think about it that way. I know it, and you know it, making her see that will take some time. Hunter’s conscious, but still on a ventilator. He’s not out of the woods by any means. They’re worried how much of the powder went into his lungs and whether the overdose caused any brain damage. Only time will reveal the depth. His mother’s been allowed to stay with him for now.”

  Taylor smacked her fist into her palm. “Pisses me off. We still haven’t found Austin Langly. He’s in the wind.”

  Chance made a few notes on the report. “Keep watch on the Kurst place. From the pictures I saw, he’s friends with Leland. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s hiding out with them, or for that matter, selling for them.”

  Taylor nodded. “That mass overdose almost completely overwhelmed our resources. Then in the middle, it takes down one of our first responders. This is a mess. I’ve put out a warning to the department about overdose calls, making it mandatory for them to wear nitrile gloves when they touch anything or search any suspect. The last thing we need is to have one of our officers become incapacitated and left vulnerable. I’m worried about the dogs walking through it. I think we need to order Narcan for the K9s and investigate ways to protect them.”

  Chance rubbed her face. “I agree. Last night, I read that most departments are now keeping them on leads to better control what they get into. Knowing how easily Jax was exposed scares the shit out of me for both our human and our K9 officers.”

  Taylor stood. “I’m sure Jax can tell us what we need to do as far as the Narcan dosages for the dogs. I’ll leave that part to you. I’m going to start working my connections to see if there are any
leads as to who is dealing this locally and if it’s anyone beyond our usual suspects.”

  “Good idea. I’ve got a stack of daily work I need to address before I find myself buried in an avalanche.”

  Taylor crooked her mouth. “Sucks to be you.”

  Chance glared at her, and then grinned. “You’ll find out how badly in about six years. Now go do chief deputy things while I work on the sheriffy things your wife banished me to.”

  For the next few hours, Chance shoveled her way through the warrants, gun permits, and tax collection issues before her. When her stomach growled, she saw it as an opportune time to check on Jax without seeming overprotective. Lindsey had been sending her regular updates along with adorable photos of Jax and the animals that were passing through the clinic. After advising Penny of her plans, Chance picked up three orders of homemade chili with grilled cheese sandwiches and headed to the clinic.

  The parking lot was empty when she and Zeus exited the vehicle and strode into the front door of Three Rivers Animal Clinic. Jax and Lindsey were standing at the front counter, looking at a computer screen.

  “I come bearing gifts.” Chance held the takeout bags high enough for the women to see, while Zeus went around the counter to greet them.

  Lindsey put her nose in the air and sniffed. “If Megan wouldn’t divorce me before we were married, I’d propose to you. You’d better set a date soon, Jax. If that’s chili I smell, I might just steal that woman for myself.”

  Chance shook her head at Lindsey. “It is chili, but I am way too old for the likes of you. I will provide you with lunch even without the proposal.” She leaned in and kissed Jax as Lindsey took one of the bags. “Can I tempt you into your office so we can sit down and eat lunch?”

  Jax came around and slid her arms around Chance’s neck. “Nice play, Sheriff. I’m fine, but yes, we can go eat in my office if Lindsey can handle things out here.”

  Chance looked over at Lindsey who waved them off with one half of the gooey sandwich in her mouth. Chance took Jax’s hand and led her to the office. “I see you are on to me, so I’ll come right out and ask. Any lingering effects?”

  Jax took a seat on the couch in the office and cleared space on the low coffee table that sat in front of it. “Not one. No side effects, no dizziness, memory lapse, or irregular heartbeat. It was a contact absorption. With the amount of fluids they ran in, it was flushed from my system.” Jax leaned over and kissed her again as Chance sat down and put the bag on the table. “Don’t worry so much.”

  “I plan to do a lifetime of worrying too much, woman. That’s what loving each other is all about. I seem to remember someone else worrying too much only a few months ago. Now, let’s eat while the chili is hot.”

  For the next few minutes, they enjoyed lunch and talked about nothing of importance. Chance looked up and took note of the small black dome in the corner of the ceiling. After everything that had happened, she was grateful for the surveillance system with inconspicuous cameras in every room, including Jax’s office. The area outside the building was also under camera surveillance with views looking out from the building as well as a Wi-Fi camera strategically positioned to view the clinic from a distance.

  “Have you stopped noticing the cameras yet?” Chance took a bite of her sandwich.

  Jax swallowed and wiped her mouth before speaking. “Sometimes it shocks me to see them, but after that first few days, they faded into the background, for the most part.” Jax pulled the panic pendant out from her scrub shirt neckline. “This probably took getting used to the most, but it does make Lindsey feel more secure and in turn, Megan.”

  “I won’t lie, I feel better knowing you have it. Sara said your self-defense classes start next week.”

  Jax nodded. “We’re looking forward to it. Maggie and Dee are joining us. Sara told me she has about five others, including Kristi, signed up as well.”

  “Being prepared for a confrontation you pray will never happen can’t hurt.”

  Jax nodded. “Did you make any headway on the drugs Hunter ingested?”

  Chance closed her eyes and shook her head. “Not really. We do know that it all has the same chemical makeup, which strongly denotes a single source. We’re breaking it down even farther to try and find the specifics, like what it was cut with and anything that might pinpoint it. People with a lot of letters after their name are making those determinations. What I can say is those pixie sticks were found in every overdose case that day, which also strengthens the case that they are a single source. The task force is tapping into some resources from our surrounding states to see if they’ve run into any cases with this type of packaging.”

  Jax took a drink of the Coke Chance had brought with the meal. “Well, that’s more than you had at the beginning of this. It’s like searching for a diagnosis. You use blood tests, X-rays, and physical examinations to lead you to an eventual conclusion. Each step takes time.”

  “Great analogy. I want it off the street before we start having to stock up on the body bags Khodi mentioned. Oh, by the way, put your thinking cap on about protection for our K9 units against accidental contact. I really don’t like what I’m reading in the trade magazines and discussion boards.”

  “Hmm, I have a contact with the SWAT team out in California. They will be a good source of information. I’ll call Gary later today.”

  “I assume Gary is a police officer you’ve worked with?”

  “He was a lieutenant with the sheriff’s department and the leader for the tactical team. He also headed up the K9 division. Let me call him and see what information they have. Treatment wise, I can write out a protocol for naloxone, but the best thing you could do is get them to me as soon as you see symptoms.”

  Chance finished her chili and leaned over to kiss the most important person in her life. “I love working with you.” Zeus barked his agreement. “And apparently Zeus does too.”

  Jax scratched around Zeus’ ears. “He also likes the peanut butter treats I keep for him in my pocket.” She handed one to him and started gathering the trash. “Do we have plans for tonight?”

  “I think a long horseback ride is in our plans. Oh, and maybe a trip over to Redemption’s Road? Pastor Rhebekka is playing a set, if you’re interested?”

  “Only if you promise me a dance.”

  There was almost nothing Chance would deny her, despite having two left feet. “Deal. We need to talk to her soon, because if you’re in agreement, I’d like to firm up that she’ll officiate our wedding.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. I remember stopping in at Mountaineer Days to listen at the House of the Rising Son. I instantly liked her. There seems to be more to the woman than meets the eye.”

  Chance never held anything back from Jax, but Rhebekka’s story wasn’t hers to tell. When Rhebekka Deklan first came to town, Chance had recognized her by another name. Rhebekka had revealed that she was the former rock star, turned pastor. Pastor Rhebekka had followed her bodyguard, Tank Raines, to Thomas. Together, they built a microbrewery called Redemption’s Road. “She’s a pretty private person and a silent partner in the brewery. As far as anyone is concerned, Tank owns the bar and Rhebekka is just a local pastor who plays a mean guitar at the Confluence on the side.”

  “Sounds exactly like the kind of person we should ask to help us say I do, and maybe help us pick the beverages for the reception.”

  “Agreed.” Chance stood. She adjusted her vest and gun belt before taking Jax into her arms for a long, lingering kiss. “Time to get back to work. I love you, and I’ll see you tonight.”

  “You’re on, Sheriff.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  CHANCE WANTED TO CHECK in with Taylor. The plan had been to ease Penny back into the workday by going home at noon. Chance was well aware of how overwhelmed with worry her chief deputy was. Every time Chance thought about Brad Waters putting his hands on Penny, she could feel her blood pressure rise. She wasn’t looking forward to the upcoming trial. Unconce
rned about her legal footing, Chance was confident the evidence the special prosecutor was reviewing would justify his arrest. The reprimands Brad had received and the insubordination he was guilty of sealed his fate long before the assault on Penny. Her thoughts were interrupted with an incoming call from Taylor.

  “Is my administrator relaxing on her couch?”

  Taylor chuckled. “She is on the couch, but she’s anything but relaxed. Fought me tooth and nail to finish a dozen things before I could get her to leave.”

  “I’m not even a bit surprised.”

  “I wanted to let you know the special prosecutor from Barbour County called the office. Marsha Abbott wanted to know if you could run over there and speak with her.”

  Chance glanced at the dash clock. “I can. I’m glad this is going to be handled by someone out of county. I sure as hell don’t trust our prosecutor to do a good job of it, and I’m not letting him plead this down. He’ll never wear a badge again, unless it’s as a guard at one of the gated communities. His law enforcement credentials have been suspended, pending trial.”

  “I’m headed back to the office after I stop in at the stables. Khodi’s coming in later to pick up his uniforms. We’ll start him on shift tomorrow night, and he’ll ride with Randy and Vader.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll give you a call later tonight and update you on Brad’s case.”

  “Watch your six.”

  “I’ll watch my back, you watch yours.”

  They hung up, and Chance called the office and spoke with Carl, who was watching the front desk while Taylor took Penny home. The office was secure, so she headed across Mountaineer Highway to Philippi, where the county prosecutor was reviewing the evidence. The state police were also involved as a nonbiased agency to avoid the appearance of railroading Brad.

  Philippi was another small town, like Parsons, that had seen better days when coal was king. Now the main employers were a small hospital and a private college that kept the businesses going. Half an hour after leaving Tucker County, Chance pulled into the courthouse parking lot and exited her vehicle with Zeus. She entered through the front doors and checked in with security before climbing the steps to the second floor. A young receptionist greeted her.