Expired Refuge

by Lisa Phillips

  “Hey.” Mia nudged his side so he’d get out of the way, allowing her to step inside the room. “You’re the officer from last night, right?”

  “Jess.” She closed the book in her lap.

  He said, “Officer Ridgeman is Chief Ridgeman’s granddaughter.”

  “It’s uh…good to meet you.” Mia shifted her stance and stuck her hands in her pockets.

  “Did he eat?”

  The old man was slowly deteriorating, and the nurse had told Conroy last week that she didn’t think it would be long.

  He wanted to talk to Jess about moving the old man to the hospital, or home hospice care. But if he did that, wouldn’t everyone think it had nothing to do with honoring the old man’s wishes? Conroy wanted him to be in a better situation. Where he had a full medical staff, instead of around the clock care by people who cared but weren’t trained. He’d have to assume the chief’s job then, in the interim. People would figure him ousting the chief from his office was about that, not about doing what was right for the old man.

  Jess shook her head at his question. “I heard you guys had an eventful morning. Did your car really blow up?”

  He nodded.

  She chuckled. “I’d have paid money to see that.”

  “Nice.” He grinned. “I’m fine, thank you.”

  “I know.” She waved off his comment. “I saw Dean at the diner eating lunch.”

  Conroy’s stomach rumbled.

  “There’s half a sandwich in the fridge if you want it.”

  He led Mia out and shut the door so the chief could have quiet.

  “Cancer?”

  He glanced at her. Those dark eyes stormy. “Pancreatic. It spread quickly.”

  “How old is he?”

  “Seventy-four.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “My dad is sixty-eight already.”

  He nodded. “My parents are mid-sixties.” He saw the question in her eyes and said, “They live in Flagstaff most of the year, except for a summer visit to see the grandkids.”

  “Cassie?”

  He nodded. “My nephew Brendan is six, my niece Leora is four.” He knew from her father that she’d never been married and didn’t have kids. Her dad also said she’d never had a serious relationship with a man. Just a couple of dates here and there. As though he’d even asked that about Mia.

  “Have you…ever been married?”

  He looked at her in surprise.

  “Come on.” She shot him a wry smile. “Can’t a girl be curious?”

  “Not much to be curious about. I’ve lived here all my life, went away to college, and came straight back. Joined the police department.”

  “That doesn’t exactly answer the question.”

  He felt his cheeks flush and reached up to squeeze the back of his neck. “No. Never married.”

  She shrugged. “Me either.”

  “Lieutenant, there’s a call for you!” Kaylee hollered across the bull pen. “Line two.”

  “I should take this in my office.” Especially if it was what he thought it was. The returned call he was waiting for.

  “I can make my own way home.”

  “Stay.” Why he said that he wasn’t sure. “Please? Why don’t you sit in when I interview the guy from last night?”

  She frowned.

  “I want to see if he knows you. Then we have a shot at figuring out who blew up my car.”

  She didn’t look super impressed with that idea but headed for the desk across from Wilcox.

  “I’ll be back in a second.” He shut the door to his office but didn’t glance back through the glass. Conroy didn’t want to know if she and Wilcox were in quiet conversation, probably about him. “Barnes.”

  “Lieutenant. It’s Sheriff Alvarez.”

  “Sal.” Conroy slumped into his chair and let out a groan. His head was still pounding. The pain meds had barely taken the edge off.

  “Does this have anything to do with how rough you sound?”

  “Mia Tathers. ATF.” Conroy didn’t need Sal asking about what was happening. He didn’t live close, but he would be all about helping if it came to it. They were old friends, having met years ago when Sal had been a US Marshal on his way through town, transporting a fugitive to Denver. They’d hit it off and stayed in touch ever since.

  Sometimes Conroy just needed someone with no personal stake in his town to run things by and ask for advice.

  “Yeah, I talked to my wife about her.”

  Sal’s wife was former ATF. “And?”

  “She’s by the book. Not in an uptight way, more like just professional. Detached. Doesn’t take things personally, unless it’s a kid. Otherwise she keeps to herself.”

  Conroy stared at her through the window. “Okay.”

  Deep pain, like losing her sister at a young age, could explain that. But it didn’t tell him a whole lot.

  “As far as why she’s there, Allyson heard it was a rough takedown. The team served a warrant. House was full of people. Suspect made a run for it in the confusion and Tathers raced after him. She cornered him and there was a fight. Sounds like it was nasty. In the end she had to use lethal force. Allyson dug a little and found out she’ll likely be cleared. It was justified. But the guy put her in the hospital, and she’s on leave until the doctor clears her to be back.”

  “Tell her I said thanks. I appreciate her digging.”

  “Sure.” Sal’s voice had a sardonic tone. “Happy to pass on federal gossip to an old friend.”

  “Liar.”

  Sal chuckled. “Not much else happening around here.”

  They chatted for a little longer, and then Conroy excused himself. He hung up, then called the officer in holding. “Get me Petrov, stick him in number two.”

  “Copy that.”

  He grabbed the file on his desk, and along with Mia, headed for the interview room. Petrov was already at the table.

  The officer who brought him there said, “Lieutenant,” with a nod and then left.

  Conroy watched Petrov. In the daylight, Simon Petrov seemed kind of…regular. Just another guy selling drugs on the streets. Petrov’s gaze strayed to Mia, but there was no recognition there. He spotted her badge, which was curious to him. That was it.

  Mia leaned against the wall. She didn’t look as tired or in pain as she had earlier, but he didn’t know if that was due to the meds and the protein bar he’d found, or if she was faking it for Petrov.

  He stared at the guy. “Got you dead to rights on possession with intent.” Conroy pulled out the chair across from Petrov and sat down. “What happens next is up to you.”

  “I’ll be sure and discuss that with my lawyer when he comes back.” Petrov smirked. “Which is why I have nothing to say to you right now.”

  “Did I ask a question?” Conroy glanced at his smartwatch. “Due in fifteen, right?”

  Petrov shrugged. “If you say so.”

  Conroy shoved the chair back and turned to Mia. “You okay with waiting? I wouldn’t want to take up too much of the ATF’s time.”

  He was banking on the fact Petrov hadn’t gotten a good look at her the night before when she’d hit him with her shopping cart.

  “I guess you’d better make it worth the wait then.”

  Tough as nails. Professional. Except for the pink, sparkly toenail polish he’d seen this morning—which he figured no one she worked with had ever gotten a look at.

  He said, “That’s what I’m counting on. After all, Petrov here will have a hard time in prison when his boss finds out that he spoke at length with us. Imagination is more powerful than the facts sometimes, so when that boss hears about how Petrov spent hours in here, then who knows what he’s going to think?”

  He heard Petrov shift in his chair and turned like he was surprised the guy was still in here with them. Like maybe he’d forgotten, or at least said too much. Problem was, he needed Petrov to name his boss so that he could be sure he had his sights on the right guy.

  “No. No way.�
� Petrov shook his head. “Ed won’t believe you. He knows I’d never talk.”

  “Ed?” Conroy lifted his brows. “Ed Summers?”

  Petrov leaned forward. “I’m not sayin’ nothin’ and you can’t press me into flipping on him. No one does that to Summers. Not if they want to live to see tomorrow.”

  Sensational, but accurate. Conroy had seen the aftermath of Summers’ work—the remains of the last person who had crossed him. He just hadn’t been able to prove Ed Summers was behind it.

  “What did you say?” Mia pushed off the wall and closed in on him. “Ed Summers? That’s who’s behind this?”

  Petrov glanced at her. He was about to speak when Mia reached across the corner of the table and gripped a fistful of Petrov’s collar. She hauled him out of his chair and slammed him against the wall. “Ed Summers is your boss?”

  “Special Agent Tathers.” He didn’t know what to say to calm her down. “Stand down.”

  She got in Petrov’s face. “Summers. That’s what you said?”

  “Mia—”

  The door to the interview room flew open and Petrov’s lawyer stood there. “What on earth is going on here?”

  Six

  Mia shoved off the drug dealer guy. “Guess your lawyer is here.”

  “Yeah. Guess so.”

  The lawyer said, “And I’ll be filing some paperwork with the judge by end of day. You can be sure of that.”

  She almost didn’t want to go because he would see her badge, but she was no longer needed here. Mia turned.

  “A fed?” The lawyer’s face turned smug. “I’ll be needing your badge number.”

  She lifted her chin. “I’ll leave it with Kaylee.”

  Mia strode out of the interview room and headed for the closest exit door. That had to have been why Conroy asked her into the interview room. To prove to her how much of a “bad guy” this bad guy drug boss was.

  Ed Summers. She’d hoped to never hear that name again for the rest of her life.

  “Mia.”

  He caught up to her just as she opened the front door, which he grabbed hold of right out of her hand. She stepped through without saying, “thanks.”

  Mia headed for her car. Her shoulder hurt despite the meds. The whole side of her face stung. That suspect had probably thought she was unhinged, and no doubt his lawyer’s assessment of what had happened would reiterate that exact sentiment for her boss’s reading pleasure.

  She gritted her teeth. If she didn’t get fired soon, she’d be surprised.

  “At least meet me later. Maybe for dinner? We should talk about this.”

  She whirled on him. Why meet later when they could talk now? There was no reason to drag this out.

  “All I did was ask a private investigator to find my sister. That has nothing to do with whoever is targeting you.” Despite the fact he’d seen someone outside her dad’s house, or that his car exploded. Obviously they’d been there because of Conroy. “Was it a bomb?”

  “That’s what my people think.”

  Whoever his “people” were, she hoped they knew what they were talking about. The ATF investigated explosions—both explosive devices and arson. She’d never had the patience for the science of it, or the repeated experiments to try and reach a workable theory on what had been used and how it worked.

  She said, “Who did you make mad enough they would want you dead?”

  The skin over his nose shifted, kind of like a small shrug. “I don’t think it has anything to do with Petrov, it’s too early for retaliation.”

  She figured he was right. If Summers wanted to be sure he hadn’t talked, then he’d be targeting Petrov and not a police lieutenant. “What about your other cases?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Why is the police chief here and not at home?”

  “Twenty four hour on-call care. There’s a full time nurse, and Officer Ridgeman slips in and out when she’s on shift. And when she’s not.”

  There was more to it than that, but he seemed to be very diplomatic about the whole thing. Unconventional. Was that how he ran things? Or did no one have the heart to tell Ridgeman to take her grandfather home?

  “Meanwhile,” she said, “you’re running the whole department and working cases, and no one knows you’re juggling all those balls in the air?”

  He did that nose-shrug thing again. “The chief’s wishes were clearly spelled out. Doesn’t matter if I like it or not, or if I think it’s the right thing.”

  “Ed Summers is really a local drug kingpin?”

  He nodded.

  “You’re trying to bring him down, aren’t you?”

  He didn’t answer.

  This whole thing was just strange. Not just that Ed had chosen that path, given Conroy was on the opposite side. They’d been friends. Apparently there was a whole lot of water under that bridge, as it seemed Conroy wasn’t too pleased with what his former friend was currently up to.

  Conroy hadn’t been surprised to hear Summers’s name. She figured he’d been after Petrov to roll over on his boss, and provide testimony—if not actual physical evidence—that could be used to convict him. He wanted to take the guy down, and he seemed determined to do it. Something that, if he could at all help it, would happen without her interference. No matter that she was determined to find her sister and talk some sense into her.

  He took her keys and beeped the locks.

  “I know what you’re doing.” She folded her arms. “Trying to get me to back off finding my sister. You know I’m a fed and you aren’t even going to utilize my skills. All you’re going to do is tell me not to get involved because he’s dangerous.”

  “Please get in the car.” His expression gave away nothing.

  “Because I need you to drive for me? You’ll be stranded at my dad’s house with no way back here.”

  “I want to make sure you get home, and I can bet you won’t meet me later to talk.” He shrugged and opened the passenger door, holding it for her.

  He wanted to give her a ride home? She wanted a reason why he looked basically fine, while she felt like she’d been hit by a semi. Truth was, Mia was too wrung out to put up a fight. Who cared if he had to call a rideshare to get back here? She climbed in the front seat, and he shut the door.

  It occurred to her too late that she should have sat in the back seat. That would have been much better.

  He climbed in and must have seen it on her face. “What’s funny?”

  Great, he’d caught her smirking. “Nothing.” She buckled her seatbelt and pushed out a long sigh. She’d known him years ago when he’d dated her sister Mara in High School. Conroy the high school boy. Her sister’s true love. He’d actually calmed Mara’s otherwise wild nature. This guy driving her car? She knew nothing about him. What you saw was not what you got.

  And she had no interest in having a puzzle to solve.

  Mia leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Wow. That was so much better. She actually felt her body start to relax. Two weeks she’d been home, and she hadn’t felt like this even once.

  She wasn’t going to acknowledge that it just might be because she was under his care. Making sure she got home safe and sound.

  Or how long it had been since anyone cared enough to do that.

  She didn’t need it. She was strong. Independent.

  Then it all came rushing back. Her sister Meena, shacked up with a local bad guy. She’d put money on that being Ed Summers, which was probably the real reason Conroy didn’t want her going over there.

  He was a big time drug dealer now, and Meena was queen bee up at his house. Did she even know who Ed Summers really was? How could she not? Ed Summers had been driving the car when it flipped over, killing her sister. Conroy had been in the backseat, and Mia had never understood why.

  Now Ed was this big-time, bad guy. So bad that Mia shouldn’t go in without backup. Because she’d have figured out quickly who he was. And she’d have lost it, just like she had with that drug d
ealer.

  “Question.” She opened her eyes and turned to Conroy, already on the road to the lake. “Were you just trying to prove your point about this drug dealer guy...that his boss was such a bad guy...all so I didn’t go see Meena without knowing everything up front? Or did you bring me into the interview room so I would go ballistic on him when he mentioned Summers’s name?”

  Either way, she figured she wasn’t going to like his answer.

  “I brought you in there because I wanted to see if he knew who you were.” Conroy gripped the wheel. He turned a corner, even using his indicator. Some cops didn’t care about rules because they could get away with whatever they wanted. She didn’t operate that way, and it was becoming clear Conroy didn’t either.

  Too bad this man was as wicked in her mind as Ed Summers—both men had equal responsibility for what happened to Mara. Mia had no intention of softening toward Conroy. After all, she would leave in a couple more weeks, and she didn’t plan on coming back. Ever. Her dad was way overdue to visit her. He would just have to deal with flying.

  Mia wanted out of Last Chance County.

  Just thinking about Ed Summers rolled through her, bringing up memories of the worst things she’d seen. “Meena has to know who he is and what he did. There’s no way she doesn’t know.”

  She didn’t want to think her sister was a chump. Being played while everyone knew it. She hoped Meena at least had her eyes open.

  Ed had been convicted of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter. He’d been sent to juvenile detention, and Mia knew the records were sealed. She’d looked it up.

  Conroy glanced at her. Seemed like he wanted to… She actually didn’t know what he wanted to do. Squeeze her hand, maybe. “I don’t know if she does or not. Summers and I aren’t exactly friends right now.”

  “You used to be close with Summers.”

  He said, “You know what happened.”

  She pressed her lips together. “Now look at you. Opposite sides of the law.”