by Vella Day
“You’re a fool, Jessie Nash. Good men like Dax Mitchell don’t come prancing into town every day.” Margaret’s voice grew louder as though Jessie were heading for the door.
Before she barreled out, he pushed open the door and nearly ran into her. “Hi, ladies.” He kept his voice light, huffing a little as if he’d just come in.
“Hi,” they said in unison. Jessie’s eyes widened and Margaret just beamed.
Dax followed Jessie back to the table. He limped over and pulled out a chair.
“What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.
She was one perceptive woman. “Tired is all.” He decided it was better if Margaret didn’t hear how his afternoon had panned out.
“Dax, you must be starving.” Margaret stood and opened the refrigerator. “I’ll just warm up your plate.”
“Bless you, Margaret.” With her back to them, Dax mouthed he had something to tell Jessie.
“Nana? Dax and I need to do some sheriffing stuff. Can you bring his dinner into the living room?”
“Why of course, dear.” She turned back to Dax. “Do you want a Coke?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Jessie had changed out of her incredible dress, but the skirt and snug top had turned him on the second he saw her. As they moved into the living room, Dax had to laugh. The two of them were quite a pair. She hobbled, and he limped.
Once they were seated on the sofa, she glanced at the kitchen door then turned back to him. “So what did you learn?” she asked.
He decided to start at the beginning and break the news about Brian later. “I saw Peter Lucas and Mayor Kreplick together.”
She brightened. “And?”
“They left work around four thirty and met at The Sugar Shack.”
She snapped her fingers. “That’s right. It’s Tuesday. The Mayor meets with the City Council every Tuesday. I’m sorry I didn’t remember sooner.”
“That’s all right.” Nana came out of the kitchen carrying a large tray, and Dax jumped up. “Here, let me help.”
“Why, thank you.” She batted her eyelashes. “You are such a gentleman. Jess, Kerry doesn’t have men as nice as Dax here, do we?”
Oh, God. Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match. He didn’t need any help from Margaret.
“No, Nana, they don’t,” she said. “Now, if you could excuse us, we have work to do.”
“I’ll just head to my room then. If my loud television bothers you, let me know. Of course, I’ll probably fall asleep in a few minutes and won’t hear anything you two do.” She smiled then winked.
He swallowed his laugh. Did she really believe they wouldn’t see through her act? “Yes, ma’am.”
Jessie turned a pretty shade of pink as he sat back down next to her. He took a bite of a delicious chicken casserole and washed the food down with a much-needed Coke. “Now where was I? Oh, yeah. As I was waiting for the Mayor to finish his meeting, guess who I saw coming out of a grocery store?”
“Who?”
“Brian.”
“Well, he does have to eat.”
“I know, but I decided to follow him anyway.”
“You did what? He might have a criminal record, but he’s served his time and deserves peace.” Her defensive attitude implied she still cared for him.
He spent the next few minutes explaining his logic, and she fortunately seemed to buy it. Of course, he left out the part about wanting to make sure Brian wasn’t a threat to her once Dax left town.
“Tell me the rest,” she said.
“To be thorough, I looked in his garage and found something.”
“What?”
“He has a meth lab in there.” Dax leaned back waiting for her to blow up at him again. He would have shown her the picture he took, but it came out mostly black.
She rolled her eyes. “Brian would never be so stupid. He was recently released from jail. Besides, he never did drugs in high school.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“What I think is that you’re jealous.”
That was rich. It didn’t matter if he were. “I know what I saw. Besides, ten years is a long time. The war can turn the most innocent person to drugs.”
She bit down on her lower lip. “Did that happen to you?”
Dax bristled, until he realized her question was logical. He swallowed his anger and answered in a civil tone. “I experimented, sure. When my leg was injured, Oxycodone was the only way to get through the day, but I’m clean now.”
Her jaw tightened and her breaths came heavy. “Are you sure you saw a meth lab? Could it have been some chemistry experiment? Brian was always big into science.”
Dax explained about the urine smell, the paraphernalia in the garage, and finally how meth was made. “Yes, I’m sure. Before I worked homicide, I did vice. I know my meth.”
She dragged a hand down her face. “I don’t need this. Not now.”
He took her hand. When she didn’t pull back, he moved closer until her perfume turned his insides to mush. “At the very least, we need to bring him in for questioning.”
She leaned her head back against the sofa and closed her eyes. He wanted to kiss those delectable lips again, but he wouldn’t. The timing wasn’t right.
“Fine.” She sat up. “Do you think you, me, and Amanda can handle Brian?”
“I wouldn’t take that chance. I’d ask for help from another town if I were you.”
She blew out a breath. “Sometimes I hate this job. I guess I could call in a few favors.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jessie had been able to borrow two deputies from Stanport, the next town over, to help with the bust. If Brian had any firepower, she didn’t want to be caught without backup.
Deputies John Williams and Quentin LoRe met with her, Amanda, and Dax at the office to go over how to bring Brian in without incident. After thirty minutes of debate, she felt as if she’d been in a military meeting to discuss how to take down an army of insurgents.
“Guys, this isn’t some Pentagon operation,” Jessie said. “We go up to Brian’s place, knock on the door, and ask him to come with us.”
Dax looked at her as though she were crazy. “The man just got out of jail, and you think he’ll go nicely? I won’t let you put yourself in that kind of danger. We can’t be sure he won’t go ballistic on us.”
He might be right, but she’d had enough of his he-man attitude. “It’s my town and I’m the sheriff. For how long, I don’t know, but I say we ask nicely first. I have no problem with John and Quentin covering the back of the house, and Amanda staying in the cruiser ready to take chase should Brian bolt, but we’re not going in with our guns raised. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” all but Dax said in unison.
“Fine,” he responded, “but anything goes even the slightest bit wrong, we do it my way.” He tapped his chest.
My way. Please. “Nothing’s going to happen, you’ll see.” Her voice shook, and she prayed she was right.
They went over the routine once more before taking off. Amanda drove separately in case she needed to go after Brian. Dax insisted on driving since he claimed her leg wasn’t up to braking fast enough. What he really meant was that he wanted to be the one to handle any high-speed chase.
He said nothing for the first five miles then glanced over at her. “Are you upset?”
Was he referring to the fact that Brian was about to be arrested or that Dax was acting as if he were in charge? “What kind of question is that? Of course I’m upset. Brian was a friend, and even if he weren’t, I don’t like drug dealers in my town.”
“Did you love him?”
Jessie couldn’t believe he’d asked that question. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
His lips thinned. “Did you?”
“I had a crush on him in high school and we dated for awhile, but after his father died, we broke up. Brian became too violent for me.” She didn’t think it appropriate to discuss that t
he father beat Brian’s brother or the manner of the father’s death.
“So what makes you think he’s not still violent?”
Brian’s brother is dead. “Good question.”
With all the other crap on her plate, she didn’t need Dax questioning her. Though if Brian were guilty of all the murders and thefts, she’d prance up to the Mayor and his lover and throw her success in their faces. But that wouldn’t happen without a lot of evidence, which at the moment they didn’t have.
Dax said nothing more as they traveled up the mountain to Brian’s house. If Mr. Meth happened to be looking out his window, he’d spot the brigade and know something was going down. She could only hope he was too absorbed in doing his thing to notice.
Dax stopped a half-mile from the house, stuck his hand out the window, and motioned the other two vehicles to pull over.
Quentin came alongside and John rolled down his window. “Are we hiking in from here?”
“Yes,” Dax said, “but keep along the forest line and out of sight. When you’re in position, we’ll drive on up.”
Amanda, who’d pulled up behind, came over a moment later, and tapped her hand against the revolver at her hip. “I’m ready.”
“Good. The second we’re inside, Amanda, you park around the bend and wait.”
“Got it,” she said.
Jessie leaned across the seat, and all three looked at her with questioning faces. “Remember, it’s my bust.”
“Okay, but Dax’s instructions seem the best way.”
“Right,” Quentin acknowledged.
She had to agree. The two deputies parked, and then ducked into the woods before making their way up to Brian’s, while she, Dax, and Amanda waited behind.
“You know,” Jessie said, “Brian could have shot the sheriff, especially if Clinton got wind of the meth lab, but why kill Sadie? It makes no sense.”
“Maybe she overheard Brian mention something about drugs and threatened to go to the authorities,” he said.
“I guess it’s possible. Nana’s friends always did stick their noses where they didn’t belong.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Brian stole the gas,” Dax said. “Meth labs don’t come cheap. I also wouldn’t put it past him to have taken the pot shots at my truck, but I’d chalk that up to jealousy.”
“Jealousy? Because we’re working together?”
“Yes.”
“If he really cared for me,” Jessie said, “he wouldn’t have shot me.”
Amanda, who was perched outside the driver’s side window, leaned in. “Maybe he wanted to sideline you for a while to stop you from asking questions so he could build his lab.”
“I never thought of that.”
Dax nodded. “I just saw Quentin wave. They’re in place. Time to go.”
As Amanda ducked back to her vehicle, Jessie checked that her weapon was secure in her holster. Nervous, she focused on the drive up the hill and not on what was about to happen. She prayed Brian would go quietly, but her gut told her that wasn’t about to happen.
When Dax stopped at the house, she eased out of the cruiser, rubbed her sweaty hands on her pants, and hobbled around to Dax’s side. Rock music blared through the walls, reminding her of the good old days. Brian always did like his sound loud.
Don’t be a wimp, Jess. Take charge. “I’m going in.”
“Jessie.” Dax’s voice came out strangled. “I know you want to do this your way, but you gotta trust me. Let me do the talking.”
“Brian is my friend. He won’t hurt me.” She limped off before Dax could talk her into staying behind.
When she reached the front stoop, Jessie lifted one her crutches and knocked on Brian’s door. The music shut off, and a moment later Brian answered. He smiled, and Jessie nearly turned around.
“What’s up? You want—” He then noticed Dax. “What’s he doing here?”
“Can you step outside for a minute, Brian?” she asked.
“Why?” His tone turned hostile.
Not wanting any violence, Jessie didn’t want to pull her gun, but she had a duty to do. “Brian, I need to take you in.”
“What the hell for?” He remained in the doorway.
“We suspect you’re dealing drugs.”
Quicker than she could draw her weapon, Brian stepped back and tried to shut the door, but Dax was faster. Gun drawn, he aimed his weapon and shouted. “Stop or I’ll shoot.” His voice came out so deadly even she froze.
Brian looked right then left, obviously trying to decide his odds. He turned to Jessie. “You and gimp going to take me in?”
“And the two Stanport deputies around back and Amanda parked in front.”
Brian stared at them for a moment then raised his hands. “Well, shit.”
* * *
Thank God the bust hadn’t turned into the violent blood bath Dax predicted, and that they were able to lock Brian up in the Kerry jail without incident.
“I want a lawyer,” Brian said to Jessie the moment she closed the jail door.
“Sure. You’re allowed one phone call.”
His bravado disappeared. “Can you suggest someone, Jess? I’ve been gone a long time and don’t know anyone.”
Brian seemed so distressed she wanted to cry, but he’d broken the law—maybe even more than one. “Try Stanley Cummings. We only have a handful of lawyers who stayed after the mine closed.”
When she went to look up his number, Dax stepped up to the jail cell. “Tell me about Clinton DuPree’s murder.”
Brian’s eyes widened. “You think I had something to do with that? You’re crazy man. I’ll admit to having a meth lab, but that’s all.”
“Did you shoot out the camera at Barton’s gas station and steal the gas?”
“Hell no. I’m not saying anything else until I speak with my lawyer.”
“Dax, leave Brian alone.” Sheesh.
He came over to her. “He’s not admitting anything.”
“Can you blame him?”
“Nope, but I had to ask.”
After Brian made his one call, Jessie phoned Hardy County and asked the deputy to meet them where his men had found Clinton’s car.
Quentin LoRe had agreed to keep the prisoner company while she, Dax, and Amanda picked up the cruiser. Jessie said she’d stay behind, but Quentin insisted she go and fulfill her duty. He said he could use the peace and quiet for a few hours.
“I really appreciate you doing this, Quentin. We should be back in two hours tops.”
“No problem. I know John’s happy to spend a few hours here too. He and Loretta Stevens have been dating.”
“No kidding. I had no idea.”
He held up a hand. “I swear.”
Jessie smiled. She liked the owner of the bookstore. She was a sweet girl.
“Amanda’s waiting outside,” Dax said. “The sooner we get going, the sooner you’ll be back.”
“Now you sound like Nana.”
“Wise woman.” He grinned, his cheeks dimpling, and her traitorous body melted. God, what she wouldn’t give to delve into his luscious body. Stop it. I have a job to do, but when this is all over, I might ask for one taste.
“Let’s go,” she said, trying to use her most authoritative tone.
The morning sun had warmed the air and energized her. Once she was rid of these damned crutches, she’d be a lot happier.
“You guys took long enough,” Amanda said, as she ran her fingers through her short spiked hair.
“Had to make sure Quentin was settled in.”
“I get shotgun,” Amanda called. Jessie was about to protest, when Amanda added, “With your bum leg, I figured you’d be happier stretching out in back.”
“You’re right.” She appreciated Amanda’s concern.
Jessie crawled in back. “You know with Brian in jail, Kerry just might get back to normal.” Jessie tossed her crutches on the floor.
Dax glanced in the rear view mirror. “That’s assuming he’s guilty
of all the unsolved crimes.”
“I know, but we have no other suspects.” They drove in relative silence to Hardy County.
“Over there,” Amanda shouted as she pointed to Clinton’s cruiser off to the side of the road.
Jessie’s stomach roiled. Poor Clinton. Whatever he’d done, it wasn’t worth dying for—assuming he was dead.
Dax pulled to a stop on the berm near the cruiser where a Hardy County deputy was leaning against the hood waiting for them. He pushed off and strode over.
Perhaps now they’d finally find out what happened to her boss. Thank goodness, the deputy hadn’t indicated there was a body anywhere nearby, giving her slim hope that he might be alive.
Dax helped Jessie out and handed her the crutches. She hobbled over to the officer and introduced herself. “Jessie Nash. This is my deputy Amanda Simmons and a private investigator friend, Dax Mitchell, who’s helping me.”
“Deputy Milton Kriebel, ma’am.”
Amanda stepped in front of her, acting as if she were in charge, but Jessie refused to let Amanda take center stage. “So what do we know, Deputy?” Jessie asked.
“Hard to say. There were no skid marks, just a broken right headlamp and a crumpled left front fender from when he ran into the pine tree.”
The implication was that he ran off the road. Jessie, Dax, and Amanda circled the car. When Amanda pulled open the driver’s side door, Jessie yelled at her. “Amanda, don’t touch anything. What’s wrong with you?”
Her deputy smiled and shrugged it off. “I wanted to see if there was any blood inside.”
“Ever heard of gloves?”
“Jessie, come on. I’m sure the Hardy County boys have had their paws all over this vehicle. One more set won’t make a difference. Besides, we can separate our prints from the others later.”
“You’re mistaken, ma’am,” deputy Kriebel said. “The moment we spotted the cruiser, I called your sheriff. We haven’t touched a thing—and that includes not opening the trunk.”
Jessie’s heart sank, and she sniffed the air to see if she could detect an odor of decaying flesh, but nothing but the sweet smell of grass filled her nostrils.
“Well,” Amanda said with her hands on her hips, “it’s obvious you don’t think I can do this job. I better just wait in your cruiser while you experts figure out what happened to the sheriff.”