Desolation Point

by Lisa Phillips

He let out a long sigh. “Deputy Maxwell.”

  She hadn’t voted for him. She’d voted for the other candidate, a woman. Mayor Porter had worked in this office for far too long. With that power had come a sense of entitlement and the desire to subvert people’s will in order to further his own gain.

  She stepped inside, barely over the threshold. The movement shifted the wire and tugged on the tape she’d secured high on her front, underneath the open collar of her sheriff’s department uniform.

  “It’s time to go, Mayor Porter. It’s over.”

  She wasn’t much concerned with the need to get him to confess. Although people often tended to say in the dark what they would never say in the light. She’d much rather just secure him in the cuffs she had on the back of her belt and walk him outside. To where the state police kept watch out of courtesy to her—and her request to make this approach alone.

  To where Drew paced as he waited for her to come out.

  He didn’t move except to turn his head and stare out the window, his view of the town. All that was visible from this lofty position.

  “Porter.”

  He needed to get up and move around his desk. That was the best scenario.

  There were several possible outcomes, and Ellie was rooting for the one that called for none of their blood spilled on the carpet.

  “I’m glad it’s you.”

  Ellie forced herself not to react. Anything she said or did might set off a chain reaction, and he could have a weapon over there.

  He kept staring out the window. “Don’t you want to know why?”

  “I want you to come over here with your hands on your head.”

  “So like your father.”

  “He covered for you.” She didn’t want to say even that, not with the state police listening. But she couldn’t let that lie.

  Porter sighed, a slight shake of his head. “We do what we must. A legacy handed down, imprinted on our DNA. It’s what built this town.”

  “You had a choice. You didn’t have to destroy people’s lives.” And she hadn’t even gotten to the murders yet.

  She wanted to cry, “Why?” but what would that solve? Whatever his answer, it wasn’t going to make her feel better. Nothing was going to repair the damage of what he’d done. Too many people’s lives established in this town had been destroyed. They’d wanted to live here, and they’d been forced to leave.

  “It got out of control.”

  “You think?” She lifted the hand opposite her gun side, and then let it fall back down. “People are dead, Mr. Mayor. And someone has to answer for that.”

  He glanced at her.

  “Walk over here slowly. Now.” She raised her voice slightly, and it rang with authority. “Hands where I can see them.”

  “I suppose it’s for the best.” He pushed the chair up and stood.

  “It’s what happens when all the wrong you’ve done finally catches up with you. Like murdering Drew’s father.”

  It slipped out. Ellie gritted her back teeth together. She shouldn’t have said that. Now wasn’t the time to get into it. He needed to be walking over here so she could arrest him, but she was just so seriously frustrated she wanted to punch a hole in the wall.

  “I’ve done so many things. You choose to condemn me for that?”

  “I would choose to condemn you for all of it, every single thing you’ve done, but it’s not up to me. It’s up to the law.”

  He sighed. “Always so high and mighty, you Maxwells. Like you’re above everyone else.”

  “A murderer? Yeah, maybe.” She bit back what else she wanted to say, choosing instead to try and make peace. “But I’m not perfect. Far from it.”

  She wandered to him with measured steps. “Let’s go, Porter.” She sounded as tired as she was. Too tired to stand here while he explained everything to her, when she was pretty sure most of it she didn’t want to know.

  “I was going to make this town great.” He held his hands out, palms empty. “Too many naysayers. People don’t want better, even if you hand it to them on a platter. Condo developments, shopping centers. Big city. Small town. They want two different lives and complain about both, whichever way you give it to them.”

  She grabbed one hand and twisted it behind him, then the other. She secured both in a pair of cuffs. “So your response is to murder people?”

  “Jedidiah Turner was a liability. Just like the rest of them. Too much mouth, too willing to give up what good I could provide.”

  “So he wanted to tell someone what you were doing? Like Natalie Benson, the real estate office receptionist?”

  “Tired of leaning on people. Jed didn’t want to make any more threats.”

  He wasn’t going to admit to killing Natalie? Had it been Alan Franz?

  She walked the mayor to the door of his office and down the hallway. “He was an enforcer for you?”

  “We all have skills. His were breaking legs and getting people to cooperate.” The mayor’s steps stuttered as he spotted Drew at the end of the hallway. “Your father wasn’t a good man.”

  Drew said nothing.

  “It was just business.”

  “And the land you’ve done nothing with?” She walked the mayor past him. “The cabin is still there, lying in ruins.”

  “Just business.”

  Ellie handed the mayor over to the state police captain. With the sheriff’s department currently in a shambles, there was no way they could root out how far this corruption had spread. Their office was compromised. Who knew how long it would take to set everything to rights? Make sure they had all the players in custody.

  She watched from the steps of city hall as they loaded the mayor into the back of one of their vehicles and drove him away to be booked into custody. Prosecuted. It was a small measure of comfort but nothing could repair the damage these people had done.

  She of all people knew the cost of destruction like that. The only way forward was one step at a time. One prayer at a time.

  Drew moved to stand beside her, laying a hand on the back of her neck. He gave her a small squeeze. Solidarity. Affection.

  In a matter of days, her life had shifted in a way that would never again be the same. But she never wanted it to be the same ever again. Ellie understood the importance of the love from the people in her life.

  Of being open. Cared for.

  “Can we go see my dad?”

  . . .

  Likely that was all the answer Drew was going to get from the mayor. He didn’t want to go digging into his father’s past. Into the life of a man he hadn’t liked at all. Sure, at the time he had tried to love him, simply because he was his father. But he and his father didn’t have a connection at all. His father hadn’t known what true fatherhood was.

  Eric had shown him. Loved him, appreciated him. Taken him in and cared for him. Shown him how to be a gentleman. To channel his emotions when they got out of control.

  So many ways.

  Drew had much to be thankful for. Maybe he should express his gratitude in person, and maybe Ellie would want to go with him.

  He tugged on her arm just before she stepped inside the hospital room where her dad had been admitted.

  “What?”

  I love you. No, wait. That would be weird. It was way too soon. “Wanna go to Florida with me?”

  Her mouth opened. Closed. She said, “Do you know what? I’m not sure I’ve taken a vacation in years.”

  “Guess you’re due, then.”

  A gleam flashed in her tired eyes. “Guess I am.”

  She didn’t move. He waited, seeing what would come next. He was guessing it would be good. After the past few days, they were certainly due for an abundance of goodness.

  Then Ellie reached up. She touched the sides of his face. “Is it weird that I think I might be in love with you?”

  “Not at all.” His throat clogged. Drew slid his arms around her waist and gathered her close.

  She tipped up onto the balls of he
r feet and touched her lips to his. Beyond her, he spotted movement. He tensed, before he realized it was Mark.

  He gave her a squeeze. “Go check on your dad.”

  She glanced back over her shoulder, then at him. With one more soft touch of her lips to his, she disappeared into her dad’s room.

  Mark strode over, a mischievous smile curling his lips.

  “What?”

  “Some woman you’ve got there,” he said. “I’m thinking your life will not be boring.”

  “I’m going to take her to see Eric and Alma.”

  “Meeting the parents? Already?”

  Drew shrugged. “Ellie and I might not have known each other for years, but we’ve been a part of each other’s lives for quite awhile.”

  “History.” A dark look washed over Mark’s face.

  “What’s that about?”

  Mark shook his head. “Nothing. Just a long story. I’ll tell you sometime.”

  “I’d like to hear it.”

  If the last few days had taught him anything, it was that he needed to stop living on the outside of his own life. Ellie had crossed his path in a way he couldn’t deny. She’d forced him to face the fact he didn’t trust other people with himself. Now that they’d begun the process of building something, he could appreciate the power of being known. He trusted her. Trusted what she saw in him. That he was safe to give his feelings to her.

  The same way she was safe with him.

  He turned to Mark. “Tell the director that I want out.”

  “Out?”

  “I’m not available now. I need to be here.”

  “She have anything to do with that?” He motioned to the closed door.

  Drew shrugged. “Time to refocus. I’ve got a house to rebuild, a horse to find. Then I’ll be starting a new journey.”

  He would need to be in town on a permanent basis if he was going to persuade Ellie she should run for sheriff.

  “Can’t say I’m happy about that. But I am happy for you.” He held out his hand. “It’s been a pleasure.”

  Drew shook his friend’s hand. “Liar.”

  Mark barked out a laugh. “Maybe. Guess you’ll never know.”

  “Thanks for coming to help. Sorry about Alvarez.”

  Mark said, “Apparently he got shot a few weeks ago.” He made a face. “Didn’t tell me that. Recovery will be slow, but he’ll get back up to speed soon enough.”

  Drew nodded. “Tell him I appreciate his help.” He held out his hand. “And yours.”

  “So you said.” Mark shook his hand. “Until next time?”

  “Sure.” He watched his friend wander away and then let himself into Will’s room. The former sheriff was laid up, eyes closed. Ellie had his hand in hers.

  Drew took in the scene, for once not feeling the grief for something he would never know. His life was rich. He would rather have realized that without their lives being in danger, but it had been necessary to uncover the poison that had spread beneath the surface of the town.

  The players were all behind bars. Justice would be done. The rest of the residents could breathe easy, knowing they were safe.

  Drew wanted to stick around town so he could help. Support Ellie. See how he could pitch in and make sure their town was turned around. Brought back to the good he knew was possible. Because he could see it in her when she looked at him.

  Ellie carved out a safe place he could be himself. In return, he was going to fan that flame of life he saw flickering in her eyes. He was going to do everything he could to make her life the best it could possibly be. Because she deserved nothing less than happiness. Enjoyment of all the ways God had blessed them.

  He had given them each other.

  She walked over. “What are you thinking?”

  “Other than we both need to crash?”

  “It’s not that.”

  She was right. That wasn’t what he’d been thinking, but it was what both of them needed right now. Time to rest. To heal.

  He needed to rebuild Eric and Alma’s house.

  “That I’m happy, and I can’t remember really feeling that before.” She opened her mouth to say something, but there was more he needed to get out. “And I’m glad it’s you. That brown-eyed girl with the ponytail. The one who looked at me like I turned the world, just by getting out of bed in the morning.”

  She gasped. “You remember?”

  “You were wearing a pink T-shirt.” In his mind, he could still see the look on her face. Walking down the hall of their high school. Not much had been good about his life back then. When it did come he’d soaked up every drop of it, like a man lost in the desert.

  Because that was what his life had been.

  Now she filled those dry places in him. Bringing rain.

  “I remember that shirt.” She winced. “I’d borrowed it from Laney because I spilled chocolate milk on my shirt at lunch, and she always packed an extra one just in case.”

  She was babbling. Nervous, because of what he’d thought about her years ago in the hallway at school? “It was cute.” He smiled. “You were cute.”

  “Maybe.”

  “You still are.” Some things had changed, but not that. Not the most important stuff. The things that made up who they were. Despite the years. Despite the pain they’d both gone through. In the end, God had made them who they were.

  A perfect match for each other.

  She said, “Fine, but don’t tell anyone. If it gets out, me and that pink shirt, it’ll ruin my cop reputation.”

  He smiled and touched his lips to hers. “It’ll be our secret.”

  Epilogue

  One year later

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Drew didn’t need to wait for any invitation to pull Ellie close for a kiss. The small gathering of friends and family cheered. The cool Florida winter air blew a light breeze that lifted strands of her curled hair, touching them to where their lips met.

  He pulled back, seeing nothing but her. “I love you, Sheriff Maxwell.”

  She smiled. Truth was, she hadn’t stopped smiling since she walked down the aisle in bare feet, her arm linked with her father’s.

  Drew’s toes curled into the sand.

  The past year had been one of the longest of his life. Ellie had won her bid for sheriff. During a time when he’d been staking a claim of his own—the one on her heart.

  And she did have his heart. He felt it in every touch and heard it in every word she said to him.

  Especially when he’d given her that early wedding present. Her favorite photo to hang on the wall in her office. He’d also bought her a horse of her own that he was going to give her when they got home.

  “I love you too.” Her smile got even wider. “Mayor North.”

  She’d convinced him. Drew had been skeptical at first, but he’d quickly realized the good he could do as the town mayor. Putting things to rights. Building a better town, one that welcomed people instead of forcing them away. Once the whole scheme came out, people had looked at him differently. He’d been able to forge a new reputation.

  “Ready?” He held out his hand, eager to greet their life together.

  She slipped her hand into his. “Always.”

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  About the author

  A British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London, Lisa attended Calvary Chapel Bible College
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  where she met her husband. He's from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Since then she's discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

  Lisa can be found in Idaho wearing either flip-flops or cowgirl boots, depending on the season. She leads worship with her husband at their local church. Together they have two children and an all-black Airedale known as The Dark Lord Elevator.

  Lisa is the author of the bestselling Sanctuary (WITSEC town series), the Double Down series, and more than a dozen Love Inspired Suspense novels.

  Find out more at www.authorlisaphillips.com