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25
Brewster knew serious when he saw it, he recognized it from the same look on his mother-in-law’s face. Mother Maude, as he was told to call her, was meaner than he was, and this woman was close. He pulled out his cell, punched in a number, and turned his back to whisper into the phone. “Sheriff, Brewster here. A whole battalion of Feds came busting into the station, in war gear, with submachine guns, FBI written all over their jackets. So I guess the good-looking fellow wasn’t lying. The lead Fed, the SAC they call her, is a girl, ah, woman. She said you gotta come now.”
They watched Brewster’s face turn white. “There’s nothing Jewel and I can do, Sheriff. We have no armament, they took our Berettas. I told you, they have submachine guns. You’ve got to come, Sheriff.”
They heard what sounded like curses, but couldn’t make out any words. Brewster hung up. He was sweating profusely. “Sheriff Bodine is on his way.”
Kraus nodded. “So perhaps this Sheriff Bodine has a brain after all. Slick, DeAndre, take the gentlemen’s cell phones and escort them to the jail cell to keep company with Fayreen. Have Agent Cutler watch them, tell her we’re expecting the sheriff in a few minutes. Aren’t there any other staff in this office?”
“Well, ma’am,” Jewel said, “there’s five more deputies, but two have the flu, two are on vacation, you know, since it’s summer and all, and one is coming in a bit later for the night shift, at ten o’clock, but Bobby’s usually late.”
Brewster wanted to take this FBI woman’s throat between his hands and squeeze, but he managed to swallow his bile. “Ma’am—Agent Kraus, we’re deputies of Gaffer’s Ridge. You can’t put us in our own jail cell. It isn’t right.”
“Tell you what, Deputy, we’ll let a federal judge decide what’s right. You had Agent Hammersmith occupying your cell with his companion here, unlawfully, I might add. A tight fit for the three of you, but you’ll manage.”
Slick, who’d been staring at Carson, snapped to when Kraus nodded toward him.
Slick shoved Brewster’s shoulder. “Get yourselves moving, boys.”
Jewel said, “Ye-yes, sir. Sir, ma’am, we were only doing our jobs, watching over these attempted murderers like the sheriff told us to. Deputy Brewster’s right, he and the girl over there tried to kill the sheriff’s nephew. Fact is, ma’am, Rafer’s in the hospital, maybe barely hanging on. He could be dying, they both attacked him, ma’am, they admitted it.”
Griffin smiled at Jewel. “Actually, if Rafer Bodine dies, it’d be the first fatal broken wrist I’ve heard of.”
“She smacked him on the head with a pipe!”
“Indeed she did, an excellent shot,” Griffin said. “Agent Kraus, this man in the hospital, Rafer Bodine, may be a serial killer. To date, three sixteen-year-old girls have gone missing, one of them from Gaffer’s Ridge, the other two from towns in the area. So, even with a headache and a broken wrist, Rafer Bodine could escape. I doubt the sheriff put any guards on him.”
Kraus nodded. “Slick, when we’re through with the sheriff, find out what hospital he’s in and head over there with DeAndre and guard this Rafer Bodine.”
They heard Jewel say to the agents as he and Brewster were marched out of the interrogation room, “Fayreen won’t like using the john in the cell, what with us in there with her.”
Brewster said, “She can hold it. I don’t care who they are, Sheriff Bodine will get us out fast enough.”
“Live in hope,” DeAndre said, and gave a sadistic laugh. “Move along, boys.”
Griffin said, “Agent Kraus, that was an awesome incursion. You’re my hero.”
Carson punched his arm, looked at Kraus. “No, you’re my hero. Thank you.” Carson stuck out her hand. “Thank you for coming.”
“You’re very welcome. Agent Savich thought it would be a good idea to come looking like Delta Force to scare the crap out of them. I can’t wait to meet this Sheriff Bodine.”
Carson said, “Maybe at first you think he’s another good old boy, but I’d say the sheriff is scary, and I’m from New York. You want to dismiss him, but behind his eyes, there’s something you don’t want to deal with.” She looked down at herself, over at Griffin. “I couldn’t believe it—he looked us up and down, saw how dirty we were—well, not Griffin, but me—and still he called us movie stars.”
Kraus looked from one to the other. An eyebrow rose. “Imagine,” she said.
Griffin said, “You haven’t met the other characters in our traveling show—these are my good friends, Jenny Wiley and Aimée Rose Wallberger.”
Jenny said, “It was a treat to watch you, Agent Kraus, and a pleasure to meet you. What would you say to my feeding spaghetti to you and your team after this is all straightened out?”
“And I’ve already made my special caramel pecan cheesecake,” Aimée Rose said.
Kraus said, “If that would be spaghetti with meat sauce, you’re on.”
Aimée Rose said, “Jenny makes her meat sauce from scratch, of course, lots of garlic and butter.”
Kraus looked down at her iWatch. “We haven’t got long before the sheriff arrives. Agent Savich gave me the overview of what happened, but I need all you can give me in five minutes, Griffin. Ms. Wiley and Ms. Wallberger, I need to ask you to leave now. I’m not expecting any violence, but we can’t take the chance of having you here when the sheriff arrives. We’ll see you later for that meal you promised. I’m thanking you in advance.”
Once Jenny and Aimée Rose had left, Carson quickly recounted what had happened as she had so many times already, with no mention of telepathy.
Kraus nodded. “Very succinct. I must say you and Griffin have had an exciting day. I have a lot of questions, but they can wait until after we meet with the sheriff.” She looked at the big round clock on the wall. “Ah, about time for Top Dog to walk through the door.” Kraus grinned as she checked her MP5. “Ms. DeSilva, you called the sheriff scary?”
Griffin said, “It’s actually Dr. DeSilva. And she did, yes. I’m not so sure.”
Kraus nodded, smiled. “Noted.”
Carson said, “Yes, trust me, there’s more to him than meets the eye. ‘Scary’ is as good a word as any.”
Kraus nodded again, said to Agent Vickie Lynn, “Tell Higgins to come inside and line everyone up in the outer room, combat ready, and look eager to form a firing squad. I think I hear Sheriff Bodine.”
Griffin grinned. “Showtime.”
