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“Yes,” Ariel said.
Preston placed a hand on her arm. “Do you want to drive over, or can you walk?”
She rolled her eyes. “I can walk, but I’ll have to take it slow.”
“If your ankle hurts too much, I can carry you.” Good thing Preston winked, or she might have punched him in the arm.
True to her word, Ariel slowly made it across the street, through the alley to Wintergreen Road, and then across the street to the sheriff’s office. While she didn’t complain once, her steps were becoming more labored.
Elana Granger was at the reception desk. “Twice in a week!”
That was unusual. “We’d like to discuss a crime. Is Uncle Adam in?”
“He is. Go on back. I’ll tell him you’re on your way.”
“Thanks.” The three of them headed to his uncle’s office.
His uncle’s demeanor was serious when they entered. “Are you okay, Ariel? I heard someone knocked your down.”
“I’m fine. Just a little bruised.”
“You’re lucky.” His uncle pulled up something on his computer and took Ariel’s statement.
Preston and Benson then filled him in on the name of the possible photo sender.
“It sounds as if Hammer is a nickname,” his uncle said. “He could be a carpenter.”
Preston looked over at Benson and wiggled his eyebrows. “That’s exactly what I said.”
“Meaning he won’t be in the system?” Ariel asked his uncle.
“He might be. Nicknames are often included, but we might have better luck if my son is working on it.”
Mason had provided a lot of information to his father over the years. Being well-versed in computers had served him well.
“Any luck in finding out about the folks over in Midvale who are involved in the gambling establishment?” Benson asked.
“I’m working on it. A few of your Weston cousins said they’d ask around discreetly. They are less likely to attract attention than some strangers from Wildwood.”
Benson huffed out a laugh. “Even though no Weston would be caught dead in any kind of illegal game, they’re less likely to recognize us than my cousins. The whole town knows the Westons.”
“That may be, but give me a few days to investigate. I don’t need you two messing things up,” his uncle said.
“We’ll wait, but only for so long.”
His uncle looked over at Ariel. “Rest up, you hear? And please stay at the house. Benson and Preston have it locked up tighter than Fort Knox. You’d think they had valuables inside.”
Preston looked over at Benson. “I told you Jeffrey sold us too much stuff.”
Preston was pulling his leg. He was the one who said a person couldn’t be too protected. Now Benson was happy he’d listened to him.
After they thanked his uncle, they left. Since they had learned what they could from the Internet café, there was nothing more to do for now.
He turned to Ariel. “How about you two stay here, and I’ll get the car?”
“I can walk.”
Preston leaned over. “I think what Benson is saying is that he wants you to heal up real fast.” He winked. “The sooner you are in good shape, the sooner we can have a repeat performance of what we had last night.”
