Protect Read Free

department to deliver, but we also know that David Buckingham
is out of town at the moment.” Hogan’s eyes went from Townsend and
back her way. “My colleague wanted to tell her in person, and we’d
like you to be there.”
    Sharon nodded, keeping Gertie’s father in
mind as she stood. He’d gotten into some bad debts with the
Sachettis, gone into hiding, and when G-Town found out how much her
old man was worth they kidnapped her to get the Sachetti ransom and
handed her over to the Gypsys for safe keeping. Not the best tactic
since she’d already been tied to a rival club’s Sergeant At Arms.
Even when given video evidence of how his daughter was being
treated in that Hazeldale clubhouse, Louis Dénis had not turned
himself in.
    Sharon had no sympathies to hear that Dénis
had met his end. But she was worried about Gertie, and one
look at Townsend told her she wasn’t the only one.
    “It’s still morning,” she finally spoke up,
getting to her feet. “She’ll be at work. She’s only working
mornings now that she’s pregnant.”
    “She’s ... she’s pregnant?” Townsend said,
smiling as his hand went to his own stomach.
    Sharon studied him before nodding. “Yeah,
she’s due in about two months.”
    He nodded, still smiling, and pulled her
office door open. “That’s good. That’s really good.”
    Her DEA guests followed her cruiser to the
far end of Main Street where Ink Junkie was located. The tattoo
shop was one of the newer ventures in town, and Sharon knew they
were already enjoying great success. The owner, Brady Clark, was
already setting up a reputation for himself for the quality of his
artwork, and his visiting artist friends drew people from as far
away as Denver just to get a custom design. He’d also earned the
right to do club ink for the Red Rebels.
    The big windows on the front were wide and
inviting, making the mural on the back wall completely visible from
the street. That was aided by a bar of directional lights in the
ceiling that shone down, making it glow all on its own. The artwork
was Gertie’s. She had some real talent.
    The cherry-red acrylic counter at the front
door was a half-circle, and sitting right in front of them was
Gertie. She was reading a book and when she looked up she turned it
over, setting it down. It was a book of baby names.
    Sharon offered her a wide smile, which was
returned. Gertie was one of those red-head stunners that didn’t
have to be tall to be formidable. She was curvy and pretty with
wide hazel eyes, an open and friendly expression at all times.
    “Sheriff,” she greeted their group warmly,
eyes flicking over to the other two men warily but the smile never
faded. “Anything I can help you with?”
    Sharon swallowed, eyes going to the back of
the space. Brady Clark was already getting up from his stool where
he’d been working, peeling off latex gloves as he did so. “Is there
somewhere we could talk, Gertie?”
    Now the smile slipped and her hands went
instinctively to her impressive tummy. “Is everything okay? Is it
Buck?”
    Shit, she should have led with something
else. “No, no. I’m sure Buck is fine, Gertie. I just want somewhere
quiet to talk.”
    Brady was now behind Gertie, hand on her
shoulder. “Come on back to the office, Sheriff.”
    Sharon nodded. Yeah, this was good. Brady was
a good friend, they’d met in rehab. He was the perfect person to be
there if Buck couldn’t be.
    Brady’s office was more of a storage room
with a desk shoved along one wall. Gertie sat in the chair, Brady
behind her, perched on the edge of his desk. Sharon stood just
inside the door, the DEA agents behind her. They left the door
open.
    “Gertie, I’m just going to say it, okay?” The
redhead swallowed and nodded. Brady’s hand returned to her
shoulder. “A body was found outside of Bakersfield, and it’s your
father. I’m sorry Gertie, but he’s dead.”
    She blinked about four times. “Oh.”
    “I’m so sorry. It will be