The Sheriff Meets His Match Read Free Page B

make some calls on his brother’s behalf. Jack had a feeling the kid was Ty’s and wanted to help however he could.
    The other case was proving to be just as frustrating. It had already been two months since he’d been thrust into the middle of an international case of drug and ammunitions trafficking, when associates of the organization terrorized citizens of Tidal Falls. During the ensuing takedown, an undercover member of the DEA, Maggie Holt, was captured and never found. Jack was contacting any informant sources he could think of to assist in tracking her down. Ty’s friend, Jared, had a stake in the case, as it was his old SEAL teammate’s partner who had disappeared. So far they had found little to prove she was still alive, but the team refused to give up hope.
    A glance out the window showed the storm was losing its grip on the area, thank God. He hadn’t looked forward to spending the night patrolling the highway in search of accidents and possible fatalities. Tina still had another hour for school before he needed to picked her up and deliver her to her job at The Craft Shack. His sixteen-year-old daughter was as stubborn as her dear old dad and determined to go to university right out of high school. She’d was already saving toward that goal. Now, if only she’d give up dating.
    A light tap on the office door heralded the arrival of Jack’s deputy, Sid Carmichael. His scrawny shoulders under the heavy blue police jacket were piled with clumps of melting snow.
    “Shee-it, that’s some nasty weather out there.” Sid pulled off his hat and smacked it against his thigh. “Sure am glad it’s quitting soon. How’d you make out, Chief?” He dug around in pocket after pocket until he finally came up with a linen hankie. He lifted it to his nose and gave a blast loud enough to blow his brains out, and with a last couple swipes plopped down into the chair across from Jack’s desk.
    Jack slid the hand sanitizer toward his deputy and frowned at the water dripping onto his freshly polished tile flooring. “Yeah, it’s a bad one alright. Handed out a few violation tickets and read the riot act to a speed-demon.” He withheld the fact that he knew the culprit, or that it was his own receptionist.
    “I swear, the worse the storm, the more idiots come out of the woodwork.” Sid shook his head before glancing back through the open doorway to the quiet front end. “Mike and Norm still out then?”
    “Yeah, they pulled short straw, working through the night.” Jack picked up his pen and set it down again, already guessing who his friend would ask about next.
    “What about Laurel? Shouldn’t she be here by now?”
    Bingo.
    “Miss Thomas stepped out for an early break with her uncle, who I gather is in town for a short visit.” Jack was pretty sure he was the only one still calling her by her surname. Her name on his lips made him feel things he wasn’t ready to acknowledge. It was safer to maintain a distance between them. She threatened his placid, everyday life, and he didn’t like it.
    Sid twirled his hat, dislodging more droplets of water. “I met him awhile ago. Nice enough guy. He’s been in town for a couple of weeks now. I seen him getting real chummy with Grace the other day.” He shifted in his seat. “Hope he don’t hurt her, boss. She’s been alone a long time now. It would be easy to be taken advantage of.” He looked up, and then quickly away again.
    Holy shit, he’s in love with Grace Martin.
    Jack sank back in his seat flabbergasted. He definitely hadn’t seen the writing on that wall. But he agreed with Sid anyway. Grace was a much-beloved part of the community—mess with her, you mess with the town. He better do a little digging around on Uncle Max.

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    B y the time Laurel listened to her uncle’s harebrained scheme, tried to talk him out of it—with no luck—and drove him to The Rendezvous Hotel where he’d been staying, she was seriously late getting back to work. The