Time to Hide Read Free

stick around here as a witness.”
    The sheriff’s eyes narrowed. “That wasn’t a request, Deputy. I’m ordering you to clear this scene.”
    â€œAnd I’m telling you, I’m not going anywhere as long as you’re this angry. If you want me to call the state police for backup, I can do that, too.”
    Sheriff Hines pivoted to face her full-on, his posture mimicking hers. “Are you disobeying a direct order, Deputy Sweet?”
    Behind the sheriff, Peter caught his breath and worked himself back up to his knees, where he could watch the exchange between the cops. Jeremy’s countenance had frozen itself into a giant O.
    â€œI look at it as reasonable intervention to prevent the commission of a felony.” Darla’s racing heart made her words tremble in her throat.
    Hines cocked his head. “A felony.” Apparently, the words didn’t taste quite right to him.
    Darla stood a little taller. “Yes, sir, a felony. You’re beating helpless, unarmed juveniles. That is a felony in this state.”
    â€œIn Essex, we call it discipline,” Hines said. He seemed amused by the conversation.
    â€œHit him again, and we’ll see.” To emphasize her point, she thumbed the button on her radio mike. “Unit six-oh-four to Central.”
    Hines’s expression turned to one of concern. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
    Her radio popped. “Go ahead, six-oh-four.”
    Darla arched her eyebrows. “You tell me, Sheriff. You tell me if I’m calling for backup to have you arrested.”
    â€œCentral to six-oh-four, go ahead.”
    The color of the sheriff’s face intensified to something north of red, but still south of purple. He pressed his lips so tightly together that they nearly disappeared. “You’re on dangerous ground, Deputy. This is a family matter.”
    Darla looked to the beaten boy on the ground. “This feel like a family matter to you, Peter?”
    The boy smiled. “No, ma’am, it doesn’t.”
    â€œSix-oh-four, do you have traffic?” The dispatcher’s voice had a distinct edge on it now.
    She thumbed the mike, and as she did, Hines jumped a little. “Ah, Central, stand by for a second.” Then, to Hines: “Tell me what to do, boss.”
    Sheriff Hines faced the boys again. “You broke the law,” he said.
    Peter Banks winced as he straightened, but then smiled. He knew he’d won. “Cheer up, Sheriff. I’m sure it won’t be my last time. You’ll get another chance.”
    Sheriff Hines looked ready to kill the kid. He whirled to face Darla. “I suppose you want to just let him go with a warning.”
    â€œNo, sir,” Darla said. “I think that we should arrest them and prosecute them for possession of a controlled substance. I called you because of the presence of your son, and I thought a little deference might be in order.”
    The sheriff churned it all through his mind. A confirmed hothead, he was nobody’s fool. He understood the corner he was in. When he took a step closer to his son, Darla moved to stay between them. “Do you know what you’ve done, Jeremy?” he growled.
    His son stared at the ground.
    â€œAnswer me, boy.”
    â€œYessir.”
    â€œDo you know how this makes me look? Do you understand what it can do to your future? A drug charge? Jesus.”
    â€œWon’t make you look any too good either, will it, Sheriff?” Peter said.
    Darla wanted to kill him herself.
    Peter continued, “Chief lawman of a little burg like this can’t even keep his own son in line. For years and years, people’d be talking in the diner about how that Hines kid, boy, he really could’ve been something. Shame he lost that scholarship.”
    Sheriff Hines glowered at the Banks boy. “You’re going to jail,” he said.
    â€œNot today, I’m not. Not without