Page 25 of F Is for Honey Bee

“Deputy Mathis Wakerley. It has a nice ring to it.” Kijani smiled at Mathis and introduced both him and Brock to everyone.

While the other deputies extended their warm welcomes, Kijani reached into the snack basket and grabbed a small bag of cookies. He squatted and opened the bag before holding it out for Mathis to take one.

Mathis growled as he pushed his small hand inside to pull out a cookie.

“Or maybe he was making that noise before the accident and I never noticed,” Brock said.

Deputy Cannon Lowery wore a shit-eating grin as he looked at them. “Probably some kids’ show about wolves.”

Kijani shot him a warning look, silently telling him to knock it off. He wanted their visit to be enjoyable, not filled with unnecessary suspicion and hidden insinuations.

“We’re going to take off.” Brock shook Kijani’s hand again. “I can never repay you for your bravery in saving Mathis’s life, but thank you for being his hero.”

Those heartfelt words struck right in the gut. While many might assume first responders were constantly thanked for their relentless commitment and efforts, that was seldom the case.

Even though Kijani didn’t expect such appreciation, it still felt damn good to hear it.

“Take care, little buddy.” Kijani hunkered down and shook Mathis’s tiny hand. “Thank you for keeping your cool while Uncle Kijani fumbled through your rescue.”

Mathis hugged Kijani’s neck and growled. Keep your eyes on the floor to avoid tearing up. “Go easy on the growling so you don’t give away my secret,” he whispered.

“Deputy Tenshi, can I have a word?” Sheriff Harper stood at the entrance to the bullpen, smiling at the kid.

Kijani gently disentangled the boy’s arms from around his neck then stood, ruffling Mathis’s hair before he headed toward his boss.

“In my office.” The sheriff pivoted and walked away.

He followed his boss, still smiling from the Wakerleys’ visit. Kijani had never wanted children, but if he had, he’d want one just like Mathis. The boy had a way of wrapping himself around a person’s heart.

“Is there a problem?” he asked as he entered the office.

“Please close the door and have a seat.” The bear shifter dropped into his chair behind the desk.

Feeling a sense of unease, Kijani did as Sheriff Harper requested.

“Something happened during Flint Mahoney’s transfer to Maple Grove.”

“What kind of ‘something’?” That uneasiness intensified.

“The driver of a delivery truck had a seizure and crashed into the transport vehicle. While Deputy Malik Burrows was assisting the driver, Flint managed to escape through a broken rear window.”

Kijani leaned back, rubbing his lower jaw. The question now was whether or not Flint would return to Midnight Falls. It would be incredibly foolish for him to do so. With his newfound freedom, if he had any sense, he’d flee to another state far enough away to stay off the radar and avoid getting caught again.

“I’m telling you this because I was informed Jonah Konopa is your mate and Flint threatened him when he got arrested.”

Though Kijani wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet between Flint’s eyes, he didn’t look forward to breaking the news to Jonah. His mate was still grappling with Flint’s assault, no longer feeling safe in his own home. Now Kijani worried this would only exacerbate that fear.

“He wasn’t able to track Flint?” When Kijani arrived at work this morning, he’d looked into the details of Flint’s transfer. Deputy Burrows was a lion shifter, so Kijani assumed there wouldn’t be any problems.

“They were passing through a busy city. By the time the deputy realized Flint was missing, the road was crowded with onlookers and an ambulance had arrived for the driver. There were too many conflicting smells for Deputy Burrows to track Flint’s scent.”

Now Flint was in the wind, possibly making his way back to Jonah.

“When did the accident happen?”

“Early this morning.” The chair creaked under the weight of the bear shifter when he leaned forward. “Yesterday, when I notified Sheriff Copache that we had Flint in custody, I also mentioned the threat against Jonah. He just called me twenty minutes ago to inform me of the accident and Flint’s escape, since Jonah could be in danger.”

“Flint already has a few hours’ head start.” Kijani knew the layout of this town after only two months. When he’d first arrived, he made a point to spend hours driving and walking around, committing street names and local businesses to memory.

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