Page 28 of Catch Me When I Fall

“Fuck you,” he shot back. Hayes packed the most out of all of us; even when he was in the military, he always carried more than necessary.

I shook my head, my lips twitching once more before I said, “What is everyone working on?”

“Dominic and Ash are heading up the coast to Boston…” Hayes began, telling me about the newest case, who was involved, and how much these people were willing to pay to find the rat in their company. When he was done, I’d hit the rain and got off the phone.

The last hour of the drive was filled with dreary clouds and by the time I got to Astoria, the worst of it had passed, the sun poking through as I pulled up to the police station.

When I got out of the Tahoe, the smell of the ocean hit me as the sound of seagulls hovered over me. The police station was small and outdated, but the town had to work with what they had. I took note of the three cruisers parked on the side of the building before heading inside.

The Astoria police station was something out of a seventies movie, with brown carpet, orange seats, and horrid hospital lighting. The wood polish on the front desk was chipping, and the older woman sitting behind the counter was reading the local newspaper.

I kept my eyes on her as I waited somewhat patiently for her to notice me. Her gray hair was pulled back into an elegant swoop, making her green sweater stand out more. It was nearly eighty degrees outside, and she was wearing something that belonged in a cheesy holiday film.

When she finally noticed me, she jumped in her seat, putting her hand to her chest as the newspaper crumbled down onto the desk. “Oh, goodness,” she breathed.

I didn’t bother giving her a smile. “I’m here to see Sheriff Humbly,” I told her.

She looked me up and down, her eyes wide as they lingered on my scar. “Do you—do you have an appointment, sir?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

I sighed through my nose. “Is that a problem?”

“No, s-sir,” she stammered, leaning forward and picking up the office phone. I watched as her trembling fingers dialed 236 and held her eyes as she said, “There’s a man here to see you, Sheriff Humbly.” A short pause. “No, he doesn’t have an appointment.” Another pause. “Yes, sir.”

She hung up the phone and looked back up at me. “He’ll be right out. You’re more than welcome to take a seat.”

“I’ll stand,” I told her, turning to walk towards the wall, leaning my shoulder against it as I folded my arms over my chest. As I waited, I made sure to look at every single officer on duty, memorizing where their desks were, taking note of how they responded to my presence.

A few minutes later, Sheriff Humbly appeared. He was ten years younger than me and still had life in his brown eyes, so I was impressed when he cut the bullshit and held out his hand. “Sheriff Humbly, sir,” he greeted as I took his hand.

“Joseph Grayson,” I returned, shaking his hand once before he dropped it.

“How can I help you today Mr. Grayson?”

I got right to it. “Carrie Hale.”

Suddenly, his good boy, hometown charm melted, and I got a good look at the cop underneath. His eyes flashed as his jaw tightened. “What about her?”

“We can do this in your lobby, or we can discuss this in your office,” I offered, holding his questioning gaze.

He nodded once. “Follow me.”

I ignored the skeptical looks from his peers as we walked by the bullpen and made a right into his office. Law enforcement didn’t like me or what I did, mainly because I was better at their jobs most of the time.

Humbly walked around to his desk, gesturing to the two seats in front of it before bracing his hands on the wooden surface. I ignored his gesture and leaned back against the door. He didn’t seem to mind. “Now, what do you want with Carrie Hale?” he demanded to know.

“You’re a little young to have an office, aren’t you?”

He tensed. “I don’t see how my career advancement is any of your business, Mr. Grayson.”

I folded my arms back over my chest. “Just an observation.”

Humbly held my eyes for a moment before he shook his head, sighing. “Became an officer right out of high school and worked my way up. Now, I’m second in command.”

“Your wife, Sarah, must be proud.”

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