Page 13 of Her Wild Coast Promise

“That’s quite a coincidence.”

“True, but it’s not impossible.”

He’s right. We need more information—before another girl gets murdered.

At the northedge of McKenzie, the casino’s bright lights and giant parking lot full of cars draw my attention. It’s hard not to think that our valley’s problems aren’t somehow tied to this eyesore. Ten years ago, that plot of land was forest and farms.

I’m pulling off the freeway when a billboard catches my attention. I stare in disbelief, and just manage to avoid rear-ending the delivery truck ahead of me at the turn signal.

PEYTON REECE FOR MCKENZIE COUNTY SHERIFF is written in bold, blue lettering, with a picture of Peyton dressed in a gray suit, her dark hair pulled back and her arms crossed like she means business.

What the actual fuck.

I pull over and after checking both sides of my vehicle, I step onto the shoulder, the uneven pavement grinding under my boots, and walk back so I can see the billboard.

Sure enough, the simple lettering and the flashy picture of Peyton with her hair slicked back and her eyes set in firm determination tell the same story.

First off, the ink of Chief Kauffman’s retirement papers hasn’t even dried yet, and she’s got a billboard announcing her bid? That’s not just coarse, it’s fucking creepy.

Secondly, what the hell is Peyton Reece doing running for sheriff? She’s always loved the spotlight, but this is one hellofa way to grab it. She’s not a cop, has no experience in law enforcement. As an assistant D.A., she has a detailed understanding of our judicial system and process, but that doesn’t make her qualified to run a busy sheriff’s department. Especially right now with several high-stakes investigations underway.

The billboard offers only the phrase “tough on crime”. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Isthather platform?

I walk back to my SUV, fighting the sense of doom. If Peyton were to win the role of sheriff, not only would she be in charge of several complex investigations and responsible for the safety of this valley, but she would be my boss.

One with an axe to grind.

Lord help me.

There’s only one way to keep my valley safe and protected and keep my sanity.

And that’s to accept Sheriff Kauffman’s nomination and run against Peyton. Not only that, I have to win.

When Sheriff Kauffman asked me to run, I didn’t really take him seriously. Or maybe it just felt too strange. I certainly didn’t feel any urgency. The election is months away. Deep down, I’d hoped someone more qualified would enter the race. That way I could respectfully bow out.

But two months suddenly seems like a very short time. And with Peyton’s ambition and her daddy’s money, she’ll pull out all the stops.

Like this billboard.

I scrub my face with my hands, then turn the ignition. Two months to orchestrate a campaign for a job I don’t feel qualified for, against a foe with endless resources. That she’s not experienced enough to be sheriff will be a tough sell because she’s good at putting away criminals in her job with the D.A.’s office.

Hell, who can I turn to for help? Hunter and Brian are great friends, and loyal, but they won’t have the know-how or the extra time.

Instead, I call my best friend Rogue County Sheriff Noah Tucker. He answers on the second ring.

“Still no sign of your fugitive,” he says.

It takes me a moment to shift gears. Months ago, I issued a BOLO for Zach Hayes, a local kid who was dealt a bum hand when his dad passed away of cancer and his family’s business went up in smoke due to an arson fire. I’ve wanted him in my interview room for months because he and Terrilynn were close, and I think he could be the key to solving her murder. But he disappeared just before she was abducted from the hospital, last seen boarding the Alaska Ferry. And since, he’s gone underground.

“Appreciate the update, but I’m calling for something else.”

“Okay,” he says.

“My former fuck buddy who hates my guts is running against me for sheriff. Meanwhile, I’ve got three unsolved murders, an arson case, and signs that organized crime is going to turn my valley into their playground if I don’t stop them, like, yesterday.”

“Uh, can you back up a bit?”

I explain the circumstances. My neck burns and my palms feel damp. I blast the A/C for a minute even though it’s forty degrees outside. But it doesn’t help. My goose is already cooked.

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