Page 74 of Her Wild Coast Promise

“Not for long,” I say, unbuttoning my jacket so I can settle into one of the two chairs facing his desk.

“So I’m robbing your beauty sleep?” Congressman White says with a chuckle.

“I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to meet me.”

The congressman sits facing me but leans forward, hands clasped on his desk. It’s encouraging, but I’m not letting my guard down. What Hunter shared simmers in the back of my mind. Do I bring up the connection he shared with Gregory McCabe, or is it best to leave that out of our conversation?

“The McKenzie Valley is changing before our eyes, isn’t it, deputy?”

This could be a warning shot over my bow, or an opening. “More people have moved into the area in the last five years than in the previous twenty.”

He raises an eyebrow. “True, but I’m not just talking about population. Crime is on the rise, is it not?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“What makes you the better choice for sheriff in light of this?”

“My experience in law enforcement. And I’m directly involved in these investigations. I’ve also created an interagency task force, and the collaboration is very productive.”

Congressman White’s expression brightens. “That’s good. Have you made any arrests yet?”

“No, sir. But we’ve fit several disparate pieces of evidence into the greater puzzle, and we’re making progress.”

“Greater puzzle?”

We’re getting close to information I can’t share, and though I would like to believe he’s trustworthy, I’ve already overshared once today. “Just how these crimes may intersect.”

He nods. “There was a very disturbing incident several months ago, regarding a mining claim. A young woman was nearly killed in an explosion. Have you discovered the cause?”

“Yes.”

He watches me with a calm expression. If he’s waiting for more, he won’t get it. Not until I have answers and the perp behind bars.

“Good,” the congressman says, nodding slowly. “The young woman…her father and I were close friends many years ago.” He grimaces, his gaze dropping to his shiny desk’s surface, where he wipes away an invisible crumb. His gold wedding band catches the light, and I immediately look for a family photo. There are several frames behind his computer monitor, but they are angled away from me.

“Do I have your word that Alexis is safe?” he adds.

This is a weird thing to promise. “It’s my job to make sure all of my citizens are safe.”

He nods, like he expected this answer. “Cullen Reese’s daughter wants your job,” he says, leveling me with a steady gaze. “She’s awfully sharp. Her father has asked for my endorsement. Tell me why I should pick you instead.”

Here’s the dog and pony show Cora prepared me for. “Experience. Ms. Reece is a lawyer.”

“A damned good one, so I hear.”

“Correct. Which is why she needs to continue being one. Losing her from the D.A.’s office would put a hole in the prosecution’s effectiveness, and that’s too risky right now.”

He nods, as if considering this. There’s no telling if he’s genuinely taking my side, but I can’t wait to tell Cora that her strategy might be working.

“Experience does count,” Congressmen White says. “Yet aren’t you a little young to be sheriff?”

“I have ten years of experience, plus six years of military.”

“Chief Kauffman thinks highly of you.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“Yet here we are with three unsolved murders and an ecoterrorist on the loose.”

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