Page 75 of Redeeming Melodies

"I know you will." Caleb reached across the table, gripped my arm. "That's why we trust you, Jake. You don't just wear the badge - you live what it stands for."

The faith in his voice made my chest tight. Because he didn't know how I missed the signs. How Ramirez sat across from me every day, probably planning how to shut Jimmy up while I was too caught up in my own shit to notice.

"Liam's barely holding it together." Caleb's voice dropped lower. "Jimmy's more than just his manager, you know? He's become like family. Seeing him in that hospital bed..."

"Gonna make this right." My hands clenched on the table. "Nobody comes into our town and hurts one of ours."

Caleb nodded, understanding the promise beneath my words. "Just be careful, yeah? We've got enough people in the hospital already."

"Tell Liam-" My voice caught. "Tell him I've got this. Tell him to focus on Jimmy."

"He knows." Caleb stood, exhaustion evident in every movement. "We all do. That's why we're grateful to have you watching over this place."

Watching him leave, I let his words settle like armor around my heart. Because yeah, maybe I was a mess when it comes to Elliot. Maybe I was still figuring out who I was beyond the badge.

Evangeline wasat her usual post, queen of her domain behind that ancient desk. Her eyes caught mine, sharp as ever. "Smith's waiting in your office." A pause, heavy with meaning. "Ramirez is in the break room. Being his usual charming self."

Her tone said everything her words didn't. Evangeline had been here longer than most of us - she saw everything, knew everyone's tells. Wonder if she saw through Ramirez before I did.

"Thanks." My voice came out harder than intended. "Send Smith in when he's ready."

Passing the break room, I heard Ramirez's laugh - loud, performative, like he was putting on a show. Davis was trapped by the coffee maker, clearly trying to escape the conversation. The sight of Ramirez standing there, acting like he didn't put Jimmy in the hospital, made my blood boil.

Two years. Two fucking years I'd trusted him with this town, with my people. Now every memory shifted, took on new meaning. Was he already working angles when I hired him? Already planning how to use that badge to hurt instead of protect?

My office door closed behind me with a familiar click. Everything looked the same - case files stacked neat, coffee mug collection telling stories of years on the force, window overlooking Main Street where real people trusted us to keep them safe. But nothing felt the same.

Smith's knock came quick, efficient. He entered looking like he hadn't slept, dark circles under eyes that had seen too much lately. "Boss."

"What've you got?"

He dropped a folder on my desk - thick with evidence we didn't have yesterday. "Phone records confirm contact with someone in New York. Multiple calls, always from burner phones. And get this - security footage from the hospital shows him there yesterday morning. Before we knew about Jimmy."

Fuck.

"He's getting sloppy." The words tasted bitter. "Confident we won't look too close at one of our own."

"Deputies are talking." Smith settled into the chair across from me, voice low. "Davis says Ramirez has been asking weird questions about Jimmy's past. Martinez caught him going through old case files that had nothing to do with his assignments."

The anger built, hot and sharp under my skin. Every piece of evidence was another betrayal, another crack in the foundation of trust we were supposed to represent.

"We do this by the book." My hands clenched on the desk. "Everything documented, everything clean. When we take him down, I want it to stick."

"Already started the paperwork for a formal investigation." Smith's expression hardened. "But Jake? He's in there right now, laughing about Jimmy like nothing happened. Like he didn't-"

"I know." The words came out like gravel. "But we play this smart. Get everything lined up before we move."

A commotion outside drew our attention. Ramirez's voice carried through the door, still performing his role of friendly local cop. Still pretending he was one of us while Jimmy fought for his life in that hospital bed.

"Get him." The words came out steady despite the storm in my gut. Smith nodded once, sharp and professional, before heading to the break room. My badge felt heavier than usual, like it knew what was coming.

Ramirez swaggered in like he owned the place, that fake-easy smile plastered across his face. "What's up, boss? Got another case for your star deputy?"

Star deputy. Two weeks ago I might've agreed. Now all I saw was the calculated performance, the way his eyes darted around my office looking for tells.

"Sit down." My voice dropped to that place I usually reserved for drunk drivers and wife beaters. "We need to talk about your involvement in a current investigation."

"My involvement?" He laughed, but there was an edge to it now. "Come on, Jake. You know me better than that."

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