Page 47 of Long Road Home

Been there, done that.She had no interest in taking on a badge again, but if it gave her credence when she needed it then fair enough. Sheriff’s departments had a lot more leeway with that stuff. She could be deputized for a short time—which had happened in a town a few months ago. Maybe nearly a year. It felt like a lifetime since she had met a man who had been like a brother to her father. A man with an odd file in his safe.

She needed enough downtime to follow that lead even if it went nowhere.

A car eased into the parking lot. Tinted windows, a dark-gray compact. It couldn’t be going more than fifteen miles anhour.

Instinct prickled the skin on the back of Kenna’s neck. She drew her weapon, just in case.

The car turned onto the lane right in front of them.

“Head’s up.”

“What is it?” Rayland said. “The deputy?”

“No, and it might be Tilley.” She moved to the doorframe and peered out, keeping her body behind cover. What was…

The driver’s side window rolled down. A gun barrel rested on the frame, pointed at them.

“Get down!” Kenna turned, already lowering to one knee. She grabbed Rayland’s arm and pulled him to the floor beside her.

Glass shattered with the first grouping of shots and sprayed across the room.

Rayland grunted.

“Kenna, you okay?” Jax. That was Jax. “I’ll call it in.”

All she could do was hunker down on the floor and remember to breathe as pain pounded in her head with every heartbeat.

Gunshots smacked the wall, like fireworks exploding one after each other. A split second between each.

A line of bullet holes appeared on the back wall. Steady aim. A professional.

“Stay down!” she yelled.

Rayland probably thought she was crazy for thinking he might consider getting up. He probably had no intention of doing so, but there was a slim chance he went for a look. If it saved his life, she would keep reminding him to stay down until the?—

Everything went silent.

The kind of silence that seemed almost thick. Or as if her ears had quit working.

Dust hung in the air.

She heard the rev of an engine and rolled to look out the door without getting up. The dark compact sped past, between the deputy’s car and the one parked beside it.

Kenna clambered to her feet and stumbled. Her shoulder hit the doorframe, and she nearly lost her grip on her weapon. A sheriff’s department vehicle on the street flipped its lights on and accelerated down the street. “Your backup is chasing Tilley.” She turned to Rayland, now standing. Cold washed over her and she shivered.

“You good?” Rayland brushed off his hair.

Kenna tried to nod.

“I’ll tell him to be careful.” He stepped outside, leaving her alone in the destroyed room. She heard him call in shots fired, so the deputy would know this wasn’t just about a speeding car. Stan Tilley was armed and dangerous and should be approached with extreme caution.

Kenna’s left earbud started to fall out. “Jax, can you hear me?” She pushed it back in, having to cough against the cloud of dust created by all those shots on the wall. Through the window, which he’d shattered. In the door. All of it right at the level where her head had been moments before. If she hadn’t seen it coming, someone could’ve died.

Thank You, Lord.

“Copy that. I’ll talk to my ASAC,” Jax said in her ears. “Get approval to come to Wisconsin. This guy needs to be arrested.”

She stared at the room. If Jax came here, then there would be another person for her to safeguard. It had ended well this time, but next? Who knew what might happen.

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