Chapter 7
brAEDYN
Rolling my shoulders back, I imagined sliding invisible armor into place. I’d need every piece of chain mail for the battle about to ensue.
Taking in the double glass doors and the sign above that read Juniper County Sheriff’s Department, I sucked in a deep breath and reached for the handle.
The moment the door opened, I heard the din of conversation and work.
It wasn’t the sort of noise that came from emergencies but from everyday business.
As I stepped inside, a woman in her mid-thirties looked up from behind the counter. “Afternoon, can I help you?”
“Hi. I wondered if Sheriff Miller was in?” I kept my voice steady and my expression neutral.
“Can I get your name to let him know who’s here?”
I tried not to tense at the question. Of course, she’d ask. The problem was, my name would give Sheriff Miller warning. But I didn’t have any other option. “Braedyn Winslow.”
There was no recognition on the woman’s face; she simply lifted the phone on her desk and hit a couple of buttons. “Sheriff, there’s a Braedyn Winslow here to see you.”
I watched as the woman’s demeanor changed. The easy welcome slid away millimeter by millimeter, replaced by a hardness that had lines settling around her mouth and eyes. Not a glare exactly, but not nearly as friendly.
Still, I didn’t let my expression change. Professional. Neutral. And unmovable. I’d sit in this reception area all day if I had to. I’d done it before on one of the occasions I’d managed a trip up here for the day while Owen was with a friend’s family.
“Understood, sir,” the woman said, lowering the phone to the receiver. She looked up with brown eyes gone guarded, making her skin seem paler than it had been just moments ago. “You’ll have to wait.”
“No problem,” I said easily, moving toward the hard plastic reception chairs. What was it with law enforcement offices and hospitals? Always the worst chairs when you needed a moment of kindness.
I eased into the uncomfortable plastic shell and set my tote bag on the chair beside me. It was the one Nova had made me, complete with an embroidered Bigfoot in the top corner and the word believe next to it. I pulled out my book on scent training.
I wanted to start training Yeti on air tracking. It would allow her to move more quickly, and now that her recall was nearly perfect, I trusted her enough to release her without a lead. I’d just need to make sure she had her bear bell and a GPS collar.
“You know, I’m hurt,” a familiar voice said. “You ask to talk to the big guy and don’t even bother to stop and say hello.”
“She emailed me and told me she was coming in,” another voice said, a teasing edge to it.
I shut my book and looked up, a smile tipping my lips. The Juniper County sheriff might’ve been on my shit list lately, but that didn’t mean his officers were.
My gaze settled on the owner of the first voice. “I might not have requested your assistance, but that doesn’t mean I came without gifts.” I pulled out a cellophane bag I’d tied with ribbon and handed it to Roger.
The tall man with sandy-blond hair took it easily, studying the contents. “Donuts, coffee, and speeding ticket cookies?”
The second man barked out a laugh, his green eyes twinkling. “I’ll be damned.”
I fished in my tote and retrieved a second bag. “One for you, too, Travis.”
He grinned at me, patting his flat stomach as his gaze flicked to Roger. “Don’t tell Cora she gave me these. I don’t want to share.”
“You never want to share,” Roger mumbled as he untied his bag.
Travis quickly broke off a piece of cookie. “Sharing is for non-food-related items only.”
“Not even with Cora? That’s not very nice,” I teased.
Roger popped a piece of cookie into his mouth. “Especially since they just got engaged.”
My eyes went wide. “Seriously?”
A little pink hit Travis’s cheeks, making his auburn hair look a little redder. “About a month ago.”
I pushed up and out of the chair, giving the man a hug. “So happy for you.”
And I was. Roger and Travis had both been on the original callout for Nova.
And when Sheriff Miller started going longer and longer between updates, they’d kept me in the loop.
But I knew I had to get Miller on my side if I wanted real law enforcement effort on Nova’s case.
I had to find something that would make him believe Nova was still out there, that there was hope.
“Looks to me like my boys got too much time on their hands,” a loud voice boomed.
Both Roger and Travis tensed. Miller’s tone was teasing, but I got the sense the words carried the jerk of a choke collar. The sheriff’s hair had gone snow white with age, and while the bushy mustache should’ve been grandfatherly, his tone made it come across more sinister than anything.
A muscle flickered along Travis’s jaw. “Just saying hello.”
Roger was better at playing the game. He shot the sheriff a grin and held out his bag. “Cookie?”
Miller eyed the contents, and I could see he wanted one, but he shook his head. “No.”
I bent, fishing out my third and final bag. “I brought one for you, too, sir. Home baked.”
“You poison ’em?” Travis muttered under his breath.
Roger choked on a half laugh, half cough.
Miller just scowled but swiped the bag from me. “What do you want, Braedyn? There are no updates. I told you I’d call if there were.”
“I know. But I wanted to let you know that I moved to Starlight Grove.”
All three men went silent and stock-still.
“What in tarnation were you thinking?” Miller bellowed.
“You think you can move to town and start riding my ass every week? I will bar you from this building. We got real cases to tackle. Your friend’s gone.
Tourists fall prey to all kinds of fatal accidents in these woods and mountains.
I’m sorry for your loss, but you gotta let her go. ”
I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood. “She’s not gone. I found her water bottle in the parking lot. Someone took her.”
“She probably dropped it on your way out on the hike—”
“She didn’t. I saw her drink from it,” I shot back.
Miller shook his head. “You think you did. Mind plays tricks. Guilt plays tricks.”
His last statement was the truest thing I’d ever heard him say.
“I’m not wrong. And even if I don’t have your help, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop. Ever.”
Snatching my bag off the chair, I stalked out of the building and onto the sunbaked sidewalk. My breaths came in ragged pants until I got my temper under control.
“Brae.”
I stiffened at the sound of Roger’s voice but forced myself to turn around. The pity I saw written across his face was a sucker punch to the gut. “You think she’s gone, too.”
His blue eyes shifted to the side. “What I think doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me,” I said quietly.
Roger studied me for a long moment. “I think she likely fell into the river and it took her under. I don’t want to think she was kidnapped. Because if she was, she’s gone, and it’s not a pleasant way to go.”
My stomach twisted at the thought. Delving into the world of missing persons after Nova disappeared, I’d heard all the horror stories. Human trafficking. Serial killers. Rapists. I didn’t want any of that for my friend and sister.
“But,” Roger went on, “sometimes, we have to look for us. We need to go down every possible road so we can let go. So tell me, what do you need?”
He might not believe, but he’d still help. I’d take that. “I need resources. I have maps of movements and possible sightings. I have similar cases of missing persons. But I need…I need access to camera feeds from that time period and the reports of possible sightings.”
Roger winced and scrubbed a hand over his face.
“Miller won’t let you,” I surmised.
Roger shook his head. “Said he’ll can my ass if I use company time or resources.
” He let out a long breath, glancing over his shoulder as if checking to make sure we had a modicum of privacy.
“I’m not sure why Miller’s taking such a hard line on this but he’s heaping more work on anyone’s plate who says they have time to look into Nova’s case. ”
Anger stirred, a hot flush rising to my cheeks. I understood that they were a small department with limited to resources, but this was flat out cruel. “Then how am I supposed to get my hands on that footage?”
Roger studied me for a long moment. “It could’ve been erased by now. But…”
“But what?” I pressed, hope flaring.
“I’ve got a friend. He’s damn good with computers. Might be able to find some workarounds. Let me see.”
I stretched up, laying a smacking kiss on Roger’s bristled cheek. “Thank you.”
“Careful,” Roger warned. “You keep kissin’ me like that, I’m gonna keep askin’ you to dinner.”
“Sorry, pal. That particular shop is closed.” And it would stay that way. Sometimes, trust had been broken in too many ways to let yourself go down that road. It wouldn’t be fair to you or whoever you attempted it with.
Roger let his gaze sweep over me for a moment. “Damn shame.”
I laughed, starting down the sidewalk. “I’m taking that as a compliment.”
“It is one,” he called back.
I gave him a wave and turned to head down the block.
I took my time, looking in windows to see if there were any Help Wanted signs.
The one in the window of Barrel & Branch was a bust. They were looking for someone who could work nights.
I dropped off a résumé at the bookstore and an art gallery before pausing in front of the dark wood facade of the Boot.
A bar almost certainly was looking for someone who could work nights, but when I peeked in through the open saloon doors, I saw that it was half-full at three in the afternoon. That had to mean something.