Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Wesley
My Kind of Trouble
Some days were quiet, and others seemed to roll in like a hurricane that lingered.
Today Wes felt like he was in the eye of the storm.
There was a bad accident on Beach Boulevard, again, and several mangled cars were just cleared via tow trucks off the winding narrow road.
It was the same road his parents died on that fateful night almost twenty years ago.
This time he had multiple people taken to the hospital, and a traffic jam.
Although the snow was melting, the extra water was flooding parts of the road and people were overestimating their driving skills.
Then there was a fire in one of the old barns out at the Banks estate, which looked a lot like arson.
“Who would light your barn on fire, Miles?” Wes asked Miles Banks who stood watching the fire department douse what was left of the old barn.
“The funny thing is, it was empty. We built a new one a few years ago, and all the horses, feed, tack, and farm equipment are kept there. I’d been meaning to have this one torn down.”
“Well I guess they saved you the trouble—even still I’m a little worried this was just a warning.”
Miles grimaced and shook his head.
“You need to tell me who you think may have done this. We can’t have some vigilante burning down any ole thing they want. Even if it was empty.”
“Those Baker boys did ask to buy a few acres from us last month, said they needed the extra land for grazing their goats. But I can’t imagine they’d do this.”
“No, Scotty Baker would probably disown his boys if either of them tried to step out of line.”
“Anyone else?”
“You know we’re not exactly the most popular family in town, but I can’t think of anyone who would take the time to drive out here and burn our old decrepit barn. No disgruntled employees, and no enemies as far as the estate is concerned.”
“What’s that mean?”
“You know my brother Tyler likes to make enemies but those are usually in business, or the city.”
“Alright, well we’re going to work the scene, and we’ll have the fire department make a final assessment once they get the blaze out.”
Miles shook Wes’s hand before he traipsed back to his truck, but Wes knew there was something Miles wasn’t telling him.
Once he finally got back to the office where he had a bunch of paperwork to complete, he found Gran waiting for him at his desk.
“Would you care to tell me why you didn’t think to inform me that sweet Mr. Shepherd passed away last night? Would you believe I had to hear that sad news, about a dear friend, from folks down at the diner.”
“Gran, I apologize, but as you can imagine I was pretty busy dealing with that scene out at the Shepherd house. Had to post a cruiser there all night since the heir is unknown. And it’s been nonstop since I arrived at eight.”
“Well how is Shelby handling this? Do you think it’s too soon for me to swing by and offer her my condolences and a home-cooked meal?”
“Yes, and you won’t find her at the house. Her father requests no one stay there until they can determine who is to inherit.”
His grandmother gasped. “Oh of all the low-down dirty things to do to his own daughter. Not to mention she doesn’t need a dime of that Shepherd money with all those books she sells.”
“You knew about her books?”
His grandmother rolled her eyes. “Yes, luckily for me I have more than one informant in this town. Well one less now that Mr. Shepherd has passed. Such a sweet man.”
Her eyes misted and Wes stood to comfort his tough-as-nails grandmother. It was rare something brought her to tears.
But she waved him off. “Oh I’m fine, just seems a shame. He just got his girl back in town and now he’s going to miss all the fun.”
“Fun?”
“Never mind. I think I’ll go invite Shelby to stay with me in case she needs a safe place from all the drama.”
“Gran, I already offered her a place to stay,” he said softly, closing his office door. “She strikes me as the type who might need a little space and privacy while she processes this loss.”
Gran nodded. “Alright, I’ll wait until I see her at the funeral. I hear that it’s Friday.”
“You did? What else did you hear?”
“That she was out at the Shepherd house, after meeting with Declan Shaw, and told her brother to get off her land when he tried to challenge her earlier this afternoon. Apparently she had the deed in her name and your deputy made sure her brother understood the law was on her side.”
“Damn it.” Wes grabbed his keys off his desk.
“Who told you that?”
“Same person who said there was a fire out at the Banks estate today. You know what they say.”
“I’m not sure I want to know, and who is this they?”
“Bad things always happen in threes,” Gran said.
“You’re not superstitious.”
“No, but that is what they say.”
“Your spies have any clue who set that fire out at the Banks estate?”
She sighed and eyed him while crossing her arms. “Maybe but it’ll cost you.”
“Name your price, woman.”
“You bring Shelby out for dinner at the house one night soon.”
Now it was Wes’s turn to sigh. He would be more than happy to take Shelby for dinner at his grandmother’s house. He usually had dinner with her at least twice a week. But he wasn’t sure when Shelby would agree to that.
“If I can convince her, I’ll bring her out.”
“I’ll make sure the liquor cabinet is fully stocked, because if Zeke’s will says what I think it does, her family is going to give her a hard time. Good thing Declan Shaw is her attorney now too.”
“Any chance you’re looking to come out of retirement and want to take some part-time work as a deputy?”
Gran’s eyes opened wide before she burst out laughing. “Now that is the smartest idea you’ve had in years.”
“Thanks, I think.” Wes couldn’t help but laugh too, but then his phone started ringing.
Gran stood, propping her fancy bag on his desk, and pulled out a smaller bag he recognized from the diner.
“I figured you probably forgot to eat lunch today, so I got you one of those sandwiches you like. But if I were you, I’d be headed out to relieve that deputy at the Shepherd house soon.”
Wesley grinned as if she’d read his mind. “Thank you, Gran. And what was it you said you heard about the Banks estate?”
With pursed lips she met his eyes. “I don’t have a name, but apparently Miles has been very vocal about throwing his support behind you for sheriff, and the Shepherds have been opposed to the idea. No idea if those two things are related.
Wes didn’t like the sound of that. Would Samuel Shepherd really target Miles for being supportive of Wes for sheriff?
And have his property destroyed? Miles Banks was from a very prominent Sandy Point family, just like the Shepherds.
It’d be like going after one of their own.
But maybe they didn’t see it that way, if Miles wasn’t in agreement with them.
“Thank you for coming by, the sandwich, and all this town intelligence,” Wes said, then gave his grandmother a big hug.
“Well you are my favorite grandson,” she teased. Something he knew for a fact she told all three of them.
“I’ll let you know if I can convince Shelby to come with me to dinner at your place one night soon.”
“You do that, and I’ll make your favorite cake as a reward.”
He opened his office door for her and the desk clerk stood about to knock on his door.
“Seems we have an issue out at the Shepherd estate, Sheriff.” The young deputy looked worried.
“Mr. Shaw specifically asked that you get involved, Sheriff.”
Wes grabbed his coat. If Declan was at the Shepherd estate that meant someone was challenging her already and if he had a guess, it was more than one someone.
“I’ll call you later, Gran,” he said before practically running to his truck.