Chapter Fifty-Three
Maya and Josh drove to the sheriff’s office. The air seemed clearer although there was still some haze as the sun set. The
fire had moved away from town and the firefighters were able to hold the line keeping it from threatening any other inhabited
areas. Hopefully they’d be able to contain it soon.
Maya was glad this day was almost over. To say it had been long was an understatement. Josh still seemed nervous, but less
so. He’d been awfully quiet. Maya pulled into a parking space, but didn’t get out.
“You good?” she asked.
“I am,” he said. “I keep thinking though about how I could have lost you.”
“It’s our jobs.”
“I know that and I know it goes both ways,” Josh said.
Maya thought about how she’d almost lost him the past spring. “I know how you feel, though. But it’s also why we’re so good
together. We have each other’s backs and we understand the job.”
“That and I love you more than anything,” Josh said. He leaned over and kissed her. Maya returned the kiss, her lips tingling and suddenly wishing they weren’t in her patrol vehicle at the sheriff’s station.
When they parted, she said, “And I love you more than anything.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he said.
“You ever doubt that?”
“No.”
“Good,” Maya said. “We better go in before I take us home and we lock ourselves in the bedroom.”
“I actually would be okay with that,” Josh said with a smile. “But I know. We have some things to do.”
“We do,” Maya said, reluctantly opening the door and getting out of the vehicle.
They headed into the front entrance. The sun had set and the sky was dark, but the smoke was less. She could see some stars
shining brightly.
“Nana always told me as a little kid that one of the stars was my mom proudly looking down,” Maya said, stopping to stare
up and better appreciate the night sky. “I’d like to think Nana is also there with her.”
“You know they both are,” Josh said. “And even though I never met them, I know they are proud of you.”
“Thanks,” Maya said, taking his hand and holding it as they headed inside to the lobby. “I know Abigail being shot and Ross
being arrested won’t bring them back, but I do feel like it’ll help me move forward and bring some more closure. I still don’t
really know what closure means, but maybe it’s simply getting answers.”
“In that case, who do you want to talk to first?” Josh asked.
Maya saw Kessler coming down the hall from the interrogation rooms. He appeared frazzled, but also more relaxed.
She figured he too was letting down knowing that Abigail was no longer a threat and he knew who her partner was.
Although Maya also knew he had to be disappointed that Agent Ross had been Abigail’s partner.
There was nothing worse than someone you looked up to letting you down. Maya figured it had to sting.
“Hey there, Kessler,” Maya said, greeting him with a handshake. “How are you doing?”
“Don’t ask,” Kessler said, then adding, “But not bad. Ross has been picked up already and sent to the federal detention center.
I told them he had to go to max security. The last thing I want is to have to chase him down. And he should have a cell to
himself, so maybe he’ll survive the night.”
“I figured there would be people in there that wouldn’t be happy to see him,” Maya said. “I’m sure some of them would love
nothing more than to give him some retaliation.”
“You’re right, there’s a couple prisoners he put there. I’ll admit, though, I’m so upset with him that there’s a part of me
that wouldn’t mind letting them be in with him, but I know I shouldn’t say that.”
“We’re all human,” Maya said. “You’re tired and he betrayed you. I think you have a right to feel that as long as you don’t
act on it.”
“Thanks, Thompson,” Kessler said.
“I have a couple questions though if you have time,” Maya said.
“Sure, right now I’m just finishing things up here and then I’ll get on the road and head back to Denver. I want to go talk to Agent Bernardo’s family . . . tell them he was a hero and died trying to save a teenage girl. I know nothing will ever bring him back, though.”
“I know that will be hard,” Maya said. Death notifications were the toughest part of their job. And even worse when it was
another officer.
“What’s your questions?” Kessler asked.
“I’m curious about Ross. The gal Josh interviewed said Abigail’s partner was a marshal. Was he ever with the marshals?”
“No,” Kessler said. “But I had just received everyone’s files when you and Hope were being pursued by Abigail. I was looking
through them and discovered Ross had been deputized as a marshal when he was up in Montana.”
“That makes more sense,” Maya said. She knew sometimes that happened so that different agencies didn’t have to worry about
jurisdiction.
“Yeah, turns out he was working with a task force and was deputized because of the fugitive they were after. That’s probably
how he met Abigail too. She may have introduced Ross as a marshal to just confuse Marcus O’Malley.”
“Was he a sniper with the FBI?”
“He had gone through tactical and sniper training.”
“He was definitely a good shot. Which I’m glad. We were all close together and if he hadn’t calculated correctly, he could have hit one of us,” Maya said, a chill running through her. “I really thought the partner was going to be Aaron.”
“I was leaning toward him too,” Kessler acknowledged. “But even though he’s a bit brash, he seems on the up-and-up. I had
the FBI find out if he really was texting a girlfriend. He was. Seems like they are going through a rough patch, so Nick telling
us it was lady troubles was right on.”
“I’m glad for Nick’s sake it wasn’t Aaron . . .” Maya said, trailing off. She had another question. A big one for her personally.
She took a deep breath. “What’s going to happen with Eric?”
Kessler nodded. “I figured you’d want to know. I’ve talked with both the federal and state prosecutors. I told them that despite
the headache your father has been, he’s been trying to do the right thing all along. I asked if we could drop all charges
except the minor ones in exchange for his testimony against Ross. I suggested they let him out with an ankle monitor to do
community service and serve his sentence that way and mark his record so he can’t work a job in law enforcement again.”
“Did they agree to that?”
“They did. I was just heading to find Eric and see if he would agree to that too.”
“I think it’s a good deal,” Maya said.
“I do too, but we’ll have to see what Eric thinks.”
“Thank you. Even if he doesn’t accept it, I know you are doing everything you can for him.”
“And for you too,” Kessler said. “You’re not only a good officer, but you’re a good person, Thompson. You deserve this too. Although I’d be okay if you don’t call me for a while. Every time you do it turns into a big case for me.”
Maya laughed. “I’ll do my best and hey, it’s job security, right?”
“If you say so. Let’s go see what Eric thinks about this deal.”
They all headed down the hallway and to Maya’s surprise they went to the conference room. Her stomach grumbled. Maya realized
she hadn’t had anything to eat since that morning. Even more to her surprise, Pops and Eric were sitting in there eating dinner
and chatting. They stopped talking and looked up at the trio coming into the room.
“There you all are,” Pops said, standing. “I have food from the Black Bear Cafe for all of you. Let me go get it. Hopefully
it’s still warm.”
As he walked by Maya, he gave her a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, Maya Bear.”
“Thanks, Pops.”
He headed on out of the room and Maya turned to Eric. Would he accept the deal or would he do something mulish like wanting
a trial to clear all charges? She plunked down into a chair hoping the stubbornness that ran in the family wouldn’t come out
right now.