Chapter Three
The McCoy County Sheriff’s Department hadn’t changed much in the fifteen years since she’d last been there. Neither had the locals who still staffed its halls.
Blake followed the sheriff through the lobby, taking pains to not make eye contact with the receptionist. Mary Kimball wasn’t all that bad, but Blake wasn’t great at chatting with the older woman.
She wasn’t a gossip, but she had been known to deeply pry into anyone’s personal life if given the chance.
Blake didn’t want to give her that chance, so she matched the sheriff’s pace until her arm brushed against his.
He glanced over her at the movement but didn’t speak. He had been just as quiet in the truck before, during, and after Blake had called Lola again. She had wanted to make sure her stepmom wasn’t overwhelmed with getting Clem and Bruce back home solo.
“Shondra invited us for lunch,” she’d repeated. “I just changed the location to the house. She loves these babies, and me, so don’t you worry. You just take care of that man Ryan. Don’t worry about rushing home.”
Lola was a bright rainbow of optimism and love.
The way she said “that man” was laced with disgust and anger.
It was an uncomfortable but profound change.
Blake felt it too. She knew she was going to have to share it with Sheriff Weaver.
Maybe that’s why she accepted the quiet ride to the department.
She was holding on to the last vestiges of peace before Ryan took it from her.
Blake sucked in a deep breath.
By the time she exhaled, they were in one of the department meeting rooms. Price Collins was already waiting for them.
He surprised Blake with an open arm hug.
“Sheriff Trouble!” he exclaimed, encircling her in a bear hug. He wasn’t a particularly large man, but the embrace was all-encompassing. Blake couldn’t even return it. So she let it happen and laughed a little.
“It’s been a while since I’ve heard that one,” she said.
Price stepped back, breaking the embrace, and was all smiles.
“You make a name like that for yourself, and you better believe I’m going to use it,” he said. “I’ve been waiting to yell it at you since I heard it. I didn’t realize you were back in town yet. I guess I’m behind on town talk.”
He stepped to the side and rolled a chair away from the table for her. He did the same for his boss. They were in the middle of seating themselves as Price made a more dramatic introduction.
“Sheriff Weaver, let me reintroduce you to Sheriff Blake Bennet. Also known as Sheriff Trouble by some of her colleagues at her last two departments.”
Sheriff Weaver’s eyebrow rose high.
Blake tried to tamp down her grimace. She wasn’t a fan of having to explain her current situation in detail. This situation, however, definitely needed the context.
“I didn’t cause the trouble, I just kind of followed it,” she tried.
Price laughed.
“And helped fix it.” He swiveled so he was facing Sheriff Weaver directly.
He pointed to Blake. “This here wonder woman has been elected sheriff of two different departments in Georgia and Alabama. That’s to say nothing of her rocketing through every law enforcement establishment she’s been a part of.
Her last gig made national news. She was even hailed as an integral part of helping put an end to an entire town’s corruption. ”
Blake couldn’t help but stop him there.
“I didn’t realize you were keeping tabs on me, Price. I’m almost flattered.” She gave him a look that she hoped showed she wasn’t in the mood for being flattered. He laughed again.
“Hey, when a Seven Roads local leaves the nest as a baby bird only to go fight with lions in their dens, you take notice.” He met the sheriff’s eye again.
“Not saying you don’t do us good here, Sheriff, but I just need you to know that who you’re dealing with isn’t some ordinary citizen.
Blake Bennet has a knack for taming trouble. ”
Blake was about to scold her old friend, but his demeanor changed. He softened.
She knew what came next.
“I never got to say it, but I sure was sorry about what happened. How are you doin’? How are the kids?”
If it had been a gossip or Mrs. Kimball or any other local, Blake would have been curt. Instead, she gave Price a genuine answer. It was short but it was true.
“I’m still adjusting. We all are.”
Price nodded.
“If anyone can handle it, I think it’s you,” he said. “If you ever need anything, you can let me and my kid know. She’s at the babysitting age now too and wouldn’t mind it a bit.”
Blake took the offer with a quick smile.
Then she looked at the sheriff.
Two thoughts immediately popped into her head.
One, Sheriff Weaver was undeniably good-looking. Whether it was in a gym lobby, a parking lot, between the trees, or in a room full of fluorescents, the man was captivatingly handsome.
Two, despite his good looks and status as Seven Roads’s main protector, he had no idea who she was.
Or, more accurately, what Price was talking about.
He didn’t seem confused, but there was definitely a look of trying to connect the pieces he had just been given.
Blake felt the warmth of his shirt around her and decided to give him a hand.
“I moved back to Seven Roads a few months ago to take care of my niece and nephew,” she said, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible.
“My sister passed away six months ago, and now I’m their legal guardian.
My niece was the one today who talked about moths and butterflies at the daycare assembly. ”
Blake gave another little smile. She hoped to undercut the potential pity coming her way. Thankfully, the sheriff didn’t give it. At least he didn’t give too much.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Then a slight pivot that she appreciated. “And I remember your niece. She spoke well.”
Blake felt some pride at that. She merely accepted the compliment with a nod though. Then it was down to business.
“How does Ryan Reed figure into everything?” he asked. “You two clearly know him, but I’ve never run into him since I took up my badge.”
Blake wasn’t surprised. In fact, the only surprise she had was that Ryan had shown up in Seven Roads at all. She had been sure he wouldn’t dare after their last encounter.
“Ryan was my sister Beth’s brother-in-law,” she explained. “Former brother-in-law. Beth and his brother, Tim, divorced right after my nephew was born.”
Blake cut her gaze to Price. She tried to find tactful words.
“Tim wasn’t the best of guys,” she continued.
“He gave up his rights to the kids after letting anyone who would listen know that he didn’t want to lose his life by being a father.
After the divorce was finalized, he left town and moved somewhere up north.
As far as I know, no one’s heard from him since.
He didn’t even show up for Beth’s funeral. ”
Old but violent rage welled up inside of Blake. She slipped her hand onto her lap and balled it into a fist. Her nails bit into the skin of her palm. Both men showed their displeasure. Price was shaking his head. The sheriff’s frown was deep.
“Ryan, however, did,” she kept on. “He pulled me aside and started asking about money. He kept wondering what I’d do now that I was back in town.
If I’d get into the sheriff’s department or if I’d sit around using up Beth’s life insurance money to keep the kids and me going.
” Tiny points of pain radiated into her palm as Blake applied more pressure.
“He didn’t once ask about how the kids were doing otherwise. ”
“He was also really loud about the rest, from what I heard,” Price added.
Blake nodded. She’d had no doubt that word would travel fast after Ryan had been so loud at the funeral.
She had been relieved, however, to hear that the rumor mill hadn’t churned out every detail.
Maybe that had been more to Lola’s credit than anything.
Blake had long suspected that her stepmother had worked overtime to try to keep as much idle chatter about their family’s tragedy under wraps as possible over the last six months or so.
It was no one’s business but their own that Blake was currently using her own life savings to take time off from working and make their transition as easy as possible.
The insurance money was currently in a savings account that she wasn’t touching unless absolutely necessary.
She hadn’t told Ryan any of that.
And she definitely wouldn’t.
“So this is the first time you’ve seen Ryan since the funeral?” the sheriff asked.
Blake nodded again.
“He doesn’t, and hasn’t, lived in Seven Roads for years, as far as I know,” she said. “So seeing him at the school caught me off guard. I was going to go ask why he was there, but he started running. Past job experiences had me run after him on instinct.”
“Did he say anything to you?” he asked.
“He asked where ‘it’ was and said he knows that I’m working on it. I have no idea what he’s talking about.” A cruel thought ran across her mind. “Unless he’s referring to the insurance money Beth left behind.”
Maybe it was her imagination, but Blake could have sworn she saw the sheriff’s jaw twitch. Sheriff Weaver pushed his chair back with a little force too.
“Only one way to find out,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
Blake did the small-talk dance with Price while the sheriff interviewed Ryan.
She caught up on his daughter’s life, some mutual friends from school chatter, and then lightly on some of the bigger changes in town.
That small talk had no choice but to lead back to the Grayton Steel Mill accident.
It had been one of the most sensational things to happen in Seven Roads in the last few years.