Chapter 9 #3
“Son of a—” This time, Evan cut himself off mid-sentence.
“Well, those idiots are on their way now. They just passed us by Davidson’s farm stand.
” That was about three miles from the turnoff for Heaven’s Pastures.
“No lights or sirens, though. They look like they’re out for a Sunday drive. You got my rifle?”
“Yes, sir. And our pistol-packin’ mama is locked and loaded too.” Despite the severity of the situation, Adam gave Sage a smile and a wink.
“Good. We’ll be home in a few minutes, son. Hang tight.”
After ending the call, he checked the window again as Sage went to the front of the house to wait for the sheriff’s deputies to pull in.
Thankfully, it wasn’t long before two patrol cars came up the drive.
He joined her in the foyer and opened the door.
Cosgrove climbed out of one and a deputy from the other, then dashed to the front porch through the pouring rain.
The sheriff’s scowl clearly showed his annoyance and belief that this was a complete waste of time.
The two men removed their wide-brimmed hats and stepped inside.
“Now, what’s this all about, Westfield?” the sheriff growled with annoyance while eyeing the rifle Adam still had cradled in his arms.
He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from decking the arrogant man and handed the weapon to Sage, who still held her pistol. The last thing he wanted was for either lawman to be nervous about an ex-con holding a loaded rifle, no matter the situation.
Crossing his arms, he glared at Cosgrove.
“Whether or not you believe, Sheriff, someone shot at me in the northwest pasture just before the rain started. I was packing up the truck, and two shots missed my boots by inches. A third shot took out the driver’s window of Evan’s truck.
It's possible the slug is still in the cab—I was too busy getting the hell out of there to check.”
Cosgrove gave a dismissive grunt. “Did you see anyone? If the slug isn’t in the vehicle, I doubt there’ll be any other evidence to find. Kind of convenient that it happened right before the downpour, which probably washed away whatever was there.”
Adam clenched his fists. Now he desperately wanted to punch the smirk off the man’s face.
But that would land him in jail.
The sound of boots pounding across the porch caught everyone’s attention, and the door swung open. Maddie’s face was filled with concern as she visually inspected Adam and then Sage. Evan was right behind her with a similar expression. “You all right, son?”
Nodding, he stepped farther into the living room, since there wasn’t enough space for all of them in the foyer. “Yeah, but your truck needs a new driver’s window.”
“That’s what insurance is for.” Evan glared at the two uniformed men. “Sheriff, what are you going to do about this?”
“About what? It was probably some hunter, and Westfield is blowing it out of proportion.”
Standing beside Adam, Sage sputtered as her face flushed red. “W-what? You can’t be serious, Sheriff! First, someone torches my barn, and now someone is shooting at Adam, and you think he’s blowing it out of proportion? You’re crazy!”
“Sage, shh, the kids.” He placed a hand on her back and rubbed it from side to side. She stiffened for a split second before some of the tension left her body, and she leaned into his touch.
After hanging up her raincoat, Maddie bustled past the others toward the hallway. “I’ll take care of the children while the sheriff and the deputy do their jobs and take a detailed report, followed by a full investigation. Being this is an election year and all.”
Subtle the woman was not, and Adam fought the urge to laugh.
But her veiled threat had the desired effect, even if the sheriff still appeared annoyed.
The man wrapped his big hand around the doorknob.
“Prescott, take the report. When the rain stops, have Westfield show you the truck and where it all went down. Log any evidence you find. I’ll send Miller out to help. ”
Cosgrove either didn’t give a damn or thought it was a hoax, but at least something was being done.
After the man hurried back to his vehicle and drove away, Sage let out a heavy sigh, then smiled at the young deputy.
“Come into the kitchen, Brian. You can take Adam’s report there, and I’ll put some coffee on for everyone. ”
An hour later, with the sun shining again, Deputies Miller and Prescott took the one slug they found lodged in the passenger door of Evan’s truck. Unfortunately, the rain had washed away any other signs of the shooter or the first two shots.
As Maddie and Sage prepared dinner and Evan fed the animals, Adam strode back to his cottage. He needed a shower and some dry clothes.
Closing the door behind him, Adam leaned against it and shut his eyes.
His body trembled as he finally let himself react to the terror he’d felt earlier and had kept hidden from the others.
It wasn’t what could’ve happened to him that scared him most. It was what could’ve happened to Sage, the children, and the Tanners.
And he couldn’t ignore where the shots had come from.
It wouldn’t have been difficult for someone on Bart Sherman’s land to ride up into the woods on horseback, cross over onto Sage’s property, and get into position above the northwest pasture without being seen.
Maybe it was time to find out everything he could about Sherman—and why the man was so damn determined to get his hands on property that had been in Mark Hammond’s family for generations.