The Summerland by T. L. Schaefer Read Free Book Online Page B

“Sheriff, you’re a good boy and come from a fine family. We ain’t always seen eye to eye on some things, but that’s water under the bridge. What I can’t understand is why you won’t kick those no good witches out on their asses. How many more of our younguns have to be took before you see the light? If you don’t do something right now, I will. I’ll go tell them TV people that them women had candle wax all around them, just like those agents of Satan use. Don’t think I won’t.” With that declaration he turned to the door, smiling a secret smile as the impact of the bombshell he’d dropped began to hit Bill and the other officers in the room.
    “ Wiley, wait just a damned…” Bill’s response was cut off by the scandalized voice of Gail. He watched in barely disguised glee as his secretary tore into the old man.
    “ Wiley Goltree, you ought to be ashamed. I know you’re all aflutter over those folks down by the river, but don’t you dare come in here and threaten the Sheriff like that. If you went to those darn TV people you’d never be able to hold your head up in this county again and you very well know it, so don’t you start tossing around threats in here. Do you hear me?” Wiley nodded, hanging his head as he shuffled to the door. “Wiley Goltree, you look at me.” Wiley turned, looking at Gail with a sheepish expression. Gail looked at him long and hard, then jerked her matronly head in a curt nod. With her approval Wiley pulled open the doors to the outside, and safety.
    “ Phew, Gail.” Bill swiped imaginary sweat from his brow. “Once again you save our butts. Find Stumpy and tell him that I want to see him in my office in fifteen minutes.“ He began to move toward his office, vacillating between his admiration of Gail and being purely pissed off at Stumpy. Stumpy Goltree was huge pain in the ass. He was one of the few remaining old-school peace officers in Mariposa, and even though he’d only been on the force a year when Bill had come home and pinned on a deputy’s badge, he’d latched onto the old ways with the voracity of a pit bull. He could almost guarantee that Stumpy had been the source of the leak on the candle wax, just as he was sure something would surface on the money before the end of the day was out. The problem was, Stumpy may be a bitter holdout of days gone by, but he’d been educated by the best. He was smart and never left tracks.
    Ruminating over yet another complication, Bill was almost to his inner sanctum, more than ready for his first cup of office coffee when the outer doors opened and his life went even further to hell.
    He recognized the deep timbre of her voice from yesterday’s conversation, recognized that touch of arrogance endemic to a military officer, and recognized the undertone of fear. He smoothly pivoted on the heel of his boot and walked to the desk.
    He took his first look at Arden Jones and knew he was in a heap of trouble. She was striking. Not beautiful in any conventional sense, but she had a presence about her that you recognized from the get-go and wore like a shield. Her long, lean body fairly screamed tension, and he could almost feel it radiating off her in waves. Ash blonde hair was swept up in a ruthless military-style twist, and even though she wasn’t in uniform, Bill doubted anyone would mistake her for anything but a take-charge person. What makeup she did have on was tasteful and discreet and the navy blue suit she wore radiated quiet authority and a no-shit attitude. The only thing that saved her from looking like a full-on bitch was the genuine distress in and around her changeable hazel eyes and full, bottom-heavy mouth.
    That first, all encompassing look cemented her image in his mind, and he had the distinct impression he wouldn’t be shaking it loose anytime soon. He’d been a choosy man most of his life, and right now the mix of iron maiden and distressed female that Arden Jones projected looked entirely too