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The man in a matching green golf shirt came up to the woman and stood beside her. “That’s no way to talk to my wife. You get out of?—”
Ray pushed the man aside. “You better stay out of my way, old man.” He kicked another chair away.
Nolan whimpered somewhere behind Dakota, and Allie tried to soothe him. Ray was terrifying the boys. Hopefully Allie had grabbed Ethan too. Dakota couldn’t risk looking or letting his focus drop. He was about to move in when the sheriff walked in with the same deputy that had been here earlier.
“Ray Haroldson, stand down,” the sheriff said.
“This ain’t none of your business,” Ray slurred.
“Sheriff, I insist you arrest this man!” The older woman stood and pointed at Ray. “He’s covering for a murderer and silencing these children.”
If that lady didn’t shush and stay out of this, things were going to escalate. Ray was on the verge of exploding. The vein on the side of his head pulsed fast. Dakota was poised to whisk the boys away if the man came any closer.
“Betty, Robert, I’ll take your statements in a second,” the deputy said.
Betty huffed. “Well, I never?—”
Her husband grabbed her hand. “Woman, would you sit down. Can’t you see he’s got this?”
The sheriff walked up to the drunk. “Let’s go, Ray. You need to sleep this off.”
“No one is taking those boys away from me! Where’s Jennifer?” His loud voice boomed. He tried to step closer to Ethan and Dakota, but the sheriff reached for his arm to stop him. The deputy closed in on the other side of Ray.
“I suggest you leave the boys alone right now. You’re drunk and you drove here. According to Tracy, you made quite the ruckus at the bar tonight.”
Ray swung at the sheriff and missed. He collapsed to the floor, where he blinked up at them.
“That was the wrong move, Ray.” The sheriff looked to his deputy. “He can sleep it off in holding.”
“Sure thing, boss.” The deputy cuffed Ray and hauled him away.
The older couple closed in.
“It’s such a shame.” The older woman tsked. “What kind of trouble did he cause at the bar?”
Sheriff Hutchinson held up a hand. “Let me stop you right there, Betty. Robert, do you want to press charges?”
The older man shook his head.
“Then I’m done here.”
Betty huffed. “I just want help, Sheriff. I know everyone around these parts.” She turned to Dakota and Allie. “So, what happened with Jen Haroldson? Did that man hurt her? Is that why you’re here with the boys?”
“I’m sorry. We’ve got to find a bathroom to wash this guy off.” Allie picked up Nolan. “Ethan, why don’t you come with me.” They went to the restroom on the other side of the waiting area.
Robert tugged his wife back to the corner they’d been in earlier, but their obvious interest in the conversation had Dakota gesturing to the sheriff to move as far away from them as he could.
“Sheriff, I think you should talk to Ethan when he gets back. He witnessed a murder in the forest not too far from the campground.”
“A murder?” The sheriff thankfully kept his voice low too. “What makes you say that?”
“He said he saw a man shot and killed. And I heard a dead body was found recently. It matches Ethan’s story?—”
“Let me stop you right there. I’m familiar with Ethan’s stories. He’s called the office multiple times with reports of bad guys. I think we know who the real bad guy is he’s worried about.”
“This isn’t a story about Ray. I’m talking about that Army Ranger.”
“And how do you know about that?” The sheriff’s eyes narrowed.