Page 106 of Finding His Redemption

“Breathe for me, Ness.” His voice was low and soothing. “Whatever this is, whatever’s going on—I don’t care. Okay? We’ll get through it. We’ll find Oliver.”

Funny how when he said it, it didn’t sound like a platitude. It sounded like the truth.

“But I need you to stay with me, okay, sweetness?”

Her breath caught, and her fingers curled around his wrists, anchoring herself to him. “I’m trying.”

She wanted to collapse into him and soak in his warmth and strength, bask in his promise that everything would be okay…

But then Brandt cleared his throat, and the world came rushing back.

The spell broke.

She drew in a breath, steadied herself, and gently stepped out of Jax’s hold, turning back to the marshal. “The sheriff won’t help.”

“That’s why I called the state police.” Headlights swept over them, and Brandt’s face puckered like he’d bitten into a lemon. “Speak of the devil.”

Sheriff Goodwin’s patrol car pulled up next to them. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. His uniform was wrinkled, his belly straining against his belt, and when his eyes found her, they were cold.

“Ms. Harmon,” he said, his voice flat. “Heard your boy took off.”

“He’s seven years old,” she snapped. “He’s scared and upset, and he’s been missing for over an hour.”

Goodwin’s gaze shifted to Jax, and his expression hardened. “Figures you’d show up. Kid probably ran off because he heard what kind of man his mama’s been keeping company with.”

Heat flooded her cheeks, part embarrassment, part fury. She felt Jax go rigid beside her, his hand dropping away from her shoulder.

“Enough,” Brandt said, stepping forward. The command was quiet, but steel lay beneath it.

Goodwin whirled on him. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Someone here to find a missing child, not play politics.”

“I’m not playing anything,” Goodwin said, hitching up his belt. “I’m stating facts. This whole mess started when she got involved with a convicted felon. Now her kid’s acting out, running away?—”

“Shut up.” The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them, sharp and vicious. “Just shut up. My son is missing, and all you can do is stand there and blame me? What kind of sheriff are you?”

Goodwin’s face flushed red. “The kind who knows trouble when he sees it. And, sweetheart, you’re nothing but trouble.”

“Hey,” Jax said, “watch your tone with her.”

“Or what?” Goodwin stepped closer, his hand resting on his belt near his weapon. “You’ll assault another officer? Add to your rap sheet?”

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut. The men from Valor Ridge shifted, closing in behind her and Jax, and Brandt stepped up to her side. This was about to go very, very bad.

“Gentlemen.” Principal Martinez appeared at her elbow, Mariah right behind her with Oliver’s dinosaur backpack clutched in her hands. “Perhaps we could focus on finding Oliver?”

The sheriff sneered but backed off a step. “I’m not wasting resources until I know he’s not just hiding somewhere around here.” With that, he walked back to his cruiser.

“Prick,” Martinez muttered under her breath, then flushed when River burst out laughing. “Sorry. He’s not my favorite person.”

“Is he anyone’s?” River asked. “From what I hear, even his wife don’t like him.”

Bear stepped forward to take the backpack from Mariah, who stared up at him with wide eyes. “Can I have that, ma’am?”

She flushed. “Oh, right. Of course.”

With the bag in hand, he walked back toward his truck. King’s tail started wagging the moment he saw his handler approaching, and the dog jumped down from the bed with surprising grace for something so large.