Page 12 of Legends: Easton (Legends of Fire Creek #3)

Bailee pulled out her cell phone, and under the pretense of checking her messages, she snapped a picture of the man.

The angle wasn’t the best, but hopefully it was enough to use to identify him.

If Jimmy or the other detectives could see her, they would give her grief for being paranoid.

But a year of being undercover taught her that sometimes paranoia could save her life.

The man left the store ahead of them, and she didn’t see him again.

The rain had lessened to a drizzle, and they sloshed through the puddles in the parking lot to load the groceries into the trunk.

Bailee’s head stayed on a swivel, not wanting to leave anything to chance.

All was quiet around her, and they drove back to the house without incident.

Bailee forced herself to help Gran put away the groceries though she was itching to make a call. She didn’t want to alarm Gran, which wasn’t an easy feat since the woman read people as easily as her morning newspaper.

“I’m in the mood for a little baking. Want to help?”

The simple declaration took Bailee back to a particular summer.

Though she preferred to spend her time outdoors, Darby Anne convinced her to help out in the kitchen one day.

She learned how to cook and bake at her grandmother’s side, and though Bailee wasn’t good at it, the conversation and laughter made the time special.

They ended up taking the bulk of the food they prepared to friends of Gran’s, who appreciated the thoughtfulness and cemented her love for doing things for other people.

“Sure. Just let me go wash up and change.”

“Everything okay, Bailee Anne?”

She smiled. “Yes. I’m fine. I just remembered I need to make a phone call, but I shouldn’t be too long. Then I’m yours for the rest of the day.”

Bailee retreated before her grandmother could question her further. Once she was behind the closed door in her bedroom, she pulled up Corinne’s contact in her phone and dialed her number.

“Bailee, your timing is impeccable.”

Bailee blinked, not expecting her friend to answer with anything but the traditional hello. “What’s going on?”

“It’s been a free-for-all around here. New players have stepped up to take over the Blood Disciples now that B Diggs is behind bars, and it’s turned into a violent turf war.

Local LEOs have been running around trying to keep everything contained, but it’s been chaos.

And then this morning, you won’t believe what happened. ”

“Don’t leave me in suspense. What happened?”

“B Diggs was shivved in his cell this morning. I just got the call and was about to head out to the prison when you called.”

Shock radiated through her, and Bailee settled on her bed, not trusting her legs to hold her upright. “Is he dead?”

“No, but it’s not looking good. His doctor doesn’t think he’ll survive through the night, but a son-of-a-bitch that mean could surprise everybody.”

“What about Jimmy?”

“He and the rest of the major players are being moved into protective custody. I’m going to assist in the questioning and scene investigation.”

Bailee’s mind whirled. There was a possibility that B Diggs wasn’t targeted, but she had her doubts. “Who ordered the hit?”

“It’s unclear, but with the fight over the BDs’ turf, it could be several people. Everything’s a mess right now. How about you? Are you getting some rest, or are you already wishing you were back in the thick of things?”

“Uh, neither. I’ve kept busy, and as much as I’m ready to put all this behind me, I’m enjoying my time away. I do need a favor though.”

“Anything wrong?”

Bailee sighed. “I don’t know. I’m hoping you can tell me.”

She placed the call on speaker so she could be free to text the photo she took that morning to Corinne. Once it went through, she switched off the speaker and placed the phone to her ear.

“I just sent you a picture. Do you know that guy?”

“Yikes. I know I don’t want to run into him in a dark alley, but as far as knowing who he is, I’ve never seen him before. Why are you asking?”

Bailee explained her encounter with the guy, almost cringing at how silly her reaction seemed once she shared the story out loud.

“Look, I know I sound crazy, but I’m in a small town.

Everyone literally knows everyone else, and if they don’t, they’ll find out before the end of the day.

No one knew this guy, and something about him…

I can’t explain it other than my gut says he’s trouble.

Considering what’s happened, I wanted to err on the side of caution. ”

“The picture’s not the best angle, but I think our software can work with this. I’ll have our techs run it through facial recognition and see if we get any hits. It might take a day or two, but you’ll know when I know.”

“Thanks, Corinne. If you need me back to help with the investigation, just call me. No one knows these assholes better than I do.”

“I may take you up on that, but for now, I want you to stay where you are. I feel better knowing you’re far away from all of this.”

“Yeah, okay, but promise me you’ll be careful. I may have been the one undercover, but you’re the lead on this case. They could come after you just as easily as me.”

“I’m always careful. Take care, Bailee. Gotta go.”

Corinne cut off the call before Bailee could bid her farewell. She stared at her phone for several seconds, processing the intel Corinne shared.

News of B Diggs’ attack was the most shocking. He would never give up power over the Blood Disciples, even from behind bars. Taking out the gang leader was a bold move, one that could work in the perpetrator’s favor or put a target on the culprit’s back.

Either way, the shake up from her undercover operation was reaching farther than she anticipated.

So was the man she saw today connected? Was he there to find her and report back? If he was there to eliminate her, he had ample opportunity while she was out with Gran. The little contact they had was not anything he initiated. Their encounter was an accident. Wasn’t it?

Was he related to her case at all? He could be passing through or be a transplant to Fire Creek. The town was small, but people were known to relocate there. He couldn’t be trouble at all. The vibe she got from him could only be her hyper-awareness after her undercover op.

The questions and what ifs swirled around in her mind. She wanted to do her own investigation into the guy, but she was without resources. She would have to wait until Corinne could search for the man’s identity and provide additional intel.

Glancing at the man’s photo saved on her phone, she memorized his features. He wasn’t familiar to her, but she was certain she would know if they crossed paths again. And next time she would be ready.