Page 17 of Rescued By the Operative

The sheriff nods. “That’s the general consensus. Nobody’s taking it that seriously.”

I wave the poster in the air. “You know this is a threat from a known criminal enterprise?”

Lucas scrubs a hand over his face. “Criminal enterprise. That’s a bit of an overstatement.”

“Are you serious? Their Prophet is sitting in jail awaiting trial. You know what they do over at that compound.”

Ennis, who’s been waiting in the truck, comes in now.

The sheriff addresses my brother. “You gotta calm your brother down before he explodes, Ennis. I’ve seen him when he loses his temper. I don’t want to see people fighting about this silliness.”

“The problem is, there are enough people who believe every word they see just because it was posted on the kiosk. They’re attacking our reputation,” I say.

“Come on, Jake. Let’s go,” says my brother.

The sheriff laughs. “Reputation?”

I throw up my hands. “Wylie and Ennis and I have a ranch to run. Ellis has a farm he’s trying to expand. Not to mention, some of the people on this poster have babies on the way. You want expectant mothers to become a target?”

The sheriff sits back in his chair. “No, I do not. So, I suggest you back off and try to live peaceably with your neighbors.”

I blink at him. “You ran on a campaign that promised to help these women. You won in a landslide because you ran against one of those fucking polygamists.”

Ennis clears his throat. “Come on, brother. We got a delivery waiting at the feed store, and on top of that, I’m starving.”

I ignore this, waiting for a response from the sheriff.

“And I’ve helped you, haven’t I?” he says. “Haven’t I worked with departments in other towns to help find safe houses for these girls and their kids? Now, maybe our county doesn’t have the resources to investigate every report of abuse, but we got The Prophet sitting in jail right over there, don’t we? So maybe simmer down and let the law take its course.”

Let the law take its course. Sure. I could do that. “Or how about I go around town and take down every one of these fucking posters. How about that?”

“I won’t stop you,” he says.

I turn to Randy, “You want to help me, old man?”

Randy waves his palms in the air in surrender. “I ain’t about to put a target on my back like you boys.”

Ennis gives the old man a good-natured fist to the shoulder. “I don’t blame you,” he laughs.

I turn to the sheriff. “Deputize me.”

“Here we go,” Ennis sighs.

The sheriff splutters. “I don’t think so.”

I explain my case. “If you give me a badge, then they’ll think twice about messing with my people. Especially if what we’re doing looks like it’s endorsed by the authorities.”

Randy laughs and saunters out of the office.

The sheriff stares me down. “You don’t know when to leave well enough alone. Your rescue methods have been working. If you weren’t a threat already, nobody would be putting posters like this out.”

Ennis pipes up with, “I told you, Jake. We’ve got the cult running scared.”

My brother, the optimist.

“Sheriff…”

Lucas puts his hands up in a calm-down gesture. “I don’t expect you to understand this, but you don’t want to get in too deep here. A badge might make you bolder, but it isn’t going to make men like that hesitate with a rifle if you decide to pick more battles with ’em. Think about that.”