Page 100 of Riverbend Gap (Riverbend 1)

The man pushed him off with great effort. “I don’t owe you nothing. Get away from me.”

Cooper’s father went after the guy.

Cooper shook himself from his stupor. “Deputy sheriff. That’s enough!” He leaped forward and grabbed his dad by the back of the shirt.

His father fought for release.

“I said that’s enough!” Cooper gripped his dad in a hold. “It’s me, Dad. Settle it down.”

Lonnie, the owner of Trailhead Bar and Grill, approached with a frown pulling his brows tight. “Your dad wrecked my bar. I’m pressing charges.”

“I’m sorry. We’ll get it sorted out.”

The man looked less than impressed with his assurance. “You’d better. There’s at least two thousand dollars’ worth of damage in there.”

“I said we’ll sort it out.”

With one last scowl at Cooper’s dad, Lonnie stalked back into the restaurant.

His father struggled against him. “Let me go! I wanna go.”

“Cool it,” Cooper said firmly. “I mean it.”

“He owes me money! I won that bet.”

Cooper took in the crowd gathered around. “All right, folks, excitement’s over. Move along now.”

“I won that bet fair and square. He ripped me off!”

The crowd started to disperse. “We’ll figure it out. Now, will you settle down, or do you want to do this the hard way?”

His father stopped struggling, his breaths heaving against Cooper’s chest. He reeked of whiskey and desperation.

“Let’s do this without cuffs, all right, Dad?” He slowly released his father, who wavered on his feet.

“Where are you taking me?” Dad yelled. “Am I under arrest?”

“We’re just going to take a little breather. Let you sober up a little.”

“I’m not drunk!”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“It wasn’t my fault. He wouldn’t pay me—he owes me money!”

Cooper regretted not driving his cruiser because now he hadto walk two blocks with his drunk, loudmouthed father. The judgmental stares took him right back to childhood. They were only tourists, but he recognized plenty of faces.

Cooper wasn’t responsible for his father’s actions. He was just a deputy doing his job. He loved this town—his town. But people could be fickle, their feelings and opinions manipulated by rumors and falsehoods. He didn’t have anything to prove to them. He was square with God—if not with Gavin... or the county at large.

It was enough that he tried to do the right thing. He’d devoted his life to upholding the law, for crying out loud. How much more esteemed did he need to be? If being a deputy didn’t mute the internal whisper telling him he was unworthy of respect, becoming a sheriff wouldn’t either.

Cooper stopped at a crosswalk, a firm grip on his dad’s arm. The man wavered, pointing. “I know that guy! Hey, I know that guy!”

Cooper glanced in the direction he pointed—a sea of faces, only one of them familiar. The light changed and Cooper tugged his father along. “Come on, we’re almost there.”

By the end of the day word would be all over Riverbend that Craig Burton was back in town. Maybe it would remind everyone exactly where sheriff-candidate Cooper Robinson had really come from.

But Cooper knew who he was now—and he was not his father.