Page 2 of Wild Card (Foster Bro Code #2)

Dalton

“Hey, Ava.” I rapped my knuckles on her desk as I passed. “Why didn’t you warn me about Sam Murphy? That ole coot tricked me into fixing his fence.”

Ava gave a throaty laugh. She was seventy-five, but her spirit was younger than mine. “Who do you think told him to report his steer was missing?”

She winked behind her turquoise-framed glasses.

I gasped, raising a hand to my chest. “You know false reporting is a crime, young lady. It’d break my heart to haul you in.”

She giggled, her cheeks turning a shade of pink that rivaled the dyed streaks in her silvery hair. “Now, I didn’t say his steer wasn’t actually missing. Only that you might help him with his security if he reported it.”

“You’re devious,” I said, lifting my coffee cup to slug back the dregs. They were cold and bitter, but it’d been a long-ass day that started damn near ten hours ago. I needed the caffeine. “I better finish my report so I can get out of here.”

She nodded. “Sheriff wants to see you before you go.”

Damn. I wasn’t Hale’s favorite person right now, so I couldn’t imagine it was for anything good.

I set my coffee cup and incident report on my desk, then headed for his office. The door stood open, so I knocked on the doorframe.

“Ava said you wanted to see me.”

He grunted without looking up. “Need you on crowd control at the Homecoming game. You better get out there.”

Sheriff Hale’s blunt tone told me he wasn’t asking. Still, I’d requested the night off weeks ago.

“I’m about to go off duty,” I said. “My nephew’s playing in the game tonight, remember?”

“You’ll just have to catch the highlights, then. We’re shorthanded.”

My jaw clenched. We’d been shorthanded when I put in the request. Hale had assured me he had it covered.

Things had changed since whispers started up around town that maybe Sheriff Hale should have competition in the spring election, though. Especially when my name had topped the short list of potential candidates.

Didn’t matter that I hadn’t asked to be on that dang list. After what happened in Phoenix, I damned sure didn’t want to be responsible for the whole department. I couldn’t even do right by my partner, so how could I do right by four deputies?

“I was on shift all day,” I said tightly. “You couldn’t have mentioned this change in plans sooner?”

“Sorry, princess. We’re all going to have to pull our weight from now on.”

My eyes met his. The bastard was smirking.

I strode into his office. “Come again?”

Sheriff Hale stood to face me, but my six feet three inches towered over his five-nine frame. My size came in handy on the job. People thought twice about fucking with me. But I didn’t ordinarily use it to intimidate.

Hale was a small man—in body, yes, but also in spirit. I could make an exception for him.

I stepped up to him, close enough he had to tip his chin to look me in the eye. Hale scowled, annoyed by the reminder he wasn’t the big man he wanted to be.

“You heard me,” he muttered.

“I always do my job, Sheriff,” I said in a low voice. “I uphold the law, unlike some men in this town.”

He averted his gaze. “I don’t know what you mean.”

But he knew.

He knew that I’d witnessed him let his son off with warnings and happily use his status to receive special favors all over the county.

Truth was, he was afraid of me. Afraid I would tell people what I knew. Afraid I would take his job.

He was just a scared little man on a power trip.

I looked at him for a long minute, letting him squirm, until my radio crackled to life.

“Deputy 2, can I get your 10-20?”

I recognized Deputy Eric Sing’s voice.

I left the sheriff’s office, reaching for my radio to reply. “Deputy 1, en route to Riverton High.”

As pissed as I was at the sheriff, I wouldn’t leave Eric to cover the crowd alone. I went out to the lot and got back into my cruiser. I’d hoped to be going home. Instead, I started the engine and headed toward the high school.

When I arrived, Eric was already stationed at the entrance to the parking lot. I slowed the car and lowered my window.

“You good here?” I asked. “Sheriff Hale didn’t specify our positions. If you’d rather work the stadium, you’ve got seniority.”

Eric had joined the sheriff’s office about the time I graduated from high school, but he was nearing retirement now.

He shook his head. “I thought you had the night off to watch your nephew play?”

“I did,” I said shortly.

He gave me a knowing look. “I guess that’s the price you pay for being sheriff material. Go on in. I got it out here.”

“I’m about as far from sheriff material as you can get.”

I raised my window before he could reply and drove into the lot.

The team buses took up the back row, and a few groups of eager tailgaters were already grilling burgers and breaking out coolers of beer. Soon, the lot would be overflowing.

This year’s Homecoming game was a rivalry match between Granville and Riverton High, and it always brought out a huge crowd.

These rivalries were fun but also a pain in the ass.

The crowd got riled up. Even the coaches got in on it, making outlandish bets about what the loser had to do.

One year, Granville Coach Dawson Woods had to dye his hair the Riverton colors.

Another time, Riverton High Coach Haskins had to wear Granville jerseys to school for the rest of the year.

The reason they needed the law here, though, was because of the time that the Riverton crowd had stormed the Granville field, outraged by what they considered a bad call.

That wasn’t likely to happen tonight. For one thing, the Granville folks were much better behaved than we were, so they wouldn’t trash our stadium.

And I didn’t only think that because I was a Granville alum.

I’d seen it through the job. Something about Riverton was just a little grittier, a little edgier than Granville.

I caught sight of my nephew warming up with his team. He grinned when he saw me, and I flashed a thumbs-up in his direction. Bodie was damn proud of himself for making varsity at Granville High this year, as he should be. In this area, we took our high school football seriously.

I walked along the sidelines, scanning the fans as they came in, making sure everyone was behaving. I made a circuit of the field and was just about to take a stroll by the concessions and bathrooms when my sister jogged down the bleachers.

Her chestnut hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, swinging behind her head, and she was decked out in a Granville jersey and face paint with Bodie’s #17 on her cheek.

“Uh-oh,” I joked. “You look like trouble.”

She scoffed. “I’m not the one you have to look out for. It’s those old boosters. You’d think we were at the Super Bowl!”

I laughed. “About as close as any of us will get, anyway.”

“Krissy and I are in the fourth row, and don’t even think about getting her another of those hot dogs with onions. She was—” Camille paused, eyes narrowing. “Wait. Why are you in uniform?”

“I don’t suppose you’d believe it’s because it’s fashionable?”

She groaned. “Dalton! Bodie has been so excited for you to watch him play!”

I winced. “I was excited too. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to me.”

“I’m here, right? I’m going to watch as much as I can while keeping an eye on the crowd. You know I requested the night off, but…”

“Your boss is an asshole,” she filled in.

My lips quirked. “Not what I was going to say. He’s your sheriff.”

Her nose crinkled. “Meh. We could do better.”

Movement in the bleachers caught my eye. Two older men were having a heated discussion, arms waving around. They appeared to be jostling over a small space on the third-row bleacher—where only one could fit at best.

“Tell Krissy I’ll buy her a hot dog at the next game,” I said as I started toward the stands. My niece was at the age when her affection could easily be bought.

“No, I don’t want—” Camille broke off as I jogged away.

“Hey, hey! Settle down,” I called to the jostling men in my best deputy voice. “Someone’s going to get hurt.”

“He’s trying to take my spot!” Russ Hughes exclaimed. I recognized him as one of the retirees who regularly dined at Jerkers Soda Shoppe. The owner, Brenda, always gave deputies free MoonShakes, so I’d seen him on my breaks.

A beefier man, with enough white hair to cover Russ’s shiny head and then some, elbowed him. “I got here first.”

“This is for Riverton boosters! You’re a Granny.”

“I’m no such thing!”

“You belong with your own kind!”

More shoving ensued. I hurriedly climbed up between them, holding out a hand to each. “Neither of you is sitting here! Someone’s likely to take a header off the bleachers if you don’t cut it out.”

“But it’s my place,” Russ protested, sounding like a whiny kid. “I always sit here. This old fool is ruining?—”

“I’m going to stop you there, sir. Because I know you want to set a good example for the children behind you.”

Russ cast a look over his shoulder, where an adorable little girl of about five years old watched with big eyes. Beside her, a boy not much older snickered and singsonged, “You’re in troubbble.”

Russ’s smile was sheepish. “I guess I got a little carried away. I was just so excited.”

“Me too,” the Granville man said. “My grandson started playing for Riverton this year. I just wanted him to see I support him, not any school.”

Russ’s whole demeanor changed. “Well, why didn’t you say so? Anyone who’s supporting a Riverton player is okay by me. Let me buy you a beer, and we’ll find better seating with room for us both.”

“Yeah? Well, all right.”

The two shuffled down the row, and I turned back toward the field. My sister was gone, but I had a different audience.

Mayor Prince and Jim Gold, with Gold Community Bank, watched me make my way down to the ground.

“Nicely done,” Jim said, sounding genuine.

“Yes!” Mayor Prince clapped my arm. “I knew you were our guy.”

He sounded like a politician.

I raised an eyebrow. “Your guy?”

“For sheriff,” he said with a megawatt smile. “Please tell me you’ve given some thought to our suggestion that you toss your badge in the ring?”

“I think everyone’s heard your suggestion,” I said. “Including Sheriff Hale.”

Jim winced. “Are you having trouble at work?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“See?” the mayor said. “This is the kind of capable attitude we need in a new sheriff.”

“I’ve only been with the department two years,” I hedged.

“And you’ve done a damn fine job.”

Pretty sure the mayor didn’t even know my name before the campaign to replace Hale. The sheriff had fucked up when he arrested Emory Gold, son of our local banking royalty, for a bar fight. Not to mention, neglecting to arrest his own son, who’d spent weeks harassing Emory.

“This isn’t just about Emory,” Jim said, as if he could read my thoughts. “It’s about everyone in the county relying on fair and just enforcement of the law.”

I nodded. “I understand your concerns.”

“What happened with Emory shined a light on the corruption in our own house,” Mayor Prince said. “We don’t take that lightly.”

“You should really talk to Deputy Sing. He’s been here longer…”

“He’s on his way out the door,” the mayor said dismissively. “We need someone younger, someone who will bring new energy and enthusiasm to the job. Your ideals?—”

“Let me stop you there,” I said. “I’m far too jaded to be what you’re looking for. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to keep moving. I’ve got a job to do.”

I stepped away, but Jim Gold called out, “Deputy, one more thing!”

I turned back, wary. “Yes, sir?”

“Thank you for speaking up for Emory and those foster boys when all that mess went down with the sheriff’s son. I know that probably wasn’t easy. You did the right thing.”

I dipped my head. It sure as hell had not been easy. Sheriff Hale hadn’t let me forget that my loyalty should have been to him.

“Wish I could have done more,” I said.

“You still can,” the mayor said.

Damn it. I’d walked right into that one.

I shook my head. “You don’t want that. Trust me.”

I strode away before they could try to convince me I was a better man than I was. I loved my job, but I shouldn’t be the one making the calls when other people’s lives were on the line.

I hadn’t run away from Phoenix with my tail between my legs just to repeat the same mistakes.