Page 34 of Wild Card (Foster Bro Code #2)

Dalton

“Thanks for coming to Riverton, man. It’s ridiculous with all the patrolling I do in Granville that I can’t make it happen right now, but…”

“Your boss hates you,” Hunter said from the other side of the booth at Jerkers Soda Shoppe. “I get it.”

I groaned. “Yeah, I’m exhausted. He’s avoiding working me over the limit while arranging my schedule to be a huge pain in the ass. I’ve got to head back in as soon as we’re done here, which is why we’re having MoonShakes instead of the beer I really fucking need.”

I took a big slurp of vanilla ice cream, swirled with hot fudge and topped with Oreo crumbles. Chloe liked banana added to hers, but yuck, I didn’t want slimy bits of goo with my ice cream.

Hunter laughed. “Well, it sucks for you, but I’m not complaining. Clark and Toby are working on a big school project, and apparently, I’m just in the way.”

“At least until they need something heavy carried,” I said.

“Right?” He scoffed and shook his head, but his smile was fond. “That’s what I get for marrying an intellectual.” He kicked my foot. “But enough about me. What’s up with you?”

“The good or the bad?”

“Good first,” he said.

“Well, I kind of got myself a boyfriend.” My lips quirked. “I think?”

Hunter laughed. “You’re not sure?”

“Well, he’s a little skittish about words like dating and boyfriend , but he told me I was the only one. Basically admitted he was crazy about me.”

“Sounds serious. This the same guy you told me about before? The one who’s a little…”

“Reckless?” I smirked. “Yeah. I couldn’t stay away.”

I pulled up a photo on my phone. I’d snuck the shot of Axel while Loki practically climbed into his lap, his black-and-tan head pressed up under Axel’s chin.

“Aw, look at that sweetheart.”

“Yeah, the dog is a lover.”

“I meant the guy.” He shot me a grin. “You can always trust someone who loves dogs.”

“Well, then I can trust him a lot. ”

We spent most of my break talking about Axel and his collection of strays. I told Hunter about the dogs, the cat colony, and how tight Axel was with his brothers.

“He sounds like a great guy,” Hunter said.

“Yeah, he is.” I bit my lower lip. “He, uh, does get a bit wild sometimes.”

“In bed?”

I snorted. “No, I could handle that. I mean, in life. I’ve had to arrest him more than once. I don’t ever want to do that again.”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah, that’s a difficult position to be in. Maybe you can recuse yourself and let someone else take the lead if it comes to that. It’s more important that you be his boyfriend first.”

That made a lot of sense. I could never be objective about Axel.

It’s certainly what Sheriff Hale should have done. If he had, Dallas would have been locked up ages ago. But to be fair, if he’d made Dallas face the consequences of his actions sooner, he might not need to be locked up now.

“Well, speaking of difficult positions, I should head back to work.” I groaned. “I am not looking forward to it. At least Sheriff Fuckhead will be leaving soon after I arrive.”

Hunter pushed his shake aside and leaned forward. “Okay, so have you thought anymore about running for sheriff?”

“It’s all I think about,” I admitted. “Well, that and Axel.”

“And?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. There’s a guy in Lincoln who’s been doing a really good job. Expanded their ethics code, for one thing. We could use someone like that.”

“I’m looking at someone like that,” he said. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be worried. People here know and trust you. I think you’d win much easier than someone from another place, don’t you?”

“Possibly,” I said grudgingly.

“And if you gamble on this other guy, and Hale wins…”

I couldn’t keep working for Hale while he took bribes and twisted the law into his personal power trip.

It wasn’t just about Dallas, though that was the thing nagging at me the most. I knew he was behind that damn hit-and-run, but what was the point of asking for a search warrant? Hale would just shut me down.

“The mayor agrees with you,” I said. “He’s told me as much.”

“I mean, you shouldn’t do something you really don’t want to do. But can you really walk away knowing a guy like Hale is in charge?”

“I don’t know. I’ve thought about quitting. I feel like staying is enabling him, but how can I leave? I’m the only one capable of standing up to him right now.”

“You’re going to do the right thing,” Hunter said. “Whatever you decide.”

If only someone else could decide for me.

We said our goodbyes on that cheerful note, and I headed back to the station. As soon as I got there, I could tell something was wrong.

Ava was standing in front of her desk, whispering frantically to Zach and jabbing a finger toward the sheriff’s closed door.

I strode up to them. “What’s going on?”

Ava turned to me, her usual smile nowhere to be seen. “Sheriff called in Deputy Parks. I didn’t like the look in his eye when he did it.”

Zach cleared his throat. “I mean, it’s probably just a performance evaluation or something.”

My stomach clenched with unease. “It’s too soon for that.”

Sheriff Hale wouldn’t punish Chloe for Dallas’s arrest, would he? I was the one who’d brought him in. I’d wanted to avoid this exact scenario.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Ava said. “I know you cops have instincts, but so do mama bears.”

“I just don’t know—” Zach started.

“I’m going in.”

I strode across the bull pen and stopped in front of the sheriff’s door. I considered knocking, but why give him a chance to pretend everything was fine if it wasn’t?

I threw open the door.

It took a minute to process the scene. Chloe was standing in front of the county map on the wall. The paper was actually wrinkled because she was pressing back against it.

Sheriff Hale stood in front of her, one hand on the wall by her head. Leaning in much too close. Murmuring words that I couldn’t make out but just knew were toxic.

His other hand?—

“Back the fuck up, Hale,” I barked.

The sheriff jerked toward me. The second he gave her space, Chloe ducked away and put the desk between them.

His face darkened. “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“That was going to be my question.”

“Deputy Parks and I were just having a chat.” He looked at her. “We all need to be on the same page here. Isn’t that right?”

She hesitated. Her voice came out barely audible. “We understand each other.”

“Well, I refuse to understand,” I said bluntly. “Hale, you can’t back someone against the wall and intimidate them.” I glanced between him and Chloe. “You certainly can’t be putting your hands on them like?—”

“That’s enough, Deputy,” Sheriff Hale cut in. “You’re seeing things.”

“Yeah, I’m seeing clearly. Enough is enough. You can’t be the sheriff here anymore.”

“You really think you can stop me?”

Ava spoke up from the doorway. “If he can’t, someone else will,” she said. “What’s been going on around here isn’t right.”

Zach hovered behind her, looking anxious. “We support Dalton.”

“Then you can be suspended just like him,” Sheriff Hale snarled.

“You can’t suspend everyone,” Ava said. “Who will patrol the streets? You?”

“He doesn’t need to suspend anyone. I’m going to the mayor. I’m reporting you, Hale. For inappropriate conduct with deputies, for intimidation, for bribery?—”

“The fuck you are!”

“—and for hiding your son’s criminal activities.”

“You do that and you’re done here, Harvey. If I go down, I’ll take you with me.”

I pulled out my badge and tossed it on his desk. “Let me save you the trouble. I quit.”

There was an audible gasp behind me. I turned to see Chloe watching me with a pale face. “Harvey, you don’t have to do this.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“You goddamned idiot!” Sheriff Hale ranted behind me. “The mayor can’t do anything. I’m an elected official. The election isn’t for months, and by then, I’ll make sure no one believes a word out of your mouth.”

I headed toward the door, and Chloe followed. Ava slammed it shut behind us, hand pressed to her chest as we walked across the bull pen. “Oh, goodness. This old ticker can’t take all this excitement. What now?”

I shook my head. “I’ll talk to the mayor. I don’t know if he can do anything, but he should know what’s happening over here. Maybe we can get some additional oversight, at least.”

“But what about your job?” Zach said. “Everyone looks up to you here. With you gone…”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry. I just can’t work for a man like that anymore.” I turned to Chloe. “But what about you? Are you okay?”

She gave a shuddering sigh. “It looked worse than it was.”

“Hard to believe that,” I muttered. “The man had you cornered and?—”

She held up a hand. “I don’t need a replay. I was there.”

I snapped my jaw shut. “Fuck, sorry. Of course you don’t.”

“I’ve handled worse,” Chloe said. “But thanks for standing up to him. Men like Hale, they think they’re above the law.”

“Maybe he is,” I said, “but he’s not above consequence. Somehow, we’re going to make sure he doesn’t go on like a petty tyrant.”

Ava patted my arm. “You’d win a run for sheriff easily, Dalton. You think about that.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. “But right now, I’ve got a call to make. No doubt the sheriff will be doing damage control. I have to move quick.”

“Go on, then,” Ava said. “I’ll clock out early and take Chloe over to Jerkers. Some sugar ought to do the trick, don’t you think?”

Chloe forced a smile. “Sounds just right.”

“I’ll hold down the fort,” Zach said. “Assuming Hale really doesn’t suspend me.”

“Nah, he’s all bluster,” I said. “He’s threatened to suspend me several times. There’s not enough staff.”

“Especially not with you quitting,” Zach said with a frown.

“Hang in there,” I said. “It always gets worse before it gets better, right?”

I walked out the door with Ava and Chloe, and then we parted ways in the parking lot. I should have gotten my stuff out of my locker, but I could come back for it some other time.

I unlocked my car, got in, then dug through my glove box for the mayor’s business card. He’d written his cell number on the back.

I dialed it, unsure if he would answer this time of day. Almost hoping he wouldn’t. I could leave a detailed message and then go home to lick my wounds.

It rang twice, then connected. “Hello?”

“Mayor Prince?”

“Yes,” he said.

“This is Deputy—” I stopped short. I wasn’t a deputy anymore. I cleared my throat, chest tight. “This is Dalton Harvey.”

“Harvey!” he boomed. “Have you come to your senses and called to tell me you’ll run for sheriff?”

“Actually, I called to tell you what’s going on over at the sheriff’s department. We’ve got problems.”

“Oh?”

“I know I’ve already called in favors with you,” I said. “And I know you’re only listening because you want me to run for sheriff.”

“Well, maybe that’s part of it,” he said. “But I can’t force you to run if you don’t want to do it. I wouldn’t want to twist a man’s arm.”

That statement made this easier. I let loose a big breath.

“I think I have to run,” I admitted. Finally saying it out loud. “But I can’t promise that until I talk to the important people in my life. Me being sheriff would affect them too.”

“Of course it would. Listen, Harvey. I think you’re a good candidate, and I want Hale out. But regardless of what you do, I care about this town. So, tell me what’s going on. If I can help, I will.”

“We’ve got the sheriff taking bribes to look the other way for his buddies, covering up his son’s crimes, and just now, I caught him harassing a deputy.”

“What kind of harassment?”

“Well, mostly intimidation, but the deputy was a woman, and there was a certain vibe in the room when I walked in…”

“All right, go on. Tell me everything. Don’t leave out anything. I’m going to write this down. If what you’re saying is true, I’m not sure we can leave this until the election.”

“But you can’t fire him…”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I’m powerless,” he said. “It just means I have to get more creative. Now, then, tell me about these crimes he’s covering up for his son. What evidence do you have?”

I leaned my head back, eyes closing as relief washed through me. Finally, I wasn’t alone in this. Even if I didn’t run for sheriff, Mayor Prince would do something.

And if I did…well, it was nice to know this town had some decent people in it. People who would have my back.

But would Axel really want to date a sheriff ? We were already an odd fit as deputy and troublemaker. He’d finally stopped pushing me away. What if this was the thing that sent him running again?

I gave Mayor Prince every detail I could remember of the sheriff’s abuse of power. Anything he could use as leverage. But I couldn’t give him my word that I’d run for sheriff.

Not yet.

I wouldn’t do that without Axel’s blessing. I would sacrifice a lot to do the right thing. But not him.