“Not yet,” I reply, keeping my tone even despite the tension coiling inside me. “We need to talk about your deputy. I've come across information you can't ignore.”
“Information?” The word stretches between us, cautious and measured. “From where exactly?”
“A reliable source who specializes in finding what others want buried.” I watch George cleaning up her tools, each movement precise and practiced. “Your Deputy Wade? He's got a history. The kind that should have kept him from ever wearing a badge.”
A beat of silence. When Lucas speaks again, there's a defensive edge to his words. “You expect me to act on some mysterious tip from one of your... connections?”
“I expect you to listen when someone tells you there's a wolf among your sheep, Sheriff.” My grip tightens on the phone. “Especially when that wolf has his sights set on your daughter.”
“This contact of yours”—the sheriff's voice hardens—“is he legal?”
“The information is solid.”
“That's not what I asked.” Papers shuffle in the background. Sounds like he’s pulling a late one at the office. “Look, I appreciate your... concern. But I can't act on information obtained through questionable means.”
“Sheriff, with respect, this isn't about how I obtained this information. It's about protecting your daughter.”
“My daughter?” His voice sharpens. “What does George have to do with this?”
EverythingI want to say.
Instead, I say, “Wade has a pattern. Young women. He gets close and gains their trust. Then they either leave town suddenly or...” I let the silence fill in the rest.
“These are serious accusations, Lawson.”
“Yes, sir, they are. Which is why you need to pull him off duty. Now.”
“You think I don’t know my own team? Marcus is like family. He’s solid, never given me any reason to doubt him.”
Of course Wade’s never given him a reason. That’s how predators work. They don’t come snarling and baring teeth. They come with easy smiles and good manners, wearing trust like a uniform. They blend in. They manipulate. They make you doubt your instincts until it's too late.
“He’s hiding in plain sight,” I say, my voice low. “And if you keep him on duty, it’s not just a mistake, it’s a risk. To your department. To George.”
There’s a long pause. A shift in his breathing, like he’s caught between instinct and denial.
“Look, I know you care about George,” he finally says. “But unless you’ve got something concrete, proof I can hold in my hands, my options are limited.”
“I’m getting that proof now. But if something happens to her before I get back…” My voice drops into something cold and certain. “You won’t get the chance to regret it. If you don’t do something, I will.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No, sir. It's a warning.”
“You’re asking me to doubt a man I trust, a man I’ve worked alongside for six years and who’s had my back on numerous occasions. So until I see that proof with my own eyes, we have nothing to talk about.”
The line goes dead.
Fuck!
I yank the phone away from my ear, staring at the blank screen like I can will the sheriff back onto the line. But it’s done. He’s chosen denial over action—for now.
I clench my jaw, every muscle tight with frustration. I get it. I do. Loyalty is a hell of a thing to set aside, especially when it’s wrapped in years of shared service. But trust doesn’t mean a damn thing when it’s built on a lie.
Wade’s been playing a long game. And if he finds out I’m onto him, who knows what he’ll do?
Movement catches my eye—George walking toward me.
She stops at the edge of the shadows, arms crossed. “You're lurking.”
