Page 70 of Rules

"I am a catch! I'm intelligent! I'm beautiful! And yes I'm fat, but my ass is banging!" popped into my head. A reluctant smile tugs at my lips. She certainly is all of those things.

Just as quickly as the thought appeared I pushed it from my thoughts. I can't allow Ruth to have real estate in my head. I just can't. At least not right now.

Chapter 25

Tobias

Main Street at eight in the morning is just beginning to wake up. Parking in front of Law's new office, I take a moment to collect myself. The sign on the window is a gruff-looking lumberjack man with axes. "Bear's Bails and Bonds" in bold letters. Matching Law's larger-than-life personality. I check my watch: seven fifty-five. Punctual, as always.

Inside, the front office is very masculine. Dark brown leather couches, wood coffee tables and end tables face an enormous mounted television. A wooden reception desk sits empty, but I can hear voices from the back. Following the sound, I find a partially open door that leads to what appears to be the main operations room.

Two metal desks sit against the back with a wall of computer towers behind them. Two matching leather recliners face each other. Three large monitors cover one wall, displaying maps, data feeds, and what looks like surveillance footage. The place has the air of a high-tech command center.

A conference table dominates the center of the room to the right of the command center, surrounded by equipment cases, laptops, and enough cables to wire a small city. I recognize the maps on the wall as my county and a detailed one of Whispering Pines.

Law stands at the head of the table, leaning over a map with two women I assume are Mouse and Keyboard, the infamous twin hackers. They're both small in stature, with matching ponytails.

"Tobias!" Law straightens up with a grin. "Right on time, as always."

"Law." I nod, stepping fully into the room. "I let myself in. Morning ladies."

The twins glance up simultaneously, lick their lips and both begin twirling their hair. "Sheriff," they say in perfect unison, which is either impressive coordination, or a deliberately cultivated quirk designed to unsettle people. Knowing them, probably the latter.

"Gwiyomi," Mouse says to Keyboard, who nods, neither of their eyes leaving me.

"Enough," a male voice from a different room calls through. "He's not a cute person, he's the sheriff. Respect."

"Aww, he's pretty cute." Law says, winking at me.

"Ah, thanks?" I side-eye the girls. "Nice setup you've got here," I say, looking around. "How long did it take you to get all this operational?"

"About six hours," Keyboard says, fingers never stopping their dance across her laptop keyboard. "Would have been faster, but the building's electrical needed upgrading."

Law gestures to a chair. "Have a seat. Coffee?"

"Please."

As Law pours from a carafe at a side table, I notice the rest of the room's details—tactical gear in organized stacks, a weapons locker I'll be asking for an inventory of, and several big tubs stacked in the corner. They've prepared for a lengthy operation.

"So," I accept the coffee and take a seat, "want to tell me why you didn't call when you arrived?"

Law sits across from me, his expression shifting to something more serious. "Honestly? I didn't want to bother you until we had something concrete to share."

"Bother me?" I raise an eyebrow. "It's my jurisdiction."

"True. But it's also your town that's facing a series of break-ins, a dead girl, and now possibly Michael returning. I figured you had enough on your plate."

There's no mockery in his tone, just a straightforward assessment. It takes some of the wind out of my sails.

A muscular athletic-built man with black spiky hair and piercing eyes walks into the room. I hear both girls pause their typing. Peering over, I see them both sitting up straight, hands placed on either side of their computers. Eyes locked on the man.

"Sebastian, you know Tobias." Law nods my way.

"Sheriff," Sebastian says.

"Sebastian, good to see you."

The girls giggle, which causes Sebastian's right eyebrow to raise as he looks their way, causing them to giggle more.

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