Page 77 of Rules

"Is it the owner's? Maybe from target practice or something, meaning did he drop it?"

"No, I asked if there were guns on premise," Brooklyn speaks up, "he said he didn't own one."

Erin slides the casing into a bag and labels it. Handing it to one of her team. "Put it in the locked portion of the evidence bag." Turning back to me, "We'll put a rush on processing."

I nod as Deputy Sang and Rogers join us.

"Are you alright to handle things here?" I ask Deputy Brooklyn Rogers. She nods her answer. "Great, you two, the hospital's ready to release our prisoner. Go together to get him, stay together at all times and bring him to the jail. I'll be vehicle support, just in case."

"This the guy from the break-in team?" Law asks me.

"Yeah, the one you wanted to talk to."

"We can help with support," he says as Ferris steps up behind him.

"Normally I would say we got it but in this case, I'll just say thanks." I look at my team and can see the concern on theirfaces. We're a small town sheriff's office handling large city crimes. My team isn't totally equipped to handle FBI wanted psychopaths.

"It's just a precaution. Makes Holly feel better when we work as a team." I smile and wink. Sang gives a half-hearted laugh.

"Alright, let's go."

Chapter 27

Tobias

We got Mickey moved without incident. Law, Ferris, and I watched as Sang and Rogers escorted him into the jail's back entrance, the prisoner shuffling along in his orange jumpsuit, handcuffs, and a boot on his injured leg. I stayed alert, eyes scanning the perimeter, but the transfer went smoothly.

"Not much of a tough guy now, is he?" Law remarked as the door closed behind them.

"Mickey Mouse," I muttered. "What are the odds that's actually his real name?"

Law chuckled. "About the same odds as my mother naming me after a profession."

I was about to respond when the front desk receptionist, Carol, appeared at the door. "Sheriff? There are two young women here asking for Deputy Rogers. They seem pretty upset."

"Brooklyn's still processing the Peterson scene," I replied. "What do they want?"

"They said it's about Sophia Vasquez."

The name sent a jolt through me. "I'll talk to them." I said goodbye to Law and Ferris and followed Carol. In the waiting area sat two young women who couldn't have been more than twenty-five. One was petite with dark curly hair that reminded me of Sophia. The other was taller, blonde, and had her arm protectively around the brunette's shoulders.

"Hello," I approached them. "I'm Sheriff Trenton. I understand you're looking for Deputy Rogers?"

The brunette looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. "Yes. She's the one who came to talk to me about Sophia. I'm Jamie Torres. We worked together at the Inn." She gestured to her friend. "This is Leah Simmons."

"I can call Deputy Rogers in if you'd prefer to wait, she's on a case. Or I'd be happy to help you if it's urgent."

Jamie exchanged a glance with Leah. "He's the Sheriff, let's just talk to him." Leah nodded and the two stood.

I gestured toward the conference room. "Come in, please. I'll have Carol get you some water." As they settled into the chairs across from me, I sent a quick text to Brooklyn asking her to come back as soon as she could.

"Now, you said this was about Sophia?"

"It's about Sophia's boyfriend. I think... we think he might be involved in what happened to her," Jamie told me. "We would have come earlier but Leah's been out of town for work."

"So," I began once Carol left the room, "why do you think he's involved?"

Jamie's hands trembled slightly as she set her cup down. "It's just," the girls looked at each other. "Well, see, Sheriff. We've been a tight knit group of friends for years and we all knew she was dating someone but we never met him. We kept asking if we could but she kept telling us he was shy." Leah snorted and rolled her eyes. "Then Soph started acting differently. She was canceling plans, being secretive with her phone, showing up late to shifts."

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