Page 42 of Claimed By the Deputies

“I heard we had another murder. Do you really believe Billy Jade did both?”

“The sheriff will brief all of us when he has all the information,” I say.

She twirls a lock of her hair between two fingers. “It sounds like there’s a lot for me to be briefed on. What’s this I hear about the evidence chick coming up here to work cases with you?”

“That would be me,” Tassia replies with a tight smile as she joins us in the bullpen. I doubt she caught the rest of the conversation, but I can sense the bad vibes coming from Sherry. “Hi. We’ve crossed paths before. I’m Tassia.”

Sherry gives her a disinterested look. “Yeah, I know you.”

“You’re Sherry, right? The sheriff’s assistant?”

“She is,” I politely cut in. “Sherry’s been away on holiday for the past couple of weeks. She just got back from Mexico. Right?”

“Yes. Anyway, I’ve got a lot of emails to catch up on. I’m sure Lucas will come find me when he’s ready.”

Tassia and I watch Sherry as she casually sits in front of her computer, shimmering red fingernails tapping against the keyboard.

“You’ll find a couple of emails from me, as well,” Tassia tells her. “Regarding some evidence from the Tanya Burrow case.”

“I’ll get to it when I get to it. Don’t you have some evidence to log? What are you doing up here, anyway?” Sherry asks, her tone clipped.

I’d intervene, but I actually enjoy watching Tassia snap back when she has to. Her sass and tenacity excites me.

“I’m up here because I’m consulting in Dina and Tanya’s murder cases, among other things,” Tassia informs her pointedly. “Evidence room hours are separate.” She pauses and turns to look at me. “You said Tyler’s on his way to get Stuart’s burner, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply with a smile.

“Excellent. And if I remember correctly, your computer has all the software we need to crack into said burner, correct?”

“Right again, ma’am,” I chuckle.

Tassia has an effect on me, and when she smiles back, it’s as if the rest of the world disappears altogether. There’s no bitter Sherry tapping away, no buzzing and bumbling of overwhelmed deputies and Metro cops, no phones ringing.

It’s just us.

8

TASSIA

Evening falls over Frost Valley with deep oranges and purples on the western horizon. A smattering of stars stretch across the sky, while the songbirds sing their twilight trills. It’s a pleasure to watch and listen to from the porch of Lucas’s cabin.

I sit on the rattan couch, wrapped in a woolen blanket, hugging a steaming mug of hot chocolate while pouring over a copy of Dina’s and Tanya’s case files. In another folder are transcripts of messages collected from Stuart Johnson’s burner phone.

I glance up the wooded ridge, spotting what’s left of my place.

“Damn shame,” I mutter to myself.

It’ll be a while before I’ll be able to move back in. Timothy is still waiting on the insurance payout to get the renovations going. Until then, I’m enjoying the comforts of my temporary home while doing everything I can to repay these men for their kindness and generosity.

“Dina and Tanya were buying their drugs from Billy Jade,” I go over the conclusions again out loud. “Jade is Johnson’s partner in crime. Dealers. Their suppliers are high-ranking membersof the Silver Stallions MC. But Jade and Johnson worked at the same Hamilton drugstore, at least for a while. Can’t be a coincidence.”

Neither is the fact that Dina and Tanya went in to that same drugstore to collect their product from Jade. Flipping through the pages, I come across Armand Hamilton’s official statement, which is signed by Jerry Spring, Mayor Hamilton’s aide.

“They had no idea about Jade’s drug deals going down in their store,” I mutter to myself, though I still find it hard to believe. “Right under their noses. They never picked up on anything suspicious on the cameras, because according to their records, both Dina and Tanya would make a legitimate purchase from the drugstore while also getting their fix from Jade.”

Motive.

We still don’t have motive. Jade hasn’t admitted to anything, but apparently there’s a deal in the works between his lawyer and the DA. He won’t talk until it’s finalized.

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