Page 81 of Chasing Shelter

“Thanks, Jim. Yeah, I’ll make sure he reports in tomorrow,” Gabriel said. “Have a good night.”

Gabriel lowered the phone to the receiver and swiped his gaze over me. It was a quick assessment, likely trying to see if I had it together. “That was Jasper’s PO. Not sure why, but Jasper’s allowed alcohol. An oversight, given his past possession charges.”

“What about a public intoxication charge?” I asked. Any charge could potentially send him back to complete his sentence.

Gabriel scrubbed a hand over his tan face. “Technically, he was on his property. He rents a cabin out at The Pines. He was sitting in a lawn chair in front of it.”

“Conveniently next to a party you busted.”

“That’d be the one. And there’s more.”

I braced because, with the man who’d once been my father, I could be in for anything.

“The man who rents the trailer next door? The one with the party? That’s Rainer Cruz.”

I tried to hold back my reaction, but it wasn’t easy to do. I knew Rainer—had known him all my life. He was the kind of mean that had to be part of his DNA because I didn’t think it could be learned. There was a viciousness to him that always led Jasper to bad places. They’d been a part of the same drug ring back in the day.

“You know him,” Gabriel assessed.

“Yeah. One of Jasper’s nearest and dearest.”

“Looked him up. Looks like he was living over in Roxbury until about a month ago. Arrested a couple of times by their PD, but nothing ever seems to stick to this guy,” Gabriel went on.

“What’d you find at the party?” I asked.

“Meth, crack, and a little acid. Conveniently, notonRainer or your dad.”

“Jasper,” I clipped.

“Sorry. Not on Jasper.” Gabriel’s face twisted. “But one of the dogs found a stash site in the woods behind the two trailers.”

“Tell me you’re dusting it for prints,” I growled.

“Already sent it to the lab and told the techs I’d treat them to a steak dinner if they can get it on the top of the pile.”

I eased back in the chair. “You’re a good friend.”

Gabriel grinned at me, but it was half-hearted. “You’re a lucky fucker to have me in your corner.”

“Sometimes,” I muttered.

That startled a laugh out of him. “Fair.” Gabriel was quiet for a moment. “You want to see him?”

That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? I couldn’t decide what the better move would be. I mulled each over, playing out both sides of the coin in my mind. Finally, I stood. “I want to see him.”

Jasper didn’t get to think he’d made me cower. The man had lost his power over me a long time ago.

“I’m with you,” Gabriel said, pushing his chair back.

There was no room for argument in his statement, and I knew the reasoning behind it was three-fold. He was backup should things go sideways. It meant dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s for procedure. And he cared about me.

I gave him a chin lift of acceptance, and we moved out into the bullpen—right into Will shooting his mouth off.

“Give me a fucking break. His dad was doing twenty-eight for manslaughter andmurder, and he somehow got elected sheriff? I think it’s time someone ran against his white-trash ass.”

It wasn’t the first time I’d heard the term tossed my way. Probably wouldn’t be the last. But it always landed a little closer to home than I wanted.

The entire room went silent as Will’s gaze cut to me. The smart move would’ve been to cower. He didn’t. He stared me down as if challenging me to throw a punch.

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