Page 2 of Outlaw Ridge: Reed
Taking the cardboard box from her, Reed led her out of reception and into the bullpen where he introduced her to the two other deputies. Jemma Salvetti and Caitlin Barker. Hallie had studied the files on both, and even though they hadn’t worn the badges for long, they were still both highly qualified, with Jemma being a former lawyer and Caitlin having a master’s degree in forensic science.
Owen had obviously chosen the best of the best when revamping the station.
“I’ve heard good things about you and look forward to working with you,” Hallie said, knowing that might not ease the doubts they had about her. After all, top cops like them would have studied her file, too.
They knew she’d had a damn good solve rate as a detective, and the rate had continued steady and strong with the detectives that she’d supervised as a lieutenant. But a sparkly track record didn’t overcome the smelly trail of crap that her parents had left behind.
Reed showed her to her new office where, again, everything was top-notch. The gray slate floors, mahogany desk, and dark blue leather chairs. It still had that feel of a cop shop but one with class. A high-tech one, what with a digital evidence board that Hallie knew was linked to an assortment of software and databases. It looked like a clean sheet of glass now, but she knew it could ultimately display many facets of an investigation.
“Have you had a tour of the station?” Reed asked.
Hallie nodded. “It’s impressive. I think I remember where everything is.”
She paused, took the box from him and set it on the desk before she looked straight into Reed’s blue eyes. So far, this conversation had been oh-so polite and had the feel of trying not to step on a whole bunch of eggshells.
That was about to change.
“How much flak did Owen get when he insisted on hiring me to replace him?” she pressed.
The corner of his mouth did a slight upturn, but it was gone in a flash. “Some. But it was flak he handled just fine. You know Owen.”
Yes, she did, and he wouldn’t have let anything like flak get in his way. Even if it’d been a massive amount of it.
“I know Owen’s been trying to recruit you for the job for months now,” Reed went on. “What made you finally accept?”
“Temporary insanity,” she muttered. Then, she waved that off. “I was looking for a new challenge, and Owen was…persistent.”
Owen had wanted someone local. Someone with ties to the former much-loved sheriff, Marty Bonetti, who’d been murdered. Marty had been her godfather, the father of her heart, and the reason she hadn’t gone into the full meltdown mode when her parents had been arrested. Because of Marty, Hallie felt as if she owed him, and this town, plenty.
“I’m also hoping this job will be an air clearing of sorts for me,” Hallie went on. “A way to prove that I’m not my parents. And maybe make up for what they did.” She glanced around. “That won’t be easy.”
“No,” he agreed, “ but at least being around me won’t be a problem for you. I have two days before my replacement comes in. After that, you’ll hardly see me.”
“You live in Outlaw Ridge,” she pointed out.
“Yeah. Just outside of town.” He had a nostalgic look in his eyes when he glanced around the station. “But I don’t usually have reason to come here. You’ve worked with Strike Force ops enough to remember how busy things can get.”
She did. It was a feast or famine kind of pace. Usually a mission or two a month when it was all a race against time to save, find or stop someone. Missions that often involved life and death situations and confrontations.
The missions were often followed by at least a week of downtime. Not especially relaxing downtime since the assignments, and especially the failure, could eat through you like acid.
“It won’t be a problem,” she assured him.
Well, not a major one anyway. She could dodge lust. Probably. The really hard part though would be convincing folks that she wasn’t a demon spawn or some damaged goods because she’d been raised by serial killers.
Reed stared at her, as if trying to decide if what she’d just said was true. Or maybe he was testing that old heat levelbetween them. Either way, he didn’t get to keep up the stare long because his phone rang, and he looked away to yank it from his pocket.
She saw Deputy Aaron Stringer’s name on the screen before he answered it. Hallie didn’t hear what the deputy said, but whatever it was, it caused Reed’s forehead to bunch up.
“Yes, Sheriff McQueen is here,” Reed said.
That got her attention. She wasn’t officially on the job yet and people were already calling for her?
“I’m putting the call on speaker so she can hear this,” Reed added. “Repeat what you just said.”
The other deputy didn’t waste any time in replying. “I said I think Sheriff McQueen needs to come out to Walt Garner’s place and see this. We responded to a 911 call for a domestic disturbance, and we discovered two bodies. A male and a female.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and she got that familiar slam of adrenaline. She just hadn’t expected to get the slam so soon here in Outlaw Ridge.
