Complicated Matters Read online

  Taylor couldn’t help but notice even though Farrah was smiling, she was also looking at the floor of the car. “Isn’t that good news?”

  “I suppose. It’s just things are changing way too fast.” She stared at the landscape. “Maybe I’m just being childish.”

  “I don’t think so. It’s natural to want to hold on to the familiar.” He pulled into a parking space and got out to open her door. “Are you ready to check this place out?”

  She put on her jacket and left the car. “Sherriff, were you being sincere about wanting to hold on to the familiar?”

  He shut the door and pressed the lock button on his key ring. The car blinked its lights and beeped. He remembered his life with Lianna. Gloom hung over him like a thunder cloud. “It’s human nature to want to feel safe. That’s done by surrounding ourselves with familiarity.”

  Farrah nodded as they crossed the dimly lit parking lot.

  They showed their ID’s to the guy working the door and Farrah received her Under 21 stamp. They made their way inside the dark, crowded, little place. The music was loud, Taylor’s beer was cold, and the ribs practically fell off the bone. They made it through their meals with small talk.

  “The band isn’t half bad for country music.” Taylor took a swallow of his beer. “Would you like to dance?”

  “Are you sure you know how to dance to this kind of music?” Farrah teased. “I don’t hear any Gloria Estefan, being played.”

  Latino jokes. Real cute. He made a mental note to enlighten her about different Latino cultures. That is, if he didn’t fired for taking her out first. He stood up. “Oh, I might just surprise you.”

  “Okay, Sheriff.” Farrah tossed back her hair. “You’re on.”

  “I thought I told you to call me Heath.”

  “Okay, Sheriff Heath.” She threw a napkin at him and headed for the dance floor. “Show me whatcha got.”

  He followed her. “Smartass.”

  There were other couples on the dance floor. Some of them formed a line dance. Farrah and Taylor decided to join in for a few fast songs.

  Farrah turned to go back to the table when the music slowed down.

  Taylor touched her hand. “What’s wrong?”

  Her left hand was quivering. “Slow songs aren’t my thing.”

  Taylor wondered what her real reason was. “We’re not doing anything wrong.” He slipped his hand high around her waist.

  She stared at the promise ring on her left hand. She didn’t have to say a word. Her expression told him everything.

  He let her go and stepped back. “Message received.”

  Once the bill was paid he escorted her back to his car.

  Her whole body stiffened as he reached around her to open the door. “I’m not trying anything. This is how I was brought up.”

  She sat down and buckled up. “It’s not you.”

  He rounded the other side and sat down next to her. “What is it then?”

  “I don’t know.” She shook her head. “I’m sure a man like you is used to making girls nervous.”

  He found it peculiar that she would refer to him as a man and herself as a girl. “Not as many as you give me credit for.” Should I tell her she’s the first person I’ve gone out with since Lianna died? He dismissed the idea. Better keep my emotional distance.

  “What’s it like in Miami?” Her voice was almost childlike.

  He pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the main road. “Why would you care about a place like that?”

  “When you’ve been nowhere, I guess anywhere sounds interesting.” The wind blew her hair forcing her to capture it with an elastic band she wore on her right wrist.

  “It’s like many different countries all jammed into once place.”

  “And what about you?”

  “I was just a little Irish-Mexican boy trying to find a place to fit in.”

  “How could you not fit in?”

  “I was too dark for the whites, and too white for the darks.” He stared straight at the road ahead. “Kind of like mixed laundry.”

  “You sound as though you hate part of yourself.”

  “Hate is a little strong.” He turned off the main road and onto Old Rocky Ford Road. “You might say I was a little mixed up for a long time.”

  Farrah propped her feet upon the dashboard. “I don’t see you being mixed up about much of anything.”

  “You’d be surprised.” He bit his bottom lip. “I don’t guess you know what it’s like to be different.”

  “Hello.” She waved her hands at him. “I’m right at six feet tall. That doesn’t strike you as freaky?”

  “Not really.” He glanced her way. “I’m a little above six feet. It’s nice to be with a woman I don’t have to hunch over to dance with.”

  “But I did get the feeling some of the people in Hank’s were staring at us,” he teased. “I thought they disapproved of me. But maybe it was you.”

  About a mile down the road, asphalt turned to gravel. Taylor slowed down.

  Farrah unbuckled her seatbelt.

  “Put that back on. We might get pulled over.”

  “I’ll just tell them the sheriff says we’re on stakeout. “You guys don’t wear seatbelts then, right?”

  “I can’t reveal trade secrets,” he laughed.

  “Do you mind pulling over?”

  He looked around surveying the landscape. There were too many shadows and unfamiliar movements. He didn’t like it. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Lighten up a little.” She moved closer to him and whipped out her camera phone. With arms outstretched, she said, “Smile.” Her camera clicked.

  Taylor stared at the picture of them.

  She gave him a playful little shove. “Did it occur to you, if people were staring, it was because we’re just so darn cute together?”

  “Is there a way I can get a copy of that? You know, just to commemorate the night I didn’t eat alone.”

  She moved back to her seat and buckled up. “Sure, Sheriff. Just give me your digits.”

  Taylor gave her his phone number, and she picture texted him, along with the caption, Here’s to friendship.

  “Okay, we are officially commemorated.”

  “And now I must get you back home before my car turns back into a pumpkin.”

  When they returned to Farrah’s house, the front door was standing wide open. “That’s not how I left it.”

  Chapter 10

  “Farrah!” Taylor barely caught up with her before she reached the front porch. “Are you crazy? We don’t know who’s waiting on us in there.” Adrenaline coursed through his body. He pulled his pistol out of his boot.

  She gaped. “You guys really do carry those things with you everywhere.”

  “I’m on duty twenty-four seven. Stay here.”

  She followed in his footsteps. “No way.”

  “Then keep quiet.” Slowly and methodically, he searched each room using a small penlight to see by.

  Farrah was too close to him. If something happened he might bump her, or she might slow him down. It wasn’t a good situation.

  After a search of every room and closet was satisfied they were alone. “Damn, whoever it was is gone now.” He kept his gun drawn in case he was wrong.

  Farrah turned on a light and looked surveyed the damage. “Not before they destroyed my house.”

  Taylor dialed 911 on his cell phone.

  “Emergency Services, what is your emergency?”

  “This is interim sheriff Taylor. There’s been a break-in at the Mathews’ farm on Old Rocky Ford Road.”

  “I am sending Deputy Winthrop and a forensics team out there now.”

  Taylor hung up the phone. “Winthrop and a forensics team are on their way. We have to wait for them on the porch.”

  Farrah knelt down and picked up the now broken family portrait. She clutched the portrait to her chest and cried.

  “Come on, Farrah.” Taylor helped her up. “We might
contaminate the crime scene.” He led her outside and settled her into his car.

  The cool, night air settled his nerves, but not by much. The Mathews’ house getting ransacked on the one night he took Farrah out was a hell of a coincidence. Taylor didn’t believe in coincidences. Someone had to be watching the family.

  Deputy Winthrop came over. “Good evening, Sheriff.”

  “Hello, Deputy.”

  “Okay, Sheriff. You know how this works, so tell me what happened.” Winthrop took out his note pad. “Deputy Bowman, please talk to Miss Mathews.”

  “Right this way, Miss.” Bowman motioned toward the patrol car.

  “When I brought Miss Mathews home we noticed that the door was open.”

  Winthrop started writing in his notebook. “You and Miss Mathews were out?”

  “Yeah, she was kind enough to accompany me to Hanks Joint for some ribs.” He threw up his hands and shook his head. “Don’t read anything into this.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “The door was open so I drew my weapon and we did a search of the house.” Taylor went on with his story.

  “You took her with you?” Winthrop asked.

  “What was I supposed to do, leave her out here? We didn’t know who might still be around.”

  “I’ll be right back. I have to talk to forensics.” He walked away leaving Taylor wondering what was going through his mind.

  Taylor hated being kept out of the loop. He strained to hear the conversation, but couldn’t make out what was being said.

  Winthrop came back not looking happy. “Sheriff, can I talk to you for a few minutes?”

  “What’s going on?”

  Winthrop ran his hand over his shaved head. “It’s going to take a while to run those prints, and this girl’s already got two dead parents. We have to put her somewhere.”

  Taylor leaned against the hood of his patrol car. “What are you getting at, Deputy?”

  “Deputy Bowman and a few dispatchers are the only women we have on the force. Bowman’s investigating this case. I was hopin’ you’d allow the girl to stay in your spare bedroom.”

  Taylor couldn’t believe what he was being asked. “Are you trying to get me fired?”

  “You’re the acting sheriff. The state’s attorney general is the only one who can fire you.”

  “That’s right.” Taylor calmed down. “You just shocked me with that suggestion.”

  “Should I give her the news?”

  Taylor rubbed his face still unsure about the situation. At least he wouldn’t have to make excuses to shadow her for a while. “If that’s our only alternative.” He followed Winthrop to his patrol car.

  “Farrah.” The deputy took her by the hand. “I know things are hard on you right now, but I need you to stay away from your house for a few days.”

  “I can’t do that,” she raised her voice. “Where will I sleep? Everything I own is in that house.”

  “Deputy Bowman will escort you inside to get your things. Sheriff Taylor has a spare bedroom. You can stay with him unless you prefer to stay with friends.”

  “No.” Farrah stared at the ground. “It’s too late to impose on my friends.”

  *

  They drove to his house in silence. He didn’t feel right about the situation. As expected, this whole date blew up in his face. Then it hit him. Had they not gone out together, she would have been home when the scumbags broke in. She could have been hurt or worse. Visions of her alone and helpless against a ruthless gang flashed in his mind. But that didn’t happen. He protected her exactly like he was supposed to.

  Taylor pulled up behind his house. “Here we are.”

  Farrah hesitated when he got out of his car and grabbed her door handle. “It’s okay. You’re safe here.”

  They crossed the yard to his back door. He checked the door for signs of tampering.

  They entered a small house done in various shades of brown and black.

  “It’s not what you’re used to.” He tossed his keys on the kitchen counter. “But I’ve stayed in worse.

  He couldn’t figure out if she were excited or disgusted with the décor. The kitchen and living room were just one big space with front and back doors. Two bedrooms veered off from the living room toward the back of the house.

  “This one’s yours.” He opened a brown door and turned on the light. “It’s not much, but the bed’s comfortable and I’m just a scream away.”

  After watching her for a few minutes and unable to read her expression, he headed to his room, leaving her door open.

  “Good night, Sheriff.”

  Feelings he hadn’t felt since he was married, and didn’t understand now, clouded his mind. “Good night.”

  Chapter 11

  Taylor waited until he thought Farrah was asleep. He took the laptop outside and contacted the commander via instant message. “Commander we have a few problems.”

  “What’s going on?” the commander typed back.

  Taylor wondered how he was going to explain this. “Someone sabotaged the bridge on Old Rocky Ford Road. They cut the supports.”

  “Is that all?”

  “No. Tonight someone ransacked the Mathews home.”

  “Was anyone hurt?” the commander typed.

  “No one was home.”

  “Is there anything else?”

  “Deputy Winthrop asked me to let Miss Mathews stay in my spare bedroom. He didn’t want her home by herself, in lieu of what he thinks happened to her parents. Commander, why would he think that she’s all by herself out there when it’s a well known fact, she has two brothers? ”

  “The perks of a small town. Everyone knows everything. Is there anything else?”

  “No.”

  “Take care of them. Phillips out.”

  Taylor closed his computer and slipped back inside without waking Farrah up. He didn’t sleep well that night. Something about this entire county bothered him. Small towns have a reputation for being friendly, but the people here seemed closed and guarded. You’re just being paranoid.

  Everywhere he went he was reminded of the Atlantic Ocean. It too glistened in the sunlight and seemed inviting. But just under the surface a hidden world of dangers thrived. If you weren’t careful, you’d become just another nameless victim of its merciless ways.

  *

  The next morning he took Farrah back out to the farm, hoping Winthrop’s investigation was over.

  Deputies Winthrop and Bowman were waiting for them in the driveway. “Deputy Bowman, please escort Miss Mathews as she works.” Winthrop ordered the junior deputy.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Farrah shot the older man an angry look.

  “Why does she need an escort, Jarrod?” Taylor asked once the ladies were out of hearing range. “This is her home.”

  “We got two hits off some prints we pulled last night, Sheriff.” Winthrop started walking toward the house.

  “What?” He followed Winthrop. “Local thieves? That’s not surprising. Tell me who they are, and we’ll pick ‘em up.”

  “They aren’t local thieves, Sheriff. They’re local cops.” Winthrop climbed the porch steps. “Jones and Edwards, to be exact.”

  Taylor scratched his head. “I didn’t expect that.”

  “Neither did I. The three of us have been friends with John Mathews, since middle school. Do you want me to bring ‘em in for questioning?”

  Taylor thought for a minute. If he had Winthrop bring them in, he’d be able to arrest them for breaking and entering. But what if they were helping Daniels? It would explain why he couldn’t find Daniels the night of the storm. If he had them monitored without their knowledge, they might lead him to Daniels. He could manage this without a warrant if he allowed them to keep their jobs. All he would have to do is turn on the tracking systems of their county paid cell phones and their patrol car.

  Winthrop just said they have been friends most of their lives. Taylor had no reason to trust him either. He d
ecided to monitor his movements as well And how did they know Farrah would be out last night? Or did they even care?

  “Do you want me to bring them in, Sheriff?” Winthrop asked again.

  “No, but keep and eye on them, we might have stumbled on a theft ring.” Taylor told him. “Is it okay with you if Miss Mathews, returns home?”

  “I would like another day or so to see if anyone else was helpin’ them.” Winthrop started to enter the house but stopped in the doorway. “I would rather you not enter the crime scene, Sheriff.”

  “It’s your investigation.” Taylor headed back to his car.

  Winthrop was in the house, and Farrah and Deputy Bowman were elsewhere on the farm. Nobody seemed to be paying any attention to Taylor, so he contacted Commander Phillips.

  The commander’s face appeared on the screen. “Phillips here.”

  “Commander Phillips, this is Special Agent Taylor.”

  “I can see that. What do you have for me?”

  “Deputies Jones and Edwards were responsible for the break-in at the Mathews’ home last night. I am activating the GPS on their county paid cell phones and the one on their patrol car. We don’t need a warrant, and they are required to keep them on their persons and turned on at all times. I’m sending you a feed as soon as possible.”

  “Good work. Is there anything else?”

  “Since when does it take more than a few hours to investigate a B and E?”

  “Why do you ask, Special Agent Taylor?”

  “Because of the fact I had dinner with Miss Mathews last night, I had to put Deputy Winthrop in charge. He asked for a few days to complete his investigation. Remember, I was just a street cop and not a detective when you recruited me. So if I’m being paranoid let me know.”

  “It’s a little unusual, but not unheard of. Just keep an eye on him. Is there anything else?”

  “I had better go. Somebody might get curious as to what I’m doing, and come around here.”

  “Phillips out.”

  Just as he thought, Winthrop started walking toward his car. He started checking his office emails.

  Winthrop peered into his car. “Whatcha doin’, Sheriff?”

  “While Miss Mathews is going about her daily routine I thought I’d take care of my office stuff through the computer.” He picked up the laptop. “Do you want to check your emails?”