A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1)(42)

“He screams FBI,” Sun said.

“Because he’s wearing a parka with the letters FBI on the left side of the chest?”

“Yes. Also, he looks like FBI, don’t you think?”

Quincy gaped at her. “Are you checking him out?”

“What? No. But so is every other female in the room.”

“And women complain about men in the workplace.”

Damn it. He was right. But it was seriously impossible not to notice the guy. “He’s just so chiseled. Wait, he’s coming over.” Pretending to be busy, she picked up an empty box. No idea why.

“Of course he’s coming over. He probably needs to talk to you, what with you being the sheriff and all.”

Sun considered jumping behind the human refrigerator but thought better of it. She had to remain professional even in the face of such comeliness.

He walked straight up to her and held out his hand. “Sheriff, I’m Special Agent Carter Fields.”

A jolt of electricity shot through her. Even his name was sexy. “Sunshine Vicram.” She dropped the box. “Sheriff. The sheriff. Of Del Sol. The county.” She decided to stop while she was ahead.

He paused as though trying to figure her out, then refocused on Quincy.

“Chief Deputy Quincy Cooper.”

“Sorry we’re meeting under these circumstances.”

“And what circumstances would those be?” she asked.

“Ah. You weren’t informed of my arrival.”

“No, sir.”

“The governor asked if I could take a look at the St. Aubin case.”

Of course the St. Aubins knew the governor. Why wouldn’t they? They weren’t even from New Mexico, and they had an in with the freaking governor. “Well, we certainly won’t mind an extra pair. Of eyes. A pair of eyes. A set, as it were.”

Quincy coughed into his hand.

The agent nodded. “Thank you. I hear you have a lead?”

Quincy shrugged into his jacket. “We’re heading out there now. You’re welcome to come along.”

“Don’t mind if I do. Do you have a copy of the file I can peruse on the way?”

“Of course.” Sun grabbed her copy and handed it to him. “Anita can make you a copy, but you can look at mine for now. Shall we?”

Sun had worked with the FBI before, naturally, but she wondered exactly when Marianna called the governor. “So, exactly when did Marianna St. Aubin call the governor?” She looked at her passenger in the rearview as they drove north, but he was studying the file.

“First thing this morning, as far as I know. I don’t think it was the wife, though. I think the husband called him. Is he back in town yet?”

“Not yet. His plane should be landing now.”

They discussed the evidence they had thus far, which wasn’t much.

“Any thoughts?” she asked him.

“I’m fairly certain this will be solved quickly.”

“How’s that?” Quince asked.

“It’s clearly a hoax, but when the governor says jump . . .”

Sun knew he’d think that. Any sane person would. But he didn’t know Del Sol like she did.

They drove up a freshly paved road that led to the Ravinder compound. It used to be dirt. And the compound used to be part dilapidated mobile home park and part junkyard. When Sun drove past the entrance gate, she slammed on the brakes.

The place was gorgeous. Several houses sat on the Ravinder land. Land that had been in their family for three decades.

“Has it changed much?” Quince asked, his voice tinged with humor.

“I’d say so.”

“Business has been good.”

“What business is that?” Agent Fields asked.

“Levi Ravinder has a world-famous corn whiskey distillery.”

The man nodded in understanding.

“Maybe you’ve heard of it?” Sun asked. “Dark River Shine?”

He let out a soft whistle. “I have. It’s good stuff.”

For some reason, pride blossomed inside her chest.

“According to rumor,” Quincy said, “the Ravinders had been part of the Dixie Mafia. They’d headed west in the early ’80s, when the organization decided to set up shop in California.”

“The name sounds familiar.”

“It should.” Sun proceeded up the drive slowly. She didn’t know which of the sprawling rustics or multiple outbuildings to go to, so she decided on what looked like the main house. “They’d sent the five Ravinder brothers and their families.” They consisted of Levi’s father and four uncles, but Fields didn’t need to know that. “They were on the way there when the big raid happened.”

“The big raid?”

“The FBI launched a massive raid of the organization, and they designated the entire Harrison County Sheriff’s Office in Biloxi, Mississippi, a criminal organization.”

“Oh yes. I do remember reading about that. It’s a famous case.”

Quincy spoke up. “It set a new precedence in dealing with organized crime and basically left the Ravinders hanging.” He gestured to their surroundings.

“And they ended up here?” Fields asked.

“They’d apparently been taking back roads, scoping them out for future reference. And one of their vehicles broke down just over the pass.”