Close To Danger (Westen #4)(36)
Another of those dark looks crossed his features. Quickly gone as he opened his lap top once more. “Past history. Right now, we have your safety to secure. Let’s see if we can add anyone to our list of potential stalkers.”
Chloe let him divert her to her own problem. But if he believed this topic was closed, he was sorely mistaken. It was only a matter of time before he’d have to tell her about the dark secret in his past. If not, it might destroy him.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“How were things with the town council?” Bobby asked Gage when he stepped into the sheriff’s office and stood stomping the snow off his boots on the mat. Next, he shrugged like a shaggy dog, knocking the snow that had started falling again off his coat and baseball hat. She had to admit, the new beard he was growing transformed him into the rugged outdoorsman—and didn’t that get her heart beating faster?
“Tobias and Harold have the town maintenance crews working on salting down the sidewalks, hopefully to keep anyone from getting injured, especially over at the courthouse and city hall.” He filled his mug with coffee and sat behind his desk, taking a drink. “Deke has the volunteer firemen helping dig out people in the new subdivision and the paramedics are shadowing the electrical line crews, in case there’s injuries with the downed powerlines.”
He took another drink, savoring the hot brew with an ahh. “How have things been here?”
“Libby emailed me the list of seniors living in the outskirts of town and on farms. We divided it up between us and the Baptist Ladies. Most of them are doing well. They prepared early.” She laughed.
“What?” Gage asked with one brow lifted at her.
“Just something funny happened when I called Mr. Murphy. He told me, and I quote, Mrs. Deputy, I’ve weathered many a winter storm. Got plenty of wood for the fire, the pantry is stocked with food, and the Mrs. has three new jigsaw puzzles. Take more than a little wind and snow to put us under.”
“Mrs. Deputy?” Gage lifted one brow at her.
She shrugged, coming over to sit on the corner of his desk. “Apparently the sheriff marrying one of his deputy has the elderly citizens a bit confused as to what to call me. I kind of like it.”
“I do, too.” He took her hand and kissed her fingers. “So everyone was accounted for, Mrs. Deputy?”
“Unfortunately, no.” She handed him the paper in her other hand. “There are about ten families, other than the Amish on the north side of the county, we haven’t been able to get ahold of. When I called Daniel, he was already on his way in. So he and Cleetus each piled a snowmobile onto their trucks and were headed out to check on them.”
Gage studied the paper in front of him, then reached for the county map. “They didn’t happen to take the sat phones with them, did they? Cell service is sketchy out there on a good day.”
“First thing Daniel grabbed,” she said, returning to her desk. “They also took a first-aid kit and were stopping by the Peaches ’N Cream for thermoses of coffee. Knowing Pete and Lorna, they were probably laden down with soup and biscuits for anyone in need of it.”
Out of habit, she picked up her cell phone to check for any calls or messages from Chloe.
“Did you talk to your sisters?” Gage asked. They’d been together for less than a year and the man could already tell when she was worrying.
“I got a little longer chat with Dylan. She was between cases. Apparently, a car full of college students thinking a trip in a blizzard was a good idea until they plowed into a stranded car has her with several surgeries this afternoon. Luckily, nothing fatal.”
“That’s good news. Any word on Chloe?”
She shook her head. “No. Dylan hasn’t heard from her either. And that’s got me worried. Chloe lives by her phone. I tried the law office. Apparently, it’s closed for the next two days.” She picked up her pen and started tapping it on the desk. “I know you think I’m being an over-protective big sister, but it’s not like Chloe to go silent on me. Not even as a teenager. Something is very wrong.”
*
The nearly two feet of snow blanketing the area was a royal pain in the ass, but it also benefited the plan. Work wouldn’t question an absence today or maybe even tomorrow. Which would leave plenty of time to take care of exacting revenge on the man who caused Isaac’s death—Wes Strong.
He’d been an elusive target for the past six years. Six years of living his life, while Isaac had been dead and buried six feet under. A brother who hadn’t deserved to die in some jungle thousands of miles from home.
Dead because Wes Strong hadn’t taken care to keep him alive.
*
“Besides your boss and the big corporation, who else do you think might want to hurt you?” Wes said, fingers poised over his keyboard once more, glad to be back on the track of her stalker and out of the memories that haunted him. He’d never talked about that night in the deer stand with anyone. Voicing his near suicide aloud made him feel like a coward. Yet, Chloe understood without judging him. Would she be as empathetic if she knew he’d gotten so many good men killed?
Chloe didn’t answer and he suspected she might fight the switch in topic, but after a moment she simply nodded. “There’s Joe Whitehead.”