Darkness at the Edge of Town (Iris Ballard #2)(54)

With that sneer still affixed, she tugged harder on the paper. “And here I thought we were beneath you.”

I let the paper go. “Tell Mathias I’m waiting.” With a nod, I got into my car. Megan stood in the middle of the road, watching me leave to make sure I really did.

I got around the corner out of sight before pulling over. With a shaking breath, I rested my head on the steering wheel. “Fuck. Fuck!” I hit the wheel and sat up again. Everything had just become a clusterfuck. One of two things would occur. If there was something seriously illegal happening in the group they could just pull up stakes, disappearing with my brother along for the ride, or Mathias would just obliterate the group to cover his tracks. Either way, Billy was gone and in real danger. In the other option, Mathias would agree to my terms and let me see Billy, I’d go in with evidence of their evil ways, and Billy would leave with me. My cynical side favored the former option. Nothing I discovered about Mathias pointed to him forming the group to help promote peace on Earth and goodwill toward men. My original plan had me sneaking in to see Billy with Mathias none the wiser. I would have had time. I was out of it now.



I pulled my cellphone out of my purse. I needed to talk to the sheriff post-fucking-haste and pray he had something for me. I had two voicemails and a text from Luke. “Nice 2 hear ur voice 2day. Miss u. Im just a call away if u need ur person.” I shouldn’t have read that before listening to the messages. I had no reason to feel guilty reading those words, but of course I did. While he was thinking of me, missing me even, I was dry-humping a confused kid. If the roles were reversed and I found out he’d been kissing some woman under any circumstance, it would hurt me like a motherfucker. Of course for all I knew, he could have had a different woman in his bed every night during the past six weeks. We weren’t a couple. I wasn’t even sure I wanted us to be. Yet it felt as if I’d cheated on him. “No. No,” I said to myself as I deleted the text. Not the time, not the place. More important things to figure out. Thank God.

One voice message was from my agent, Miranda, about another offer, but I saved that one for later. Or never. The second was from the very person I wanted to hear from. “Hey, Iris, it’s Sheriff Hancock. Can you call me ASAP? There’s something I need to talk to you about. I’m at home until seven. The number is 555-5672. Call me as soon as you get this. Bye.”

I immediately dialed the number. “Hello?” Mrs. Hancock asked on the other end.

“Hi. It’s Iris Ballard.”

“Oh good. Hi! Been waiting by the phone for your call. He’s in the bathroom right now, but…Tim! It’s Iris!”

I’m fairly sure she brought him the phone in the bathroom. “Oh, thank Christ. Hey. Hi,” he said.



“Hi. What’s up? Your message sounded important. Did you finish my prints?”

“I did.”

“Well, is it possible for me to stop by and pick up the files? I also have another print I need like yesterday.” He was quiet for several seconds. “Sheriff?”

“Do you…do you have any plans for tonight?”

Okay, I was not expecting that. “Uh…why?”

“Look, I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important. This is an election year and my opponent has the backing of several business leaders.”

Oh, I did not like where the conversation was going. “Okay…”

“There’s a Chamber of Commerce mixer tonight over at the country club starting at seven. Amanda pointed out it might be beneficial if I brought you as a guest.”

And trotted me around like a show pony. Amanda Hancock was no fool. It would certainly help his campaign to have the obvious support of the hometown hero. “Did she now?”

“It’s just a cocktail party. You won’t have to give a speech or anything. You won’t even have to stay the whole time. I think…it would really help me out, Iris. And I can give you the reports and get your new items. I’ll run them first thing in the morning.”

Oh, fuck. I could read between the lines. A favor for a favor. It was why I really hated asking for favors. “Okay. Yeah. Fine. Whatever. I’ll be there by seven.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate this, Iris.”



“Don’t thank me yet. Cocktail parties aren’t really my forte, but I’ll try to be on my best behavior.”

“I know you won’t let me down. Thanks for this, Iris. See you soon.”

I hung up and rested my head on the wheel again. Another party? More socializing? I was beginning to miss my hermit years something fierce. Cultists and captains of industry all on one night. And if who I thought would be there that night was there? Give me the damn cultists any day of the year.





Chapter 9


I instantly regretted saying yes to Hancock the moment I hung up. The sense of dread and annoyance grew as I had to put on the outfit I wore on Shelly Monroe’s show, fix my makeup, curl my hair, and pull on my pantyhose. It had been the day from hell almost from start to finish, and all I wanted to do was eat ice cream and read a book in my nice, quiet bedroom. Alone. I was so done with people, yet I found myself driving to the country club to suck up to a bunch of rich assholes. But if he were there…I grabbed the steering wheel. Tight. I could be civil. I would be civil. Hancock had always gone out of his way for me—hell, he was still doing it; I could be nice for an hour. Even with him. That or I’d just sucker-punch the fucker the second I saw him.