“And it’s always better to know who they are.”
They got out of the car and walked to the back, securing their gear as the other deputies approached. Only Roan had fulldetails on what they were doing tonight. The rest only knew they were going on a raid. Santiago took ten minutes to brief the rest of them as the sun dipped beneath the horizon.
“How do we even know the intel on this is good?” Cutter asked. “Vince has worked that garage since his daddy bought it two decades ago, and not once since he took over has there been an allegation or even a rumor of drugs linked to him.”
“Until now,” Santiago and Roan said simultaneously.
“Just seems impulsive to move on this without investigating a little more,” Peters said. “Going off the word of a paranoid addict trying to avoid assault charges is a stretch even for you, Stillwater.”
“I’m showing you a kindness by involving you in this,” Santiago said, stepping into Loyd Peters’s personal space. “As things stand, I trust the intel from that addict more than I trust the man who doesn’t trust me to do my job. The same man who’s campaigning to become the one who’s running it.”
Peters’s gaze darted from Derry to Cutter; like his aspirations were a secret.
“If I believe I’m the best man for the job, I’d be a fool not to do everything within my power to go after what I want.”
“If you’re the best man,” Roan said, “why aren’t you wearing the badge?”
Roan was usually the silent but deadly observer. Here lately a little anger was seeping through the cracks, and Santiago couldn’t help but wonder if it had to do with Lauren’s bad influence. The woman got under people’s skin, made them act in ways outside of themselves.
“Roan, you know what to do. Cutter, you and Derry go around to cover the back of the building. We’ll wait for your go-ahead before we approach.”
“Maybe we should let the kid hang back and take watch, monitor the area for anyone approaching,” Cutter suggested.
Derry’s mouth tightened.
This was the first time Santiago had included Derry in a sting operation and Cutter was in protective mode. At least that’s what Santiago wanted to believe, because the alternative meant he didn’t trust Derry to protect his back.
“You ready for this, kid?” Santiago asked Derry directly.
“I’ve been training under the best sheriff I’ve ever known, so yes sir, I’d like to think I’m ready.”
Santiago nodded and Derry and Cutter disappeared into the night.
“McIntyre, you got watch. Peters, you’re with me.” The assignments seemed to surprise both men, but McIntyre nodded and stepped back. “I’ll let you know if there’s any movement,” he said, stepping behind the cover of some trees.
Peters remained silent as he and Santiago approached the garage.
Nearing the bay doors, the soft sounds of Creedence Clearwater played inside. To the left of the bay was the entrance to the reception area, and there was an office toward the back of reception. Unlike the metal doors blocking him from seeing inside the garage, Santiago could see a faint illumination beyond the office toward the back of the building.
“CD in place,” Cutter said in low voice filtered through Santiago’s earpiece.
“R1 in place, at least four targets on the premises,” Roan responded.
Santiago cocked a brow at Peters who nodded once, and pulled his gun out of its holster, as Santiago banged on the door.
“Vince, this is Santiago Stillwater with the Shrouded Lake Sheriff’s Department. We have a warrant to search the premises.”
After a few moments of prolonged silence, there was a loud bang at the back of the building followed by a burst of illumination.
Santiago used the strength of his legs to kick open the door.
“Breaching now!” Peters called out, rushing into the building ahead of Santiago.
Gritting his teeth at Peters’s impulsivity, Santi cleared the office and the front bay, which looked to have recently been vacated. He moved swiftly across the space toward the hallway door separating the two bays, needing to get Peters back in his line of sight.
A volley of shots rang out toward the back of the building and Peters ran into Santiago as he rushed out of the larger second bay.
“The second bay is cleared,” Peters called back to Santiago. “Front is clear,” he said in his mic as he ran toward the back.
