CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Wesley
Burn It Down
Wes couldn’t believethe level of signage that Miles and the Shepherd team had spread throughout downtown.It was embarrassing to see his name on the candy-apple-red banners and signs with American flags and the sheriff star plastered everywhere.In just two days he’d gone from one foot out the door of this town to being lauded as the next best thing that could happen to Sandy Point.He’d been playing phone tag with Shelby since he left Atlanta and they were mostly communicating via text, so he hadn’t gotten a chance to tell her what was going on.He wanted to tell her in person, to make sure she understood, although he did want to be Sheriff of Sandy Point, it didn’t mean they couldn’t pursue this relationship.He definitely still wanted her and was hoping he could convince her to move back to Sandy Point full-time, at some point in the future.He knew it was a big, selfish ask, but it didn’t make him want it any less.
“Sheriff Hart, you have an interview with the local radio station today at noon, and the newspaper sent their photographer to get a few shots of you in uniform.We think photos in your office would send a nice message.Make it clear you’re already the man for the job.”Benji was the publicist Miles hired.He was tall, looked like he wore more products than a supermodel, and wore a three-piece suit.He stood in the center of Wes’s office rattling off his schedule for the day.
“You do realize I have to work today, so while all that sounds great, if there’s a crime, I still have a job to do.”
The man stopped in his tracks and looked put off.“Of course, and if we happen to get some great shots of you saving someone’s life, or arresting a criminal, all the better.”
“Sure, whatever.”
Miles also had a social media crew that had been following him around all morning with their cell phones taking nonstop footage of him.There was no way he was going to be able to put up with this level of intrusion on his life for the next month leading up to the election.Which was already on an accelerated timeline since the previous sheriff had turned in his badge and moved to Florida with his new, much younger, girlfriend.
The photographer from the local paper appeared in the office doorway with several cameras hung around his neck.He was a local kid, and Wes had known his family his entire life.
“Hey, Sheriff, you ready for your glamour shots?”
“No, Mikey, but it doesn’t sound like I have much choice.”
The kid started to snap a few shots and adjust his lens.“I’ll make it real painless, just go about your normal daily process, and I promise I’ll make it look good.”
But then Benji chimed in and had Wes pose in several different ways in front of his desk, behind his desk, next to the state and American flags that hung in the corner.
“Alright, that’s enough I’m sure,” Wes said as a message from Shelby rolled in.He ushered everyone out of his office and closed the door.Then he hit call and she answered on the second ring.
“Hi, will I still get to see you this weekend?Maybe I can be in Sandy Point, since you came to Atlanta last,” she said.
Damn, he wanted to see her but the big town hall meeting was tonight.Where he would formally announce his bid for sheriff and ask the people of Sandy Point to trust him to protect their town for the next five years.
“Great.Why don’t you just text me once you arrive and I’ll swing by?”
“Maybe we can meet for dinner?”
This was new.Shelby had never wanted to go out with him in town—previously she’d worried about how her family would treat him.
“Yes, wherever you want.”He had to agree, and he was going to tell her about the sheriff’s race as soon as he saw her.He just hoped it was before she made it to town.
Then there was a knock at his door and Benji’s voice bellowed through, something about a meet-and-greet at the diner.
“I gotta go, drive safe and I’ll pick you up for our date.Let’s say six?”That would give him plenty of time to tell her about the race and get a bite to eat before the main event at city hall.
“Perfect, have a good day.”
They hung up and he felt a lot better about things.He would just explain everything to her and how they could work on things long distance.Eventually he hoped the lure of Pops’s house and him would get her to want to stay in Sandy Point.
Eight hours later and Wes knew he was going to be late to pick Shelby up for their date.He’d just been called to yet another fire out on the edge of town, where the town’s sign proclaimedSandy Point: A port of call to all who wander.It was the old motto for a town that started as a fisherman’s wharf and the sign was now engulfed in flames.
“Any distinguishing characteristics of this blaze?”Wes asked the Chief of the Fire Department who stood watching as the local fire crew from Engine 1 put out the sign, and Engine 2 was on standby for the huge fire.
“Actually yes, this time our arsonist used eight fire-starter logs, which is why it went up so fast.They must have also used an accelerant because it’s burning much bigger than you’d normally expect.It was like a smoke signal to let us know there was trouble.”
“Doesn’t that sort of defeat the purpose of setting a fire way out on the edge of town?”
The chief nodded.“Yes in a way.And seems a bit childish.”
