Royal moved through the building, headed for the sheriff’s office. In one of the waiting rooms, he spotted the kidnapping witness along with Rosalie Kirk and another redhead—he was pretty sure that was Beckett’s fiancée—all sitting together talking earnestly.
He still couldn’t believe she hadn’t been telling everyone who questioned her about the fact that the kidnappersawher. What was wrong with her anyway?
None of his business.
She looked up at him as he passed. She had a set of eyes on her—big and green, dominating a pretty, fairy-ish face. Franny Perkins. He didn’t think that face quite suited the name. Thenagain, nothing about the woman quite added up in a sensible way, and Royal had spent most of his life making sure he sized everyone around him up with sense and reason andrealityover emotion.
But now was not the time to ruminate on the oddity of the witness. He knocked on the sheriff’s door since Miranda, the sheriff’s administrative assistant, was gone for the day. At the brisk order tocome in, Royal stepped inside.
But it wasn’t just Sheriff Buckley waiting for him. It was the Simmons guy. And Copeland Beckett.
Royal didn’t know what to make of any of them, or why he was here. But he didn’t let that show. He nodded at his boss. “Sheriff,” he greeted him. “Corporal Fairhurst said you wanted to see me.”
“Deputy Campbell. You got good marks from everyone today. Handled this unique situation just as we would have wanted you to. One of those Feds said he was surprised you were a rookie. You did good.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Since you’ve got some experience now with Hope Town, and you were the responding officer, I’m recommending you to a special assignment. Mr. Simmons here has requested extra police presence in Hope Town while the search for the missing person is going on. I’m happy to oblige, but Mr. Simmons has a…unique request.”
Simmons turned to him. No one had filled him in on just what this guy’s deal was, but Royal’d be damned if he wasn’t some kind of Fed.
“I’d like a deputy living in Hope Town for the time being,” Simmons said. “My preference would be a female officer, but the sheriff has suggested you instead.” Simmons looked him up and down. Clearly not liking the idea, but he didn’t voice that. “You’ll be provided an apartment above one of the empty storefronts.You’ll have off time, of course, but we want someone right there, just in case something happens.”
“You expecting something else to happen?”
Simmons didn’t say anything for a few ticking seconds. “What we have here is a delicate situation. While the FBI work to bring Ms. Ward home, it’s my job to keep Hope Town safe. We’re asking for Bent County’s help. And the sheriff has nominated you.”
Royal looked from Simmons to the sheriff. He didn’t know why this should fall on him, the rookie, but it sounded a hell of a lot more interesting than what he’d been doing. Besides, he’d taken an oath to keep things safe in Bent County. That’s what he’d put on this badge to do.
“All right.”
“Good. I’ll get an apartment ready. Sheriff gave me your contact info. I’ll text you an address in the morning with a time to meet me.” Simmons turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff, I appreciate your cooperation. I’ll be in touch.” And with that, he strode out of the office.
Once Simmons was gone, the door closed behind him, Royal glanced at the sheriff. “What aren’t you telling the Feds?”
Sheriff shook his head. “It’s more what the Feds aren’t telling us,” he said on a sigh, nodding toward Beckett.
“There’s something more to this, and Simmons is in the thick of it,” Beckett said with some disgust. “I’d like to bring Franny back to the ranch, keep an eye on her myself, but… Simmons has his reasons for wanting her to stay put, and I don’t think they’re wrong.” Beckett looked beyond frustrated. “I just wish I knew what they were.”
“We’ve stumbled into a federal case,” the sheriff said grimly. “They want our help, but they don’t want us to know what it is we’re helping with. We’ll help, because this is our county. But I’d also like to know what they’re up to and just what I’m helpingwith and why. Normally I would have gone along with Mr. Simmons’s request for a female deputy, but you’ve got personal experience with federal agents.”
Yeah, on theotherside of things. Thebeing investigatedside of things, but Royal didn’t say it out loud, even if everyone in this room probably knew. Maybe his record had been expunged, but that didn’t make his past a full-on secret.
“My guess is you could sniff them out a mile away.”
Yeah, the gang he’d grown up in had taught identifying Feds and cops at a glance before they’d worried about any kid being able to read. And since the sheriff was giving him that kind of credit, he figured it was worth an ask. “Simmons?”
“Former FBI, so you’re not far off,” Beckett confirmed. “And still neck-deep in FBI things from the looks of it since he had them on speed dial when this went down.”
“I want your expertise,” Sheriff Buckley said to Royal. “I want your eyes, Campbell. Normally I wouldn’t give this to a rookie. These are very special circumstances. So if you don’t think you can handle it, tell me now.”
Royal didn’t hesitate. The need to prove himself was too ingrained, even if bringing up his past made him uncomfortable. “I can handle it.”
“Good. You’ll still work a twelve-hour shift, focusing on Hope Town exclusively instead of the whole zone. Another deputy will handle the night shift, but you’re to be on call, as well. And regardless of whether you’re on duty or not, I want you watching and paying attention. Particularly to any federal agents who come around, whether they announce themselves or not.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Added to that, Detective Beckett has requested you keep a special eye on Ms. Perkins. The Feds didn’t seem too concerned about the kidnapper coming back—another thing that makes me think there’s more to this than meets the eye, but we want toensure that no one comes sniffing around our eyewitness. And I don’t just mean someone connected to the kidnapping. I want to know if the Feds are talking to her, and what they’re asking.”
