“Yep.”
“Great, thanks. I doubt anyone will come for it for some time, so if keeping it there becomes a problem, let me know. And if someone does come to claim it, send them my way.”
Robert ended the call a short time later, after giving Scott the address of the cabin and the make of Pendleton’s car.
He put through another call to Scott’s father, William Wheeler, the best handyman in town. After arranging for William to fix the broken door jamb at the cabin, Robert reviewed the report he’d filed last night. His head had been killing him by the time he’d finished, and he wanted to make sure it made sense in the light of day.
A booming voice echoing down the hall broke his concentration ten minutes later.
“Sheriff!” Mayor Conrad stepped through Robert’s open office door. “I was planning on visiting with you on Monday, but I saw your Tahoe out front and decided I may as well stop by.” Not waiting for an invitation, he settled his robust frame into a chair. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
“Bad news?” Every muscle in Robert’s body tensed, his thoughts immediately jumping to Jessie.
Wait. If something had happened to Jessie, he would have heard about it from Jake. Not the mayor.
“Lewis Jackson filed the paperwork yesterday to run for Sheriff this fall.”
Robert’s stomach sank. “I thought the paperwork was due in May.”
He’d been hoping to run unopposed again. Now he would have to put time and effort into campaigning. It would only distract him from figuring out the best way to keep Jessie safe. Which is what he needed to be focusing on today, not on whether he’d still have a job in a few months.
“It was, if he wanted to be listed on the ballot and featured in the elections’ pamphlet that goes out in October. Lewis is running as a write-in, so he won’t appear on either. The deadline for write-ins isn’t until next week.”
Robert leaned back in his chair and rubbed his neck.
“Personally, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” Conrad gestured with his hands as he spoke. “You’re home grown. Jackson’s a nice guy and all, but he’s a transplant. He’s only been here what, three or four years?”
“Probably closer to six.”
The mayor waved a hand in dismissal. “You’ve done a fantastic job these last four years. Finding Ben’s daughter and the man who killed Emily’s brother and father will benefit you.”
Robert didn’t accomplish either of those things without help, but his involvement in both cases shone a favorable light on him.
“You’ve got plenty of family and friends in Providence, too. You know they won’t let you down.”
Robert had lived here all his life, as had his father’s family. His mom and her sisters were transplants, but they moved here over thirty years ago. Faith, Hope, and Charity were pillars in the community and well respected.
Lewis Jackson and his wife had only lived in Providence for five or six years. He’d worked in law enforcement in the Tri-Cities area the whole time they’d lived here. To Robert’s knowledge, he was still a beat cop with no leadership experience.
Mayor Conrad pushed his bulky frame to a standing position. “My wife’s expecting me home, so I better go, but I wanted you to know you’ve got my vote. I wouldn’t bother with a lot of new campaign paraphernalia. Just dust off the old posters and signs. They worked for you last time.”
“Last time, I ran unopposed.”
The mayor waved his hand again. “I see little difference. Jackson didn’t file in time to get listed on the ballet. So, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
Robert saw the mayor out, then returned to his office. It wouldn’t be wise to assume that just because Jackson was running as a write-in, it was the same as running unopposed. Jackson was a nice man. If he got busy, he could drum up a lot of votes.
Robert needed to do the same. But he needed to figure out how to keep Jessie safe first.
Four hours later, Robert pointed his truck in the ranch's direction. It had been a much longer day than he’d intended, with one thing after another popping up. His body ached, and his head pounded.
He’d been so distracted with everything that had gone on today, he hadn’t come up with much of a plan to keep Jessie safe. He felt bad for pushing his responsibilities off on Jake.
Jessie is not a responsibility.
He had to think of her that way though, or the image of her curled in a fetal position, cowering in fear, would cause the walls he’d erected around his heart to crumble.
Jake’s determination to keep Emily safe at the ranch last summer made sense to Robert now. He didn’t worry about Jake or Zane. They could take care of themselves, but Lottie and pregnant Emily were there, unprotected. And now Jessie.
