The past hour had flown by in record time at the police station. Cain, JB, Kennett and Sheriff Davis had devised the plan for arresting Shadow. Kennett did the takedown along with JB, Deputy Evans, and Officer Hastings as backup. Quick and fast and even, with a few punches thrown in for good measure. It was about making everything look real and getting Shadow out of the deep undercover assignment alive and in one piece.
Like clockwork, a live stream of the arrest had popped up online, with others posting their own videos right up until the handcuffed Shadow had been walked into the Crayton police station. Even the Jefferson City news station picked up on the happenings and promised their listeners they’d keep them posted for anything further.
Inside the police station, Shadow had been booked and tossed into a cell, awaiting pickup by the DEA’s St. Louis office. By this time tomorrow, Shadow might be on a long-deserved vacation or headed for a new assignment. First, Cain and the others needed to hear Shadow’s briefing before he left the area.
Everyone involved in the fake arrest gathered in the sheriff’s office, as well as Betsy. Cain wasn’t letting her out of his sight until he knew what was going on that had Shadow running to escape from his case.
Kennett kicked back on the sofa while he nursed his swollen jaw with an ice bag. But he’d still been able to down a couple slices of the jalapeño pizza.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Betsy motioned she was headed to the restroom. She’d been nothing but quiet so far. So quiet, her uncle and JB had pulled Cain aside to ask if she was okay. He’d nodded and told them it had been another long day for her, and that Mr. Crestfall had shared some information which needed further investigation.
“Hey, you better have my white hat,” Shadow said as he stepped inside the office and pointed at Cain. “Or they’re going to owe me a another new one.”
Cain reached behind the desk, then tossed the Stetson to him. “Never fear, I’ve got it. You know, I could have retired a long time ago if I didn’t have to keep buying you new hats so often.”
The agent centered the hat on his head before reaching for the box of jalapeño pizza. “Looks like I’ve got competition on my favorite pizza.”
Kennett stood, closed the door behind the agent, then held out his hand. “That would be me. I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Officer Kennett.”
“I’m Shadow,” he said as he offered his handshake in return. “Thanks for getting me off the street with as little damage as possible. Sorry about your jaw.”
Tossing the ice bag toward the agent, Kennett grinned. “What, this little bump? Nothing at all. How’s your cheek?”
“Stings like hell.” Shadow caught the bag and held it against the side of his face for an instant before laying it aside.
“The important thing is, you’re out of the line of fire from the assignment,” Cain said as he also shook his sometimes partner’s hand. “Let me officially introduce you to the others. This is Acting Sheriff JB Bradley, Deputy Evans and Officer Hastings. You already met Sheriff Davis in his office earlier. Basically, he’s still supposed to be in St. Louis for rehab and physical therapy from when he was shot a couple months back. But what with everything going on with his niece Betsy, he got back in town late last night. We’ve convinced him to head home for some sleep, but we can get him on speaker phone if needed.”
After shaking hands all around, Shadow picked up a piece of the pizza and leaned against the wall. “This everybody in on arresting me? Everyone who knows about me?”
Cain nodded. “Everyone except Betsy and Joanie.”
“Good. The fewer the better. Once the St. Louis DEA picks me up, it’ll be as if I never existed in Crayton or this whole assignment.” He bit into the pizza. “That is, unless this all comes to trial. Which at least some of it will, sooner or later.”
“What makes you say that?” JB asked.
“For the past few years, I’ve picked up on a lot of criminal history, dating all the way back to?—”
The office door opened and Betsy stepped back inside. Took one look at Shadow. Paled. Screamed. Grabbed one of the pizza boxes and slammed it broadside against Shadow’s shoulder and head. His white hat flew off as he deflected a second hit from Betsy. Then another…and another.
“Betsy!” Cain rushed forward. Enveloping her with a gentle bear hug, he pinned her swinging arms to her sides. “It’s okay, Betsy. This is Shadow. The DEA agent I told you about. He’s?—”
“No! He’s not who you think he is.” She shook off Cain’s hold, then moved directly in front of the agent. “He’s Phillip’s drug supplier. The one I saw him talking to on the front porch that night. And I’m sure that, ever since Phillip died in the wreck, he’s the same man who stands outside my window sometimes.”
Cain pulled her behind him as he took center stage, confronting his sometime partner. “That right, Shadow?”
JB and Kennett tensed, stood and rested their hands on their guns. Officer Hastings and the deputy took up secondary positions. Deliberately or not, all of them kept pushing Betsy back and to the side.
Shadow raised his hands, palms facing out, between Cain and himself. Pumped them in a slow yet urgent manner. “Hold it. Hold it right there. Everybody needs to slow down for a second.”
Clenching his fist, Cain held on to his composure by the width of a thin thread. “I asked you a question.”
“Back it on down, Cain.” Acting Sheriff JB placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder and pulled him back toward the desk. “Give him a chance to explain. Shadow, what have you got to say for yourself?”
The agent nodded, then slowly picked up his white hat from the floor and set it on the edge of the desk. “Betsy’s partially right. I was talking to Phillip the night she saw us on the front porch. He and I met there several times. It was the safest place we could come up with under the circumstances.”
Betsy pushed through the law enforcement personnel, moving slowly to the front of the group. Cain had regained his professional demeanor, but at no time did he make eye contact with her. He just continued to keep his eyes on the agent.
“What do you mean safe?” Betsy asked. “Safe from what?”
