“Are you having a nice time adjusting? Van Buren isn’t too boring?”
“I’m fine with boring.”Boring is safe.“Got myself a job, actually. Well, part-time. I’ll be helping at the library.”
“Is that so? Good for you. My Joel used to love going there.”
“Oh yeah? Where’s he at?”
The sheriff clears his throat. “He’s in a better place.”
“I… oh. Sorry to hear that.”
“That’s all right. He was led down a dark path by awicked man.”
The anger in the sheriff’s voice is unmistakable. Owen says, “I hope that wicked man got what he deserved.”
“He didn’t, but he will eventually. You can be sure of that.”
Well, that sounds downright unsettling.
They drive for another ten minutes until they reach another town, even quieter than Van Buren. The sheriff turns into a small street where the houses seem neglected—from the peeling walls to the unkempt gardens. There are people sitting outside, looking… bad.
“What’s wrong with them?” he asks, though he can already guess.
“Drugs were always an issue around these parts. Simple people without good education who are looking to pass the time. It started small, but now it’s a full-on pandemic. We were able to catch some of the dealers, but they never tell us who sent them, and they seem to be getting off easily.” He stops the car and turns to look at Owen. “Something big must be happening behind the scenes to allow such a well-oiled operation to go on like that. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get to the bottom of it, and it’s not for lack of trying.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but if this is about scaring me, I don’t do drugs anymore.”
The sheriff shakes his head. “I’m not trying to scare you; I’m asking for your help. I would like for you tobefriend a few of those dealers by pretending to be a client. That will give you a chance to gather information that could help us find out who is behind this. You may be saving a lot of lives around here.”
Owen leans his head back, feeling lightheaded. The sheriff has no right asking him to do something so dangerous. “I’m on probation.”
“Your aunt mentioned that. The only people who can arrest you around here are me and my officers, and none of us will. Consider yourself fully protected.”
“Is that why you and my aunt argued yesterday?”
The sheriff nods. “That’s right. For this to work, you’ll need to keep it a secret from her.”
“I don’t like that. She’s been cool with me.”
“She’s an honest woman and has been a good friend to me for decades. All I’m looking for is information. The people who are selling drugs are not from this town, so they have no way of knowing who your aunt is.”
Owen wants to refuse—he should refuse—but he thinks of all the friends he saw fading away because of drugs. He hates the thought of something similar happening to this community. He also can’t help but hope that doing this good deed may help calm down his nightmares. A way for him to atone for killing a man.
“If I’m doing this, I’ll need help, like a guide.”
“Of course.” The sheriff watches him closely, a trace of a smile on his lips. “Is that a yes?”
“I… yeah, I think so. I want to do the right thing.”
The sheriff nods. “Thank you, son. You’re a good man. Nate will be your go-to guy for information. Just follow his instructions.”
“Follow Nate’s instructions. Got it.”
Chapter 7
Nate
“You sure that’s a good idea, boss? Sheryl will flip.”
