JJ was aware of dozens of people, all slowly trickling out until, finally, she and Baz were the only two remaining. Unfortunately, that only lasted about three minutes before there was a knock on the door.
“It’s Deputy Downs,” Baz told her. “He needs to get your statement.”
JJ exhaled heavily and took a seat on the couch. “Okay.”
She wanted to get this over with so she could curl into Baz for a little while.
The tall, muscular black man came through the doorway, his gaze shifting as he scanned the room, likely taking stock of who was still there.
“They all left,” JJ assured him. “Come in. Please.”
JJ wasn’t sure why it was, but she felt safer with him there. Maybe it was the gun on his belt or the fact she knew him to be a competent lawman. Whatever it was, she appreciated his presence. She liked Dwayne, although she didn’t know him all that well. He was younger, about thirty if she recalled correctly. JJ had seen him around town quite a bit over the past few years, ever since he put down roots in Coyote Ridge so he could join the sheriff’s department. He was the one who was called in to break up the bar fights. His no-nonsense air, combined with his intimidating size, tended to keep the rowdy crowd in line.
“How are you, JJ?” he asked, his dark brown eyes filled with warmth and genuine concern.
She rested her hand on her belly. “I’m gonna be okay.”
He smiled, a brief flash of straight white teeth. “I know you will. What do you say we get this done so I can get outta your hair?”
JJ leaned into Baz when he sat beside her on the couch. She then proceeded to tell the deputy everything that happened, starting with the syringe and ending with her talking Molly into letting her go.
***
Slade spent the drive back to Manorwaiting for Atticus to bombard him with questions.
After all, JJ was safe, so the case was technically over. He seriously doubted they would get to that old ballet studio and find Molly and Sonny waiting there, hands out so they could be arrested. And if they did, it wouldn’t require them to do anything since Sheriff Endsley was leading the charge. He didn’t have jurisdiction, but Slade figured that didn’t matter much to him. They were merely trying to tie up loose ends and ensure they had what they needed when they did find the two fucks who had kidnapped a pregnant woman.
To his surprise, they made the entire drive in silence. The only sound was the random buzz of a cell phone. Slade didn’t bother looking at his, figuring whoever it was at this point could wait.
When he pulled into the parking lot of the convenience store where they’d found JJ, Atticus pointed toward a row of retail storefronts at the opposite end. Only one of them had a sign on the door, and it was for a travel agency. The other three were empty, and the one on the very end had the windows boarded up.
Taking that as directions on where to go, Slade slowed down, giving Atticus time to look around.
“I doubt they’re here,” Atticus said when Slade stopped the truck in the middle of the parking lot. He wasn’t about to pull up in front of that building and risk some nut job shooting at them from inside.
“And I didn’t see a white Hyundai anywhere,” Atticus noted.
No white Hyundai, but a familiar white van with Briggs Electric emblazoned on the side pulled into the parking lot a minute later.
Slade looked at Atticus, watching as the man’s gaze followed the van.
“I won’t make it weird,” Slade promised.
Atticus’s eyebrows dipped. “I think it’s too late for that.”
Slade was about to ask what that meant, but Atticus opened the door and got out of the truck as Brantley pulled in behind him.
Turning off the truck, Slade took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He could do this. He could be around Atticus and Carson and not make it awkward. Although, yeah, Atticus was right. It already was, so maybe he wouldn’t make it anymoreawkward.
Luckily, there was no time for weird or awkward because Brantley launched himself out of his truck, gun in hand, as he headed for the office space on the far end of the center. Reese was right behind him, Tesha at his side.
Sheriff Endsley hadn’t even stopped his car when Brantley was at the door, standing on one side while Reese was on the other.
Slade watched from several feet away as Brantley tried the door and found it unlocked.
“Goddammit, Walker,” Sheriff Endsley rumbled as he approached. “You two stay out here.”
Yeah, that wasn’t happening.
