Burke stepped out, climbed the steps, and held out the paper.
“Search warrant.”
Wade took his time taking it.
Skimming over the top page.
Didn’t read it all.
“Well now,” he said, almost pleasant. “If you wanted a look around, Sheriff, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
He took a slow pull from the cigar, letting the smoke drift out between them. “Would hate for all this effort to come up… disappointing.”
Burke didn’t respond.
Wade folded the warrant once and handed it back.
“A moment,” he said.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and hit a contact without looking.
“Miller,” he said, “Sheriff’s here with a warrant. Meet him out front. Take him anywhere on the property he wants to go. You heard me.”He ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Wade looked at Burke again.
“Wouldn’t want you boys missing anything.”
Miller came around the side of the house at a jog, wiping his hands on a rag.
“You called, sir?”
Wade nodded toward Burke.
“Sheriff’s got business.”
Miller gave a quick nod.
“Yes, sir.”
Then to Burke—“Where you want to start?”
Burke didn’t look at Wade again.
“The airfield warehouse on the North Line,” he said.
They moved out, cruisers fanning and deputies spreading across the property while Miller walked with them like a tour guide.
Opening doors before they asked.
Stepping aside. Letting them see everything.
Feed.
Fertilizer.
Equipment.
Labels out. Nothing hidden.
