Chapter 10 - The Missing Deputy
Mason's wound was a graze, ugly but not life-threatening.
The missing deputy was Travis Pike, twenty-nine, three years on the force, married, new baby at home.
His radio had been left on the hood of the cruiser.
His body camera was gone.
"He ran," Caleb said.
Mason shook his head. "Or he was taken."
"You still defending your department?"
"I'm defending facts."
Claire pressed a clean towel to Mason's shoulder while Scout watched the windows.
"No hospitals," Mason said.
"That's stupid."
"Maybe. But if Noah was right about someone inside the department, the hospital will be the first place they look."
Caleb stared at him. "You believe Noah now?"
"I believe somebody just shot at me."
At 1:13 a.m., Claire heard a vehicle on the gravel road.
Not sirens.
A slow engine.
A white utility van stopped by the mailbox, then rolled away.
Scout whined.
Claire saw something hanging from the mailbox flag.
An envelope.
Inside was Deputy Pike's body camera memory card.
They played the final clip on Caleb's laptop.
The image shook as Pike walked behind the farmhouse.
A male voice whispered from the dark.
"You were supposed to erase the recorder."
Pike answered, "I did what Voss paid for. I'm done."
A second man stepped into frame.
Claire recognized him immediately.
Sheriff Daniel Rusk.
Mason's boss.
Rusk said, "Nobody is done until the widow signs."
The recording ended with Pike saying, "She's pregnant, Sheriff."
Then came a heavy impact and darkness.
Claire covered her mouth.
Mason sat very still.
"The sheriff," she whispered.
Mason's jaw flexed.
"Yeah."
His personal phone rang.
The screen displayed SHERIFF RUSK.
Mason answered.
Rusk's voice was friendly.
"Mason, I heard there was trouble at the Bennett place. Bring Claire in. For her protection."
May you like
Mason looked at Claire.
Then he said, "We're already on our way."
