by Lisa Lovell
Jake
“I got quite the call today,” Chief Howard says as he walks up to my desk.
“Sir?” I say, glancing up from my computer. I’m still working on the report from the night before.
“Lilly Martin, Buck Martin’s daughter, is furious.”
“Furious?” I scoff. “She looks like she has the rage of a bunny rabbit.”
Chief Howard chuckles. “She’s a sweet girl. A bit naive, maybe. But she always means well.”
“She didn’t mean well last night when she tried to get back here,” I reply. “And naive is right. She has no idea her father is working with the cartel.” She didn’t even realize her father was drunk last night.
“Neither do you,” Chief Howard says pointedly. “You’re going on a hunch. It’s only because of your past exposure to him that I’m even tolerating it. That’s why you need to walk on eggshells, pal.”
Chief Howard claps me on the shoulder like a father or an older brother would. I don’t know how to respond to the gesture.
The Rangers have this whole ‘brotherhood’ vibe that I simply don’t fit into. I’ve always done things on my own, my way. I never expected help from anyone. I work better alone. It’s just how I am. I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t spend my time looking out for other people when I was growing up. I had to focus on looking out for me, because no one else was.
Except for Chief Howard. For some reason, he took a special interest in me when I moved back to town. He convinced me I’d make a good Ranger and urged me to apply for the training program. Surprisingly, I excelled.
I thought the Rangers would be the ideal place for me. I love the job but I didn’t expect all the wannabe brother figures. They mean well, but I just don’t work like that. They’ll figure it out eventually.
“It’s not like we have any other leads,” I say. “The drug cartel has people in town working for them. They have to. How else do you explain all of the evidence from the altercation last month disappearing?”
Rhodes and the assistant mayor had to be taken to a safe house. It was a huge fucking deal. Paperwork like that doesn’t just fall through the cracks. The arrests they made because of the incident didn’t hold up in court because that paperwork vanished.
“There is no explanation,” he shrugs. “That’s why I need you to get me proof. Once you do that, then we can crack down the way we need to. If you’re not up for it, I can put one of the veterans on Buck’s trail.”
“I’ve got it,” I say, a touch too harshly.
Chief Howard gives me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t drive yourself crazy over this. You belong here.”
Not yet, I don’t. Once I bust Buck, then I will.
“I’m going to talk to Lilly Martin,” I say. “I should apologize to her. I was kind of a dick.”
“Good call,” he nods. “Be nice to her. Lilly’s led a surprisingly sheltered life. She’s…sensitive.”
She didn’t seem so sensitive last night. She was a forced to be reckoned with. She must act differently with Chief Howard.
After figuring out she works at the library, I drive over.
When I see her, sitting behind the desk with her nose in a book of fairytales, my heart stops. I thought my strong reaction to her was going to be a one-time thing. Apparently not. She looks almost…angelic. A literal beam of light shines down on her from the window.
Maybe I can manage not to be an asshole this time.
“Excuse me,” I clear my throat. She looks up, her eyes wide like a startled deer. It’s adorable.
“Officer Diggs.” She narrows her eyes. “What do you want?”
“You can call me Jake,” I say. “I wanted to apologize for last night.”
“Chief Howard made you come, didn’t he?” She smirks.
“No,” I say curtly. “He just approved me coming here. It was my idea.”
“Good for you. Apology accepted. Have a nice day.” She turns her attention back to her book. I don’t move. After a few moments, her eyes slide back to me. “Can I do anything else for you?”
“I just have one question,” I say.
She puts her book down and nods.
“If your father hasn’t done anything at all, why would he refuse to answer our questions?” I ask. “Wouldn’t he be cooperative if he really was innocent?” This is not what Chief Howard would want me to do, but I’m here. I can’t not ask.
“What are you implying?” She asks.
“Nothing,” I lie. “It’s an honest question.”
She stands up and walks around to the front of her desk. She’s wearing another flowery dress and flats that look like they’re made from satin or something. Her hair bounces with each step. This time, it’s tied up in a blue ribbon.
“I know it’s hard to believe.” I expect words of anger, but she sounds soft and reasonable. “But my father really has turned his life around. You caught him by surprise, that’s all.”
“Ms. Martin-”
“Why can’t you just believe me?” She looks up at me, her eyes pleading. “He doesn’t lie.”
I know for a fact that he does. Buck is taking her for a ride and she can’t see it. It’s not right.
“Perhaps you can help me talk to him.” I change tactics. If I’m going to get anywhere, I need Lilly on my side. “If you explain to him that we want to cross him off a list and not put him in a cell, he might cooperate.”
“Or you can accept the fact that he hasn’t done anything,” she counters. “I know my father is innocent of whatever it is you’re trying to pin on him.”
It’s almost like she’s never heard of lying. What must it be like in her mind? How has she gone through life without learning that everyone has secrets, lies, and a hidden agenda?
“If you change your mind, please call me.” I slide my business card across her desk. “It would be most appreciated.”
“Don’t wait by the phone.” She takes a seat at her desk again and primly picks up her book. I’ve been dismissed. I’ll have to find another way.
Chapter Five
Lilly
Jake Diggs has some nerve! Who does he think he is blindly accusing my father like that? He has no proof and he won’t ever find any. My father has changed and he’d never lie to me about that.
Jake is just looking for a scapegoat. It’s not going to be my father.
I’m still angry when I walk into my house. From what I can tell, my father’s not home. I’ll have to wait to tell him about Jake. In the meantime, I decide to play my favorite game to get rid of that extra anger.
It’s not a game, per se, but I love planning out international trips to take eventually. Last time I did this, I organized I trip to Rome for myself. Today, I’m thinking Norway. I know nothing about the country.
I start by looking up pictures and the top tourist attractions. It looks beautiful, even though I can hardly pronounce any of the city names. I find a sleepy looking village on the water that looks like it was pulled right out of a fairytale. It boasts that it’s the best place to see the northern lights, which I’ve always wanted to see.
I pick out a cute B&B for imaginary trip. It’s a little expensive, but the view is to die for. It looks right out onto the little harbor and is next door to a café. Perfect!
I plan excursions for myself as well as downtime. I’ve nearly planned a two-week trip when I get an airline alert in my e-mail. Tickets to this very part of Norway are on sale for a steal, exactly when I want to go.
It has to be fate. It’s too much of a coincidence. I’ve never been out of the country before, despite getting my passport four years ago. I regret that I haven’t used it yet, but something always comes up. It’s never a good time.
I’m halfway through filling out passenger information when I pause. Should I really be making plans to leave town? The Rangers might not back off of my father. Something could happen. I shouldn’t make any plans to go anywhere until I know for a fact that everything is settled.
I e
xit out of the airline website. My heart twists painfully when I do.
“It’s okay,” I tell myself. “Norway isn’t going anywhere. There will be another sale.”
It’s what I say to myself every time. I believe it less and less every time I say it.
Music starts blasting from the garage. My father’s back from wherever he was.
I walk across the yard trying to figure out how to tell him about Jake without making him angry. The last thing I want my father to do is think he has to get out of town. If he leaves, he might never come back. I can’t risk that.
I’m about to knock on his door when I hear his voice. He’s on the phone. I should come back later.
“No, don’t worry about it,” he snaps. “They won’t catch on.”
Thanks to the music, I can’t hear what the person on the other line is saying.
“Don’t pull that shit with me, Ajax,” he hisses. “I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have. If you want things to go your way, you’ll back off and let me do what I do. When is the next drop?”
Drop? That sounds like…
No way. He’d never go back to his old way of life. I must be misunderstanding.
As I walk back to the main house, I finger Jake’s business card in my pocket. He made a good point earlier today. If my father is innocent, why won’t he cooperate?
My father has good reason to not trust the Rangers. They’ll never see him as anything more than a criminal.
But they don’t see me as a criminal. If I cooperate with them, I can give them proof my father isn’t up to anything. They’ll believe me. Who wouldn’t? I’ve never even so much as jay-walked. I can clear my father’s name and figure out what he was talking about on the phone without letting him think I don’t trust him. It’s the perfect solution.
I pick up the phone and dial Jake’s number.
“Rose Haven Ranger Station, this is Officer Diggs,” he says in a cool, professional tone. The sound of his voice sends shivers down my spine.
It was nice of him to apologize today, even if there might have been an ulterior motive. If he was a little nice, he might be someone I’d like.
“Hi, this is Lilly Martin,” I say.
“Oh!” He sounds surprised. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes,” I say quickly. “Only, I think I heard my father talking about something that might help you.”
“Really? Are you willing to come in and discuss it?” He asks.
“Yes,” I agree. “I’m hoping that whatever it is can prove to you my father’s done nothing wrong.” For some reason, I can’t muster my usual conviction. Even if that conversation has nothing to do with anything related to the Ranger’s case, it was still strange.
“I hope we can accomplish that together.” His words make my stomach flutter.
“I’ll stop by tomorrow,” I say before hanging up. My heart pounds in my chest. The thought of being alone with Jake makes my cheeks hot. I try to shove the thoughts away. He’s trying to get my father in trouble, after all.
It’s a shame he’s so handsome.
Chapter Six
Jake
Lilly comes into the station around noon. Her hair is mostly down today. Only the top pieces are pulled back and secured with a pale green ribbon. It matches her dress which, somehow, makes her eyes seem more vibrant.
“Hello,” she nods when she sees me. It’s then I notice the wicker basket in her hands. Its contents are covered in a red checkered cloth.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“I made scones this morning. I thought you and the other Rangers might like some,” she says with a small smile.
“You’re serious?” I blink, surprised.
She furrows her delicate brow. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It’s just…” I try to find the words, but I can’t. “You’re something else.”
“I’m nice,” she says. “What’s wrong with that?”
“This is some Little Red Riding Hood shit,” I laugh. “It’s cute.”
“I’m not cute,” she says while making the cutest scowl I’ve ever seen.
“You look like all of the little woodland animals would welcome you as their own if you sing them a song,” I tease.
“Do you want to talk about my father or not?” I can tell she’s trying not to laugh as she takes out a scone and shoves it in my mouth. It’s delicious. I can’t even be mad.
“I’ve cleared an interview room for as long as we need,” I say between bites. “That’s a damn good scone.”
“Thanks. I practice on all the woodland animals.”
She follows me to the interview room and takes a seat.
“I was surprised to get your call,” I say, reaching for another scone.
“Don’t hog them. You have to share,” she says. “And I’m only here to prove my father isn’t up to anything.”
“I hope that’s true, seriously. It’s not fun to have a family member called into question like this.”
She tips her head to one side. “You know from experience?”
There’s no point in lying. My past is my past.
“I was in foster care for most of my life,” I explain. “My father went to prison when I was a little kid. My mom had some substance abuse issues and barely made enough to keep the lights on let alone feed me.”
“Oh.” Concern fills her golden eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that. Were your foster families kind to you?”
“Some were,” I nod. “But most of them just watched the monthly check they received from taking in foster kids. Three of my foster father’s knew your dad, actually.”
Her expression turns stony. “Oh?”
“I don’t remember much,” I say. “But those were the worst homes.”
“I’m sorry.” I can see in her eyes that she means it. “At least you’re making a name for yourself as a Ranger.”
“I’m trying to,” I say. “I won’t feel right about being here until I earn my place.” That’s not something I say out loud. Ever. Yet, something about Lilly makes me want to be honest. She’s already being lied to. I don’t want to add to that.
“Is that why you’re so fixated on my father?” She asks. If she’s angry, she’s doing a great job of keeping it under wraps. I’d be angry if I were in her shoes, even if my dad is the king of all losers.
“Like I said, if your father hasn’t done anything, I want to get him crossed off the suspect list as soon as possible,” I say. “But I am aware of his past. At the very least, I think he could give us an idea of how my target might work.”
“Tell me about your targets,” she says. “My dad said something about a drug cartel in the car last night.”
“There has been an increase in activity that could be related to the cartel that’s taken up residence near the valley,” I say.
“My father never worked with drug dealers,” she sniffs. “He just stole a lot of things.”
“That’s…not exactly true,” I say carefully.
“What?” She frowns. “Of course, it’s true. My father told me everything.”
Oh, no. This poor woman.
I open the desk drawer and pull out a thick folder. “This is all of the information we have on your father.” I set it down on the desk and pull out a few reports marked with blue sticky notes. “All of these are drug charges.”
“None of them resulted in prison time,” she says.
“That’s true,” I admit. “Even though there wasn’t enough evidence for a conviction, there was still evidence. It might be a series of coincidences but-”
“No buts,” she says firmly. “He didn’t mess around with drug dealers.”
“All right,” I nod, backing down. I don’t want to upset her. If I’m right -and I’m starting to hope I’m not – then she’s going to be in for a rough time. “Let’s focus on how to get your father off the suspect list.”
“Thank you,” she nods. “Even if you don’t believe me, thanks.”
“At the end of the day, what I believe doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what’s true.”
She lifts her gaze to mine. Her golden eyes suck me in. I can’t look away even if I wanted to, which I certainly don’t. I don’t understand her effect on me.
“You don’t have to protect me, you know?” She says.
“What?” I stammer.
“Most people try to hide the truth from me,” she says. “They don’t think I can handle it.”
“Why?”
“I’m not the most experienced person,” she says. “People often mistake a lack of experience for a lack of common sense and savvy. I’m a grown woman with a home and job, yet people still treat me like a child.”
“That might be because you wear ribbons in your hair, bring people scones in baskets, and read fairytales in your spare time.” Her brows shoot up. “I saw your book in the library,” I clarify.
“None of those things mean I need protecting from the world.” She crosses her arms over her chest with a huff. “I can handle myself and I can handle this, so don’t hold back on me, okay?”
“Okay,” I agree, though I already know I’d do whatever I have to do to make sure she doesn’t get hurt. She simply doesn’t deserve it. “Now, tell me what you heard your father say yesterday.”
She quickly fills me in on what she heard. Unfortunately, it sounds terribly suspicious.
“Okay,” I say after a moment of thought. “I think I have a plan.”
She leans forward, listening eagerly.
“We’re going to organize a fake drop,” I say. “You’re going to give your father a message. I have a few names of the cartel lackeys. We’ll tell him it’s from one of them.”
“What if he doesn’t understand what I’m talking about?” She asks.
“Then we know he’s innocent,” I say. “If he goes for the fake drop, we’ll know he’s involved.” A look of unease crosses her face. I reach for her hand and give it a light squeeze before I can stop myself. “I know it’s scary, but you can do this.”
She looks at my hand on hers. A faint blush colors her cheeks. I take my hand away before she can say anything.
