Fire Storm (The Gathering Storm Book 2)

by Marlow Kelly

He watched her leave, unable to tear his eyes from her toned, muscled body. He didn’t know why, but he’d always been drawn to strong, powerful women in uniform. She didn’t use unnecessary movements, but strode with determination for the door, everything about her screaming discipline and restraint. Man, if she hadn’t been a Hopefalls cop he might have asked her out for a coffee. There was no way he would do that now. Not only was she one of Booley’s flunkies, she was also Alice Hayden’s niece and believed he was responsible for her aunt’s death.

  But her timing was interesting. She’d remained at the police station until Detective Ramirez had arrived, making Tim wonder if she had stayed to protect him from Booley. Maybe that was wishful thinking on his part. She wouldn’t go out of her way to safeguard him. Perhaps she just disliked Detective Ramirez.

  A man in a sharp gray suit, white dress shirt, and navy blue tie emerged from Booley’s office. He walked across the room and took the chair Officer Hayden had vacated. Tim hadn’t seen him enter the police station and had no idea who he was.

  Miss Reed ignored everyone else in the room and addressed Booley. “I want to talk to my client. In private.”

  “You can use my office.” Booley pulled his handcuffs from his belt and marched toward Tim.

  “Those won’t be necessary,” Miss Reed countered.

  “I think they are. He resisted arrest.” Booley unlocked the cell, but blocked Tim’s exit.

  “No, I didn’t.” Tim held his hands up in a show of surrender, hoping Booley would get the message. “Until three years ago, I was a staff sergeant in the 75th Ranger Regiment. I’m trained in hand-to-hand combat. If I’d resisted, you would have been on the floor bleeding. You punched me when I turned to you in shock.” He nodded to the handcuffs in Booley’s hand. “Those cuffs won’t stop me if I want to escape.” That was a bit of an exaggeration. He had no idea how to get out of cuffs, but he was fast and lethal enough he could take care of an out-of-shape, old man like Booley. He wasn’t so sure about Ramirez.

  Booley stared at the man in the gray suit as if asking for guidance.

  Detective Ramirez pointed to Gray Suit. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Paul Harris, the mayor of Hopefalls.”

  “You’re one of the idiots who stomped all over my crime scene.”

  The mayor flushed. “I did not. My wife found the body.”

  “Don’t you mean Ben?” Ramirez pointed at Mayor Harris. “And aren’t you the brains behind the plan to force North from his land? Which is reason enough to consider you a suspect.”

  “You can’t talk to me like that. I’m the mayor.”

  “I don’t care who you are. If you’ve broken the law, I will arrest you. Leave now. I will question you and your wife later.” Ramirez walked to the cell, elbowing Booley out of the way. “This is my investigation, and I will not tolerate interference from the Hopefalls Police Department or its mayor. I’ve a mind to move this interview to Granite City.”

  David nodded in silent agreement.

  Sophia Reed pointed at the Hopefalls Police Chief. “You told me this was your investigation.” Then she rounded on Ramirez. “In the interests of my client, I suggest you question him here so he can leave. We will also be suing the Town of Hopefalls for wrongful arrest and damages caused by Chief Booley’s assault.”

  Booley shrugged, not seeming to care, pulled a cigarette from his pants pocket, and lit it.

  Ramirez stepped into the cell. “I want your word as a Ranger that you won’t try to escape or attack anyone.”

  “You have my word,” Tim answered, shocked that he had to give it. He hadn’t even been questioned yet.

  Ramirez stepped aside, allowing Tim to cross the threshold.

  Sophia Reed walked to meet him. She shook his hand and then reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out a business card, and passed it to him. “These are my numbers. You can reach me twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.” She turned, heading toward Booley’s office. “Come this way.”

  Tim followed, praying that Ms. Reed could work some legal magic so he didn’t end up in jail.

  Chapter Seven

  Dana pulled into the parking lot just in time to see Detective Ramirez shaking Timothy Morgan’s hand on the front steps of the police station. Morgan’s lawyer stood next to him, smiling.

  Damn it. She slammed the door of her car. He wasn’t in custody. Dana opened the trunk and moved her crime scene materials around, pretending to organize her stuff as the trio chatted.

  Alice had died at the tender age of twenty-two because Tim Morgan had played a childish prank and stolen a stop sign. She had been on her way to meet her boyfriend on Wind Ridge, which was a popular spot for young couples. On the way up, she drove through a junction that should have been marked and had died when her car was T-boned by a logging truck.

  Everyone suspected Morgan had committed the crime, but he ran away before charges could be filed. She doubted a charge of murder would stick. Murder generally required intent, and even to her, the theft of a stop sign was a prank. The charge would probably be manslaughter, and there was no statute of limitations for manslaughter in Montana.

  “I’ve got your numbers. I’ll call you if I have any further questions.” Ramirez walked to his unmarked police-issue Ford sedan.

  “Aren’t you going to tell me not to leave town?” Morgan called as he made his way down the steps accompanied by his lawyer.

  “You are not under arrest, so he has no right to tell you where you can or can’t go,” Ms. Reed answered as she escorted her client to a newer black Ford truck. “That only works in cop shows.”

  Morgan unlocked the truck door. “Interesting.”

  Dana threw her Kevlar vest on the ground at her feet. The rat-bastard was getting away again. Using more force than needed, she banged the trunk shut.

  As a little girl, she would climb onto her aunt’s lap with a storybook in hand, never afraid she would be turned away. If Aunt Alice didn’t have time, she would tickle Dana until she laughed and then kiss her on the head. They were cherished memories, filled with laughter and happiness. All that had been stolen by Morgan’s irresponsible behavior.

  Morgan looked in her direction, smiled, nodded, mouthed the words “thank you,” and then climbed in his truck and drove away. What the hell was that? Why had he thanked her? She hadn’t done anything to affect his release. All she’d done was stop her boss from beating the crap out of him, but that had nothing to do with Morgan. That was all about her. She refused to disparage her own character because of him.

  And that perfect smile. Why had he smiled at her? Was he rubbing his release in her face? She opened the trunk and slammed it again, just because it made her feel better.

  She needed a timeout, a chance to get her feelings under control. Maybe if she could discuss the facts of the case with Ramirez, she would feel better about Morgan walking away, but he had left as well. She opened the trunk again, slowly this time, threw the vest inside, and then leant against the car, waiting to calm down. She didn’t want to be grateful to him, and she most definitely didn’t want to be attracted to him. Her focus should remain clear—get justice for Aunt Alice.

  Never mind that Tim Morgan was appealing. He wasn’t good looking exactly; his eyes were a little too narrow and his hair was graying prematurely, and yet he affected her on a gut level that was hard to pinpoint and even harder to reconcile with everything she knew about him.

  Emotionally, she was too close. If she were still a detective in Spokane, there would be no way she would be allowed to investigate. She needed to keep that in mind. Booley tended to lead with his emotions, which was fine in theory. But there were rules in place for a reason, even if they stunk.

  Booley met her as she entered the station. His nostrils flared, like a bull ready to charge. “He doesn’t have an alibi for the time of death. You should’ve let me beat a confession out of him.”

  Shelly gasped. She must’ve returned while Dana was on patrol. The older woman fr
oze in front of the filing cabinet, a manila folder in her hand. She didn’t move. She just stared at Booley, saying nothing.

  Dana drew in a long, slow breath, controlling her reaction. She hated to see a suspect, especially one that had caused her so much pain, walk away, but she had to be true to herself. “Stopping you wasn’t about him. It was about me.” She sat at her desk.

  “I don’t understand.” Booley crossed his arms as he lounged against the front counter.

  Dana stared at Booley. From her first day at the police academy, she’d been taught a good police officer should try to be trustworthy, honest, take responsibility for her own actions, and be a team player. She aspired to these ideals and worked each day to be the best cop she could be, no matter what the circumstances. She had a feeling these rules of conduct were a foreign concept to him. “I’ve always been a straight arrow. I don’t break the rules. I don’t cheat and I don’t lie. I do what I believe is right. Letting you beat on him wouldn’t be right. Plus, my son was here watching.”

  “Not that either of you have asked, but I agree with Dana. We’re a small-town force, and the people of Hopefalls need to be able to trust us.” Xavier stood at the coffee machine. Dana hadn’t noticed him until now. She’d been single-mindedly focused on Morgan and then Booley. That kind of distraction could prove deadly. She needed to get her act together before she went out on patrol.

  She turned to Xavier as he sipped his coffee. “What are you doing here? Your shift doesn’t start for another two hours.”

  He smiled, revealing his perfect teeth, white against his dark complexion. As a recent graduate of the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, he was still enthusiastic and hadn’t been worn down by the rigors of the job. “I was here earlier, remember? The chief called me in early and filled me in on everything that happened. This is the most excitement this town has seen in a long time.”

  Booley rubbed the back of his neck. “Well damn, I’ve never mistreated a suspect in my life, but Morgan just rubs me the wrong way. And what about all the crap he was spouting?”

  “What crap?” Xavier took another sip of his coffee.

  “Said he was a Ranger and he could take me even if he was handcuffed.”

  “I don’t think he was lying about that.” Xavier stepped away from the counter. “A girlfriend of mine works at the Montana Department of Military Affairs so I asked her to run a check on Morgan.”

  “And?” Dana liked his resourcefulness. It was no surprise he had a girlfriend who could help him. In the last two months, Dana had learned he was a man who had a lot of girlfriends, none of whom were exclusive.

  “Like he said, he was a staff sergeant in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Served four tours in Afghanistan. He received the Medal of Honor for saving a village and a whole bunch of United Nations observers. He got shot in the process.”

  “A Medal of Honor.” Booley stared at Xavier. “Timothy Morgan really was a Ranger?”

  “It seems so.” The young officer emptied his cup in the sink.

  “His mother was very proud of him,” Shelly added. She wouldn’t look at them. She obviously knew more about Morgan than Booley. The older woman glanced at the wall clock and then stuffed another beige file folder into a drawer, her movements hurried.

  “The kid who stole a stop sign and killed my aunt grew up, became a Ranger, and received the Medal of Honor?” Dana couldn’t believe her ears. All these years she’d imagined him to be some kind of criminal.

  Xavier nodded. “According to Arlene. She’s sending me everything that’s not marked classified.”

  “Damn.” Booley pursed his lips. “You know sometimes these soldiers can’t adjust to civilian life. Who knows? Maybe he had a psychotic break and killed Ben.” He walked to his office. “Dana, are you busy tomorrow?”

  “Yes, sir, it’s Saturday. I’m working.”

  “Xavier and I will do your shift. You’re on special duty.”

  “What am I doing?” The hairs lifted on the back of her neck, reminding her Booley’s moral compass was skewed.

  “Your assignment is to follow Morgan. I want him watched everywhere he goes.”

  “Won’t he recognize me? I don’t exactly blend, and there’s not much traffic in Hopefalls or out at his ranch.” Technically, the police were allowed to tail a suspect out of their jurisdiction, but their powers were limited.

  The chief smiled. “Not if you do your job properly.”

  “But I can’t be on him twenty-four hours a day.” She wanted to say she had a son but didn’t. Booley wasn’t the type of boss who appreciated officers who had family obligations.

  “Once he beds down for the night, call me. I’ll come and take over. I can nap in my car.”

  Shelly grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet. “I’ll look in on Logan tomorrow.”

  “Thanks, Shelly.”

  “It’s no problem. He’s a sweetheart. He told me he wants to learn to bake. Maybe I’ll teach him.” Shelly had two grown sons who were twins. Both of them lived in Granite City. One was a carpenter and the other an accountant. Dana had heard from the locals they were hellions in their teens. Shelly rode roughshod over them, forcing them to stay in school, which meant she probably had a degree in how to deal with difficult teenage boys.

  “I appreciate that.” Words weren’t enough to describe just how grateful she was to have someone as balanced as Shelly to keep an eye on Logan. He was fifteen and liked to be independent, but he had gotten into trouble in Spokane, and part of living in a small town was that it afforded her the ability to check on him at a moment’s notice.

  Shelly left without another word. The events of the day had been upsetting. Ben North, who’d been a fixture of the community, had died an unnatural death, and Timothy Morgan was suspected of the murder.

  Dana remembered Tim from school. He’d been a heartthrob then, tall, athletic, and devilishly handsome. He’d been easy-going, charming, and popular. All the girls had wanted to be with him. It was rumored he’d slept with many of them. She was years younger, and he hadn’t spared her a glance, so she shouldn’t be surprised he didn’t recognize her. Although, when it came to her appearance, she hadn’t changed much. She was still long and big-boned. Her features were striking rather than pretty, her nose a little too long and her mouth overly wide. And her hair… She groaned. She didn’t consider herself particularly vain. She didn’t paint her nails or wear much make up, and up until recently, she had always been neat and well-styled in a minimalist sort of way. Unfortunately, she was currently sporting the worst haircut in living memory, which included the time when she was three years old and had cut it herself.

  She’d decided to chop off her long thick hair because she didn’t have time to style it. The washing, drying, and straightening took time she didn’t have. After putting in twelve-hour shifts, all she wanted to do was get home and touch base with Logan. Zoe Harris had recommended Jezebel’s in Granite City. She had ranted and raved about how great they were. Unfortunately, they hadn’t lived up to their promise.

  Now, every time she looked in the mirror, she didn’t see her normal, confident self. She saw a mess. The woman reflected back at her was lost, doubtful, and unsure, although those feelings had nothing to do with her hair or her physical appearance. They were caused by a completely different nightmare.

  “Are you with me?” Booley snapped.

  Dana came to with a start. She’d been gazing into space, lost in her own thoughts. “When do you want this to start?”

  She wasn’t sure how she felt about this assignment. She wanted Timothy Morgan brought to justice for the pain he’d caused her family, but she was too close to the case and didn’t know if she could trust herself. And then there was the way he looked at her. It was as if he were studying an alien creature. It made her self-conscious, and she didn’t want to find herself under his microscope.

  “I heard him tell his lawyer he was leaving at six in the morning.” Booley braced his shoulder agai
nst the doorjamb, obviously happy with himself.

  Dana glanced at Xavier, who stood motionless, staring at the chief. She turned to face Booley. “Did you listen in on his conversation with his lawyer?” She couldn’t believe the chief had violated Morgan’s attorney-client privilege.

  “Relax, I only heard enough to know he doesn’t have an alibi for the time of the murder. Besides, how much secrecy can he expect in a police station? I’m ordering you to track him to see where he goes and what he does. He’s shady. He got away with killing once, and I don’t want him to get away with it again.”

  Dana didn’t know what to react to first, the fact the chief had listened in on a conversation between Morgan and his lawyer, or her new assignment, one where she would be harassing a suspect.

  “He plans to stop at the diner first thing in the morning and pay his respects to Frank Bryant’s widow, Eva. You can catch up with him there.”

  “What about Detective Ramirez and the Granite City-Elkhead County Police Department? Won’t we be stepping on his toes?” Xavier asked.

  Booley shrugged. “I don’t see how. We’re allowed to pursue a suspect out of our jurisdiction.” He pointed to Dana. “You can do that, can’t you?”

  She nodded. She didn’t like this. It was all wrong. The chief’s total disregard for Morgan’s rights rubbed her the wrong way. Plus, it was all too personal. She wanted nothing more than to see Morgan charged in Aunt Alice’s homicide, but at what cost? Yes, she had a score to settle with him, but she wanted evidence or a confession. Now, there was a thought. Nineteen years had passed since Aunt Alice’s death, and in Dana’s experience, everyone talked—eventually.

  She made eye contact with Xavier and raised her eyebrows, silently asking his opinion. They had only worked together a short while, and despite his lack of experience, he was a solid, straightforward officer. She had come to rely on him, especially since Booley was known to disappear for hours at a time.

  If she was on special assignment, then Xavier would have to work a double shift and the chief would just do his regular duties—if that. He nodded, letting her know he would be okay.