“Sir, yes sir.” Carson rose from his seat and nodded.
Sheriff Anderson glanced over his shoulder at his daughter, Janet, before turning back around. “See that you keep your nose clean, Tines. I’d hate to throw you in jail.”
The sheriff claimed that was where Carson would end up all along. He’d been wrong.
Carson retook his seat and grabbed his beer.
“I’m surprised you’d have time to worry about us seeing that your guys are dragging several bodies out of the lake,” Bishop said, a little louder than necessary.
The patrons sitting nearby turned in their direction. One said, “Is that true, Sheriff?”
The diversion worked like a charm. Carson clinked his beer against Bishop’s and grinned.
Sheriff Anderson gave Bishop a stinky side-eye before addressing the customers at the table. Carson’s daddy and the sheriff had never seen eye to eye. Not since Carson’s mom had died. Everyone in town blamed Carson’s daddy for the deed. Hell, even his children had. Their dad had waited forty-eight hours before calling her in as missing. He’d been the last one with her before the cops had found her broken body on the side of the road the next day, and he hadn’t had an alibi.
The questions paused when the door opened again, letting more sunlight into the dingy bar. The bar hadn’t been this busy the last time Carson had visited.
As the door swung shut, a familiar face came into focus.
“Crap,” Carson whispered beneath his breath. As if his day couldn’t get any worse, it had doubled in a matter of seconds. Lucy investigating the dead bodies would bring results, and no matter if either brother was guilty, she’d figure it out. They were royally screwed. Carson rose from his seat. “Lucy, what are you doing here, and how did you escape?”
Lucy smiled in his direction. “You know, you didn’t have to kill anyone to see me again. All you had to do was ask.”
Bishop’s and Michael’s mouths parted as they stared at Lucy. Her shirt formed to her breasts, leaving little to the imagination. Her jeans, which were a little loose, showed swaths of her creamy skin. She was the girl next door and most men’s wet dream.
Janet tilted her head and rested her hand on her hip.
“I never would have guessed you came from a small town, Carson. I thought you were conceived in a military experiment.”
Michael laughed, and Carson knocked him in the gut before rubbing at the stress knot forming in his neck.
“Now, lass. How did you escape?” Carson asked as Lucy stepped farther into the bar with her handler, FBI Agent Noah Roth, and Sam, the IT guy, behind her.
“Did you say escape?” the sheriff asked.
“Escaping was the easy part,” she said, glancing around the room. “We’re connected, Carson, or have you forgotten?” She placed her hand over her heart and winked.
The entire bar was quiet as they watched Lucy walk over to the table, pick up Carson’s beer, and take a sip. “And from the looks of it, you could use our help.”
Lucy stepped up to the sheriff and held out her hand. “Dr. Lucy Bray, Sheriff. The FBI and I look forward to working with you.”
“Escaped from where?” he asked.
“Glendale psych ward.” She patted his badge. “But don’t worry. I’ll grow on you.”
“I doubt that,” Sheriff Anderson answered.
“Can I just be the first to say that Carson didn’t kill anyone. He’s a big teddy bear.”
“How did you even know we pulled dead bodies out of the lake? We’re still collecting evidence.” The sheriff’s brows dipped.
“Yeah, well, then…” Lucy wrinkled her nose. “Carry on.” Lucy waved her hand around the bar. “Which one of you sexy guys is going to buy me a glass of wine?”
“You’re on the clock, Dr. Bray,” Noah said, earning Lucy’s frown.
Lucy loved her time away from the psych ward. She tended to push everyone’s buttons and often. It was as if she could feel and taste the freedom that had been yanked away.
She sighed as she turned to meet his gaze. “I have no victim, no blood, nothing yet to play with, Noah.”
“Agent Roth,” he corrected.
“Noah, I think one glass of wine wouldn’t hurt. Someone might even suggest it will help loosen me up for playtime.”
“No one would say that, only you,” Noah answered.
“Fine, I would say that,” she said, turning back to the guys in the bar. She surveyed each as if determining which one might be a threat and which might be the easiest guy to talk into buying her that drink.
“You haven’t answered how the hell you know we pulled bodies out of the lake,” the sheriff growled.
Lucy gestured to Noah. “That’s above my pay grade. Oh, wait…” Her hand flew to her chest. “They aren’t paying me a dime, so be a dear and talk to sparky over there.”
“Why does she need blood and bodies?” Bishop whispered into Carson’s ear.
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Stalked Justice (Fractured Minds Series Book 1) Page 12
