Shelter for Sharla

by Deanndra Hall

  “Go for it,” Bud answered, then pointed to the next participant.

  By the time they finished, they had little more than when they’d started. Waters had answered several questions, mostly about drugs, and one of them was something Carter had thought of but hadn’t had a chance to ask for. Had he analyzed the drugs he’d found in Tamara’s system to see if they matched anything else he’d seen? His answer was yes, and he claimed he’d found a few that were close, but none that were identical to the composition. Well, scratch that, Carter thought.

  In all, fifty-five minutes was all they spent, fifty-five minutes Carter felt he could’ve better spent in investigation, except for one thing―Sam. “You know where Dandy’s Coffee is?” Sam asked off-handedly as they strode out of the building.

  “Yep. See you there,” Carter answered, being careful of the volume of his voice. He knew what was happening, and he didn’t want anybody else figuring out what the two were up to.

  They found a seat in the corner and waited until the barista finished their orders before they got down to business. Carter could barely wait. “Well?” Instead of speaking, Sam slid a piece of paper toward him with a phone number written on it. “What’s this?”

  “Guy my wife knows. You do realize Dahlia is former FBI,” Sam said, taking a sip of his coffee.

  “No shit? Had no idea! So who is this?”

  “His name is Cruz Livingston. Down in San Antonio. I think you should talk to him. May be nothing; may be something.”

  “Like what?”

  “Tanner de lupo. You do know what lupo means, right?” Carter shook his head. “Wolf.”

  “Wolf.” What was tickling his brain?

  “Lupo is Italian for ‘wolf.’ Who operates out of Texas?”

  It hit Carter like a ton of bricks. “Los Lobos.”

  “Exactly.”

  Sour dread balled up in Carter’s stomach. Los Lobos was a notorious Latino gang in Texas, spending the last twenty years branching out into every major U.S. city. They were the epitome of evil, spreading prostitution, drugs, illegal alcohol production, and worst of all, illegal firearms. Bump stocks were turning up for AR-15s all over the place, and most of them were being illegally distributed by Los Lobos. “What do you think this Livingston guy can tell me?”

  “I know he did some undercover work for the FBI on some gang activity in the San Antonio area. He might be able to give you some info, or at least point you in the right direction.”

  “Why aren’t you doing this and taking credit for it?” Carter asked. He’d been in law enforcement long enough to be suspicious.

  “Because you were there when Palmer bled out. Because your bullet was the one … Because I’d like to see you catch a break on this one and show these troopers a thing or two. They look down their noses at us. You know it and I know it. And we need to get one up on them,” Sam said from inside his coffee cup.

  “And solve the case,” Carter interjected.

  “Most definitely solve the case. And listen, if I can help you with anything, anytime, never hesitate to ask. And Sheriff Massey said that goes for our whole department.” Massey was the sheriff in Calloway County, the department Sam worked for, and that was huge for Carter, having Calloway County not only cooperate with them but offer assistance.

  “Thanks. I really appreciate that. Same goes for us, if we can ever help you.”

  “You’re welcome, and thank you.” Sam took the final swig of his coffee and set his cup down. “I’ve gotta get back, but call Livingston and see what he can tell you. Can’t hurt.”

  “I will. Thanks again.” Carter watched the detective turn and head out, thinking all the while how nice it was that somebody wanted to help him. They all treated the tiny county seat of Cadiz like it was nothing. But if he figured this out …

  He had to, for his reputation, for the good of his department, and for Trooper Palmer. And for Sharla, Chelsea, and Lionel.

  Two beers. He was sufficiently loosened up, he figured, so he pulled out the slip of paper and dialed the number. It only rang twice before a male voice barked, “Yes?”

  “I’m trying to reach Cruz Livingston.”

  “You’ve found him.”

  “This is Carter Melton. I’m the sheriff in Trigg County, Kentucky, and―”

  “Sam! Yeah, he called and said he’d given you my number. Good to hear from you.”

  Wow, this guy isn’t stuck up or short with me, Carter thought. He’d never thought anyone from the FBI would be willing to help him with anything. “Thanks. And thanks for talking to me.”

  “We should all cooperate with each other. So whaddya got?”

  Carter launched into the information he’d been given, but when he said the words tanner de lupo, Cruz yelled, “Whoa! Stop right there. Tanner de lupo?”

  “What?”

  “Could it be la tana del lupo?”

  “I suppose. That’s just what the kids called it.”

  “Can you send me a pic of this tattoo you’re telling me about?”

  “Sure. I’ll send it in a text while we’re talking.” Carter pulled the picture over, snapped a shot of it on his phone, then listened to the swoosh that told him the text was on its way to Cruz. “It should hit you in just a few seconds.”

  “Got it. Let me look.” There was another brief silence before Cruz said, “Do you have any idea what you’ve got there?”

  “I guess not.”

  “Carter, we’ve been looking for a link to these guys for a couple of years, but they’re just about as elusive as they come. La Tana del Lupo―Italian for “The Den of the Wolf.” Used to be part of Los Lobos, but the leader decided he was too good to stay with the gang and formed his own, even though he insists the torch was passed to him by the old leader. Raunchy Italian from Hoboken, believe it or not, who managed to weasel his way into a Texas gang. Took a bunch of guys with him. Shot up a clubhouse in Dallas and killed a bunch of Los Lobos members. They’ve been looking for him and his crew. We’ve been looking for them. Where they are, bloodshed is right around the corner. You, my friend, are sitting on a hotbed of illegal activity down there. We’ve gotten a few reports of this stuff going on, but never anything this organized with this many people involved.” There was silence for a few seconds before Carter heard Cruz mutter, “A college campus. College kids. Those bastards. We need to stop them. And now they’re directly responsible for the death of a Kentucky State Police trooper. Why am I not surprised?”

  Carter was stunned. This was bigger than he’d ever dreamed. Sam was wrong―he had to involve KSP and KDCI with this. It was too big for his office to handle alone, that was for sure. “What do you …”

  “Let me talk to my superiors, but I’m betting they’ll want me to come there for a few days and work with you, get you up to speed, get all the other agencies on board. This is big, Carter. I can’t tell you everything over the phone. I’ll have to do it in person.”

  “Okay. While you’re here, you’re welcome to stay with me. I mean, I know the department would put you up in a hotel, but if you’d rather …”

  “You know what? I’d love to stay with you. It would be nice to be with a fellow officer in a home rather than a damn hotel room. Hate to stay in the things unless I’m on vacation. And for the record, I don’t snore, although there’s a woman here who’d argue otherwise.”

  In the background, Carter heard a female voice say, “Don’t let him lie to you. Texas Chainsaw Massacre all over again.” Carter started to laugh.

  “That’s Mickie. Expect her to hate you if I’m coming to help you. Anything or anyone who takes me away from her even for a night is the enemy.”

  “Gotcha. I’ll send bourbon back with you. Surely that’ll placate her,” Carter said, still laughing.

  “Oh, I don’t know about her, but it’ll placate me! I’ll give you a call when the arrangements are made. In the meantime, that family? The family of the girl who was involved in the shooting?”

  “Yeah?”
<
br />   “You need to keep an eye on them. They could be in harm’s way.”

  Carter’s stomach sank into his shoes. Well, shit. Get a break on a big case and find out the woman he was interested in could be more deeply affected by it than he’d like. “Thanks. I’ll give the mother a call as soon as we hang up.”

  “Good deal. Talk to you soon, Carter, and thanks for calling.”

  “You’re welcome. Thank you.” Carter really wanted to say, Wish I’d never called you, just as the phone went dead, but that wasn’t true. If his information could keep Sharla and the kids safe, he was glad to have it.

  The phone only rang once on his end before he heard her say, “Hey there!”

  “Hi. Got a minute?”

  “For you? All the minutes you need. What’s up?”

  “I need to come over and talk to you.”

  “Now?”

  “No time like the present. This can’t wait.”

  “Well, sure. Not a problem. Come on. Have you eaten?”

  Did a frozen dinner count? Carter didn’t think so. “No. I haven’t.”

  “By the time you get here, I’ll have something ready.”

  “Okay. Thanks. And make sure your doors are locked.”

  A snicker came from the phone. “My doors are always locked. I’m a woman who lives alone.”

  “And your car doors?”

  “Yes, Carter. My car doors too. I keep it locked up. What’s going on?”

  “I’ll explain when I get there. Be there in a few. Bye, babe.”

  “Bye.”

  He’d called her babe. Had that been okay? Oh, who the fuck cared? He was terrified something horrible was going to happen to her, so one word wouldn’t make that much difference. As he threw things together to leave, he thought about his Glock. Damn thing still wasn’t back from the manufacturer, and that meant he had no handgun to give her if she didn’t have one. He was using his Ruger and no way would he hand over his 1911. It was just too big and heavy for her. If she didn’t have one, he’d have to get one for her and make sure she knew how to use it.

  He didn’t even have to knock―it appeared she’d been watching for him. “Hey there,” she whispered when he stepped inside. Without giving it a second thought, he closed the door, then wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a sweet, warm kiss. As soon as he pulled back, she smiled up at him. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I’m glad to be here,” he replied and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Something smells good.”

  “I hope it tastes good. Come on. Eat and tell me what’s so urgent.” He followed her to the kitchen and watched that glorious ass do its thing. There was a stirring below his belt, and he told the beast to quiet down.

  “Oh, wow, this is good,” he said as he took his first bite.

  “Thanks.”

  How to jump in? Oh, just go ahead and tell her, Carter told himself. “Sharla, there’s something I’ve got to tell you, and if you think I’m trying to scare you, then you’d be right. I found out some things today that may very well affect you, and you need to know about them.”

  Her brow fell. “Sounds serious.”

  “It is.” Carter started in and watched her face closely. There was no panic there, but she was most definitely shaken. When he finished, he added, “And now I’m really concerned if you believe someone was following you.”

  “I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’m sure of it. But why? What would anybody want with me? How deep into this was Tamara?”

  “I have no idea. I’m not even sure what they’re trying to do with the college kids, unless it’s to use them to move drugs and guns. Otherwise, there’s no use for them, no reason to involve them. Can you think of anything Tamara had been involved in or done in the last few months that would make you wonder what she was up to?”

  Sharla shook her head. “No. Nothing. And you think this has to do with a gang in Texas?”

  “A break-off from a gang in Texas. I’d say loose cannons.” Carter reached across the small dining table and took Sharla’s hand. “Do you have some form of protection here? A gun? Mace? Pepper spray?”

  “I’ve got an old gun. I don’t know much about it, and I’ve never used it. It was my dad’s.” Sharla squeezed Carter’s hand. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared at least a little.”

  “And you should be, but I’m going to do everything I can to find out what’s going on and make sure you and the kids are safe. I’ll look at the gun, figure out if it’s okay, take you to the range to practice. You need to be prepared to protect yourself if necessary.”

  “What about the kids?”

  “I have no idea what to do about them, but I’ll figure it out.” Carter’s mind was going in a million directions, but his primary thought was to keep them safe, although he had no idea how to do that with two kids on a college campus, a place he didn’t think was particularly safe to start with. “I’ve got an FBI guy coming up from Texas to help me sift through information and see what we can find.” Well, at least Cruz thought he’d get to come. Carter hoped he hadn’t just lied to Sharla. “For now, just be super vigilant.”

  “I will. God, Carter, this is a mess. I can’t believe this. Until just a few days ago, we had normal lives, a good family … What’s going to happen to us?”

  “You’re going to be fine, and we’ll get through this.”

  “You said ‘we’ll get through this.’ Are you …” She stopped and tipped her head, her eyes questioning.

  “Yes. I plan to be here. I’m not going anywhere. Do you want this, us, to move forward?” Sharla nodded. “Then I think we need to be honest with the kids, not just for their safety, but so they know they have someone else they can trust. I’m sure they feel like the rug’s been pulled out from under them.”

  “They do. Chelsea told me on Sunday that she was so sad she couldn’t think. We need help, Carter. We need somebody who can guide us through this.” A big silvery tear dripped down her cheek, and Carter swiped it away with his thumb.

  “I’ll be here.” Taking her face in his hands, he tipped her head forward and kissed her on the forehead. “I care about you, Sharla, more than you know.”

  “I, um, have feelings for you too.” Her gaze found his and Carter could see all the longing there, the loneliness and the weariness, and he suddenly found himself wanting to make it all disappear for her, to fix everything that had ever gone wrong and give her a good life. “Thank you.”

  That surprised him a little. “For what?”

  “For being the only man who’s ever been honest with me.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know how to be anything else.”

  “Yeah, but you could’ve blamed what happened to Tamara on one of the other officers, and yet you were honest with me about your bullet being … Well, you know. About everything.”

  “I’ll always be honest with you unless there’s a really good reason, like something I’m not supposed to talk to you about. And if that’s the case, I’ll tell you that too.” Without another word, he took her hand and kissed the back of it.

  Sharla rose from the table, stepped to his side, and sat down on his lap. Something about that simple action made Carter feel ten feet tall. He realized in that instant Sharla was delivering herself into his hands, and he was responsible for being a man she could count on and look up to.

  Carter Melton was up to the challenge. Everything he’d ever done in his life, all the struggles and disappointments and victories, they’d all led him to that moment, and he vowed to himself that he’d die before he’d screw up the relationship he was building with her. As his arms wrapped around her and pulled her tight against him, she sighed and snuggled in closer. “Carter?”

  “Um-hmmm,” he murmured into her hair.

  “The funeral is Wednesday afternoon. Is that going to be doable for you?”

  “If it’s not, I’ll move things around until it is. I told you I’d be there, and I’ll be there for you, Chelsea, and L
ionel. Whatever it takes, honey.”

  “Thank you. Can you stay tonight?”

  “I’ll have to get up super early tomorrow morning to get back home and get to work. Are you sure you want that?”

  Her voice broke when she answered, “I don’t want to be alone.”

  “Then I’m staying. I keep a few things in my car in case I have to stay with my mother overnight, so I’m good.”

  “You stay with your mother sometimes?”

  Carter nodded. “Yeah. She fell a while back and she’s been through a lot. Sometimes, if she’s having a hard time or needs some help, I stay over and do things for her. Not often, but after she gave me such a scare with her last fall, if I go to see her and I can tell she’s having a little trouble, I just stay.”

  “Awwww.” Sharla stared up into his face and grinned. “Mama’s boy.”

  “Yeah, well, if I’d fixed her banister when I should’ve, she wouldn’t have fallen.”

  “So you blame yourself.”

  “Of course I blame myself. My dad’s been gone for a few years now. It’s my responsibility to help her out, and I knew that rail was broken.”

  “But you’re busy.”

  “I shouldn’t be too busy to take care of people I care about. And that, my dear, is a lesson I’ve taken to heart.”

  “Guess that’s good for me, huh?” she said and gave a little giggle.

  “Yes, it is. Now, what time do you have to be in bed in order to get up and go to work?”

  “I usually hit the hay about ten.” Her hand slid down his chest and rested on his belt buckle. “But I guess we could hit it earlier.”

  “Nope. No sex tonight. Just sleep. And cuddling. Lots of cuddling.” Carter ran his fingers through that dark hair and smiled. Regardless of the fact that she’d been the one to bring up having sex that night, he’d been the one to bring her news that set her on edge, and having sex with her would feel like he was taking advantage of her. He wasn’t doing that. And the idea of her snuggled against him all night warmed him all over. “Anything you need to get done?”