Claudia Shelton Risk of a Lifetime (epub)

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.“Special Agent Landon will be lead on this.”JB fingered his wedding band tucked in his jean’s watch pocket.He had planned to leave it in an envelope at the sheriff’s office before he left town.JB glanced at the nurse and Marcy’s mom waiting just inside the office doorway.Maybe he should stay a few days.Make sure evidence wasn’t being ignored.Man-up and give the ring to his ex-wife in person.He turned back to the window, braced his hand against the frame.No way would his boss change his decision.No way would Landon come close to knowing how to talk to the locals.No way the Crayton Police Department had the resources or guidance to follow through on leads.Especially with the sheriff being out of town.Might not be JB’s case, but this was his town, and he wasn’t leaving until the pieces fell into place.Besides, he’d already been wavering about his job with the Bureau.“Remember last month when you put a warning in my personnel file for a no-brainer infraction? Said I needed to be more careful at following your boss’s orders.”“Sure.I remember.No big deal.” Wilson’s tone sounded less than straight forward.“Wrong.Being called on the carpet for no good reason was a hell of a big deal in my book.” JB focused on the life-changing words he’d mulled over for the past few weeks, ever since he put in for a transfer.“You know that resignation letter you’re holding for me? The one I gave you in case my transfer request didn’t go through?”“Now hold on there.I’ve got a good idea what you’re going to say, so take this piece of advice before you speak.Don’t make any rash decisions.You’ve got a career to think about.Your future.” Wilson’s flat, non-conciliatory tone sounded about as sincere as dirt.“I already thought.” JB steeled his resolve around his next words.“Pull the resignation out and file it.Effective.Immediately.”Enough said.He ended the call.Protocol would have been to handle the leaving in person, but unusual times called for unusual means to an end.After clicking to his e-mail files, he pulled out a copy of the resignation and forwarded it to Wilson and Wilson’s boss as added assurance that they both knew he quit.Whatever he needed to do to protect Marcy and this town would be his own call.Not the Bureau’s.The phone rang as he turned back to the women.Caller ID showed his boss—ex-boss.JB powered the handset off with a long, hard push of his finger.So much for a career with the FBI.Sadie joined him by the window, and he draped his arm across his ex-mother-in-law’s shoulders, pulling her into his hold.She’d kept him up-to-date on Marcy for the past few years.Never asking why they were apart.Then after the divorce, Sadie’d still dropped him a note every so often.“How you doing, Sadie?” He owed her an explanation.But how would he explain that the suitcase on the porch that last night before he’d left town had been an echo from the past that he couldn’t handle?She leaned on him for a moment, then straightened and blinked her eyes to clear the tears.When a couple trickled down her cheek, she brushed them away as if daring anyone to say they existed.“This nurse needs to talk to you.”“Okay.” He looped his thumbs in his back pockets.“What can I do for you, ma’am?”The woman in scrubs placed the papers on the side table then held the pen in front of him, impatience etched across her face.“Dr.Crowley wants these forms signed by the next of kin before we operate on Marcy Bradley.”He stepped back.Waved his hands in front of the paperwork.“You got the wrong person here.Her next of kin is her mama.Marcy divorced me a long time ago.Besides, she didn’t look bad enough that she can’t sign.”She’d always wilted at the sight of someone else’s blood.Especially his.Evidently, his fleshy bullet wound had been enough to cause her to faint earlier.Sure, hers needed to be explored, cleaned, and sutured, but there hadn’t been enough blood for the injuries to be life-threatening.Clearly irritated, the nurse slammed the pen to the table and headed out the door.“Dr.Crowley said one of you had better have signed that form by the time Ms.Bradley’s ready to roll into that operating room.”He held the pen out to Sadie, but she shook her head.Marcy’s older sister Betsy, the spitting image of their mama—tall, thin, and red-haired—charged into the room and into the conversation with the ferocity of a caged lion.“So what I heard is right.You sorry excuse for a man aren’t back in town half an hour before you get yourself shot again.”“There was a robbery.” Sadie reached for her daughter’s arm.“He saved Marcy from being hurt worse than she is.”“That still doesn’t give him the right to be signing any papers for her.” Betsy grabbed the pen, but her mother took it from her.“I really doubt anyone needs to sign those papers.Marcy wasn’t hurt so bad she can’t give permission.”With the air of authority, Dr.Crowley entered his office, gently nudging the women aside as he lumbered firmly to the table.“While you three are arguing, there’s a woman down the hall heading to the operating room.Now sign the forms, JB.”“I signed the papers.” Sadie held the form out to him.Dr.Crowley glanced at JB, then narrowed his focus on Sadie.“This the way you want it?”She nodded her head.Dr.Crowley blew out a long, loud sigh.“You do realize I’m the deacon in the church you sometimes favor us by attending, don’t you?”Sadie straightened, staring him down.“Yes, I do.And as such, it is your responsibility to do what is in the best interest of your congregation.”“You and your daughters will be the death of me yet, Sadie.”“Don’t include me in this.” Betsy shook her head as she rested her hands on her hips.Then, she turned her face toward JB.“And you can just pack up and leave anytime.”“Not now, Betsy.” JB held his hand up to stop her words.Inside, his control churned hard and fast to be free.She must have felt it, because she shut up.He straightened, easing back [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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