KRISTI GOLD - The Son He Never Knew

He couldn’t think of a better resource for rental property than Sue Ellen, who knew everything about everyone, just like the town gossip, Pearl Allworth. But one huge difference set the two women apart—Sue was discrete while Pearl shot rumors around town like a human AK-47.

Chase sent a glance toward the small conference room across the hall where Buck was probably bullying Jess, hoping she might break. Danny was sitting in the corridor, his legs in constant motion. He felt sorry for the kid on many levels, the first being born to a bastard like Dalton Wainwright. Now to be dragged into a mess that could land his mother in jail, that sure as hell wasn’t fair. But then life wasn’t always fair. He’d learned that through experience.

Chase walked around the counter and took a seat next to the dispatcher, determined to do what he could to help Jess and her boy. Keeping his back to Danny, he asked Sue, “Do you know anyone who has a house for rent besides Wainwright?”

She took a pen from behind her ear and tapped it on the desk. “Is the remodeling going down the toilet?”

He lowered his voice and said, “It’s not for me. It’s for Jess and Danny.”

Sue raised a penciled-in brow. “What’s wrong with that big old house she’s been living in?”

Either Sue was playing ignorant, or she really didn’t know about Dalton. “Hard to believe you haven’t heard about what happened there last night.”

She exchanged the pen for a paper clip that she began to straighten. “I’ve heard, but as soon as she’s cleared, she should be able to move back in, right?”

If she was cleared. Chase hoped that would be the case for both her and Danny’s sake. “She doesn’t want to live there, and I can’t say that I blame her.”

Sue leaned forward and in a hushed voice asked, “Do you think she did something to him?”

Chase refused to take the bait. “Now, Sue, you know I can’t talk about an ongoing investigation.” He wouldn’t even if he could, especially not with Jess involved.

She patted her tightly-curled salt-and-pepper hair. “Sorry, but I can’t help but wonder if he drove her to it. Not that anyone in this town who knows that sorry sapsucker would ever judge Jess if she did take matters into her own hands. Why, just the other day when I was driving downtown, I saw Dalton coming out of the general store and it was all I could do not to hit the accelerator and jump the curb in my Jeep.”

Chase tried not to smile but couldn’t stop himself. “I wouldn’t repeat that around here. Buck might start questioning you.”

Sue rolled her eyes. “Your daddy doesn’t scare me, Chase. If he gives me grief, I’ll pour a little salt in his coffee and he knows it.”

Back to the matter at hand. “So do you know any places for rent?”

Sue tapped one temple like she was trying to dislodge a thought. “I know of a few on wheels that I wouldn’t recommend to my worst enemy. But the Wooley’s old farmhouse on the outskirts of town is vacant. I’m not sure Gabe has done much to it since his mama went into the nursing home about a year ago, so it might not be livable.”

Chase knew the place well, and if it wasn’t too rundown, it would be perfect. The house sat well off the road, giving Jess privacy and Danny a lot of room to roam. “I’ll call Gabe and see if he’s interested in renting it out. Thanks.”

She gave him a toothy grin. “You’re welcome, Deputy. Anything else?”

Chase shot another look at Danny over one shoulder. “Yeah. Could you take the boy into the break room and get him a snack? He doesn’t need to see his mother upset.”

“Sure,” she said. “Are you going to answer the phone?”

Chase leaned around her to see Barkley seated at his desk not far away. “Only if Bobby Boy gets swamped with calls, and around here, that’s not likely.”

Sue rolled back her chair and stood. “You never know, Chase. We’ve had a lot of shoplifting calls lately.”

That didn’t surprise him in the least. When times were tough, people got by any way they could, even if it meant stealing what they needed.

Chase watched as Sue held out her hand to Danny and after a brief pause, he took it and allowed the woman to lead him away. A few seconds later, the conference room door opened and Jess stepped out, looking like she’d been run through the mill twice. She’d always been fair-skinned, but Chase had never seen her quite so pale.

After his dad emerged wearing his patent sheriff’s scowl, Chase joined them in the hallway, ready to offer support and an explanation when Jess looked around, obviously concerned over her son’s absence. “Where’s Danny?” she asked, a touch of alarm in her tone.

Chase pointed down the corridor. “Sue took him to the break room. Third room to the right.” After Jess hurried away, Chase faced his dad. “Is she free to go now?”

“Not until I talk to the boy,” Buck said. “I need to hear his version of the story because I’m not buying the bill of goods I just got from his mother.”

Chase resented his dad for continuing to treat Jess like some hardened criminal. “The kid’s still in shock. Maybe you ought to wait another day or two before you harass him like you did Jess.”

“I’m just following procedure, son, like I would with anyone else who’s involved in a questionable incident.”

And that’s what irked Chase—his dad viewing Jess like someone he’d never met before, not the kid who used to call him Daddy Buck. “Did she give you any reason to think that this was anything other than an accident?”

Buck rubbed his stubbled chin. “I don’t know any more about what went on than I did before the interview. I do know she’s holding something back.”

Chase clung to his control before he blew a verbal gasket. “You’ve been in this business so long everyone starts to look guilty to you. Jess is only guilty of marrying the wrong man.”

“And marrying into the wrong family. But she did marry into that family and that makes me wonder if she didn’t learn a thing or two along the way.”

“Like what?”

“Like how to lie to cover your ass.”

Fact was, Chase worried Jess might be lying. Or at least not telling the whole truth. But he had no intention of letting on that he had his suspicions, especially around his dad. “Look, giving the boy a couple of days to calm down isn’t going to hurt a damn thing. Besides, Rachel called this morning and said Dalton’s awake and talking.”

“I know,” Buck said. “And as soon as I get the go-ahead from the doctors, I’m going to have a talk with the victim about his recollections of last night.”

Chase couldn’t think of Dalton as a victim no matter what had transpired. “He doesn’t remember what happened, and even if he did, like you said, the Wainwrights know how to cover their asses. He might just point a finger at Jess for spite.”

“And that’s all the more reason to question the boy,” Buck added. “But I’ll make a deal with you. If Dalton regains his memory and he backs up Jess’s accident story, then I won’t involve the kid. But if he tells a whole different tale, then I have no choice but to question Danny. He could be the key to the truth.”

Chase stuck out his hand for a shake. “Deal. In the meantime, I’m going to get Jess settled in. She’s going to need some of her things from the house.”

“Fine, as long as you escort her.” Buck inclined his head and studied him a moment. “You gonna keep her at the cabin?”

His dad’s tone sounded like he planned to hold Jess hostage. “No. I’m going to find her another place to rent.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want folks around here thinking you’re in cahoots with a suspect. That wouldn’t be proper behavior for a peace officer.”