Desperate Ground by L J Morris

Author:L J Morris [Morris, L J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781916249806
Publisher: Crow's Foot Books
Published: 2019-10-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

A Sheriff’s cruiser pulled up to the front gate of Quinn’s ranch. Sergeant Pete Novak got out, walked up to the gate, and peered through the railings. There were no signs of life. No movement, no lights and, more importantly, no sign of Mike Powell.

Since the deputy had been reported missing the previous day, the whole department had been searching for him. His last job was to come to the ranch but there was no evidence that he’d actually made it here. Thousands of miles had been covered by deputies in cars, the Marine Division were checking waterways, and helicopters searched the more inaccessible areas. Other sheriff’s offices, city police departments and state troopers extended the search area outside the county but, up to now, nothing had been found.

Novak knew deputies didn’t just vanish. If they went missing there was usually evidence, and they turned up pretty quick – even if they were dead. If Powell had been in an accident or his car had broken down, they would have found him. The fact that there was no sign of him at all made Novak uneasy; he was certain something had happened to Powell, something bad.

He got into his car and got on the radio. ‘Dispatch, Tango One Six Eight, over.’

‘One Six Eight, go ahead.’

‘I’m out at the Quinn ranch, no sign of Powell or anyone else. I need to get permission to go inside and have a look. Can we contact Quinn or get a warrant? Over.’

‘Hang tight, Six Eight, checking.’

Novak grabbed his binoculars and went back to the gate. He scanned the house, the bungalow and the barn, looking for something to give him a reason to enter the property. The door to the barn was slightly open and he was sure he could see something in there, maybe a vehicle. He walked away from the gate and along the fence, trying to get a better angle, but he couldn’t make it out. He heard another vehicle approaching and turned to see a black SUV pulling up behind his cruiser.

Kurt Halloran got out of the SUV and walked towards Novak. ‘Afternoon, Sarge, Special Agent Kurt Halloran, FBI.’ He flashed his ID and held out his hand.

Novak took his offered hand. ‘Pete Novak, what can I do for you, Kurt? What are the Bureau doin’ here?’

‘I’m looking for Mrs Josephine Quinn. Has something happened I should know about?’

‘One of our deputies has disappeared. He was on his way here to interview Quinn.’

Halloran had been filled in about the motel shooting and the missing deputy but didn’t want to give too much away. It made him even more suspicious of the body on the beach and how it had got there. On its own it warranted a closer look, but coupled with a shootout in Houston involving Quinn’s friend, and a missing deputy, this had all the hallmarks of major crime.

‘He was sent over here at our request.’

Novak nodded. ‘That’s right. S’posed to be routine but no one has seen him since.

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