Single Father Sheriff (Target: Timberline) by Carol Ericson

Author:Carol Ericson [Ericson, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Coop stared out at the sea of pale, worried faces, wishing he could offer more assurances. “Are there any other questions?”

A redhead in the front row raised her hand and started speaking before he could call on her. “What about that pervert, Chuck Rawlings?”

“What about him, ma’am?”

“Have you checked him out? When my husband and I moved here four years ago, we looked at that sex offender database for Washington and he’s on it.” She folded her arms and fixed Coop with a steely stare.

“We’ve investigated him thoroughly, ma’am. He’s clear.”

“And the others in that database? Because we have more than Rawlings in the area now.” A big man standing in the back shoved off the wall he’d been leaning against. “When Evergreen moved in here, they brought all their problems with ’em. I have to wait at that damned signal now on the main drag for close to a minute and the mayor won’t respond to my emails.”

A man in the front wearing a suit cranked his head around. “Yeah, among the problems Evergreen brought were more money for the schools and an increase in your property values. Even those ramshackle cabins near the woods are going for close to a quarter mil.”

“Whose place are you calling ramshackle.” The man in the back puffed out his chest.

“Stop.” Coop held up his hands. “We’re not here to discuss those issues. Follow the precautions on the flyer you picked up at the door. Most of the suggestions are common sense. I just wanted to assure you tonight that my department and the FBI are doing all we can right now to find out what happened to those children.”

Someone in the crowd snorted and a few others coughed. Coop gritted his teeth.

“If there’s nothing else, I’m sure we’d all like to collect our children, hug them tightly and head home.”

Before anyone could start the Evergreen argument again, Mrs. Stoker, the principal, started clapping. “Thank you, Sheriff Sloane. We appreciate your presentation tonight. Let’s start putting our newfound vigilance to practice. When you pick up your child from his or her classroom, please show the teacher your driver’s license or other photo ID. I do realize most of the teachers know you, but let’s turn these safety procedures into habits.”

As the parents started shuffling out of the room and Coop was thanking Mrs. Stoker, his phone started going off in his pocket.

He held up his finger. “Hold that thought, Meg.”

He plunged his hand into his pocket and withdrew his buzzing phone. The display indicated the call was coming from the station and it was the third call within the last minute.

Maybe someone had good news about those kids. “Coop here. What’s up?”

“Coop, it’s Payton. We have a dead body.”

Coop’s heart skipped a beat. “Not...”

“Not the kids, no.” Payton sucked in a breath. “It’s Chuck Rawlings.”

“Rawlings? What happened?” Coop turned away from Mrs. Stoker, cupping his hand around his mouth.

“The officers on the scene aren’t sure yet. He died from blunt force trauma.

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