Clint Wolf 27 - But Not Forfeited by BJ Bourg

Author:BJ Bourg [Bourg, BJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Death Shadow Press, LLC
Published: 2023-03-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 37

It was almost a three-hour drive back to Mechant Loup, but Susan and I made it in just over two. On the drive back, Susan had called for a meeting with Sheriff Turner, Amy, and Melvin, and they were all waiting for us when we walked through the door of the break room. Susan had made a request of the sheriff, and it seemed he had complied, because he held a file folder in his hands.

When I glanced at Amy, I could see from her eager expression that she had some news to share, but she seemed patient enough to wait until an appropriate time to share it.

“Sheriff,” I said, extending my hand to shake his. “Did you get the files we asked for?”

He nodded, shook my hand, and then offered up the file folder. “It’s all here.”

I glanced inside the folder and saw three yellow envelopes. I removed them and studied the labels on each. The first read: Jerome Williams. The second read: Steve Jackson. Finally, the third read: Antonio Degruise. The last two names hadn’t come up during the investigation, but I knew better than to ignore them.

“Is this it?” I asked the sheriff, leafing through the folders to make sure I’d seen them all. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “We’ve had other I.A. complaints filed against Derrick, but these are the only ones that allege he either planted drugs or stole money. Keep in mind that he was cleared of any wrongdoing. These were hardened criminals who got caught playing a dangerous game. They gambled and lost. After years of getting away with shit, they got taken down by a good cop, and they hated him for it. They were also mad that their property was seized. That’s why they filed the complaints. It’s as simple as that.”

As I figured it, having one’s property seized was also a strong motive for murder, but even more so if the person thought he or she was innocent. “So, you think they all lied about Derrick?” I finally asked.

“No, I don’t think it—I know it.” The sheriff leaned his heavy arms on the desk. “Derrick was a good cop, Clint, and I won’t have anyone saying otherwise. I put you on this case because—”

“Because why?” I asked, meeting his glare with one of my own. I didn’t like having to do this to a man I considered my friend, but it was plain to see he was too close to the investigation. While he had made the right decision by calling us in, it seemed he didn’t want to accept what we were digging up. “Why’d you put me on the case?”

Sheriff Turner wilted under my stare. Finally, he let out the breath of anger he’d been holding. “I put you on the case because I knew you could find Derrick’s killer.” He waved a hand. “All of this other nonsense is just a distraction. You know what it’s telling me?”

“What?” I asked when he didn’t elaborate.

“It’s telling me you’re getting too close for comfort.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.