Temptation Trails (The Haven Brothers #3)

I keyed my mic to check in. “Squad seven.”

“Go ahead, squad seven.”

“Squirrel was safely removed. I’m heading into the office.”

“You get out in one piece?” Brenna asked, a hint of humor in her voice.

“She offered me a foot rub before I left.”

She laughed. “At least that was all.”

“We should send Kate if she calls again. She gets a female deputy enough times, she might go back to calling the fire department.”

“Good idea.”

I shook my head and pulled out of the driveway. At least it hadn’t been a totally bogus call. There really had been an intruder in her house. And it certainly wasn’t the first time I’d been on a squirrel call. Happened all the time in Tilikum.

The corners of my mouth lifted as I imagined the way Harper was going to laugh when I told her that story.

For once, instead of worrying about what it all meant, and whether we were moving too fast, I let thoughts of Harper run uninhibited through my mind. And I smiled even bigger.

CHAPTER 20

Garrett

Despite spending so much time at Mavis Doolittle’s house trying to wrangle a squirrel, I was in a good mood as I parked my patrol car and went inside. Technically, I was off, but Owen was going to a pizza party at a friend’s house, so I figured I’d get some more work done before I headed home.

The station was quiet. Most deputies were out on patrol or working shifts in the jail. I went to the kitchen to fill my water, then took a seat at my desk.

I’d just gotten started on some paperwork I needed to finish when Sheriff Jack came by.

“Can I see you in my office?” he asked.

“Sure.”

Jack Cordero was a popular figure in Tilikum, and he was well-respected by the men who served under him, myself included. He’d spent a lot of his career with the Seattle PD and moved to Tilikum for a change of pace.

But as much as I liked, and respected, him personally, no deputy wanted to be called into his office.

I followed him back, the feeling reminiscent of being taken to the principal’s office in school. Not that I’d had that experience very many times. Zachary had been the troublemaker of the family, not me.

Still, I was concerned.

“Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk.

I lowered myself onto the edge of the seat, my spine straight. “Is something going on?”

“Yeah, there is. A few days ago, we had an anonymous misconduct complaint. About you.”

My brow furrowed. “Me?”

“Obviously when someone won’t identify themselves, it’s more or less impossible to investigate or substantiate their complaint. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, except we had another one. This time it wasn’t anonymous.”

“Two complaints against me?”

“Actually, now there have been three. We had another one this morning.”

I stared at him in shock. I’d never had a complaint filed against me. Not a legitimate one, at least. Trent Jones had tried after I’d arrested him the first time, but I’d done everything by the book. He’d just been pissed off that he’d gotten caught and had been throwing spaghetti at the wall, trying to find a way to get out of the charges.