Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff
Jack
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“Jack, we just got a call from the old Taylor house. I need you to go check it out before you head home,” Sheriff Combs said, as I was straightening my desk. I heaved a sigh. It has been a long day and all I wanted to do was get home, take a hot shower and climb into bed.
“Old Taylor house?” I asked, puzzled. No one has lived there for years. I followed him into his
office and closed the door.
“Haven’t you heard? A young woman just moved in. They’ve been renovating that house for months. I’m surprised you didn’t know, Sheriff Combs answered.
Oh, right…
“Now I remember. Yeah, Lisa mentioned she sold the house to a woman. She never
mentioned anything else. What’s the complaint about?” I asked, hoping it was just another stray dog. When the Sheriff scratched his head, I knew it wasn’t anything simple.
“A suspicious looking vehicle is parked near her home. A black BMW. I don’t need to give you
license plate. You already know who it is,” he said, shaking his head.
hat the f uck is Liam doing there?
“Name and description of the woman living at the old Taylor house,” I asked.
“Virtue Sullivan. 27 years old. Single. Five foot nine. Moved here from Nevada. I saw her a while ago with Noah at Harold’s. Blonde hair, blue-gray eyes, pretty,” the Sheriff answered and gestured for me to come closer. “She’s not your typical helpless female. Tell your friend it isn’t ideal behavior to stalk women and follow them to their homes. If she takes a video or
a photo of his car and uploads it on social media then goes missing, he will be the first person the good people of the virtual world will point their fingers at.” He leaned back on his chair and gave me a telling look.
If he goes down, we all go down. F uck!
“Got it, Sheriff. I’ll go over there and fix what needs fixing,” I said, annoyed Liam was up to
his old tricks.
“You do that, son. Assure Miss Sullivan that it won’t happen again.” I tipped my hat at the Sheriff and rushed out of his office. The police station was just a quick drive to the old
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CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff
Taylor house and wasn’t far from where I lived.
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I explicitly told Liam to lay low after Joan Summers. We were lucky another body was found. along with hers with the same cause of death making it look like a serial murder case.
Although initial evidence from Joan Summers’ investigation went missing, we pinned her death on the same suspect who murdered the twenty year old college student from Bismarck. Sheriff Combs found him a couple of weeks ago, via an anonymous tip, hiding at an abandoned underground coal mine just within New Salem jurisdiction with the murder weapon in his possession. Forensics found Joan Summers’ blood on it.
Despite of the ‘new found’ evidence and a suspect in tow, there were still people who weren’t convinced we had nothing to do with it. I couldn’t blame them. After a high school student claimed she saw Liam following Joan Summers and all four of us present at the New Salem High Spring Formal, who wouldn’t? Especially after Joy Taylor.
Liam’s black BMW was parked near the old Taylor house as I approached the entrance to the cul-de-sac. I parked my truck behind it, casually walked up to the driver’s side of the car and knocked on the window three times. The window automatically rolled down revealing the Cohens’ trusted driver, Henry, behind the wheel.
“Good evening, Henry. You wanna tell me why you’re parked out here in front of the old
Nor house?” I asked, not surprised to find him in the driver’s seat.
efore he could answer, the window of the door to the backseat of the car rolled down and out popped Liam’s face. From where I was standing, I could smell the distinct aroma of
scotch on his breath.
“What are you doing here?!” Liam hissed.
“I should be asking you the same thing, Liam,” I answered.
“We made a wrong turn,” Liam lied. I rolled my eyes.
“We got a call down at the station about a suspicious looking vehicle parked out in front of the old Taylor house.” I bent down to stare at him in the face. “I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever this is, Liam, it doesn’t look good. If the woman in that house takes a picture of our car and posts it on the internet, whatever speculations this town has of you, Joy Taylor and Joan Summers… all of that will become true in their eyes.” I wrinkled my nose at the
smell of alcohol on his breath. “What you should do is go on home and get some sleep.”
Liam smirked at me.
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“You know, Jack, you aren’t Sheriff yet. If I don’t get reelected as mayor, you can kiss you dreams goodbye,” Liam threatened. I let out a frustrated sigh.
“Liam, I’m your friend and I’m just looking out for you. No more stunts like these until the election,” I said, trying to persuade him to listen to me. Finally, Henry, the voice of reason, came to my defense.
“Undersheriff, you’re right. We will be on our way home now,” Henry said and started the car.
“Drive safely,” I said as they drove off to Cohen Mansion.
All I have to do now is speak to Virtue Sullivan and I can go home.
Joy
I was hoping Sheriff Combs would come. We needed evidence confirming the close relationship between him and the Cohens. But he sent someone else to check up on my
complaint.
As the police officer spoke to Liam, I watched through the curtains while Cristos was outside.
king photos using my DSLR camera just in case my CCTV footage was unclear.
vier and Sebastian were already hidden within the trees before the police officer arrived. Xavier was aiming a sn iper rifle while Sebastian was probably somewhere near the car trying
to eavesdrop.
After several minutes, the BMW’s headlights finally turned on and drove away. The police officer then began to walk towards my house. I quickly went to the powder room to fix myself and waited for him to ring the doorbell.
Once the doorbell rang, I slowly walked to the door and opened it as far as the door chain. would allow. I peeked through the cr ack, looking frightened. However, when I recognized who it was, my eyes narrowed icily. No wonder Sheriff Combs didn’t come to my rescue. He sent Jackson Emery instead.
Jackson Emery was our champion wrestler. He was dubbed “The Superman’ because of his strength, his muscular physique, his black hair and his light blue eyes. During our junior year, his coach had already begun grooming him for college scouts, hoping Jack would be offered a scholarship at a prestigious university. An injury during his senior year destroyed all hopes of a scholarship and Jack, unlike his friends, had to finish school at the community.
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CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff
college.
Jack wasn’t as quick-tempered as Cris. Sure, he pushed people around, especially when they were in his way, but he wasn’t as impulsive or reckless. He was quiet most of the time and always appeared to be daydreaming in class. When I became his lab partner in Science our
junior year, we bonded. And since I was naive and gullible, I thought he and I were friends.
Images of him pounding away on my raw vagina flashed through my mind. I remember him grabbing my breasts and squeezing them so tightly, his sweat dripping on me while he struggled to c um, his breath on my face as he pumped harder and harder while I struggled to remove my ankles from my restraints so I could close my thighs and kick him away. 1 remember how his hands wrapped around my throat and strangled-
“Miss Sullivan, good evening. I’m Undersheriff Jackson Emery,” he said politely, showing me his badge through the cr ack. “We received a call from you about a suspicious looking vehicle parked near your residence. I’d like to inform you there is nothing to worry about. The driver just seemed to have lost his way and stopped to make a phone call. After I gave him directions, he has gone on his way. He apologizes for the trouble he may have caused you and promises to never bother you or the people of this neighborhood ever again.”
I closed the door to unhook the chain so I could thank him properly when I noticed the
aseball bat Cristos had left on the corner beside the door. I imagined myself taking the bat d swinging it across Jack’s face. I pictured him collapsing on my doorstep, blood spurting. ut of his mouth.
I coughed, opened the door and gave him a bright smile. I noticed the momentary surprise in
his
eyes before his lips curved upward into that goofy grin of his. He always smiled that way when he saw Abigail. When we were lab partners, he admitted that he had a long-time crush on her, but didn’t have the guts to ask her out.
“Thank you so much, Undersheriff Emery,” I said. “You must forgive me. I’m new in town and living alone. I guess my emotions got the best of me.”
“Glad to be of service. I noticed the bronze Range Rover parked in front. Is Chip here with you?” He asked, pointing at Cristos’ car. Nothing goes unnoticed in this town.
“Yes, he is,” I answered. “He drove-”
“Undersheriff Jackson Emery! We missed you at the pub tonight,” Cristos said, back in character and appearing from the den, holding my universal remote. He snuck in through the back before Jack rang the doorbell. “I told Virtue it was nothing, but she told me to stay
until the car left.”
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“Well, it’s nice to know you’re with her, Jack said, looking inside my new home. “Wow, I like what you’ve done to this place.” He nodded his Head appreciatively. “Anyway, Virtue, if you need anything and I mean anything, give me a call.” He handed me his card.
“I’ll do that. Thanks, Undersheriff,” I said, as I reached for his card.
“Jack. You can call me Jack,” he said, while his fingers brushed against mine. It made my skin crawl.
“Well, thank you for all your help… Jack.”
“If I run into you in town, maybe we can go and get some coffee? Or maybe grab a drink at the pub?”
When pigs fly, Jack.
“Sure, I’m opening a small store beside Bo’s so you’ll be seeing me in town. We start
construction soon,” I answered.
“Alright. I’ll see you soon, then. Good night, Virtue.” He waved at me and walked down the brick steps.
od night, Jack.” I slowly closed the door. I peered through my peephole and saw him walk
glancing back at my door with a silly grin on his face.
After he drove off, the back door to my house opened and in came Xavier and Sebastian.
After giving Sebastian a tight hug, I turned to Xavier and he held me tightly against his body, resting his cheek against my forehead. “I don’t want to let you go. I’ve missed you so much,” he croaked and lowered his lips to give me a long lingering kiss.
“I’ve missed you too, Xavier… All three of you…”
Cristos suddenly coughed..
“I hate to break the reunion, but you guys need to see this.”
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CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff
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Luna-Mom
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