Free Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann

He listed two misdemeanor convictions, no outstanding warrants.
    Then he told Caldwell to raise his right hand, not easy in handcuffs, and Caldwell swore to truthfully tell his side. The assault alone should be enough to hold him over unless the judge believed the spin Caldwell’s lawyer had put on it. Harassment and brutality. Uh-huh.
    The magistrate held Caldwell without bail until morning in the county jail. Judge Walthrup would probably allow bail the next day since the drugs were found through Merv’s alleged trespass and vandalism. In the meantime they had enough to obtain a search warrant for the entire property, and they did.
    Merv had fallen asleep waiting for Caldwell to be processed. Because he’d endangered himself by acting rashly, Jonah cited him for destruction of personal property.
    “It was on my side of the line.”
    “Get proof of that and we’ll talk.”
    “He used it for illegal purposes. You saw it.”
    “I saw. But you had no business interfering.”
    “Got you what you wanted, didn’t I? Got you a look inside.”
    “And an elbow in the ribs. You’re lucky you didn’t get your head kicked in.”
    Grumbling, Merv got to his feet.
    Jonah handed him the citation. “Go home. Stay away from Caldwell.”
    Sue joined him, and they went over together to search Caldwell’s house, shed, and pickup. Parked beside the deputy sheriff’s vehicle, Jonah pulled on the black fitted gloves designed to protect him from getting stuck by a contaminated needle, the worst part of running their hands under cushions and down gaps in upholstery.
    “Where’s the deputy?”
    He followed Sue’s gaze to the house. “The shed, I guess. We’ll start there.” Adrenaline overrode his issues with the structure. He would do his job.
    The shed door was slightly ajar. The deputy must have entered before the warrant arrived, a technical violation, especially if the judge had refused. Unless he’d had cause. Jonah called out so the man would know they’d arrived.
    No answer. Sue’s worried brow reflected his own concern. Had there been a toxic trap? He motioned her to stand behind him, then eased the door open, watching for tripwire, sensor, or laser that might trigger or have already triggered something.
    Deputy Stone lay in a heap, his gun a few inches from his hand, the bloody swelling beneath the graying hair at the base of his head indicative of a blow. Jonah looked up for something that might have been rigged to the door. Nothing. He stooped and felt the deputy’s pulse.
    The man moaned, rising painfully to consciousness.
    Jonah helped him roll to his shoulder. “I’ll call you an ambulance, Ray.”
    Ray Stone reached behind his head. “Just a bump.”
    “A nasty one.”
    “Was waiting by the house. Heard someone out here.”
    “Inside?” Jonah shot a look around the dim shed for potential hiding spots.
    “Thought so. But he got me from behind.”
    “I’ll get JT to have a look at you.” The EMT with the fire department could better assess the deputy’s condition. He made the call.
    Sue came back to the doorway. “I’ve done a perimeter search. No one in the house or yard.”
    “Was the house open?”
    She nodded. “Back door unlocked.”
    “Could use some air,” Ray said.
    Jonah helped him sit up. The deputy holstered his gun and got to his feet. Outside the door, he leaned against the shed.
    “Do your search,” he said. “But I’m not sure what you’ll find.”
    Distracted by the fallen officer, he hadn’t searched the back shelves or anything else. Now he stepped inside. Sue followed.
    The first thing he noticed were the animal skins—rabbit, fox, and … raccoon. The skins were stacked on two wooden picnic tables and included the heads. No indication they’d been sewn, together or otherwise.
    “Nice,” Sue murmured. “Think he shot enough bunnies?”
    “Not a crime. But it does suggest a weapon.”
    “Hunting rifle.” Sue unloaded and passed it over.
    His flashlight