Free On Deadly Ground (Dan & Chloe Book 2) by Nathan L. Flamank Page B

uncomfortable and he rubbed at his eyes. It was a gesture that Dan had clocked Lawson doing several times this morning and even a few times the previous evening during the barbeque. Dan surmised that the Sheriff didn’t handle stress well, which seemed odd for a man in law enforcement, Dan stored this little observation away for later dissection.
    ‘It would appear Mister Berg came from money, within ten minutes of his admittance to the hospital he was lawyered up. An expensive lawyer from out of the state, refused to answer any questions until his lawyer arrived, which he did two hours later. His lawyer tore our case apart in minutes. Mister Berg wasn’t found with any drugs on him and a sweep by my deputies of the route that he’d run didn’t reveal any discarded narcotics. In the end all we could charge him with was a public disorder notice which carries a two hundred dollar fine, the lawyer paid up and Mister Berg was out of there. The piss-ant even threatened to sue the department.’
    ‘Again Sheriff, I don’t see the correlation between any of that and him turning up on my doorstep ready to do god knows what to us.’
    ‘Yeah well, it’s a small town Dan, it wouldn’t have taken much asking around to find out the name of the good Samaritan that had pole-axed him.’
    Dan nodded his head but he wasn’t entirely sold on the Sheriff’s argument. Dan had to wonder whether someone in the police department had given his name up for a little cash on the side. Not that it made any difference in the grand scheme of things but he would make some subtle enquiries in to the integrity of the Rockspur Sheriff’s department.
    ‘Would you like a refill Sheriff?’ Chloe asked and she got to her feet.
    ‘Would you?’ Lawson drained his coffee and held the empty mug out for Chloe to take. ‘It’s going to be a long day and I think I’m going to need the caffeine.’
    ‘No problem Sheriff, can I fix you and your men something to eat?’
    ‘That’s mighty kind of you Chloe but we have a deputy coming out with breakfast, but what would be of’a great help is if y’all have a restroom that my men could use when they needed to.’
    Chloe told Lawson he and his men could use the toilets in the stables.
    ‘I’d hate to have dirt dragged through the house,’ Chloe said, playing the humble housewife. ‘You understand?’
    Lawson smiled and nodded his head.
    ‘I can see you keep a lovely home, and I’ll tell my men to use the stables.’
    Dan stood up, ‘I’ll show you where they’re located Sheriff.’
    ‘Your coffee will be waiting for you Sheriff.’
    ‘Thank you Chloe,’ Lawson said.
    The Sheriff pushed himself up from the sofa and followed Dan in to the kitchen and out through a side door in the utility room; this was the entrance that they’d all been using due to the porch now being a crime scene.
    Chloe waited until the Sheriff had followed Dan out through the utility room’s exit and then she walked out to the hallway and slowly started to walk up the sweeping staircase. Half way up and she saw one of the deputies walking along the mezzanine. He saw Chloe and tapped two fingers to the wide brim of his hat.
    ‘Ma’am, it’s all clear up here.’
    He headed down the staircase and Chloe stepped to the side to let him pass.
    Chloe continued up the stairs and was six stairs from the top when she spotted the other deputy; he was walking towards the false-door.
    Shit ! Chloe mentally kicked herself and then she had a thought. She unbuttoned her blouse entirely, took a deep breath, and then she slowly started to remove her blouse.
    Chloe started up the last few steps and she had the blouse half way down her arms as she stepped out on to the mezzanine.
    Chloe acted shocked as the deputy turned from the false-door, she could see his hand on the handle ready to turn it when he had heard Chloe’s approach.
    His mouth dropped open at the sight of Chloe’s exposed breasts and Chloe froze.
    Don’t over act ,