Free Sanctuary Lost WITSEC Town Series Book 1 by Lisa Phillips Page B

eyes. “I had one
of those in my barn, too.”
    Was he questioning John’s ability to sheriff,
or just his observational skills? John studied him. “You got a
problem?”
    Bolton didn’t even blink. “Marshal Mason
whose older brother is the director, gets all the cushy
assignments. Living life on the edge, undercover, reeling in the
fugitives and walking away clean.”
    “Right.” That was why there was a cut on his
forehead and a bruise the size of a football on the back of his
shoulder. Still, John wasn’t sure this was totally about him and
not also in part about Bolton’s feelings over whatever it was that
had happened to him.
    He was going to have to read up on that
later. “Have you considered talking to someone about your pent-up
frustration for authority figures? I hear there’s a shrink in
town.”
    Bolton’s chest shook, which in anyone else
might have amounted to actual laughter. “Ah, so you’re the
hand-holding, hug-your-fellow-man type then?”
    “Not hardly.” John stuck his hands in his
pockets. “I just have enough issues to know when I’m staring at
them.” The man wasn’t going to respect John’s sob story of Alphonz
or his associates looking for revenge. “Just looking for somewhere
quiet to raise my boy.”
    “Dude, you picked the wrong town if you’re
lookin’ for a quiet life.” Bolton’s lips twitched and he almost
smiled. Almost.
    “Thanks for the heads up.”
    The door flung open. One of the two kids John
had seen on the street rushed in, winded, with snot dripping onto
his upper lip. “She’s dead. We found her.” He sucked in a breath.
“She’s dead.”
     
    **
     
    The street behind the Meeting House on the
south side of Main looked much like the street behind the sheriff’s
office. The rear of the buildings faced a row of residential
houses. John half-expected the dead woman to be the same woman he’d
seen in the barn. He checked his watch as they jogged to where the
second of the pair he’d seen stood. The boy’s hands shook and he
made gagging sounds.
    10:05 p.m.
    “Okay, here’s close enough.” John held out
his arm to stop the group who’d run with him from the Meeting House
a ways back from the body.
    None of them should be here with him. But did
they listen? His repeated attempts to get them to remain at the
meeting house were ignored. He hardly needed an audience for
this.
    John motioned to the kid. “Step this way,
please.”
    The guy stumbled to them.
    “Did you check to make sure she’s dead?” John
could see her, sprawled at the bottom of a wall. He could also see
the blood. When the guy turned greener, John looked at the crowd
who’d followed. “No one goes closer than this.”
    The major general shoved to the front. “I’ll
take care of her. This woman needs to be treated with respect.”
    “And with all due respect to you, this is my
job.”
    “You only just arrived. That hardly makes you
one of us.”
    “Perhaps that’s a good thing. Since it makes
me impartial.” He waited but the Major General didn’t say more.
John turned to Bolton. “No one goes closer than this.” He motioned
to the two guys who discovered the body. “They don’t leave and they
don’t talk to anyone either. Not even each other.”
    For a second Bolton looked like he was going
to refuse, but he nodded. John looked around, scanning the area as
his brain worked through everything that needed to be done.
    “I need someone to find Deputy Palmer.”
Matthias’ brother, Diego, broke away from the crowd and sprinted
down the street. John turned to Bolton, who stood at the front of
the crowd staring at the body. “I’ll need the doctor, unless
there’s a medical examiner in town. I also need to know if there
are any retired cops, a judge, a district attorney. Anyone like
that.” He took a breath. “I’m going to need all the resources
available.”
    Bolton nodded and turned to one of his guys.
“March, go get Simmons. Bring him to the sheriff’s