Free Complicated Matters by Unknown

know, just to commemorate the night I didn’t eat alone.”
       She moved back to her seat and buckled up. “Sure, Sheriff. Just give me your digits.”
       Taylor gave her his phone number, and she picture texted him, along with the caption, Here’s to friendship . 
       “Okay, we are officially commemorated.”
       “And now I must get you back home before my car turns back into a pumpkin.”
       When they returned to Farrah’s house, the front door was standing wide open.   “That’s not how I left it.”
     
       Chapter 10
     
       “Farrah!” Taylor barely caught up with her before she reached the front porch. “Are you crazy? We don’t know who’s waiting on us in there.” Adrenaline coursed through his body. He pulled his pistol out of his boot.
       She gaped. “You guys really do carry those things with you everywhere.”
       “I’m on duty twenty-four seven. Stay here.”
       She followed in his footsteps. “No way.” 
       “Then keep quiet.” Slowly and methodically, he searched each room using a small penlight to see by.
       Farrah was too close to him. If something happened he might bump her, or she might slow him down. It wasn’t a good situation.
       After a search of every room and closet was satisfied they were alone. “Damn, whoever it was is gone now.” He kept his gun drawn in case he was wrong.
       Farrah turned on a light and looked surveyed the damage. “Not before they destroyed my house.” 
       Taylor dialed 911 on his cell phone.

   “Emergency Services, what is your emergency?”
       “This is interim sheriff Taylor. There’s been a break-in at the Mathews’ farm on Old Rocky Ford Road.”
       “I am sending Deputy Winthrop and a forensics team out there now.”
       Taylor hung up the phone. “Winthrop and a forensics team are on their way. We have to wait for them on the porch.”
       Farrah knelt down and picked up the now broken family portrait. She clutched the portrait to her chest and cried.
       “Come on, Farrah.” Taylor helped her up. “We might contaminate the crime scene.” He led her outside and settled her into his car.
       The cool, night air settled his nerves, but not by much. The Mathews’ house getting ransacked on the one night he took Farrah out was a hell of a coincidence. Taylor didn’t believe in coincidences. Someone had to be watching the family.
       Deputy Winthrop came over. “Good evening, Sheriff.”
       “Hello, Deputy.”
       “Okay, Sheriff. You know how this works, so tell me what happened.” Winthrop took out his note pad. “Deputy Bowman, please talk to Miss Mathews.”
       “Right this way, Miss.” Bowman motioned toward the patrol car.
       “When I brought Miss Mathews home we noticed that the door was open.”
       Winthrop started writing in his notebook. “You and Miss Mathews were out?” 
       “Yeah, she was kind enough to accompany me to Hanks Joint for some ribs.” He threw up his hands and shook his head. “Don’t read anything into this.”
       “Then what happened?”
       “The door was open so I drew my weapon and we did a search of the house.” Taylor went on with his story.
       “You took her with you?” Winthrop asked.
       “What was I supposed to do, leave her out here? We didn’t know who might still be around.”
       “I’ll be right back. I have to talk to forensics.” He walked away leaving Taylor wondering what was going through his mind.
       Taylor hated being kept out of the loop. He strained to hear the conversation, but couldn’t make out what was being said.
       Winthrop came back not looking happy. “Sheriff, can I talk to you for a few minutes?”
       “What’s going on?”
       Winthrop ran his hand over his shaved head. “It’s going to take a while to run those prints, and this girl’s already got two dead parents. We have to put her somewhere.”
       Taylor leaned against the hood of his