Free Jolene 1 by Sarina Adem Page B

man. Does C.C. know about any of this?”
    “God, no. You kidding?” Mick gulped. “Is this what it takes to get a visit from you, Jo?”
    Jolene’s palm began to perspire. She only pulled her gun if she had to, and if she did, she did so with a dry palm. But she knew Mick, and the fact that he still hovered over that drawer made her nervous.
    “Hey,” Mick said, “were you telling the truth about letting my family come down to the station and eat dinner with me?”
    Jolene gave a slight nod. “You know I’ve been pursuing this pusher for a while. You can imagine how shocked I was – “
    Mick reached in the drawer, quick as he could, but not quick enough. Jolene pulled the Glock and fired. Blood spurted against the wall in a narrow line as Mick collapsed into a row of metal file cabinets. Slid down, sucking at the air like a fish, holding his gut as his shirt flooded crimson.
    Jolene sighed, lowered the Glock. She watched her high school sweetheart bleed out as she called for the coroner. It didn’t have to end this way.
    What Jolene didn’t know was that nothing at all had ended.

Chapter Two

    J olene woke up on the airplane. The De Soto skyline was just coming into view and the sun set over the river, casting orange and purple on the murky waves. She had stirred awake, wide-eyed, and nearly twisted out of her seat. Her friend, Briar, put a hand on her wrist to calm her.
    “You had that dream again, didn’t you?”
    Jolene calmed down. It was easier now. She had the same dream every night. Each time she relived shooting Mick Lily dead in his office. After two weeks, she didn’t feel better about it, but she learned to live with it quicker than she thought she would. Quicker than she was comfortable with.
    After the shooting and closure of the case, Jolene took a leave of absence. Traveled up to New York City with her brother’s ex-wife, who incidentally had become her best friend, to let loose and forget about everything that happened in the past twenty years. Meeting Mick Lily. Watching her best friend, C.C., marry Mick Lily.
    Killing Mick Lily.
    She apologized to C.C. personally. Said she had no choice. C.C. couldn’t believe her husband was involved in such a thing. Drug trafficking. How could he? With two boys at home?
    Jolene didn’t have the answers, but for the first time, she actually felt the bond between herself and C.C. again. It was the strangest thing. I’m sorry I killed your husband, but he gave me no choice. Remember prom? Prom was fun.
    Whether or not C.C. hated Jolene now, she didn’t know. Oddly enough, she didn’t care. She spent three years tracking down whoever it was dealing snow in her county, a task she started even before being elected sheriff. Even though it turned out to be Mick, she had no remorse in putting a stop to it.
    The De Soto lights called to her like a beacon. Time to return to Bluff County. Mick Lily was just one threat that poisoned Folsom. Jolene intended to eradicate as much more of it as she could until she had to put the badge down.
    Briar’s phone beeped and brought Jolene back to the present. Thank God. “Who is that keeps texting you?”
    Briar grinned. “It’s Johnny Soldati. That man I met in New York. He’s so sweet.”
    “I didn’t like him.”
    “I know you didn’t. You don’t like anybody.”
    “He’s shady, Briar.”
    “You would know.”
    “Yes, I would know. And it seems you’re attracted to a certain type.”
    “You talking about your brother?” Briar spoke as she typed her response to Johnny. “I was married to him for ten years. I think I can spot shady, too.”
    Jolene decided to be empathetic. “Of course, you can.”
    Briar stopped typing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    Jolene shushed her. “Landings make me sick. Shut up for a second.”
    Once they were back on solid ground they made their way into the terminal to retrieve their luggage. Briar glued to her phone, Jolene leading the way. When they got back to the