Chapter Five
Savannah wasn’t one to take kindly to surprises. The weeks leading up to her birthday and Christmas were usually spent attempting to find or figure out the gifts she was receiving or putting a stop to a party she hadn’t expected. So, when Beau pulled up in front of the police station and urged her to speak with the sheriff about everything that had happened Savannah was in shock.
But what shocked her, even more, was that the sheriff already knew about everything, even the mysterious package. Sheriff Savage even disclosed that most of the town knew why she was in town; everyone but Beau it seemed. And when he asked why no one had said anything, the good officer told him that he had left Tate’s engagement party early.
This was the same night Beau had brought the dog to Savannah’s grandfather’s front steps.
It seemed the timing was everything and gossip was included. The town’s knowledge almost meant everyone knew her business and the trouble that she’d brought their way.
Savannah asked if she should consider moving away, finding a new place and starting over, but the sheriff shook his head. Savannah turned to find Beau doing the same.
“Dr. Monroe, I’m not just saying this because I’m the sheriff of this town, but you’re probably in the safest place you could be. I already have a lead on the persons that delivered that package to the clinic. We have eyes and ears all over.”
Beau chimed in, “Not to mention some ex-military, snipers, and general badass civilians live here. You’re probably safer in Carson that in a steel panic room.”
“Does that mean the lovely ladies with the blue hair are going to protect me?” Savannah tried to joke, but it fell flat in the room. She was glad when Alexis strolled in moments later and broke the eerie silence from her joke falling flat.
“Those ladies have some tricks up their sleeves,” Alexis said as she set a stack of papers on the sheriff’s desk. “But I can take out ten men in less than a minute without lifting more than my trigger finger.”
“What?” Savannah whispered? “I thought Preston and Beau were joking.”
“Not at all. We even have town gatherings to practice weaponry. Beau, that reminds me, I want to try that new biometric grenade you mentioned last time.”
Under her breath, Savannah mumbled, “What is happening?”
“Is there anything else you need from Savannah tonight?” Beau asked the duo.
“All I ask is that you keep a good look at your surroundings. These guys are professionals. Dog fighting is like a hobby for them. Drugs and human trafficking are how they make their money.”
“You found all of that out already?” Savannah said in astonishment.
“Jameson Connelly is a wiz with a computer. It only took him a few seconds to hack some government files and find out everything based on a single fingerprint the office in Baltimore ran when you filed your report.”
“That’s good, right? They know who is threatening me and can keep them away?”
“I wish it were that easy. Maybe you just pissed them off and they want to scare you enough to keep you away and keep anyone else from digging further.
“So, for now, I want you to just keep a low profile and let me know if you come across anything suspicious. I hope that when they see that you aren’t following through with your report – because you’re not,” he emphasized, “they’ll go away.”
“Do you think that will actually happen?” Beau asked and she was thankful because Savannah was wondering the same thing. She hated to drop the report she claimed on the owners; it made her look like she had been lying or made it all up. Plus, it would be her lawyer and roommate who was going to look bad. Not to mention what her parents would do. She was already a black sheep; this would have them shunned Savannah completely.
She watched as Beau locked eyes with Preston, the sheriff, and Alexis’ shoulders rolled back.
“Harposia.”
One single word that meant nothing to Savannah but seemed to unlock a wave of seething anger within the trio. Their noses flared and if flames could shoot from their eyes, the room would catch in a ferocious blaze.
How a single word could completely change the atmosphere in the room, Savannah didn’t know. She was only aware of how Beau moved toward her and grabbed her hand as if he needed it to remain upright.
Then the embossing on the envelope from today made sense.
“Is Harp, Inc. related to Harposia, or whatever? With the package, there was that letter I mentioned. I just remembered that those words were on the front of the envelope. It’s back at the clinic on my office desk.”
“I’d planned to grab the letter tomorrow, but I think it would be best if we got it now,” the sheriff said with a hint of urgency. He grabbed his lightweight jacket from the back of the chair and the set of keys from where they rested on the corner of his desk.
Wordlessly Beau guided her from the station and into his truck, where he drove back to her grandfather’s house. She’d begun to think of the stout two-story brick home as hers. In a week, she’d spent a significant amount online and added some personal touches to the kitchen, bathroom, and her bedroom. Savannah wasn’t stepping foot in her grandfather’s room without him there. That felt like an invasion of his privacy. It was strange enough to share his office at the clinic. Which she also changed around to suit her needs as a veterinarian better.
She hated how her night with Beau was ending. They went from a fun and carefree night of pizza and great conversation to something straight from True Crime.
God, she really did like him. He was tall and muscular and she loved that he wasn’t like the clean-cut men she was paraded around. Beau was – real. Plain and simple, what you saw was what you got. And she didn’t know why, but she suspected that he was remarkable in bed. With the way he worked over a car with such a skilled touch, she could only imagine how those fingers would feel exploring her body.
“You okay?” he asked as he parked in the lot beside the clinic. Her cheeks flushed as she wondered how long they had been idling there.
“Yeah. Just a wayward thought, that’s all.”