All Chapters of 51: The Series: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

“Sheriff, there is a gentleman by the name of Wren here to see you. Would you like me to bring him back?” Cat asked.“Yes, thank you.”Cat returned to the counter before returning with Wren to Lindsay’s office. Wren followed Cat to the door, and she watched him walk into Lindsay’s office with her eyebrow raised before turning and walking back to the front counter. He looked at Lindsay’s desk and shook his head.“Wow. After looking at that desk, I hope you’re not mad at me because I told you to take this job,” Wren said.Lindsay mustered a half-smile. “Of course, I’m not mad at you.” She stood, walked over to him, and gave him a quick kiss. “This is a nice surprise. What are you doing here?”Wren closed the door behind him, then said, “I brought you something that I think you will want to read.” He handed her a file that was worn with age.Lindsay took it and began reading as she walked back to her desk and sat down. It was a report that was written a few years after the military base

The next few days were uneventful. There was a lot more paperwork and many more discrepancies with it. Lindsay had created reports and spreadsheets that showed everything. She had called the county commissioners and advised them of the issues she had found so far. She had also been trying to reach the chief deputy but had yet to be successful. Both his home phone and cell phone numbers had been changed or disconnected. That did not make her feel better about the whole situation.She was finishing up with all of the forms and paperwork and could finally see her desk again when she saw groups of what appeared to be older teenagers come in. They were agitated, and all were talking at the same time. Cat immediately started trying to calm them down and find out what was wrong. Lindsay saw Little Bob approach the counter to help Cat calm the group down. After just a couple of minutes, Lindsay saw Little Bob walking toward her office as Cat was leading the group past the counter to sit in a g

Cat had quickly created a form for the parents to sign, which contained their contact information. Lindsay was so happy to have Cat. She had been looking forward to having Esther help her in the department when she took over, but had to admit that Cat was better. That woman had a lot more to her than met the eye. Lindsay knew that, but wow. Wow was the only word she could think of that would describe her. Lindsay needed to have a sit-down talk with Cat because she needed to know about some of the other things Cat did for income outside the sheriff’s department. She had mentioned having a client before. Lindsay was almost afraid to ask what that meant. She honestly did not care what it meant as long as it was legal.“Can we talk in your office?” Warden Sims asked Lindsay.“Of course,” Lindsay answered.Warden Sims followed her into her office and closed the door behind him. She had walked around the desk and sat down. He had begun to pace in front of her desk.“What did that do to her?

Lindsay stopped by the sheriff’s department for a few minutes before she began the drive out to the Sycamore River, where things had happened the day before. She had gone there so that she could call Amber and her parents to see how she was doing. Cat was, of course, already there when she walked through the door.“Good morning, Cat,” she said as she walked in and looked around. “Where is everyone else at?”“Good morning. Everyone has either left to go home or they haven’t made it here to the building yet,” Cat answered.“Please tell me that there are people on duty, and they can respond to calls right now,” Lindsay said. She was unhappy that no deputies were in the office at eight o’clock in the morning.“Max is still on but is working his way toward his house. Little Bob is on his way and should be here any minute because he was getting gas here in town about five minutes ago,” Cat said. “When Max is on the night shift and Little Bob is on days, you don’t have to worry. They usually

The door chime rang, and Warden Sims entered the sheriff’s department. Cat was already standing and had turned toward the door before the chime stopped. She sat back down as soon as she saw who it was. He walked straight toward Lindsay’s office and shut the door behind him as soon as he walked in. Warden Sims looked at Little Bob and Cat, then at Lindsay.“Are you alright?” Lindsay asked Warden Sims.The warden started pacing and shaking his head.“Mike, are you OK?” Lindsay asked. “Please give me an answer.”Warden Sims turned and looked at them and asked, “What is going on in this county? I just took care of a call on the east side of the county about a deer that was ripped apart. I don’t mean it was killed and eaten like natural predation would be. I mean, it was ripped apart with no claw or tooth marks. Yesterday, it was something in Sycamore River that attacked the kids, and I still don’t have any idea what that was. I can say that whatever it was, if it was an animal of some kin