Bonaparte's Belle: A SEALs of Honor World Novel (Heroes for Hire Book 24), Dale Mayer [read an ebook week .TXT] 📗

“Okay but remember, it’s not for you to look after me,” she said gently.

He stood straight, bringing himself up to his full height, and said, “Well, whether it is or not isn’t the issue,” he said. “I will never ever let somebody handle something alone if it’s obvious they need help.” And, with that, he turned and walked out.

*

Bonaparte thought about her words as he drove to the station. She obviously had been alone for a little too long. Or maybe she had deputies that she hadn’t felt she could actually count on. If they were young kids, that would explain it too, especially if they were still trying to figure out what was right and wrong within their own manhood. Bonaparte had no doubts how to handle life. But, if he’d been nineteen or twenty, or even a little older, that could be a different story. He pulled into the station not long afterward, opened up the back door to his truck, and helped out his prisoner. The glaring man didn’t say a word, as Bonaparte walked Ronnie inside the station and down to the jail.

As soon as he got there, the other deputy hopped up, looked at him in surprise, and said, “Another one, huh?”

Bonaparte nodded and said, “Yeah, and one more headed to the hospital. We still need to pick up Frank as well.”

“Jesus,” he said, “you guys are picking them up all over the place.”

“Well, you keep hold of this one. Let’s put him opposite his buddy. They quickly unlocked the cell and moved him in with Johnny. Bonaparte removed the handcuffs and then locked the cell back up. “Make sure nobody comes in or out,” he warned.

“Got it,” the deputy said. He looked at the five of them and shook his head. “Unless you’re expecting somebody to break them out.”

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised,” he said, “but hopefully not in the next ten minutes.”

At that, the deputy rolled his eyes. “I might just call in some friends,” he said.

“If you feel you need some backup, then let me know now,” he said, “because we can’t afford to have these guys walk again.”

“They’re not walking,” he said. “I’ve got some buddies not too far away, in case I need help.”

“Yeah, but which side of this war are they on?”

He looked at him in surprise and said, “You know what? That’s a damn fine question. I’ll find out. If you come back, and they’re sitting here, drinking coffee with me, then you’ll know they’re on our side.”

“Just make sure that you don’t just think they’re on your side, but, when we walk in, we’re the ones who get attacked.”

He winced at that. “Well, I wouldn’t have believed that, but you’re right. Let me think about that.” He asked, “Where are you heading next?”

“Back to support the sheriff. She’s got a warrant on these guys in the one house for now.”

“What do we expect to find?”

“Quite possibly proof of murder.”

He stared at him in shock. “Wow, who knew this town was so full of trouble.”

“Yeah, it’s a hell of a mess,” he said. “You been around here long?”

“Nope, not very long at all. She’s a good sheriff. I know most of the guys in my station hold her in high respect. My sheriff definitely does. I thought the townsfolk here did too,” he said.

“Well, something rotten has been going on here for a little while,” Bonaparte said, “but I don’t know if it’s really the town or if it’s all tied up with these guys here,” he said, with a head tilt toward the jail cell behind him.

“You’re probably right there.”

“But still, there’s got to be a reason for the weakness in the first place.”

“Just people,” the deputy said gently. “Just people.”

Bonaparte thought about that, as he raced back toward the property where Angela was. He hated to leave her alone, but he had to honor the fact that she was a sheriff in her own right and fully capable of handling most of these situations. He had worked with many female law enforcement officers over the years, but, for whatever reason, this one was getting to him. Not in a bad way, in a good way. Maybe too good. He really liked who she was. And he was always a big champion of the underdog.

But, of course, Levi’s words still rang in his head, as he thought about the matchmaking angle. In a way Bonaparte with Angela was a good match. She was definitely Bonaparte’s kind of person. She was also tall, slim, fit, and sexy as hell. She had that little dimple in her left cheek that he couldn’t stop staring at. She held herself with strong shoulders and a straight back and stared at the world calmly but head-on. He had to admire that.

Even when she was under the gun, like she was now, she wasn’t folding. She stood up for the cause and for the job she’d taken on. Again, something he couldn’t do anything but respect. Then he realized he was trying to find faults in order to not fall head over heels. It had been a long time since he’d had a relationship, … at least one that he wanted long-term. But that seemed to be where he was heading right now, which was just the weirdest thing. Still, he pulled up to the gate, happy to see it remained wide open. Parking in front of the house, he took three big steps inside and called out for her.

“Angela? Where are you?”

He heard her faint voice responding upstairs. He raced up and found her standing in the middle of the master bedroom. “Have you found anything?”

“No,” she said. “Nothing in the office downstairs. No electronics, no laptops, no nothing.” He grimaced. She nodded. “I know, right? It’s got to be here somewhere. I just don’t know where.”

“And you’ve checked the night tables and all the usual places in here?”

“I have,” she said, “and