The Sheriff's Secretary

“She’s stronger than you think,” she said softly.

He looked at her again, and for just a moment she saw naked emotion shining from his eyes. Fear, anger and guilt, they were all there for a mere second, then gone as if shutters had closed to block out the light.

“I just can’t imagine what she was doing meeting with a man like Troulous.”

“When we find them, you can ask her,” she replied as he pulled up in front of a small shanty.

She didn’t intend to follow his suggestion that she remain in the car. Mariah figured if Remy’s grandmother knew anything about Billy’s kidnapping it wouldn’t hurt to appeal to her, woman to woman.

She waited until Lucas was halfway up the porch, then she left the car and hurried after him. He showed his displeasure with her only in the tightening of his strong jaw as he knocked on the screen door.

Tension welled up inside Mariah, momentarily shoving away her exhaustion. She fought the impulse to grab hold of Lucas’s arm, wondering what even prompted the urge.

A little old woman appeared at the door, her dark eyes suspicious as she saw Lucas. “He ain’t here,” she said without preamble.

“You don’t even know why I’m here, Georgia,” Lucas replied.

“I know when the sheriff shows up on my doorstep it’s because he’s looking for Remy, and Remy ain’t here. I haven’t seen him for a week.” Her words caused Mariah’s heart to sink.

“You know where he might be? Is he bunking with a girlfriend?” Lucas asked.

Georgia shook her head. “Who knows. What’s he done now? Last time I saw him he told me he was trying to get his life together. Told me he was tired of gangbanging and such.” The old woman seemed to shrink in size as misery darkened her eyes. “I should have known not to believe him.”