“You’re a little outside of your jurisdiction,” Thompson sneered.
Fox wanted to drive his fist into the sheriff’s throat, but he remembered what his captain had warned before he left. He couldn’t get into any trouble out here. Fox clenched his teeth as if he was smiling so he didn’t frighten the staff watching their interaction when he leaned in and growled close to Thompson’s ear. “Trust me, you piece of shit. My juris-dic-tion reaches a lot further than you can fuckin’ imagine.”
The sheriff’s jaw ticced, his hands turning to fists at his sides.
“It’ll be in your best interest that we have this conversation in private and away from the constituents who elected you. You really should,” Fox urged.
The sheriff actually displayed he had a pair of balls and put his hands on his hips, shaking his head. “Nawl. We’ll talk right here. Before I call and report you to your captain, Lieutenant.”
“Wait. No!” Robert’s big eyes were on him. “I can still have my deal, right? Please.”
“Hold on, what deal?” The sheriff craned his head to look around Bull, who was back at his side. “Robby, what the hell you done, boy? What’d you tell them?”
Fox’s voice was calm. “Yeah, Robby, you’re good. Dr. Bain, your patient is ready to rest now.” Fox stepped out into the hall, and the doctor quickly whipped the curtain closed.
Bull was beginning to think he may have a bit of hero-worship going on. Or badass infatuation. Or what was it called when a hot guy swooped in and made a man’s enemies bow at his feet, then promised no one would ever fuck with him again? Bull didn’t know the term, but he was positive that was what was going on. He knew Fox was amazing, but fuck. Me. His policing skills were like an aphrodisiac.
“I’m about to reach over this counter and pick up the phone to call your chief if you don’t explain now why you’re in my county and harassing my residents.”
Fox sighed. “I tried to give you a chance. But since you insist on doing this in front of these nice people, then so be it. Sheriff, I’m here because of all the open cases that are piling up in your office, and the list of cascading failures when it comes to you securing any arrest.”
Bull’s eyes got as wide as everyone else’s at Fox’s bluntness.
“Excuse me?” Thompson threw back.
“No. I don’t think I will.” Fox pulled out his cell phone and started to scroll across the large screen. “Calls came into your office on November third, tenth, December, eighth, the thirty-first, and January fourteenth.” Fox glared. “And that’s just from the Walker Ranch. There’ve been eight more closely related unsolved trespassing and destruction of private property complaints filed by other residents within the last six months alone. Now.” Fox tilted his head, his voice going deeper, meaner. “I’m here to find out what the fuck the problem is.”
The room was silent a split second before a doctor with deep brown skin and a classic bob haircut stepped up to the counter with her hand on her hip. “Yeah.” She glowered.
“Yeah,” Bull echoed with a few more. Fox cast a quick glance in his direction, and he assured Fox the best he could that he wouldn’t say anything else. Except it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement.
Thompson was still standing with his back rigid and his head high. “Not that I need to explain myself or how things work out here in the country, Atlanta SWAT Lieutenant”—he spat Fox’s title as if it were synonymous with pedophile—“but here we have a slightly tighter budget. My four deputies and I work around the clock to protect the town and investigate disturbances as fast as we can.” The sheriff looked at the twenty or so people who’d congregated. “You all know how hard we work for you.”
“I’m only asking where you were when those calls came in? Where were you when your deputies were getting overrun with cases?” Fox hammered.
Thompson scowled. “I don’t know my exact location when a call comes in. But I will not—”
“Let me show you where you were, since you don’t recall.” Fox tapped the face of his smart watch. “Free, there’s a couple printers in here… can you find one? … Excellent… print those out for me.”
No one had time to question what Fox was doing or who the hell he was talking to before the printer started up—only a few feet from where they were standing—revved up and began spitting out papers.
“Will one of you pretty doll faces over there grab those images for me? Please and thank you.” Fox grinned, and damn if two of the nurses didn’t make a dash for the machine.
Bull didn’t roll his eyes, but he’d been close.