I said nothing.
“Funny thing, you and your friend coming to town last night.”
“Hilarious.”
“Because Mr. Shaw clearly doesn’t have the same friends in high places you do. He has a record, a pretty extensive one.”
I pretended to know this, which wasn’t too hard because I’d had my own suspicions about his criminal past. Regardless, curiosity crept over me, and I was more than a little interested to find out what Wilder had been arrested for in the past. I was willing to bet it wasn’t unpaid parking tickets.
“He and I are different people.”
Sheriff McGraw nodded. “Indeed you are. But are he and his brother so different?”
“Yes.” I should have kept my mouth shut, but I couldn’t help myself. Wilder and Hank were different. Problem was I couldn’t be sure why McGraw was bringing Hank into this conversation.
“They can’t be all that different, if they were both arrested on the same night. Now can they?”
It was Hank they’d arrested.
Meaning Hank wasn’t dead.
“Is he here?” I asked. “Hawk Shaw. You said you arrested him. Is he here?”
McGraw didn’t respond, but that was enough of an admission for me. Plus Josie had said they’d brought in a werewolf, which meant Hank was somewhere in this building.
“Care to tell me why you’re so concerned about him?” McGraw asked.
Was he really going to play coy? “You looked me up, right? You said you know who my family is, and you claim you know who I am. Now, your deputy told me y’all brought in one werewolf last night, but I think you know better. I think you know you brought in three.”
He sat back, and his thin smile grew wider. With blue eyes twinkling merrily, he said, “I think you and I might finally be on the same page.”
“Sheriff, you and I are in totally different books.”
“I want you to tell me about Hank Shaw.”
It was my turn to sit back and smile. “Sure thing. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. After I call my lawyer.”
Chapter Eighteen
I was not the most popular girl in Franklinton after I lawyered up.
I was also not the most popular girl in Louisiana when I called Cash and told him I was in a pickle and could use his legal expertise. Like, right now.
“I’m sorry, you’re where?” he asked.
“I’m in jail.” If I’d told him I was doing research on Mars, he might have sounded less incredulous.
“In the middle of nowhere,” he added.
“It’s complicated.”
“Are you okay?”
I let out a little sigh of relief as the annoyance left his tone. I’d been worried he might be mad enough to just leave me here, but that wasn’t like Cash. If I was in trouble, like now, I knew I could count on him. My heart swelled with appreciation. I was too damn lucky to have him.
“I’m okay. It was a rough night, but they’re not treating us too badly.”
“What are they charging you with?” He had gone into all-business mode.