Jake's Dilemma
POV: Sheriff Jake Morrison
The radio crackled to life just as Jake finished his third cup of coffee that morning.
"Sheriff Morrison, we got a report of someone asking questions about the Chen girl at the school."
Jake's coffee mug slipped from his hands and crashed to the floor. Brown liquid splashed across his boots, but he barely noticed. Riley Chen. Maya was asking about Riley Chen.
His heart hammered against his ribs as he grabbed the radio. "What kind of questions?"
"The new detective lady wanted to know if any students named Riley Chen took classes there. Principal Martinez told her no such kid existed, but..."
"But what?" Jake snapped.
"But the secretary looked worried. Real nervous."
Jake's hands started shaking. This was bad. This was really, really bad.
He'd known this day would come eventually. Ever since Maya Chen arrived in town with those sharp detective eyes and that stubborn way of asking questions that nobody wanted to answer. But he'd hoped maybe she'd give up after Tommy's death scared her enough.
Now she was asking about Riley.
Eleanor's Riley.
Jake ran both hands through his hair and tried to think. Maya didn't know yet. She couldn't know. If she knew Riley was her sister's daughter, if she knew Eleanor had been hiding the girl for two years...
The phone rang. Jake looked at it like it might bite him.
On the fourth ring, he picked up.
"Sheriff Morrison." His voice came out rough and scared.
"Jacob." Eleanor Blackwood's voice was ice cold. "We need to talk." "Eleanor, I can explain—"
"No answers. Meet me at the diner in ten minutes. And Jacob? If that detective woman learns the truth about Riley before I handle this problem, you'll be looking for a new job. Or worse."
The line went dead.
Jake looked at the phone in his hand. Sweat beaded on his face even though his office was freezing cold. Eleanor wasn't just threatening his job. In Millbrook Bay, Eleanor Blackwood could make people disappear. She'd done it before.
But Maya didn't know that yet.
Jake grabbed his keys and badge, his mind racing. He could warn Maya. Tell her to leave town before Eleanor got to her. But if he did that, Eleanor would know he'd betrayed her. And then what would happen to his mom? His little sister who went to college on Eleanor's grant money?
What would happen to Riley?
That poor kid had been through enough. Her real mom died in that car crash two years ago, and Eleanor swooped in like some kind of savior, adopting her and offering her a good life. But Jake knew the truth. Riley wasn't Eleanor's daughter. She was Eleanor's prisoner.
And now Maya was getting close to finding her.
Jake drove toward Main Street, his hands holding the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. Every street corner reminded him of someone Eleanor controlled. The bank head who gave her special loans. The judge who always ruled in her favor. Half his own police force took extra money from Eleanor's "security company." How could he fight someone who owned the whole town?
But as he turned onto Main Street, Jake saw something that made his blood freeze.
Eleanor's black car was already parked outside Sally's Diner.
Maya's beat-up Honda was parked right next to it.
"No, no, no," Jake whispered. He was too late. Eleanor had found Maya first.
Jake slammed on his brakes and fumbled for his radio. His hands shook so badly he almost dropped it.
"This is Sheriff Morrison. I need help at Sally's Diner. Possible conflict in progress."
Static answered him. Then Deputy Williams' voice came through, nervous and quiet.
"Sheriff, I can't send backup to Sally's right now."
"What do you mean you can't? This is an emergency!" " Eleanor Blackwood called the station twenty minutes ago. She said she was having a private business meeting and didn't want to be interrupted. Chief Deputy Rogers told everyone to stay away from Main Street until further notice."
Jake felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. Chief Deputy Rogers was Eleanor's man. Had been for years.
"Williams, this is a direct order from your sheriff. Send backup now!"
"I'm sorry, sir. Chief Deputy Rogers outranks you on Eleanor Blackwood topics. That's been department policy for three years."
The radio went dead.
Jake sat in his patrol car, looking at the diner where Maya Chen was trapped with the most dangerous woman in Millbrook Bay. His own police team wouldn't help him. Eleanor controlled them all.
But Maya didn't know that.
She was in there right now, probably asking her questions and looking for truth, with no idea that Eleanor could have her killed and make it look like an accident. Just like what happened to Maya's sister Lisa.
Just like what happened to Tommy Rodriguez.
Jake made his choice.
He pulled out his personal cell phone and dialed a number he'd remembered but never used. A number given to him two years ago by an FBI agent who'd been asking questions about missing people in coastal towns.
"Agent Collins, this is Sheriff Jake Morrison in Millbrook Bay, California. I need help. There's a federal crime happening in my town, and I can't stop it with local means."
"Sheriff Morrison? I've been waiting for your call for two years. What's the situation?"
Jake watched Eleanor's car through his windshield. Maya was stuck in there with a killer, and his own police force was under orders to let it happen.
"Human slavery. Murder. Corruption that goes all the way to the top. And right now, an innocent woman is about to become the next victim."
"How long do I have?"
Jake saw movement through the diner windows. Eleanor's tall form stood up from a table.
"Agent Collins," Jake said softly, "I don't think we have any time at all."
Through the diner window, he saw Maya Chen sitting alone at a table, her face pale with fear.
Eleanor Blackwood was walking toward the door.
And Jake realized with rising horror that once Eleanor left that diner, Maya Chen might never be seen alive again.