things to show you. Would you mind trading places with me for a few minutes?”
I reluctantly moved out of his way. He sat down in the chair, turned on the computer, and punched a few keys. “I found this on Dale’s computer when I was working last night. You might find it interesting.” He turned the screen so I could see it.
I read what was on the screen, my eyes widening the further down I went. “Why that rotten son of a…”
“You didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “I had no clue.”
“From what I read, Dale had Oliver Coogan watching you for months. Not just you, but Owen, T.J., and several other people.”
“The only reason he offered me a job was to get an exclusive interview with Debra.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Are you that naïve?”
“No,” Jake said. “I’ve known Dale a long time. I’m sure that was his ulterior motive.”
“We need to tell Owen and T.J. about this.”
“Being the curious person that I am, I did some digging on your sheriff.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Someone around here is working hand in hand with the Feds. Wouldn’t it be nice to know who?”
“It couldn’t be Owen,” I said. “I’ve known him all my life. The man has no secrets, and if he did, Trixie would tell me.”
He held out a file. “I’ll bet money even Trixie doesn’t know about this.”
I took the folder from him and looked at it. “This isn’t a secret. Everyone around here knows about his military service.”
“Look at the next page.”
I flipped the top page over. “Holy moly. You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. I double checked; it’s true.”
“Surely the Feds wouldn’t use this to get him to work for them. I mean, he’s a law enforcement officer. They all help each other out.”
“He doesn’t know about that.”
“Seriously?”
“Not a clue.”
I looked down at the page again. “We have to tell him, Jake. This is a life-changing thing. We can’t keep that from him.”
“It’s not our place to tell him, Lizzie, life-changing or not.”
I put the file down on the desk, not wanting to think about it. “Do you know how to check for bugs?”
“I’ve had a little experience, why?”
“Well, for obvious reasons, I think we should check my house and phone for them. A little bird told me I might be infested.”
“Why don’t you just ask Owen to sweep the house?”
“I’m not sure he has the equipment to do it.”
“I need to stop by Dale’s house first to pick up my stuff.”
I stood up. “Let me borrow ten bucks.”
Jake pulled out his wallet and handed me a twenty. “Smallest thing I have. What do you need it for?”
“I’m going over to the café for some cheesecake while you go get your stuff. My brain needs a break from all this cloak and dagger stuff.”
We agreed to meet at the café in thirty minutes. I waved at Ellen, who was on the phone, and passed a delivery man as I went out the front door. Five minutes later, I was sitting at a table with a piece of cherry cheesecake and a glass of iced tea in front of me. “Maddie, this is heavenly,” I said, as I savored my first bite.
“I’m glad you like it,” she replied. “It’s on the house. I heard what you did yesterday, saving that federal agent. I’m glad you didn’t get blown to smithereens.”
“Thanks, Maddie,” I said, smiling. “It only cost me a broken arm and my car, but I guess it’s a small price to pay for saving someone’s life.”
Maddie laughed. “Your mother was in here this morning, quite upset about the fact that you got her car blown up. From the way she talked, it sounds like she intends to keep that little car of yours.”
I sighed. “I was afraid of that, which leaves me with the pistachio green monstrosity to drive.”
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, worrying your poor mother to death like that,” Gladys said as she came into the café. Maddie rolled her eyes and shook her head as she walked off.
“I suppose I could have
I reluctantly moved out of his way. He sat down in the chair, turned on the computer, and punched a few keys. “I found this on Dale’s computer when I was working last night. You might find it interesting.” He turned the screen so I could see it.
I read what was on the screen, my eyes widening the further down I went. “Why that rotten son of a…”
“You didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “I had no clue.”
“From what I read, Dale had Oliver Coogan watching you for months. Not just you, but Owen, T.J., and several other people.”
“The only reason he offered me a job was to get an exclusive interview with Debra.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Are you that naïve?”
“No,” Jake said. “I’ve known Dale a long time. I’m sure that was his ulterior motive.”
“We need to tell Owen and T.J. about this.”
“Being the curious person that I am, I did some digging on your sheriff.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Someone around here is working hand in hand with the Feds. Wouldn’t it be nice to know who?”
“It couldn’t be Owen,” I said. “I’ve known him all my life. The man has no secrets, and if he did, Trixie would tell me.”
He held out a file. “I’ll bet money even Trixie doesn’t know about this.”
I took the folder from him and looked at it. “This isn’t a secret. Everyone around here knows about his military service.”
“Look at the next page.”
I flipped the top page over. “Holy moly. You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. I double checked; it’s true.”
“Surely the Feds wouldn’t use this to get him to work for them. I mean, he’s a law enforcement officer. They all help each other out.”
“He doesn’t know about that.”
“Seriously?”
“Not a clue.”
I looked down at the page again. “We have to tell him, Jake. This is a life-changing thing. We can’t keep that from him.”
“It’s not our place to tell him, Lizzie, life-changing or not.”
I put the file down on the desk, not wanting to think about it. “Do you know how to check for bugs?”
“I’ve had a little experience, why?”
“Well, for obvious reasons, I think we should check my house and phone for them. A little bird told me I might be infested.”
“Why don’t you just ask Owen to sweep the house?”
“I’m not sure he has the equipment to do it.”
“I need to stop by Dale’s house first to pick up my stuff.”
I stood up. “Let me borrow ten bucks.”
Jake pulled out his wallet and handed me a twenty. “Smallest thing I have. What do you need it for?”
“I’m going over to the café for some cheesecake while you go get your stuff. My brain needs a break from all this cloak and dagger stuff.”
We agreed to meet at the café in thirty minutes. I waved at Ellen, who was on the phone, and passed a delivery man as I went out the front door. Five minutes later, I was sitting at a table with a piece of cherry cheesecake and a glass of iced tea in front of me. “Maddie, this is heavenly,” I said, as I savored my first bite.
“I’m glad you like it,” she replied. “It’s on the house. I heard what you did yesterday, saving that federal agent. I’m glad you didn’t get blown to smithereens.”
“Thanks, Maddie,” I said, smiling. “It only cost me a broken arm and my car, but I guess it’s a small price to pay for saving someone’s life.”
Maddie laughed. “Your mother was in here this morning, quite upset about the fact that you got her car blown up. From the way she talked, it sounds like she intends to keep that little car of yours.”
I sighed. “I was afraid of that, which leaves me with the pistachio green monstrosity to drive.”
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, worrying your poor mother to death like that,” Gladys said as she came into the café. Maddie rolled her eyes and shook her head as she walked off.
“I suppose I could have
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