Page 15 of Preacher

White stared at me with the patience of a man already regretting the visit. “You want to keep doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Pretending you don’t know exactly what I’m talking about.”

I folded my arms and gave him the same look back. “You came onto my property, Warren.”

“And somebody is trying to buy half my town through front companies.”

“Your town?”

His jaw tightened because he knew where I was going. “Don’t.”

There it was, the same old argument except this time neither of us had the luxury of pretending the only thing at stake was which side of town got to be annoyed by the other.

White pulled a folded sheet from his pocket. “I’ve had reports from two business owners. People coming into this town and asking questions. One owner then changed his story before I could take a formal statement. Another suddenly decided he’d never spoken to anybody.”

“People get nervous.”

“No shit.”

He looked tired, not weak. White still wanted to hold the line because that was what his badge meant to him, but the line had gotten longer while his department kept shrinking.

“You think this is cartel-connected?” he asked.

“I think strangers are buying useful property and asking useful questions.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.” White stepped closer, lowering his voice. “If you know something that affects people in this town, you tell me.”

“You going to suddenly have six deputies and federal backup if I do?”

Anger flashed in his eyes because the answer was obvious. “That doesn’t make you the law.”

“I never said it did. I just don’t have time to wait for law that isn’t coming.”

For a second neither of us spoke. He hated that answer, and I could see it. Hated me for saying it, hated himself for knowing there was truth in it and probably hated every county budget meeting and unanswered request that had left him standing here by himself.

Finally he shoved the paper back into his pocket. “Whatever you’re planning, keep civilians out of it.”

“That includes Holly?”

“That especially includes Holly.”

I looked toward my bike. “You might want to tell her that.”

White swore under his breath. “What has she done?”

“Set up a meeting with the buyer. It’s happening now.”

His expression sharpened as he folded the paper away. “I’m coming.”

“You show up in uniform, they shut down. Holly wants answers, so let her ask the questions before you announce yourself.”

“And you’re what, moral support?”

“Call it whatever you want.”

“That answer is exactly what worries me.”