Chapter Two
Hearing the anger and frustration threaded through Zeke’s voice, Jacob could admit that the man had a reason to be irritated. The DEA didn’t make it a common practice to brief locals into clandestine operations unless there was no other choice. When they had included locals in operations in the past, things had tended to go sideways fast. More often than not, when they had included the local cops, usually they’d found at least one of the officers was corrupt and those dishonest individuals had nearly compromised the entire mission and the safety of everyone involved. For that reason, among others, he hadn’t exactly been the forthcoming type since he’d arrived in town. Plus, if Zeke wanted to get technical about it, this wasn’t his operation at all.
“I see you’ve been checking into me,” Jacob murmured, staring across the parking lot at the restaurant as a young couple walked inside, laughing animatedly.
“I tried to give you time to come to me on your own. I figured I owed a fellow law enforcement officer that much respect. When you didn’t and it became clear to me that you weren’t going to do so, I decided it was time to take the bull by the horns and make some inquiries of my own. So, I’m gonna ask again and do it real slow so you understand my question. What the hell is the DEA doin’ in my town, Agent Stone? And how does it concern the McKinnon ladies?”
“Well, if you did that checking thoroughly, you already know that I’m on vacation from the DEA right now and so near my twenty-year retirement that I’m staring it in the face. Hence, my offer on the Simmons place, Sheriff.”
“You expect me to believe that out of all the towns in the world, you just happened onto our little corner of the Earth just as the DEA sets up a covert task force in my county? Do I seem dull witted to you, Stone?” Zeke snorted, pressing his lips together as he glared at Jacob. “I greatly suspect this little visit of yours coincides with the operation to take down Diego Fuentes stronghold on the I-75 corridor for a whole lot of reasons. I also think that since Fuentes is directly responsible for your sister Vanessa’s death nearly a quarter of century ago, that this case is mighty personal to you.”
Jacob stiffened and met the Sheriff’s eyes with a glare of his own. “You are awfully well informed, Law Man. I’m surprised. You dug deep. Few people even know about Nessa. We didn’t even share the same last name. We had different fathers.”
“My town matters to me, Stone. The McKinnon girls matter to me even more than that. I’ve seen you watching…assessing. You were a guy that showed up in my jurisdiction, out of the blue, no job, no connections to the area that I could find, and you started taking an interest in the girls, but most especially Harmony. You told those that asked that you were here to enjoy the scenery and maybe scout locations for a future business you’re thinking of opening. You didn’t exactly look like the tourist type, so I found it a mite unbelievable that this was as simple as a pleasurable vacation for you. And the only business that you looked to me like you were capable of doing was in a cage match. At that point, I made it my business to find out all I could about you and called in some favors. Full disclosure - I can also tell you the rank you were when you were honorably discharged from the Army at 22, what your service record says about you, your shoe size and the last time you got laid, Stone. It’s been a long, dry spell for you, hasn’t it?”
Jacob raised an eyebrow. “You’re awfully territorial where it concerns the McKinnons. Especially since it seems you went to great lengths to find out all you could about me.”
“Harmony, Faith and Patience are important to me,” Zeke offered truthfully, no deceit in his eyes and no apology in his tone.
“And Honor? Where does she rank on your scale of importance?” Jacob queried, more to goad the other man than anything else. He watched warily as the other man’s face hardened and his eyes became stormy. Anyone that had been in Paradise more than a day knew that Zeke’s feelings ran deep for the youngest McKinnon sister. He couldn’t fault the man for it. All the women were beyond desirable. Petite and full of life, any kind of real man instinctively wanted to protect them.
Faith was off the market, married to Cain Turner, a local doctor and former soldier. They’d been married just a few weeks ago and were due back from their honeymoon at any time. Patience was too stubborn to allow any man to wrap her in cotton and keep her safe, though Jake suspected that Paradise attorney, Abel Turner, would give his left nut to try. That left Harmony (the eldest) and Honor (the youngest). So, he could understand Zeke’s worry where Honor was concerned. In truth, it would be easy to get wrapped up in Honor if he wasn’t already tied up in thoughts of Harmony and her daughter.