The Bell County Sheriff’s office wasn’t big enough to hold Agent Jakes’s body or Dr. Lawrence’s enormous ego. He wasn’t sure why Coil had called him into the office, but the meeting was keeping him from thinking about Agatha.
Hank scanned Coil’s office and took in the presence of Jakes and Lawrence, but he didn’t acknowledge them. He shook Coil’s hand and said, “What’s going on?”
Hank and Jakes might have gone back a way, but the way he’d been dismissed from the crime scene was a complete disregard for professional courtesy.
“Thanks for coming, Hank,” Coil said. From what I understand, you already know Special Agent Sam Jakes?”
“I do,” Hank said.
“And this is Dr. Andrew Lawrence,” Coil went on.
Hank tamped down the urge to strangle the man and extended his hand instead. “Nice to meet you.”
“So, you’re the famous Hammerin Hank,” Lawrence said, awe lacing his proper British voice. “I’ve read so many of your briefs that I feel I already know you. You were quite an asset to the FBI.”
“Thank you.” Hank said. He could see the amusement on Coil’s face, and he was glad at least one of them was getting a kick out of this encounter. And if he had to guess, Coil probably knew exactly who this Lawrence guy was to Agatha. Coil and Agatha had grown up in the same town. They had memories that Hank would never be a part of.
Lawrence was a slender man, and several inches shorter than Hank. He was well dressed in a suit more expensive than Hank would’ve ever considered wasting his money on, and his shoes were shined so they looked like mirrors.
Coil cleared his throat and looked at Hank. If Hank wasn’t mistaken, it was embarrassment on Coil’s face. “Is your fiancé going to join us?” Coil asked.
Hank kept his face passive and didn’t let his surprise show. “I’m not sure. Agatha said her plate was pretty full today.”
“Agatha?” Lawrence asked, jumping on the name.
Hank and Coil exchanged glances.
“Yes,” Hank said. “Agatha Harley.”
“The author?”
“Yes, you’ve heard of her?”
Lawrence’s already sallow complexion paled even more.
“And she’s your fiancé?” he asked.
“Last time I checked,” Hank said, finding a smile for the first time. The smile must not have been very reassuring because Lawrence took a step back. “You know her?”
“Hmm,” Lawrence said, and then dropped his gaze.
Hank looked back at Coil. In all honesty, he just wanted to go back home. He didn’t care about the graves, the FBI, or the fact that he was only in the office because someone probably wanted something from him.
“So, what’s going on since I was dismissed from the crime scene?” Hank asked. “I assume that’s why I’m here?”
“It seems like the FBI would appreciate your assistance,” Coil said.
“I’m not sure that’s an option, Sheriff,” Hank said. “You see, Mr. Jakes over there made no bones about it. I was not to set foot on his crime scene.”
Jakes looked away, but in the tiny office, there wasn’t much space for even wandering glares.
“Well, it seems that the FBI has changed its position on getting local assistance,” Coil said. “And, as a duly commissioned representative of my office, I am requesting your assistance in granting them the local guidance they so desperately need.”
“In other words, they can’t find their butts with both hands because no one will give them the time of day except for Dot Williams. Am I right?”
“That pretty much sums it up.” Coil’s smile was sharp.
“Can I get back to you on that request?” Hank said. “I left Agatha in a hurry. She was upset about a run-in she had over at the Taco and Waffle.”
“Oh, that would be me,” Lawrence said, much too cheerfully for Hank’s taste.
“Yeah, I had a feeling,” Hank said with a snarl. “Catch you later.”
“Wait a second, Hank,” Jakes called out. “Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Can I talk to you?” Jakes asked, unfolding long legs and coming to a standing position. “Outside?”
“Sure,” Hank said. “I’m heading that direction anyway.”
Hank stepped out of the sheriff’s office and breathed in the fresh air, and then turned so his back was to the sun. Jakes followed him through the door and they squared off, but Jakes took the full brunt of the bright sun to his face. He shielded his eyes with his hand, but Hank didn’t move.
“Look,” Jakes said. “We go way back. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I was a little surprised to see you out there. I guess when it came down to it, my concern was that I’d have to compete with you for authority.”
“I like you, Sam,” Hank said. “And we do go back a long way. I’ve never blamed you for Tammy’s death, but you weren’t there when the team needed you the most. Even after all this time, knowing the kind of cop I am, worrying about who’s in charge is your top priority? And now you need me because the people in this town won’t talk to an outsider, even if you do have a fancy badge.”
“I didn’t say I was right,” Jakes said. “And I’ve apologized a thousand times for the night Tammy died. I accepted my transfer out of violent crimes and into the boring world of white-collar crime. But I can’t keep beating myself up over what happened to your wife. We’ve both got to move forward at some point.”
Hank’s heart remained heavy. The reality that Hank wasn’t the only person who still carried pain over the loss of his wife made the burden seem not so unbearable. Maybe that was what was on his mind when he’d argued with Agatha. Seeing Jakes and then being dismissed like a child hurt more personally than it did professionally. But in the end, Hank was a cop’s cop, and there was a crime to solve.
“You’re right, Sam,” Hank said. “But it’s still no reason for the way you treated me this morning. I’ll help because Sheriff Coil asked me to, and because this is my hometown. It has zero to do with you, the Bureau, or that snob you brought along.”
Jakes held up his hands. “Fair enough. And for the record, I didn’t bring the snob. He was already in the Dallas Field Office when the call came in. One of the group supervisors wanted to get rid of him, so they shoved him off on me. He doesn’t belong to the FBI, but he’s in very good with the Deputy Director and several other key players.”
“And he’s the best,” Hank said.
Jakes sighed. “And that too. Apparently, he’s taking a sabbatical for several weeks and decided to grace us with his presence while he does research.”
“Convenient,” Hank said.
Jakes held out his hand to Hank. “Are we good?” he asked.
Hank waited a beat before he accepted the offered hand. “Yeah, we’re good.”