Sucker Punch (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #27) - Laurell K. Hamilton Page 0,15

in place.

“Did Leduc ever lose anyone to a shapeshifter attack?” I asked.

“Not to my knowledge,” Newman said, and then glanced at the deputy. “How about you, Frankie? You know if Duke has any bad history with supernatural citizens?”

She shook her head. “No, or nothing bad enough to cause him to . . . I am so sorry, Marshal Blake.”

“Is there anything happening in the sheriff’s personal life? Is he under pressure from somewhere else?” I asked.

“Well, everyone knows about Lila, his daughter. She’s sick, really sick.”

“She’s dying,” Newman said. “She’s got some rare form of cancer.”

“That’s awful, and I’d say that would be pressure.”

“Lila’s been sick for over two years. Last I knew, she wasn’t any worse than she had been,” Frankie said.

“Would he tell you if she was?” I asked.

Frankie looked at the floor like she was thinking, and then up to meet my eyes. “I thought so, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Uncle Ray was helping with some of the medical bills,” Bobby said.

We all turned and looked at him as if he’d just appeared. I know it sounds weird after just being up close and risking a bullet for him, but once the cell closed, he went back to being the prisoner. I felt bad that I’d let him slip back into that category so easily. Maybe I’d been on the job too long?

“They’ve used up the insurance that Duke gets through the town.”

“What happens if Duke can’t pay for the treatments?”

“I don’t know,” Bobby said. “I guess . . . I guess Lila will die.” He looked like that bothered him, and then I realized he’d probably known her all his life.

“She’s already dying,” Newman said.

“But without the treatments, she’ll die sooner . . . a lot sooner,” Bobby said.

“How old is she, his daughter?” I asked.

“Twenty or maybe twenty-one,” Bobby said. He was sitting on the edge of the bunk with the blanket around him again.

“She’s twenty-one,” Frankie said.

“So, whoever killed Ray Marchand basically killed the sheriff’s daughter, too,” I said.

“I think that’s how Duke sees it,” Newman said.

“Well, fuck,” I said.

“Yeah,” Newman said.

“Go see if you can find Duke, and check on him,” Newman said.

Frankie shook her head. “We’re a small force, but we’re professionals. Duke made sure of that. He left me on guard duty here, and until he tells me otherwise, I’m going to follow orders. I know that you think he’s lost it, and maybe he has, but until I’m sure, I’ll stay at my post.”

“He must be a good man for you to be that loyal to him,” I said.

“He is, and I hope you get to see how good a cop he is and don’t judge him just on the last few minutes.”

“I hope I get to see him at his best, too.”

“All right,” Newman said, and his voice was heavy, “we’ll go check on Duke and then drive out to the crime scene.”

“Don’t tell him that I told you Uncle Ray was paying Lila’s medical bills. Duke hated taking the money.”

“Are you seriously telling me that you’re worried about the sheriff’s hurt pride after he nearly shot you?” I asked.

“He’s been sheriff here as long as I remember.”

“He’s a good man,” Frankie said.

“No one should have to bury their child. That’s what Uncle Ray said when he talked about it at home to Joshie and me.”

I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and looked from one to the other of them. I glanced up at Newman, and he answered my unasked question.

“Yes, until this minute, I’d have said Duke was a good man, a good cop, a good husband, and a good father.”

“Then let’s go find him. He still needs to drive us to the crime scene.”

“I can drive us, Anita.”

I shook my head. “I want Duke where we can keep an eye on him.”

“I won’t let a prisoner be killed on my watch,” Frankie said.

I studied her face. “So if Duke comes back in here and tries to shoot Bobby again, you’ll shoot him to protect your prisoner?”

She nodded. “It’s my job.” She sounded sure of herself, but her eyes weren’t so sure.

“Maybe you would, but let’s not force you to make that choice, Deputy.”

She let out a breath and some tension went out of her shoulders. “I appreciate that, Marshal Blake.”

“So would I, if our roles were reversed.”

Newman holstered his gun and went for the door. “Let’s go find Duke.”

I used my body to hide the movement of my right hand from Frankie, because