Page 18 of Echoes of Sin
“I’m surprised you weren’t up at the crime scene yesterday, Sheriff Jackson.” Brook reached for the black cloth napkin and removed the silverware from the thick fabric. She spread the napkin out on her lap before meeting his stare. “I understand that this case falls under federal jurisdiction, but surely you’re not one of those lawmen whose lack of interest gets in the way of justice. Unless, of course, your position is just a paycheck to you.”
“Call me Otto.” He lifted one side of his mouth as he leaned back to allow the waitress to pour his coffee. “And if this were about money, I’d be working here as a cook instead of spending all my time keeping meth heads out of my county.”
Otto Jackson was at least four inches over six feet with dark skin and brown eyes that were more caramel in color than chocolate. Brook got the sense that there was still more to his absence yesterday than he was letting on, but they would get to that a little bit later.
“You’re not the typical fed.”
“You run into a lot of them out here?” Brook asked after she’d thanked her waitress. “And just for clarification, my firm consults with the Bureau.”
“You and I are going to get along just fine,” Otto said with a laugh. He reached for the container that held the sugar packets, holding it out to her first. She clearly surprised him when she declined his offer. He set the black container back down before taking two packets out for himself. “I appreciate the updates on the case. Keep them coming, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”
“I’ve got to be honest with you, Otto. I didn’t expect the offer after speaking with Riggs earlier this morning.”
“Riggs didn’t like to hear what I had to say about him spending more time in those mountains than he has in uniform lately,” Otto amended as he stirred in his sugar. “I’m short-staffed, and Riggs is my go-to guy. He knows this area inside and out. I’ve already got two other deputies pulling twelve hours shifts, and now I’m going to be doing the same over the next couple of days until Riggs is done playing Grizzly Adams. No offense. I’m sure he’s been a great asset to you over the past two days, but I’ve got an entire county comprised of numerous towns that I’m responsible for, and I don’t like being left holding the bag.”
Again, Brook sensed that there was something more to the situation than she was being told, but she would concentrate on the case right now. She took a tentative sip of her coffee, realizing immediately that she would be getting her coffee here instead of brewing it at the bar for the remainder of her stay.
“Trust me, you can become addicted to the stuff,” Otto replied wryly as he sat back in his chair. He’d chosen a table so that they could both keep an eye on the entrance. There were other signs, such as his hair and the way his shoes shined that pointed toward a history in the military. “Wait until you try their Shepherd’s Pie.”
“You didn’t require Luna Breen to be missing for a full twenty-four hours before sending Riggs up in those mountains, did you?”
“You and I both know that twenty-four-hour line is bullshit.” Otto shrugged, as if to say that anyone would have handled Mrs. Breen’s phone call the way he had last weekend. “I got the call around twenty-two hundred hours. I drove over to the B&B, spoke with Mauve, and then radioed Riggs. He was scheduled for second shift, so he was already on the clock. Mauve mentioned that Luna only took a day-pack, so I knew that she didn’t have the supplies or equipment to spend the night up there. I’m a big believer that one can never be too cautious.”
“And when did Riggs report back to you?”
“Right before dawn.” Otto took a sip of his coffee. “Riggs had taken a satellite phone with him. Kept in touch every couple of hours, but there was nothing to be found. I sealed off Breen’s room at the B&B, officially filed the missing persons report, and then contacted the park rangers first thing Monday morning.”
“Did you join the search parties?”
“Do you swim in the ocean?”
It took a moment for Otto’s question to register.
“I couldn’t tell you the last time that I was at the ocean, Otto.”
“You’re reserved, cunning, and you know the lay of the land before you ever take one step to advance into a situation,” Otto said as he lifted his coffee cup. He paused long enough to take another drink. “I’m guessing that if you did swim in the ocean, it would be to prove a point rather than for the sheer enjoyment of it. Too many unknowns. I’m the same when it comes to those mountains. I’m not a man who likes to waste time. I’ve got a job to do, and that job is to protect and serve my community. The best way for me to do that is to use my skills and resources where they are most needed. In this case, that means staying here and keeping an eye on things while the parker rangers cover their territory. Once in a while, that means loaning out my deputies. There will usually be a better outcome if everyone stays in their designated lanes.”
“I would have initially guessed Army, but now I’ve revised my opinion. Career Navy?”
“Twenty years, one day, and nine hours served,” Otto replied as he set his mug back down on the table. He didn’t look a day over thirty, let alone forty. “It’s not that I couldn’t survive up there, Brook. I could, I have, and I will again…if ever needed. As it stands, the park rangers called the FBI, and the FBI chose to utilize a consultant. I’m not one to interfere with someone else’s job unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Otto was a completely different man than the one Riggs’ had described, and Brook found the sheriff to be dedicated, competent, and had a presence about him that commanded respect. She wouldn’t have minded his insights during this morning’s briefing.
“Do the names Carissa Norman and Helen Beckham mean anything to you?”
“Beckham. Young woman who went missing about two or three years ago.” Otto rubbed his index finger and thumb together as he recalled the details of the report. “Case is still open. She was never found.”
“And Norman?”
“Sounds familiar, but I’d have to refresh my memory.”
“Norman went missing five years ago, before you started serving the community as sheriff,” Brook replied as she caught movement from behind the long wooden counter. Their waitress was bringing a tray of food out from the kitchen. Since they hadn’t placed their lunch orders, Brook was guessing that the bowls held Shepherd’s Pie. “You used the siren in your cruiser to let the server know you would be arriving soon.”
“Guilty as charged,” Otto said with a laugh. “Irene and I came to an agreement in the first few months of my term to help save me time. I’ve gotten called away from here too often waiting for my lunch. This way, I at least have a few minutes to swallow some food.”
“Whatever we have as the special is what Otto is served,” Irene said with a smile. Brook realized that Irene wasn’t just on the wait staff. She was the owner and operator of Moonshine Diner. “I’ll be back to top off your coffees.”
“Where’s Ned?” Otto asked as he squared his chair with the table. “Don’t tell me that he went hiking, either. I know for a fact that he has an afternoon appointment scheduled with his parole officer.”