The Deputies: 3 Novella Box Set Read online

  The Deputies

  Cowboy Justice Association

  By Olivia Jaymes

  www.OliviaJaymes.com

  THE DEPUTIES

  Copyright © 2014 by Olivia Jaymes Kindle Edition

  E-Book ISBN: 978-0-9899833-6-5

  Cover art by Sloan Winters ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Dedication

  To second chances, teenage crushes, and brand new love.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Part One: Deputy Hank Dixon – Harper, Montana

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Part Two: Deputy Sam Taylor – Springwood, Montana

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Part Three: Deputy Drake James – Corville, Montana

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About Cowboy Command

  About Justice Healed

  About Cowboy Truth

  About the Author

  Part One

  Deputy Hank Dixon – Harper, Montana

  Chapter One

  Deputy Hank Dixon drained the last of his cold coffee from his cup and logged out of his laptop. Stretching the kinks from his back, he groaned with fatigue. It was the end of a long twelve hour shift that had started with a drunken domestic dispute and ended with a traffic accident.

  Hank loved his job. He enjoyed helping people and making a difference in his community. He’d been born and raised here in Harper, and God willing he’d be buried here. But hopefully not for many years yet. He had a little boy to raise. It was up to Hank to teach five year old Luke how to be a man.

  His boss, Sheriff Seth Reilly, stomped into the station with a big grin and a box of what were probably donuts and muffins from the bakery around the corner. The coffee was already taken care of via the fancy machine Seth’s wife had purchased when she first came to work there. It made a damn good cup of joe.

  Hank looked up at the clock on the wall. Nine-thirty.

  “What did Perry have you doing this morning?”

  The sheriff had gone straight from his house out to the Perry ranch while Hank dealt with the traffic situation. They made at least one call on the Perry spread a week. The owner was constantly complaining about one thing or another and was a complete pain in the ass.

  “This time he thinks he’s being watched. By the government, for fuck’s sake. I just told him the government was watching all of us and that he wasn’t anything special. Shit, I ought to call Evan Davis or Jason Anderson. They could show him what government surveillance really means.” Seth glanced at Hank’s laptop, already shut down. “Finished with all your reports? You must be in a hurry today.”

  Hank hated paperwork, even if it was on the computer now. Seth’s wife Presley had revolutionized the workflow and things were much more organized than before.

  “I did, and I am. Luke is coming today. Remember?”

  Seth’s face split into a grin. “Holy hell, I completely forgot. That’s awesome. How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”

  “Since Spring Break. But he’s staying most of the summer.”

  And it was about damn time too. Even though he talked to his son almost every day, he still missed him. Luke was growing up so quickly and Hank wasn’t there to see it. It gnawed at his gut that he wasn’t a full time father. That wasn’t how he’d pictured bringing up his son.

  “Is Alyssa here?” Seth’s smile had disappeared as quickly as it had come.

  Hank sighed, not sure he could put into words his feelings about seeing his estranged wife. They had barely spoken to one another in almost a year, although they were always cordial when they did. Alyssa would put Luke on the phone and then leave the room, only returning when it was bath and story time.

  He would see her today whether he liked it or not. A small part of him longed to see the woman he had once loved. But most of him would rather never set eyes on her again. He was still angry and bitter and a year apart hadn’t done much to dim those feelings.

  “Yes,” he replied simply. “I need to talk to her anyway. We need to get the details of the divorce ironed out. We’ve been living in limbo too long.”

  Hank couldn’t believe he was even saying the word “divorce”, let alone actually getting one. When he’d married Alyssa six years ago, he’d thought he’d met the perfect woman.

  Or maybe he simply wasn’t the perfect man. The right man. Hadn’t she said he was too stubborn and set in his ways?

  Seth gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, man. Just really sorry.”

  Feigning a nonchalance his boss saw right through, Hank just shrugged. “Not everyone can have what you and Presley have. That’s rare, I guess.”

  “You’ll find another woman. Someone better.”

  Was there someone better out there for him? Perhaps Hank had simply fallen in love with the wrong woman. It happened to people every day. He just never thought it would happen to him.

  “Sure.” Hank nodded and grabbed his keys from his desk. He sure as shit didn’t want to talk about this anymore. “I need to go. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Hank would be returning to the day shift now that Luke was here. He had already lined up his mother to watch his son while he was at work. Of course there was also the big surprise he had lined up for them. A father and son fishing trip at a cabin in the mountains. Two whole weeks with nothing to do but bond with his son.

  Driving home, Hank tried to push away the memories that always crowded in when he thought about Alyssa. They’d married too quickly, their passion for one another blinding them to their very real differences. It had been a recipe for disaster in the end. Now Luke was paying the price, being tugged back and forth between them.

  Hank pulled into his driveway next to an unfamiliar car that had to belong to his wife. It was different than the one he’d last seen her drive. Then she’d driven a bright red sports car, the top always down so her long red hair could blow in the wind. This car was a sedate silver sedan that looked more practical than expensive. Perhaps her own car was in the shop and this was a loaner.

  Steeling himself for the confrontation, he pushed open the front door and concentrated instead on the joy of seeing his son after two long months. He could deal with seeing Alyssa for a few hours if it meant having his son all summer. A wave of disappointment ran through him as he walked into what appeared to be an empty house, the large living room and kitchen area deserted.

  There were, however, signs of Luke. Toys were scattered on the couch and a cup of milk was sitting on the kitchen table. Hank picked up the ted
dy bear from one of the cushions and felt a rush of love so strong it almost brought him to his knees. He’d bought the bear for his son years ago, long before he’d been old enough to play with it. As Luke had grown it had become one of his favorites, and the two were inseparable at bedtime.

  A few shouts from the backyard penetrated the thick log walls and Hank strode to the back door off the kitchen. Luke and Alyssa were running around in the grass, a small dog yipping at their heels. Dressed in khaki shorts and a plain black T-shirt, Alyssa laughed and dived onto the ground, letting Luke and the puppy hop on top of her. There was much giggling and hugging and Hank was loath to interrupt the idyllic scene. It was as if someone had reached into his mind and pulled out one of his familial fantasies.

  The only thing missing was Hank himself, and at that moment he felt distinctly like the odd man out.

  “Daddy!” Luke rolled off his mother and ran over on his sturdy legs until he barreled directly into Hank, almost knocking him off his feet. His son would turn six this summer and Hank could swear Luke was two inches taller.

  “Hey, buddy. I missed you.” Hank lifted his son off the ground in a giant bear hug. The chocolate Labrador puppy barked and pranced in circles around Hank’s ankles while Alyssa stood a few feet away trying to shush the canine.

  Unable to calm the pup, she lifted him into her arms, her movements graceful. She’d taken dance lessons as a child and Hank imagined she must have been talented. Of course she’d also taken voice lessons and tennis lessons and every other type of lesson a wealthy young woman should have.

  The dog enthusiastically licked at Alyssa’s face and his paws batted at the auburn strands that danced with the breeze. Alyssa had the most beautiful hair in the entire world. The auburn waves hung down to the middle of her back and Hank had distinct memories of burying himself in those silky curls. Her skin looked almost golden as if kissed by the summer sun, not pale and freckled like so many redheads. She did have the classic green eyes, almost a moss shade that sparkled when she was happy and darkened when she was angry or passionate.

  Right now those eyes were hooded as she looked at the puppy and not at Hank. Hank set Luke down on the ground and patted him on the head.

  “Alyssa.” Hank nodded stiffly, feeling uncomfortable in his own home. “I see you still have your key.”

  Well shit, he hadn’t meant it to come out accusing like that. They were still fucking married, although no one would know it by their behavior lately.

  She looked up and their gazes clashed, sending a jolt through him which he ruthlessly pushed away. He couldn’t afford any reaction. Not now. She’d broken his heart too many times before. He wouldn’t let her do it again. He’d spent the last several months getting over her and he wasn’t going back.

  “Is that a problem?” Her eyebrow lifted slightly in question, her tone even. “I still have things here.”

  For the past twelve months, only her ghost had haunted these walls. He should know. He’d paced every inch of the house more nights than he could count when he couldn’t sleep. It had been months before the scent of her perfume had faded from the bedroom even when he had washed the sheets dozens of times and rubbed the furniture with a particularly pungent wood polish.

  “It’s not an issue, but we should talk about that.”

  Her gaze flickered to Luke as if in warning, but she needn’t have bothered. Hank knew better than to start anything with his son right there.

  “We already had breakfast but I could fix you something,” Alyssa offered. “You’re probably hungry.”

  Hank bit back a scathing reply. He and Alyssa had thrown off the veneer of civilization the last few months they’d lived together and the habit to be nasty ran deep. They’d said some pretty awful things to one another during those late night arguments. For the sake of their child, Hank needed to keep things on a friendly footing.

  Alyssa had never been much of a cook and here she was making herself at home in a place she hadn’t slept in for months. But he was hungry. And tired.

  “I could eat,” he admitted grudgingly. “But I can do it myself.”

  “Play out here with Luke and Hershey.” She handed the puppy to Hank and headed for the back door. “I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

  Determined not to watch the gentle sway of her hips as she walked away, he looked into the squirming dog’s brown eyes. “Hershey, huh?”

  “You know, like the chocolate, Dad. Isn’t he great?” his son enthused. “Mom said we can all train him together. Sometimes he has accidents. But he can fetch. Watch!”

  Luke threw a tennis ball and Hershey flew after it, barking happily. It was good that the floors in Hank’s house were all wood and tile if the dog wasn’t completely housebroken. Although he wasn’t sure what “together” meant to Alyssa. She’d probably be getting on the road soon once she felt Luke was settled.

  Once Hershey had lifted his leg on every tree and bush and wore himself out chasing the now sodden with spit tennis ball, Hank hefted Luke up in his arms and opened the back door. Stomach growling, Hank set Luke back on the kitchen floor and breathed in the heavenly scent of pancakes and sausage.

  Since when did his wife make pancakes?

  “Luke, give Hershey his breakfast, please,” Alyssa directed. She handed over a bowl filled with kibble and Luke set it next to a large water dish by the back door. The obviously ravenous puppy tore into the food, crunching happily. “Now go wash your hands, please and then go play. You may watch cartoons if you like. Daddy and I need to talk for a few minutes.”

  Even though she wasn’t talking to him, Hank headed to the kitchen sink. Both he and his son were covered in canine slobber. He assumed she was sending Luke into the living room so they could talk. About the divorce.

  “Sit down and relax.”

  Hank was doing the exact opposite. He unbuckled his gun belt and set it up on a high shelf out of Luke’s reach. He’d put it in the gun case after he ate. His wife was acting strangely. She had rarely ever cooked for him and even when she did, she didn’t wait on him. What was going on? Did she want the divorce quickly so she could marry another guy?

  Emotions he couldn’t name made his chest painfully tight. He didn’t want his son raised by another man, goddammit.

  Settling into a chair, she placed a plate with a stack of pancakes and some link sausages in front of him along with some maple syrup and a fresh cup of coffee. He didn’t ponder her motivations too closely but dug into his meal. The pancakes were light and fluffy and practically melted in his mouth.

  A smile he hadn’t seen in a very long time played around the corners of her mouth. “I bet you didn’t think I could make a decent meal.”

  He swallowed another mouthful before answering, still unsure as to what was going on. “I didn’t think cooking was something you enjoyed.”

  “I’m starting to. Luke has simple tastes, luckily. He doesn’t expect anything gourmet.”

  “I’m surprised Louise allows you in her kitchen.” Louise was the Wentworth family cook and had been in their employ approximately two hundred years, give or take, or perhaps she had come with the house. Either way, she’d had definite ideas about who was allowed in her domain and the cosseted Wentworth daughters hadn’t made the grade.

  “I don’t live at the estate anymore.”

  The simple statement brought Hank up short, almost dropping his fork. He carefully set it on the edge of his plate, the air between them suddenly growing tense.

  “That’s a surprise.”

  An understatement. He felt like he’d been sucker punched right in the solar plexus.

  “You were right, Hank. I needed to separate from Mom and Dad. They were trying to take over raising Luke, interfering with my decisions. I had a small apartment that I sublet for the last six months. Luke didn’t tell you we moved?”

  Hank had been careful to always steer the conversations away from anything going on with Alyssa or her family.

  “Luke never mentioned it.
How does he like it?”

  Alyssa leaned forward in her chair, her hands flat on top of the table. It was a habit of hers he knew well. It meant she was about to tell him something she was excited about. “He loves it. There are lots of kids his age to play with and it’s walking distance from the school. But I’m sure he’ll love being here just as much.”

  Hank was still trying to get over the fact that Alyssa had moved out of her parents’ home. It was completely out of character.

  “Babs and Jim must have been upset when you left.” He couldn’t leave it alone, poking at his festering wounds. Alyssa had never once put Hank’s wishes before her parents’. If they were unhappy about something, she would move heaven and earth to smooth everything over.

  She studied her coffee cup. “They were livid, actually. Swore they would cut me off and all that stuff.” She looked up and he could see the determined tilt of her chin. “Mom was acting like Luke was her son and Dad, well, you know Dad. He started making plans for Luke to go to Harvard. I had to do something.”

  James Wentworth the fucking Third could go pound sand. If Luke wanted to go to Harvard, Hank would support him in every way. But no one, especially not his pompous father-in-law, was going to railroad Hank’s son into doing anything.

  “You should have called me. I would have taken care of that. I know your dad well, remember? He made it clear I wasn’t good enough for his daughter since I didn’t go to Harvard. Or Yale, or even Princeton. The day I met him he told me that only people who couldn’t get into college went into the military. As for being a deputy, he asked why I couldn’t be the sheriff,” Hank said, the bitterness coming through loud and clear. His father-in-law hadn’t thought much of the working men and women who had made him rich.

  Alyssa’s lips turned down and her cheeks flushed pink. “I’m sorry about that, Hank. I’m sorry about a lot of things that I didn’t see before. I want to make things right. I want to make them better.”

  Hank’s throat was tight and he had to swallow hard to speak. If only she’d said those words a year ago. “Well, it’s water under the bridge now. I’m glad you’ve moved out of the estate.” Hank stood up and put his plate on the counter, his appetite suddenly gone. “Are you okay? Do you need any money?”