“We’re set up at the abandoned textile mill on the outskirts of town. Tech has eyes on the county sheriff’s department. Everything looks quiet, maybe a little too quiet. Are you still heading straight into the hornet’s nest?”
“I am,” Naomi said, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. “Sheriff Daniels needs to know we’re in town, and I want to see his face when I tell him. Keep the tactical teams out of sight. No local comms, strictly Bureau encryption. We don’t trust a single badge in this county.”
“Copy that, boss. We’ve got your back. Vance out.”
Naomi pulled into the center of Oakhaven ten minutes later. It was a picturesque, almost aggressively normal American town. Flags fluttered from antique streetlamps, locals sipped iced tea outside a small corner diner, and a golden retriever slept lazily on the porch of the hardware store. It was the kind of town where doors were left unlocked. It was also the perfect camouflage.
She parked her Tahoe right in front of the Oakhaven County Sheriff’s Department, stepping out into the heavy, humid air. She adjusted her tailored blazer, hiding the subtle bulge of her service weapon, and walked through the double glass doors.
The precinct was quiet. A few deputies were typing away at ancient keyboards, the hum of an overmatched air conditioner struggling to cool the room. As Naomi walked in, the typing stopped. Every eye in the room darted toward her. Word had clearly traveled fast.
She walked straight past the front desk, ignoring a young dispatcher who half-stood to intercept her, and pushed open the heavy wooden door marked SHERIFF WILLIAM DANIELS.
Daniels was a large man with a thick silver mustache and the kind of easy, Southern-politician smile that never quite reached his eyes. He was already on his feet as the door swung open, looking visibly flushed.
“Commander Grant!” Daniels practically shouted, rounding his desk with his hand extended. “My god, I cannot apologize enough. I had Ryan on the radio the second I heard. The boy is a fool, a complete hothead, and I assure you he is being severely reprimanded as we speak.”
Naomi ignored his outstretched hand. She stepped into the office, letting the heavy door click shut behind her.