Deluge (The Best Thrillers Book 2) by James Best (top romance novels txt) 📗

Vacaville goes underwater, we’ll need an ark.”

“Can we make it to San Francisco?” Smith asked.

“Problematic. We’ll be racing a rising freshwater sea.”

“Then I say, let’s go for it,” Smith said.

“Agreed,” Baldwin said.

“Yea, verily,” Wilson added.

“Does anyone care what I think?” Ashley asked.

“We do,” Smith said. “Do you want to remain with us?”

“Yes, indeed.” Ashley said. He looked at Wilson. “I am scared, but I do not want to be alone.”

“Then we’re the three musketeers,” Wilson said gleefully. “Remember, there were really four of them.”

Everyone laughed and yelled, “One for all, and all for one.”

When their laughter had subsided, Baldwin said, “I have a strategy to force them to listen.”

“We’re all ears,” Smith said.

She told them.

Chapter 21

The line at the Lompoc roadblock extended for dozens of cars. Darkness and rain obscured visibility, so O’Brian suggested that Evarts walk to the front to see why the line was stalled. He joked that, as a freshly minted town official, he should be the one to get wet. Evarts suspected that O’Brian really wanted to maintain a low profile. When Evarts got out of the car, O’Brian came around and took the driver seat in case the line started to move.

As Evarts came within sight of the roadblock, an officer waved him back to his car. Evarts held aloft his badge and kept walking. The officer gave him a sour look.

“Who’s in charge?” Evarts asked when he got within earshot.

Someone straightened up from leaning against the door of a car that had been pulled to the side. “I am.”

“You’re military police,” Evarts said, surprised. “Who gave you authority here?”

“My commanding officer. Who are you?”

“Greg Evarts, Santa Barbara Chief of Police, assigned by Sheriff Lopez as acting chief for Lompoc.”

The MP looked confused. “Do you know that the police hierarchy in this town was washed away in a bridge collapse?”

“Why else would Sheriff Lopez appoint an acting chief?”

“Who gave him the authority?”

“The governor. We’re in an emergency situation, which means—”

The MP interrupted. “The president outranks the governor, so until further notice, the military police will fill the law enforcement void.”

“You don’t understand. In an emergency—”

“No, you don’t understand. Beyond this access point is an air force base. This is a national security issue. Please return to your car. We have this handled.”

Evarts hooked his thumb toward the side of the road. “May we step over here for a moment?”

“No. I’m done arguing with you. Return to your car or I’ll put you under arrest.”

Evarts wiped the rain from his face and took a deep breath to calm himself. “Listen, I don’t want to argue jurisdiction in front of these police officers. Their entire leadership may have died tonight. It’s insensitive, so let’s step out of earshot.”

He pointed at a policeman. “Officer, if this man is still standing here in ten seconds, arrest him.”

Evarts turned until he’d squared himself with who he presumed was the lead officer. “Sergeant, are you familiar with the State of California Emergency Plan?”

“Yes, sir. We studied it at the academy.”

“In an emergency, who has final authority for public safety in Santa Barbara County?”

“Your ten seconds are up,” the MP said. “Arrest him.”

The police sergeant ignored the MP. “The county sheriff, sir. At this time, that would be Sheriff Lopez.”

“Sergeant, do I need to have Sheriff Lopez talk to you?”

“No, sir, that won’t be necessary. I know who you are, and it will be a pleasure to serve under you.”

“Thank you. Short of a formal declaration of martial law, do you know any statute that gives the military authority over civilians when they are off government property?

“None, sir.”

Evarts turned back to the MP. He saw fury in the man’s face. The airman abruptly turned his back on them and made a phone call while walking away.

“While he’s verifying his orders, what’s been holding up this line?”

“His orders are that nobody can pass unless every person in the car shows ID proving they live in Lompoc.” He pointed at the car parked on the side of the road. “That woman handed over passports for her children.”

“Children require ID?” Evarts asked.

“No, sir, but he claimed that once presented, they became official identification for the occupants.”

“So?”

“The passports are expired.”

“So?”

“He claimed they were fraudulent documents and grounds for detention. He refused to let her pass. An argument ensued, and it held everyone up. He finally allowed her to pull over to the side.” He pointed at his officers checking cars through the roadblock. “Everyone here was pretty heated up. We know the woman and her kids, but the MP took offense at our taking her side. That’s when you came up.”

Evarts patted the officer’s shoulder. “All right. We’ll get this sorted out.”

He walked over to the car. The woman was sobbing, but she looked up in anger.

“May I see your ID?” he asked.

She handed over her driver’s license. “I just want to go home. I want to take my children home. Why have I been detained?”

He handed the license back. “Why did you give the officer IDs for your children?”

“He said he wanted picture IDs for everyone in the car. The passports were all I had.”

“Did you know they were expired?”

“So what? He wanted identification. We’re not crossing a border. They were picture IDs issued by the government. The kids are older, but you can still recognize them. And they have my last name. I don’t understand.”

“Are you aware of tonight’s tragedy?”

“Yes. It’s terrible. I knew several of the men.”

“Unfortunately, it’s caused a lot of confusion … and heightened security for the base. I apologize.” He leaned away from the car. “Drive safe the rest of the way home, ma’am.”

“What about my passports?”

“They’re useless. Less than useless, as you saw this evening.” He saw the disappointment on her face. “If you still want them, drop by the police station in a few days to pick them up. Right now, take your kids home.”

With a curt thank you, she drove away. Evarts marched over to the MP, who stared viciously at Evarts as he listened