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

“I did. A couple of things. The lieutenant governor called about an hour ago. He heard about Sheriff Lopez, and he had the acting director of EOC appoint you as the top law enforcement official for Santa Barbara County.”

“Lot of that going around lately. Lopez made me acting chief of Lompoc, and I just offloaded that assignment to Captain Standish.”

“What are you doing now?” Walsh asked.

“Driving back to Solvang. Santa Maria gangs invaded Solvang, and they need to be stopped, or they’ll loot their way to the ocean.”

“Crap,” she said. “Can’t you come back here?”

“Have gangs invaded Santa Barbara?”

“No. Quiet here. Eerily quiet, considering what’s going on in the rest of the state, even as far down as San Diego. The river overflowed.” He heard her take a breath. “Listen, Solvang has a small force and a nincompoop for a chief. You go there alone, and you’ll end up like Sheriff Lopez. I wouldn’t mind, but you owe me a dinner at your home.”

Evarts laughed. “Thanks for that, but I don’t want to go alone. How many of my officers can I dispatch to Solvang?”

“Civil of you to ask, especially since Gleason made you supreme leader of the entire county.”

“Public safety only. And after this crisis passes, you’ll still be my mayor.”

“Glad to have that resolved. I’ll get twenty officers out of bed and sent up lickety-split. Will that do?”

“Should. Thanks. I’ll be in your debt.”

“Of course you will.”

“What was the other thing?” Evarts asked.

“Excuse me?”

“You said you had a couple of things.”

“Oh, right. You’re not going to like this. Gleason wants you to tell your wife to back off what he called ‘her stupid plan.’”

Evarts tried to think before he opened his mouth. “I can’t do that. I haven’t even talked to her in hours, so I don’t know what Gleason is talking about. But if I did, I would never tell her what to do or say, especially in her area of expertise. Nor would she tell me how to handle these gangs. Is Gleason expecting a response from you or me?”

“He didn’t say anything about calling him back.”

“Then I think my best career move is to ignore his request. Busy, you know.”

“My, you’re growing into your job.”

“I know you meant that as a compliment, so thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Stay safe.”

She rang off.

Evarts next called Bob Prentice.

“What’s the situation?” Evarts asked when the Solvang chief answered.

“Where are you? We need help!” Prentice said. “Did you hear about Sheriff Lopez?”

“Yes. Tell me about your tactical situation,” Evarts insisted.

“Looting is rampant. Our retail areas are under siege. Robberies in the motels and lodges, with reported rape. We must have several hundred gangbangers here. We’re overwhelmed.”

“Where are you?”

“Police station, trying to organize a response.”

“A response? What have you done since Sheriff Lopez was killed?”

“We got his body out of there and came back to the station for body armor and heavy weapons.”

“That must have been over an hour ago,” Evarts said. “Why aren’t you back on the streets?”

“Greg, these gangbangers have automatic weapons!”

“Which they used to murder Sheriff Lopez and will use to murder townspeople. You already said rapes have been reported. How long before a husband or boyfriend is killed trying to protect a loved one?”

The phone stayed silent for an extended moment. “Two have already been killed. Two besides the sheriff … that we know of.”

“Damn it, Bob, get out there.”

“We’re under siege. We’ll go as soon as the fire department shows up. Where are you?”

“About fifteen minutes away. Damn it, don’t wait for me. Get out of the station house and protect your town. Secure the lodges and motels first. Drive together until you see gang activity, and then hit the lodge with force. Arrest anyone without a room key. Do it now, or more people will be raped and killed.”

“You didn’t listen. They’re out there. Right now! Outside the station. They have us buttoned up. If we open a door, they spray bullets every which way.”

“Then douse the lights and throw open every door. Stay clear but let them shoot away. When they reload, charge out of the station. There are probably only a few out there, anyway. The rest are pillaging your town. Go get those sons of bitches. Put them down if necessary.”

“Okay. But hurry.”

“On the way,” Evarts said.

Chapter 28

They had climbed into a truck with a criminal. An unrepentant one, at that. He appeared well-kept, but uneducated. Besides everything else, he was not an experienced truck driver, and these were not the best elements in which to develop skills. Looking from one man to the other, Baldwin hoped that Smith could handle the ruffian.

“You cage fight?” Smith asked.

“Yeah.” He laughed. “Dumb shits in that bar didn’t know who they were messin’ with.”

“How many dumb shits?” Smith asked.

“Just one at first, but two more jumped me when I put their friend down. Those late-comers were the real dumb shits.” He laughed and glanced at Smith. “You a fan?”

“Only television. Never saw a fight in person.”

“If we get out of this, I’ll get you some tickets. How’d you know, anyways?”

“The UFC tattoo,” Smith said. “Ultimate Fighting Championship. The biggest mixed-martial-arts organization.”

He looked down his right shoulder at his arm. “Yeah, those dumb shits shoulda noticed too.” He gave his easy laugh again. “My cage name is Jemmy the Hammer, because I beat shitheads right into the mat.”

“I’m curious, are you in a gang?” Baldwin asked from in back

“No, ma’am. I’m a cage fighter, not a gangbanger. Gangs sell drugs, steal, and terrify people. I do my fightin’ in a cage. I can’t hurt civilians. Ain’t allowed in the UFC rules.”

“What was the bar fight about, Jemmy?” Smith asked in a friendly voice.

Jemmy drove for a few moments before answering. “Them truck drivers gave up for the day. Hunkered down at that bar by the truck stop. I was just makin’ conversation about how I was gonna finish truckin’ school, and they started ribbin’ me. Called me a wannabe. Not ever gonna make