Read Sanctuary Lost WITSEC Town Series Book 1 for Free Online Page A

had read the file. Arnold Palmer applied
for the sheriff’s job but had been turned down in favor of a U.S.
marshal taking the position. It was essentially the job of a WITSEC
Inspector, not a regular citizen who’d never been a marshal. Just
the deputy sheriff of a town which didn’t exist.
    John sized him up and saw Palmer doing the
same to him. He folded his arms. “Far as I’m concerned, respect is
earned. And it goes both ways. We don’t know each other but I hope
we can form a good working relationship. I might be the sheriff but
I’m also the new guy here. I’ll need help navigating my way
around.”
    Something sparked in Palmer’s eyes. “I can do
that.”
    “So run it down for me. What’s the job
like?”
    Palmer shifted, scratching under the brim of
his tan hat. “Well, office is open nine-to-five weekdays unless
it’s a holiday. We have a dispatcher who mans the phones during
that time. Dotty. Her husband was a Fed and she was his assistant.
Outside of those hours we switch off who gets the phones forwarded
to them. It comes straight to your radio but mine isn’t a sat
phone. We don’t get calls too often. There isn’t a lot going on
around here, mostly it’s keeping an eye on things.”
    John nodded.
    “I can take this weekend, if you want. You
and Pat can get settled and we’ll work out the schedule starting
Monday.”
    “Good idea.” John put the lid on the jam and
set it back in the fridge. “Anything else I should know?”
    “I dunno.” Palmer shook his head. “I’ve never
lived anywhere else, so I don’t know if it’s not what you’re used
to. You’ll have to tell me.”
    John laughed. “Okay.”
    “I’ll let you boys eat your lunch.
Later.”
    Deputy Palmer shut the door and John heard
him trot back down the stairs. He didn’t mind the fact his deputy
had essentially led a sheltered life, growing up in Sanctuary. A
lot of people lived in closed communities. John just needed to
learn the culture, the rules. This could to turn out to be a lot
like being undercover. The people he’d infiltrated had particular
ways of doing things and their own lingo.
    This job might be more suited to him than
he’d realized. So long as he could get past the separation he’d
always kept between him and the people he was trying to get close
to. Should he and Pat decide to stay here long term—and it was
partly Pat’s decision too—they would have to become part of the
community and not live separate lives.
    This trial would only work if they made
friends, lived in town, had fun and joined in with what was going
on. Their quality time together was going to be spent navigating
this new culture, this WITSEC town.
    “I hope they do fun stuff here.”
    John smiled around his bite of sandwich.
    “And Uncle Nate’s game is tomorrow. I don’t
want to miss it. You think that thing gets ESPN?” He motioned to
the TV.
    John swallowed a mouthful of milk. “I’d like
to see him play.”
    “He’s awesome.” Pat launched into a story of
Nate winning a game for the Chargers John had actually seen. Nate’s
one-in-a-million catch during a blizzard in Chicago, slipping on
the field, spraining his ankle and still scoring the touchdown. The
way Pat told it was like hearing the story for the first time.
    John laughed. “We’ll have to Skype him soon.
I’ll give him a call and find out when he’s going to be free.”
    “Maybe he can come visit us in the off
season.”
    “Maybe.” John took his plate to the sink.
“We’ll find out from Uncle Grant how we can work that out. But I’d
like it.” He sat back down across from his son. “Do you want to try
calling your mom again?”
    Pat looked to the side. “I dunno. Maybe
later. Can we walk around town and see what all there is?”
    “Sure bud. Whatever you wanna do. I don’t
have to work until Monday so we’ve got the whole weekend to meet
everyone and explore the town.”
    “I wonder what movie they’re going to play
after dinner.” Pat