The Sheriff Leaves His Badge
Chapter 10 - The Sheriff Leaves His Badge
Vale fled before state police could arrest him.
His patrol vehicle was found outside the abandoned mine.
His sheriff’s badge rested on the driver’s seat.
The county assumed he entered the tunnels.
Jack disagreed.
Vale never abandoned symbols unless he wanted someone to follow them.
The mine was a trap.
Chemical sensors showed unstable gas levels. Someone had opened several waste barrels.
If police entered, an ignition could collapse the tunnels and destroy evidence.
Mara remembered a second mine entrance beneath Vale Development’s new veterans housing project.
The project had received millions in public grants but contained only twelve unfinished homes.
Jack, Lena, and environmental teams entered through the construction site.
They found Vale inside a control room preparing to trigger the collapse remotely.
Ethan stood beside Lena’s vehicle outside, listening through the radio.
Vale spoke to Jack.
“Our fathers started this. We inherited what they built.”
“You inherited a chance to stop.”
“You think your club is clean? Men came to you because no one else wanted them.”
“That is why we know what second chances cost.”
Vale pressed the trigger.
Nothing happened.
Ethan had given investigators the override code hidden inside the second medal.
Vale looked toward the surveillance camera.
His son appeared on the monitor.
“I’m done being your reason,” Ethan said.
Vale lowered the remote.
Lena arrested him.
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The mine remained standing.
For the first time, the county could see what had been buried beneath its land.
