Dan squeezed his arm a little tighter. “That better not be what I think you’re saying.”
“Take your fucking hand off me, Dan.”
They exchanged a cold stare. Dan held tight a second longer, then released him. Hank glared. Under any other conditions, he would have prevented them from taking his boys but they were dealing with an incident far bigger than the death of three troublemakers. Of course, that’s what they were. Nothing more than trouble.
His deputies looked at Dan, waiting for a word, any reason to step in, but he didn’t give it. As much as he wanted to disagree, Hank was right. It wouldn’t lead to anything. Not now. They weren’t prepared to dive into some homicide investigation and Hank knew it. Even if the bullets inside Edgar and Jared could be matched to a gun, that gun had probably been melted down by now.
Besides, countless people in Humboldt had gone missing, and others that had turned up dead were still cold cases, paperwork just sitting in some dusty old box down at the department. And that was before the blackout.
His deputies watched the Stricklands prepare to roll out. Before they left, Hank spoke up. “Those ATVs I lent you. I need them back.”
Dan shook his head. “We’re using them.”
“It’s my property.”
“While I can respect that, and I appreciate you allowing us to use them, however, I’m afraid the situation in the county has gone beyond the timeline I thought it would. We are now commandeering those ATVs under the laws of California.”
“What law?”
“Posse comitatus. Under the law, if extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances arise, such as in a time of war or impending public danger — property may and will be seized for use and you as the citizen have a duty to comply. I would say these times qualify, don’t you?”
Hank chuckled. “Last week you couldn’t find your way around the OES manual and now you’re quoting law? You might have these chumps fooled but not us.”
Dan went red in the cheeks. He knew he was trying to humiliate him in front of the deputies. He just hoped he didn’t go further and reveal any of his darker secrets.
“Fine! Keep them,” Hank barked.
With that said, they started the ATVs and peeled out, two on each one. Seth gave him a disgusted look as he passed him. Dan released a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.
The moment passed but with it came the question of what would happen next. Once the Stricklands were out of sight, Dan turned to Johnson. “I want you to take an additional twenty deputies and post them through Alderpoint and Garberville.”
“You expecting trouble, sheriff?”
“I hope not but we can’t be too careful.”
“We’re already maxed out as it is. Many of them are pulling overtime.”
“So take some from the correctional facility.”
They had close to two hundred deputies active, a hundred within Humboldt’s correctional facility in Eureka, and another hundred spread throughout Garberville, Eureka, McKinleyville, and Trinity River.
“I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you that grumbles are spreading throughout the department.”
“About?”
“Getting compensated for their time. Some deputies think there should be more resources allocated for emergency service workers as right now they’re working for nothing.”
He ran a hand around the back of his sweaty neck. “I understand but we all have a job to do. The government could get this solved in the next few weeks.”
He had a strong feeling they wouldn’t but he needed people to believe it was true. Without hope, the people could turn and walk away. So far none of the deputies had, which was a testament to the strength and resilience of the department, but that could change.
“No, I get it. And I’m with you. I’ve got your back. I’m just relaying what I’ve heard.” Johnson drummed fingers against the steel barrier on the bridge. “Anyway, I’ll get on with what you requested.”
Dan nodded.
“Johnson. One last thing. How is the prison doing?”
He gave a confused look as if Dan should have known about this. He should have, it was just his plate had been full since taking office forty days ago. For the past eleven days, he had been working with the OES, trying to deal with citizens, and handle immediate matters, not problems contained in four walls.
That’s why Johnson had been a lifesaver. In many ways, he really should have been sheriff but he didn’t want the position, the hassle, the responsibility. No one did. Johnson clicked his fingers. “Oh, I forgot to get back to you on that. Damn it. I knew there was something I was meaning to talk to you about.”
“It’s all right. We’ve had a lot on our minds lately. What is it?”
Johnson walked back to him. “Before you entered office, they were releasing inmates to reduce those in close quarters to one another during the pandemic.”
“Right, I remember.” He vaguely did. “And?”
“There are 417 cells and almost 400 of those were in use on any given day back in March last year. We reduced that number to 324. Most of those are serious offenders and violent felons.”
Dan was confused. “So the problem is?”
“Well, first, the number has gone back up in the last two weeks. I mean, in the second week, we had those looters. We had to put them somewhere. So now anyone who is 65 or older, or suffering from some chronic illness is now being considered for release. All the correctional facilities are doing it.”
“Of course. It makes sense. But I’m still not seeing the problem here.”
“How do I put this? Most of the ones that were released were placed in SWAP, the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program, to finish their sentence outside of custody.”
He gave him a confused look. “SWAP?”
Johnson rubbed his forehead. “Forgive me for asking, but weren’t you
