The heavy oak front door, which had been resting slightly ajar behind David, suddenly swung wide open.
Stepping out from the shadows of the hallway into the bright morning sun was David’s wife, Elena. But she wasn't wearing weekend loungewear. She was dressed in her immaculate, olive-green Class-A dress uniform. The brass buttons gleamed in the light, the gold stars on her epaulets signaled absolute authority, and the heavy, silver badge of the County Sheriff—the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in the entire jurisdiction—shone brightly on her chest.
She stood tall, her posture radiating absolute command. She looked at the young deputy with a gaze so cold it could freeze water.
"Then maybe both of you should explain why you came to my door," Elena said, her voice quiet but carrying the lethal weight of an incoming storm.
The young deputy’s jaw practically hit the floor. The color drained from his face so fast he looked like he might pass out. He instantly recognized the woman standing before him. It was his ultimate boss—the woman who commanded the entire department.