“I was in that recessed doorway at the grocery, and I overheard Officer Baumer talking to two women. He told them the influx of tourists would bring in more litter and criminals. Perverts and druggies. That the town would never be the same.”

Under her fingers, Gabe’s back muscles tensed. “Now, that’s very interesting. I wonder how long he’s been spreading surreptitious propaganda. And why?”

“Why is a good question. Creating a hostile environment in town will drive away visitors.” Unable to think while in Gabe’s arms, she walked to the window and back. “But the officer’s job depends on having tourists. Without them, you two aren’t needed.”

“Yep. We’re talking job suicide.” Gabe leaned a hip on the desk, arms folded over his chest.

“What is more important to him than his career?” She stopped in the center of the room. “Is he one of those off-the-gridders?”

“You know, I’m not sure where he lives.” Gabe sat behind the computer and brought up the officer’s file. When he entered Earl’s home address into the map app, his mouth went flat.

“What?” Audrey leaned in to look.

Gabe made a circle with his finger. “This area is the Patriot Zealot compound. He lives inside it.”

“Oh…boy.”

“Baumer being a PZ explains what he finds more important than his job.” Gabe’s expression hardened. “I’ve had concerns about him, but wrote them off.”

That didn’t seem like Gabe. “How come?”

His smile was rueful. “I figured he wanted the chief position and was ticked off when I got brought in. I thought he’d adjust to having someone over him.”

Yes, unless the officer was a danger to the community, she could see Gabe giving Earl a chance to join the team. He’d done the same with Knox and Chevy. “Do you suppose Earl had been promised the chief position? I bet the PZs wanted him to be in charge of the police force.”

“It’s good they didn’t get that choice.” Gabe shut down the program. “Since Reverend Parrish was down on even reopening the station, he wasn’t allowed input into the hiring.”

Thank goodness. “What are you going to do now?”

“Watch and wait. I don’t have grounds to let him go. Yet. Although his work as an officer is growing increasingly slipshod.”

“Um…Chief?”

His mouth twitched. “Yes, Ms. Hamilton.”

She almost grinned at the way he’d answered formality with formality. “I’m good at research and can collect different information than your standard law enforcement background check.

“Can you now?” he asked in a musing voice.

She flushed. “A while back, I did online searches for a PI, and he taught me some tricks.”