going to manage this,” he groaned. “She’s just not accustomed to being confined to a chair, or to a cast, for that matter.”
“ How about a casserole?” I asked.
“ Noooo,” Dale almost shouted. “We’re up to our eyeballs in casseroles and Jell-O salads and rolls and cobblers and pies and — shoot. Why do people assume you need to eat more if you’re injured?”
I chuckled. “We’re sorry we can’t make her feel better, so we’re hoping to distract her, and all of you, with full stomachs.”
“ What she really needs is a problem to solve — one that doesn’t involve interrogating witnesses on scene, wrestling bad guys to the ground or high-speed chases. And I think Hallie could use a break at home too.”
I bit my lip. I should have thought of relieving Hallie sooner. “No word on the painting, then?”
“ Nope. That’s just it. The doldrums. Usually summer’s busy — lost hikers, drunk boaters, farm accidents, grass fires — one thing after another. We’re having a real lull. We don’t even have anybody in jail right now, so all us deputies are sitting around, and Sheriff Marge is stewing up a storm.”
“ There’s a film crew staying at the Riverside RV Ranch—” I started.
“ They being disorderly?” Hopefulness tinged Dale’s voice.
“ Threatening, maybe. I overheard something last night. Along the lines of do-it-or-you’re-dead.”
“ We haven’t had any reports or complaints. Who were the parties?”
“ That’s what I thought.” I sighed. “Melvin Sharpe was on the receiving end. I didn’t recognize the other guy.”
“ Sharpe? He’s the director, right? I think I met him at the Imogene fundraiser. Tall, scrawny, glasses. Couldn’t tell a calf from a colt?”
I snorted. “That’s him.”
“ He jumped a mile when Zach fired his shotgun during the demonstration. I was standing next to him and practically had to catch him on the way back down. Bundle of nerves, that guy.”
“ Or just a city dude.”
“ Huh.” Dale’s grunt indicated exactly what he thought of a man so out of his element. “The fellas and I’ll take turns driving through the campground the next few days while they’re here. Make sure they realize we’re paying attention, maybe that’ll put a lid on any hanky-panky.”
“ And if it helps, the Imogene can offer a small reward — say up to $5,000 — for info leading to the recovery of the painting. Maybe that’ll speed things up for you.” I cringed at the number, but anything less wouldn’t be motivating.
“ Gotcha. We’ve had zilch, but if something comes up, we’ll let you know.”
I hung up and heaved a sigh.
“You okay?” Frankie called from the doorway. “I heard talking and was pretty sure it wasn’t the animals, but you never know.”
I patted the snarling cougar ’s head and strode toward Frankie. “Dale was just complaining about not having enough to do, and I was thinking I have too many things to worry about — too many unknowns.”
Frankie chewed on the end of the pencil she held between two fingers, making me wonder if she was a former smoker. “No word on the painting, then?”
I shook my head. We were starting to sound like anxious twins.
“Oh dear. Well, I do have some good news.” Frankie bounced on the balls of her feet and pursed her lips.
I tried to peer at the notebook in her other hand, but she pulled it away.
“Wait—” She beamed. “We spent $7,237 on food, catering staff, decorations, signage, invitations and demonstration supplies.”
“ Whoa.” My mind jumped to the red numbers that probably just appeared at the bottom of our annual operating budget.
“ After expenses, we netted $38,231 from the fundraiser.”
I clamped a hand over my mouth, my eyes bulging.
“I know,” Frankie squealed. “Can you believe it?”
“ You’re amazing.” I grabbed her in a big bear hug, and we did a jig in the doorway.
“ Did I miss something?”
I tried not to groan and turned
“ How about a casserole?” I asked.
“ Noooo,” Dale almost shouted. “We’re up to our eyeballs in casseroles and Jell-O salads and rolls and cobblers and pies and — shoot. Why do people assume you need to eat more if you’re injured?”
I chuckled. “We’re sorry we can’t make her feel better, so we’re hoping to distract her, and all of you, with full stomachs.”
“ What she really needs is a problem to solve — one that doesn’t involve interrogating witnesses on scene, wrestling bad guys to the ground or high-speed chases. And I think Hallie could use a break at home too.”
I bit my lip. I should have thought of relieving Hallie sooner. “No word on the painting, then?”
“ Nope. That’s just it. The doldrums. Usually summer’s busy — lost hikers, drunk boaters, farm accidents, grass fires — one thing after another. We’re having a real lull. We don’t even have anybody in jail right now, so all us deputies are sitting around, and Sheriff Marge is stewing up a storm.”
“ There’s a film crew staying at the Riverside RV Ranch—” I started.
“ They being disorderly?” Hopefulness tinged Dale’s voice.
“ Threatening, maybe. I overheard something last night. Along the lines of do-it-or-you’re-dead.”
“ We haven’t had any reports or complaints. Who were the parties?”
“ That’s what I thought.” I sighed. “Melvin Sharpe was on the receiving end. I didn’t recognize the other guy.”
“ Sharpe? He’s the director, right? I think I met him at the Imogene fundraiser. Tall, scrawny, glasses. Couldn’t tell a calf from a colt?”
I snorted. “That’s him.”
“ He jumped a mile when Zach fired his shotgun during the demonstration. I was standing next to him and practically had to catch him on the way back down. Bundle of nerves, that guy.”
“ Or just a city dude.”
“ Huh.” Dale’s grunt indicated exactly what he thought of a man so out of his element. “The fellas and I’ll take turns driving through the campground the next few days while they’re here. Make sure they realize we’re paying attention, maybe that’ll put a lid on any hanky-panky.”
“ And if it helps, the Imogene can offer a small reward — say up to $5,000 — for info leading to the recovery of the painting. Maybe that’ll speed things up for you.” I cringed at the number, but anything less wouldn’t be motivating.
“ Gotcha. We’ve had zilch, but if something comes up, we’ll let you know.”
I hung up and heaved a sigh.
“You okay?” Frankie called from the doorway. “I heard talking and was pretty sure it wasn’t the animals, but you never know.”
I patted the snarling cougar ’s head and strode toward Frankie. “Dale was just complaining about not having enough to do, and I was thinking I have too many things to worry about — too many unknowns.”
Frankie chewed on the end of the pencil she held between two fingers, making me wonder if she was a former smoker. “No word on the painting, then?”
I shook my head. We were starting to sound like anxious twins.
“Oh dear. Well, I do have some good news.” Frankie bounced on the balls of her feet and pursed her lips.
I tried to peer at the notebook in her other hand, but she pulled it away.
“Wait—” She beamed. “We spent $7,237 on food, catering staff, decorations, signage, invitations and demonstration supplies.”
“ Whoa.” My mind jumped to the red numbers that probably just appeared at the bottom of our annual operating budget.
“ After expenses, we netted $38,231 from the fundraiser.”
I clamped a hand over my mouth, my eyes bulging.
“I know,” Frankie squealed. “Can you believe it?”
“ You’re amazing.” I grabbed her in a big bear hug, and we did a jig in the doorway.
“ Did I miss something?”
I tried not to groan and turned
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