true.”
“I know it isn’t,” he whispered so the Dickey brothers wouldn’t hear him. “Barry and I heard your 911 call, and we got here as quick as we could, which really wasn’t any time at all because our little clinic is only three blocks away. We knew something had happened to you. One second we could hear you talking as clear as a bell, and the next second we hear what sounded like a half shout. You know what I mean?”
“He knocked the phone out of my hand.”
“He smashed it to bits is what he did. I’m afraid you’re going to have to buy yourself a new one. Right now they aren’t arguing about your phone though. Sheriff Randy is saying that you were in his county when you took off and headed over here. You’re in Grady County now,” he explained. “Randy Dickey is sheriff in Jessup County, and how he ended up sheriff is a mystery none of us can figure out. He must have made a lot of promises. Anyway, Sheriff Randy’s jurisdiction ends at the foot of the bridge that crosses the creek. Once you get on that bridge, you’re in Grady County. We have a sheriff too, but he’s in Hawaii on vacation with his wife and kids, and we only see him once in a blue moon because he lives way east in Grady’s county seat.”
Barry, the other paramedic, had been listening to their conversation. He popped a toothpick into his mouth, parked it in the corner, and strolled over.
“The only reason Sheriff Randy comes around here is because his brother lives in Serenity. He likes to go fishing with him. Del, you ought to make her keep that ice pack on her cheek. It’s already swelling under her eye. I think we need to take her to the clinic and get an X-ray.”
“No, I’m okay. I don’t need an X-ray.”
“We can’t make you go with us,” Del said. “If you refuse treatment, there’s nothing we can do, but if you start feeling sick to your stomach or dizzy, you tell us, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll tell you.”
“Could I ask you something?” Del asked. “What was it like finding a body in your car? It would have given me a heart attack. Barry and I figure you didn’t have anything to do with the murder because, if you did, you sure wouldn’t have called 911, would you?”
“You look like you’re hurting,” Barry said.
“I’m okay. I’ve just got a little headache, that’s all, and I don’t want to take anything that might dull my anger. I swear to heaven—”
“Now, now, it’s not good to get all upset,” Barry said. “Especially after taking such a hit.”
Del motioned Barry closer. “If Maggie Haden could get away with it, she’d hand her over to Sheriff Randy and his brother in a heartbeat.”
Barry agreed. “She wouldn’t lose any sleep over it either,” he whispered.
“Who’s Maggie Haden?” Jordan asked. She was trying to see what was going on with the chief and the Dickey brothers, but the paramedics were blocking her.
“That’s her there. She’s the chief of police,” Del answered. “The chief and Sheriff Randy have a history. You know what I’m talking about? Everyone in town knows he got her the job.”
“She shouldn’t have gotten the job,” Barry grumbled. “She wasn’t qualified. Just because she was on the police force over in Bourbon doesn’t mean she should be the chief here in Serenity. But since nothing much ever happens here, I guess people don’t care if she knows what she’s doing or not.” He shifted the toothpick to the other side of his mouth and squatted down in front of Jordan. “It’s payback,” he whispered. “She wanted the job, and Randy owed her since he got married to someone else and left her high and dry.”
“How long has she been chief of police?” Jordan asked.
“About a year,” Del said.
“More like two years,” Barry offered.
“Don’t let the way she looks color your judgment. She’s a lot tougher than you’d think. She can be a real viper.”
Jordan leaned around Del to get a look. The chief had brassy,
“I know it isn’t,” he whispered so the Dickey brothers wouldn’t hear him. “Barry and I heard your 911 call, and we got here as quick as we could, which really wasn’t any time at all because our little clinic is only three blocks away. We knew something had happened to you. One second we could hear you talking as clear as a bell, and the next second we hear what sounded like a half shout. You know what I mean?”
“He knocked the phone out of my hand.”
“He smashed it to bits is what he did. I’m afraid you’re going to have to buy yourself a new one. Right now they aren’t arguing about your phone though. Sheriff Randy is saying that you were in his county when you took off and headed over here. You’re in Grady County now,” he explained. “Randy Dickey is sheriff in Jessup County, and how he ended up sheriff is a mystery none of us can figure out. He must have made a lot of promises. Anyway, Sheriff Randy’s jurisdiction ends at the foot of the bridge that crosses the creek. Once you get on that bridge, you’re in Grady County. We have a sheriff too, but he’s in Hawaii on vacation with his wife and kids, and we only see him once in a blue moon because he lives way east in Grady’s county seat.”
Barry, the other paramedic, had been listening to their conversation. He popped a toothpick into his mouth, parked it in the corner, and strolled over.
“The only reason Sheriff Randy comes around here is because his brother lives in Serenity. He likes to go fishing with him. Del, you ought to make her keep that ice pack on her cheek. It’s already swelling under her eye. I think we need to take her to the clinic and get an X-ray.”
“No, I’m okay. I don’t need an X-ray.”
“We can’t make you go with us,” Del said. “If you refuse treatment, there’s nothing we can do, but if you start feeling sick to your stomach or dizzy, you tell us, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll tell you.”
“Could I ask you something?” Del asked. “What was it like finding a body in your car? It would have given me a heart attack. Barry and I figure you didn’t have anything to do with the murder because, if you did, you sure wouldn’t have called 911, would you?”
“You look like you’re hurting,” Barry said.
“I’m okay. I’ve just got a little headache, that’s all, and I don’t want to take anything that might dull my anger. I swear to heaven—”
“Now, now, it’s not good to get all upset,” Barry said. “Especially after taking such a hit.”
Del motioned Barry closer. “If Maggie Haden could get away with it, she’d hand her over to Sheriff Randy and his brother in a heartbeat.”
Barry agreed. “She wouldn’t lose any sleep over it either,” he whispered.
“Who’s Maggie Haden?” Jordan asked. She was trying to see what was going on with the chief and the Dickey brothers, but the paramedics were blocking her.
“That’s her there. She’s the chief of police,” Del answered. “The chief and Sheriff Randy have a history. You know what I’m talking about? Everyone in town knows he got her the job.”
“She shouldn’t have gotten the job,” Barry grumbled. “She wasn’t qualified. Just because she was on the police force over in Bourbon doesn’t mean she should be the chief here in Serenity. But since nothing much ever happens here, I guess people don’t care if she knows what she’s doing or not.” He shifted the toothpick to the other side of his mouth and squatted down in front of Jordan. “It’s payback,” he whispered. “She wanted the job, and Randy owed her since he got married to someone else and left her high and dry.”
“How long has she been chief of police?” Jordan asked.
“About a year,” Del said.
“More like two years,” Barry offered.
“Don’t let the way she looks color your judgment. She’s a lot tougher than you’d think. She can be a real viper.”
Jordan leaned around Del to get a look. The chief had brassy,
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