Chapter 9

I was making good headway with all the junk in the desk and most of it was junk. I found a new NRC code book and set it aside to read and memorize. I also found a little notebook that listed all the payments received from the businesses in town. Thumbing through it, I found the gun shop payoffs and I had to admit they were quite substantial. I set it aside and finished out the cubbyholes in the right side and started on the left. I remembered the cabin and decided to call Shorty and see if he knew a company that did the kits. Sure enough, he gave me a number which I immediately called, and was told they would have their contractor come over with the plans and the cost layouts for the different models. Now I was getting somewhere. I looked at the clock and realized it was lunchtime and I was hungry. I buzzed Shorty and Andy telling them it was time for lunch and I was buying.

We all climbed into my car and headed for the steakhouse. I knew from my previous visit they had a lunch buffet that was cheap and compared to where I came from it would be great for anyone's budget.

"Shorty, do you want to work the desk or patrol? I am going to give you a choice whether you want to be patrol captain or the captain in charge of the station. It's your choice so think about it before you give me an answer."

"I knew this was more than a free meal."

We all laughed at his show of disappointment. I looked through the rear view mirror at him and he was grinning back at me.

"Harry, I want the patrol captain's position. I have a lot of changes that should have been done to make the department smoother and a lot more efficient. A lot of the road officers have not had their updated state courses in years. Several that I personally know of spend their shifts sleeping instead of patrolling. You also have several that spend their shifts drawing double pay. They work at several of the whorehouses as security in uniform when they should be on patrol and this type of thing. Two of them are the supervisors that will be fired when you see their records. You and the new sheriff have a long road ahead getting this department back on track and running like it should be."

"Well Shorty, find me an honest officer to take your job in the evidence room. As soon as you do you will be promoted to Captain and the patrol is yours. I think you have a good idea of what I want so get it done and soon. I want to run an ad in the Reno paper for three retired officers to be radio room advisors. I want this implemented right away. I want fit men that are willing to work closely with Pinky and the 911 center staff. I will also want their input on the new radio room we will be taking bids on."

Andy's cell went off and he talked for a few minutes then put his hand over it and turned to me.

"The locksmith just arrived and they have him waiting in the lobby."

"Have them send him to the steakhouse to join us for lunch. Tell them to tell him it's on the sheriff."

He got back on the phone and talked for a couple of minutes before hanging up.

"He is on his way and said to tell you he hadn't eaten yet because he wanted to get here."

"Good lets go eat 'cause I am hungry."

We all got out and trooped into the restaurant and ordered our drinks and went to the buffet table. I got a shock when I saw how much food Shorty piled on his plate.

"Damn Shorty, you got a hollow leg or something? How do you stay so skinny when you eat so much?"

He mumbled something back to me between forkfuls and I laughed and settled in to eat. The locksmith joined us about five minutes after we got settled. He looked to be about twenty-five or so and walked with a pronounced limp, probably from the wound he received in the line of duty. I absently wondered how he would like to go back to work as a supervisor. I looked over at Shorty and he must have been reading my mind because he nodded yes to my unspoken question.

He sat down and introduced himself as Beau Gentry and I choked on the food I had in my mouth. He was watching me and busted out laughing at my reaction. Shorty and Andy were both laughing at me too. It took two drinks of water before I could speak again.

"Sorry about that Beau, but the name kind of caught me off guard. You seem to get around very good even with the limp. How come your department won't let you come back to work, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It was the department policy that since I couldn't pass the physical qual. they refused to let me return to work. I really miss it but I don't have a choice in the matter. I had been a road deputy for nine years when I got hit in a bank robbery. It's taken me a year of intense physical therapy to get to where I am. According to the docs I have come further than they thought I would."

"I have a proposition for you if you're interested. I need a day shift road supervisor and I don't give a damn about the limp if you can do the job and do it right. You can start the first of the month and your rank will be sergeant. You don't have to answer right now, talk to your wife and anyone else you need to before you give me your answer. You will have to live in the county though."

"I am not married and I don't have to think about it. I love law enforcement and for you to offer me a dream job like this, I will take it without reservation. I rent a little apartment in Reno so moving will not be a problem. I will keep my business open on a weekend or part time basis if that's not a conflict."

I smiled and assured him this was not a conflict and introduced him to Shorty who will be his commander and to Andy our department budget officer. I then introduced myself and at the same time telling him I would be in the position till the new sheriff started the first of the month. I shut up and went after my meal again and we all stuffed ourselves. I noticed that he and Shorty seemed to hit it off and I was glad that Shorty seemed to be coming out of his shell a little. I knew that he was going to be a good Patrol Captain and the officers would be treated fairly but firmly. We finished our meal and I got the check with my credit card and the three of them left the tip.

Beau followed us back to the station and we all went to our offices with Beau following me to mine.

"Beau, the first thing I want done is to have the safe opened and the combination changed. When you get that done, talk to me and we will start changing locks."

"Ok Harry, but this shouldn't take long."

He went to work and Andy knocked and said he needed to talk about some figures concerning the state mandate training for officers. He also wanted to talk about the hiring of some new officers for the patrol division. I told him he needed to talk to Shorty about all of that since he was the new patrol captain. He smiled and went back out the door saying he would be in the dungeon if anybody wanted him. I smiled at his archaic mention of the evidence room. I heard Beau chuckling in the corner and ignored him. I had just returned to the cubby holes in the desk when the receptionist knocked on the door. I told her to come in and was in turn told that Mrs. Hawkins wanted to speak to me. I asked her who that was and damned if she didn't giggle and tell me it was the department uniform lady. I told her to give me five minutes then send her in.

"Well Beau, this will be your first official duty. I want you to witness this conversation and please don't start laughing and stir her up more than she already is."

"Ok, Harry, but I reserve the right to snicker now and then."

"Very funny, Beau."

I got the knock on the door and the receptionist opened the door and let her in. She looked to be about forty or so and was wearing jeans that looked to be painted on and let me tell you she ought not be wearing jeans, let alone jeans that tight. Her rear was as wide as the big floor safe Beau was trying to open.

"I understand you are temporarily in charge of the department now. I would appreciate it if you would ask that man to leave as this is a private meeting."

"He is not going anywhere and if you wish to talk to me then I want the door open, so please open it or leave and make an appointment for another time."

She glared at me for a moment, took a deep breath and opened the door then sat back down in the chair beside the desk.

"I have a contract with this department for uniforms and I hear they are being opened for lowest bids. I want to remind you that the contract I have gives me all uniform sales and equipment for the sheriff's department. If you try to break it, I will have my attorney start action to freeze any purchases until this is settled."

"Now let me give you a taste of the law, and when you leave, call your attorney and he will tell you the same thing. By law, all contracts have to be put up for bid. The old sheriff never did this and he was in violation of state and federal laws. You do not have any contract that is valid with his death, and you will not freeze the bidding process. I will have the county prosecutor go through your books and if you have made more than 25% profit in your dealings, then you will have to give all the money back to the department. I suggest you think very carefully before you try any legal moves because it will cost you big time. I have seen the books of your dealings with this department from the past. Now do you want your books audited or not? That is the big question facing you, Mrs. Hawkins."

I watched as she thought it through and watched the disappointment cross her face as she came to realize that I wouldn't be bullied and with a witness and the door being open she couldn't pull anything to give her an advantage. She got up and left without saying another word. After she left, I heard Beau snickering in the corner by the floor safe.

"Oh shut up Beau and open the safe."

He busted out laughing and I joined in with him. I decided that I was going to have her books audited and see how much money she had made off the department over the years. I started digging through the desk again when Beau let me know the safe was open and I better take a look what was in it. From the sound of his voice he was shocked and excited at the same time.

I got up from the desk and walked over to where I could see the inside and got a shock when I looked. Both of the large compartments were stacked completely full with bundled currency and from what I could see they were bundles of hundred dollar bills. At the top were several of what looked to be account books. I told Beau to close the door and change the locks on the office while I went to the phone. I called the evidence room and told Andy and Shorty to come to my office immediately and for Shorty to bring a book of evidence login sheets.