Chapter 8

As I knew they would, things got boring. I returned Letter to patrol as a sergeant. Mrs West turned up nothing on him.

It took two weeks after we shut down the drug gang, before I got the call from Miami. "Well you said you would close us down in Warren County and you pretty much have." the voice said.

"Well, we are a small county and I may have got the Heroine business, but I haven't touched the other. However I am still looking for them. If you want to be a friend someday, move your operations next door." I said.

"I am going to take that as good advice. There is no manufacturing of Meth in your county at this moment."

"Do you really think I am stupid enough to think that man cooking in a soup pan had any connection with you?" I asked.

"Of course not, even if he wasn't with me, he was breaking the law." the voice explained.

"Yes and we stopped him. Don't sell any of your shit in my county, and we can be friends for now." I said.

"You really must come where the weather is nicer, for a visit at least." the voice said.

"When I am no longer Sheriff," I said.

"Well one never knows how long anything in this world lasts," he said philosophically.

"Not even you my friend, not even you," I said and hung up.

I drifted into what I like to call one of the bullshit times of my life. Nothing of any real consequence was happening. The county attorney suggested I secure an attorney to represent me in a law suit. Seems the family of the black kid I busted a shotgun shell into was suing me. You had to love it I was being sued for not letting the kid kill me.

So I called Rita and she agreed to represent me and to counter sue his family for bringing a malicious and frivolous court actions. Also to sue them for not properly supervising a minor child. It had never been done before, but that meant nothing to me or Rita. She wanted to make a name for herself more than anything. She was all hot to sue.

She filed the suit with the court on a Monday and had the family and their lawyer served with the papers. By Friday they were ready to drop their action. It might have had something to do with outside pressure, but it wasn't from our side.

It seemed that in the improper supervision of a minor child, Rita was going to depose members of the Miami Mafia. I thought that was a ballsy move. I also had a deputy sit with her till the action was dropped.

I did agree to make a statement, " I regretted the need to kill Lavon Willy. I find all loss of life a tragedy. I also would like to make it clear, that no law enforcement officer under my command will be expected to face a man with a gun, and do nothing to defend himself or herself. If you point a gun at a policeman or deputy sheriff, the consequences are on you."

It wasn't the statement they wanted but they should have read it in advance of my delivery. It wasn't my fault that they didn't do that.

For several weeks everything was routine. I mean, I went to the soft ball field at different times but I went every day. If the deputies on duty found out they swung by. They said it was to see me run in my track suit, which was bullshit. They were there because they thought I needed to be watched. Of course I didn't agree.

I worked out in my storage building. I beat that duffel bag senseless, but it never complained. When it cut and bruised my hands I didn't complain either. I was behaving myself even though it was hard. I had slipped off to Abbottsville a few times but I never found the courage to go to the dance club, or to go to the mall when Kara was there.

"Hey you are the Sheriff of Warren County aren't you," A very well dressed young man asked.

"Guilty," I said. I just wanted to drink my drink in peace. Things were so boring I was about to go crazy.

"You are like that walking tall guy," he said.

"Not really, I do carry a gun," I said. "and I get along with everybody."

"I heard that about you. I also heard, if you want to buy drugs these days, you need to go to a different county." He said.

"Now you just began to worry me. If you have a point get to it or leave me alone to drink in peace," I said.

"You are pretty blunt aren't you?" he asked.

"Well, I'm not known for my social grace," I said.

"Yeah, I can see that," he said.

I ignored him and sipped my drink. Just then my phone rang. It was Liam. "Tell me you are withing an hours drive of here," I said.

"Actually I am headed that way. I should be at the church camp by midnight. Do you plan to work tomorrow?" he asked.

"I absolutely do not plan to work. However there is no guarantee that something won't happen to require me to go in. But I have been known to work on a couple of hours sleep." I said.

"Then head toward the camp, and we will meet you there," he said.

"Now Liam, that we bothers me a little. You do know I'm the sheriff now and have to be concerned with my image." I said.

"Not in the church camp you don't," he replied.

"Well that sounds good to me. I'll meet you by midnight," I suggested. I turned my attention to the pretty boy. "You are going to have to forgive me, I have to go wash my hair."

When I first noticed the headlights in my rear view, I was driving the little red truck toward the church camp, I decided to pull into a convenience store for a cup of coffee. When I pulled in he went by. I wondered if he drove down the road a few hundred feet then stopped. I pulled out of the store's parking lot without stopping. I saw the car that passed me and I got on his tail. When I did, his tail light brightened. It was obvious he intended to stop and wait for me. Only I was faster than him. I just wasn't in my jurisdiction or I would have stopped him.