Chapter 23

It took two days to get Jamison back to County Seat. During that time I rode along with the swing and the midnight shift deputies. It was a bit of a learning experience. I would rather have been an undercover boss, but they knew me quite well by then.

We had been through most of our first year together. I had ridden with both deputies several times. In doing so they talked to me like a cop not a boss. We told stories about our days working the roads in Warren County. We answered calls and made traffic stops.

Every now and then a drunk said to the deputy, I'm going to report you to your boss. The coolest deputy said, "Just a minute."

"Boss, I got a drunk that wants to report me to my boss. Do you want to talk to him before I lock him up?" the deputy asked.

Sure why not," I answered. "Sir, I'm Sheriff Porter, could I help you?"

"Yeah that deputy is disrespectful," he said.

"Sir, I will talk to him. It's just that his mother was killed by a drunk driver. It's hard for him to show a drunk driver any respect at all now. But I promise you, I will have a talk with him. Meanwhile you are under arrest for driving under the Influence of drugs or alcohol. You have the right to an attorney. If you can not afford an attorney one will be provided to you free of charge. Do you understand each of the rights as I have explained them to you?" I asked

"He just stared at me. I knew I had provided the deputy with a story to tell at the pub the next night.

I had been up all night when Jamison entered the Courthouse. "Book his ass and nobody talks to him, not the jailers, or the other prisoners till I get back. I'm going home to take a nap. I'll be back later.

Later proved to be the next day. "Tell you what Eddie. Take him into interrogation and then leave him alone a while."

"How long is a while?" Eddie asked.

"Till the bail hearing. Make it real plain though, we don't need anything from him," I said.

"A confession and a plea bargain is always a good thing," Eddie reminded me.

"But he wants to make a deal too badly. Jamison was on the run long enough to get some legal advice. My guess is he thinks he can make a deal. Wrap up everybody in the business he ever came into contact with up in a bow." I said.

"And you have a problem with that?" Eddie asked.

"I have a problem giving that scum bag a minute off his sentence. Yes I do." I replied.

"You put it like that I do to, what do you want to do?" he asked.

"Murder in the first," I said simply.

"We can't make that stick. Maybe some kind of accessory charge." Eddie said.

"The DA might not go for it, but it should get his fucking attention," I said.

"How do we know we don't have his attention now?" Eddie asked.

"Good point, let's find out." I walked into the interrogation room where Jamison had been waiting an hour. I asked him, "You need to use the bathroom?"

"No what I need is to get out of here," he said.

"Turning thirteen year old girls from this county out to give blow jobs to dirty old men. You are going to be lucky Jamison, if you are get out in time for Medicare," I replied then walked out.

"He's not ready to talk yet. Check back in another hour. Tell him we are keeping him in that room for his own safety. Explain that cons notoriously hate child molesters. What happens when he is convicted and goes into the state system is up to them. Here he is our responsibility. Make sure he knows that."

"In other words you want to scare the shit out of him before we talk to him," Eddie said.

"In other words," I said.

"Want me to slip a prisoner a pack of cigarettes to scare him even more," Eddie asked.

"No, but it's a thought we will keep in reserve," I said. He had been in the room four hours it must have seemed over a day. There was nothing for him to do but think about his future.

I walked into the room and spoke to him. "Mr. Jamison I'm going out for a while do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine I would rather be here than sitting in a cell, at least for now," he said.

"I'm going to the gym for a short workout. If anyone attacks you while I am gone please defend yourself as best you can. I will check on you when I return." I said.

I had called Osborn earlier to arranged for her to meet me at Reggie's. We went in and pounded the bag for an hour, then Reggie asked, " Oz you want to beat up on the Sheriff?"

"You bet your ass I do," she answered.

"Oh really, you thing you could beat up on me," I asked.

"Yeah, I got a few pounds on you and I'm faster and have two hands that work, I figure that makes us about even." she said.

"Well Sheriff," Reggie asked.

"I never bought fight gloves," I said.

"Oh I can handle that. I still got the ones Mateo left here," Reggie said.

Two women in the ring brought the gym to a halt. The guys lined up around the ring to watch. Reggie hit the bell and it was on. Oz started throwing jabs to my head at the get go. I let her throw them because most either missed completely or landed harmlessly. She was afraid to hit me it seemed. She threw a combination that bounced off me harmlessly. I moved in and threw to hard right and a pitiful left at her midsection.