Sheriff Porter
Chapter 36

Copyright© 2013 by carniegirl

I went home and put all dog's toys in a box. I had spent a lot of money between the vet and improvements to my place for Dog, but you know I didn't feel bad or let down about it. I had save him and he was worth saving. Like me Dog just got re purposed. We was going to another place. They might ask him to risk his life, but he would be doing something worthwhile. I knew exactly how that felt and I had never been more alive then when I had it all hanging out there.

So I missed Dog, but I knew he was going to be having more of a life with the church camp guys. With me he was caged. Sure it was a silk lined cage and it was well padded, but a cage is still a cage. I had uncaged Dog and felt better for it, but I also began to realize I had built myself a cage. It looked as though I was going to have to find a way to live inside my cage. Unlike dog I wouldn't have anyone to rescue me from the boredom.

Traffic stops and domestic calls kept me in business, but they didn't keep my mind occupied. I was well into my second year and the political bullshit was already starting. It consensus was, I would run unopposed should I decide to do it again. Everyone assumed I would run, but I wasn't so sure.

Because I had infused the gray money into my finances in a smart way, I had more than enough money even without the pension I had lost, when I went back into law enforcement. The gray money was gone but I had a hell of a healthy bank account and it was growing.

It was growing because I had invested a lot of it in the local people. My most recent purchase had been the bakery that had gone under on the square. I took over the bakery's lease on the building and the payments on the equipment.

I had neither the time nor the desire to run a bakery, so I rehired the baker and his wife. I reset their menu board and reopened the small bakery as 'The Cop Out Donut Shoppe.' That project took a month of my spare time. Then another month of expecting it to go broke at any moment.

The donut shop and bakery began to take on custom orders. Everything from the local tourist B&B's continental breakfast orders, to fancy wedding cakes, our guys did it all. After three more months of heavy promotions, the bakery was a very profitable business. The previous owners had put together a consortium of family friends and wanted to buy me out. Their offer was based on what I had in it and what I had spent with very little extra for my work in promoting the shop. I was forced to refuse.

"If you refuse we will be force to quit and open another bakery," the husband said to me. He said it while sitting in the shop's small two table dining area. Of course his English wasn't that good so I am paraphrasing.

"That's up to you of course. I will be sorry to see you go," I said and stood to leave.

"You sell us part of the business?" he asked.

"When I took over this bakery you were bleeding money and about to have your credit ruined. I caught up your bills so you didn't lose everything. I met with the new customers and they placed the orders that kept it open. I placed the advertising that brought in the party orders, which made us the money to make the business valuable, and you offer me only the money I invested. You have insulted me. You placed no value on the work that I have done to make this a valuable business." I said it angrily.

"If you can no longer work here, I will understand. You must understand this, If you get an independent appraisal of the value, we will talk again."

The offer to talk a second time was so that I could interview bakers. I wasn't into to cut throat business, but this was just survival 101.

I was right in the middle of being sheriff when the the donut shop came up again. They burst through the door with guns drawn, "Sheriff Porter would you stand please and put your hands on your head."

"Nice to see you again Agent Morris. I guess I am to assume that I am now under arrest for something or other. Would you like to tell me, or are you going to put a black bag over my head."

I was being flip but my mind was racing. First I had to call Rita, then I had to figure out what was going on. Maybe I had that in the wrong order.

"We are arresting you for the distribution of drugs," Morris said.

"You are what?" I asked. I had agents removing my weapon and putting cuffs on me while she spoke.

"We have warrants to search you home, car, and office," Morris added.

Once Rita arrived the bullshit case fell apart. It didn't matter the damage was done. Even though there was absolutely nothing to it, the damage had been done. The charges made headlines the apology was on page ten, so to speak.

It turns out the previous owners of the Cop Out Donut Shoppe, were trying to raise more money by taking part in a drug pipeline. It was all clearing up and I was back in my chair within a week, but the damage was done to my reputation.

The blocked number came up on my phone, while I was waiting at home. At the time I was out on bail. I had suspended myself pending disposition of the case. "So Sylvia, I am sorry to hear of your current problems. I have taken the liberty of looking into the situation. Let me just say this Memphis Mafia has moved into the vacuum you yourself created. It may or may not be trying to move you out."

"Thanks, hope you are enjoying the weather down there," I said.

"It is lovely this time of the year. Now that you have some time, why not come to visit?" he asked.

"I think, I might just go to Memphis instead," I replied.

"Ah well please do be careful," he said.

"You know I will," I said. My phone's battery was getting a real work out. The former owners of the bakery made their statement. Even before they were back in a jail cell, Rita knew about it.

"Well Sylvia, we have a classic false arrest suit here. I am going to file it as soon as the case is dropped. Before you say no, it is the only way to restore your reputation. We have to villainize the villains in this scenario to save your reputation. You will never get elected and that was Morris's intention."

 
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