by W L Ripley
“Just interested. Would you mind, as a matter of professional courtesy, if I review your files on Gage’s death? Just to satisfy my curiosity. I’m sure it was just an accident, but he was my friend.”
“As I mentioned, you were involved in a row outside of Hank’s.”
“Made bail and the witnesses support my statement. It’ll get tossed.”
“I don’t want trouble, but my daughter was seen with you on two separate occasions since you hit town. I remember you and her years ago and I was against it. Still am. Stay away from Pam.”
Jake turned sideways in his seat and faced Kellogg. Getting to it now. “You stopped me because you think I’m after your daughter?” Who put him onto that? “Funny how your mind works.”
“I don’t like you being around her. I mean it. Got rid of you once so don’t start up again.”
Like old times. Remembering how Doc couldn’t control Pam so he would intimidate the boys dating her. Jake had ignored him, and Kellogg never liked him. Old times, bad times.
“Using your badge to work out personal problems diminishes you.”
“Just stay away from her.”
“This is the worst roust in the history of bad rousts. Why not just bust out my tail ight with your night stick and write me a ticket?”
“Don’t tempt me. I don’t want any trouble, but I wanted to make sure we set the ground rules.”
“Let’s get something straight. You don’t like me, and I don’t think about you except for moments like this. I’m not after Pam. Think you can remember that? If Alex can’t keep her at home that’s nothing to do with me.”
Kellogg’s jaw muscles tightened, and he pointed his finger at Jake. Jake fought the urge to slap Kellogg’s hand away.
“Listen up, Mister Texas Ranger.” Whatever Kellogg was going to say he swallowed. “This is my county. You’re not welcome here.”
“Explains why there was no parade.”
“Always thought you were smart, didn’t you. Now get out of here.”
“No kiss?”
“Keep talking,” said Kellogg. “I’ll get tired of it.”
Jake got out of the car and walked around to Kellogg’s side and leaned against the window. He could see that Kellogg had his hand on his service weapon. Theatrics.
“You gonna shoot me, Doc? Dial it back. Just want to ask you a question.”
“What?”
“Somebody beat hell out of Gage’s dog. Why? Which of Gage’s vehicles was involved in the accident that killed him?”
“It was a Dodge Charger. That satisfy you?”
“He just bought a Dodge SUV, but I can’t find it anywhere. Why is that? I ask around and no one seems to know what happened to it.”
“I have no idea. Maybe his fiancée has it.”
“Did you personally investigate Gage’s death? Or did you assign someone?”
“I looked into it. All you need to know.”
“You sent a Deputy. Lady cop named Bailey.”
“You knew the answer but asked anyway. You’re way beyond the line.”
“Were there witnesses?”
“Get in your truck and leave. We’re through here.”
“I’ll get back in my truck but I’m not leaving. I’d like to see the autopsy report and if there are witnesses. With your permission I would like to interview them.”
“You have no jurisdiction and the matter is closed.”
Jake placed a hand on the door handle of his pick-up, then turned and said, “One more thing, Doc.”
“What?”
“Gage’s accident? It isn’t controversial, or is it?”
Kellogg ignored him and walked to his unit and burned rubber when Kellogg pulled out onto the highway. Jake felt the wind of the vehicle as it passed by him inches of where he stood waiting to get in his car.
“I get under everybody’s skin,” Jake said aloud. “It’s like a gift.”
Chapter Eleven
Back in town, Jake drove by two more Mitchell holdings – a grain elevator and a New Holland tractor dealership – then picked up Harper and drove to the stadium. The air was cool and crisp. Smell of popcorn and autumn nights. Football weather.
The Paradise Pirates versus the state-ranked Hilltop Diamonds. Biggest game since the days of Leo, Buddy, Gage and Jake. The four horsemen without a clue.
Jake found Leo the Lion on the sideline and wished him luck.
“It’s kids playing a kid’s game,” Leo said. “We’ll bite their heads off and drag ’em back on their shields.” Jake gave him a funny look and Leo laughed then said, “Sometimes I’m so full of shit I can hardly stand it myself. Our kids will show up.”
Jake and Harper found seats and Harper mentioned she had no popcorn.
“Sure,” Jake said. “You want to come with me?”
She made a show of patting her hair and batting her eyes. “Perfect tens do not fetch popcorn,” she said, her eyes sparkling like sunlight blue water. “I need to save our seats, anyway. Place is packed.”
Jake made his way to the concession stand and that’s when he ran into Buddy Johnson, wearing a PHS Security Jacket.
Jake said, “Moonlighting?”
“Needed a job. Kellogg fired me today.”
Jake looked around. He nodded for Buddy to come with him and the crowd parted as they walked away from the concession stand. They moved near the tall cyclone fence and Jake asked him what happened.
“Because of me?” asked Jake.
“No.” Shaking his head. “That wasn’t it. He did mention it though. He didn’t like you getting credit for taking out the bank robbers. See how you are? I filed for sheriff yesterday and it seems to have unsettled him. Who knew he was so touchy?”
“You’ll make a good sheriff.”
“When I do, my first act will be to remove the riff-raff. But I’ll give you ’til sundown to get out of town, boy.”
“I leave, what’ll you do for crime?”
Two high school boys started to walk out of the stadium, Buddy telling them they weren’t coming back inside, and he added, “I know you, so don’t try it.”
Then turning back to Jake, he said, “Besides the SRO job here Cal said he’ll put me on the city force.”
“Cal’s as good as it gets.”
Buddy nodded his head towards the grandstand. “I see you’re here with his daughter. Good call. Best girl in town not married to me.”
Jake bought popcorn and two cokes and returned to his seat next to Harper.
“Buddy’s going to work for your dad,” he said to her.
“My idea. That way he can keep an eye on Pam Mitchell. Make sure you don’t make any clandestine moves her direction.”
He looked at her for a moment, deciding. “What’s that about?”
“Don’t be offended. I’m not some starry-eyed little girl.”
“Well, you are all grown up for sure.”
“All part of being a perfect ten.”
“Nine and a half,” he said. “Maybe.”
“We’ll see if you hold to that assessment later.”
Leo the Lion’s Pirates beat the Hilltop Diamonds on a late drive and a short field goal. The biggest win in Paradise history. There was an after-game party at the Country Club. Leo asked Jake to come out and help him celebrate. Jake said okay.
The Paradise Country Club wasn’t out of town and it wasn’t very country. Arnold Palmer 18-hole golf course and two swimming pools. The old public course with its sand greens and weathered clubhouse gone now, replaced with gabled clubhouse with dining room and a large bar and lounge area right out of Caddy Shack. So nouveau riche it made his teeth hurt.
Leo was the center of attention. Everybody wanted to shake his hand and be part of the victory. Affirming the bloodlines, establishing the pecking order. Leo the Lion climbed the mountain and brought the possibility of a state playoff to Paradise and that hadn’t been done since Jake was a senior, so the victory was vicarious for those who could join the party.<
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Glasses clinked, voices swelled and drifted away. The alcohol flowed and the voices became louder as the evening progressed. The room swarmed with well-wishers, wannabes, beef-and-bourbon businessmen and the self-proclaimed elite of Paradise schooling around the honored guest, the math teacher slash football coach with the D’Artagnan mustache. Leo saw Jake and Harper and pushed through the well-wishers to get to them.
“Congratulations, Coach,” said Harper.
“Aw shucks, ma’am,” Leo said. “It’s nothing any run-of-the-mill genius couldn’t have pulled off.”
“Your public is all astir,” Jake said, looking around. “Can I still be your friend?”
Leo looked around the room. “Yeah, it’ll last until we lose, or I don’t play the right person’s kid. I have no illusions about any of this. I love the game and the kids. This part...well...”
“So, why are you here?”
“Bask in the glow of temporary celebrity, of course,” Leo said. “Turns out, I hunger for attention. I’m a hero and I didn’t even have to shoot anyone at the bank.” Leo winked at Jake then said, “It’s one of those things I do to help the kids out. Booster club gives us money for uniforms and other things. They paid for the new locker room and the sprinkler system for the field.”
“What a whore,” Jake said.
“Yeah,” Leo said. “But a whore with a new locker room and sprinkler system. Try not to act loutish in front of my fans.”
Vernon Mitchell walked up and put his arm around Leo. He smelled of Scotch and aftershave.
“Great game, Coach,” Vernon said. “This is great for our town. You did a hell of a job preparing them.”
“Jake here came up with the game plan,” Leo said, that look Leo had always had when he was messing with him. Jake had forgotten the delight Leo got making Jake uncomfortable.
“Well,” Vernon said, clearing his throat, uncomfortable now. “Thank you, Jake.”
Jake said, “I had nothing to do with it. Leo’s messing around and covering his modesty.”
“Anyway,” Vernon said, “a great night for our community. We’re growing. Just one more thing that’ll pull in business and more people. A... hello, Harper.”
“Vernon,” Harper said, nodding. “How’s the airport thing coming along?”
“That’s maybe off in the future,” he said. “Working on it though.”
“Airport,” Jake said. “Paradise is getting an airport?”
Vernon’s eyes shifted to the back of the room. “A small one. It’s not like we’d be flying to Paris. Jumping off place for small airlines to hit places like Las Vegas, Branson and Nashville. There’s some interest. We’re just in the talking stage right now. If you ain’t moving you’re going backward.” He waved to someone. “Gotta run.” He nodded at Harper and left them.
“What’s this about an airport?” Jake said.
“Just something I knew they were talking about while I was a part of the Mitchell crime family. They were pretty excited about it, too.”
“Where would they put an airport?”
“I don’t know. I’m out of the loop these days.”
Jake considered this new development but didn’t know how it fit anything unless it had to do with the land dispute. He switched his attention to Leo the Lion.
“Even Vernon gives you praise.”
“And deserving.”
“Your modesty is staggering.”
“Good to know you finally acknowledged my modesty.”
“You have none,” Jake said.
“Never did,” Leo said, toasting Harper with his glass. “Never will. Modesty is for the weak who fail to recognize their inner greatness.”
“You are so full of it, Coach,” said Harper. Jake realizing Leo would’ve been one of Harper’s teachers. Time didn’t march on; it sprinted over the horizon and left a trail of shimmering memories.
Pam excused herself to go to ladies and Jake saw Pam walking his way.
“Some game, huh?” Pam said.
“Pam,” Jake said, and nodded at her. Sheriff-Daddy wouldn’t like this. So, bonus. Bedding Pam was right there between them and made things different. Not in a good way. He should’ve known better. Thinking of the joke about a guy naming his penis because it made all the important decisions.
“I see you’re baby-sitting my sister-in-law,” Pam said.
Jake scratched his cheek with a finger and said, “Looking at her she seems fully formed.”
A little twitch at the corner of her mouth. “She’s cute. Latched on to you first chance she got.”
“I don’t know that’s the way I’d put it. She can probably have her pick.”
“And yet, she chose you,” Pam said, close to him now. “Isn’t that wonderful?”
“You and Alex straighten things out?”
“He’s drunk. We need to talk.”
“What happened to no strings attached?”
“I don’t deserve that.”
“Pam, we need to let this fade. Yesterday’s news. Not that you’re not attractive or that I don’t care for you, but it’s no good. Did you know your father stopped me today and warned me to stay away from you?”
That caught her attention. “What?”
“It wasn’t a suggestion. More like any second I’d be night-sticked, handcuffed and charges filed. Wonder where he got the notion I was after you?”
“Not from me.”
“He mentioned the incident at Hank’s and today Buddy Johnson was fired.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What’s this about an airport?”
“How do you know about that?”
“Your inebriated father-in-law mentioned it.”
“The whole family talks too much when they’re drinking.” She made a face. “It’s like a disease with them.”
“You know anything about Gage’s death?”
“Just what I hear, and you’re changing the subject. What about us?”
“There is no us. We knew each other for a brief moment years ago. We’re different now. You’re married and I’m a long way from home. I’m not part of this place anymore.” And realizing it more than ever. “We revisited our attraction last night and that was probably a mistake. Not a mistake like you think. Pam, look at it logically. We’re several years of doomed dramas and dreams that aren’t coming true if we push it. We’ll both be ahead if we quit now.”
“I don’t want to stop,” Pam said.
“Has to.”
Pam bit her lower lip, started to speak but...
Harper returned now and said, “Well, Pam, how are you? Have you lost weight? You look great. You look even younger than you are.”
Pam wet her lips, “Why thank you, Harper. You’re looking...well, yourself.”
Harper slipped her arm under Jake’s elbow. “How’s Alex?”
“He’s fine.”
Jake noted the brief flicker in Pam’s eyes.
“You ready to go, Harper?” Jake said.
“Sure.” Harper looked over and nodded in the direction of Alex who was talking to Shari Langston. “Whoops, looks like you’d better go rescue your husband. Shari’s community stuff, you know. Bye, Pam.”
They left. But not before Pam gave Jake a look that spoke of unsettled issues. He had managed to pile more garbage on top of the other garbage his life was becoming. He’d deal with such things as they occurred.
Yeah, that’s what he’d do. Doing a bang-up job so far.
Outside, Jake pulled Harper closer and said, “That was one way to sugar-coat contempt.”
Harper placed her hand on her chest and with a broad southern accent, said, “Why, Jake Morgan, I have no idea what ya’ll talking about.”
He could get used to having Harper around.
Yes, he could.
Chapter Twelve
Jake sat on a cranberry colored sofa, Harper next to him, in Harper’s nice little two-bedroom in an older tree-lined street. It was decorat
ed in muted pastels, impressionist prints on the wall and it smelled of cinnamon and clean linen. There was a gray kitten and a salt-and-pepper miniature Schnauzer named Bandit playing on the floor. Norman Rockwell could have designed the place.
“What do you think about Gage’s death?” he asked.
“In what context?” said Harper.
“Just throwing it out there.”
“You mean did anyone in the Mitchell family have something to do with his death?”
“Anyone. Not just the Mitchells.”
“Hard to think someone would hurt Gage. Maybe it was an accident. They happen.”
“You’re probably right. But you live here, know people and you have a good mind. Give me some of that female intuition stuff.”
“That’s a myth, Mister Misogynist, but who knows?” She stroked the gray kitten. “You sound like a suspicious cop.”
“Maybe.” He told her about being stopped by Sheriff Kellogg.
She gave him a look. “And why do you suppose he did that?”
Realizing he’d just stepped in it. “He has some idea his daughter has designs on me?”
“Does she?”
“I can’t do anything about what other people think.”
“Nice sidestep,” said Harper.
“Alex Mitchell fired Gage and days later he has a wreck. Alfred died before that. Now the Mitchell’s want my land.”
“You didn’t attend either funeral. And the first-person reference to your father is telling.” She stroked the kitten and said, “You’re holding back.”
“I guess I don’t see where I have a response that will help you understand. Do you know why Gage was fired?”
“Seems Alex and Gage had personal issues.”
“Such as.”
“Ask your old girlfriend.”
“Was there something between Gage and Pam?”
“Just talk. I shouldn’t have said anything. Don’t make me out the jealous girl. I know Pam and she knows how to get what she wants and is not shy about doing whatever it takes. She’s not going to leave you alone,” Harper said. Harper didn’t miss a thing. He would have to be careful about her. “Don’t be surprised I see it. You’re not the first for her. What are you going to do about that?”