by CJ Murphy
Jax was nearly doubled over with laughter.
Chance stood and took her empty beer bottle to the kitchen. “Jax, I think it’s time to go, before they completely ruin my reputation.”
Jax made her way out of the chair and hugged the women, who followed them into the kitchen. “Thank you for a wonderful evening. I don’t know when I’ve laughed that much.”
Zeus barked, and Chance looked down at her partner. “You’re a lot of help, buddy.”
Maggie walked up and hugged Chance. “Now, promise me you won’t overdo it tomorrow. Did she release you to drive?”
Chance sighed. “Yes, and I promise I’ll call it quits at two. I had to have six copies of that damn release made so that every one of you had your own. As a matter of fact, sign Penny’s so she knows that you’re aware.”
Maggie laughed. “Oh, don’t worry about that. When Penny sees you walk in the office, I expect my phone will ring immediately.”
Chance grumbled indignantly and mumbled under her breath. “One mother gave birth to me, and now I have seventeen looking after me. Again, I’m fifty-four, not four.”
“When you start acting your age, maybe we’ll recognize it. By the way, what do you want for your birthday next weekend?” Maggie patted her cheek.
Jax brightened at the question. “Oh my, your birthday is next Saturday. My calendar would have sent me a message this week.”
Chance turned her head slowly toward Jax and warmed at the thought that her lover remembered it all these years later. “You have a reminder in your calendar about my birthday?”
Jax looked at her with soft eyes. “I do. Your birthday always happened while I was visiting Uncle Marty and Aunt Mary. I remember some epic bashes on the riverb—”
Chance covered Jax’s mouth with her good hand. “Nah, nah, nah, nah.” She could feel the grin under her fingers.
Maggie had her hands on her hips. “Oh really? Sometime when your editor isn’t around, you’ll have to wander down memory lane with me.”
Jax pulled Chance’s hand away and went to hug Maggie. In a loud stage whisper to a cupped ear, she elaborated. “Maybe when we sign the sale papers.”
Chance pulled Jax away and put her arm around her shoulders, ushering her to the door. “Good night you two.”
Dee hugged Chance as she passed by. “Night, Five Points. “Remember to throw in the chainsaw. Love ya.”
“I’ve got a house now. No chainsaw required. Love you too, Momma D.”
Chapter Twelve
THE NEXT DAY, CHANCE woke up to the smell of waffles and sausage. She peered at the clock, and noticed it was a little after five. Has to be Mom. She sat up and stretched. Zeus was not at the side of her bed. Folding back the sheet, she climbed out and stepped into her well-worn Birkenstocks. A quick look in the mirror showed she’d worked all night on the stellar creation that sat on top of her head. She stretched her scars and repeated the mantra that had become second nature.
“Steel is tempered by fire, and gold is refined by it.” A yawn escaped. Nothing short of two cups of coffee would make her alert enough to tackle her bad-hair day. She grabbed a ball cap sitting at the end of her dresser and pulled it on. That’ll do for now.
Mags had her favorite mug on the table. Chance dropped unceremoniously into a chair at the table and took a cautious sip. Zeus came to stand beside her.
“Why didn’t he bark when you came in?”
“He knows what’s good for him.”
Chance raised an eyebrow.
“And I brought him two homemade dog biscuits. He can be bribed. You just have to know the code.”
Chance shook her head and laughed, as she took another sip of her coffee. When she looked at her K9 partner, she rubbed his head between his ears. “Traitor. Making me breakfast at five in the morning didn’t come up in conversation last night that I remember. Did I miss something?”
Maggie turned around, spatula in hand. “Are you complaining, again?”
“No, I just figure it would save you some time if you come out and tell me what you want to say or ask what you want to know.”
“Fair enough. What’s going on with you and Jax? Is it serious?” She turned back to the stove and removed a waffle from the griddle.
“It’s headed in that direction. Why?”
Maggie sipped her own coffee. “This one never really left your heart, did she?”
Chance eyeballed the plated waffle and three links of sausage placed in front of her. “No, she didn’t. I didn’t understand why she disappeared back then. Now, all that matters is she’s back.”
“And here to stay, if the way she’s cementing herself in is any indication. Hopefully, we’ll be signing the papers on the property in the next few days.”
Chance swirled a piece of waffle in the maple syrup. “I hope so. She’s planted herself in my heart pretty deep.”
“I don’t think you have much to worry about. The way she came running into the hospital when you were hurt told me all I needed to know. She was afraid of losing you. Enjoy this time, honey. When you dated before, there was always the knowledge she was going away at the end of the summer. Now, she’s come back to make this home, forever.”
Chance chewed on her thoughts as much as she did the bite of waffle. Images of Jax as a young girl flitted through her mind. She could picture them dancing on the riverbank to Lita Ford’s gravelly voice. She’d closed her eyes and wished it would all remain the same forever. That song lingered for years in Chance’s mind. She’d cried at Webster Concert Hall in New York, when she heard Lita and Lzzy Hale sing it together back in 2016. It’s how she’d held on to Jax. She’d worn out several cassette tapes back in the day, as she allowed the lyrics to transport her back to nights in the bed of her pickup. Jax’s body beneath her and the soft hands that burned themselves into her skin were embedded in her soul.
“Chance? Are you all right?”
Chance had no idea how long she’d been lost in memories of a younger Jax and the incredibly passionate love they’d made. She smiled at Maggie. “I’m fine, lost in all the things I have to do.” She wasn’t lying. Making love to Jax had been on her mind since touching her for the first time. They’d made love as often as they could, and she was looking forward to the next time they could be together.
“Don’t scare me like that. I thought you were having a stroke.”
Chance reached across the table and took Maggie’s hand. “I’m fine. You know me, my mind goes in a thousand different directions at once.”
“Yeah, I do. The blush in your cheeks tells me work wasn’t the thing running through your mind.” Maggie cleaned up the last of her breakfast preparations. “I’ll let you off the hook and not make you confirm my suspicions. Don’t forget, Kendra will be here later tonight. It’s taken everything I could think of to make her stay at school during your convalescence. She was ready to drop out of the summer class to come home and take care of you. I told her you had plenty of tender loving care already.”
“Did you tell her about Jax?”
“I didn’t have to. You forget…she keeps in touch with Daniel. Since he was home, she trusted him to give her his honest opinion about how you were doing.” Maggie squeezed her shoulder before running a hand around Zeus’ face. “You two try to stay out of trouble. I’ll be checking in with Penny. Don’t think you can get away with anything. I’ve got to go. If I don’t fix Dee’s oatmeal, it will be full of syrup and brown sugar. I swear, sometimes I think you’re more related to her than to me. You’re both terrible patients.”
“Mom, Dee and I are fine. Don’t put yourself in the hospital worrying about us. I’ll be home in plenty of time to have dinner with Kendra. Come on over when you guys get off work, and I’ll grill for all of us. And before you ask, yes, I’ll invite Jax. Love you. Tell Momma D I’ll call her later. If I don’t, I know I’ll have her up my ass too. Now go.”
Maggie’s laughter cackled through the house as she left.
***
Chance pushed open the glass door and chuckled as Penny nearly sprayed coffee over her desk when she saw her. Zeus made his way over to the desk. Chance stood at attention at the reception counter and addressed the real administrator in charge. “Sheriff Chance Fitzsimmons reporting for limited duty, ma’am.”
Penny patted Zeus while frowning at Chance. “God, you’re a pain in the ass. You whine about having to stay home for a full two weeks after you’re found unconscious on the road. Freaking Brad calls off because his hemorrhoids are inflamed.”
Chance came around the desk and knelt down beside Penny to look her directly in the face. “Penny, I’m well on my way to mended. This cast and Faith’s lingering overprotection are the only things preventing me from being back to full duty. I promised almost everyone in the damn county I’d sit at my desk and leave by two in the afternoon.” She touched Penny on the shoulder. “Come on Penny, look at me.”
“You scared all of us, Chance. We like working for a boss that gives a damn about her employees. That boss also happens to be our friend. Seeing you like that nearly broke Taylor.”
“And that’s why I’ve promised to be very good until I’m one hundred percent. Taylor has enough to do keeping the road deputies safe under her supervision. I’m here to do what the citizens hired me to do…be the sheriff. Everything is going to be all right. Now, is Taylor’s ass in my chair?”
Penny stood with Chance and hugged her. “Yes, and she’s chomping at the bit to get out of it. I doubt I’ll ever have to worry about her running for office.”
“If I can help it, six years from now, she’ll be wearing this badge.” Chance pointed to the gold, five-pointed sheriff’s badge on her uniform shirt. “I’ll try my best to win my next election. That will give me the two terms West Virginia law says I can have. After that, we’ll see. Taylor is a natural at this job. I know you guys are young. I remember my thirties, when the world was full of opportunities. She’s a great chief deputy, and she’ll make a better sheriff than I can ever think of being. Taylor has time to warm up to the idea. As far as I’m concerned, she’s Chief Deputy until she says she doesn’t want to be. For now, I’m going to my office, so you can call Maggie and confirm my release.”
Chance watched Penny’s face pink up. Penny narrowed her eyes and clucked her tongue. “How do you know that’s what I was going to do? That blow to the head make you psychic?”
Chance pointed down to the desk. “No, but you have her number pulled up on your cell phone.” Chance laughed and headed back to her office with Zeus. “Go ahead, she told me this morning that she’ll be waiting for the call.”
As she stepped to her office door, she could hear Penny chuckle. Zeus brushed past and greeted Midas with a tail wag and a sniff. Chance took a minute to look at her shoebox of an office. Accolades of her current and former professions were all around the room. Several pictures from her smoke jumper days lined one wall, her and her crew, soot-stained and smiling. She remembered those brave women and men she’d stood at the gates of hell with. A few had paid the ultimate sacrificial price, and that fact still churned her gut. A news article displayed a picture of her with Richie Allbrandt and his dog, Topper, the two victims she’d protected inside her fire shelter in Montana. Richie was now serving as a Montana state trooper. His parents sent her a Christmas card every year, along with dog treats for Zeus. She and Richie talked on the phone every few years, usually on the anniversary date of the fire. She leaned against the door frame and accidentally disturbed a picture of her and retired DEA agent, Scott Ross, on one of their marijuana eradication operations, a huge pile of plants behind them.
Taylor sat behind Chance’s desk on the phone. “Brad, I don’t care if you have a doctor’s excuse. You are out of sick time. You’ll have to either use vacation time or go without pay. It’s your choice. Read section three of the employee’s handbook. It’s all there in black and white. I’ve got your shifts covered for the next three days. If you’re going to be off longer than that,” her eyes cut up to Chance, “you can talk to the sheriff about it, since she’s back.”
Chance glared at the cheesy ‘so there’ grin. She hadn’t missed dealing with Brad’s infuriating attempts to game the system. She was grateful that Brad would age out in another two years. At sixty-three, he was on borrowed time and he knew it. It was one of the reasons he’d run against her for Sheriff.
“I’ve got someone waiting to speak to me, Brad. This conversation has been documented along with the excuse the doctor’s office faxed. Go soak in a hot bath and buy some Preparation H.” She hung up the phone with a little more emphasis than was necessary, and then gave it the middle finger.
Chance leaned in the doorway chuckling. “The only way he’s going to get rid of those hemorrhoids is if he bathes in it and drinks it by the gallon. That guy is one giant pain in the ass.”
Taylor laughed so hard, tears started to form at the creases in her eyes. “Ain’t that the truth? I don’t know how you do it every day. I’ll take the HR issues with every other one of our deputies combined, over dealing with that guy.”
“And that’s why I don’t make you. Good or bad, it’s my fault he’s still here, and I deal with the consequences. So, how’s that chair feel?”
“Tight and uncomfortable like that set of dance tights my mom tried to get me into when I was five. I’ll take being a road deputy any day over these mounds of paperwork.” Taylor picked up a stack and let it fall back on the desk with a thud.
“Well, like I told your wife, you’ll have six years of reprieve if I have anything to do with it. After that,” she pointed to Taylor, “I expect to come and visit your ass in this office as the newly elected sheriff. No pressure, but you’ve got the skills for it. You also have the time to watch me to see how you want to do it differently when you’re in that chair for eight years.”
“Chance, I’m not a politician.”
“No, you’re a good law enforcement officer who’s made a good name for herself in the county, as well as in the LEO community. You’ll have plenty of people doing most of the campaigning for you, long before your name is on the ballot. Before you vacate my office, I need to say a few things.”
Taylor rocked in Chance’s chair. “I thought you were saying a few things?”
“No, those are things about the future. The things I need to say are about the past. I was an ass the other day. Cranky and restless. I apologize. I was being pretty selfish, not thinking about you being there when I got hurt. I don’t mean to take your loyalty, or your friendship, for granted.”
Taylor started to interrupt. “You didn—”
“Yes, I did. I put you in as Chief Deputy, because there is no one I trust to have my back more than you. We’ve always been straight with each other. Well, relatively speaking.” Chance grinned and caught Taylor doing the same. “I trust your opinion. I should have been listening instead of railing against the injustices of my situation. You didn’t cause it and you were doing all the right things. I gave you hell for it, and I’m sorry.”
Taylor continued rocking in the chair, and then pushed up on the arms to stand. She came around the desk to face Chance. “When I came here from the Marshals Service, I did it because I wanted to work for someone who believed I could make a difference. I signed on as Chief Deputy, knowing there would be flack because I came from somewhere else and didn’t come up the ranks. You wanted to shake things up, and you demanded that those serving under your leadership follow your guiding principles.” Taylor held up her right hand and turned to a picture of Chance’s father in his uniform that sat with a triangular folded flag, framed in dark walnut.
Both of them recited the words Chance’s father had taught her and that she’d passed on to Taylor. “Honor, duty, courage, integrity, and empathy.”
“Chance, I followed you here, because you live those principles. I’m proud to serve under someone like that. You’re the gold-star example, Chance. Forgiving you helps me exercise that empathy principle.” She pat
ted Chance on the shoulder. “Now, let me get you up to speed, so I can get the hell out of this office.”
Chance nodded and followed Taylor back to the desk. For the next hour, they worked through scheduling issues with Brad’s medical leave, tax collection paperwork, several subpoenas for deputies to appear in court, and finally, a stack of concealed carry applications.
Taylor held one up. “This one piqued my interest, Leland Kurst.”
“Hell, he just moved back here with his dad right before I got hurt. None of that group needs to be carrying around a gun where I can’t see it. If it smells like a skunk, it probably is. Do a triple-I background check on him. Call Pam and have her put on her investigator cap. Dig up everything you can. If he had a traffic ticket for jay walking in Baltimore, I want to know about it.”
Chance wanted to see everything that the Interstate Identification Index had on Leland. He’d been living out of state for the last few years, and she doubted he’d been able to keep his nose clean. She was sure his rap sheet would prove her point.
Taylor nodded. “I’ll get right on it.”
A knock on the office door made Chance look up to greet the visitor. She was pleasantly surprised to see the olive-green-uniformed officer standing at her door.
“Hey there, Harley, come in.”
Sergeant Harley Kincaid stepped through the door, removed her campaign hat, and sat down in the chair Chance pointed to. “Morning, Sheriff. Good to see you back.” She looked over at Taylor. “Had enough of riding the pine in her place?”
“And how. Speaking of that, I’m out of here.” Taylor turned to Chance. “I’m going to go get that check started.” She pointed a warning finger at Chance, “Remember, Penny has Maggie on speed dial.”
Chance grinned at her and pointed to the door. “Get the hell out of my office and get to work.”