Out of a Texas Night

by Phyliss Miranda

  Brody accepted the key ring and pulled a key from his wallet. “Here is mine.” He eyed Avery. “Not my official unit, of course. But you know where I keep my pickup, in case you need it before I get back. I’ll leave the department’s vehicles parked in the back, if it’s okay.” He turned to Avery with a questioning look in his eyes. “I presume your family is having a big get-together for you.”

  “Yes.” For a minute, Avery didn’t know how to respond. She knew what she wanted to ask but wasn’t sure how it would be taken. “But they are planning on a simple dinner. We’re probably the only family in this part of Texas who has dinner instead of supper, but once you get to know my mother—” Avery cut herself off.

  Forge on girlfriend...forge on!

  Avery gathered her thoughts. “This might seem a little forward, but would you like to come to Mother’s dinner tonight, as my guest?” She hesitated. “Now, I know all about the nepotism policy, as they call it, but having dinner with the mayor and his family after a day like today isn’t the same as falling into...uh, something that would come under the department’s policy, which by the way is as out of date as a Prairie Schooner.” She felt a flush come to her cheeks and knew she was talking him to death, but finally continued, “Hell’s bells and cockle shells, do you feel comfortable accepting my invitation or not?”

  “Definitely would be nice, but I’ve got to go to the hospital and check on Deuce. If it’s acceptable to be fashionably late, I’d accept.”

  Pumpkin intervened, “That’ll give me and Mama a chance to clear up the ranch house a bit, since you said you’re going to be sticking around.” She turned and took a couple of steps toward the swinging door, laughing.

  “I know exactly how much whiskey I have in the kitchen of the headquarters, so if there’s more than two glasses gone, I’ll know it,” Brody shouted after her.

  All three chuckled, as Pumpkin slipped out and returned to the kitchen.

  “Okay, I have two questions. First, I had no idea Clara, or Pumpkin as you all call her, was a friend. And secondly, what kind of whiskey do you drink?”

  “Second question first. Jack Daniel’s. But I can buy something, if you like. I can see you as a champagne or fine wine type lady.” He grinned.

  “No. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my share in the past.” She lowered her head, trying to stay on topic. “But that’s history.”

  “I see, then the first question. Her mama, Abby, cooked at the WBarT for years. Pumpkin grew up there. Of course that was long before I bought it. The Jenkins and Sullivan families had it before I bought the land. And you were too young to probably even know the story,” Brody said.

  “I bet you didn’t know that Mother was a Sullivan? My grandmother didn’t like the ranch life, so she sorta forced PawPa to sell the whole dang thing to the people you likely bought it from or maybe even your family. PawPa wouldn’t split it up. All of the range land or none. Small world. You’ll have something to talk to Mother about.”

  “It is indeed a small world, in more ways than one.”

  Avery took a minute or two to reflect on his words.

  Brody seemed to realize her needs, as he sipped on his ice water, while she drank another glass of tea.

  Breaking the silence, Brody asked, “Do you have time to go visit Rainey and Deuce with me?” Noise from the dining area filtered through the air.

  Although being physically tired as she had been in a long time, she wanted more time with Brody. “I’ll go if you’ll agree to make it a business trip. We can talk about the cases we need to deal with, so don’t forget to bring a notebook.” She smiled and slid Pumpkin’s keys his direction. “Deal?”

  Just the thought of spending time in a car with this good-looking, suave rogue created a burning sensation in her stomach and made her heart speed up.

  “Deal.” He picked up the keys, got up from his chair, and helped her out of hers. They headed for Pumpkin’s Chevy Equinox and he opened the passenger door for Dannie and ambled around to his side and got seated.

  He inserted the key in the ignition. “One thing I want to get straight. If we’re going to work closely together and try to be friends too, no secrets. None whatsoever. Especially about cases.”

  “I totally agree.” Well, lie number one slipped from her tongue, but she promised herself she’d begin being honest by coming clean about the bottle she’d found not far from where Deuce lay on his deathbed. But, after all, at the time she hadn’t been a part of the case, just a plain ol’ citizen. In the event it was important to the case, to keep the chain of custody, she had put the bottle in a plastic bag, along with the Kleenex, and locked it in a filing cabinet in the mayor’s office. She’d only moved it a day or two ago, under the supervision of her father, to the locked gun cabinet in Deuce’s office. She’d taken it out, after she was named sheriff, in the event time allowed for her to bring it up for discuss with Brody.

  Shivers ran down her spine. This was the first issue, but there was certainly one promise she couldn’t make…telling him why she had left Houston. Or not any time soon, unless he asked, of course. Then she’d explain everything he needed to know. Officer involved shootings weren’t unheard of and were more frequent than the public knew, but being involved in one was an altogether different matter. She took a deep breath and made an asserted effort to bring her thoughts back to their discussion. “Yes, sir. I totally agree. The last thing we need is to be forced to bring in an arbitrator to resolve our lies, particularly anything that causes us to bring in the Texas Rangers.” She fingered the gold stud earring she was wearing. “I love the rangers, but I don’t want them nosing around in the department’s business, unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

  The special ring she’d assigned to her father on her iPhone sounded from her purse. “Excuse me.” Without hesitation, she grabbed it. “Hi, Dad.”

  Dannie listened intently to what her father had to say before commenting. “That’s fine. I know how fragile Mama can be at times and this was a very stressful day. Even yesterday was preparing for today, so I understand.”

  Same story…different chapter!

  After a while, she finally said, “Yes. Yes, Dad, tomorrow would be great. And I’m bringing a guest.” She raised a questioning eyebrow at Brody, as he stared across at her and nodded his head. “It’s a surprise, but you’ll be pleased. Actually, I’m kinda glad for the reprieve from the festivities because not only am I tired but I also need to do some more things at the office.” She giggled softly. Her dad was not going to get his way this time, and she needed to make sure she was on record that she now ran the sheriff’s department and he was mayor. “No, Dad, I’m not redecorating and not no but hell no to an interior decorator. I don’t care if it’s in the budget or not, the office is staying exactly like it is in the event Deuce returns. Every paperclip will be in the same place.” She laughed a little louder this time. “You’re too funny, Dad. I know that isn’t possible. Don’t wait up for me tonight.” She laid her free hand on the dashboard and responded, “No, I haven’t filled you in on all the changes I plan to make and frankly don’t plan to, but I’ve got to go over some more case files. You know, get my stuff in order, because I want to be like a little mother duck and have her ducklings right where they belong.”

  She glanced over at Brody, who winked.

  “Love you, too, Dad, and please give Mother the attention she needs, not that you don’t. An irregular mammograph is nothing to be ashamed of. I know she’s been feeling bad but once her treatment is over, she’ll be back to zip-lining in no time. I promise. Bye and kisses to Mama.” She put her phone back in her purse, then continued addressing Brody, as if there had not been a distraction. “I guess you heard that. You’re not going to have to face a million questions from my father about everything from your heritage to whether you wear tighty whities or boxers.”

  Brody didn’t answer. Silence settled aro
und them like smog on the Gulf.

  To her surprise, he finally responded. “Tighty whities.”

  “That’s more than I wanted to know.”

  “Uh, but you said your dad would need the information, so thought I’d give you a heads-up. Plus, you know how awful boxers look under tactical pants.”

  “Stop!” She pulled her hand up like a crossing guard.

  They both shook with laughter.

  Although it was hard for her to come up with the right words, she finally decided how to broach the subject of her and her father, as mayor.

  “Brody,” she looked over at him, although he kept his eyes on the road. “My father can be a little, well let’s just say….” The last word she wanted to use was controlling, so she began over, “My father can be presumptuous and brash. Some of it’s because of his size and loud voice, some just comes naturally. He would have probably been a general, if he’d stayed in the service. But his heart is in the right place. He stretches the limits sometimes if he thinks he needs to and certainly will step over the boundaries, but besides his family, the citizens of Bonita County are his primary concern.”

  “I can see that. My dad wanted me to play football, whether I wanted to or not. Then he wanted me to go into law enforcement. He didn’t recognize boundaries either. But you know what? He was right. He pushed and pushed and I’m a better man for it.”

  Dannie pulled at the seatbelt. “I can see his obvious influence in you, and I don’t even know him.”

  After what seemed like a decade of silence, she finally scrounged up the courage to ask, “I’m sure you heard that Mama isn’t feeling well and we’ve decided to call off the celebration tonight, but would you like to come with me tomorrow, Brody?” She twisted her lips from side to side. “I could use a detail, I mean an escort. You’ve never met anyone quite like my folks, I can promise you.”

  “Since you’ve agreed to be my bodyguard, if Sylvie is visiting Rainey, I guess I can be your escort tomorrow.”

  Putting her index finger near her mouth, she acted as if having to think it over. “I agree, but I have one question. Can you give me a definition of nepotism?”

  Avery laughed when Brody quoted, “It’s a noun, meaning we can’t have a family relationship, as in business and politics.”

  “Hum,” she said as she tried again to loosen the seatbelt a tad. “We’d better speed it up a little, so you won’t get me home so late that Daddy has to read the nepotism manual, as he interrupts it.”

  “We don’t have a full manual on that.... Do we?”

  She smiled and said, “No. The county manual and the sheriff’s department manual are vastly different, as I found out. I think we both agree that the policy was written when the county was established about a century and a half ago. I think they confused fraternizing with nepotism.”

  “So we can fraternize, as long as it doesn’t get serious? Sounds like it’s all in the interpretation.”

  Chapter 15

  The drive back from Lubbock seemed a great deal shorter than the one coming in from Kasota Springs, or at least Brody thought so. Partly because of the news that Deuce’s latest tests had indicated a noticeable improvement of his frontal lobe area. The best news of all: once they took him out of the medically induced coma, there was a very real possibility he would regain some, if not all, of his memory. It’d be a slow recovery and no doubt he’d likely have some aftereffects from the type of injury he had sustained, but he could function better than they had first thought.

  Only time would tell!

  With a little nudge from Brody, Rainey had agreed to leave her husband’s side and go with Avery to the cafeteria for something to eat. Avery reported that the ever-watchful wife seemed less stressed than she had in prior visits.

  Brody leaned a little forward toward the wheel and pressed this thumbs against one another. “Did Rainey bring up anything about you being appointed interim sheriff in Deuce’s place?”

  “No, because she’s been pretty shielded from the town’s news. Even Sylvie, as curious as she is, seems to have realized that right now isn’t the time to burden Rainey with problems. It’ll devastate Deuce and ultimately Rainey if he can’t return to the sheriff’s department.” She raised her shoulder to loosen the seatbelt a tad then continued, “But, I can assure you if there’s any job he can do, he’ll remain on the payroll. Rainey did tell me that Sylvie is doing an excellent job running the antique store. She’s even letting Sylvie do the books and purchasing.”

  “A lot of people think because Sylvie has allowed men to use her, and for whatever reason she’s caught up in the fifties, that she’s dumb. She is anything but featherbrained,” Brody said.

  “I agree. Rainey told me that the doctors have asked what nursing home she wants Deuce to go to when he’s ready for rehab.”

  “Of course she said Kasota’s center. He’ll be with his mother. Although the long-term rehab is separate from the Alzheimer’s unit, it’ll be best for both of them to know they are near one another.”

  Brody nodded in agreement.

  “Plus, Rainey said something interesting. Once he’s moved, she’s going to focus mainly on her law practice.”

  “What about her antique store?”

  “Sylvie has proven she can handle it, and they’ve talked about expanding the business into a vintage type store for clothes, which is gaining popularity. The younger generation loves the retro look. Vintage chic, I think it’s called. Thinking of clothes reminds me. Thank you for suggesting that we go by my house so I could change out of my dress uniform. That kept Rainey from asking questions.”

  “If you’d been in uniform, Rainey wouldn’t have had to ask anything since she’s married to your predecessor plus she was with the L.A. DA’s office for a number of years. She knows what every insignia on a uniform means.”

  Avery took a notebook out of her purse and read some pages. “I didn’t eat much lunch, so why don’t we go by the DQ and pick up some food and then go over some files at the office? I have a few questions and have barely had time to read the case records thoroughly and make notes. I would really like to get into them. Especially Deuce’s and the one you’re working on. How about it?”

  “Only if you buy the burgers.”

  “Salad for me.” She twisted her mouth and narrowed her brow. “We said no secrets. I’m kinda a phony vegetarian. I don’t eat red meat but love omelets and fish, which makes me a fraud.”

  “So, you eat salads and stir them around like you did the last time you ordered one?”

  “That kinda comes with being a fake vegetarian. I know that’s strange, being born and raised in beef country.” She shifted her left shoulder against the seat belt, and quickly seemed to change the subject. “Thanks again for stopping by my house and letting me change clothes. This outfit is so much more comfortable and it didn’t scream to Rainey that I’m now with the sheriff’s department. And I’m glad we took Clara’s vehicle, too.”

  “You’re welcome, but I have a question. Do you have a grudge against Pumpkin’s seatbelt or what?”

  “Well, remember men and women are made differently—”

  “Oh man, can I ever tell you were a detective. Right?”

  “Right. I have something to ask you.” She opened her handbag, rummaged around a bit and pulled out a plastic bag. “What does this look like to you?”

  Avery held the bottle where he could see it, yet keep his eyes on the road.

  “Without an examination, it looks like inside is an old medicine bottle.”

  “It is. Now before you get mad at me, when I found it I didn’t know any of the specifics involving Deuce’s case. No suspects nor any of the circumstances. I guess the cop in me made me want to keep this bottle, since I’m familiar with the product that was in it.”

  Brody glanced over at her. “Don’t stop now. Where did you find it?”
>
  “Remember when we ran across one another jogging?”

  “You mean when you thought I was a stalker and took me down?”

  “That’s it. The bottle is from the Jacks Bluff vet back in the 1960s, and it had PCP in it, but liquid instead of powder. At the time it was just strange being out there. That’s the main reason I decided to keep it and took care not to contaminate it. It wasn’t like the bottle had been tossed out and disposed of inappropriately. No vet would ever be that careless. As you know in the sixties they used it as a general anesthetic for humans and tranquilizer for animals, and today—”

  “Almost no animals, but mostly as angel dust, ecstasy, and a ton of other names depending on whether it’s wet or dust.” A weird feeling rushed all over Brody, knowing it could be that Tommy had stolen the powder and put water in it so he could drink the concoction, because he likely wouldn’t have the paraphernalia or time to shoot up or snort it. “I hope to hell you kept a clean chain of custody.”

  “Trust me. I didn’t. I’ll tell you later,” she said.

  Brody didn’t even want to think the thoughts he was having, because they pointed directly to Tommy as the number one person of interest in Deuce’s case. Brody had to remind himself that his loyalty to the citizens and the oath administered to him took precedence over what he wanted the truth to be and what it appeared to prove out. No doubt by now Avery knew that Tommy was Brody’s sister’s brother-in-law.

  He knew the bottle needed to be tested for trace evidence, but at the moment he wasn’t sure it was evidence regardless of what his gut told him. Since the bottle was in her possession, he’d let her make the call, although if Tommy had drunk from the bottle they’d find his DNA as well as fingerprints.

  There was no choice to be made. He handed the bottle back to Avery without asking what she planned to do with it. Sometimes in life it was better not to know than to know.