by Jeff Carson
My gosh, how had she come so far so fast? she thought, following Wolf out under the vaulted ceilings of the squad room and towards his office. She was only thirty-four years old.
But she deserved it, she thought. Was that being egotistical? Not really. Not with all the hard work she’d put in.
The blinds of Wolf’s glass-enclosed aquarium space were screwed shut, making it look like a bomb bunker instead of the sheriff’s office. That was normal for big meetings. News of the undersheriff leaving and the chief detective moving into his place was cause for closing the blinds.
Wolf’s door was open and he stopped before it, motioning her in first.
Wilson sat in a chair inside the office. Suddenly, she had a thought: If Wilson is leaving and I’m taking his place, who’s going to be Chief Detective? Yates or Rachette? And, if so, why aren’t they in this meeting, too?
Wilson stood up, as did DA White next to him. So did her aunt, Mayor Margaret Hitchens, and her husband Scott.
“Hello, Heather,” Wilson said.
Patterson stopped inside the doorway. “Hello,” she said slowly, as the door clicked shut behind her and the group took their seats.
A single chair sat vacant next to Wolf on the other side of the desk. Wolf motioned to it.
She walked behind Wilson and White. Why are Margaret and Scott here? Her husband was avoiding eye contact, which was a tell for when he knew he was doing something wrong. Or, at least, knew he’d done something she would disapprove of.
Margaret’s face had the same blank half-smile she wore when she was holding back a tirade against somebody who pissed her off.
Now she felt like she was attending an intervention and she was the guest of honor.
What is this?
She sat down next to Wolf. The butterflies were back.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Heather.” Wolf turned in his chair towards her. “I’ve called this meeting to discuss some changes that are afoot here in the department. Changes that will involve you centrally, or…not.”
“Okay.” She smiled at the absurdity of the sentence. “Hopefully they involve me. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. Unless…you have plans that say otherwise.”
Wolf stood up and pushed his chair in, then started pacing.
She frowned. Shit. Maybe she was getting fired. Or somehow relocated? Is that why Scott was here?
Uncertainty swirled inside her, and suddenly her life was flashing before her eyes, only the moments she saw were ones where she’d snapped at Wolf, or made a snide remark to DA White, or been too harsh with Wilson.
She looked to Scott. Her husband was now looking at her in the eye. His eyebrows were peaked with concern, and then he smiled like everything was going to be alright.
“What the hell’s going on?” she asked.
“Heather, we want to talk to you about this November,” Wolf said.
“What about it?”
“Elections,” Margaret said.
Wolf looked at her aunt like she’d said something wrong. Margaret hid a smirk.
“Yeah. Okay. Elections.” Patterson upturned her hands.
“This is a tough subject to discuss delicately,” Wolf said, “so I’m just going to come out and say it. I don’t want to be sheriff anymore. I’m not going to run for sheriff in November. Wilson doesn’t want to be sheriff, we know he felt that way last year and he still feels the same way now. As of yet no other candidates have come forth. We’ve gathered here today to tell you we’d like you to be sheriff of this county.”
Her vision went blurry for a few moments as she wondered if she was actually conscious.
“Wait,” she said. “No. Wilson, I thought you got the job with Denver PD. I thought you were leaving and you wanted me to take the Undersheriff position.”
Wilson straightened. “What? No, I turned it down. I’m not moving to freakin’ Denver.”
“She’s gonna pass out,” Margaret said with a chuckle.
“What?” Patterson shook her head. “Me? Sheriff?”
“Yes, you,” Wolf said.
She felt her face burn red, her chest pounding. She stood up and walked to the window as she composed herself with some deep breaths.
“Heather,” Wolf said, “You’re the best we have in this building. And I know I’ve said it before, and that wasn’t just because I wanted you to complete that budget proposal. That was the truth.”
“You’re the best we have in this county,” Margaret said. “Not just this building.”
The wave of panic passed through her and cold logic settled in. She turned around. “Look. Guys. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m thirty-four years old.”
“So what?” Wolf said.
“So, that’s young. Thirty-four years old is young.”
“You’re most qualified for the job,” Wolf said.
She scoffed at his dismissiveness. “It’s not just that. I’m also a w—” she stopped herself and looked out the window again.
“What?” Margaret asked. “You’re a woman? Is that what you were going to say?”
Her ankle sparked with pain as she spun around. “Yes, damn it! I’m a woman! I’m thirty-four years old and I’m a woman. Doesn’t that seem like it might be a little bit tough for the citizens of Sluice-Byron County to swallow? Doesn’t that for one moment give any of you pause?”
Blood roared in her ears.
DA White raised a finger. “The thought of you becoming sheriff most definitely gives me pause, but not because you’re a thirty-four-year-old woman. You would be a political pain in the ass. But you’d be effective because you’re hard-headed, you get stuff done, and you don’t take shit from anybody. It gives me pause, but just because, you know, it’s you.”
White picked at his cufflink.
“Uh, thank you, District Attorney,” Margaret said.
“You’re welcome.”
“Heather,” Wolf said, sitting on the edge of his desk, “I could stay on as sheriff, put Wilson on as chief detective, and bring you up as undersheriff for four years where you could learn the ropes, and then you could run as sheriff after that with a lot more confidence.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Sounds good to me. That’s exactly what I thought this meeting was about.”
Wolf shrugged. “But you’ve been pretty much doing my job this whole time. In looking out for me over the last year, you’ve taken it upon yourself to learn every squeak in every wheel of this huge machine. And when you see something that needs greasing, you hand me the bottle and tell me where to apply it.”
“Excellent metaphor,” Margaret said.
“Shut up.” Wolf stood and karate chopped one hand with the other. “Let’s cut through the unnecessary steps here and get you where you belong. These deputies, these people above and below us,” he pointed at White, “they need you. You will do such a good job and you know it. Me? I’m a detective. I’m meant to be out there.” He waved a hand to the window. “I solve crime. I don’t do spreadsheets. I don’t manage a thousand people. I don’t do well spending this much time with Margaret and the county council. I don’t write proposals. I cannot stand to look at another 10-65-G report for every single sub-depart—”
“F,” Heather said. “10-65-F reports. You don’t deal with the Gs.”
“She’s right,” Wilson said.
“Shut up.” Wolf shook his head like he was getting attacked by a swarm of bees. “Heather. You would be great at this job. And if you need help that’s what we’re here for. That’s why we’re all gathered here now to talk to you about this. You need political knowledge? Margaret has your back. You want procedure help? Wilson knows everything better than I do. You need anything else? I would be down the hall. In the Chief Detective’s office.”
She looked at Scott. “You knew about this?”
He shook his head. “They called me in for the meeting. I had no clue what for.”
“We wanted him to hear this, too,” Wolf sai
d. “Obviously this is a big decision and it involves your whole family. We don’t expect you to have an answer right away.”
“But I suspected it was something like this,” Scott said, ignoring Wolf. “I always knew you were going to be big time, from the moment I met you.”
“O-kay,” White stood up, looking at his watch. “I have a four o’clock. Heather. I’ll support whatever decision you make. You’d be running unopposed so I’m not sure an official endorsement would help you or not. But you know where my office is if you need to talk about it. Everyone. Have a good day.”
White left and shut the door behind him.
“Is he always that much of a prick?” Margaret asked.
“Yes,” Wilson said.
Heather was still looking at Scott. He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m fine with it if you are. But we can talk about it. Like Dave said, you don’t have to make a decision right now.”
But the wheels were already turning. And to use Wolf’s metaphor, they were well-greased, chugging along at high efficiency. And she knew now it wasn’t the thought of becoming undersheriff that had kept her up with excitement these last few nights. It had been the step after.
Sheriff Heather Patterson. She tried on the name and felt a wave of energy pass through her, like seltzer water being poured down her spine.
“I’ll do it,” she said.
Wolf smiled, standing tall. “Good.” He walked to her and gave her a hug.
Scott stood and walked over, and Wolf passed her off to her husband.
Wolf looked at his watch and walked to the door. “I’ll see you guys later.”
“Whoa, whoa,” Margaret said. “What the heck? You have some place better to be?”
“Yes,” he said, leaving out the door.
Chapter 39
“What does she look like?”
Wolf ignored the question as he shaped another buffalo patty and slapped it onto a piece of wax paper.
“Come on.” Cassidy stood with her hands on her hips, a pouty look on her face that reminded Wolf how young his daughter-in-law still was.
“Leave him alone.” Jack entered Wolf’s kitchen and wrapped his wife in his arms.
“Where’s Ryan?” Cassidy asked.
“Out there.”
“Geez, Jack.” She wrestled away and bolted from the kitchen. “There could be a mountain lion out there!”
“I meant out there in the family room!”
“Oh, hey buddy!” she said, her voice receding. “You want to go play some soccer?”
“Yeah!”
Wolf washed his hands at the sink, cleaning off the meat residue but unable to wipe the smile from his face as he watched Ryan run in giggling circles on the front lawn.
“I’m glad you guys could make it,” Wolf said.
Jack ducked into the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. “You want one of these? Or are you still on the wagon? Or off it? Or whatever.”
“No, thanks. Those are all yours.” Wolf dried his hands and leaned up against the counter, appraising his son’s physique. “Geez. You guys do anything besides lift weights in the firehouse?”
“Yeah.” Jack took a sip and smiled. His green eyes twinkled in the late afternoon light streaming into the window. “Pull ups. How about you?” Jack eyed him. “You exercise anymore?”
Wolf smiled. “I plan on getting back into it.”
“I was just kidding. You look good.”
“Don’t patronize me,” Wolf said. “I’m a fat-ass. But I’m going to get back to my fighting weight.”
“You seem determined.” Jack waggled his eyebrows. “It must be this new woman, then.”
“I told you, this woman is nothing like that. Geez, I hope you two are more subtle when she gets here.” Wolf walked out of the kitchen to the front door.
Jack slapped him on the back, walking by his side out to the front deck. “I’m not the one you have to worry about.”
They stood watching Ryan chase a miniature soccer ball while Cassidy chased after him. The sky was still cloudless. The sun hung low above the mountain to the west, almost kissing the tip of the peak. The air was still and dry, filled with the scent of pine mixed with the charcoal briquettes waiting to be lit.
The sound of crackling tires drew their gazes down the drive to the headgate, where a shining windshield crested the hill and drove toward the house.
Wolf and Jack went down the steps to the lawn. Ryan ran over and latched onto Wolf’s leg and he picked him up. Cassidy joined them and they stood still, watching the vehicle approach.
“Remember to keep your mouths shut about everything,” Wolf said, looking at Cassidy, who
made a key-twisting motion at her lips.
Wolf’s stomach danced with nerves. It had been a while since he’d seen her last. That would change once and for all.
The brakes squealed to a stop and the engine shut off.
With Ryan in his arms, he walked over to the passenger door and popped it open.
The woman in the seat looked up with beaming brown eyes that matched his own. “David!”
“Hi Mom.” He reached down and took her hand. It was frail and thin. Her grip was strong, though, as she lifted herself out of the car on sure legs.
“And there’s my little Ry-Guy!”
They embraced in a three-way hug until Wolf was forced to give up his grandson to her waiting arms.
A taller woman, thin with her long white hair pulled into a ponytail, stood up from the driver’s side. “Hi David.”
“Hi Harriet,” Wolf said. “How are you?”
“Not bad. Not bad. You’re mother’s driving me crazy of course. But not bad.” Over the last decade Harriet had become his mother’s favorite competitive bridge partner down in Denver. Both of them being widowers, they had become fast friends, and then eventually roommates in the same apartment. More recently, Harriet had taken it upon herself to watch over his mother as her mental acuity began to slip.
“Yeah?” Wolf chuckled. “What’s going on this time?”
Harriet ignored him, popping the trunk on her Prius. “Kat! Leave that kid alone and come talk to your son!”
His mother put Ryan down, kissed him, and released him back into the wild. “How are you, David?” she said, coming over and wrapping him in a hug.
He winced as she latched onto a bruised rib but rode out the pain and hugged her back. “I’m good, Mom. How about you?”
“I’m excellent.”
“Keeping busy?”
“Busy as ever. Racking up those Masterpoints.”
He smiled. “They have a pretty raucous bridge scene up here, you know.”
She swiped a hand.
Wolf unpacked their bags from the car and brought them inside while his mother followed. They made some pleasant small talk, only briefly skimming through the part where they had not seen each other in too long. And only briefly did Wolf feel a tinge of shame. They were here together now, and that’s all that mattered. Besides, things were going to be different from now on. This time he wasn’t seeking her approval of his plan, either.
But for now he didn’t mention the condominium he’d bought for her in downtown Rocky Points. He didn’t mention that he wanted her back up here where he could keep a close eye on her. He didn’t mention the in-home nursing services that he’d lined up to visit her three times a week. He knew his mother, and knew the memories of this place haunted her. That news would have to be slow dripped over the next few days of her visit. At least, that was the plan.
Wolf went inside with the luggage and put it into the spare bedroom, then went back into the kitchen where Jack and Cassidy were finishing food preparations.
“She’s here,” Cassidy said in a sing-song voice as she leaned into the window. “Wow.” She opened her mouth and looked at Wolf. “Wow. She is beautiful.”
Wolf had been too busy to notice Piper Cain pull up in her Jeep Cherokee. She was already parked and out of the door, approaching the house with her fat
her next to her. She carried a Tupperware in her hands and was bending down to say hi to Ryan.
Wolf had to admit he agreed with Cassidy. Piper wore a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved floral-patterned shirt. Her dark curls were pulled back and cascading onto her shoulders. Dangling earrings glinted in the evening light, accentuating her sparkling eyes and smile.
Wolf’s stomach lurched when he heard his mother’s voice outside.
“Who’s this?” His mother walked at her. “My goodness. Who is this beauty? David. Is this your girlfriend?”
Wolf rushed to the front door and went outside.
“Mom! This is Piper Cain and her father!” He spoke loud, trying to smother the words coming out of her mouth. “She’s a deputy with the department. Hi Peter.” Wolf shook her father’s hand.
“Oh, hello, Piper.” His mother got in on the action, shaking her hand and then her father’s. “What was your name?”
Piper’s father beamed. “I’m Peter Cain.”
Harriet swooped in from nowhere. “Hi Peter. I’m Harriet.”
“Hello, Harriet.”
“What happened to you?” Wolf’s mother asked, reaching out and touching the cast on Piper’s arm. “And your face. Honey. Are you all right?”
“Mom.”
“It’s okay,” Piper said. “I was just a little banged up on the job.”
“Geez, David. What are you letting happen to your deputies?”
“Kat!” Harriet said, pulling her by the arm. “Come on!”
“Yeah, okay. I’m coming.”
A smiling Peter Cain allowed himself to be swept into the house by the two women.
“My God,” Wolf said. “Here. I’ll take that.” He took the container from her.
Cassidy came up and introduced herself. Jack nodded hello, too. Piper shook their hand then introduced herself to Ryan, who started out shy, then told a thirty-second story about his running and kicking abilities. Maybe. It was tough to tell.
“My goodness, this guy is so cute,” Piper said, playfully poking a finger into Ryan’s armpit.
“Thanks,” Cassidy said. “O-kay, buster. Let’s go. We’ll be inside.” Jack took the containers from Wolf and Cassidy led her family in through the door, leaving Wolf and Piper alone outside.