by CJ Murphy
“Watch your six.”
“I’ll watch my back, you watch yours.”
They hung up, and Chance called the office and spoke with Carl, who was watching the front desk while Taylor took Penny home. The office was secure, so she headed across Mountaineer Highway to Philippi, where the county prosecutor was reviewing the evidence. The state police were also involved as a nonbiased agency to avoid the appearance of railroading Brad.
Philippi was another small town, like Parsons, that had seen better days when coal was king. Now the main employers were a small hospital and a private college that kept the businesses going. Half an hour after leaving Tucker County, Chance pulled into the courthouse parking lot and exited her vehicle with Zeus. She entered through the front doors and checked in with security before climbing the steps to the second floor. A young receptionist greeted her.
“Sheriff Fitzsimmons, nice to see you. I’ll let Miss Abbott know you’re here.”
“Thank you.”
“Never mind, Denise. I’m already notified.” A petite woman in a sharp suit walked through the door carrying a legal folder in one hand and a briefcase in the other. “Come on back, Sheriff.”
Chance followed her down the hall and entered the room with tall ceilings and a desk that dwarfed the prosecuting attorney. “Good to see you, Marsha.”
Marsha put her briefcase on the corner of the massive, chestnut desk and threw the legal folder into a basket. “Wish we were meeting under better circumstances. What a shit storm.” Marsha pointed to a set of leather chairs near a low coffee table. “Have a seat. Coffee?”
“That would be great. Thanks.” Chance took a seat and brought Zeus to a resting position beside her. Marsha poured two cups of coffee from the service that sat on a sideboard at one wall of her office.
“Here you go. Let’s talk about this case against your former employee.”
Chance sipped at the strong, black coffee and collected her initial thoughts. “None of this was malicious or out of line. I’d just terminated him for a witnessed act of sexual harassment and insubordination, something that is specifically addressed in our county personnel policy as grounds for immediate dismissal. He was asked to collect his things and leave the premises. He came back into the building and tried to bypass my office administrator to get to me. In the process, Brad threw her down. Penny is well along in her pregnancy and had to receive medical care. I had him arrested. His actions toward my administrator were caught on tape by our office security system. Few people pay attention to the notices advising of the cameras. End of story.”
Marsha tapped a long, crimson fingernail against a thin, gold band around the rim of her blue mug. “I’ve watched the video. I’m in complete agreement with those charges, and his attorney will have a hard time arguing that. What I didn’t see was surveillance of the incident that led to his termination. Does that exist?”
Chance nodded. “It does. That’s more of a civil service matter, and I’ve turned that over to the committee. I can get you a copy if you’d like?”
“I think it will help with the motivation for his actions. Anything I can review to determine whether to order him to trial or recommend dismissal of charges will be helpful. I have a report from Sergeant Kincaid as well.”
Chance tried to regulate her breathing to not show anger at the thought of dismissal. “Marsha, I’ll be honest with you on this one. He’s fired one way or another. You’ll know why when you review the office footage. All of that is a personnel issue that will be handled under civil service law. He could have cost Taylor and Penny their child. If Penny would have lost the baby, you can bet your life, I’d have charged him with homicide under West Virginia Code Chapter 61, Article 2. Brad Waters was well aware Penny is pregnant, and he chose to harm her in the performance of her duties. He put his hands on her, that’s all I need to know.”
“Simmer down there, Sheriff. I’m not saying I’m dismissing anything. Let’s be grateful. Penny Lewis and her child are doing fine. It’s my job to determine whether this goes to the grand jury or not. As with any other law enforcement case, I have to have my ducks in a row before I prosecute anyone. The whole point of bringing something to trial is to make sure the guilty party is punished for the offense within the confines of the law. That’s what I intend to do, but only when I have an ironclad case to present. From everything I see now, I believe that’s the direction we’re headed.”
Chance clenched her jaw. She knew Marsha was one of the good ones and a very tough prosecutor. She didn’t envy her job at all. “Okay. Other than the office footage, what do you need from my staff and me?”
Marsha took another drink of her coffee and crossed her legs. “I assume that all of you are willing to testify in court?”
Chance nodded.
“I know Harley and her troopers did interviews, were they videotaped?”
“They were. Appointments were made to meet at their barracks across from the 9-1-1 center. Harley should have all that, along with our written statements.”
“The report from where she sought medical treatment would bolster the harm done claim. I know I don’t need to, but I’ll subpoena the visit. Let Penny and Taylor know, so they don’t feel like it’s an invasion of their privacy, if you will?”
“Taylor would hand deliver it if you needed. Trust me on that.”
Marsha set her coffee cup down and dropped her shoe off her heel and let it dangle. She leaned forward. “Off the record? I want to nail his balls to the witness stand. I read the testimony about how the whole thing started. I’ve been in this business a long time, and I’ve heard every misogynist comment about a woman in power. Brad Waters is a dinosaur who believes a woman should be barefoot and pregnant. Oh yes, Sheriff. I’ve had dealings with Brad Waters and his kind before.”
Chance knew the woman’s physical stature belied her tiger-shark reputation. “I have no doubt.”
Marsha slipped her shoe back in place with a simple flex of her foot, firmly resettling the three-inch heel in place. “Somehow, I keep getting re-elected. I chalk that up to my conviction rate and the fact that no man, woman, or child—beyond my grandmother—scares me. We’ll get a conviction, just let me go at this case the same way I always do, with attention to detail to make it bulletproof.”
Chance finished her coffee and stood up as she put her hand out to Marsha.
Marsha stood as well and shook the proffered hand. “On the record, I’ll look over the evidence and render a decision as soon as possible. In the meantime, give my best to everyone over there. I’ll have Harley call in and give her more detail on what I need.”
Chance squinted a bit, thinking about how comfortably Marsha let Harley’s name roll off her tongue, the spark in her eyes when she said it. Something to think about. “Take care, Marsha. Thanks for your time.”
***
Jax had dressed for a simple evening of good music and dancing at the Confluence. They rarely went out on a weeknight, but the crowds were thinner compared to the Friday and Saturday ones. Jax watched, as Chance pulled on a black, long-sleeve T-shirt and tucked it into her blue jeans. Once she’d slid into a comfortable pair of worn cowboy boots, she turned to Jax. “Good enough?”
Jax licked her lips and stalked over to her. “I think I’d rather stay right here and take that outfit back off of you. Your ass is superb in those jeans.”
Chance kissed her nose. “You’re biased.”
“Maybe, but I speak the truth, and I can count on a dozen other people—men, and women—to check you out tonight.”
“Likewise, I need to make sure I get my gun.”
Jax felt Chance’s biceps. “With these guns, the metal one can stay in your boot.”
“You’re good for my ego, you know that?”
“I hope I’m good for a lot more than that.”
Chance picked her up and spun her around. “So much more. Now, finish getting ready so we can grab something to eat before Rhebekka goes on. I saw where Karmen’s foo
d is on the menu.”
Jax slipped on a soft, green cashmere sweater that matched her eyes, and slid into a pair of tall riding boots. When she brushed through her long, black hair, she spied several more silver strands. This getting old sucks. “Good. I think she should cater the reception for us in the spare barn. We can stack the bales up against the walls and put round tables around the room. Mags and I’ve got some decorating ideas to make it simple but tasteful.” She felt arms come around her waist from the back and leaned into the muscled body that drew her close. Jax looked in the mirror to see Chance’s gaze devouring her.
Chance smirked and kissed her neck. “Scratch tonight’s plans. We aren’t going out.”
Jax smacked her arm. She turned and kissed her. “Yes, we are. You promised to dance with me.”
Chance bent and put their foreheads together. “It won’t be good for the sheriff to get in an altercation defending your honor. My God, Jax, you’re so sexy.”
Jax kissed her fiancée. “You certainly make me feel that way. Now come on, I’ve got my dancing boots on and I want to do just that. Is Zeus set for the night?”
“Our boy is fed, walked, and napping on the couch. I’ll go start the truck, it’s a little nippy tonight. Make sure you wear your heavier coat.”
Jax applied a little mascara and finished off with a little lipstick. “Yes, Mom.”
She watched in the mirror, as Chance left the bedroom. She stopped for a moment and looked around the room. Chance’s discarded uniform shirt lay over on the arm of the chair, her duty boots sitting below it where she’d taken them off. Jax picked up a photo of them Maggie had taken after they’d announced their engagement and ran her finger over the wide smile on Chance’s face. Jax closed her eyes. She could still smell the sharp tang of the cologne the woman she loved wore, citrusy and crisp like winter. That’s the best way she could describe it. How her life had changed. It wasn’t just location, the 2600 plus miles and ten states between her past and future had little to do with the differences. It was her heart and the lightness of her spirit that had changed.
Chance came back into the room. “Come on, love, let’s go. I say we go drink a beer and you let me step on those boots a few times. We have wedding plans to make. I’m looking forward to talking with Karmen about the reception plans.”
Jax tilted her head up and kissed Chance with deep longing. She let her tongue glide along Chance’s lower lip and groaned when she was granted entrance to explore the depths of Chance’s warm mouth. She put her arms around the strong neck and ran her fingers into the dark locks. When she broke the kiss, Jax tugged at the silver shock in the front of Chance’s hair. “I love you, Sheriff. Lead the way.”
Chapter Fifteen
THE PARKING LOT AT Redemption’s Road was sparse, typical for a Monday evening. Chance recognized a few of the vehicles and saw a few Maryland and Pennsylvania tags. As was her habit, she committed the description of the vehicles and licenses to memory. Rhebekka’s fat-tire bicycle was chained to a post out front. Chance had driven through the parking lot many nights and witnessed the bright-green mode of transport sitting right there. I’ve seen her ride that thing in the snow.
Faint music emanated from the door as Chance pulled it open. Immediately, the warmth of the fireplace blocked the chill of the fall evening, drawing them inside.
Behind the bar stood Tank, with her hand in the air. “Evening, Chance. Nice to see you. This must be the lucky lady who stole your heart. I hear congratulations are in order.”
Chance helped take Jax’s coat off. The ‘coat tree’ had been stripped of its bark and real limbs served as the hooks. “Good to see you too, Tank. This is Jax St. Claire. Even a blind dog finds a bone once in a while. I was extremely lucky.”
Jax stretched across the bar and shook Tank’s hand. “Don’t let her fool you; I’m the lucky one. I’m so ready for a beer. Can I get an Ascension Ale?”
“Very nice to meet you. Something for you, Chance?” Tank grabbed a mason jar and filled it before setting it in front of Jax.
“I think I’ll start off with a Coke until I get something in my stomach. I’m driving.”
“Karmen’s got the Cubans tonight. They are to die for. Rhebekka’s setting up in the Confluence. You can put your order in over at the food nook.” Tank put the Coke down on the bar. “Want me to start a tab for you?”
Chance nodded as she took a sip. “That’d be great. Jax, why don’t you go put in our order. I’ll try to catch Rhebekka and arrange to talk with her on one of her set breaks.”
“Divide and conquer. I knew I fell in love with you for more than your good looks. Tell her I want to hear something slow. You owe me a dance later.”
“Fear not, I will put in the request.”
Jax took her beer and walked over to the food nook as Chance made her way to the stage. “Light crowd tonight, Rhebekka. If they only knew who they had before them.”
Rhebekka smiled and put her finger to her lips. “Shhh, I like it that way. Good to see you, Chance. I see you brought reinforcements.”
Chance looked over her shoulder and couldn’t hold back the grin. “I did, and I’ve been ordered to do two things.” She held up her index finger. “The first is to request a few slow songs so that beauty can let me look like a fool on the dance floor, and”—she held up a second finger—”to join us on one of your breaks for a discussion about our upcoming nuptials.”
“Ah, I did hear something about the most eligible lesbian in the county no longer being eligible.”
“No, I hear you’re still on the market.” Chance chuckled. “Seriously, join us and I’ll buy you a pint.”
Rhebekka leaned in and cupped the side of her mouth. “You do remember I own this place, right?”
Chance leaned in and lowered her voice. “I’m helping you keep your cover.”
Rhebekka let go a hearty laugh. “You’re on. See you in about twenty minutes. Tell your lovely wife to be I’ve got her covered as well.”
Chance tipped her nonexistent cap in Rhebekka’s direction and found a small round table off to the side of the stage, just as Jax joined her.
“All set. Karmen said about ten minutes. I told her I wanted to stop in and talk to her about catering the wedding. She said she’d be happy to. I’ll go to the shop later this week, when she’ll have more time to talk.”
“Rhebekka will be over in about twenty minutes. Until then, we’ll enjoy the music.”
The Confluence was named as a tribute to the rivers that came together nearby. A nice fire heated the room adorned with barn wood and decorated with everything from kayak oars to cross country skis. From the ceiling, an upside-down canoe and kayak hung above them. The place was comfortable. People must have carpooled, because there were nearly twenty wandering around between the bar and the music arena. Rhebekka didn’t sing, but she played a variety of music acoustically.
They sat and enjoyed her first few songs before Karmen brought out their meals. Jax immediately put her pickle spears in Chance’s basket and removed the ones from her sandwich.
“Why didn’t you ask to leave them out?” Chance bit into her sandwich and rolled her eyes back in her head with pleasure. “Oh my God, this is so good.”
“I love to watch you have a foodgasm. I didn’t order them without because I know how much you love pickles. I also told her to put your coleslaw on my plate. I promise to wash it all out of my mouth before I kiss you.” Jax took a bite of her food.
Chance screwed up her face at the mention of coleslaw. It was one of the few foods she refused to eat as an adult. “You know me so well. I’m going to grab a beer now. Do you want another one?”
Jax wiped some hot-pepper mustard off Chance’s cheek with her thumb. “Please.”
Chance wiped her mouth with a napkin and headed to the bar. The traffic there was light now that Rhebekka was playing and she returned to Jax’s side quickly. She set a glass of Brimstone Stout by her plate as she made room for Rhebekka who was walking t
heir way. Tank had already handed her a fresh pint, courtesy of Chance.
“Jax, nice to see you again. Are you enjoying the show?” Rhebekka turned a chair around, straddled the seat, and leaned on the backrest with her arms crossed.
Jax leaned up and hugged Rhebekka, who returned the gesture. “Very much. You play a slow one next, and I’ll be eternally grateful.”
Rhebekka grinned. “It might cost you a return visit on Sunday, to House of the Rising Son.”
Jax laughed. “That could likely be arranged.”
Rhebekka nodded. “Good enough. Now, what did you want to talk about?”
Chance sipped her beer. She licked the thick foam off her lip and laughed at Jax’s shudder. “Well, I’m planning on making an honest woman out of her, and we’d like to talk to you about officiating the ceremony.”
Rhebekka lit up. “Oh, I’d be honored. When’s the big day?”
Jax scrunched up her face. “Christmas Day.”
“Wow, go big or go home. What time do you want to do this?”
“We were thinking around three in the afternoon,” Chance replied, “but that’s not all.”
“What, you want Santa to co-officiate?” Rhebekka dropped her head. “That’s a tall order, you know. He’s headed to the beach on Christmas Day.”
Chance shook her head. “No Santa requests. How are you on a horse?”
Rhebekka looked at them with her eyebrows reaching for her hairline. “You want to get married on horseback?”
Jax and Chance nodded. “We’re talking a small wedding. Less than twenty people. Most won’t be on horseback. If you don’t want to be on a horse, you can stand in a wagon. That’s how the majority of the guests will be arriving.”
Chance nodded. “We have a spot on our property where we’d like to have the ceremony. Anyone who wants to come on horseback can. I’ve been cleaning up two wagons to transport the rest. Penny is in no condition to ride.”
Rhebekka ran her hand through her shoulder-length hair. “Well, I’ve done some unique weddings, but this one will be a first. If it’s at three, that gives me time to have my Christmas service at ten in the morning and make it to your place. I’m in. It would be my privilege.”