by Lea Coll
I smiled and stepped back so he could come in. “So how did the meeting go with Penny?”
“We actually never made it there. We got a lead on another case. We got the guy who stole the bleachers from the high school, Kevin McNulty.”
“That name sounds familiar. Maybe a prior client of mine?” I asked, closing the door.
“I’m not sure who his attorney was. It doesn’t come up in our database. His prior case is pending trial. That was for stealing AC units from the apartment complex,” Luke explained leaning against the counter.
“Oh yeah, his case was postponed last time. He worked at Archer Metal Recycling.” The stolen AC case stood out since it was odd to steal so many units.
“Before we talk about this any further, I want to let you know that I will have my supervisor transfer his case to someone else. If we keep seeing each other it might be a good idea to transfer any cases in which you’re the arresting officer to another attorney. That would alleviate any concerns from the public too.”
He nodded in agreement. “That’s a good idea. Wish we had thought of that before.”
“Well, it wasn’t up for much discussion before. But enough of that, what did he want with the bleachers?” I asked. I’d never heard of someone stealing bleachers. “Was it a prank, after all?”
“We think he intended to sell them for the metals. It’s a quick way to get cash. We got a hit on the stolen metal theft site. It’s a site set up to track the suspicious sales of metals. The company in Delaware he tried to sell it to flagged it as suspicious because they were bleachers. Normally they will only accept bleachers from the school they came from or from someone who has paperwork indicating they bought the bleachers from the school. McNulty did not have any documentation.”
I sat down on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. “How was he able to transport bleachers that far?”
“He used one of Archer’s trucks.”
“Guess he won’t be working there anymore,” I said.
“No. I doubt it,” he said, turning around to open the fridge. He pulled out a beer and offered one to me. I just shook my head no in response.
“Is this one of the cases Brad wanted you to solve?” I asked, remembering he had been worried about unresolved theft cases in the area. He wondered if they were all related.
“Yes, it’s one of them. We questioned him to see if he was responsible for some of the other thefts but he wouldn’t admit to anything else. He lawyered up,” he said, taking a swig of his beer.
“So he’s facing charges in Delaware and Maryland?” I asked.
“Yeah, the county in Delaware charged him with intent to sell stolen metals and here he will be charged with theft.”
“Who’s his attorney? I’m surprised he could afford a private attorney. Last time he used the public defender’s office, which he can only use if he proves low income.”
“That’s a good question. He’s using the counsel Archer keeps on retainer.”
“Really? Now why would Archer pay for his representation when he stole the company vehicle?”
“That’s what I want to find out but I came here to talk to you about your assault case,” he said, leaning on his elbows on the counter to talk to me.
“Have you found out anything new?” I asked.
“No, like I said we haven’t been able to track down Mitch. We might need to catch him at work. And we haven’t been able to meet with Penny. Have you had an opportunity to look in your office for anything?”
“I did search the desk and Mitch’s file, but there’s nothing. I’m not even sure what I’m looking for.”
“Anything that references Mitch or his case, notes, or a file on him?”
“There were no notes in his file outside of his case notes. Certainly nothing that would justify an assault. I took over Penny’s office since she’s out for several months. She cleared out her desk. There’s nothing personal in that office. No notes, nothing. The only things in the drawers were blank legal pads, pens and other office supplies. There’s no degrees framed on the walls.”
“Maybe she doesn’t intend to return after maternity leave.”
“Possibly, it’s not unheard of. She mentioned that possibility when she came into the office recently.”
“Well, keep your eyes open in case you come across something.”
“I will.”
“I think the most likely scenario is that Mitch told Penny something in confidence that has this guy worried,” Luke said.
“Information on another case maybe? Maybe he implicated a co-defendant in his case?” I asked, my brain going a mile a minute now with possibilities. “How would this guy even know? If Mitch told Penny something it’s protected by attorney-client privilege. I don’t know her well but I doubt she would be willing to risk her license by gossiping about a case.”
“It could have been Mitch who talked,” Luke said. “All we have right now is speculation. So until we solve this case, always walk with someone. Don’t be alone at dark. You can always call me or the station to have an officer walk you home.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?” I asked, concerned. It seemed like a hassle but I didn’t want to run into that guy again. It gave me the shivers to think about what could happen next. I just wished I knew what it was about.
“Text messages are one thing. Some people never progress past harassment by text or online. But this guy physically attacked and threatened you in an alley. He’s escalated the situation. So yeah, I think you’re in danger. I just wish I knew why.”
I felt a prick of unease as I remembered the door being unlocked when I came home. I wondered if it could be related. I was worried about overreacting when it might have been my fault and I forgot to lock the door. Luke would really be upset if I was forgetting to lock doors. I decided not to say anything.
“IT’S ABOUT TIME, ISN’T IT?” Stella asked, coming up behind me.
I had been waiting on the lawn in front of City Hall with most of the town. “For the mayor to make his announcement?”
“Yes. It’s unprecedented to have a mayor wait this long to get behind a candidate. Not that we have a lot of contested races here.”
“Everyone came out for it, didn’t they?” I asked, gesturing to the large crowd.
“Well, we don’t get much excitement here. It’s like the presidential race on a smaller scale.”
“I guess so,” I agreed. “Have you seen Ashley?”
“She’s making her way over. She was deep in conversation with Logan,” she said, giving me a knowing look.
“State’s Attorney Logan?” I asked.
“That’s the one. He drives Ashley up a wall. It’s entertaining.”
“Really? He’s always so sweet and charming.”
“She thinks everything comes so easily for him. He bullshits and charms everyone in court, whereas she works so hard on her cases,” Stella said.
“Yeah, some attorneys have a knack for that.” Attorneys who were charismatic did have an advantage in front of juries and some judges.
“Hey ladies, sorry to keep you waiting,” Ashley said. “What do you guys think is going to happen? Since both Luke and Brad are Democrats, he can’t vote the party line. He has to come up with some other reason for his support.”
“It also means the primary will determine the winner in June. We won’t have to wait until November,” Stella said.
“That’s nice for Luke then. He won’t have to campaign through November,” I said.
Even though Luke had decided to give us a second chance, not much had changed. Between his campaign and his job, we barely saw each other.
“So how are you and Luke since his Love Letter to the Editor?” Ashley asked.
I blushed. It was flattering that Luke expressed his desire for a relationship with me publicly, but it was still a little embarrassing that everyone knew our business. “We’re good. Not much time to pursue anything right now between his job and his election
.”
“I’ve been meaning to find out how you’ve been since that guy attacked you. I keep forgetting to text you,” Stella said.
“How do you know about that? I thought it wasn’t supposed to be made public.” I asked.
“Oh, everything gets around this town quickly. Just because it doesn’t officially make it to the paper doesn’t mean that everyone doesn’t know.” She looked at me with concern, “I’m sure one of the officers mentioned it to his wife or something and it just spread.”
“I’m fine. Luke still doesn’t know who did it though,” I said. “I wasn’t much help. I didn’t even get a good look at the guy.”
“Hopefully Luke figures it out soon,” Stella said. “Ashley, what were you talking to Logan about? It looked intense.”
“Oh, we argue about everything. We have a case together next week he’s being a hardass about.” She shrugged.
“Really?” I asked. Logan had an easy way about him. I wouldn’t have described him as intense. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be a hard ass about a case. He usually apologizes and blames the police officer or the victim if he has to take a stance on something.”
“I think I bring it out in him.” Ashley shrugged. “Have you talked to Luke yet?” she asked, scanning the ever-growing crowd.
“No. I texted him good luck but he hasn’t responded yet. I’m sure he’s really busy,” I said.
“Thank you all for coming today,” the mayor’s press secretary said. “We called this press conference today because Mayor Good has an announcement to make regarding the sheriff’s election.” She turned toward Mayor Good and gestured that he should approach the podium.
“Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for coming out on this beautiful morning. I’m sorry for taking so long to announce my support for sheriff but I wanted to make sure I fully considered both sides before I made a decision,” the mayor said, using a handkerchief to wipe at sweat on his forehead. Was he nervous? It was warm, but not so much that I was sweating. I looked around and no one else seemed uncomfortable. I turned my attention back to the stage.
“I’ve carefully considered Brad Campbell and Luke Hudson’s platforms for sheriff. I’ve had time to speak with both candidates to discuss their visions for the county and what they hope to bring to the department. They are both great candidates, but I have to say I share Luke Hudson’s vision. At this time, I’d like to announce my support for Luke Hudson for Sheriff of Kent County.” He paused while people clapped and yelled their support.
I noticed that Luke was standing off to the side next to Brad Campbell, and Brad did not look happy. No, it was more than that, he looked pissed. It was almost as if he had been expecting the mayor to announce his name.
Mayor Good continued, “I like Luke’s fresh approach to the position. He’s a Chestertown native. As such, he brings a unique perspective to the job and to his plans for the community.
“Whether Luke had experience outside the county did not sway my opinion because the problems we face here are different than in Baltimore City. We are a small rural area and Luke’s community policing vision is exactly what we need. I greatly respect Luke’s work ethic and vision. I look forward to working with him in the future. Vote Luke Hudson for Sheriff in June.”
The crowd roared in approval but I kept my eye on Brad Campbell. His fists were tightly clenched and his lips were drawn into a straight line. Luke turned to shake his hand and I almost thought Brad wasn’t going to acknowledge him. It was a tense moment until he reluctantly shook his hand and Luke turned to the mayor. Luke shook the mayor’s hand, thanked him, and then approached the podium. He waited for the cheering and clapping to die down before he began.
“Thank you for coming out today. I want to thank Mayor Good for his support. I look forward to working with him to make my vision a reality.”
As Luke finished thanking everyone, I kept my eye on Brad Campbell. He stayed and listened to Luke for a few minutes but then abruptly turned on his heel and walked off, blending into the crowd.
I looked over at Stella who was watching him too. “Did you see that?” I asked her.
“I did. It almost seemed like he expected a different outcome,” she said, thoughtfully.
“Yeah, he seemed shocked and then he got pissed,” I said, in agreement. “Luke didn’t have a heads up as to what the mayor’s decision was. Based on Brad’s reaction I wonder if Mayor Good told Brad that he would support him at some point and then changed his mind without telling him.”
“That’s a possibility. Interesting,” Stella said.
I could practically see the wheels moving in her head. She sniffed a big story there and I didn’t think she would stop until she figured it out.
“I’ve got to go talk to the mayor and the candidates for the paper. This just got a whole lot more interesting,” she said as she headed towards the podium where a crowd was already forming.
I turned to Ashley. “I’m going to find Luke and congratulate him.”
“Sure, okay. I need to head over to the office.”
“On a Saturday?” I asked, exasperated. I wished Ashley would take some time off and relax. She worked way too hard.
“Yeah, I have a jury trial starting on Monday. That’s the case I have with Logan,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Okay, don’t stay too long.” I chided.
“Yes, mom.” She grinned, and then slowly wound her way through the crowd to walk back to the courthouse.
I turned my attention back to the front, looking for Luke. He was busy answering questions from various reporters. I decided to move over to the side of the stage and wait for him to be done. When the crowd cleared, he finally came over to greet me.
“Hey, Mr. Sheriff.” I greeted him with a smile. “It’s not every day you get the mayor’s support.”
He grinned down at me. “No it’s not.”
“Want to celebrate?” I asked, stepping close for a hug.
After a second’s hesitation he pulled me to him, squeezed me tight, and then pulled back to look at me. “Want to get out of here and see my farm?”
“Absolutely.” I couldn’t help grinning. I had never been to his house and I was curious. It felt significant that he could take me anywhere to celebrate but he wanted to show me his home. I was excited for some alone time too.
It took a bit to get through the crowd, but finally we made it to his truck. As we drove out of town, the farms became more visible. Green grass and cornfields lined the road and long driveways led to homes hidden by tall trees. I tried without luck to get a good look at the homes. I was curious if they were old farm homes or newer mansions. The land on the Eastern Shore was noticeably flat compared to the rest of the state and added to its charm.
“It’s so peaceful out here,” I said, looking over at Luke. “I can see why you prefer to live out here instead of in town.”
“It’s the house I grew up in. My parents moved to Florida a few years ago.”
“Oh, your brother didn’t want to live here?” I asked, looking over at him.
“It’s more convenient for him to live near campus, since he’s a professor.”
His face lit up as he talked about his family. It was nice to learn more about him.
“I moved back in and renovated it. My parents took all of their belongings so I was able to make it my own.” He looked over at me, and said, “I like the privacy too. In town, I get stopped a lot.”
“That separation will be even more important when you become sheriff,” I said. I could feel his excitement when I said that. Now that he had the mayor’s support he was probably feeling more confident in his ability to win.
“If I win. But I appreciate the support.” As we turned down his long driveway, he said, “I can’t farm the land right now. I’m just too busy. So I rent it out to farmers who need the land for their crops. It works out for everyone for the time being.”
“You would like to farm it eventually?” I asked, guessing that’s
what he meant.
“Yeah, it’s in my blood. I miss it.”
“Wow,” I said, as we approached his house. This was not like the farmhouse I grew up in. The outside wasn’t showing any signs of wear or tear like most of the farms in my hometown.
“I’m in love,” I said, as we walked up to a wraparound porch with a swing and rocking chairs where you could sit out front and watch life go by. I could hear a dog barking from behind the front door. I looked up at Luke in surprise. I hadn’t realized he had a dog. It had never come up.
Luke opened the door and a chocolate lab greeted us. He was prancing around and sniffling at my hand in greeting. I reached out to pet his head. “Oh, he’s so sweet,” I gushed.
“This is Hunter. I got him when I moved here. A farm needs a dog.”
I smiled up at him in approval. “It sure does. He suits you too.” The fact that Luke had a dog made him more attractive, if that was even possible.
He grabbed Hunter’s collar, so I could walk past him into the kitchen.
I turned my attention to the kitchen as we walked in. It was the farmhouse style that was so popular right now. I looked around the room, taking in the white apron sink, blue vintage-looking cabinets, butcher block countertops, and gleaming stainless steel appliances. There was no kitchen table but I could see a dining room set in the room next door. I ran my fingers along the large island. “You spared no expense in here.” I didn’t ask it as a question because it was obvious. Everything looked to be top of the line.
“I don’t pay a mortgage so I was able to fix it up like I want.”
I nodded in understanding. The kitchen was open to the large family room with a wall of windows overlooking the back fields. “Did you knock down a wall here?” In my experience most farmhouses had walls everywhere and small square rooms.
“Yes, it was totally worth it for that view.”
I found myself drawn to those windows where I could now see a large deck with steps going down to the backyard and the fields behind it. Luke opened the French doors and Hunter bounded out and down the steps to the backyard below. We stepped out onto the deck together and watched Hunter run around the back yard looking for a place to pee. There was a large patio on the ground surrounding a fire pit. “This is a great space, Luke,” I said, gesturing to the large deck and the patio below. “You did a good job here.”