No Inner Limit
Page 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX – Subterfuge
Autry stopped at Martin’s General Store on the way back to the station. He said hello to Janie, then walked back to Gizelle’s office. “Did you know the blonde lady that came in here Saturday night stole from you?”
“No she didn’t. I watched her the whole time, and the other one that was with her too.”
“Yeah, she did. The other one you just mentioned showed me the perfume, and the receipt that did not include the perfume.”
“Ok, Autry. What are you trying to tell me? You covering up something?”
“I had to lock up the blonde woman once I found out she ripped you off. Let’s just leave it at that. An’ if anyone comes in here askin’ about her, you tell ‘em she stole perfume and that I locked her up overnight, then let her go this mornin’.”
“Oh, good grief, Sheriff, what have you got yourself into?” Gizelle was absolutely positive there was no theft that night, so the lawman was involved in something that needed her help. And of course she would help.
“And if they come in askin’ about her, they’ll ask about the other teenage girl, too. You tell ‘em you don’t know a thing about her. You hear? I’m gonna go out front an’ tell Janie the same thing.”
“So who is it that would be coming here asking questions?”
“Glad you asked. It might be people that identify themselves with a badge, like the State Police; or credentials, like the FBI. But iff’n they don’t show ID’s, you have your piece close by. Could be dangerous people comin’ this way. You let me know soon as somethin’ like any of that happens.”
“What the hell is going on, Autry?”
“Ain’t sayin’. It’s better for you not to know. Now I gotta go talk to Janie. I want her to do some work for me, on the side, of course.”
He found Janie on aisle two setting up the Fourth of July merchandise. Gizelle was right at his side, curious as to what he’d tell Janie and what he wanted her to do. After explaining to Janie what he had just told Gizelle, he handed her three sheets of paper. “If you’re interested, I can arrange for you and Jeff to get free NIL for a good, long while.”
“Wooeee! Are you serious? Of course I’m interested.”
“This here’s the names of folks that used the NIL in the past, or present. You contact them and have them email me with how the NIL has helped them, if it has. An’ they need to say if there’s been side effects. I need this done ASAP. You wanna do it?”
“Piece of cake, Autry. Heck fire, many of these folks come in the store all the time so I know ‘em good. It’ll be a pleasure to help and get free NIL.”
Back at the station, Autry asked Donna to go to the Kroger store and pick up the Monday chicken special for the both of them. He gave her a twenty dollar bill and sent her on her way. Once gone, he retrieved the in-take paperwork for Tracy out of the file cabinet. He shredded it for it contained the reason for incarceration as being suspicion of extortion and life endangerment. He prepared a new in-take that stated the reason for detainment was theft. Then he prepared the exit paperwork and time stamped it to a time before the KSP fax arrived. The deception just might work, he thought, but if it didn’t, there would be an internal investigation and he would be in boiling hot water.
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