Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Roy had gone so far as to take it to the union, arguing an investigator didn’t need to pass a fitness exam.
Since it was policy, and he was given three months before the first exam, and another three months to try to pass the second, he’d lost his appeal.
That said, Dern was also a lazy ass, so it wouldn’t surprise him at all if Dern didn’t even read the report before he signed off on it and filed it away, leaving a mother and a bunch of friends with no answers as to the death of someone they cared about.
“Ballard’s mother seemed to make herself pretty clear when she confronted you about the results of your investigation,” Rus pointed out.
“Doesn’t say a lot about her, she let her son get to that point,” Dern retorted. “They act out like that when they know they got some blame. And at least I”—he shot a shitty look at Harry—“went to bat for my boy and didn’t let some hysterical woman sway me into questioning his abilities.”
Harry didn’t rise to the bait.
“What else you got?” Dern sneered.
“We’re not at liberty to discuss an active murder investigation,” Harry told him, and Dern tried to hold the sneer, but the color was not returning to his face. “Though, I wouldn’t go anywhere.”
“You had something on me, you wouldn’t waste a trip out here to chat,” Dern spewed. “You’d haul me in. So I know you got dick.”
Harry took one step forward, and talking low, his gaze fastened on his ex-boss, he said, “No, Leland. We’ve found countless cases of shoddy police work, which, fortunately for you, we can’t do anything about. We’ve also got fifteen cases you need to be really, really worried about, because the first two we reopened put your ass in a sling. So I reckon the next thirteen aren’t gonna go much better for you.”
Harry indicated where he was standing with a flick of his hand and finished.
“Consider this me scratching at the last dregs of respect I had for you, not that there was much to begin with. Get in touch with your attorneys, because this is the most comfortable chat you’re likely going to have with me.”
“Fuck you, Moran,” Dern clipped.
“Always a pleasure,” Harry replied.
He turned, caught Rus’s gaze, and they walked back to the cruiser.
They got in, and after Harry re-snapped the strap on his weapon, he pulled out his phone.
Are we good with wine? He sent to Lillian.
She and her women had gone through three bottles the night before.
He hit the button to fire up the engine and took one last look at Dern’s small A-frame.
The man had been married twice, and one of the many pluses of living in a small town was that word got around about men like Dern, so most of the women in town knew to keep well away. This being why he only had the two ex-wives.
Dern had been found guilty of misappropriation of funds by a public official, and eight counts of gross misdemeanor. The judge had been kind in sentencing, but not with the fines. Dern had to pay forty-five grand in fines, on top of legal fees, all this on top of losing his employment.
Harry knew it cleaned him out. Dern leaving MP wasn’t just about him tucking tail and running. He’d had to sell his house to cover his financial liabilities.
He was alone. Disgraced. And if not broke, close to it. Too old to be a cop, too publicly corrupt to run for sheriff in another county.
“Cautionary tale,” Rus said.
“Too right,” Harry agreed.
“That’s the first time I met that guy, and from what I’d heard, I knew he was an ass, but, Jesus. He exceeded expectations.”
“Yep,” Harry agreed again.
“You knew him, your take on that?” Rus asked.
“He knows he left behind a load of dirt. He just doesn’t know if we have enough to bury him with it.” Rus made no response, so Harry queried, “Your take not knowing him?”
“Tweaked right the fuck out.”
“Mm-hmm,” Harry hummed.
His phone vibed and he looked down at it.
I’ll get some in, came from Lillian.
I’ll get some, he returned.
Then he put the cruiser in gear and reversed out of Dern’s drive.
His phone vibed when he stopped to switch to drive.
I’m getting it or I’m forcing you to eat a brownie after dinner.
He smiled.
You win, he shot off before he switched gears and set them on their way.
“Shit works out in really fucking messed-up ways,” Rus remarked.
Harry glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
“I came to town because a young woman was brutally murdered. I stayed in town because, regardless of that, it’s a great place to live. And, not incidentally in the slightest, I fell in love with this beautiful woman you all kept hidden up in your forest on the side of a mountain. Something I should thank you all for, since it meant when I found her, I could claim her.”