Cross County 2

It was a four minute drive from his house on Live Oak drive to the court house on Main Street. Main Street in Fowler Florida was not the most happening place in the state, but could give any other place in Cross County a run for its money. There is a steady stream of traffic heading to and from Highway 182 which intersects Main Street half a mile south of the court house. James watched the traffic for a second before heading into the municipal building. Once inside he took the hallways on the right of the lobby which lead to the offices of the sheriff department. There was another lobby at the end of the hall with a counter and some chairs along the walls sitting quietly underneath the array of law informant posters displayed in the room. James went to the counter to find Deputy Louisa Gonzales sitting behind it reading a gossip magazine. Deputy Gonzales only briefly looked away from her magazine to see that it was James before turning the page and looking back

“You’re late.”

“I know.” James replied. “Is the sheriff in yet?”

“He’s in court, Judge Jessup.”

“And what about David?” James was straightening his tie in his reflection off one of the windows in the room.

“Deputy Moss is also in court with the sheriff.” James stopped straightening his tie.

“Was I supposed to be in court too?” he asked nervously

“No sir, just on time for once, but I see you couldn’t even manage that. There is pizza sauce on you tie by the way.” James looked down and right where his hand had been a moment before there was sauce, it was on his hand too, he licked it off both his hand and his tie. “You seem out of sorts this morning inspector, is every thing all right?”

“Just fine Louisa.”

“It was the wheel of fortune dream again wasn’t it.” James froze for a second and it all came flooding back to him. A shiver ran down his spine and his jaw tightened as his eyes went glassy and he could see Vanna shaking his head at him and Sajak laughing with his perfect hair and teeth. “Did you at lest get to guess a letter this time?” he shook his head no and let out a sigh at the same time. “Its ok sir, I know you can spell.” She turned the page of her magazine once more. “By the way Miss Olivia Sanders is here, she wants to tell you something.”

“My aunt Olive is here?” James tightened up again as he turned his head to see the small 69 year old woman sitting quietly in the corner with a book of crossword puzzles. He turned his head back and gave Deputy Gonzales and dirty look, not that she was looking at him. “You let me lick my tie in front of her.” He hissed out under his breath.

“Be on time tomorrow and I won’t tell the sheriff you were late today.” And with that James could tell that the deputy was done with the conversation. He turned now to his aunt sitting in the corner. He walked slowly to her and took the orange plastic chair next to hers where he waited patiently for her to look up from her puzzle. She glanced up at one point to see him there, looked back down and scanned her page.

“Jimmy what is a four letter word that means “at no time, poetically”? The second letter is and “e”.” James thought for a second before giving his answer.

“I guess it would be Ne’er, spelled N-E apostasy E-R. It’s a contraction only poet’s use.” She scribbled with her pencil for a bit before looking up and smiling

“It fits, good lad, all that schooling was good for something.”

“Aunt Olive is that the reason you came all the way down here is it?” James was trying as hard as he could to give his aunt a sideways look of displeasure. She simply patted his cheek.

“Don’t make that face dear, it’s very unbecoming.” James let out a sigh and heard a ruffle of paper from behind the counter. “The reason I came was that I wanted to invite you out to dinner at my house tonight. There is a problem I think you could give me some help on.”

“Does this problem have a name and wear a skirt?”

“It might, but unlike the last time there is actually a problem.” She went back to here cross word puzzle. “And before you ask we are not calling the cops, why would we when my nephew is a Deputy Inspector?”

“Well I’m sorry Aunt Olive but I have plans for dinner tonight.” He lied. Then he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, got up and started to walk behind the counter.

“Some time this week Jimmy, I mean it.” She was not even looking up from her puzzle.

James passed through to the offices behind the counter and proceeded to a door labeled Investigations. Once inside he flopped down into a padded chair and closed his eyes. Then he heard a deep slow voice, “Was it the wheel of fortune dream again?” it was the voice of Deputy Inspector Ronny Jones, the only other investigator in the department. Ronny was six foot five, 64 years old with a mess of salt and pepper hair that never looked trimmed. James always thought he looked more like a farmer then a policeman, and it made sense, Ronny handled all the agricultural related crimes.

James opened his eyes and saw Ronny running his finger along a map of the county they had framed on the wall. “What happened?” James asked

“Another young cow was taken, I think 2 days ago but the farmer just realized this morning.”

“Where?”

“Darrel’s place, the fence on the north 40 had been cut and a trailer backed up to it.”

“Just like the other 5 cases.” James got up from the chair and sat down again behind his desk. He picked up a stack of files and shuffled through them. A few missing items and handful of car crashes, and a mugging. All procedural, all boring. He sighed again he tossed the files down again.

“You should stop sighing; you should like a love sick cow. And don’t dismiss those cases, they need to be done, people are waiting on them.”

“I’m saving them for David, he needs the practice. He should be out of court soon then we can get started. Where’s my newspaper?” James searched his desk but to no avail.

“Sheriff took it to court with him.” James sighed again. Just then Deputy Gonzales burst into the room.