Page 75 of Dark Sky

“I’m not sure this is enough. Why don’t we wait until morning before we run around with our hair on fire?”

“It’s more than enough,” Marybeth said. “The reason I’m here is, I was told by your office that a search-and-rescue effort has to be approved and signed off personally by you before it can be done. Since you aren’t answering your phone, I had to come here and wake you up in person.”

Tibbs flinched.

That’s when a good-looking middle-aged woman wearing a short dark robe peered around the corner from the hallway.

“Scott, what’s going on?”

Marybeth recognized her as Ruthanne Hubbard, one of the longtime dispatchers for the sheriff’s department. She had a semipermanent stool at the Stockman’s Bar when she wasn’t working for the county. Ruthanne was attractive in a rough-edged way and she had at least two ex-husbands Marybeth knew about.

“Hello, Ruthanne,” Marybeth said.

“Hello, Marybeth.”

“Three of the books you checked out are long overdue.”

“I might have lost them.”

“Come in during business hours and we’ll get it sorted out.”

“I’ll do that.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m having a private conversation with Sheriff Tibbs.”

“I don’t mind.” But she didn’t move.

“Go back to the bedroom,” Marybeth said to her with a sigh.

“Oh, right. I was just making sure everything was okay out here.”

“It isn’t, but we don’t need your help.”

“Is it concerning Joe?” Ruthanne asked.

“Yes.”

“Is he okay?”

“I hope so.”

“I do, too. I really like him. He’s always polite when I talk to him. Not every cop or officer is like that.”

“Ruthanne, please,” Tibbs said wearily.

“This is kind of part of my job,” Ruthanne said to him.

“Not tonight it isn’t,” he replied.

“Okay, I’ll see you later, Marybeth. It was good to see you. I hope Joe’s okay.”

“I do, too. Come in about those books.”

“I will.” Then to Tibbs: “See you soon.”

Tibbs sighed and looked at the floor. His face was beet red and his bare feet suddenly splotchy.

Marybeth said, “Caught. No wonder you weren’t picking up.”

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