Page 2 of Justice for Samara

“I’d suspected for a while, but I didn’t know for sure. And now we all do. So I wanted to talk to you.”

“Yes, sir. I think Justin would be a fine candidate.”

Carter stood there for a minute, seemingly deep in thought, before he finally said, “I wasn’t thinking about Watson. I was thinking about you.”

“M-m-me, sir? I mean, Watson’s been there five years longer than me, and I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and?”

“You were sharp enough to save my life. If it hadn’t been for you, I’d be dead now. So yes?I think you’re a great candidate.”

“But Justin?”

“This isn’t Justin’s call. Besides, you’ve got one thing Justin doesn’t.”

“What, sir?”

“You’ve got a way with people, Michael. They like you. They trust you. I’ve watched you in action, and you’re the real deal. So consider this the informal version of me offering you the spot as chief deputy, but say nothing until I make the formal announcement.”

Michael couldn’t think straight. Carter wanted him to be the chief deputy? He wasn’t even sure what he should say. “You… Are yousure, sir?”

“I’m as sure as I’ve ever been about anything. I think you’d be the perfect person for the job.”

He was dreaming. He had to be. “Uh, okay.”

Carter let out a little chuckle. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes. I mean, yes! It’s a yes! Yes, sir. I’ll take it. I mean, thank you for your confidence in me and I’d be honored to serve as chief deputy under you. You’re a great sheriff, hard-working, fair, sharp?”

“You can quit kissing my ass, Edwards. You’ve got the job,” Carter said with a smirk.

“I’m not, sir. I…” Michael tried to quell the excitement and also the sadness he felt. “You’ve been like… like a father to me, sir. You truly have.”

“Well, first off, I’m not that much older than you,” Carter said with obvious sarcasm. Then Michael saw the muscles in the sheriff’s face soften. “But thank you for saying that. I know you miss your dad. The whole damn county does. WilsonEdwards was a man among men. And I can tell you that he was very, very proud of you, Michael. Very proud.”

Getting mushy in front of the sheriff wasn’t something he wanted to do, but his heart was still raw. Everybody in TriggCounty said his dad had been the best county judge executive they’d ever had. He’d been returning from a conference when the little plane he was riding in crashed on federal land, Land Between the Lakes. He, the county attorney, and the mayor had been killed, along with the pilot. The whole town had mourned, but Michael and Marjorie had been totally and completely lost. His mother adored his dad, and being the only child, he and Wilson had spent a lot of time together. “Thank you for saying that, sir. It means a lot to me.”

“You’re very welcome. So I’ll just plan on making it official next week.” Then Carter laughed. “Now, you’d better get home and eat whatever your mom has made or you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Boy, that’s sure true. Thanks, sir. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. See you tomorrow.” Carter gave Michael a backhanded wave as he meandered out the front door, and Michael stood there in shock.

Chief DeputyMichael Edwards. He’d never thought he’d hear those words all strung together. A promotion. A pay raise. A house. Now if he could just find a woman to make it a home with.

Fat chance of that.

* * *

There wasa slow drizzle slicking up the roadways, and Michael stopped only once on his way to the department to call in an accident. Mr.Henry had been going a little fast around the bend and slid into a tree. The last thing he heard Mr.Henry say as he headed to his car made Michael sad. “I guess my daughter will stop me from driving now.” He’d known Mr.Henry all his life, and the old man was patient and kind. Michael decided he’d offer the fellow a ride from time to time. It was the right thing to do.

Everyone’s cruisers were out front when he pulled up, so he grabbed a cup of coffee and settled in behind his desk. Voices wafted up the hallway from the far end, and he knew it was Carter and GrayLewis. What little he could hear sounded friendly, so he assumed it was discussion of what would be happening once Gray was gone. Carter had always respected Gray’s opinion, and Gray had always been nice to Michael, so he had no reason to think the soon-to-be-former chief deputy would try to torpedo him.

As the ink from his pen was drying on the report he’d just finished, Gray came out and Carter appeared in the hallway’s entrance. “Edwards, could you come back here for a minute, please?”

“Yes, sir.” After slipping the report into a folder, he wandered down the hallway and into Carter’s office, then pointed at the door. Carter nodded, so Michael closed it. “What’s up, sir?”

“This is where everybody thinks I’m offering you the position. Of course, Watson doesn’t know yet, so he has no idea what’s going on.”

“You don’t think Gray told him?”

---