Read Online Stillborn Armadillos (John Lee Quarrels Book 1) by Nick Russell - Free Book Online
Authors: Nick Russell
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is comin' to, John Lee. Beth Ann tells me that Emily's a part time lesbian or somethin', and you and her are doin'... I don't even want to think about that. When did life get so damn complicated?"
"I don't know, D.W. I don't know what's going on with Emily. I've tried to be patient, hoping she'd get her head together, but I just don't know anymore. And this thing with Beth Ann... just kick my ass and get it over with, okay?"
"I ain't gonna kick your ass, because it wouldn't do any good no how. I know a hard dick ain't got no conscience. Learned that from my own daddy with the crap he was pullin' before he dropped over dead. And I ain't gonna fire you, either. I wish my wife had never talked me into hiring Flag in the first place all those years ago. Worst decision I ever made sittin' here in this office."
"So what about his piece of paper here wanting me suspended and fired?"
"Tell you what, John Lee, why don't you walk down the hall there to Flag's office and tell that son of a Suzuki to wipe his tokus with it. And if he says anythin' else about that pistol you got on your gun belt, you tell him to come see me about it and talk to me with you sittin' here man-to-man. Not sendin' some bullfeather piece of paper like this through channels."
"Will do," John Lee said with a grin.
"Before you go, we need to talk about somethin' else."
A list of all of his possible sins went through John Lee's mind. If he was off the hook on the argument with Fig and nobody had reported his fast run to the county line, and D.W. was not pushing the issue about the relationship between he and Beth Ann, he wasn't sure what was coming next.
"I don't want Flag runnin' the investigation into those skeletons you found."
"Okay. Why not?"
"You know why not. He'd do anything he could do to get his face in front of the press and make himself look important. So I'm puttin' you in charge of the case."
"He's not gonna like that."
"I don't give a donkey's dingdong what Flag Newton likes or don't like. I'm the sheriff, and he needs to remember that!"
"Yes, sir."
"So until further notice, you're off road duty and you only answer calls for assistance when there's nobody else available to handle them."
"Any word from Tallahassee yet?"
"I haven't heard anything," D.W. said. He fished in his desk drawer and pulled out a pink telephone memo slip. "The person you want to talk to over there is named Shania Jones."
"Not Jayne with a Y?"
"No, she's one of the field people. This Shania is in charge of the lab there where they do that stuff. I told her you'd be her contact here at the Sheriff's Department."
"Thanks D.W., I appreciate your faith in me."
"Well, I gotta tell ya' it's a bit strained right now. And I still might take a baseball bat to you one of these days. But of all the people that have pissed me off lately, I trust you more than I do Flag. Now get out of here and go tell him what's what. And tell him if he's got any questions to come see me."
John Lee had expected Fig to hit the roof, and the Chief Deputy didn't disappoint him.
"This is bullshit! Absolute bullshit! It's nepotism, that's what it is, and I won't stand for it! I'll take this to the county commission if I have to."
"So you're going to tell them that your brother-in-law, the sheriff, overruled you in favor of his son-in-law, a deputy?"
"Don't you start any shit with me, you peckerwood."
"Hey, don't kill the messenger. D.W. said if you want to talk about it he's right down the hall."
"And that's exactly where I'm goin' right now," Flag said, coming around his desk and purposely bumping John Lee hard with his elbow as he went by.
As much as he was tempted to punch the man out, Flag was still his superior officer, so John Lee resisted the impulse. Instead he followed him down to D.W.'s office.
"Who the hell do you think you are, overrulin' me like this, D.W.?"
"Accordin' to this here nameplate on my desk, I'm the sheriff. That's who I think I am."
"I won't stand for this.
"I don't know, D.W. I don't know what's going on with Emily. I've tried to be patient, hoping she'd get her head together, but I just don't know anymore. And this thing with Beth Ann... just kick my ass and get it over with, okay?"
"I ain't gonna kick your ass, because it wouldn't do any good no how. I know a hard dick ain't got no conscience. Learned that from my own daddy with the crap he was pullin' before he dropped over dead. And I ain't gonna fire you, either. I wish my wife had never talked me into hiring Flag in the first place all those years ago. Worst decision I ever made sittin' here in this office."
"So what about his piece of paper here wanting me suspended and fired?"
"Tell you what, John Lee, why don't you walk down the hall there to Flag's office and tell that son of a Suzuki to wipe his tokus with it. And if he says anythin' else about that pistol you got on your gun belt, you tell him to come see me about it and talk to me with you sittin' here man-to-man. Not sendin' some bullfeather piece of paper like this through channels."
"Will do," John Lee said with a grin.
"Before you go, we need to talk about somethin' else."
A list of all of his possible sins went through John Lee's mind. If he was off the hook on the argument with Fig and nobody had reported his fast run to the county line, and D.W. was not pushing the issue about the relationship between he and Beth Ann, he wasn't sure what was coming next.
"I don't want Flag runnin' the investigation into those skeletons you found."
"Okay. Why not?"
"You know why not. He'd do anything he could do to get his face in front of the press and make himself look important. So I'm puttin' you in charge of the case."
"He's not gonna like that."
"I don't give a donkey's dingdong what Flag Newton likes or don't like. I'm the sheriff, and he needs to remember that!"
"Yes, sir."
"So until further notice, you're off road duty and you only answer calls for assistance when there's nobody else available to handle them."
"Any word from Tallahassee yet?"
"I haven't heard anything," D.W. said. He fished in his desk drawer and pulled out a pink telephone memo slip. "The person you want to talk to over there is named Shania Jones."
"Not Jayne with a Y?"
"No, she's one of the field people. This Shania is in charge of the lab there where they do that stuff. I told her you'd be her contact here at the Sheriff's Department."
"Thanks D.W., I appreciate your faith in me."
"Well, I gotta tell ya' it's a bit strained right now. And I still might take a baseball bat to you one of these days. But of all the people that have pissed me off lately, I trust you more than I do Flag. Now get out of here and go tell him what's what. And tell him if he's got any questions to come see me."
John Lee had expected Fig to hit the roof, and the Chief Deputy didn't disappoint him.
"This is bullshit! Absolute bullshit! It's nepotism, that's what it is, and I won't stand for it! I'll take this to the county commission if I have to."
"So you're going to tell them that your brother-in-law, the sheriff, overruled you in favor of his son-in-law, a deputy?"
"Don't you start any shit with me, you peckerwood."
"Hey, don't kill the messenger. D.W. said if you want to talk about it he's right down the hall."
"And that's exactly where I'm goin' right now," Flag said, coming around his desk and purposely bumping John Lee hard with his elbow as he went by.
As much as he was tempted to punch the man out, Flag was still his superior officer, so John Lee resisted the impulse. Instead he followed him down to D.W.'s office.
"Who the hell do you think you are, overrulin' me like this, D.W.?"
"Accordin' to this here nameplate on my desk, I'm the sheriff. That's who I think I am."
"I won't stand for this.
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