“What’s that?”
“I may have hired you under false pretenses.”
“How’s that?”
“I told you the job was temporary because I expected Devon Ryan would be coming back any minute. It turns out he isn’t. He turned in his letter of resignation this morning. Internal Affairs was looking into some possible charges against him, but now that he’s leaving we’ll let that go. It’ll keep my department from having more of a black mark than it already has.”
Which will also be good for Sheriff Gordon Maxwell, Ali thought. Some of that Internal Affairs fallout might well have blown back on the sheriff himself.
“What about Sally Harrison?” she asked. “Is she getting her job back?”
“You knew about all of that, too?” Sheriff Maxwell asked. “About the two of them carrying on?”
“Yes,” she said. “I knew. Did Devon say anything to you about Holly Mesina?”
“I’m not sure why, but it turns out she’s quitting, too,” Sheriff Maxwell said. “It’s too bad, but under the circumstances it’s probably just as well. I’ll be better off with fewer people on the payroll.”
“Yes,” Ali agreed. “I’m sure you will.”
“So, getting back to what I was saying before. With Devon not coming back, will you stay on for the time being?”
“For the time being,” Ali told him. “Unless something better comes along.”
“Good,” Sheriff Maxwell said. “That’s just what I wanted to hear. What are you doing for the next month?”
“What do you mean?”
“Someone just dropped out of the upcoming police academy training class down in Peoria. When I heard they had an opening, I asked them to hold it for me long enough to check with you. How about it? Will you go? The media relations job will be here waiting for you once you graduate.”
Ali thought about it, but not for long.
“My mother will have a fit,” she said, “but I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.A. Jance is the top-ten
