“I do. Deputy, you two get it loaded, and I’ll meet you down by the river at the old fishing spot. I don’t want anyone to see it before Saturday. Be there in an hour,” he commanded. “I’ve got to take care of something first.”
Sheriff Johnson readied the breakfast trays. “Only a couple more days, gentlemen,” he called out. “I trust you will put on a good show for my citizens. Judge, let me know right now if you’re going to throw another tray of food. It won’t go over too well next time.”
Judge Lowry didn’t respond. He scowled but did not overturn his tray this morning.
“We need to talk,” he told the Sheriff after accepting the food tray. “Just us in your office.”
“You remember Kate, my girlfriend. Right?” asked the Sheriff.
“Yes, but what does that have to do with us talking?”
“She will be here soon, so we can all talk together.”
“That’s bull. Why would I want her opinion?” said the Judge.
“Because I do. Sit tight and eat your breakfast.”
* * * *
“Hey babe,” said the Sheriff as Kate walked through the front door minutes later. “Thanks for coming in today.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for anything—except maybe a trip to Hawaii!”
He called to his deputy to bring the Judge to his office.
“You want him cuffed, right boss?”
“No, I don’t,” he replied after seeing Kate’s head go back and forth. “Give us a few minutes, then bring him in.”
* * * * *
“Why no cuffs?” he asked his girlfriend.
“It’s more fun this way. I’m not worried about him overpowering you, or even me for that matter. But bring him up with no cuffs on, and he just might think he’s walking out of here, back into his old role. That’s the hope I want to take away from that dirtbag that always put you second over the years. Put the cuffs on at the end of our meeting, and the look on his face will be priceless.”
“Okay then. It doesn’t matter to me either way, so let’s get this done,” he replied.
The meeting started out friendly under the circumstances, with Judge Lowry pretending he didn’t tell the sitting Sheriff he had badly lost the election or that he told him his girlfriend ran the show.
“What we need,” started Judge Lowry, “is a path back to where we were before this whole misunderstanding happened.”
“There is no misunderstanding, Judge,” Kate jumped in. “You’ve been running my fiancé around like a dog on a leash for too long. And then you try to get James VanFleet on your side against us?”
“Not against both of you, and not even against you, Sheriff… What is she doing here, anyway?” he said, pointing to Kate. “She speaks for you now?”
The moment was awkward, and for the first time in a while, Sheriff Johnson could feel his stomach tighten. He thought of Jason leaving a room whenever things got heated. Now he was the one needing a break.
“Excuse me!” he blurted out, calling for his deputy to go into the office until he returned.
The Judge continued with Kate, sensing an opportunity and hoping to negotiate a peace treaty of sorts before the Sheriff returned.
“Cuff him to the chair,” she told the deputy.
“But the Sheriff told me to...”
“I’m telling you now,” she snapped.
The deputy did as instructed, cuffing his prisoner’s right hand to the chair, and stepped out.
“I’ll be right outside the door; just knock if you need me,” he said.
“I always figured it would come down to this someday,” started the Judge.
“Down to what?” she asked.
“You and me reaching some sort of agreement without him here.”
She smiled without a response.
“Okay. Here’s the deal,” she said. “You agree to leave this town and never return, and I’ll do my best to keep your neck out of a noose.”
“Why would I agree to that?”
“Because if you don’t, you will hang or maybe be thrown into a mix with the two soon-to-be gladiators back there, or following Ken jumping on a motorcycle over your own courthouse.” She paused, letting the words sink in.
“Oh, you mean the Ken in the back cell, who used to help with maintenance projects around the courthouse maybe five or six years ago?”
Kate kept her composure and didn’t acknowledge the accusation she knew would come next.
“Yes, the same young man,” he continued, “that was dating a local girl named Kate, I believe. You two were talking about getting married, if I remember right. I’m sure that’s hard for your new boyfriend…I mean fiancé…pardon my mistake. I just get confused when the Sheriff refers to you as his girlfriend, but you call him your fiancé. I’m sure there is a logical explanation. I’m sure it’s also hard for the Sheriff having you two former lovebirds so close to him now. Am I being obtuse?”
Kate paused, not being able to remember the last time she was at a loss for words.
“Oh, now I see,” he continued. “The Sheriff doesn’t know you two were lovers, so much so that you almost got married…”
She turned a fiery red and wanted to choke him to death with her bare hands. Without hesitation, she reached back her right hand, bringing it swiftly across his cheek, leaving four finger markings.
“I’m the only reason you’re not dead yet, Judge. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I’ll have your head in a jar on my dining room table. Do you understand me?” she called out louder than she wanted, grabbing the collar of his shirt. “Do you?” she screamed as the door opened and Sheriff Johnson came back inside.
“I told you to stay inside!” the Sheriff spat to his deputy.
“We’re done here,” said Kate. “Judge Lowry has a lot to think about. Come on, honey. You promised me lunch at the Tavern and dessert at home,” she said, with a sassy yet flirtatious smile.
“That I did. Okay, let’s get him back in the cell, Deputy, and I’ll take it up again later.”
* * * * * *
