Jan took Galloway’s outstretched hand and shook it like a politician, firmly but not too firmly, before dropping it. “You knew I was coming?” They thought he was a senator?
“No.” Galloway’s eyes bored into him as the man stepped back. “That’s what we in the boonies call ‘sarcasm.’ That’s why I had to pull two of my deputies off a domestic disturbance call and race here in an ATV, at a decidedly unsafe speed, to make sure none of my citizens caved your skull in with a shovel.” He scowled. “You realize you’ve made a real mess here, right?”
“Ah,” Jan said. “Perhaps I should have informed you of my arrival.” What in the world was this?
“Yeah,” Galloway said. “Also, maybe you shouldn’t have cut our payment for this year’s yield by another twenty percent, on top of the ten the senate cut last year. You folks are down to Supremacy prices now, which seems like a bad idea given, you know, history.” Galloway shrugged. “But what do I know about planetary politics? I’m just a small-town sheriff.”
“Right,” Jan said. “And so ...”
Galloway sighed. “You and your bodyguard can ride with me to the administration building.” He cocked an eyebrow. “At least you had the good sense to come in before sundown, when everyone was still out in the fields.”
“That seemed wise,” Jan agreed. He glanced at Bharat, who offered absolutely no help, and debated options.
Sheriff Galloway wanted to take him to Cliffside’s administration building, and declining would raise questions Jan wasn’t ready to answer just yet. Impersonating a sitting Ceto senator was the quickest way back to orbital prison short of shooting someone in the head, but what choice did he have?
It was Rafe. This felt like Rafe. Jan couldn’t say for certain why, but of all the possible explanations for why he’d arrived at a city he’d never visited to be greeted by cops who thought he was a Ceto senator, Rafe seemed the most likely. So if Rafe had done this, why had Rafe done this?
“Shall we?” Jan asked.
Galloway grunted and turned. “Carrell!” he shouted in the direction of the male deputy. “Finish securing the platform and call the station for a ride!”
From the end of the platform, Carell shouted back, “Aw, really, Chief?” So this was that kind of a police department.
“Miller!” Galloway directed that shout at the short woman, who snapped to attention. “You’re with me! We’ll escort Senator Patterson to the admin building!”
So they thought Jan was someone named Senator Patterson. If only he had a way to bring up the man’s bio and learn basic facts about his latest false identity. That would be one advantage, Jan admitted, to having a PBA installed.
Galloway and his female deputy, Miller, hopped into the two bucket seats in the front of the ATV, leaving Jan and Bharat to take those in the back. Four seats explained why Galloway was leaving Deputy Carrell behind — the modest vehicle literally wouldn’t fit another person — and its size said as much about Cliffside PD as the casual way its deputies spoke to its sheriff. Rafe had probably been running circles around them for years.
As Galloway accelerated away from the maglev platform fast enough to force Jan to grip his seat, Galloway’s deputy twisted in her own seat to watch them. “Sharon Miller.” She smiled wide, seemingly unconcerned by Galloway’s driving. “First time I’ve met a senator. What brings you all the way to Cliffside?”
Jan had no fucking idea at the moment, so he smiled and inclined his head. “The same as always.” Cliffside’s wide paved streets were empty, but Galloway was driving awfully fast. HUes on both sides bore a range of colorful decorations and other artistic flourishes, but Galloway was driving too fast for Jan to focus on anything other than a rainbow blur.
Miller watched them both with a half-smile, the wind teasing strands of her short brown hair. “So this is a secret visit?”
Miller was shorter than most cops he’d met, with healthy curves. She had a soft, unassuming face, brown hair in a tight bun, and a host of freckles Jan found absolutely adorable. He wondered what would happen if Senator Patterson bought her a drink, then reminded himself that was a really bad idea.
A quiet beep sounded, and Galloway tapped his ear-comm without slowing down. “Go.” After a moment, he added, “Right,” and then, “Of course it is.”
Miller twisted back around. “Problem, Chief?”
“This call is for our illustrious senatorial guest, who couldn’t be bothered to bring his own ear-comm.” Sheriff Galloway snapped the comm off his ear and offered it over his shoulder, keeping his other hand on the visibly vibrating wheel. “Sat-call for you, sir.” The sir was definitely sarcastic.
Rafe. Jan took the earpiece and snapped it on. “Yes?”
“Fuck me with a fucking poker, mate, I can’t believe you’re out!” That was Rafe, all right. “What’d you do up there to get out, blow the warden? You run through the whole staff, mate?”
Jan kept his face placid as he imagined several painful ways to murder the man on the other end of this comm. “Ah, no.” Galloway and Miller were listening to his end of the call, so he’d have to speak carefully. “I’m in the town and with the sheriff.” He winced involuntarily as Galloway swerved around a stack of crates. “Any word on that other matter?”
“Right, right, right,” Rafe said. “See, there’s this thing, Jan. I’m over a barrel here. Things got a
