I finished my coffee and walked over to the hall tree where I’d left my boots and stepped into them, doing up the laces and then grabbing my coat off the rack where I’d left it after unpacking. I walked back to the kitchen and grabbed my shopping list off the room divider. Sid Farrell had stocked up the kitchen pretty well, but for some reason, he’d not given me any ketchup or beer, two things that were necessities in my pantry. He’d given me everything else, even leaving a bag of charcoal briquettes and a box of wooden matches for the grill on the back deck.
As I stepped outside and locked up the house, I took a deep breath of the clean mountain air. There was nothing like the fresh, cold, crisp snap of early spring on the morning air. I looked around, noting dew on the flowers and sunlight dappling through the pines as the sun rose. I was pretty much in heaven and I found myself whistling as I walked out to the truck.
The two-lane highway to downtown Prosper Woods wound down the mountain, taking several hairpin turns. Though the town was only three and a half miles from my cabin, it took all of ten minutes on the mountain roads. The snow had melted with the arrival of spring and I imagined it would be a harrowing drive for anyone without snow chains on this road during the winter. I wondered how often the snowplow came through when it got really heavy but then again, I figured it would be often since the road into town was an offshoot of California interstate 80. I got to the sheriff’s station at seven thirty, noting that Sally’s Blazer was already in its parking space out front. I pulled my truck into the space beside her and got out, locking up out of habit before strolling into the station.
Surprisingly, Precious was already inside as well. She wore another mini skirt, this one some bright shade of blue and on top, she wore a silver tank top partially hidden by a short jacket which seemed to be made of a long-haired synthetic fur. It was fastened across her prominent bustline with little silver frogs and she stood up with a big smile as soon as she saw me.
“Good morning, Sheriff Romeo. I just made some coffee. Would you like a cup?”
“Sure,” I replied hesitantly as I shucked my jacket and hung it on the coat tree beside the door. “But I know where it is, Precious. I can get my own.”
Her delicate brows drew together as her attention went to the gun on my hip. She seemed to shake off her surprise and looked back up at me. “Oh, no! That’s my job. Now, why don’t you just go back to your office and have a look at Buck Walter’s folder. There’s a transfer slip you need to sign in there. Lord knows, Dave could have done it when he was in yesterday, but he was balls deep in his omelet when I asked him and besides, he’s just lazy between you, me, and the lamppost.”
I choked out a laugh just as Sally appeared from the hallway. She stopped and glared at Precious before rolling her shoulders and then looking over at me wearing a somewhat guilty expression.
“Good morning, Sheriff,” she said.
I smiled at her. “Morning, Sally.”
“I think I forgot to mention that our Precious has a potty mouth.”
“Well, it’s true. He was balls—” She stopped when Sally held up a hand.
“Sheriff Rome doesn’t want to know anything about Dave’s balls, Precious.”
“Fine, but I’d bet they’re tiny child balls anyway,” Precious said with a huff before turning and flashing a brilliant smile in my direction. “I’ll just get your coffee, Sheriff Romeo.” Before I could correct her about my name, she pranced off down the hall, headed for the coffee room.
I turned to Sally, smiling at my deputy. “She’s not going to drop my full name, is she?”
Sally smiled. “She’s a bit of a romantic, our Precious.”
I nodded. “I wasn’t sure anyone would be here this early.”
“I start early since I have a little one to pick up from school by two thirty. I hope that’s okay with you, Sheriff. I know I didn’t even ask.”
“It’s totally fine with me. Back in LA, some officers I worked with often came in at dawn to put in a full eight hours before school let out for exactly the same reason.”
“That’s right. I forgot you worked for the LAPD before moving here,” Sally said, walking over and stopping in front of me. “This place is nothing like LA is. I bet we could be a part-time department all around if it wasn’t for the tourists and drunks.”
“That’s exactly why I’m here, Sally. Believe me, I’d rather roll drunks than deal with gang bangers all day long.”
“Well, you say that now, but I think you’ll soon find that boredom sets in quite easily in Prosper Woods.”
“Okay, well, I guess I’ll get to that folder Precious was talking about. Apparently, I need to sign a transfer.”
“Right. Like I told you, we let Buck Walters out on his own recog, but he has to see the judge in Stockton. That’s what Precious is talking about.”
“Okay,” I told her, heading for my office. As I passed the coffee room, Precious was bent over pulling things out of the fridge. I ignored her round backside and long legs since women held little interest for me in that regard, and instead walked
