Read Online Stillborn Armadillos (John Lee Quarrels Book 1) by Nick Russell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nick Russell
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No sir, I won't stand for this for a minute!"
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"I'll take it up with the county commission, that's what I'll do."
"Okay, have at it." D.W. pushed his telephone across the desk in Flag's direction.
"Don't think I won't do it, D.W."
"Oh, I don't doubt you'll do it," the sheriff said. "You been lookin' for a way to get in my shorts ever since the day I hired you. So you go ahead and do it. And when you do, I'm goin' to tell them how you tried to force this here deputy to give you his personal weapon after he wouldn't sell it to you. From what I know about the law, that might be considered extortion. Not to mention abuse of your office. And I'm gonna point out to them that you're wearin' an unauthorized weapon, too. The very thing that you're trying to get this man fired for. What was that word you used, John Lee? Hypocrite?"
"And what's this bullshit about puttin' John Lee in charge of the investigation of those bones we found? I'm the Chief Deputy! I should be in charge of decidin' who's gonna do what!"
"It's been over 24 hours and you still hadn't assigned anybody to it, so I figured you were too busy twiddlin' your thumbs or whatever it is you do down the hall there in your office to get around to it. So I took the initiative. That's what I get to do, because I'm the sheriff."
"I should be runnin' that investigation."
"Your job is to be an administrator. Now, if you want to stop being an administrator and go back to being a road deputy, I got no problem with that at all. You two can trade jobs. John Lee, how'd you like to be Chief Deputy? Sit on your ass in an air-conditioned office all day and look important? It can't be that hard. Flag figured out how to do it."
Flag knew that his bluff had been called and he didn't like it. But he also knew that this was a battle he wasn't going to win. Okay, he'd let D.W. and John Lee have this one. But no matter what kind of problems it caused in the family, come next election he was going to run for Sheriff and unseat that fat bastard sitting behind the desk. Without another word he turned and walked out of the sheriff's office and down the hall.
"Why don't you find someplace to go where you're outta' his sight for the rest of the day? I don't want him havin' a stroke here," D.W. said. "At least not 'til he's downstairs. I'd hate to think of one of the paramedics gett'in a rupture tryin' to carry him down the stairs."
John Lee nodded and started out the door, but D.W. called him back once more. "Just to rub some salt in the wound, just keep on drivin' that Charger. Ain't no use lettin' a good car like that sit when it could be out on the road workin'."
Chapter 12
"I'm going to be examining them this afternoon," forensic anthropologist Shania Jones told him on the telephone. "Would you like to come up and watch, or do you just want me to send you a report?"
"I can be there in about two hours," John Lee said.
"Sounds good, I look forward to seeing you."
He called dispatch and told Sheila that he was going to Tallahassee, then fed Magic and made sure his outside water bowl was topped off. It was a little more than 90 miles to the state capital. He followed a two lane road north to Interstate10, then pointed the Dodge west. There wasn't much traffic and he made good time, arriving at the Crime Lab well within the two hours he had told Shania Jones it would take him.
Shania Jones was a tiny black woman who wore her hair in cornrows and had a beautiful smile and a warm handshake.
"Thank you for inviting me over," John Lee said.
"No, thank you . It's always nice when folks have enough interest to actually come and see what we do here. And don't worry, they're just bones so if you're squeamish, you're not in for any unpleasant surprises."
"Actually, I was there when they found the first skull," John Lee told her.
"Well then, shall we?"
She led him into the lab, where they donned gowns, face masks, and paper hats, and pulled
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"I'll take it up with the county commission, that's what I'll do."
"Okay, have at it." D.W. pushed his telephone across the desk in Flag's direction.
"Don't think I won't do it, D.W."
"Oh, I don't doubt you'll do it," the sheriff said. "You been lookin' for a way to get in my shorts ever since the day I hired you. So you go ahead and do it. And when you do, I'm goin' to tell them how you tried to force this here deputy to give you his personal weapon after he wouldn't sell it to you. From what I know about the law, that might be considered extortion. Not to mention abuse of your office. And I'm gonna point out to them that you're wearin' an unauthorized weapon, too. The very thing that you're trying to get this man fired for. What was that word you used, John Lee? Hypocrite?"
"And what's this bullshit about puttin' John Lee in charge of the investigation of those bones we found? I'm the Chief Deputy! I should be in charge of decidin' who's gonna do what!"
"It's been over 24 hours and you still hadn't assigned anybody to it, so I figured you were too busy twiddlin' your thumbs or whatever it is you do down the hall there in your office to get around to it. So I took the initiative. That's what I get to do, because I'm the sheriff."
"I should be runnin' that investigation."
"Your job is to be an administrator. Now, if you want to stop being an administrator and go back to being a road deputy, I got no problem with that at all. You two can trade jobs. John Lee, how'd you like to be Chief Deputy? Sit on your ass in an air-conditioned office all day and look important? It can't be that hard. Flag figured out how to do it."
Flag knew that his bluff had been called and he didn't like it. But he also knew that this was a battle he wasn't going to win. Okay, he'd let D.W. and John Lee have this one. But no matter what kind of problems it caused in the family, come next election he was going to run for Sheriff and unseat that fat bastard sitting behind the desk. Without another word he turned and walked out of the sheriff's office and down the hall.
"Why don't you find someplace to go where you're outta' his sight for the rest of the day? I don't want him havin' a stroke here," D.W. said. "At least not 'til he's downstairs. I'd hate to think of one of the paramedics gett'in a rupture tryin' to carry him down the stairs."
John Lee nodded and started out the door, but D.W. called him back once more. "Just to rub some salt in the wound, just keep on drivin' that Charger. Ain't no use lettin' a good car like that sit when it could be out on the road workin'."
Chapter 12
"I'm going to be examining them this afternoon," forensic anthropologist Shania Jones told him on the telephone. "Would you like to come up and watch, or do you just want me to send you a report?"
"I can be there in about two hours," John Lee said.
"Sounds good, I look forward to seeing you."
He called dispatch and told Sheila that he was going to Tallahassee, then fed Magic and made sure his outside water bowl was topped off. It was a little more than 90 miles to the state capital. He followed a two lane road north to Interstate10, then pointed the Dodge west. There wasn't much traffic and he made good time, arriving at the Crime Lab well within the two hours he had told Shania Jones it would take him.
Shania Jones was a tiny black woman who wore her hair in cornrows and had a beautiful smile and a warm handshake.
"Thank you for inviting me over," John Lee said.
"No, thank you . It's always nice when folks have enough interest to actually come and see what we do here. And don't worry, they're just bones so if you're squeamish, you're not in for any unpleasant surprises."
"Actually, I was there when they found the first skull," John Lee told her.
"Well then, shall we?"
She led him into the lab, where they donned gowns, face masks, and paper hats, and pulled
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