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You were warned. She read the note out loud before she sealed it with the rock inside
the bag. Damn, Laney, this is getting nasty.
Laney nodded. I hope that crap washes off. I can t afford to repaint this summer.
It will. Stuff is water soluble. When Laney raised an eyebrow, she continued.
Department gets together for paint ball games once in a while. If it comes out of your hair with
just water, I figure it will come off a house.
Laney nodded, heaving a sigh of relief for one small mercy.
Marla looked around, and Laney realized the neighbors were starting to stare.
Marla tipped her head toward the house. Why don t we take this inside? Don t suppose I
can bum a cup of coffee?
Sure. Laney held the door open. Sorry, I forgot to ask you in. My mama would be
horrified.
You ve got a lot on your mind. Marla wiped her feet carefully on the mat before
following Laney in and through her living room. Nice place, by the way. Small, but homey.
Thanks. Laney gestured for the deputy to have a seat, while she pulled a second mug
out of the cupboard and poured a cup of coffee. You take anything in it?
Nope. Just black, please.
Laney handed her the mug, then refreshed her own before sitting across from Marla.
How can I help, Deputy?
Please, call me Marla. Sheesh, we grew up together.
Thanks. They had, sort of, though they might as well have been in separate worlds.
While Marla had been captain of the basketball team and the volleyball team, Laney had done
nothing but study and work.
Before we go any further, I thought you might want to know that Sheriff Shannon is
stable. They did some kind of surgery, put in something called a stent, I think. Anyway, I hear
he s already awake and talking. Trying to boss everyone around, including his doctors. He s got
a long road ahead, but it looks good, as long as there are no complications.
That s wonderful. An odd mix of white-hot pain and relief seared through Laney. Zach
hadn t even bothered to let her know.
I talked to Zach this morning. He was kind of freaked out when his dad asked the
County Commissioners to appoint Zach as acting sheriff. Ralph s retirement will kick in before
the sheriff is back on his feet, and according to what I heard, Sheriff Shannon was pretty
adamant that Zach, Get his butt back where it belonged and get to work. We all know the
commission will go along with whatever the sheriff wants, so Zach s supposed to be back in the
office by tomorrow morning, running the show.
It took Laney a moment to remember how to breathe. Another thing Zach hadn t
bothered to tell her. Yet, he d had time to call Marla. Well, then. She reminded herself that
before this weekend, she hadn t had any expectations of a real relationship. She had no call to be
devastated just because when his life had fallen apart, he d pulled away.
So where s your nephew this morning? Marla looked around, as if expecting to see
Parker lurking around a corner. Sleeping in, now that it s summer?
Laney winced. Lord, Marla doesn t know. Slowly, she filled the detective in on Zach and
Mamie s plan.
Marla made a note on her pad then scribbled it out. No, I m not putting that in a report,
not yet. If the boss chose to keep it off the record, then he had a reason for it.
There s more. Laney outlined Parker s suspicions and saw her pale when Laney named
the mayor s son as one of the likely arsonists.
Yeah, that is a sticky one. I m going to get our crime tech out to see if she can get any
tire tracks from your lawn. While the vandalism and the arson may not be connected, it may help
if we can eventually tie them together.
A few minutes later, Marla finished her coffee, and Laney walked her to the front door.
If anything else happens, you let me know. She handed Laney a card. Not the department,
me unless Zach s around, of course. Call my cell, even if I m not on duty.
Thanks. Laney stuck the card in her pocket. And Marla, if you see Zach, would you
tell him I m keeping his dad all of them, really in my thoughts?
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