Dead to Rights

“You’ve been here a long time,” Joa

Ernie nodded. “That’s right. Your dad is the one who hired me. That’s so long ago it seems like ancient history.”

“How many times, in all the years you’ve been here, have you had two homicides and a suicide in three days?” Joa

Ernie looked up at her quizzically. “Never,” he said.

“Is there a chance that you’re spread too thin right now? That you’ve been doing too much? Could that account for your not reading Ha

“I suppose it could,” Ernie allowed grudgingly. “Jamie and I have both been working our tails off.”

“What about Jaime?” Joa

Folding his arms, Ernie stuck his feet out in front of him and examined his shoes. For the first time ever, Joa

“But he’s not all the way up to speed yet, is he?”

“No.”

“If you drop the ball now, Ernie, you’ll leave us all in the lurch. Jaime will be in over his head, so will I. So will my department.”

“But what about…” He stopped.

“Ha

Ernie nodded.

“I’ve been thinking about that all the way here,” Joa

Holding out the wallet, Joa

“Stay,” she said simply. “Go over to the jail and take charge of our part of the investigation. Ha

Ernie nodded. “But you’re to handle our end of it,” Joa

When Ernie Carpenter looked up at her, his eyes were grave. “You’re sure?”

“Absolutely,” Joa

Slowly, Ernie pulled himself up and out of the chair. He stood there with the leather wallet still open in his hand, staring down at his badge. “All right, then,” he said. “I’ll get on it. You’re sure you don’t mind having old duffers like me hanging around?”

Joa

Closing the wallet, Ernie stuffed it heck in his pocket. “I guess I’d better get cracking,” he said. “Are you coming along over to the jail?”

“In a minute,” Joa

Ernie headed for the door. “All I can say is, Sheriff Brady, you’re a hell of a salesman. I’ll bet Milo Davis is still kicking himself over losing you.”

At the time Joa

“I hope so,” Joa

It was almost seven by the time Joa

“Where were you, Mom?” Je

All the way home, Joa

“Mrs. Green died last night,” Joa

Je

Maybe Andy would have been brutally honest at that Joint, but Joa

“Couldn’t a doctor have saved her?” Je

“I don’t think so,” Joa

Je

Angie Kellogg, newly come to the wonders of birding, both feeding and watching, looked horrified. “You mean your dog chases them?” she asked.

“Of course,” Je

“Can’t you make him stop?” Angie asked.

“Not so far,” Je

The jarring juxtaposition of Ha

“I love roadru

“I like those cartoons, too,” Je

Without having to be told, she took her dishes as far as the sink, rinsed them, and loaded them into the dishwasher. Then she headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth.

“Thanks for doing the dishes,” Joa

“I didn’t mind,” Angie answered with a laugh. “It was fun-almost like playing house. And it’s so peaceful here. I never knew there were homes like this.”

Over the months, Joa

“I didn’t know where all the dishes went,” Angie continued. “I told Je