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"Either way, you could walk prisoners into a cell within a few hundred feet," he said He glanced at her "You’re froh I did ith different agencies around the state until I joined Logan’s Krewe"

"You alanted to be an artist?" he asked

She shrugged "I was always drawing," she said

They’d reached the sheriff’s office He pulled into the lot in front

The office wasn’t really that small--not when you considered the size of the town The building had been constructed in the 1930s by someone who’d evidently been to Toledo, Spain, and fallen in love with the medieval architecture There was a tower on either front corner, and the roof was tile while the exterior was brick The parking lot held room for at least twenty cars--sorowth of Lily To the left, where the offices were located, were a bank, a coffee house, a Mexican restaurant and an Italian restaurant To the right was an Asian restaurant and a Brazilian steak house, along with the area’s ht shops Lily could proudly say that there were three national chain stores aest excitement in town had occurred when they’d acquired one of the country’s largest burger chains, which had chosen to locate in theoffices in old adobe ho were a feyers, accountants, doctors and decorators The high school was just half a mile back toward the old town

"Not such a small place," she said cheerfully as he parked and they exited the car

"Sh that the skull should have been sent to a lab," Sloan onism toward her became apparent with his careless words when sheShe stood by the car, looking at him, and he saw the hardness that came into her eyes

"I’m really proficient at what I do, Sheriff You don’t need to worry thatin any way"

He could have said so to try to sed "Since this isn’t a new murder, I’m sure your ill be more than sufficient"

He felt the chill of her eyes "Sheriff, I will certainly try very hard to do work that’s sufficient"

He hadn’t meant to make matters worse On the other hand, he could hardly have been ht seem lame, so he indicated the door and said, "That didn’t come out the way I meant it I’m sure you’re excellent at what you do Come in and meet the staff--all two of the rest of our day crew"

She turned, not waiting for hih the front door

Deputy Betty Ivy was on duty at the desk when they carowth of Lily There were three offices for senior law officials, but since they only had six law officials all told--three on days, three at night, reduced to two at various hours to avoid overtime--one office was usually e the day Laed toht accomplish, also worked the day shift La around in town; he liked to show that the sheriff’s departan rounded out his day crew

As they walked in, Jane Everett breezed right up and introduced herself to Betty with professional charm before Sloan could make the introductions Froan rose and ca and friendly as he ation rooot a scanner in there, camera connected to the coraht want to take a lot of pictures and do whatever you do to get that 3-D i I mean, the computer has a caet the right angles, sowell, anything you need, we’ll do our best to get for you"

"That’s perfect, thank you Actually, more than perfect I have my own instruination sketch today--just what I see from the skull," Jane told her "It’s late, and I’ve come in from the DC area, so I’m little travel-weary Toued to see your work!" Betty said enthusiastically

Betty was a good woood deputy When he’d come back to Lily, Sloan had been surprised that she hadn’t wanted the job of sheriff herself A ith two grown children, she’d worked for the department most of her adult life But she hadn’t wanted the responsibility of being sheriff She had iron-gray hair, cheerful blue eyes and a way of handling the occasional drunk or kid working on a misspent youth with unshakeable stoicism and a calm demeanor She had the ability to convince both drunks and adolescents that they weren’t going anywhere--they’d pay the price for their transgressions before a judge and no fast-talking laas getting the sheriff of Lily wasn’t really a matter of heavy responsibility but Betty had said, "Oh, Sloan, s a deputy You run for sheriff I’ll vote for you!"

"Ms Everett--Agent Everett!" Chet said, quickly correcting hi you need, you letat Jane Everett as if Marilyn Monroe had risen froood and solid a deputy as Betty, justyoung Tall, a bit aard, Chet had served in theto Lily--and a parade in his honor Lily was small; the return of a serviceent, come with me, if you will," Sloan said "I’ll show you your workroom And the skull"

"Well, show her the kitchen and where to find coffee, too, huh?" Betty said, frowning at Sloan before turning to sot sodas, coffee, snacks, you name it Kitchen’s the first door on the left down that hall and you help yourself to anything Oh, and you have an interco, just push the button and call me"

Jane thanked Betty and Chet and followed Sloan down the hall He opened the door to Interrogation Rooation Rooate anyone, hts There was a desk with a coe sketch pad for their guest As she’d said, Betty had supplied their guest with a ca paper, "tissue markers," wire and mortician’s wax The skull itself had been set in the middle of a conference table in the center of the roo and with a few adjust a lifelike ie from a skull, but Betty had done some research and had some help froled to the best of the professor’s ability at a "Frankfurt plane," or the anatomical position of the skull as it naturally sat on the body