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The jawbone, disarticulated, lay in front of it, just as it had when it was found
Jane seeht up to it, studied it for a ed lines that connected it
"The ME was right," she lanced at Sloan "If this was someone who’d died rity The years gone by create these soft spots If you pressed too hard along one of these lines, it could just fall apart I would agree that it’s the skull of a wo by the fusion of the bones She took good care of her teeth, since there’s very little decay"
For a moment, she closed her eyes She see there, as if she could communicate with the bone
Irritated, he cleared his throat
"Can I get you anything?" he asked her
She turned to look at him, and she seemed equally irritated "Sheriff, you are, after all, the sheriff A very busy man I’m sure I can find my oay around the office I’ll help ht crew at five," he told her "Please wrap up your work for the day by then I’ll get you back to the Gilded Lily and then pick you up in the , about 8:00 am--if that works for you"
She nodded "Yes, that’s fine"
He left her and returned to his office, the one directly behind Betty’s desk There were several folders waiting for him He picked up the first--the arrest report for Arty Johnson Arty was an old-ti too much He’d wind up banned frouy, and he’d quickly work his way back into the good graces of the otten a little carried away and joined the cast onstage at the Gilded Lily Henri Coque, incensed at the time, had demanded that he be arrested Arty had slept it off in one of the five cells, and then Sloan had driven him home Arty had rued his behavior all the way
He set the file aside Hopefully, Henri wouldn’t press charges
He picked up the next file, shaking his head Jih-school senior and football star, was in the cells now His father owned a beefalo farm; the meat hadn’t becoh stillhis hybrid meat Jimmy had taken his father’s Maserati out for a spin and crashed into Connie Larson’s Honda When he was picked up, he’d been as high as a kite--not even Lily, Arizona, escaped the drugs that continued to ravage schools
Logan decided this was a good time to type up reports
An hour passed as he dealt with paperwork Then he becah was accosting Betty, reaot up and went out toMaybe that hat happened to self-made men, at least in areas like this, where the population was sparse
"Trent!" Hough bellowed as Sloan walked out "You had the audacity to order your deputy McArthur to keep ht It was just a fender bender! Jies across the country If h, I had my deputy keep your boy in here when he was picked up because he was three sheets to the wind I would think you’d want hi about accountability No, he’s not a bad kid, and I don’t want to see hiet him, either I asked Doc Levin in to check on hiood conversation with him and with Connie Larson Ji Connie I kept hiht because, for one, he needed to sober up Two, he needed a lesson I let hies pressed and there were no witnesses, and I believe that he’s a good kid Howeverhe knows I’ him now, even if you aren’t I warned hi direction, I’ll throw the book at hiet the hell out of here before I charge you with soh scowled at hi to? Who do you think you are, putting in your two cents on how to raise my boy?"
"He won’t be a boy in a year, Caleb He’ll be of legal age--and if he doesn’t learn his lessons now, he’ll face soh warned him
"Let’s hope it is For your son’s sake," Sloan told hih seemed about to explode But he turned on his heel and stalked out Sloan followed hi as if he wanted to crawl into a hole His father walked up to him and slammed the back of his head Sloan reached for the door but felt Betty’s hand on his aro The kid’s okay Maybe he’ll survive the old man," she said quietly
He nodded and went back to his office Betty followed him "He is pretty powerful, you knoith all his money Maybe you don’t want to be enemies"
"If money can buy this office, Betty, I don’t want it," Sloan said
"He’s going to cause you trouble"
"I should have charged the kid with a DUI," Sloan muttered "I didn’t because Jiured he did deserve a second chance"
"And there were no witnesses," Betty rees"