MAJOR CASE: MISSING SCENES: A SERIES OF PHONE CALLS
Day One: Call One
Alex Eames recognized the number on her cell phone screen and felt ridiculously happy.
"Bobby…Thank God…You saved me from falling unconscious in the middle of a pile of paperwork…"
"Happy to oblige," Bobby responded cheerfully. "But I need to ask a favor…The locals are very cooperative, but the sheriff would like to speak to Ross. Delmar is a very bad guy with a very bad history, and the sheriff wants to make sure he gets put away for the longest time possible. If that means turning him over to us, he's fine with it, but if the locals can get Delmar more time, the sheriff wants to hold on to him for a while. He also wants to check to see if Delmar can be made to serve time in one place, and then another. I've assured the sheriff that New York State can offer some pretty stiff sentencing, but he told me, "No offense, Detective. You strike me as a man who's fit to run the river with, but I want to make sure this guy isn't out anywhere making trouble for anybody.""
"I take it that the sheriff meant that as a compliment," Alex said.
"His chief deputy told me it's the highest praise he can give," Bobby said. "The sheriff loves the country around here. He camps, hikes, fishes…Won't hunt, though. Told me he deals too much with guns in his work. His knowledge of the area helped us find Delmar's cabin. Glad I've been trying to get in better shape. That was something of a hike."
Alex glanced at Ross' office and saw Zach Nichols engaged in a lively conversation with the Captain. "Ross is busy right now, but I'll let him know. He knows where to call?"
"Yea…Thanks, Eames."
"Sounds like things are going well…"
"They are," Bobby said. "No matter where he winds up, Delmar is going away for a long time. I don't think he'll see the outside of prison in his lifetime. Once we found his cabin, we found him. It's mostly the paperwork now. I…I feel kinda guilty. It's really beautiful here. The locals have been terrific. They have a really tough job. You think we're understaffed and underfunded. I don't know how these guys do it. There's about a dozen cops patrolling an area the size of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island combined. Not as many people, of course, but still tough. And they have to deal with the rise of meth around here."
"Yea…I've read about that," Alex said. "It's like a plague in some places."
"Yea…One of the cops told me that she feels like she's in a very small boat trying to row against a very big wave. But there are some awfully good people here, Eames. And they've got some great stories. Criminals are dumb everywhere, just in different ways. I'll have a lot to tell you when I get back. I've told a few stories myself. I don't think I've had to buy a meal or drink since I got here. I gotta warn you. I'm developing a taste for bourbon. The good stuff…and they have some really good stuff around here…is really good."
"Your expense account is going to look interesting," Alex laughed. She was happy Bobby was getting along with the local force. She knew it meant a great deal to him to have the respect of other cops. "And bring me a bottle of that good stuff."
"So, how's Ross dealing with my absence?" Bobby asked genially.
Alex glanced at the Captain's office, where she saw Wheeler had joined the Captain and Nichols. The young detective appeared to be in a position not unfamiliar to Alex, that of trying to decide if she needed to separate her partner and her captain. "Well…Nichols seems to be keeping him on his toes. He and Ross are doing that strange dance of theirs right now And poor Wheeler seems to be in the middle."
"Poor kid…How's she doing?"
"I lay odds there'll be a baby before you get back."
Bobby chuckled. "And I'll need to buy you that margarita. I shouldn't have made that bet."
"Another bottle of that good bourbon would make me very happy."
"You got it…I…I gotta go…But…" His voice became softer, and Alex yearned for him. "I…I miss you Alex. I'll call again tomorrow…I wish you were here with me…"
"The same to you," she said, struggling to keep her voice calm and even. "Take of yourself…You know."
"The same…"
END CALL (TBC)
