As continued from the previous chapter.
Once at the sheriff department, the three deputies unloaded their guilty cargo and marched them to their individual jail cells. A few minutes later, Wambaugh had arrived, load and flamboyant as ever.
"I'm in charge!" thundered Doug. Kenny and Max just stared at him with a seemingly puzzled look.
"What?!" inquired Kenny. "You don't work for the sheriff department Doug."
"Such a character, ha ha. Jimmy is temporarily indisposed of and left me in charge," Doug answered with smirk on his face.
"Go away!" exclaimed both Max and Kenny. Doug always tried to maneuver around anything and everything to at least attempt to hold a public office of some sort, and well, right now wasn't appropriate to be joking about seeing over the sheriff's department.
"Kenny, we can be cordial. Now I can stipulate to the court that you threatened my clients or you can get out of my way and let me be your boss. Ha ha. Douglas Wambaugh seeing that justice is served in Rome, Wisconsin. It has a nice ring to it don't you think?"
"Yeah, Doug, why don't you use it for next election's campaign slogan?"
"I take exception to that. I am just trying to loosen up the town, that way, if this ever gets to the court system, why, I'll have gained all the popularity one man could possibly get."
Max sat in her chair at her desk. Was she really hearing this? Wambaugh was more worried about being in charge of thirty deputies than the well-being of one of his friends. She couldn't hold back what she was about to say. "You can't be serious about representing these guys. I mean, for God's sake, they almost killed Jimmy. One of our most beloved members of this community. What the hell is wrong with you?"
Wambaugh stepped away from her desk. Maxine had been right. But how was she to know he was just putting on a charade? "I was only trying to be humorous. Yes, I know they shot the sheriff. Do I care? Of course. Jimmy and I are the care takers of this town, unless you count in my worthy opponent, Mr. Littleton or even the new judge. I pray to God every night that He watches over this village and that He heals Jimmy." After his speech, Wambaugh picked up his briefcase and headed out the station doors.
Kenny and Max just looked at each other, stuck for words. Finally, Kenny had broken the silence. "I don't know what to make of him, Max. I have lived in this municipality for eleven years and somehow Doug manages to represent those people who live on harming police officers. Truth is, I doubt if he'll stick with it. Sorta hits a personal nerve, I think on his part. It's not like it's a cow or a deer that was injured, it was the town sheriff."
The day had passed on rather rapidly. Kenny and Max were finished for the day; recalling this had been pretty hellish-not even twenty-four hours back from a week long vacation and they had to bring justice to the men arrested earlier. The both of them felt strongly they should go and pay a visit to their boss at Thayer hospital. When they arrived, they were greeted by Jill, who at this time had gotten very little, if any rest. In fact, she sent her children home at 2:00pm so Matthew could get around for his hockey game tonight. Max stood two feet away from where Jimmy was lying and realized for the first time, she had never seen him look so pitiful and wasn't exactly sure how she was going to approach him. Jill mentioned he had just gone sleep.
"This is what happens when the two of us go out of town," said Max. Inside, she wanted so badly to cry her eyes out, yet didn't want anyone to see it-not even Brock, should he happen to wake.
"You can't blame yourself, Max," Jill reassured her. "It's one of those dangers that is ultimately there when you are a law enforcement officer. I think he has made an improvement in twelve hours time; I just have a difficult time with the fact that my husband got shot. I mean, this Jimmy Brock we are talking about."
Kenny stood there, looking at the sheriff. He and Jill knew better than anyone that Jimmy hated laying in that bed-he knew what she must have gone through last night; her facial expression said it all. It was something about that look that seemed vaguely familiar, like when he himself had been gunned down by the Frog man. Max walked over to Jimmy's bedside and gave him a kiss on the cheek-causing him to wake and stare into the eyes of his deputy.
"Maxine, what are you doing here?" Brock asked in a somewhat stern manner.
"I came by to check on you and make sure Jill has been taking care of you," she said staring into those beautiful blue eyes. "I hope you aren't giving her too much of a difficult time."
Jimmy stared at the three of them. Although he had felt a little groggy still, he managed to try and bring up conversation. The two deputies eyed his dressings, both knowing damn well they almost lost him.
"The only thing I think I can give her a hard time about is the fact she had them shave off my mustache," Jimmy joked. Kenny and Max hadn't noticed it was missing. "I guess they didn't want hair to get into those wounds. Oh well, it'll grow back, maybe a little lighter, but it'll grow back." The four of them just laughed, it was something they all needed.
"Are you doing ok otherwise?" Kenny asked. "You look like you have been through a third world war or somethin'."
"Yeah, I think so. Hurt like hell, but hey, that is to be expected, or so they say." Jimmy wanted badly to ask his ranking deputies if Skeeter or anyone else had any suspects in custody, yet was afraid to do so, out of fear they would say no. The hell with it. "Did anyone find out who did this?" He suddenly found himself playing the role of sheriff once again.
"We got two guys in custody. Wambaugh thinks he needs to fill in your spot as sheriff and is seriously thinking about making them plead guilty," explained Kenny. Pleading guilty is something Douglas Wambaugh hardly ever pushed for.
"Good." The sheriff was satisfied with the news that flowed into his ears. The transporters came to take him downstairs for the battery of x- rays and echocardiogram. Jill followed them to make sure everything was ok, while Kenny and Max stayed behind.
"At least he's looking ok," Kenny said.
"Yeah, poor Jill," Max seconded his motion. "She looks exhausted, and Jimmy looks a little pathetic."
Jimmy's x-rays and echocardiogram took a little over fifteen minutes to complete. Jill had been satisfied with what the radiologist and cardiologist had told her about their interpretations-everything looked as though nothing had occurred, which meant she did her job well.
When the two of them returned, they were surprised to see their children gathered around Stewart and Lacos. Everyone looked as though he or she had exited a comedic movie.
"What's so funny?" asked Jimmy, making his way back into bed.
"I scored the winning goal with only three seconds left!" Matthew shouted.
Tears had filled Sheriff Jimmy Brock's eyes-he was the happiest person ever to grace this Earth. He knew he was going to be all right, after all, he did have the most important people by his side to get well. And, no matter what happened, he owed his wife a huge debt by having her save him-but that didn't matter. What mattered was the plain fact this entire incident had brought them all closer together. The end.
Once at the sheriff department, the three deputies unloaded their guilty cargo and marched them to their individual jail cells. A few minutes later, Wambaugh had arrived, load and flamboyant as ever.
"I'm in charge!" thundered Doug. Kenny and Max just stared at him with a seemingly puzzled look.
"What?!" inquired Kenny. "You don't work for the sheriff department Doug."
"Such a character, ha ha. Jimmy is temporarily indisposed of and left me in charge," Doug answered with smirk on his face.
"Go away!" exclaimed both Max and Kenny. Doug always tried to maneuver around anything and everything to at least attempt to hold a public office of some sort, and well, right now wasn't appropriate to be joking about seeing over the sheriff's department.
"Kenny, we can be cordial. Now I can stipulate to the court that you threatened my clients or you can get out of my way and let me be your boss. Ha ha. Douglas Wambaugh seeing that justice is served in Rome, Wisconsin. It has a nice ring to it don't you think?"
"Yeah, Doug, why don't you use it for next election's campaign slogan?"
"I take exception to that. I am just trying to loosen up the town, that way, if this ever gets to the court system, why, I'll have gained all the popularity one man could possibly get."
Max sat in her chair at her desk. Was she really hearing this? Wambaugh was more worried about being in charge of thirty deputies than the well-being of one of his friends. She couldn't hold back what she was about to say. "You can't be serious about representing these guys. I mean, for God's sake, they almost killed Jimmy. One of our most beloved members of this community. What the hell is wrong with you?"
Wambaugh stepped away from her desk. Maxine had been right. But how was she to know he was just putting on a charade? "I was only trying to be humorous. Yes, I know they shot the sheriff. Do I care? Of course. Jimmy and I are the care takers of this town, unless you count in my worthy opponent, Mr. Littleton or even the new judge. I pray to God every night that He watches over this village and that He heals Jimmy." After his speech, Wambaugh picked up his briefcase and headed out the station doors.
Kenny and Max just looked at each other, stuck for words. Finally, Kenny had broken the silence. "I don't know what to make of him, Max. I have lived in this municipality for eleven years and somehow Doug manages to represent those people who live on harming police officers. Truth is, I doubt if he'll stick with it. Sorta hits a personal nerve, I think on his part. It's not like it's a cow or a deer that was injured, it was the town sheriff."
The day had passed on rather rapidly. Kenny and Max were finished for the day; recalling this had been pretty hellish-not even twenty-four hours back from a week long vacation and they had to bring justice to the men arrested earlier. The both of them felt strongly they should go and pay a visit to their boss at Thayer hospital. When they arrived, they were greeted by Jill, who at this time had gotten very little, if any rest. In fact, she sent her children home at 2:00pm so Matthew could get around for his hockey game tonight. Max stood two feet away from where Jimmy was lying and realized for the first time, she had never seen him look so pitiful and wasn't exactly sure how she was going to approach him. Jill mentioned he had just gone sleep.
"This is what happens when the two of us go out of town," said Max. Inside, she wanted so badly to cry her eyes out, yet didn't want anyone to see it-not even Brock, should he happen to wake.
"You can't blame yourself, Max," Jill reassured her. "It's one of those dangers that is ultimately there when you are a law enforcement officer. I think he has made an improvement in twelve hours time; I just have a difficult time with the fact that my husband got shot. I mean, this Jimmy Brock we are talking about."
Kenny stood there, looking at the sheriff. He and Jill knew better than anyone that Jimmy hated laying in that bed-he knew what she must have gone through last night; her facial expression said it all. It was something about that look that seemed vaguely familiar, like when he himself had been gunned down by the Frog man. Max walked over to Jimmy's bedside and gave him a kiss on the cheek-causing him to wake and stare into the eyes of his deputy.
"Maxine, what are you doing here?" Brock asked in a somewhat stern manner.
"I came by to check on you and make sure Jill has been taking care of you," she said staring into those beautiful blue eyes. "I hope you aren't giving her too much of a difficult time."
Jimmy stared at the three of them. Although he had felt a little groggy still, he managed to try and bring up conversation. The two deputies eyed his dressings, both knowing damn well they almost lost him.
"The only thing I think I can give her a hard time about is the fact she had them shave off my mustache," Jimmy joked. Kenny and Max hadn't noticed it was missing. "I guess they didn't want hair to get into those wounds. Oh well, it'll grow back, maybe a little lighter, but it'll grow back." The four of them just laughed, it was something they all needed.
"Are you doing ok otherwise?" Kenny asked. "You look like you have been through a third world war or somethin'."
"Yeah, I think so. Hurt like hell, but hey, that is to be expected, or so they say." Jimmy wanted badly to ask his ranking deputies if Skeeter or anyone else had any suspects in custody, yet was afraid to do so, out of fear they would say no. The hell with it. "Did anyone find out who did this?" He suddenly found himself playing the role of sheriff once again.
"We got two guys in custody. Wambaugh thinks he needs to fill in your spot as sheriff and is seriously thinking about making them plead guilty," explained Kenny. Pleading guilty is something Douglas Wambaugh hardly ever pushed for.
"Good." The sheriff was satisfied with the news that flowed into his ears. The transporters came to take him downstairs for the battery of x- rays and echocardiogram. Jill followed them to make sure everything was ok, while Kenny and Max stayed behind.
"At least he's looking ok," Kenny said.
"Yeah, poor Jill," Max seconded his motion. "She looks exhausted, and Jimmy looks a little pathetic."
Jimmy's x-rays and echocardiogram took a little over fifteen minutes to complete. Jill had been satisfied with what the radiologist and cardiologist had told her about their interpretations-everything looked as though nothing had occurred, which meant she did her job well.
When the two of them returned, they were surprised to see their children gathered around Stewart and Lacos. Everyone looked as though he or she had exited a comedic movie.
"What's so funny?" asked Jimmy, making his way back into bed.
"I scored the winning goal with only three seconds left!" Matthew shouted.
Tears had filled Sheriff Jimmy Brock's eyes-he was the happiest person ever to grace this Earth. He knew he was going to be all right, after all, he did have the most important people by his side to get well. And, no matter what happened, he owed his wife a huge debt by having her save him-but that didn't matter. What mattered was the plain fact this entire incident had brought them all closer together. The end.
