CH42
Kate walked out of her meeting with the mayor in a complete daze. She started her Jeep and drove back to the office with her mind still trying to come to terms with what was talked about. The mayor had already been contacted about Christian Dahl's removal as county sheriff and that they were going to need a new one. Kate was convinced that was Serena's doing. He and his three blindly loyal deputies were now out of a job. If she found the deputies first she could tell them or he would if they called in or came by his office.
She sat outside in her Jeep for a minute to get her head back in the game. Finally she went inside to find the place with only one deputy and just two civilians. "Where is everyone?" If this was all that was left they were way understaffed. "The other two are out handling calls. Amy is at the 911 desk." He pointed to Amy who was sitting there typing since there were no calls. "We found a lot of loose papers in Dahl's office and Rebecca is filing, while Elizabeth is out…" He was interrupted when she came in through the front door carrying two cardboard carriers that had coffee in them.
"Coffee everyone! Oh, Deputy Beckett I didn't know when you would be back. I can go get you one if you like," Elizabeth told her beginning to turn to go back out. "I'm fine, besides after my day I could actually use something a little stronger than coffee. You have to go out to get coffee?" It suddenly occurred to Kate that Rick hadn't given her her morning coffee or lunch.
'Where's my coffee!? And my lunch!?' she yelled at Rick. What she got back sounded like he was winded. 'Sorry, I forgot,' he admitted. 'Are you alright? You sound funny.' Kate was more curious than concerned, unless he was on the run from Paladin. 'I'm outside playing bear games with Alexis,' he told her. Kate was pleased and began smiling. The two people watching her were curious as to why she was suddenly smiling widely. 'Never mind, carry on.' Kate left Rick alone until she got home.
"Something happen?" the deputy asked her. "The mayor wants me to run for sheriff and has made me acting sheriff until an election can be held," Kate told them. "That's great!" the deputy said. "I'll go get you that coffee…Sheriff, just tell me what you want," Elizabeth offered. "And why does this place not have coffee?" she asked again, only to watch them point, causing her to turn around. She found the Mr. Coffee-type coffee machine on top of a trash container. "It quit on us," Elizabeth explained.
"Can you buy a really good coffee machine in this town?" Kate asked. "You can even get one of those fancy espresso machines if you want. Not that any of us know how to use it," Elizabeth replied answering her question. Kate dug into her pants' pocket, pulled out her credit card, and handed it to Elizabeth. "Our coffee futures are now in your hands. Go buy a good one this time. One you're comfortable using and get some real coffee this time. Not whatever this place had been using," Kate told her and watched as Elizabeth smiled then started for the door. "And don't worry about the cost, just make sure you know how to use it," she called after her.
Kate moved to the desk she was using. "The sheriff's office is in there." The deputy pointed to the room with glass panels in the walls in the corner. It took her a moment before actually going inside and sitting down behind the desk. It felt funny and alien to her. Still she sucked it up and got to work going through the papers in the sheriff's desk and his personal files.
It took Elizabeth an hour but she was back with a really big box that had the deputy out of his chair to help her with it. He carried it over to the table while she went back outside and came back in carrying a large grocery bag. Kate's curiosity got the better of her. She had to see what was in the box. She came out intending to help to open it. "What is this thing?" she questioned Elizabeth when she came back inside and handed Kate her credit card.
"It's a fully automatic coffee and espresso machine. You simply select which you want and press a button. The beans go in here since it has a built-in grinder or we can use already ground coffee, plus a milk holder that will steam it," Elizabeth explained. "It holds both beans and already ground coffee so it can actually make two different flavors or roasts without having to unload one to put the other in." She was proud of herself.
The Java 010 is a high performance super automatic espresso machine that allows you to enjoy first class espresso in the convenience of your home or office. Its simplicity allows even the coffee novice to prepare a real espresso, and even add steamed milk with the touch of a button.
"I also bought beans and ground coffee. Two different flavors." Elizabeth pulled out two of the bags that she had bought.
Whole Beans – Koffee Kult Dark Roast in a 2 pound bag. GREAT AROMA while whole, while ground, and while brewing. You will want to get out of bed just for the smell of this dark roast gourmet coffee. Cupping Notes: Heavy Body, Smooth, Cinnamon, and Bright with a long finish.
Already Ground – Folgers Gourmet Supreme Ground Coffee
"The lady at the counter said these were two of her best sellers." Elizabeth defended her choices. Kate decided not to ask what the thing cost, she would find out when she got her credit card bill. Besides if this worked it would be worth it. "Just get it working," Kate told them and went back to her office.
About 30 minutes later she could smell coffee brewing which had her up out of her chair and standing next to Elizabeth as she made the first espresso and handed it over to Kate. She took a sip. It wasn't as good as what Rick made for her but it was nice. "I think we'll keep you," she smiled while teasing her and headed back to her desk.
After that she started going through the drawers to find what was in them. She found what looked like a pair ledgers filled with numbers and decided to take that home for her mother to look over. She also found the keys to the Explorer and found the list of cars they had to work with. Suddenly Kate didn't feel so bad about what she had been driving. "Something stinks in this place." She didn't like the list compared to the Explorer that was just sitting out there. It was time to make some changes. "ELIZABETH!" Kate yelled and soon found her in front of the sheriff's desk.
"Is there an inventory of what's in this office? I mean like how much paper for the copier we have? What kind of copier we have?" Kate stopped asking questions when she watched Elizabeth shake her head. "This list of cars we have reads like a list of scrap metal," Kate informed her. "It was all handled by the sheriff," Elizabeth said. "Well that's going to change. I want you to take a week, two if you have to. I want a list of everything we have in this office. Make and model of everything. Copier, fax machine, radio system. Include everything we need to run this office. And add the age of everything if you know it, or give it your best guess."
"The first thing to go as soon as I can arrange it will be the hunks of junk we're driving, including selling that Explorer sitting out front. Has that thing ever even been used for any job dealing with this office?" Kate questioned her. "No ma'am, I mean Sheriff." Elizabeth answered softly. "Ma'am will do Elizabeth. Please relax, I'm not going to bite you and I'm only the acting sheriff. We're still changing how this office works though. Get to work on that list. The sooner I know what we do and don't have the sooner I can start making changes," Kate told her. Elizabeth was smiling now. "Yes ma'am." And she all but skipped out of the office.
Thinking about all of the decisions that needed made got Kate to pick up the phone. There was only one person she knew of that might be able to help her. "Montogmery," the familiar voice answered the phone after just one ring. "It's good to hear your voice sir," she told him feeling better. "BECKETT!" Roy exclaimed which got heads to turn his direction. "How's life in Wyoming?" He knew from the guys just where she was. "Has Espo told everyone?" Kate shouldn't be shocked, but in some ways she was. "In that case I won't tell you about the copy of the satellite view of your house he got off Google that's tacked up in the break room," he teased causing her to groan. "And the answer is yes, I did give them time off to come out and see you. They've been told to expect to be grilled over an open fire for answers to questions everyone will have for them." That included Roy.
"Actually I have a question for you, sir. This place is driving around in vehicles that are barely in this century. I was hoping you had a contact to get new ones," Kate asked him."Actually I know just the person. The city is in negotiations to replace the Crown Vics with something else," Roy said that in a soft voice since he didn't need for everyone in the office to know. "Hang on let me find his contact." He was silent for a time as Kate waited. "This is Dodge if that works for you? And why are you being tasked with this? Your sheriff or mayor should be doing this." He didn't understand why Kate was involved in the process. "Our sheriff has been arrested and the mayor made me the acting sheriff until an emergency election to permanently replace him can be held," she told him. "You would be perfect for the job Beckett. Call me about anything. If I can help you I will, and here is his contact number," he said as she scribbled down the information.
"How's your mother handling the move?" Roy hated losing her but understood why she did it. "She's so much better now. She's opening a restaurant and I think she has a thing for the architect who's helping her," Kate said, pleased with how things were going. "Like your thing for a guy named Rick?" he grinned. Kate let her forehead hit her desk. "I'm so going to kill Lanie," she whispered as she heard him chuckle at her expense. "We're here if you need us Beckett, try not to be a stranger." He would like to see her too. "You can come out to visit, sir. We have lots of space. Bring Evelyn and the girls with you. I'm sure Alexis would love to meet them," she told him before she could stop herself. "I expect an invitation Beckett, and I'm happy for you and your mother." Roy hung up on her before she could say anything.
'Why am I trying to deny it? I'm a bound life mate after all,' she told herself. 'And I love you,' Rick responded sounding out of breath. 'I wasn't talking to you. And what are you two doing anyway?' she asked. 'I'm teaching her how to toboggan down a hill as a bear. Go Alexis, go!' he replied cheering his baby girl on. It had Kate chuckling alone in her office.
Kate picked up the phone and called the number Roy had given her. She talked with him for a while explaining what she wanted and listened to what he could offer. "A week from today should work fine." She was hoping she would know what kind of money she had to work with after Dahl by then. "I look forward to meeting you and seeing what we can get." Kate felt better now about the cars anyway.
Each leased car would cost $8,000 per year as per typical terms. Plus a total of $8,000 a year for maintenance for all of them. The lease would be for two years with an option to buy at the end of the contract. He would take what they have now an sell them plus he would take the Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer and provide two PT- Cruiser Limited's in trade just for it.d
They would get the following list for $6 thousand per vehicle per year on a two year lease:
2 – Dodge 2500 Ram Truck. The Cummins turbo diesel engine got a power boost, up to 235 hp / 460 lb-ft of torque - with a new high output option of a whopping 245 hp / 505 lb-ft of torque (manual transmission only). The manual / Cummins option's cruise control is now fully electronic.
4 – Dodge Intrepid Sedan. Intrepid R/T features a high-output 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 engine that delivers 242 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 250 lb.-ft. of torque at 3950 rpm, and is complemented by a selectable dual-mode AutoStick transaxle and performance-tuned exhaust.
2 – Dodge Durango SUV. The Next Generation 4.7-liter Magnum® V-8 engine and multi-speed 45RFE automatic transmission.
The PT Cruisers came free from the trade for the Ford Explorer, while the others would cost them a total of $56 grand each year including maintenance. They would all be modified for Weston County Sheriff's office including lights, computer terminals, and paint. Delivery was tentatively scheduled for 3 months from today provided she could come up with the money for the leases.
Kate initially wanted to use her Jeep for her personal transport as acting sheriff, however that proved to be impractical so she selected one of the PT Cruisers to use for herself. The two Ram trucks would be used locally only while the Intrepids and Durangos would be used by the 6 deputies with the ones who had worked here longest getting first pick.
What Kate didn't know was what to do about the three that had left their jobs to join with Dahl, besides firing them immediately. She supposed she should send them an official letter of termination and would order them to return the county's property: badge, equipment belt, personal communication device, handcuffs, zip ties (backup for handcuffs), weapon, and remaining ammunition. She and the mayor had a date to discuss how to hire replacements.
She spent most of the day searching the office and putting things into four piles: Must read. Read later. Shred. File. While she was doing that Elizabeth came into her office to look at her computer, monitor, printer, and scanner/fax machine as part of the list Kate had asked her for.
One of the items she was sure she was also going to have to negotiate was new computer equipment and likely new copier/fax/scanner machine. Kate got on the internet and started looking around. What she found was that $100 grand of office equipment would possibly cost them $4 grand a month on a 24 month lease term. There were nine desks total that had a computer sitting on them including hers.
What Kate found was that the very latest thing to come out was the Apple OS-X Cheetah as of March of this year. 2001 was proving to be a bad year so far. Stocks had taken a serious fall and companies were hurting and laying off people. She was also hoping that that meant deals could be had.
Kate priced out a lease for 11 new Apple computers to replace the desktop units they were presently using. Once her mother had an opportunity to go over Dahl's ledger and hopefully found some money, she would place the order for them.
11 - 2001 Apple PowerBook G4, 500 MHz, 256MB/20GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive, 15.2 inch diagonal display, slot loading DVD-ROM, 8MB of SDRAM video memory, built-in 2D/3D graphics and Airport card. They had just become available March 24, 2001 and since this was June 27, 2001, that made them the latest and newest computer out there. Delivery could be as fast as 15 days and would include phone support for any set-up installation problems. These would also be a 2 year lease, just like the cars. Buying them was close to $4 grand each, leasing them for 2 years would be a lot less expensive. Besides they came with service and support that they would have to provide for themselves if they bought them.
She also priced out a lease for a brand new Xerox Workcentre 7535 Color Copier Machine Network Printer Scanner Fax Finisher with a Xerox Workcentre M20/M20i for free out of the deal. The 7535 was a large unit that would be used to handle all large projects, as well as scanning and faxing while the M20/M20i was a desktop unit that would go in her office. Both of them were Mac compatible. They were both on a 2 year lease and came with service and support.
She was more than ready to go home. "Who has the night duty?" Kate asked after the two deputies that had been out on patrol entered the office. She assigned the deputy who had been in the office all day as the night duty deputy; he could sleep on one of the cots they kept for overnight snow emergencies. And the staff person who only worked to cover nights off for the night 911 operators would be in to cover for Melissa. "We're short three deputies and Melissa who hopefully will be back tomorrow. I'll work up a schedule for who we have and bring it in in the morning. You have my cell phone number if you need me," she told them and started for the door before something nagged at her. "Does everyone have a cell phone?" Kate only saw one hand go up, which caused her head to fall to her chest as she sighed heavily.
"I'll look into getting one for everyone tomorrow; just remember they're meant for law enforcement business only. Do not abuse them. Did Dahl do anything right around here?" Kate asked them. "Don't answer that. Things are changing people. If things work out there will be new official vehicles in three months. Hopefully in a month or so there will be new computers and two new copy machines. One will be a scanner/fax so you can scan a document and send it to your computer as a PDF and then turn around and fax it to someone."
"We've got a new coffee machine. I'll look into the phones tomorrow, is there anything else I should know about?" she asked them. "It gets cold in here in winter and the roof leaks when it rains heavily," Elizabeth piped up. "Tomorrow, anything else?" Kate questioned. "Before I forget - when was the last time any of you went to and passed a weapons course?" All she got back were blank stares. "I'll work on that tomorrow too. And I want to see your weapons before you go out on the road tomorrow. I don't want you getting hurt just because Dahl didn't care. I care! Things are going to change around here."
"Sometime next week we're going to have a person to person interview for each of you. If I can convince the mayor we may be able to change some pay scales also. Dahl is gone and my priority is you and the people we serve. Speaking of people, how many of you are married?" Kate asked and watched only two hands not go up. "And that's why things are changing. Have a good night and call me if you need me," she told them and opened the door to leave. "Is this what Roy did all day?" she said to herself.
Kate thought about what had happened since they had moved out here in mid-February, missing most of the winter. It had still been a little cold. It hadn't snowed when they arrived though it had the following week, followed by another dry spell. The last of the snow had been in late April and it wasn't much.
She had taken Rick out camping in mid-March after she was sure she was falling in love with him and had made love to him there. And had ended up being bonded to each other for life. It had scared her a little at the time, but she knew now that she loved him with all her heart. Being with him for the rest of her life didn't really scare her any. Kate could just hear what Lanie would think about that, let alone what she would say.
Had she done things too fast? After all she had been with Will for just over six months and had left him when he left her for his job. Like she was going to follow him everywhere he went! She really had been stupid to ever be with him in the first place.
It was just that it didn't feel rushed. She was way too happy for it to be too fast or a bad thing. Plus Rick wasn't asking anything of her except to let him love her.
But did her dad have to die and they move out here to find him? However her mother was living again and she was pretty sure her mother was interested in Oscar, so maybe it wasn't all bad.
School was ending soon; Oscar was coming out tomorrow and staying until the restaurant was open. Or so her mother had told her after finally getting her to tell her the truth. Why her mother thought she wouldn't want Oscar here baffled her. Both the restaurant and Oscar were good for Johanna.