Chapter49 "Don't Mess with the Steinmans"

The mayor's sitting behind his desk popping antacid tablets like they were PEZ candies, when he calls over the intercom, "Ruth, let me know the second Sheriff Faulkner gets here." "Yes, sir." "And, make sure that no good Deputy Hopkins comes in this time; will you?" "Yes sir, Mayor." She releases the talk button. "Asshole." Sheriff Faulkner enters; catching Ruth's last comment. "You must be referring to Al?" He tips his Stetson to greet her. Ruth smiles. "Who else. Hold on; let me tell his royal highness you're here." She gets back on the intercom. "Sheriff Faulkner's here, Mr. Mayor." "Is he by himself?" Sheriff Faulkner looks around the room, "Tell him I reckon so, Ms. Ruth." "He reckons so." She and the sheriff laugh. "What did you say? Never mind; just send him in." "Yes sir." "I reckon I'll be moseying on in now, Ms. Ruth." "And, when do you think you'll be moseying on my way, Sheriff?" She blushes and looks down at her desk; embarrassed over her impulsively brash comment. "Now, Ms. Ruth, I'm here on official police business;" before entering the mayor's office, "but, if you're free tomorrow morning…I reckon we could meet at the diner for some breakfast; if you'd like." She blushes an even darker shade of red. "I'd like it very much, Lloyd." "Well then, I reckon it's a date; so to speak." "Lloyd, what's taking you so long?" The mayor yells from his office. "I suppose I should be going now, Ms. Ruth." He tips his Stetson again. "Yeah;" she giggles, "you don't want to keep tubby waiting." The sheriff opens the door and enters the mayor's office. When the door's closed, Ruth leans back in her chair, letting out a deep breath, and fans herself with her hand. The mayor hollers, "Just what in the hell do you think you're doing, Sheriff?" Sheriff Faulkner removes his hat and facetiously asks, "What's that, Al; have a seat? Why thank you, Mayor; don't mind if I do." The sheriff sits. "So, Al; what was it you'd like to discuss?" The mayor huffs, "I got calls today from Jerry and Ernie; is there something you'd like to tell me, Lloyd?" "Not that I could think of…what's on you mind, Al?" "Damn it, Lloyd! What's this I hear you've brought in the State Boys on a simple car crash?" "Well now, Al; I'm not so certain it was just a simple car crash. I called Corporal Nyce to see if maybe the Highway Patrol can look into it; since they have a unit that specializes in vehicular accidents. They're better equipped to determine what happened." The mayor pounds his fist on his desk. "Christ, Lloyd! It was an accident; plain and simple! Case closed!" "If you don't mind, Al; I think I'll wait for the State Boys to tell me that." The mayor looks at the sheriff and shakes his head; then, he continues the conversation. "And, what about the body, Lloyd?" "What about it, Al?" "Why do you feel it necessary to send Delilah's corpse all the way out to some medical examiner in Warwick? Ernie Livingston's been coroner in this town for nearly four decades, Lloyd; I'm sure he's more than qualified to determine that it's Delilah." "Well now, Al; I don't want someone who's qualified to tell me it's Ms. Delilah…I want someone who's qualified to tell me who it actually is." "Don't think I don't know what you're doing here, Lloyd." The sheriff goads the mayor, "Well, I reckon you do know what I'm doing here, Al; you said you wanted to see me….Isn't that why I'm here?" "Funny, Sheriff…ha-ha…are you taking banter lessons from Hopkins?" The mayor leans back and yanks out the handkerchief from his shirt pocket to wipe the sweat from his forehead; then, throws the handkerchief down on the desk, leans forward and puts his hands palms down on the desk. "Look here, Lloyd; it doesn't matter who you have investigate the crash or the body…the results will come back saying it was an accident; and, that it's Delilah's body." "Is that so, Al?" "Yeah; that's so." "So, then why do you care who I call in; or, where I send the body off to?" "Lloyd; you're opening a can of worms that shouldn't be opened. You and Hopkins are asking for a whole heap of trouble. The truth of the matter is, I couldn't care less about what comes down on you and Hopkins; I just don't want to be hit with any of the fallout." "I'll tell you what…Al…I'll go get you one of them there construction hard hats; then, you won't have to worry about anything falling on you….What do you say to that?" The mayor shakes his head…laughing…and sits back in his chair. "What do I say to that, Lloyd; I say you and Hopkins are fucked…big time!" "Let me guess now, Al; Senator Jackie a bit miffed now?" "Miffed? When the Steinman's get done with you two; you'll be through in this town…or, any other town for that matter. You won't even be able to get a job as a mall security guard! Now; what do you have to say to that, Lloyd?" "Well, Al; I'd have to say it's a good thing I never hankered to be a mall security guard." "Have your fun now, Lloyd; because your days are numbered here…yours and Hopkins'." Sheriff Faulkner grabs a pen and piece of paper off the desk, writes a big zero on it and asks the mayor, "Speaking of numbers, Al; do you know what this here number is?" He looks at the sheriff, shrugging his shoulders; and, the sheriff smiles. "That there's the number of votes Senator Jackie can expect after we expose him for the conniving weasel he really is. So, you might want to let the Senator know that he may want to start applying for that mall security guard position now; this way he'll have a job when he's out of office." The sheriff gets up and leaves the mayor's office; slamming the door behind him.