Gold Star Chance

by C J Murphy

  “Taylor, don’t ever worry about calling early. I’m on my way. Grab the Epsom salts and a bucket. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  “Will do.”

  Chance’s next call was to give Dee the heads up that she might not make the fundraiser meeting. As the phone dialed through, Zeus paced from window to window surveying the scenery. “See anything, boy?”

  Her question was answered with a whine. She knew he’d much rather be out of the vehicle. He was a working dog, and his job was to follow any command that Chance gave him.

  A deep, gravelly voice answered her call, “And what can I do for you, Five Points?”

  “Morning Dee, thanks for bird dogging Mom on me at o-dark-thirty.”

  A deep chuckle rumbled across the line. “Hey, you know her, nobody tells her what to do. She’s determined for you to eat breakfast. Coffee and a package of your favorite little coconut doughnuts doesn’t rank as breakfast in her book. She misses you, so you should expect her to be there at least three times a week for a while. She’s got that empty nest thing going since our last little bird flew off to school for the summer session.”

  Dee was referring to their adopted and former foster child, Kendra, in college over in Morgantown. “I did enjoy the bacon. How’s Kendra doing at WVU?” Chance flipped on her blinker and turned onto the tree-lined road leading to the stables.

  “You know her, rarely says a thing. She sounded good in our last phone call. I think she’ll be fine. I know you didn’t call to talk about the kid who idolizes you enough to find a school she could attend on a criminal justice scholarship. I’m sure she’ll call you in a few days. I also know you didn’t call to gloat about the bacon Mags fried you and keeps denying me. So, what’s up?”

  Chance pulled up to the stables and put the vehicle in park. “Hey, don’t hate me because my cholesterol is well under the limit. I’m sorry, I might have to miss the meeting. Taylor called and Sabrina’s come up lame. I’m pulling into the stables now. I’ll try to make it. I just need to make sure she’s okay and see if the vet will have to be called. That’s a mess too, because ole Doc Hendricks retired. I haven’t managed to find a new, large-animal vet closer than Deep Creek. I’ll know more after I get there. I hate to bail on you if I don’t have to.”

  “One more wise crack about my cholesterol and you’ll see how well I’ve recovered from that heart attack.”

  “Yes, oh wise one.”

  “Oh wise one, my ass. Go see about your horse. Don’t worry about the meeting. I’ll pass on your regrets.”

  “And then ask me to write a bigger check.”

  “Exactly. Bye, Five Points.”

  Dee had called her Five Points since she’d helped win the basketball championship with five points in spectacular style. She hit a long, three-point shot, then drove to the basket for the winning lay-up at the buzzer. As she went up, she took an elbow to the jaw—broken in three places and wired shut for almost two months. Milkshakes, broth, and soup became her ‘friends.’ Still to this day, it turned her stomach to even spell the word soup. Now, she was Five Points because of the badge she pinned on every morning. Chance could still see her ten-year-old self sitting on the front porch steps with her dad after work. She’d held his badge in her hands and asked him a question.

  “Daddy, why are there five points on your badge?”

  “Well, honey, the points mean different things to different people. To me they mean honor, duty, courage, integrity, and empathy. The empathy part is the hardest as an officer. It’s a hard one to find balance for. Someday, when you’re wearing the badge, you’ll understand.”

  His words frequently drifted back to her now that she was an officer of the law. Every day, she could still hear his words and now understood what he’d meant. He’d also told her life would offer her a gold-star chance at some point, professionally and personally. ‘You have to be ready to grab it, kid. Grab it and hold on for dear life. You’ll know it when you see it.’ She was sure she’d finally found it professionally. The personal one seemed to have passed her by many years ago, slipped through her fingers like fine sand.

  Chance opened the back door. Zeus vaulted out and took his place at her side, as she stepped from the vehicle. Together, they strode up to a modest but well-equipped barn. The single-story wooden structure was painted red and trimmed in white. A nice corral they used for training was attached to the west side. Taylor was in Sabrina’s stall. Her K9 partner, Midas, greeted Chance and Zeus.

  “Find anything in her stall that she could have injured herself on?”

  Taylor stood patting Sabrina’s neck while she held the halter. “Not that I could see. It looks like she kicked the door there. That’s a fresh strike.”

  “Easy girl,” Chance cooed, as she approached the mare and ran her hand down the haunch, feeling each muscle and tendon. When Chance went to inspect her hoof, Sabrina pulled away and skittered sideways. “I think I found a sore spot. It might be just a stone bruise or that strike.” Chance ran her finger along the U-shaped indentation in the wood of the stall door. “Let’s try to soak it and see how it goes in the next few days. If it doesn’t get better or gets worse, I’ll call for a vet to examine her.” Chance stood and wrapped an arm under Sabrina’s neck and patted her. “Don’t worry girl, we’ll have you fixed up before you know it. I’ll go get some hot water if you’ll hold her. I know you should be getting off about now.”

  Taylor rubbed Sabrina’s nose, and Midas came to sit by her leg. “We’re not leaving my girl, so I’ll be here.”

  Chance tipped her hat, grabbed the rubber bucket, and filled it with hot water. She stuck her own arm in to test the temperature. When it was just shy of uncomfortable, she took it back into the stall and poured in the Epsom salts. She mixed it with her hand to dissolve the salt, and then slowly directed Sabrina’s hoof into the bucket while rubbing her flank.

  Sabrina tried to pull away again, but Taylor, who stood just an inch shorter than Chance’s five foot nine, held her steady and rubbed her cheek. “Easy girl, this will make it feel better.”

  “I couldn’t see an abscess. Doesn’t mean there isn’t one, but let’s watch it. Now promise me, after it soaks for twenty minutes, you’ll go get some sleep. I know you’re back on tonight. Don’t make me call your wife.”

  Taylor laughed and shook her head. “My wife is your secretary, so she knows what’s going on. I’d tell you to kiss her good morning for me, but then I might have to kill you.”

  Taylor’s wife, Penny, had worked for Chance since the day she took office. Taylor and Penny had been happily married for just under ten years and were as close as any couple Chance knew. She was grateful that both of them had agreed to be part of her inner circle when she was elected as Sheriff.

  “If I kissed her, you wouldn’t have to worry about killing me. She’d do it for you. Did you get a chance to feed the rest of them?”

  “I did. Before I go home, I’ll let them out into the pasture. I’ll keep Sabrina in her stall to rest that foot.” Taylor nodded her head. “Bosley there can keep her company.”

  The big yellow and white cat jumped up and walked across the shelf right outside the stall. He plopped down, licked a paw, then shut his eyes. Chance reached out and stroked across Bosley’s head, summoning a deep rumble from the cat.

  “Big help he’s going to be. I bet he’s asleep in five minutes. Being a good mouser is tough work, huh Bosley?” She’d found a tiny, soaking wet kitten on the side of the road two years ago. He now ruled the barn and kept the mice out of the sweet feed.

  “Okay, I’m going to try and make Dee’s meeting. Call me if you need anything.”

  “You got it, Sheriff.” Taylor touched the tip of her hat and went back to patting Sabrina.

  The dogs sniffed each other, as Zeus followed Chance out of the stall before she secured the gate behind them. She stopped to wash her hands and take in the equine smells of the barn—hay, leather, and manure. She finished and they returned to her veh
icle for their ride into Davis.

  A few minutes into their trip, she saw the black Dodge Durango from the Loop Trail parking area peeking out of the driveway of one of their suspected drug dealers. Maryland specialty plate with a Baltimore Orioles theme. What are you doing there? She picked up her mic to call in the plate. Before she depressed the button, she thought better of it and used a scratchpad on her center console to jot down the numbers. She’d run them later to avoid radio traffic. Chance checked the dashboard clock and thought she could still make it to the meeting. No one would mind her being a few minutes late.

  Her radio crackled to life, and a different dispatcher called her unit number. “Comm Center to SD-1.”

  “SD-1. Go ahead.”

  “SD-4 is out on River Road with an abandoned vehicle in the water. Passenger compartment is visible with no sign of occupants. Fire Department has been alerted. SD-4 has no communication and went to the campground to call it in.”

  “SD-1 received. I’m responding. Contact a wrecker service so we can start working to get that thing out of the water. Has SD-4 gone back to the scene?”

  “Affirmative, SD-1. You’re responding River Road.”

  A vehicle in the river on a summer night was nothing unusual. The driver had probably attempted to use the low-water river crossing and flooded out before making it to the other side. Let’s just hope the only swim they took last night was back to the bank and not downstream. Several areas on the mountain had experienced heavy rains for the last two nights. The feeder streams that led down into the three rivers that formed the Cheat were nowhere near flood stage. The problem was that certain areas of the river could be deceptively deep. A novice driver or a dislodged rock could easily high center a vehicle, allowing it to stall out.

  “SD-1 to Comm Center. Do we have a plate number on that vehicle? If so, text the information to me.”

  “That’s affirmative, Sheriff. The wrecker service has been notified. One of their operators lives close by. He’ll be there in ten minutes to assess what equipment will be required.”

  “That’s received.” Chance heard her phone ping with a text and let the onboard Bluetooth system read the information to her. An automated voice relayed that the truck belonged to a local resident, someone she knew well. Given the age of the owner, she assumed it was more likely that Mr. Davis’s grandson, Tommy, had been the driver attempting to traverse the low-water crossing. Tommy had probably gone for a ride with the two other young men he tended to hang around with. She’d had more than one run-in with the boys, who ranged in age from eighteen to twenty. She’d save the drive to Mr. Davis’s place until she had more information. Harold Davis was likely to be unhappy with the bill his grandson’s joyride was going to produce.

  She waved at several cars that passed by her, as she pulled up beside the other Sheriff’s Department vehicle. Kenny Ness and his dog, Tyson, approached as she and Zeus stepped out. When she’d made Sheriff, she’d found enough grant money to purchase K9 dogs for five units. Chance’s father had died when he deemed the situation required immediate engagement without backup. It could take assistance up to forty minutes coming from the other side of the county. She was determined that her road officers wouldn’t face down a dangerous situation by themselves while they waited. K9 units were expensive, but a portion of every citation they wrote was designated for the care of the animals.

  “What do you have Kenny? Any sign of the occupants?”

  Kenny pushed his hat up off his forehead and wiped at his brow. He pointed to slide marks in the mud on the bank close to them. “Both side windows are down and water’s flowing through them. I spotted shoe prints in the mud there. At least two different tread styles and some handprints like they climbed up from the water. When they ran the plate, it comes back to Harold Davis up in Red Creek.”

  “I’m betting it’s his grandson. Now that I’ve seen evidence that suggests someone got out, I’ll call up there and see if Harold had the truck out or if Tommy was driving. It’s always possible it was stolen, but I’m betting against that.”

  Bob Watson pulled up in his wrecker. After exiting the vehicle, he pulled off his greasy ball cap and smacked it against his leg. He walked up to the group. “I’m guessing my boy’s going for a swim to get that thing hooked up. Hell of a time to try and cross there.” Bob put his hat back on and shook his head. “It’s going to beat the heck out of that undercarriage getting it back to this side.”

  “I don’t doubt it, Bob. How many trucks do you think you’ll need?” Chance took her notebook out of her cargo pocket to jot down any instructions. “I’m going to go out to Harold Davis’s. I can call back to the shop for you when I’m in range.”

  “Thanks. Tell Mike to bring the big, flatbed wrecker. I’m going to need the winch with the longest cable, and it’s hard to say if the tires will hold to put it on the hook. Oh, and tell Mike to bring his swim trunks.” He laughed at his last remark and shook his head.

  Chance grinned. “I’ll pass that on. Kenny, if you’ve got this in hand, I’ll go make some calls.”

  “It’s not going anywhere fast. I did see some oil on the water down below there, in the shallows, you might call the DEP while you’re out.”

  “That fine won’t be pretty. I’ll add that to the list.” Chance made another note and slid the notebook back into her pocket as she called Zeus. Ten minutes later, they made it to an area where she had decent cell coverage. Once she’d called the wrecker, she stopped by Harold’s and determined that Tommy had indeed taken his grandfather’s truck. Harold hadn’t seen him since. She filled in the eighty-year-old man as to where they’d found his truck and what the procedure would be. He promised to find Tommy and make him call into the Sheriff’s Department.

  “Thank you, Harold. I’m sorry to deliver such rough news.”

  “Well, at least he didn’t take my new truck. Not sure what his mother will do to him when she catches him. He’d better hope I find him first.”

  “Tell her not to kill him. I’d hate to have to arrest her.” Chance watched as Harold laughed and started to cough. “You okay, Harold?”

  A final forceful cough and he assured Chance that he was fine. “She might like the peace and quiet jail would offer. Between Tommy and those other two grandsons of mine, I’m surprised she hasn’t lost her mind.”

  Chance left Harold with the intention of heading to her office. She still wanted to check on the plates from the Dodge Durango she’d spotted at the Kurst property. She’d make a call to the regional drug task force and pass on the information. Her office had limited resources for long-term drug investigations. A group of federal and state officers made up an undercover task force with an ongoing mission to stop the drug trafficking drawn by the tourist population. In the summer, hikers, anglers, and bikers of both the gasoline and pedal style abounded.

  She looked at her dash clock. “Good Lord, twelve thirty and I haven’t accomplished a damn thing.”

  The backwoods drive from Red Creek to the county seat was full of abundant wildlife, small streams, and tall, hardwood trees. The county was decked out in shades of green and a brilliant, blue sky dotted with fluffy, white clouds. It would be a perfect day for a trail ride with the horses later in the afternoon, if she could sneak it in.

  Once she’d made it back to the more populated area of the county, her cell phone chimed in with a variety of text and voice messages. Her radio crackled with the traffic of other officers and a medical call to the lodge at Blackwater Falls. “All in a day’s work.”

  Zeus led the way into her office, as she pushed open the door and greeted Penny. “Hell of a way to start the day. Can you call this plate in up to the Comm Center? I didn’t want to put the traffic out over the air, if you know what I mean.”

  Penny Lewis stood up from behind the counter and placed her hands on her hips. “Good morning to you too, Sheriff.” She held out her hand for the papers Chance clasped and narrowed her eyes.

  Chance took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Penny. Good morning. How are things?”

  “Well, given it’s after lunch and you’re just making it in, I’d say busy. I hate to say it, but it’s about to get busier. Brad stopped by and wanted to see you. He had to run over to the courthouse, said he’d be back in about fifteen minutes.”

  Chance shook her head. “That can’t be good. I haven’t had near enough coffee to handle whatever his complaint of the day is. Did we get his uniform order wrong again, or is his radio not working this week?”

  Penny poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Chance. “Hard to say, but you are about to find out. He’s coming out of the courthouse now.”

  “I’ll be in my office.” She held up the mug. “Thanks. You didn’t happen to slip in a sedative to help me cope with whatever it is this time, did you?”

  “No, but I’ll make your favorite sandwich as an incentive.”

  Chance laughed and walked back to her office. “Tell him to wait and that I’m on a call. He’s on my time. That should give me a few minutes to put up my best bullshit shields. Did Taylor make it home or is she still at the stables?”

  “At the stables. You know her; she won’t go rest until that horse seems better. I’ll hold him off.”

  Chance ushered Zeus into her office and hung up her hat as she closed her door. She released a heavy sigh, as she sank into her chair and fired up her laptop while she called Taylor. “How’s our girl?” Chance scanned her calendar and email for anything pressing.

  Taylor sighed. “She’s still holding it up, off and on. I let it soak a good while. I’ll do it again after I go get some sleep. I’m headed home now.”

  “Think I need to call for a vet?”

  “Might be worth making a few calls to line someone up if she’s not better after the next treatment. Maybe just find out who’s available.”

  “Okay. Get out of there and go to bed. I’ll check in on her on my way home. Don’t get up any earlier. She can wait until I get there. I’ll turn on the Wi-Fi camera and keep an eye on her. Maybe by now, Doc can tell us if anyone has bought his practice. Get some sleep.”