the week before when an
overeager citizen spotted them at an abandoned factory and reported it as a
possible burglary.
“We want the paper jobs in Hullett,” Josh told her. “They could
put new machines into the wire mill and keep the workers on. We could do
trainin’. We ain’t stupid.”
Clearly. She narrowed her eyes at
him. “So you’re making a mess of my town to make Hullett look better. Is that
it?”
He looked down at his hands sheepishly. “We need the work.”
They went about it in a completely wrong and idiotic way, but
she could certainly understand their motivation. “What else?”
Josh looked up, confusion on his face.
“What else have you done?” she clarified.
“The lights were it. I swear.”
He looked earnest enough that she believed him. But she would
bet good money that Pebble Creek’s recent troubles with vandalism had been
caused by some of his buddies—bunch of geniuses.
She told them she’d take them to holding, one at a time, while
she figured something out. She took Jeremy first, then Josh. With Josh, she
swung by the break room on their way to holding.
He walked with his head hanging. “Just don’t call my ma, all
right? She can’t pay no bail.”
“Want some coffee?”
He looked up with surprise. He’d probably expected
chastisement. “Thank you, ma’am. I would.”
“How about something to go with it?” She gestured toward the
box of doughnuts on the counter.
“For real?”
“I’m not here to abuse people whose biggest crime is wanting to
work.”
Relief filled his face as he cautiously reached into the white
paper box for an apple fritter.
She drew a slow breath. “But you and your brother did go about
it the wrong way. Replacing those fuse boxes will cost a mint.”
Josh looked like the first bite got stuck in his throat. “I
told you, we ain’t got no money.”
“And the baby’s coming,” she said with sympathy. “I’ll talk to
the judge. You could be booked and released today, no bail. I could put in a
strong recommendation for community service only. You and your brother could
work off the damage.” She paused. “Thing is, if I’m that nice, I need to know
everything you know.”
But instead of giving her information on other recent vandalism
in Pebble Creek like she’d expected, he said, “I know about the bad money they
were talkin’ about on TV.” He looked around nervously.
Pay dirt.
She hurried to the door and closed it, all ears. “Sit.” She put
the whole doughnut box in front of him.
But he looked really scared now, just holding on to his
fritter. “If anyone finds out...”
“Not from me. I promise.”
He swallowed hard and looked to the door as if to make sure
nobody was coming in. “I was at Ronny’s house last week for some grillin’ and
beer.” He paused.
“Ronny who?”
“Brown. Down by the reservoir.”
She knew Ronald Brown. They were old friends. She’d arrested
him on drug distribution last year. He’d gotten off on a technicality. “How is
he linked to the fake money?”
“I don’t know. I swear.” Josh put his free hand to his chest.
“I went into the house to take a leak. He was in the kitchen with this other
dude. The other guy was givin’ him a roll of twenties and tellin’ him they
needed to be spent slowly and carefully.”
“That’s it?”
He nodded. “I didn’t think nothin’ of it until they said about
bad money on the news.”
“What did the other man look like?”
“Mexican. Short and scruffy. He had some tattoos. Ain’t never
seen him around before.”
“How about you look at some pictures for me?”
She led him back to her office then had him look through the
mug shots on her computer.
Scrolling through the pictures, and doing a lot of handholding
so Josh wouldn’t renege on his promise to help, took some time. By the time they
ran out of mug shots to look at and she’d processed then released the brothers,
her shift was over. Too late to go and see Ronny
overeager citizen spotted them at an abandoned factory and reported it as a
possible burglary.
“We want the paper jobs in Hullett,” Josh told her. “They could
put new machines into the wire mill and keep the workers on. We could do
trainin’. We ain’t stupid.”
Clearly. She narrowed her eyes at
him. “So you’re making a mess of my town to make Hullett look better. Is that
it?”
He looked down at his hands sheepishly. “We need the work.”
They went about it in a completely wrong and idiotic way, but
she could certainly understand their motivation. “What else?”
Josh looked up, confusion on his face.
“What else have you done?” she clarified.
“The lights were it. I swear.”
He looked earnest enough that she believed him. But she would
bet good money that Pebble Creek’s recent troubles with vandalism had been
caused by some of his buddies—bunch of geniuses.
She told them she’d take them to holding, one at a time, while
she figured something out. She took Jeremy first, then Josh. With Josh, she
swung by the break room on their way to holding.
He walked with his head hanging. “Just don’t call my ma, all
right? She can’t pay no bail.”
“Want some coffee?”
He looked up with surprise. He’d probably expected
chastisement. “Thank you, ma’am. I would.”
“How about something to go with it?” She gestured toward the
box of doughnuts on the counter.
“For real?”
“I’m not here to abuse people whose biggest crime is wanting to
work.”
Relief filled his face as he cautiously reached into the white
paper box for an apple fritter.
She drew a slow breath. “But you and your brother did go about
it the wrong way. Replacing those fuse boxes will cost a mint.”
Josh looked like the first bite got stuck in his throat. “I
told you, we ain’t got no money.”
“And the baby’s coming,” she said with sympathy. “I’ll talk to
the judge. You could be booked and released today, no bail. I could put in a
strong recommendation for community service only. You and your brother could
work off the damage.” She paused. “Thing is, if I’m that nice, I need to know
everything you know.”
But instead of giving her information on other recent vandalism
in Pebble Creek like she’d expected, he said, “I know about the bad money they
were talkin’ about on TV.” He looked around nervously.
Pay dirt.
She hurried to the door and closed it, all ears. “Sit.” She put
the whole doughnut box in front of him.
But he looked really scared now, just holding on to his
fritter. “If anyone finds out...”
“Not from me. I promise.”
He swallowed hard and looked to the door as if to make sure
nobody was coming in. “I was at Ronny’s house last week for some grillin’ and
beer.” He paused.
“Ronny who?”
“Brown. Down by the reservoir.”
She knew Ronald Brown. They were old friends. She’d arrested
him on drug distribution last year. He’d gotten off on a technicality. “How is
he linked to the fake money?”
“I don’t know. I swear.” Josh put his free hand to his chest.
“I went into the house to take a leak. He was in the kitchen with this other
dude. The other guy was givin’ him a roll of twenties and tellin’ him they
needed to be spent slowly and carefully.”
“That’s it?”
He nodded. “I didn’t think nothin’ of it until they said about
bad money on the news.”
“What did the other man look like?”
“Mexican. Short and scruffy. He had some tattoos. Ain’t never
seen him around before.”
“How about you look at some pictures for me?”
She led him back to her office then had him look through the
mug shots on her computer.
Scrolling through the pictures, and doing a lot of handholding
so Josh wouldn’t renege on his promise to help, took some time. By the time they
ran out of mug shots to look at and she’d processed then released the brothers,
her shift was over. Too late to go and see Ronny
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