The Big Guy Chapter 22

 
The Big Guy
Chapter 22

“He was formally terminated at our last meeting of the County Commissioners, so we’re looking for a new sheriff.” Maybe I was being unusually dense, but I still wasn’t sure what they wanted until he continued. “We’d like to offer the position to you. Everyone in the county knows what you’ve done here in Bascomb’s Landing. Things in the Sheriff’s Office aren't as bad, but they could be much better. Typically, we would consider one of the ranking officers, but they all sympathized with Johnson. We’ve had more than enough of that kind of thinking.

“We know what you’re earning now, and we’ll pay you more than $40,000 more to start with the same benefits and five weeks of vacation instead of the four you currently have. We would appoint you in an emergency meeting this week, and you’d be all set until next November’s election, but we’re sure you’ll be reelected.”

“Since you know so much about me, I’m sure you know three important things. First, I’ve only been here as police chief for about fourteen months. Second, my wife is the chairperson of the City Council, so I work for her, and I don’t want her to be offended by my leaving. Third, and probably the most important, I’m no politician. I wouldn’t have the first idea how to run for office.”

“We assume you are a registered Republican.” I nodded in reply. “Then you’ll have no difficulty being reelected. More than seventy percent of county voters are Republicans and most vote for a straight-party ticket. Of the eleven commissioners, we have only one Democrat, which works well. She keeps us on our toes and makes sure we’re honest. Other than your regular duties, you are expected to attend our monthly meetings unless your duties require you to work or you’re on vacation. You’ll get a new vehicle every year for your personal use, and yes, we can customize it for your dog the way your current vehicle is.”

“This is a tempting offer, gentlemen, but I would need to discuss it with my wife before giving you an answer. I’d also like to know more about your facilities and personnel before giving you a final answer.” I stood then to signal that the meeting was over. We shook hands, and they walked out the door. Sandra was curious, but I wouldn’t say anything about our discussion.

I left the office at five and was home ten minutes later. I wasn’t surprised to see Jonathan’s car in the driveway. He and Marylou visited often, especially now that Lucy was expecting again. However, I was surprised at the greeting I got when I walked into the family room. “Well, did you take the job,” Lucy asked as she rushed to kiss me.

I stood silently until Jonathan said, “Oh no…don’t tell us that you turned it down.”

“You know what this is? It’s a conspiracy. Why am I always the last to know what’s going on?”

“I only found out this morning, Matt. Miles Smart told me that they were coming down to interview you. No, that’s wrong. He said they wanted to offer you the job. It’s quite a compliment.”

“Maybe, Jonathan, but I’ve only been here about fourteen months. I don’t think taking another job so soon would be right, and I’m sure you all realize I’m not a politician. I know nothing about running for office.”

Jonathan, Marylou, and Lucy looked at me briefly before breaking out in raucous laughter. Lucy stepped forward to hug and kiss me as she told me, “Matt, you worry too much. Daryl can take over as Chief and leave any campaigning to us. Did you realize that Johnson ran unopposed the last four times? You’re even more likely to be unopposed, especially with Daddy’s support.”

“Well…you and I can talk about it later.” And we did—after dinner with the in-laws, after time to play with my daughter and “her” beast, and after making incredible love with my even more amazing wife.

We were in bed with Lucy’s head on my chest when I asked her about the offer. “It’s a great opportunity, and I think that most of us in the city would be disappointed if you didn’t take it, especially since there is such a capable person to replace you. I want you to take the job if you want it.”

“I’ll take a personal day next week to go up there and check everything out. I’d like to see their budget and how they’re staffed. I think I’ll tour the jail, too.” Lucy must have approved because she moved up to kiss me before lying down and snuggling into my body, her growing belly pressing into my groin.

I called for an appointment to visit the Sheriff’s office, conveniently placed adjacent to the County Jail, which was also under the Sheriff’s control. Max and I walked in and were immediately greeted by one of the sergeants. “Welcome, Chief Cahill. I’m Sgt. Mike Burns and I’ll gladly serve as your tour guide this morning. Please feel free to ask me anything, Chief.”

“Thanks for the greeting, but please call me Matt. How many deputies do you have, and how are they scheduled?”

“We have thirty-six men on patrol every shift. They work twelve-hour shifts four days a week and then have three days off, so they change the start day of their next shift. There are always eight detectives on duty every shift, and we have two teams of crime scene investigators on each shift. The medical examiner also reports to the sheriff. We have fifty guards/deputies in the jail every shift, with about three hundred prisoners. All told, four hundred and twenty-six deputies, including the headquarters personnel. There are twelve sergeants and two remaining lieutenants. We have seven secretaries and a dozen account clerks who work the day shift five days a week. That’s what they told me in Payroll this morning.”

“Know anything about the budget?”

“Not a thing, Chief…er, I mean, Matt. Why don’t we start in the business office where they have all of that information?” He led us down the hallway, and we turned into a sizeable open-space office with eight women working. There were signs on each desk—Purchasing and Accounts Payable, Benefits, Payroll, Budget, and Maintenance. There were two offices at the rear of the large room where the maintenance directors and the business office were stationed. I spent about fifteen minutes speaking with the directors and another fifteen with the clerks. They seemed to enjoy their work, and they told me how they had developed a backup system so each knew another job they could cover during vacation or illness. The business office was impressive.

From there, we walked upstairs to the second floor, where the detectives, CSIs, and ranking officers—captains and lieutenants—had their offices. I noticed that most of these offices were empty. When I asked, Sgt. Burns was very forthcoming with his answer. “I assume you know that most of the top officers were big supporters of the sheriff. Not only supporters, but they also aided and abetted, if you catch my drift. They were allowed to resign or be charged, so we’re short seven top officers—one colonel, three captains, and three lieutenants. That leaves us a bit shorthanded at the moment, but—on the positive side, you’ll get to pick much of your team.”

“I guess there’s no secret why I’m here, then.”

“No, and most of us hope you’ll take the job. We all know what you did in Bascomb’s Landing. Is it true that you’re married to Miss Lucille?”

“Yeah, it is, so I guess I have a little pull, but that doesn’t mean shit when you’re on the job.” He smiled and nodded his head in agreement. We spent almost three hours reviewing the law enforcement part of the office before we walked to the cafeteria for lunch. I noticed that nobody complained about Max accompanying me.

The kitchen was shared between the Sheriff’s Office and the Jail, so that was an area of concern until Burns explained the safeguards. After lunch, we moved to the Jail, leaving our weapons in a locker before stepping inside. I may have left my pistol in the locker but still had my most important weapon.

I made a point of speaking with a number of the guards but also with several inmates. Mostly, they felt they were fairly treated, but not surprisingly, they all felt the food could be better. I had an answer to that: don’t commit crimes if you want good food, but I remained silent. We returned to the headquarters, and I met with the woman who would be my secretary. For this meeting, I told Sgt. Burns to return to his duties. I wanted this conversation to be confidential.

“I’m Matt Cahill,” I began by introducing myself.

“I’m the Sheriff’s confidential secretary, but I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, provided you don’t go anywhere with the information.” I nodded my agreement, and she led me into the office before closing the door. “I’m Janet Stoddard, but please call me Janet.”

“Okay, Janet, let me begin by telling you my impressions of your former boss. I thought he was a decent lawman, but from what I could see, he seemed too involved with the politics of the job.”

“You’re right. He spent more time politicking than he did on his real job. He let the ranking officers handle all of the supervisory and investigative responsibilities. That’s how he got into trouble, although many senior officers also got caught up in politics. That’s why most of them are no longer here. None of them had the backbone to stand up to the sheriff and tell him what he was doing was wrong.”

“Well, that’s just about the direct opposite of me. I know nothing about running for office, and that’s the way I plan to keep it. I’ll leave the politics to my wife and her father. Tell me about the remaining lieutenants and sergeants. Are they good, bad, in the middle?” That’s how we spent the next hour—in honest discourse about the personnel. I felt much better about the position when I returned to my car for the short trip home.

I was barely in the door when Lucy hugged me, and my darling Melody crawled over to Max. I picked her up to hug and kiss her. She giggled but got excited when I carefully placed her onto Max’s back. We’d done this many times, so Max remained perfectly still until Melody had a good grip on his fur. Then he strode toward the fireplace, where he lay down as Melody moved forward to hug and kiss him. She was sound asleep a minute later, sprawled over Max’s colossal body. He looked at us and rested his head on the fireplace rug.

Lucy and I retired to the couch where I described my day, the people I met, and those I didn’t.

Overall, my reaction was very positive. I phoned County Executive Sinclair Kerwin to tell him I would accept the position of acting sheriff. Still, first, we both knew I would have to meet with and be approved by the county commissioners, which I knew would be a formality after I met with Miles Smart and him last week.

That meeting came on Tuesday evening, and it went as I had anticipated. I knew that the previous sheriff had earned $120,000 annually, and I was willing to accept the same salary.

However, Miles Smart opened the salary deliberations at $135,000 and rose almost immediately to $140,000 when I sat staring and silent. I finally agreed to accept $145,000. It is excellent what five minutes of silent staring could accomplish.

Lucy and I had invited Daryl and Jasmine to dinner the previous Saturday evening. I wanted Daryl to hear all the straight info from my lips rather than through the grapevine. We had another issue to discuss—their upcoming wedding in two weeks. As close as Daryl and I were, I had never met his family. Lucy and I found out why that evening. “It’s simple, Matt—my parents are racists. They’re as bad as the Klan but in reverse. They have no use for white people.”

“Well, that should make for an interesting time between the rehearsal dinner at my in-laws’ home and the wedding and reception the next day. How many of the guests are white?”

“More than half. You know that Jasmine’s dad was killed in that hurricane, but she still has relatives on his side of the family. Between them and my friends here and fellow cops and marshals, I think the total will be about fifty-five out of the ninety-four guests. Jasmine has tried to mix the groups as much as possible, but my family members will be together, which might be just as well. All of the bitching will be isolated to two tables.”

I nodded my agreement before interrupting. “I went to visit the county sheriff’s facilities on Tuesday. It’s impressive, and I’m going to take the job.

When I met with the commissioners, I learned a good negotiating tactic: sit still and give a stony stare. I got an extra twenty-five out of them. I wanted you to know that I’ve recommended you as my replacement.”

“Do you think they’d appoint me—an African American man?”

Lucy and Jasmine just looked at each other and laughed. “Daryl, my father and I have already contacted all of the council to tell them that we want you. I didn’t phone Jasmine because she can’t vote, and I didn’t want her to keep a secret from you. The vote will be unanimous. You’ll see.” Then Lucy moved forward to hug Daryl, narrowly beating me. There was more laughter once the awkward round of hugs was completed.

“Say, Matt…do you think that staring thing will work for me?” I looked at Lucy and Jasmine just before they laughed hysterically.

“Maybe next time, Daryl,” Lucy told him as we laughed again.

The City Council accepted my resignation and approved Daryl’s appointment at their next meeting four days before the wedding. Several city police officers were present, and all applauded Daryl’s approval. I shook his hand and hugged him just seconds before the other officers came to congratulate both of us. The rest of the meeting was as dull as most, but Lucy moved it along briskly.

We walked into headquarters together the following morning, receiving congratulations from the sergeants at the desk and an ovation from the shift officers before inspection, which was now more formal than a requirement. I left at two that afternoon so I could accompany Lucy for what we hoped would be her final OB/GYN appointment before giving birth. This time, we knew it would be another C-section so she wouldn’t have to endure any of the pain she’d felt when Melody was born.

Marylou was at our house when Max and I walked in. Melody was in her lap, and she cooed and clapped her hands as soon as she saw Max. He ran to her, and she laughed again when he licked her hands and face. Even Marylou laughed, then petted Max for several minutes while I gathered Lucy from the bedroom. We kissed everyone goodbye, and I told Max to stay and protect as I walked Lucy out the door to my SUV.

Dr. Murphy gave us the birth schedule after examining Lucy and checking the baby’s pulse. “I have you scheduled at the hospital on Friday the 24th. I’ll want you to get there early—by 7:00 a.m. so you can be prepped for surgery. Of course, I never know what my schedule will be like, but as of today, yours is the only birth scheduled for that day.” She reviewed the procedures for the prior day, giving Lucy a sheet of detailed instructions. We were back at home early enough for me to check in at headquarters. No news was good news.

We met at the AME Church with Pastor Michaels at 5:00 on Friday afternoon. He and I hugged as had become our custom, and then he introduced Lucy and me to Daryl’s parents and sisters, who had arrived about ten minutes before us. Lucy and I were friendly and outgoing, but our reception was excellent at best until Mrs. Evans asked Lucy about her pregnancy.

“Just another week, thank God. This pregnancy has been difficult.” That led to about ten minutes of back-and-forth about the difficulties of being a woman. While talking, Daryl’s dad asked how I knew his son.

“Daryl and I met at UNC when we were studying criminology. I was about a year and a half ahead of him, but we were in some of the same classes together. That’s where I learned we shared time in the Navy as MP’s. After that, we were Marshals together and cooperated on several cases. When I got the job here as chief, the first person I thought of as my second in command was Daryl. His fiancée is Lucy’s best friend. They met at Lucy’s parents’ house, where we’ll have dinner tonight.”

“So you’re chief of police.”

“I am now, but I was recently appointed as acting county sheriff, and Daryl will be the next chief. He deserves it. Nobody works harder or has the community's confidence more than Daryl.” Our conversation ended as Daryl and Jasmine walked in with her mother, brother, and sister. Pastor Michaels took control once the introductions were done. He showed Daryl and me where to stand and then showed the two ushers where to place the guests once they had come up the aisle. Finally, he dealt with Jasmine and her uncle—her father’s brother—who would be honored to walk her up the aisle. After the run-through, we drove to what I jokingly referred to as Casa Bascomb, with Anthony Michaels and his wife accompanying us.

Dinner went surprisingly well, beginning with drinks on the patio, which reminded me of Daryl and Jasmine's first meeting. Jonathan and Marylou met us at the door for the introductions.

Mr. Evans was impressed to learn that he and his family were being hosted by one of the wealthiest families in the state. Probably more important was how the Bascombs greeted their guests—the same way they welcomed their daughter and son-in-law.

Ingrid and Martha, the other member of Lucy’s staff, had come to help with dinner and serving.

I wasn’t surprised at the meal—a buffet featuring huge slabs of prime rib cut and served by Ingrid, grilled brisket—one of my favorites—Southern fried chicken, and grilled shrimp en brochette—another favorite. I added a baked potato and an ear of fresh corn to my plate. Mr. Evans was just ahead of me online, and judging by the big pile of food on his plate, he approved. Turning to me, he said, “This is some spread.”

“Yeah, Jonathan and Marylou host a big party like this almost every Sunday afternoon. This is where Daryl and Jasmine first met.”

“How do you know the Pastor?”

“I enlisted his help in integrating the police force more than a year ago, and then Daryl, Lucy, and I conducted tutoring classes in the church hall to prepare the candidates for the competitive exam. We had ten in the first class, and they all passed both parts. They all have jobs on the force now.

One of them is Anthony’s niece. We didn’t do quite well with the second class, but we added another six minorities, which was a big step forward.”

“No, we had two Hispanics in the first class and another in the second. Like many communities in the country, we have a growing Hispanic population, so having some Spanish-speaking officers is a big help. I speak some Spanish, as does Daryl, but neither of us is fluent.”

We had left the buffet and were strolling toward the tables. “I must tell you this is nothing like what I expected.”

“I hope that’s a positive. I was surprised my first time here, too. I brought my dog. He’s a huge German Shepherd, and Marylou is negative until Lucy tells her how Max—my dog—has helped take down two armed robbers in the diner where Lucy works. She was mostly pretending and doing PR work for her family, but she was there and in as much danger as everyone else. Now, she loves Max as much as Lucy does. Of course, her granddaughter has a lot to do with that.” He laughed, and we separated. I had just sat down when Marylou walked in with Max and Melody, who was laughing as she rode once again on Max’s back to Lucy’s side.

I gave Melody some tiny pieces of brisket and prime rib and even a piece of grilled shrimp, which, to my surprise, she ate eagerly. The mood at the table was festive with my in-laws,

Anthony Michaels, his wife, and Jasmine’s mother and uncle. Of course, all the women wanted to hold Melody, and they did, but not without her guardian, who was very close by. The party broke up around nine, and we all headed home with Daryl’s family, driving to their motel about twenty miles away—the same motel I couldn’t reach during the horrific storm on my first night in Bascomb’s Landing.

The wedding was just as perfect as the rehearsal and dinner, with clear sunny weather and a light breeze. It was standing room only in the tiny AME church as Jasmine joined Daryl before Pastor Michaels. Jasmine was a beautiful bride, but I couldn’t take my eyes off my pregnant wife. She caught me looking at her several times during the short ceremony, smiling broadly in response and mouthing, “I love you,” before returning her attention to the ceremony. I produced the rings on time and was the first to applaud when they were announced as husband and wife.

The reception at Desmond’s was grand. It was a gift from Jonathan and Marylou, and they were typically spared no expense. The cocktail hour was fantastic with loads of hors d’oeuvres—extra large cold boiled shrimp, lobster salad, caviar and cheese on tiny triangles of rye bread, and a huge platter of fresh fruits and vegetables with ranch dipping sauce. There were prime liquors, not that Daryl or I or any of the other city police officers imbibed. We were always on call on weekends, so we were always careful about drinking.

That was just as well because there was a big fight at another function down the hall. I blew my dog whistle, summoning Max into the catering hall as eight of us strode into the other room. Once Max made his appearance at my side, the fight suddenly dissolved. I told everyone there who we were and why we were there. “I’m going to be pissed off if we have to return, and some of you will spend the rest of the weekend in one of our cells. Just try me. I dare you.” Some stupid drunk pushed his luck until Max put him on the seat of his pants and kept him there by standing over him with fangs bared and a menacing growl coming from his throat. By then, two uniformed officers had arrived, and they wasted no time in arresting him and moving him to headquarters to sleep it off. Max joined us at the reception, where he was almost as big a hit as at home.

Five years later, I was seated at the desk in the library on a Saturday afternoon when Lucy walked in. “Where are the girls,” I asked. Lucy and I now had three. They were a handful sometimes, but I loved them like you wouldn’t believe.

“They’re in Melody’s room taking a nap.”

“I guess that tells me where Max is.” Lucy laughed as she told me that they were all sleeping on Max. That came as no surprise. I joined her as I rolled the chair back and swung my legs over Kurt’s prone form. He looked up as I pulled Lucy into my lap for a long, tender kiss. She reached down to run her fingers through Max’s son’s fur.

Max was the offspring of four generations of AKC national champions. I had placed several ads in the Memphis newspapers and the AKC journal seeking a bitch to breed with him.

Typically, money changes hands, but that didn’t interest me. I wanted at least one of the male puppies—two if there were six or more. I faxed Max’s papers and photos to three candidates, rejecting two because they didn’t quite measure up. Max successfully impregnated on the first try, and the result was seven pups. Once they were weaned, I took the two biggest ones—one for me and one for Daryl.

I named mine Kurt; he was named Wolfgang—Wolf, for short. We trained both dogs together, and we had help from Max, whose presence ensured that both pups paid attention. One growl from him kept them on task. Now, Max was retired from daily police work, although I used him twice when I required two dogs while tracking felons in the thick woods at the county's north end.

I had just been reelected a second time, and I’d done no campaigning precisely as I had promised. I let my actions speak for me. Crime was down more than sixteen percent, and I’d taken a hard line on drug peddlers but stressed the need for treatment over prison for drug users. I had joined Rotary at the suggestion of my father-in-law, and I had spoken several times about our efforts to stem the flow of drugs into the county and our anti-gang efforts, which had proved to be highly successful. As necessary, I cooperated eagerly with local law enforcement, which had never happened before.

Now, I sat with Lucy on my lap, assured of another four-year term as sheriff. She had broken our kiss when she asked me, “I wonder if you know how rich you are. Do you?”

“I know exactly how rich I am. I have a loving wife, three beautiful young daughters, and two furry beasts to protect us. I have in-laws who seem to love me as much as I love them, and we live in a community where people live and work together in harmony. I have a successful career doing what I love every day. That’s rich enough for me. Can it possibly be any better?”

“Probably not,” Lucy answered, “but the improbable happened. Daddy phoned to invite us to dinner. He’s going to retire within the next month.

That means that I’ll take over running the company. Daddy has always told me he would give it to me.”

“That’s nice, but how much time will that take? Will you have to travel? What about the girls? Who will take care of them?” I was about to continue when Lucy silenced me with another kiss.

“I’m now vice president of the company and barely work twenty hours a week. I won’t have to work more than another ten to fifteen hours. I might have to travel once a month, but it will always be two days or less, and I’ll use the company jet. Mother will gladly sit with the girls—Daddy, too, and don’t forget that Melody is in school now and Julie is in pre-school.”

“So, how rich are you now? How much is the company worth, anyway?”

“Well, Daddy recently told me he had an offer of a hundred and twenty million, so I’m sure it’s worth more than that, but that’s only a small part of my wealth.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I have a wonderful, supportive, and loving husband who doesn’t care how much money I have, three beautiful daughters, and a couple of furry beasts that protect me wherever we go. I’m the top official in the city where we live, and I have a lot of faithful friends. Mostly, though, I have an incredible man who loves me as much as I love him, and in about seven and a half months, I will prove it again when I give him another child for us to love.”

I did a double-take at that. It was the first time I’d heard that, and I was just as thrilled as I had been. Now, it was my turn to stop her with a kiss. It was exceptionally long and hot, and we swapped much spit. My foot moved Kurt aside as I stood and carried my bride upstairs to our bed.

Experience told me we’d have enough time to make incredible love before the girls awoke. I had everything I could have prayed for in my life. We had our health and more than our share of love. We had great friends in Daryl and Jasmine and their two children. It doesn’t get any better than that.
 
Could I be any more prosperous than I was? Maybe, but I couldn’t see how.


The end