Snow Blind - Lori G. Armstrong [66]
“What’s he in for?”
“Disturbing the peace.”
“How long ago they bring him in?”
“Coupla hours.” Twee cocked her head. “How’d you hear about it so fast?”
I hedged. “Who made the arrest?”
“Deputy John.”
Could’ve been worse. He was a fair and decent officer. “Will John talk to me?”
“He ain’t supposed to.”
I waited.
“But I can call him and ask.”
“Thanks, Twee. I really appreciate it.”
After she replaced the phone, she said, “He’ll be right up.”
I nodded. My fingers rose to my throat to twist in the chain of my necklace, only to connect with bare skin. Strange how quickly the pendant became my worry stone.
Five long minutes passed before Deputy John appeared. No smile for me, which was odd. “Julie. Come on back.”
We entered an interview room so small our knees 231
bumped in the chairs.
“You know I shouldn’t be talkin’ to you.”
“I know. If me being here will cause problems for you, then I’ll leave.”
Deputy John sighed. “It won’t. It would if it was anyone besides you.”
I didn’t know how to take that. “He was arrested for disturbing the peace, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Where?”
“Bevel’s Hardware.”
“What happened?”
“What we’ve pieced together is Doug was buying a length of chain when he and BD Hoffman got into an argument. Pushing and shoving ensued. The manager broke it up. At the checkout BD said something else, at which time Doug Collins jumped the counter. Some say he punched BD in the face, breaking his nose. Some say it was an accident when he jumped the counter. One witness said Doug started to beat BD
with the chain but we don’t have corroboration.”
I felt ill.
“Another customer pulled Doug off BD and held him back until we arrived.”
“What now?” Dad could be arrested for assault. Should be, probably.
“Here’s the thing: Doug Collins hasn’t had so much as a speeding ticket in the last ten years. In fact, he’s never been arrested for a damn thing.”
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How ironic that he’d finally been arrested for the very thing he used to do to me.
“Once BD shows up, I’m gonna suggest he not file charges.”
Whoa. “Why?”
“No one is talking on the record. Which means no witnesses on the alleged assault. The Disturbing the Peace arrest will stand.”
Better than a felony. “What did they argue
about?”
“No one knows. Doug ain’t talking. The witness said Doug warned BD if he ever repeated what he’d said to anyone else, he’d . . .”
“He’d what?”
Deputy John sighed again. “The witness didn’t hear that part. Like I said, your dad’s tight-lipped, and I suspect I’ll get the same response from BD.”
I opened my mouth. Closed it.
“What? Say what’s on your mind. You’re not exactly shy, Julie.”
“Does Sheriff Richards know you’re going to suggest that BD not file an assault charge?”
“He trusts me to do my job, so I haven’t brought it up. I suspect he’d do the same, given Doug’s clean record.”
Be stupid to point out the sheriff probably wouldn’t want the assault charge dropped, because it would strengthen the suspicions against my father in the unresolved Melvin Canter situation. Deputy John had 233
to know Sheriff Richards brought Doug Collins in for questioning yesterday.
You don’t work here. This oversight won’t come down on you.
“So he’s stuck in jail?”
“No. He’s waiting to be bonded out.” He frowned.
“I thought that’s why you were here?”
I hedged again. “Will Sheriff Richards be around when that happens?”
“Nah. He’s at a conference in Sioux Falls the next two days and over the weekend.”
Relieved, I slumped in the chair. “Has Trish been here yet?”
Deputy John frowned. “Who?”
“His wife. Did Doug call her?”
“No. I thought the only person he called was you.”
He hadn’t called me. Come on, poker face. Who had he called to bail him out?
“So you haven’t told the family?”
“Not yet. Needed the facts straight first.”
And big fucking surprise Dad expected