Dr. Linden.
“The sheriff put me in the cell with three drunk men who tried to gang-rape me,” said Diane. She pointed to her ripped clothing. “I defended myself.” She started to add, “with help,” but she was afraid the sheriff might try to use that to hold Liam again.
Dr. Linden looked at her, puzzled, as if she might be lying, but noticed that no one contradicted her.
“I’m going home,” said Diane.
“I would like the return of the items from my pockets,” said Liam. He squinted at the sheriff, as if trying to see inside his brain.
Travis walked over, unlocked the desk in the corner of the room where they kept possessions, and lifted out an envelope with Liam’s name on it and handed it to him. Diane noted that they hadn’t listed the contents on the outside. Unprofessional to the end. She shook her head.
Liam emptied the envelope out on the desk and quickly inventoried the items, gathered them up, and put them in his pocket. He took his billfold and looked at his credit cards and his money, counting the bills before he pocketed the billfold. He looked again into the face of the sheriff as he put his belt back on.
“I’m opening a formal investigation through the attorney general,” said Agent Mathews to the sheriff and his deputies.
“Investigate all you want. You got no authority here,” said the sheriff.
“Rendell County isn’t a separate country or another state,” said Mathews. “You’ll find that a great many people have authority here, in view of your misconduct. I fully expect criminal indictments and orders removing you from office to follow quickly.”
Diane walked outside with Frank and took a deep breath. She was tired of listening to Conrad’s pigheadedness. Others followed—Neva, Mike, David, Andie, and Liam. They all stood in a group on the sidewalk.
“Are you all right?” Frank asked Diane.
“Not yet. But I will be,” she said. She turned to Liam. “I had your things tested to protect you. The sheriff in this county has a reputation.”
He eyed Diane for a moment before he gave her a quick smile. “I know.” He looked back at the door to the sheriff’s department. “He’s some piece of work.”
After several moments, the paramedics came out with the large guy on the stretcher and loaded him into the ambulance. “We’re going to have to call for another ambulance,” one of them said as they went back inside.
Diane didn’t want to wait for the others to be brought out.
She reached for David and hugged him tight. “Thank you,” she said.
“We always have each other’s backs,” he whispered in her ear.
He was right. Especially since the massacre in South America, they watched out for each other like family.
Frank was shaking Liam’s hand when Diane let go of David. She thanked Liam again.
“You did okay,” he said.
She shook her head. “It wouldn’t have ended well had you not been there.”
Diane felt exhausted. She turned to Frank.
“Let’s go home,” she said.
Frank put an arm around her. She leaned on him as they walked to his Camaro parked at the curb. She just about fell into the front seat.
“You know, I liked this suit,” said Diane, when Frank got in the driver’s seat.
“Bill it to Conrad,” he said. He started the car and pulled out onto the main street and headed for Rosewood.
Diane asked Frank what happened at the church after she was taken by the sheriff.
“More quarreling between the members. They were split in their opinions. The Watsons, the Barres, and most of the younger people supported you. Some of the older people did also. The sheriff had a definite vocal contingent—mostly among the older residents. But his rough treatment of you gave them pause—I’m not sure how much. I’m afraid a lot of them feel you caused a rift in their church.”
Diane shook her head and leaned back against the headrest.
“Andie and I left them arguing,” Frank continued. “Izzy stayed to try to get more information, hoping that in the heat of conversation people would say something unguarded. On the way to the sheriff’s office, I stopped at the Waffle House to pick up David, Neva, Mike, Gil, and Colin. I’m not sure how David knew he should organize a rescue before the fact,” said Frank. “I was going to play it by ear.” He reached over and squeezed Diane’s hand. “I didn’t think it would get that bad.”
“I didn’t either. I’m not sure how David knows these things,” she said. “Part of it is that his own