The Pagan Stone Page 0,73

wide-eyed woman at Dispatch. "Get ahold of Jennifer Mullendore."

"Um, actually, Chief, she's on the line. She just called in about, ah, an incident in front of her house."

Fox beamed a smile. "Isn't it nice when private citizens do their public duty? Are you filing charges against my client, Chief?"

This time Hawbaker scrubbed his hands over his face. "I'd appreciate it if you'd give me a few minutes on that. I'm going to take this call in my office. Deputy, come with me. If y'all would just have a seat?"

Fox sat, stretched out his legs. "Just can't stay out of trouble, can you?" he said to Gage.

"Apparently not."

"You either," he said to his mother.

"My boyfriend and I are badasses."

"He crossed the line with this," Fox said quietly. "Hawbaker's good police, he's a good chief, and he's not going to take it, not going to let it ride. If Jenny corroborates your statement, you've got grounds for those civil suits, and Hawbaker knows it. More, he knows he's got a loose cannon on his hands in Napper."

"My girlfriend hadn't come along, he would've done more. He was working himself up to it." Gage leaned over, kissed Joanne's cheek. "Thanks, honey."

"Cut that out or I'm telling my father." Fox leaned closer to Gage. "Was it just Nap the Prick, or was it more?"

"I can't say for certain, but we all know Napper doesn't need demonic help being a violent bastard. Just him, I think. He got worried when I mentioned I had plate numbers for about six cars that went by while he was shoving me around."

Gage glanced toward the closed office door when Napper's voice boomed out. "Fuck you, then. I quit." He burst out a moment later, rage burning in his eyes.

Gage noted his sidearm was missing. "There won't always be a slut around for you bastards to hide behind." He slammed out the front door of the station.

"Did he mean me or Jenny Mullendore was a slut?" Joanne wondered. "Because honestly, I don't see how she has time for slut activities with those two preschoolers of hers. Me, I've got lots of time."

"Okay, Mom." Fox patted her arm, then rose when Hawbaker stepped out of his office.

"I want to apologize to you, Joanne, for the unacceptable behavior of one of my deputies. I'd appreciate it if you'd file that complaint. I'd like to apologize to you, Gage, on behalf of my department for the harassment. Mrs. Mullendore's statement jibed with what you told me. I realize you're within your rights to file a civil action. I will tell you that due to the circumstances, I suspended Deputy Napper, with the intention of conducting a full investigation of this matter. He has elected to resign from the department."

"That works for me." Gage got to his feet.

"Unofficially, I'm going to tell you, all of you-and you can pass this to Cal, because it seems to me Derrick sees you as one. You be careful. You watch your backs. He's... volatile. I can have you taken back to your car, Gage, if you want."

"I've got that covered," Fox told Hawbaker. "You watch your back, too. Napper holds grudges."

GAGE PLANNED TO HEAD STRAIGHT BACK TO CAL'S, grab a shower, some food, maybe some sleep. But impulse pushed him to the rental house. Cybil stood out front, in shorts and a tank that showed off long legs and long arms, and watered the pots and baskets of flowers scattered around the entrance.

She lowered the big, galvanized can, and strolled down to meet him. "I heard you had a busy morning."

"No secrets in the Hollow."

"Oh, a few. Is everything all right now?"

"I'm not in jail and Napper no longer works for the town police."

"Both good news." She angled her head. "How pissed off are you? It's difficult to tell."

"Only mildly at this point. During? I wanted to kick his ass out into the road and stomp on his face. It's hard to resist that kind of pleasure. But..."

"A man who controls himself has a better chance of winning."

"Something like that."

"Well, you won this one. Are you coming in, or passing by?"

Step back, go home, Gage told himself. "Any chance of getting a meal around here?"

"There might be. I guess you've earned it."

When she turned, Gage took her arm. "I wasn't going to come here today. I don't know why I did."

"For a meal?"

He pulled her to him, took her lips with a hunger that had nothing to do with food. "No. I don't know what this