Chapter Twenty-One
Satan Wears a Badge
Willow
Willow’s hands shook the entire time she made dinner. The dogs knew something was wrong and stuck by her side until Dale came home. He walked into the kitchen whistling but stopped when he saw her expression.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I’ll make tea and we can sit down and talk.” She lifted two cups from the cupboard. They clinked together, and Dale took them from her.
“Forget the damned tea. What happened?” he asked again.
“That deputy pulled me over when I went into town,” she said.
“Deputy Wallard?” he clarified.
“Yes. He gave me a warning before he asked me to go have a freeze cup with him.” She laughed slightly. “A freeze cup.”
“That son of a bitch,” Dale muttered.
“He said I didn’t come to a complete stop behind the sidewalk before I pulled onto the highway when I left the feed store. He also said he couldn’t see my seatbelt.”
“Oh, he could see your seatbelt,” Dale said angrily. “Wait, the feed store?” he asked before uttering a few more expletives. “There’s no sidewalk there. There’s also no stop sign.”
“I recorded what he said on my phone app.”
Dale grinned. “Smart move. Let’s sit down so I can listen.”
Willow gave a shaky smile. “You’re the one who told me to record, or I wouldn’t have thought of it.”
“See, you follow smart directions and throw the dumb ones out.”
Relief flooded Willow. She’d been afraid Dale would storm out and go after Wallard. Her father would have. As an abusive man, he saw it as his duty to punish her and her mother himself. Dale was angry but managed to think calmly.
She made the tea, and they took their mugs to the couch and listened to the recording. Dale cussed several more times before shaking his head.
“We’ll listen again, and I’ll keep my mouth shut so I don’t miss as much.”
Willow chuckled. “It’s okay. I’m glad you’re on my side.”
After the recording played again, Dale looked even more furious.
“He used the words ‘walking path,’ the idiot. Like I said before, he’s a predator.
He thinks he can intimidate you, and you’ll keep your mouth shut about it.
Men like him are ultimately cowards. If you make a stand, they go after easier prey. ”
“That’s horrible. He’ll terrify some other woman next?” she demanded.
“I’m only the messenger,” Dale said, raising his hands in surrender.
“You are not the only woman he’s doing this to.
He should be fired and reported to AZPOST so he never wears a badge again.
That will only happen after multiple complaints.
” Dale checked his watch. “We can leave for the Sheriff’s department right now. ”
“No, please. Tomorrow is soon enough.”
Dale played with her phone and sent the recording to his phone through a text message. He looked up and smiled. “It smells damned good in here. What’s for dinner?”
“Spaghetti with garlic bread and butter.”
“Real butter?” his eyes lit up.
“No, vegan butter. I made it yesterday morning. Stop complaining, it’s all you’ve had for months and you never noticed.”
“Months?”
“Yes, months.”
“I’m not sure I believe you,” he said with a grin.
She gave him a stern look, which made him laugh. Willow knew he was trying to lighten the mood.
“Joan gave me that same look many times so I guess I’ll take your word that it was fake butter.”
Dale kept her mind off the deputy through dinner and played cards with her after they straightened the kitchen. She went to bed tired but still had trouble falling asleep. Deputy Wallard was a problem she didn’t need.
The Sheriff’s department was on the east side of town two blocks off the highway. They entered the front door, and Dale rang a bell at the glass partition. They waited several minutes before a Hispanic woman in her sixties walked out of a side room.
She greeted them warmly. “Sorry Dale, I didn’t know it was you. I’m behind on the UCRs and had to send them off before I could deal with the next disaster.”
Dale laughed as she buzzed the glass doors open so he and Willow could enter. The woman gave him a long hug. She had a nice, rounded face with an even nicer smile that showed all her very white teeth. Willow didn’t see a ring on her finger.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes Lucia.” He turned. “Meet my friend Willow. Willow this is Lucia. She runs the department though the deputies won’t admit it. I’ve told her to campaign for Sheriff but she only laughs because she doesn’t think I’m serious.”
“Stop,” Lucia said, her nose and cheeks going a shade darker. “This backwards town wouldn’t elect a woman, and you know it.”
“Damn shame,” Dale said. “How many years do you have in?” he asked.
“Twenty-five, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet. One day they’ll take me out of here on a stretcher, and that will be the day I retire.” She looked at Willow with warmth and then back at Dale. “What brings you in today?”
“Deputy Wallard.”
Lucia’s expression changed. “Bad news,” she muttered and looked at Willow again. “If I had to take a guess, he’s harassing you?”
“Why is he still working here?” Dale asked.
“Friends in high places,” Lucia said honestly.
“How high?”
“His father-in-law gave a lot of money to the Sheriff’s last campaign.”
“The guy’s local?” Dale asked.
“Old family. He has the majority of the natural gas holdings in town. He also owns the new gas station.”
“You mean old man Benson?”
“Yeah, Deputy Wallard married the youngest daughter. Nasty rumor about that too. Gila County certified him before they found out he was trouble. Now he’s our trouble.”
Dale let out a long breath. “We’re here to make an official complaint. We have recorded evidence.”
Lucia shook her head. “Filing a complaint against him comes at a cost, but if you have evidence, it will be worth it.”
“What’s the rumor about the wife?” Dale asked.
Lucia’s lips thinned. “He found his future wife naked in a car with her boyfriend. This was in Gila County. She was like sixteen at the time and visiting her aunt. Rumor says he physically shoved the boyfriend around. No complaint was filed but Kirk, that’s Wallard’s first name, put the word out that he was going to marry the girl as soon as she turned eighteen because of her nice tits.
His words, not mine. They were married a few weeks after her birthday. ”
Dale’s hands were clenched. “He shouldn’t wear a badge.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Most folks in town know his reputation and who his father-in-law is. So far no one’s complained. Yours will be the first.”
“Well then, it’s time to get started. I doubt ours will be the last.”
“It will go better if you file online.” She turned to Willow. “If it happened to you and Dale wasn’t there, the complaint needs to come from you. Do you have the recording?”
“Yes,” Willow said. Dread had filled her as Lucia spoke about Wallard. “Are you sure I should do this?” she asked Dale.
“Damned sure. If you don’t, it will only get worse.”
“Okay.” Her gaze turned back to Lucia. “Can I do it from home?”
“You could, but why wait? I have everything you need at my desk. The Sheriff’s out of town, and the deputy Sheriff is in Round Valley today. Deputy Wallard is off duty, and the two deputies we have today are working a case in Concho. They’ll be gone for at least another two hours.”
She showed them her office, typed commands on her keyboard, and stood and gave Willow her chair.
“You’re Joan Morgan’s granddaughter, aren’t you?” she asked with a smile.
“Yes. Did you know my grandmother?”
“Didn’t know her well, but I liked her because she stuck up for herself and wasn’t cowed by the deputies. That includes this one.” She winked at Dale. “If you have half her feistiness, we could be friends.”
Willow wasn’t sure how to answer, so Dale did it for her. “She needs friends. Sticks too close to home and doesn’t know anyone her age in town.”
“Like I’m her age,” Lucia laughed. “My niece is getting married, and we’re having a party across from the church on Saturday night. You both need to come. You’ll make plenty of young friends there.”
“We couldn’t just come to a wedding party,” Willow said, her expression horrified.
Lucia laughed again. “Of course you can. Bring a twenty-dollar bill for the bride and groom, and everyone will think you’re a distant relative.
They also like Dale. He went easy on them when these parties got out of hand.
He can be your designated driver so you can have some extra fun.
I’m footing the bill for the liquor, so believe me, no one will object. ”
Willow sat down without answering and began filling out the form. She looked up halfway through the process. “I have no idea how to attach the file of the recording.”
“Send it to my email, and I’ll do that for you,” Lucia said and handed Willow her business card that had her email address. Willow sent the file. When she finished the report, Lucia took the chair back to look over it.
“Were you frightened?” she asked a moment later.
“Yes,” Willow said.
Lucia’s fingers were a blur on the keyboard.
“Read my changes and make sure they’re good.” The monitor was swung in Willow’s direction. Dale looked over her shoulder so they could both read it.
Dale cleared his throat when he finished. “I don’t have as much money as old man Benson, but I’ll support you in the next election.”
Lucia shook her head. “Who wants or needs the aggravation?” She clicked submit after Willow and Dale made no changes.
“Take care of yourself, Dale,” Lucia said and gave him another long hug. She wrapped Willow in one too.
“The chief deputy will contact you sometime in the next seventy-two hours. I doubt there will be a problem since the stop is recorded, but sadly, I don’t see much happening to him, but it’s a starting point.
Now don’t forget the party. I expect to see you both there. Come in jeans so you’re comfortable.”
“Thank you,” Willow said and meant it. She really liked Lucia, and she had a feeling Lucia really liked Dale.