Great place to collapse
Clint called in. Dillon rolled his aching body out of bed. What was he thinkin’ yesterday? Instead of Evie being kind to him, she should have kicked his hindquarters. Stupid man.
Yesterday, it was 102 in the shade. Today, it was 110. Temperatures had steadily been climbing. Everyone was complaining. What could his office do about the heat? Today would have been the perfect day to sit in a cruiser on patrol or in the office doing paperwork. That didn’t happen. It seemed like all the calls were outside.
Porter had started a brush fire while burning trash. Dillon hated to give him a ticket. But the area was under a burn ban. “What’m I supposed to do with all this trash? Landfill started chargin’ 100 bucks.” He raised his voice but didn’t shout, “for garbage.” A long breath escaped him, “livin’ on a fixed income. You pay my garbage bill.” Dillon only charged him half the ticket. He knew the judge might charge Porter all of it. “You know what I’mia gonna do with this?” He shook the ticket angrily at Dillon. “Use it for shootin’ paper.”
Dillon wouldn’t go in Evie’s house. He smelt like sweat and smoke.
She laughed as they set on the porch with glasses of water. “I haven’t heard shootin’ paper in years. Do you get to go home now?”
“No, I need to check in on Smith.” Dillon almost dropped the glass.
“Can’t someone else do it?”
“The last time I was up there she chased me with a broom. Imagine what she’d do to Bradley. Maybe it will be too hot for her to work up a fuss?”
“Am I allowed to go with you?” He just stared at her, unable to say anything. Her gesture was incredibly kind. “Dillon, you need someone to go with you. You can barely hold your head up.”
She was right. He was exhausted. “That would be nice.”
“Give me 10 minutes.” She paused, “would Porter really use the ticket as tissue?”
“I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
When Evie came back out Dillon asked, “who’s been mowing your yard?”
“Me. I bought a little battery powered mower. It will mow 30 minutes.”
“If you ever need or want any help, just let me know.”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
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