The meeting
It had been a month since the team from Frankforts last contact. Bradley was making sure to filter every new piece of news through them. They even knew about the plan to ‘poke the bear’. No one really seemed to notice that Dillon had taken 2 weeks off. But that’s the way he liked it.
Margaret sent him a message. Sunshine Sue had arrived. She’s recording. If she calls me and ‘old crow’ one more time, I’mma gonna throat punch her. Sir. Dillon couldn’t help but laugh. He answered her back. ‘Record this meeting. From the moment you bring her back. And I want her to know you’re doing it.’ Yes sir. Coming now. Dillon had a few tricks of his own.
Bradley was on patrol. Dillon was gonna make sure to cover his ass. Sue was annoyed even more when Margaret closed the door behind them. She pointed at the recorder, “old school.”
Margaret sat in a corner in silence. The recorder on her lap.
Dillon was standing. Sue didn’t offer to shake his hand or say hi. As she sat, Dillon sat, saying, “Margaret, Sue.” He did it more for the recorder than he did to be nice to Sue. “I’m not sure why you are here.” He prayed he knew why she was sittin’ in his office but couldn’t lead her.
She pulled an envelope from her bag, “these are the minutes to October’s council meeting that just happened to find their way into my hands. There’s 1 really great moment in here where Porter called you an ‘egg suckin’ sheriff’ that made me laugh. But the really fascinating part, for me.” She laid her hand on her chest. “Was when Rebecca Ledbetter accused the sheriff’s department of harassment.” She stopped waiting for Dillon to say something. But he didn’t. He just watched her with his years of experience and his I know you’re phishing face.
She continued, “I have a meeting with the judge executive later this morning, what will I find?”
“Whatever you find, I would be grateful for a follow up.”
“So in the minutes, the judge encouraged her to file a harassment complaint, did she?”
“If she has, it has never been brought to my attention.”
“Wouldn’t you want to know if a citizen, a woman, thought one of your officers was harassing her? I mean, it’s not a great time to be a cop at any level.”
“We are aware of the nature of publicity departments are receiving.”
“And?” She question with hostility. Dillon didn’t say a word. “What if this complaint had been one of rape, murder, or even aggravated assault?”
Dillon locked eyes with her, “you wouldn’t be sittin’ here.”
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