A Crane Christmas

Chapter 1 – Newbie Mel Friday, November 28th, 2014 Muskingum County Sheriff’s Department “Zanesville is my hometown. I’d be real happy to get back here finally; if you hire me that is, Sheriff.” I mentally shook my head. The cop sitting in front of me didn’t lack for credentials but her confidence seemed to be a little off kilter. “Why don’t you tell me a little about your career, Mason? Your record here only covers your time with your current department.” “Well, there isn’t a whole lot beyond that to tell, is why,” she said a little shyly. “I’m actually only 30.” I felt my eyebrows rise involuntarily but I thought I quashed the expression quickly and masked my feelings. Obviously a well-trained investigator, Janet Mason caught my surprised look anyway and laughed. Her chuckle erased some of the nervousness from her face and she relaxed a little. Sitting up just a bit straighter but pushing herself farther back in her chair at the same time, she told me, “I grew up in Zanesville. Right after high school, I went to Zane State and got an associates in criminal justice. I was only 20 by the time I finished that though and I couldn’t get a job in law enforcement in Ohio...I couldn’t even get into OPOTA, sponsored or not.” I nodded. I knew how all of that worked from my own, firsthand experience. “Basically, I did they only thing I could do at the time to get police work, I joined the Army. I did my four years as a Military Police Officer and got out.” “How’d you end up in Indiana instead of back here?” “A, uh...buddy I served with was from Indy and convinced me to apply to Hancock County; said they needed more women on the department. My mom and I weren’t on the best of terms then anyway. I wasn’t ready to move back home, right then, so I took the plunge to be completely on my own.” “And now?” At her puzzled look, I rephrased the question, “You’re ready to come home now?” “I’ll be honest; my mom is sick...cancer, among other things...she can’t work anymore. She’s getting where she can’t do much of anything but get out of bed some days. Other days...well, she’s almost normal. I want to be back here for as many of those ‘almost normal’ days as I can be.” “This job isn’t a nine to five deal, you know?” “Completely. I didn’t expect anything less and I don’t expect any special treatment. My mother’s older sister Leslie...my aunt Leslie Toth...cares for mom most of the time when she can’t do for herself. Her and her husband live right here in town too.” “Alright then,” I shifted gears again, “let’s talk more about your career with Hancock County.” “Right; I applied there and got picked up by them right away. They sent me straight to the academy.” I glanced at her paperwork, “You went right out on the road after you graduated then, I take it?” “Actually no, I did my year as a jailer just like everyone else does...but to the day. As soon as I had three-sixty-five in, they put me on the street. My Army buddy wasn’t kidding; they needed to bring more women on board because there was a lawsuit against them for unfair hiring practices towards women.” Wincing, I shook my head. “Bet that was fun!” She shrugged, “It was fine. The Sheriff that was there lost in the next election. The new guy turned the whole department around.” I just nodded, not letting on that I knew her boss and that we were on good terms. “So, that’s what, four...five years on the road?” Nodding, she told me, “I sat for the detective exam early in my fourth year with the department. I passed and got pretty high on the list. I made detective sergeant a year later.” “That’s fast!” “It’s a pretty big department Sheriff, with some turnover. I mean, Hancock’s population isn’t quite as high as Muskingum County’s but, being so close to Indy; it’s pretty busy, especially with patrol and all the crap we had to deal with just rolling through trying to get to the city. People get a couple years there under their belt there and then they apply to Indy’s police department or to State.” “So, what did you think of this one?” Holly asked me. I held my hand out and indicated the chair Mason had vacated a few minutes prior for my assistant. “She’s the best of the lot so far. She’s got the right background, so she’s not raw. I wouldn’t be starting from scratch with her like old Sheriff Carter had to start with Harding.” “Shane’s a good investigator, Mel.” “He is now but he wasn’t five years ago.” “He’s going to burn out if we don’t get someone else hired soon. His caseload is too heavy.” “I know, I know.” I held my hands up in mock surrender. “This would have been so much easier if Joe Treadway or one of our other senior deputies were more interested in the position or,” I c****d an eyebrow at her, “even...you.” “Oh hell no boss woman! I’m best right where I am.” I couldn’t help but grin. I didn’t know what I’d do without Holly acting as my right hand. She’d be a good detective but, she was right, she was her best doing all of the administrative stuff that kept me in line. Instead of needling her some more, I asked, “How about you get Warren McDonnell in Hancock County, Indiana on the phone for me and let me bend his ear about Janet Mason?” “You got it.” ### Boo, our little Boston terrier pup, greeted me at the door. She swirled my legs in excited playfulness as I bent at the waist and tried to impede her weaving around enough to give her a scratch behind the ears. “What’s up little girl? That’s quite a greeting, there. It’s always nice to come home to someone who’s so happy to see me,” I cooed at her. Dana limped into the kitchen from the sitting room area. I could tell the leg she’d taken a bullet in on a previous mission when she was a special agent with customs, was giving her fits. Adopting a light tone on purpose, I asked her, “Did you go Black Friday shopping today? What did you get me?” I looked at her hopefully. “No, I didn’t go and, even if I had, I wouldn’t tell you what you got.” She grinned at me and smacked my arm playfully. “Well, if you weren’t out shopping, did you do anything else fun today?” “Do you honestly think Black Friday shopping is fun?” She shot me a puzzled look but then continued, “Actually, my day was no fun at all. Mama, your mom, Helen and I all spent the day cleaning out the back room at the store where mom wants to put her little nail salon.” “Oh. How’d that go?” I started removing my gun belt as she began to answer me. Dana waggled one hand, “So-so. Mama is under the impression I’ll be helping with the store a lot. She seems to think my writing won’t lead to anything worth it in the long term.” “You write if you want to write and don’t worry about what your mother thinks. It’s not like you need the money babe. Even after buying this house and letting her go on a furniture spending spree to decorate it, you still have almost 90% of your settlement in the bank...” “We have it in the bank Mel; you and me. It’s our money.” “You know what I meant.” She nodded at me and then stooped to scoop Boo, who was now rubbing against her legs, up. “Anyway, so the store isn’t open yet but she’s focusing on the back?” “They finished cleaning up, up front yesterday. She’s got suppliers lined up to start the restock up there on Monday. She’ll open it as soon as she’s got enough inventory in and the Board of Health does their thing.” “When’s that...with the Health Department, I mean?” “Should be Wednesday afternoon.” “Well, you mentioned that Helen is back on board over there. If your mom uses her more, that should take some of the stress off you.” “A little but, until my dad gets here, she’s going to try to rope me in a lot. Maybe you haven’t noticed it but Helen’s slowed a few steps. Even with my gimpy leg, I can out maneuver her!” I chuckled because I knew she was right. “For your sake, I hope your ‘in demand’ time is short.” “Me too!” Dana put Boo back down and asked, “Are you hungry?” “Starved!” She eyed me critically, “You’re not skin and bones, you know.” I patted my belly, “this is bloat.” “Right...” “Are you saying I’m getting fat?” I quirked an eyebrow at her and tapped my foot like she does to me when I say something dumb. Dana hadn’t felt up to cooking anything after the day she’d had. After assuring me that I wasn’t putting on weight, she convinced me that we should order pizza and salads from the pizza shop just up the street. “Where’s your mom tonight?” “Hanging out with yours. They weren’t tired...so they said. They’re going to go to Zanesville and see what’s left to buy after all the Black Friday bedlam.” “So, we have the house to ourselves?” I gave her my best suggestive look. “Baby, I’m sorry but I’m really beat, no lie.” I switched to my lost puppy look and bounced my leg but it only got me a laugh from my wife. Even with our bantering and the commotion, Boo never looked up from watching the floor for fallen scraps. Resigned to an evening of just relaxing at home, I steered the conversation in a different direction. “I think I finally found another detective.” “Really? Have you offered him the position?” “Her, and no, not yet. I got an application packet from her a couple of weeks ago but she wasn’t in town until the holiday. She’s with a department in Indiana now but she’s from Zanesville. I just interviewed her today.” “Everything checks out?” I nodded. “I actually know her boss; we met at a forensics conference a couple of years ago. I talked to him today. He says she’s planning to leave there whether she gets on somewhere right away or not – her mother’s sick – he’s sorry to lose her and he’d have her back in a heartbeat.” “What’s your hesitation? I’m sensing a little...I don’t know...” “There’s nothing wrong with her, per se. Warren, her boss now, told me she picks up investigation techniques quickly and that she was becoming an excellent investigator with a good feel for how the criminal mind works. All of her other credentials checked out too.” “But?” I leaned back in my chair a little and set my fork down. “But...she’s young and, interview jitters aside, she seems to lack confidence in her abilities despite all of that. Maybe there’s more going on with her than what she’s telling me.” “Babe, I’m not going to tell you what to do but I will say that everyone’s different when they’re sitting down in front of someone who could make or break them. Jitters in an interview don’t translate into jitters on the street. And, as far as confidence, maybe she’s more introverted than you think or maybe she was just trying to be modest. Everyone’s not you.” She dropped her head back to her plate but not before I caught the mirth in her tone or her eyes. I gave what Dana said some thought and then I told her, “I need another investigator and, I admit, she is, training and background wise, the best candidate to come along so far.” “Better than Shane?” “No,” I shook my head, “but nearly his equal.” I grinned. “What’s so funny?” “Nothing. It’s just that Holly and I had pretty much the same conversation earlier.” “Mel, her boss told you she’s good. You need help. If she picks up as quickly as he said she does, she’ll come around in no time. If you feel comfortable with that, I think you should just go ahead and hire her before someone else snatches her up.” ### “Janet?” “Yes?” “Sheriff Crane. I apologize for calling you so late.” “It’s no problem at all Sheriff; how can I help you? “By coming to work for me. I’d like to go ahead and extend you an offer.” “I accept.” “Well, that was easy.” I chuckled a little uneasily. “When do you think you can start?” “Whenever you need me. I had a lot of vacation saved up with Hancock so I was planning to be here into the New Year no matter what. I’ll just tender my resignation and cash my days in so we can get started soon.” “I’m at home right now. I’ll have HR work up a packet for you Monday morning and I’ll have it dropped off Monday afternoon. There are several formalities and an orientation but you should be ready to be ‘boots on the ground’, so to speak, by say, Monday the 8th.”