Chapter 16

Jenny drove her silver Neon back into town and towards the Ombrea police station, an anxious feeling in her tummy. She was nervous, but she had to push through it.

The townspeople had obviously heard about the fire and turned to stare as she passed them in the streets. Neither she nor Roy had been back into town since the incident.

Roy had mentioned to her that the fire chief was an old friend. He agreed to give Roy a call when the results of his investigation came in. Roy had told him flat out that it was arson and his friend did not disagree, but there was procedure to follow. When the investigation was complete, they could start to come up with a plan for how to proceed.

When the Ombrea police station came into view, Jenny look a long, deep breath. It felt as if she were heading into enemy territory. She didn't know what she would do if she saw Chief Cartright there. She wasn’t up for another unpleasant confrontation.

She found a spot in the lot and locked her vehicle. She tried to appear confident as she strode up the front steps and through the two sets of double doors. It was a large, modern building, quite impressive for a town with such a low crime rate.

The same desk clerk was on duty as when she first arrived in town. If the woman recognized Jenny, she didn't show it.

“Can I help you, ma'am?”

“I'm here to see Joey Dale.”

The woman studied Jenny carefully.

“May I ask why?”

“Do I need to have a reason to see him?” Jenny asked her. “He is still here, right? He hasn't been transported elsewhere?”

“There won't be a prisoner transfer until closer to the court date,” the woman said officiously. “If you want to speak to him before then, I am going to have to clear it with the Chief”

Damn it, Jenny thought. How would she get around this. The desk clerk wasn't going to let her through . Jenny would have to play by the rules if she were going to get anywhere.

“Okay, call him then.” Jenny nodded toward the phone on the woman’s left. “I'm assuming he is in his office.”

“He could be out on a call. I'd have to check,” she said, pointing in the direction of the blue plastic chairs lining the opposite wall. “Take a seat while I find out. It may have to page him.”

“I have all the time in the world.”

Jenny forced a polite smile. She took a seat, placing her handbag on the chair beside her.

This wasn't going to be easy. Chief Cartright was going to give her the run-around. He may even send her away entirely, she considered as she waited. With any luck at all he would just have the clerk pass on his message. It would be better if she didn't have to face him.

Twenty minutes later, she was still waiting. The clerk had placed the phone back down ten minutes earlier, but had yet to raise her head from her paperwork to tell Jenny what was going on. Jenny placed a hand on the handle of her handbag, but willed herself to hold on for just a few more minutes. If he were playing a game with her, she couldn’t crack too early. She could wait.

Suddenly, the clerk stood from her seat and waved her over impatiently.

“Chief Cartright is a very busy man, but he agreed to see you now. Try not to take up too much of his time. You can go in now.”

Just as he had done the first time she had come to his office, Chief Cartright stood from behind the desk when Jenny entered. She left the door open, deciding it was safer to do so.

The bruise over his right eye was beginning to fade, but it was still rather noticeable. She made a mental note the last time she saw him to check Roy's hands to see if he was the one who had delivered the blow, but apart from a few callouses they were undamaged. Who it was that hit Chief Cartright was a mystery.

“Miss Dale,” he said, directing her to the chair in front of his desk, “take a seat, please.”

Jenny sat down and placed her bag on the floor.

“I have a lot of work to do.”

“I know. Your secretary made a point of telling me four times.”

He smiled briefly.

“She is good like that. I'd offer you a beverage of some kind, but I honestly can't have you in my office for too long. I've got important police work to do today.”

Jenny almost burst out laughing. His untroubled attitude was an obvious show, and she could see right through it.

“I want to see my brother.”

Now she had his attention.

Chief Cartright folded his hands together and leaned forward over his desk.

“Whatever could you want to see him about?”

“Like I said,” Jenny responded calmly. “He's my little brother.”

“I'll remind you that your little brother is under arrest for second degree murder.”

“I want to see him, and I am well within my rights to do so.”

Chief Cartright sat back in his seat.

“And what exactly do you plan to discuss?”

“I was thinking I would update him on how the Lakers are doing this season. Maybe I’ll fill him in on what’s happening on Days of Our Lives. They don’t have TV in jail, do they?” Jenny didn't know where her new-found sense of confidence came from, but she liked it. “So, can I go through, or do you have something against the Lakers?”

“Visiting hours are by appointment only”

“Then , please, get out your appointment book and pencil me in.”

He shook his head. For a minute, she thought he was really going to send her away. She was certain that her sarcastic attitude wasn’t gaining her any points.

To Jenny’s surprise, Cartright reached for his desk phone instead. He called over to the desk clerk.

“Jenny Dale is here to see her brother Joey. Please escort her to the holding cells.”

When he hung up the phone, he looked directly into Jenny’s eyes, his stare meant to intimidated her.

“You have one hour. Make sure you save some time to say good bye. Your brother is going away for a long time.

“Thanks, Chief. You’ve been so helpful.”

Jenny rose to her feet as the desk clerk stepped inside the office to show her to Joey’s cell.

The desk clerk removed a heavy set of metal keys from a chain on her belt. She shuffled through them until she found the correct one and slid it into the keyhole of the heavy, steel door before them.

Jenny glanced back at Chief Cartright's open office door. She see him there watching her, but he had remained at his desk, probably in an attempt to show it wasn’t getting to him. Jenny wondered to herself if Chief Cartright was the one who started the fire yesterday. He had been angry and lashed out at her at Norma’s house, but still she couldn't imagine him throwing a Molotov cocktail through her front window. He was a man in a position of authority. He had too much to lose.

“Are you coming or not?” the desk clerk asked, her hand holding open the heavy door.

“I'm coming. Right behind you.”

Jenny followed her through, wincing when the steel door slammed shut behind them.