Page 8 of Stilettos & Whiskey
The bull scampered after it.
Max, Dad’s cutting horse, got to it first and a game of keep away started.
I laughed as they galloped around the pasture. “Get it, Max. Get it.”
A chubby deputy in his thirties stopped next to me. “You really think that stupid horse or bull understands you?”
“I do, Evans.” The buttons on his uniform shirt were about a pound away from popping off. “You have some jelly on your shirt.”
He swiped at the jelly, smearing it across his bulging belly. “I’m working Gemma’s beat today. Stay out of my way. I’m tired of covering for you incompetent females.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “What?”
“The only one who is incompetent is you,” Frank, a good friend and fellow officer, interjected coldly.
Evans balled his fists. “You are such a suck up, Frank.”
“And the only reason you still have a job is because your aunt is the governor,” I shot back.
“Bitch!”
“And proud of it.”
Giving me the one-fingered salute, Evans stormed off.
“Is the governor really his aunt?” The disbelief in Frank’s voice was amusing.
I wiped the sweat out of my eyes. “Yep.”
“That explains why the sarge gives him special treatment.”
“Do I?” Sergeant Bergman drawled ominously.
Frank and I exchangedoh shitlooks.
I turned, took one look at Sergeant Bergman’s pissed off expression and smothered a groan. He must have inhaled hisomelet. “I’m sure you have a perfectly good reason for treating him differently, sir.”
“Both of you are on dead animal pickup today.”
“Why thank you, sir,” I said brightly. “I love playing in traffic.”
Sergeant Bergman got in my face. “Are you being a smart ass, Garza?”
“No, sir. Wouldn’t think of it, sir.” Okay, I kinda was, but I would never tell him that.
Frank exclaimed, “Stop! I’m the one with a big mouth, not Julie, and I’ll do the dead animal pickups.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet, but…”
Sergeant Bergman cut me off. “Shut it. Both of you get to briefing.”
“Yes, sir.” Frank and I said in unison and sprinted to the training center.
I opened the door, and a sigh broke from me as cold air enveloped me. God, I loved air-conditioning.
“I’ll buy you a drink,” Frank said.
“You don’t need to do that.”
