Twenty-one Year Rule Read online

  Randy glanced up to find Josh standing in the doorway. A tall blonde youth stood behind him. His resemblance to Amy was startling. They could be twins.

  Josh smiled and moved to sit in the chair near the end of Randy’s bed next to the window. “Randy, you look like shit.”

  Randy smiled, “Always good to see you Josh.” He turned to look at Bash, who still stood in the doorway.

  Bash slowly moved toward the bed and offered Randy his hand. Randy reached out gingerly and shook Bash’s hand saying, “Nice to meet you Bash.”

  “Same here, Sheriff,” Bash answered with a tone of respect Randy did not expect.

  Randy relaxed back into the pillows and said, “I hear you spent some time at the lake today.”

  “Yes sir,” Bash glanced at Josh, “It was a nice surprise. I thought the only water around here was the Salt Lake. I thought everything else was all desert.”

  “The mountains offer a lot of wildlife and collect moisture. We get quite a bit of snow in the winter.” Randy said as he studied him.

  Bash was dressed in a dark t-shirt and the usual ripped jeans. He held himself with confidence. His complexion was clear, no dark circles under his eyes; his teeth were white, and hands were clean and clear of sores. He had none of the usual signs of a meth addict.

  “Amy mentioned you were a hunter.” Bash said. “Makes sense a cop would like to hunt. Josh invited me to go fishing on Saturday.”

  Randy smiled. Was that a jab? He wasn’t sure. Ignoring it he said, “I don’t think I’ll be up to it this weekend, but Josh knows some great spots along the river. I look forward to some fresh fish for dinner Saturday night.”

  Bash glanced from Josh back to Randy and said, “I’m a bit hungry; I think I’ll run down to the cafeteria for a bite to eat while the two of you visit.”

  “Actually Bash,” Randy locked eyes with him. “I want to ask you a few questions about Chet, Joel and David.”

  Bash’s face lost all expression.

  Randy continued, “I’m sure you heard what happened to me. Your three friends were involved in the attack.”

  “What?” Bash glanced at Josh then back to Randy, “No, Joel’s not my friend. We met him in LA. I came out here with Chet and Dave.”

  Randy was glad to see fear in Bash’s face. “That’s good to know Bash, I’m glad. Joel didn’t sound like the kind of guy you want to be friends with.”

  Silence descended upon the room.

  Bash looked down at the floor; his mind raced. What did Josh say about the attack? What happened? He wasn’t listening last night when they arrived. He hadn’t cared what happened to Randy.

  “Bash,” Randy said softly, “We found your fingerprints on the bags of meth in the trunk. Can you explain that?”

  Bash’s eyes grew wide in dismay; his pulse raced out of control. Oh shit! He was going to jail! “I’m not involved with that side of things. I’m not a drug dealer. I don’t even do meth.” He offered quickly.

  “Its okay, Bash, I’m not accusing you of anything.” Randy said soothingly, trying to keep him calm. “I just need to know how your fingerprints ended up on the meth.”

  Bash took a deep breath and locked eyes with Randy. This was not going to happen. He was not going to jail. “Dave is a friend of Chet’s I heard they were driving to California and asked if I could hitch a ride. I knew they were into drugs, so I set up a meeting between them and a guy I know in LA. They did meth along the way, but I didn’t participate. I was the designated driver, so they could party. We took the southern route through San Diego then came up the coast to LA. Chet promised to drop me off in Ogden on the way home. I thought I was just helping them make a connection. I didn’t know we were making a pickup. When Dave asked me to help them load the meth into the trunk, I was stuck. I had to help, but I’m not selling it, I swear.”

  “So you know who they bought the meth from in LA?” Randy pressed him.

  Bash’s eyes narrowed, “No,” Bash lied. Paul would kill him if he gave him up. “I have no idea. It happened so fast; we pulled into an alley and all of a sudden; they were trading cash for meth.” That part was the truth. He thought they were picking up Joel and taking him back to Cleveland so he could make his connections. “I thought we were going to someone’s house to spend the night. I had no idea what was going on until it actually happened.”

  Randy glanced at Josh whose face was as solid as stone and added, “Bash, Joel is dead. You don’t want to end up like him. If you stay on this path, that’s exactly what’s going to happen to you. Joel died fast; the bullet penetrated his heart, and he bled out in minutes. I’m sorry to say I was the one who pulled the trigger. I have to live with that for the rest of my life. Joel wasted his life; he threw it away for money and a fast high. He could have been so much more if he hadn’t chosen that path. You’re too smart to follow him Bash. I can see it in your eyes. You had a bad turn and paid a terrible price, but that doesn’t mean your life is ruined. If you sign a statement on what you just told me, we can turn you into a witness instead of an accomplice.”

  “Fuck,” Bash whispered under his breath staring at the floor.

  Wincing from the effort, Randy leaned forward in the bed, he said, “Bash, you have your whole life in front of you; this is the moment you choose your path. Don’t go to jail to help these guys. They are beyond help; they tried to kill a police officer. The drugs are a minor issue at this point. If you sign a statement, you’ll be a free man. You can walk away. Your parole just ended; you don’t want to walk down that path again. You’re in a good place with good people who care about you. Don’t throw that away because of some stupid idea that you’re squealing on these assholes.”

  Josh rose and came to stand beside Bash. He placed his hand on Bash’s shoulder and said, “You need to do this Bash. They took advantage of you. They got you involved in something you didn’t want. Think of Amy, you don’t want to put her through another trial. It’ll devastate her.”

  Bash knew it wasn’t that easy. He’d learned the hard way turning on someone didn’t end when you signed on the dotted line. However, Josh was right, he couldn’t bear the thought of Amy watching him dragged off to jail again.

  “Okay,” Bash whispered as he locked eyes with Randy. “But I can’t give you any names or descriptions on the guys in L.A. I didn’t see them.”

  **********

  Bash walked into the guest room to find Amy on her hands and knees furiously scrubbing at a spot on the carpet next to the bed. The tripod that held her latest project was gone along with the camera and photography equipment.

  “Aim,” Bash called to her from the doorway.

  When she glanced up, Bash saw her eyes were red from crying. He walked slowly over to her as she rose from the floor. Bash’s stomach clenched; this was his fault; his stupid fault.

  “Aim, it’s going to be okay.” He reached for her.

  Amy dusted off her jeans and pulled off her rubber gloves. She flashed him a smile as her eyes filled with tears. “I know,” She managed.

  Bash smiled and wrapped his arms around her. “Randy’s going to be okay, and I’m not going to jail, so no more tears.”

  She sighed with relief and wiped away her tears. “That’s good because I ordered some pizza for dinner.”

  Bash laughed and glanced around the room. “You didn’t need to clean up for me.”

  “I was happy to do it.” Amy glanced back at the clean spot on the carpet. “I needed to clean that spot anyway. It’s been there for weeks.”

  “Where’s Emma?” Bash led Amy toward the door.

  “She’s asleep,” Amy said heading across the hall to peek into Emma’s room. She turned back to him and asked, “So you talked to Randy?”

  Bash gazed past her at Emma asleep in her crib. “Yeah, Josh took me up to the hospital.” His gaze moved to meet her. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

  Amy held his gaze and said, “I knew you were innocent, and I knew Randy would take care of you.”
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  “He’s not so bad for a cop,” Bash admitted.

  Amy laughed and added, “Well I like him.”

  “Did you get any garlic bread?” Bash asked turning to head down the stairs.

  **********

  Josh opened the front door for Beth. The boys were sitting on the sofa playing a video game. Molly was sitting on the floor next to them brushing Kilo’s short fur.

  Jake glanced over his shoulder at them and declared, “Pool time!” He and Dillon jumped up and disappeared up the stairs to change into their swimsuits.

  Josh stepped aside as Molly rushed upstairs after them. He grabbed Beth around the waist and pulled her against him asking, “Shall we join them? It is the first day of summer vacation.”

  Beth smiled and pulled him up the stairs behind her saying, “No dunking.”

  “You take all the joy out of life, Beth.” Josh laughed.

  Josh fired up the grill as Beth and the kids jumped into the pool. The water was brisk and cool due to the dipping night temperatures. It wouldn’t be long until the pool grew too warm, forcing them to seek out the cold water in the lake.

  When Molly’s little friend Alice arrived, Beth toweled off and headed inside to prepare the side dishes as Josh threw the steaks and burgers onto the grill. After dinner on the deck, Josh took Jake and Dillon out on the boat while Beth pulled up a movie on the television for the girls.

  The phone rang as Beth headed back into the kitchen. She lifted the receiver off the wall. It was the kid’s mom, Joanne. “Hi Joanne, happy summer vacation,” Beth said cheerfully into the phone.

  “Thanks, Beth,” Joanne answered, “Is Josh around?”

  Beth glanced out the window as Josh and the boys disappeared out of the cove. “He just took Jake and Dillon out on the boat.”

  “Oh, that’s okay.” Joanne answered, “I was just checking to see if I could have the kids this Friday night for a sleepover. I won’t be able to take them the following weekend, I have to work.”

  “Okay,” Beth answered, “I’ll have Josh call you as soon as they get back in.” They said their goodbyes and Beth hung up. Joanne was cancelling more and more weekends due to work, but at least she had a job and was working steadily.

  **********

  Bash pulled Amy’s SUV into the large gravel parking lot. He smiled at the two-story rustic building in the center of the lot. Sadie’s Bar and Grill looked more like a bar than a grill. Nevertheless, Amy swore by their pizza and wings. Once inside Bash walked to the bar and spoke to a busty woman in a tight t-shirt. “Hi, I’m picking up an order for Amy Connor.”

  The woman smiled brightly and said, “Oh, sure; it’s almost ready. How’s the Sheriff doing?”

  Bash resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Small town gossip spreads fast. “He’s doing fine. Amy expects him to come home in a couple of days.”

  She nodded and grabbed a tall glass, “That’s good. You must be Amy’s brother, Bash. How about a beer while you wait? It’s on the house.”

  A beer sounded good. Bash answered, “Sure, anything you’ve got on tap would be fine.”

  She handed him a frosty mug beer and went to check on his order.

  Bash’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the display. It was Pete. He stuffed the phone back in his pocket.

  The busty woman returned from the back with a large paper bag she called out, “Squires, your order’s up.”

  Bash watched as the same cute blonde girl from the lake suddenly appeared at his side and handed the waitress a credit card. “Thanks Sadie,” She said grabbing the bag as Sadie scanned the card and rang up her bill. The girl turned toward Bash and flashed him a brilliant smile.

  Bash’s heart leapt as he gazed into a pair of deep green eyes with long thick lashes. “Hi,” he managed despite his racing pulse. “I’m Bash.”

  “Hi,” She answered, “I’m Grace. Do you work for Mr. Miller?”

  “No,” Bash turned to face her. “He’s a friend of my sister.”

  Grace added, “He’s got a great boat. Do you ski?” Sadie handed the credit card back.

  “Once,” Bash admitted, “I fell on my ass.”

  Grace giggled, “Everyone does the first time. Nice to meet you, Bash.” She spun and floated across the room. Stopping at the door, she turned to face him, “A bunch of us are meeting at the lake tonight at the base of Culvers Creek if you want to come.”

  “Okay,” Bash answered softly. He sighed in appreciation of her slender form and perfect behind as she disappeared through the door.

  He finished his beer just as Sadie sat the pizza boxes on the counter, “Thirty-two dollars and fifty nine cents.”

  Bash paid in cash and headed for the door. Grace Squires. That name was going to stay with him for a while.

  A tall brown haired woman bumped into Bash as she rushed to the jukebox. Bash glanced behind him as an older man with thin white hair called to her from across the bar.

  “Joanne, don’t play any more of that punk shit. Stick to country, and I’ll buy you another beer.”

  Her finger hesitated over the numbers. A grimace of disgust crossed her face. She hated that twangy crap, but she was out of cash. She punched in one of the least offensive country songs she knew, pulled the front of her t-shirt down a bit to reveal more cleavage and spun to get her free beer.

  **********

  Beth checked on Molly and Alice. They were playing a board game in Molly’s room. Beth announced, “Bedtime in fifteen minutes ladies. Finish up your game and change into your PJ’s please.”

  She headed downstairs to find Josh microwaving the leftover cheeseburgers for the boy’s to snack on. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, “How about adding a salad to the menu?”

  Jake and Dillon were sitting at the kitchen table they glanced up and frowned at Beth. Jake said, “Dad put French fries in the oven.”

  “Well, I guess your vegetable is covered then.” Beth chuckled and gave Josh a quick kiss. “Joanne called. She wants you to call her back.”

  “She called me on my cell phone.” Josh answered pulling the plate of meat from the microwave. “I told her Friday night is fine as long as I can pick Jake up early Saturday. I hope you don’t mind if we have them next weekend. She has to work.”

  Beth shrugged her shoulders and said, “That’s fine, why don’t we plan a day out on the boat next Saturday. We can take a picnic basket and boat over to the beach.”

  Joah reached up and touched Beth’s cheek, “Thanks; that’s a great idea.”

  Jake appeared at their side and grabbed the plate of burgers from Josh. He asked, “Can Molly go fishing with us on Saturday?”

  Josh looked at him in surprise and said, “Jake, Molly hates fishing.”

  Jake’s face went blank. He glanced down at the burgers and said, “It’s just that Molly will probably wake up when I’m getting ready and want to come home.”

  Josh glanced at Beth, uncertain.

  Beth said quickly, “I’m getting my nails done Saturday morning, why don’t you drop Molly off here on the way to the creek and I’ll take her with me. I did promise her a mani-pedi to kick off summer vacation.”

  Jake flashed Beth an appreciative smile and spun to head back to the table. Josh pulled the French fries out of the oven and loaded them on a plate. Dillon jumped up from the table and grabbed the plate from him. “Thanks Mr. M.” He said, popping one in his mouth as he went to sit down.

  **********

  The guy at the gas station gave vague directions, but Bash was able to find the access road along the creek that led toward the lake. He parked in a small parking lot near the boat ramp. The last glow of the sun vanished, replaced by a blanket of stars in the clear night sky. Heading down a small path leading toward the creek, Bash glanced around in the growing darkness. He could hear voices up ahead. The trail opened into a small grassy area that led toward the shoreline. A few dozen people stood or sat around a small campfire a short distance away
.

  Grace rose and moved toward Bash as he crossed the grass. “Bash, come on over!” Her smile jump-started his pulse, and he increased his pace. Grace added, “Emmett has a cooler if you’d like a beer.”

  Bash glanced in the direction Grace indicated and watched as Emmett, a blonde haired young man with arms covered in tattoos flipped open the lid of a red cooler, pulled out a beer and tossed it to him.

  “Thanks,” Bash said and turned back to find Grace standing in front of him.

  Bash was mesmerized. The light of the fire danced across Grace’s golden hair and flickered in her eyes. She reached out and opened the beer in his hands. “Emmett just got back from college for the summer. This is his welcome home party.”

  “Yeah,” Another girl with dark brown hair called from behind Grace, “Emmett almost didn’t come home this summer. He can’t wait to finish college and leave us all behind. He just has to be the first one to graduate.”

  Emmett laughed and headed toward her, “You’re certainly not in competition with me, Cassie. If they gave a degree for most years spent as a full time college student, you’d have a few doctorates by now.”

  That comment solicited a low moan from the crowd followed by laughter. Cassie shrugged her shoulders and smiled, then accepted the beer Emmett offered.

  Grace led Bash to a log on the far side of the fire. They sat down as a boat pulled up to the shore and half a dozen people climbed out to join the party. Grace waved at them then turned to look at Bash, “So you’re the Sheriff’s brother-in-law?”

  “I guess so,” Bash couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering down her long throat and lingering on her perfectly round full breasts.

  Her smile broadened, “So why haven’t we met before?”

  Bash forced himself to meet her eyes, “I’m from Cleveland. This is my first time here.”

  “Why did it take you so long to visit?” Grace asked, “The Sheriff’s wedding was a big deal, because of his tragic history as a widower.”

  Bash locked eyes with her and said, “I couldn’t leave the state.” He wasn’t going to lie or sugar coat it.