Page 24

Chapter 24

Tobias

Pulling up to Tim's, I've decided to be honest and tell them what happened. I can't have Dianna thinking I told Ruth it was because of her weight. Plus, I love my daughter-in-law. She is the perfect match for my son. If I'm honest, most of the time, she and I see things the same way. I need her to understand what happened.

As I walk up to the door, I hear Dianna's voice.

"No Way! I'm not talking to him! Tim, he told her it was because of her weight. I can't accept that!" A loud bam sound tells me she has slammed a door somewhere.

Well, this will be fun, I think as I ring the doorbell. Tim opens the door with the expression of one who looks like they have just had enough for one day. He huffs out a breath.

"Hey," I say as Tim steps out of the door and onto the front deck.

"Hey."

"I heard Dianna."

"I'm sure the entire block heard Dianna. Good grief." Tim looks me in the eye. "Dad, I don't think now is a great time for you to be here. She's really upset."

"I want her to know that I like plus size girls. I always have. Look at your mom. There wasn't a time I didn't think she was gorgeous. And I adore Dianna," I say defensively.

"I know, Dad," Tim looks at me, and I know I have to tell him the truth. "Did you really do that to Ruth?"

I take a big breath. "I did. Well, she said it, I just didn't correct her. I just walked out. I know it was wrong, but it was an excuse and I was too much of a chicken shit to fix it," I say on an exhale.

"Why would you do that? Dad, Ruth would be a fantastic person for you to date."

"What? Are you kidding me?" I stare at Tim with disbelief. "She is thirteen years younger than I am."

"So?"

"What do you mean, so?" I plop down on one of the two chairs. "SO, she is too young for me to be with."

"I don't think she is. You're both adults, as adults age is just a number. What matters is if you make each other happy." Tim looks at me like he can't comprehend what I'm telling him. "Plus, it's only thirteen years."

"When she entered high school, I was already Sheriff." I explain because, clearly, he isn't getting it.

"And again, so? Do you like her?" Tim crosses his arms over his chest.

"Well," I look up at him. "I did. I mean..."

Tim interrupts me. "Dad, do you want to have a relationship with Ruth? A simple yes or no."

"But what will people think if I'm dating someone that young? I'm the Sheriff, an elected official. It will look bad." I'm dumbfounded. I thought for sure Tim would understand, but instead he replies with anger in his voice.

"Wait, let me see if I got this right, rather than tell Ruth you're obsessed with what people think, you let her believe it was because of what the bathroom scale says when she steps on it?" Hearing it from Tim, my actions sound way worse than I was allowing myself to believe. "Is that how it was dad?"

I nodded my head.

"That's bullshit. Boy you weren't kidding, you really are a chickenshit." Tim shakes his head.

"Hey now, I'm still your father."

"Why, dad? Why do you always put what others think first? You put them before mom." Tim taps his chest with the palm of his hand. "Before me. Why dad? People are ALWAYS in other people's business. Are you going to prevent yourself from being happy JUST because you are concerned about what other people think?" He throws his arms out. "Come on dad! You've been this way for too long. Now you are going to let this fossilized way of thinking ruin what could be an amazing thing for you?"

Rubbing my hands on my face, I stretch back and think about what he's saying.

"I don't know, Tim. I just don't know."

"Well," Tim looks down and kicks a rock off the side of the step. "What I'm going to tell you might piss you off, but I'm going to say it anyway, then I'm going back to Dianna. By you being your usual cantankerous old dried up dusty self, you probably ruined a great relationship. All because you would rather be alone than have some old bitty gossips talk about you. Spoiler alert Dad, they're always talking about something. Like, you don't think they aren't talking about why you guys can't stop the break-ins? News flash they are." Tim paced back and forth. "You've always worried about what some random person thought of you." He stopped in front of me, eyeing my face. "Get a clue, Dad, they don't give a shit who they're talking about, they talk about everyone. You aren't that important that they sit in front of their windows watching to see what the great Tobias Trenton is up to today. Those people who you worry about are home with their loved ones and you, you Dad, are alone. WHY? Because you are so worried about what they think you should do. HONESTLY Dad, why not give them something that makes you happy to talk about for a change."

"I don't know. The city council..." I start.

"You know what? This conversation's done. I'm over it. Bye Dad." Tim turns, opens the door, enters, and slams it shut.

Standing there, I'm a little taken aback. Tim hasn't ever stood up to me like that. Looking at the sidewalk, I walk back over to my car, get in, and drive home.

Damn, today sucks.

I'm barely through my front door when my phone rings. Law's name flashes on the screen.

"Law," I answer, dropping my grocery bags on the counter. "Please tell me you have good news about Michael."

"Well, hello to you too, sunshine," Law says, amusement in his voice. "Nice to hear your cheerful disposition hasn't changed."

"Just tell me what you've got," I say, not in the mood for his banter.

"We're here. Got the office all set up on Main Street."

I stop unpacking groceries. "What? Why the hell didn't you call me when you arrived?"

"Why should I have?"

"You're in my jurisdiction," I snap, irritation flaring. "Protocol dictates—"

"Protocol? Since when do you care about protocol with me?" Law laughs. "Look, Mouse and Keyboard needed time to establish their system. We've already checked out Michael's warehouse and both his properties in town."

"You what?" My voice rises. "How long have you been here?"

There's a slight pause. "We've been here for a day or two. Charlie Whitaker and his buddy flew out to get us. Evelyn thought she would feel safer the sooner we were here."

"Sure." Is all I can politely bring myself to say.

"Tobias? What's up with you?"

"Nothing. What did you find at the properties?"

"Nothing that points to his current location. Your forensics team did a good job, by the way."

I'm seething. Law has been investigating in my town for over twenty-four hours without even bothering to let me know. Does he have to let me know? No, no he doesn't but it still irritates me.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch up before now. I would have thought Brooklyn would have told you we were here. We ran into her when I was showing the team the office."

"Deputy Rogers knew you were here?"

Brooklyn knew and didn't tell me? What else is my team keeping from me?

"Ah, yeah she knows. Tobias what's going on with you?"

"We need to meet," I say, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Tonight."

"Can't do tonight. We're still setting up. But tomorrow morning works. Say eight AM at my office?"

"Fine. I'll be there." I end the call more abruptly than I intended and immediately dial the station.

"Whispering Pines Sheriff's Department, how may I direct your call?" It's the weekend receptionist.

"This is Sheriff Trenton. Get me Deputy Rogers."

"Oh, Sheriff! Just a moment."

After a minute of waiting, Brooklyn comes on the line. "Boss?"

"Damn right, that's exactly who I am!"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm the boss, the sheriff."

"I'm aware of that." Brooklyn sounds confused.

I throw my bread and buns to the counter. "Did you encounter the bounty hunter Wallace, also known as Law, and the rest of his crew on Main Street?"

"I did."

"Are you aware, Deputy, that Law's crew consists of four military grade weapons specialists, a martial arts expert, two Navy seals and two green berets? And that they are traveling with two global level hackers?"

"Ahhh... I am now." She takes a second. "What's the big deal, I was an Army ranger, Sang was a marine and Edwards jumped out of planes and you, yourself were in the service. I didn't know we were having a contest."

"We're not. They have two hackers with them."

"O-kay, I met Mouse and Keyboard. As I understand it, Law's responsible for them. Is that not how it is?"

I tossed the hamburger, cheese, bacon and lettuce into the refrigerator not caring where they landed. "It is. But this is our town, we should have been notified when the hackers arrived. I should have been told."

"Forgive me, I wasn't aware Law was to let us know."

Slamming my coffee can onto the counter. "He isn't."

"I don't understand. You're mad because Mouse and Keyboard are with the one who's responsible for them?"

I ran a hand through my hair, "I'm mad because I didn't know they arrived."

"Aren't we all on the same team? Working towards the same results?"

"We are."

"And?"

"AND, why wasn't I made aware of the break-in? Sang informed me in the grocery store. I am the sheriff!"

Brooklyn speaks with a sarcastic tone. "We know who you are. You weren't made aware because it turned out not to be a break-in. It was a couple of teen boys wanting some cash. They tried to hold up the gas station. The clerk taught them a lesson, he cleaned their clocks. The call came over as Sang was leaving. He doesn't know."

Feeling like a fool. "Well, good. I'm glad we had this talk and you understand."

"I don't..." I disconnected.

My phone rings again almost immediately. Finally, someone who will understand me.

"Clark?"

"Tobias!"

Despite my mood, I find myself smiling slightly. Joel and I go back over twenty years to our days at the academy. Our families were close, our wives used to be best friends. Now he's the Police Commissioner for the state, a position that suits his political savvy and outgoing personality.

"What tears you away from the Governor to call little old me?"

"I'm sorry it's been a bit."

"Good to hear from you. How's the family?"

"Good, good, nothing to complain about." There was a noted pause and I get the feeling this wasn't a random catch up call. "Listen, I heard through the grapevine that you've had some troubles. Serial break-ins with increasing violence. The FBI has a high level wanted for your area and it sounds like you've had some trouble in your personal life."

"Word travels fast," I mutter, leaning against my kitchen counter. "Did your godson let me get to my car before he called?"

"I believe he did, in fact. He's concerned about you, and now so am I. What's going on?"

"I've got it under control."

"This isn't one of your deputies you're talking to. We're cut from the same cloth, you and I. Spill it."

Something about hearing his voice whisks me to one of our many early years garage conversations where we would download our days to each other. Before I can stop myself, I'm spilling everything from the break-ins we can't solve, Michael's potential return, my team handling calls without me, and even a sanitized version of the Ruth situation.

"—and now my own son thinks I'm an idiot. Dianna won't speak to me because she thinks I hate plus size girls. My deputies are playing a game of let's not tell the boss. Law's out to do his own thing, like that's a shocker. Evelyn thought she would be safer with him here, thanks for the vote of confidence. And to top it off, she yelled at me in the grocery store so now the gossip train's at full speed and the whole town thinks I'm a judgmental asshole!"

There's a moment of silence when I finish.

"Damn. Tobias, I'd be lying if I knew what half of that meant." Clark lets out a low whistle. "Sounds like you've got more than your fair share on your plate right now."

"Yeah, well. It is what it is."

"When was the last time you talked all of this out with someone?"

I bite back the frustration. "I just did, with you."

"That's not talking it out. That's info dumping and I'm not even sure what you said could be called that." Clark sighs. "Listen as your friend, would it really be that bad to have someone in your life? Who cares if she's younger? Hell, at our time of life, no one keeps track of ages."

"Fuck, my son has a big ass mouth."

"Yes, yes, he does, and I'm glad. Thirteen years is nothing. Date the woman, marry her, whatever. Just have some fun. You're too uptight." Clark takes a breath and slowly blows it out into the phone. "Shit, when was the last time you had sex? Never mind, don't tell me. I can guess it's been years. Tobias, ask her out, get your penis wet. You'll feel better, sex is great cardio." His voice changes to a more serious tone. "Now, as a fellow cop and commissioner, you have a lot of stress on you. I think you should talk to someone, it can help, especially if you're not going to have the aforementioned sex."

I've closed my eyes and am shaking my head. "You're an asshole, you know that."

"Yes I do. But I'm serious."

"Fine."

"Fine, you'll ask her out and talk to someone?"

"Sure, whatever."

"Why do I get the impression you're just blowing smoke up my ass."

Walking to the front door I quietly opened it. "Maybe because I am?" I rang the doorbell. "Oh shoot, someone's at my door. Gotta go, let's talk later this week." I hung up.

With a heavy sigh, I reach for my phone again and send a message to Holly letting her know I had a meeting with Law in the morning and wouldn't be in right away.

"I am a catch! I'm intelligent! I'm beautiful! And yes I'm fat, but my ass is banging!" popped into my head. A reluctant smile tugs at my lips. She certainly is all of those things.

Just as quickly as the thought appeared I pushed it from my thoughts. I can't allow Ruth to have real estate in my head. I just can't. At least not right now.