to leave you shorthanded.”
“Don’t worry, Ernie,” she said. “We’ll manage. The important thing is for you to do whatever you need to do in order to get better. How’s Rose?”
Ernie Carpenter used the back of one meaty paw to swipe at something in the corner of his eye. “She’s a brick,” he said, his voice breaking. “I mean, she’s always been there for me, but now—” He broke off, shaking his head, and took another sip of the beer.
“Anyway,” he continued after a short pause, “all this sort ofgot my attention. Made me realize that I’m not gonna live forever. Last night Rose and I went to a meeting in Tucson. It’s a support group for people who’ve had prostate cancer. That’s why I wasn’t home when you called about going to Sierra Vista. So today I got to thinking. What happens if I don’t make it? What happens if the seeds don’t work? Jaime and I have been working all right together. We’re a good team, but considering what all’s been happening around here lately, you’re going to need another couple of detectives. Have you thought about that?”
“Some,” Joanna said. “Why? Do you have a suggestion?”
Expecting him to tick off a couple of the male deputies, Joanna was surprised by his answer. “Debbie,” Ernie replied with conviction. “Debra Howell. I know she’s fairly new and all that. She’s also a single mom, which would make the extra hours tough at times, but I think she’d be able to figure out a way to make it work. You of all people would know everything there is about that juggling routine, but Debbie’s got a good head on her shoulders, and she’s a real team player. That’s what this business takes—a team effort.”
“She’d have to pass the exam,” Joanna said.
“That won’t be a problem,” Ernie said. “She’s been studying. I’ve actually been giving her some coaching on the side.”
Joanna laughed. “After all the grief you and Richard Voland gave me when I first showed up, now you’re tutoring a female deputy to help prepare her for the detective exam?”
The smallest hint of a smile tweaked the turned-down corners of Ernie Carpenter’s mouth. “Well,” he said, “after all, you turned out all right, didn’t you?”
“You think she can pass?”
“Absolutely. And not just barely, either. She’ll ace the damned thing.”
“When are you planning on going in for treatment?” Joanna asked.
“As soon as they can get me scheduled, probably sometime late next week.”
“And you’re thinking we should bring Debbie in on a provisional basis to help out with what we have going right now?”
Ernie nodded.
“Anyone else you think we should look at?” Joanna asked.
“My next choice would have been Dave Hollicker, but you already tapped him for crime scene investigation, so he’s on the team anyway. Beyond Debbie, though, with so many of the experienced deputies off in the reserves, pickings around the department are a little thin.”
Joanna and Frank Montoya had arrived at much the same conclusion—that pickings were slim. And she had discounted approaching Debbie Howell about the possibility of becoming a detective for exactly the reason Ernie had mentioned—the fact that she was a single mother. Joanna hoped Ernie was too involved in his own difficulties to notice the flush of embarrassment that flooded her face.
“I’ll take it under advisement,” Joanna said. “But don’t say anything to Debbie about it until after Frank and I have a chance to discuss it.”
“Right,” Ernie said. “I won’t breathe a word.”
He stood up. “I’d better be going,” he said. “It’s getting late. I’ve taken up enough of your time.”
At the door, Joanna reached up and gave Ernie a hug. With the baby in the middle, it was an awkward, lumpy gesture, but Ernie seemed to appreciate it.
“Good luck,” she whispered.
There was another meaty paw swipe to the eyes. “Thanks, boss,” he murmured. “Appreciate
“Don’t worry, Ernie,” she said. “We’ll manage. The important thing is for you to do whatever you need to do in order to get better. How’s Rose?”
Ernie Carpenter used the back of one meaty paw to swipe at something in the corner of his eye. “She’s a brick,” he said, his voice breaking. “I mean, she’s always been there for me, but now—” He broke off, shaking his head, and took another sip of the beer.
“Anyway,” he continued after a short pause, “all this sort ofgot my attention. Made me realize that I’m not gonna live forever. Last night Rose and I went to a meeting in Tucson. It’s a support group for people who’ve had prostate cancer. That’s why I wasn’t home when you called about going to Sierra Vista. So today I got to thinking. What happens if I don’t make it? What happens if the seeds don’t work? Jaime and I have been working all right together. We’re a good team, but considering what all’s been happening around here lately, you’re going to need another couple of detectives. Have you thought about that?”
“Some,” Joanna said. “Why? Do you have a suggestion?”
Expecting him to tick off a couple of the male deputies, Joanna was surprised by his answer. “Debbie,” Ernie replied with conviction. “Debra Howell. I know she’s fairly new and all that. She’s also a single mom, which would make the extra hours tough at times, but I think she’d be able to figure out a way to make it work. You of all people would know everything there is about that juggling routine, but Debbie’s got a good head on her shoulders, and she’s a real team player. That’s what this business takes—a team effort.”
“She’d have to pass the exam,” Joanna said.
“That won’t be a problem,” Ernie said. “She’s been studying. I’ve actually been giving her some coaching on the side.”
Joanna laughed. “After all the grief you and Richard Voland gave me when I first showed up, now you’re tutoring a female deputy to help prepare her for the detective exam?”
The smallest hint of a smile tweaked the turned-down corners of Ernie Carpenter’s mouth. “Well,” he said, “after all, you turned out all right, didn’t you?”
“You think she can pass?”
“Absolutely. And not just barely, either. She’ll ace the damned thing.”
“When are you planning on going in for treatment?” Joanna asked.
“As soon as they can get me scheduled, probably sometime late next week.”
“And you’re thinking we should bring Debbie in on a provisional basis to help out with what we have going right now?”
Ernie nodded.
“Anyone else you think we should look at?” Joanna asked.
“My next choice would have been Dave Hollicker, but you already tapped him for crime scene investigation, so he’s on the team anyway. Beyond Debbie, though, with so many of the experienced deputies off in the reserves, pickings around the department are a little thin.”
Joanna and Frank Montoya had arrived at much the same conclusion—that pickings were slim. And she had discounted approaching Debbie Howell about the possibility of becoming a detective for exactly the reason Ernie had mentioned—the fact that she was a single mother. Joanna hoped Ernie was too involved in his own difficulties to notice the flush of embarrassment that flooded her face.
“I’ll take it under advisement,” Joanna said. “But don’t say anything to Debbie about it until after Frank and I have a chance to discuss it.”
“Right,” Ernie said. “I won’t breathe a word.”
He stood up. “I’d better be going,” he said. “It’s getting late. I’ve taken up enough of your time.”
At the door, Joanna reached up and gave Ernie a hug. With the baby in the middle, it was an awkward, lumpy gesture, but Ernie seemed to appreciate it.
“Good luck,” she whispered.
There was another meaty paw swipe to the eyes. “Thanks, boss,” he murmured. “Appreciate
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