J. Jance: Trial By Fire

When Ali finally made it back home that night, Leland Brooks came out to carry her suitcases in from the car.

“What’s for dinner?” Ali asked.

“I didn’t know about tonight, so I have a casserole in the fridge.”

“What about tomorrow night?” she asked. “I’m thinking we’ll be having company.”

“What would you like?”

“How about lamb chops?” she said. “Asparagus, and some of your potatoes au gratin.”

“For how many?” Leland asked.

“Two,” she said. “B. Simpson and me. And for the time being, I’d like that kept quiet, especially from my mother, and from Chris.”

“Of course, madam,” Leland said, nodding. “I understand completely.”

Ali was sure he did.

“One more thing,” Ali said. “I’d like you to drive down to Phoenix this week, go to Best Buy, and pick up one of those fifty-two-inch flat-screen TVs for my dad for Father’s Day. I’m sure Chris will be glad to get some of his friends to help you install it.”

“Absolutely, madam,” Leland said. “With pleasure. But speaking of Chris, he dropped by a little while ago and left a puzzling message that has something to do with Father’s Day as well. He said for me to tell you to please not mention ‘you know what,’ I believed he called it, because he and Athena are planning to unveil the surprise to your parents on Father’s Day.”

Ali got it. She was thrilled, but she managed to restrain herself from giving Leland a swift hug. Hugs weren’t necessarily a good thing as far as Leland was concerned.

“Thank you,” Ali said. “That’s very good news.”

Sam wandered into the bedroom while Ali was changing clothes. “So did you miss me?” Ali asked.

Broken tail in the air, the cat wandered away without answering.

When Ali’s alarm went off the next morning, she was still sound asleep, but she dragged herself out of bed. Sheriff Maxwell called while she was in the process of putting on her makeup.

“Everyone is suitably impressed,” he said. “That includes Agent in Charge Donnelley.”

“Good,” Ali said. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“I’ve had an interesting call from the Catholic bishop down in Phoenix, saying what a splendid job you did with Sister Anselm. Bishop Gillespie couldn’t say enough good things about how you saved Sister Anselm out in the desert. That was a little outside your assigned duties-as was the situation with Donna Carson. So you’re on Phoenix PD’s good side, too.”

“Okay,” Ali said. “I’m hearing all this good news, and I’m waiting for the ‘but.’ ”

“What ‘but’?” Gordon Maxwell said. “There is no ‘but.’ Well, maybe a little one.”

“What’s that?”

“I may have hired you under false pretenses.”

“How’s that?”

“I told you the job was temporary because I expected Devon Ryan would be coming back any minute. It turns out he isn’t. He turned in his letter of resignation this morning. Internal Affairs was looking into some possible charges against him, but now that he’s leaving we’ll let that go. It’ll keep my department from having more of a black mark than it already has.”

Which will also be good for Sheriff Gordon Maxwell, Ali thought. Some of that Internal Affairs fallout might well have blown back on the sheriff himself.

“What about Sally Harrison?” she asked. “Is she getting her job back?”

“You knew about all of that, too?” Sheriff Maxwell asked. “About the two of them carrying on?”

Well, duh! Ali thought.

“Yes,” she said. “I knew. Did Devon say anything to you about Holly Mesina?”

“I’m not sure why, but it turns out she’s quitting, too,” Sheriff Maxwell said. “It’s too bad, but under the circumstances it’s probably just as well. I’ll be better off with fewer people on the payroll.”

“Yes,” Ali agreed. “I’m sure you will.”

“So, getting back to what I was saying before. With Devon not coming back, will you stay on for the time being?”

“For the time being,” Ali told him. “Unless something better comes along.”

“Good,” Sheriff Maxwell said. “That’s just what I wanted to hear. What are you doing for the next month?”

“What do you mean?”

“Someone just dropped out of the upcoming police academy training class down in Peoria. When I heard they had an opening, I asked them to hold it for me long enough to check with you. How about it? Will you go? The media relations job will be here waiting for you once you graduate.”

Ali thought about it, but not for long.

“My mother will have a fit,” she said, “but I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.”

J.A. Jance is the top-ten New York Times best-selling author of the Joanna Brady series, the J. P. Beaumont series, three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family, and the Ali Reynolds series: Cruel Intent, Hand of Evil, Web of Evil, and Edge of Evil. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.