“I’m just covering the funeral for the Daily Tribune,” Sophie said. “It’s big news when something like this happens.”
“I’m surprised you have the time to cover this, what with all the mudslinging you’ve been throwing in the sheriff’s department’s direction these days,” Monahan challenged.
“I don’t consider it mudslinging,” Sophie said, meeting his gaze evenly. “I consider it doing my job.”
“I guess that’s how you can sleep at night,” Gold sneered. “You lie to yourself.”
“Lieutenant Gold, I would think you’d want me to uncover the truth,” Sophie said. “Isn’t that what being in law enforcement is all about?”
“Not your kind of truth,” Gold said. “Your kind of truth comes in the form of lies.”
“The money is missing,” Sophie countered. “That’s not a lie. I’m not the one covering something up.”
“The sheriff didn’t take it,” Gold replied. “He’s a good man.”
“I’m not saying he isn’t,” Sophie replied. “Someone else could’ve taken the money.”
“Who?” Monahan asked.
Sophie considered pressing the issue. Why not? “Why is it, do you think, that James Madison is the primary account holder on all of the sheriff’s department’s accounts?”
Monahan furrowed his brow. “What?”
“Oh, now you’re going to blame it on John?” Gold said. “That’s just rich.”
“John is a good man,” Monahan said. “You shouldn’t throw stones – especially given your unsavory ties.”
“Meaning?”
“Weren’t you raised by the Marconis?” Monahan asked. “They’re mob.”
“That’s funny,” Sophie said. “They’ve never been convicted of anything.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re not mob,” Gold said. “Just that they’re too smart to get caught.”
“We’re all entitled to our opinions,” Sophie said stiffly. She’d heard numerous aspersions cast on her foster family throughout the years. It was better not to engage in situations like this.
“Some of us get to print our opinions in the newspaper as fact, though, don’t we?” Gold said.
“I don’t print my opinions in the newspaper,” Sophie replied. “That would be an editorial. I don’t write editorials. I print facts.”
“The sheriff didn’t steal any money,” Gold seethed.
“And I never said that he did,” Sophie argued. “I merely pointed out that money allocated from the county disappeared before being registered in the sheriff’s department’s accounts. You should actually be glad that I’m investigating this case.”
“How do you figure?”
“Because that money was supposed to go for new vehicles and equipment for you guys,” Sophie said. “You’re the ones who’ve really been screwed here. You should be angrier than I am.”
“Who says we’re not angry?” Monahan asked. “Maybe we’re just angry at the right people.”
“And who are the right people?”
“Those would be those fat cats sitting up on their thrones at the county commission,” Gold said. “They’re the ones who stole the money, and now they’re just trying to use the sheriff as a scapegoat.”
“That’s possible,” Sophie conceded. “I just got a huge packet of financial information from the county, just in case that was the case.”
“And what did you find?” Monahan asked.
“It’s almost two thousand pages of stuff,” Sophie said. “I haven’t been able to go through all of it. I just got it yesterday.”
“Well, maybe you should be doing that instead of acting like a ghoul at a funeral,” Gold suggested.
“I have to go where my editor sends me,” Sophie said. “I still have to follow rules, just like everyone else.”
“Well, why don’t you focus on your rules and leave the sheriff alone,” Monahan said. “I think we’d all appreciate that.”
“You might not like what happens if you don’t,” Gold added.
Sophie froze at the words – words that were a little too similar to the email threat. Could he be the one who sent it?
Even though the day was warm, Sophie shivered – a reaction not lost on Gold. He was getting off on her rush of sudden fear, Sophie realized, puffing out his chest like he was some big, strong man. She took a step away from the two deputies. “I’ll keep that in mind.”