Cash let out a huge Monday-morning sigh from the blanket bed Luke had set up in the corner of the office. “Stop reading my mind,” Luke muttered. The idea of taking up residence in Jake’s old office sat about as well as if he’d binged on spoiled leftovers; but now the space was empty save for the desk, chair and various cabinets and bookcases. Luke saw potential. If he got around to fixing the broken window lock and repainting the walls. Some color would be nice, and maybe he’d open up the back wall and install another window behind the...
“Morning, Sheriff.” Fletch lounged against the door frame to what was now Luke’s office, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand and a sly look on his face. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Morning. Ozzy in yet?”
“Kid practically lives here.” Fletch angled his head toward the desk at the far end of the room behind him. “Oz? Get in here.”
Luke pocketed the keys that until yesterday afternoon had been in Jake’s possession for the past three decades. “Ozzy, the mayor’s sending over a couple of tech advisors to deliver our new computer system sometime this morning. I’d like you to supervise its installation.”
Ozzy’s pinball eyes brightened for an instant before cautiously narrowing, as if reminding himself he shouldn’t be happy about the change in superior officers. “Okay.”
“New computers?” Fletch sipped his coffee.
“Gil asked me what I wanted,” Luke said. “Computers were top of the list. I’d like to get the past five years’ worth of files and records scanned and stored digitally. Which probably means a lot of scut work for a while. What?” Luke asked when Fletch grimaced.
“Nothing.”
Luke sat on the edge of Jake’s empty desk and looked at his two-man support system. May as well get this out of the way. “Look, I know this sucks. You’ve worked for Jake for a long time, and believe me, I’m not thrilled with how this whole transition played out, but the situation is what it is. The only way this works is if we’re a team from the start.” As much as it pained him to say it, he needed to. “I’m not Jake. I’ll never pretend to be, and while I’m on the same page with a lot of what he did, I’m also looking forward. Butterfly Harbor isn’t what it used to be. We have to adapt. Beginning with morning and afternoon patrols rotating between the two of us.” He pointed at Fletch. “Until I hire another deputy or two.”
“What about me?” Ozzy asked with overly anxious eyes. “I was hoping, you know, with everything changing I might get out of the station occasionally?”
Luke locked himself down against the hope in the young deputy’s eyes.
“Not until I’m sure you’re ready. But you’ll get there.”
“Great.” Ozzy’s neck flushed bright red. “Phones and writing reports it is. I love this job.”
“If you don’t like it, there’s the door.” Luke might feel guilty about a lot of things, but making sure Ozzy was at the top of his game before he hit the streets—even the streets of tame Butterfly Harbor—wasn’t one of them. He wasn’t burying another kid. “Ozzy, I need someone I can count on overseeing all this new hardware. Jake says you’re the best at it, so tag, you’re it.”
Luke held up the list he’d made over the past few days. “We’ve got a vandalism problem we need to tackle. So far it’s been restricted to abandoned and vacant buildings, but I’ve already put in a request with the mayor’s office to get all boarded-up windows replaced. I’m also going to institute a mandatory ID check for spray-paint purchases.” He knew from experience those paints could be used for more than tagging and defacing property. “The mayor wants to attract new businesses, so we need to make Butterfly Harbor a showplace again. Family friendly again. That means making everyone feel safe and secure.”
“Going to mean some long hours,” Fletcher observed.
“Problem with that?” Personally, he’d much rather spend his time here at the station than in the hole of a house his father had left him.
“Not in the least,” Fletch said. “I can use the extra cash.”
“The new computer system will also store your time sheets and be tied into a new surveillance system I’m getting installed. We’ll also go on rotation when it comes to days off. If that door is unlocked, I want someone here.”
“Understood.” Fletch sipped again, and it was then Luke realized his deputy’s facial expressions had nothing to do with Luke’s changes and Jake’s retirement.