Cynthia was sufficiently sympathetic to the afternoon pounding Dean had taken to not bust his chops over the Fat Tire Ale. One of Mrs. Worthington's friends taped the debate and Fred and Cynthia listened to it while Dean nursed his ego, and an ale or two, on the front porch. To make matters worse, half of Bird Song's guests who passed by congratulated him on the debate, a sure sign they hadn't been there. When Fred and Cynthia emerged from listening, they joined him on the porch. Cynthia opened one of his bottles.

"I could use one of these," she said, taking a long pull, not bothering to get a glass.

"I want to make one thing clear," Fred said, as he too opened a bottle, "Maria is legal. Fitzgerald has some nerve suggesting otherwise."

"I'm surprised the audience didn't boo him off the stage," Cynthia said. "He was plain malicious! It's a wonder anyone would vote for him."

"He's got a following, looks like," Fred said as he began pacing the porch. "There's 'Fitzgerald for Sheriff' signs up and down the highway and I hear tell he bought a big ad in the Plain Dealer."

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"Now he has a hero for a deputy," Cynthia said, "in addition to being his private little squeeze. I'm surprised she stuck up for you. He practically accused you of causing the accident!" She turned to her husband, "Was she hurt badly?"

Dean hadn't detailed the last evening's happenings to the pair. He did so now, describing Lydia's reluctance in descending to the accident, but glossing over just how petrified she'd been. He mentioned she never made it to the site of the wreck. He related how she'd been injured, adding that he guessed the volume of vodka she consumed afterward contributed more to her morning sick leave than her scraped knee.

"Why didn't you speak up when he was praising her to the heavens?" Cynthia asked.

"That's none of my business. If she wants an undeserved medal, that's her call. Besides, it's her word against mine. She does feel she owes me. I guess that's why she spoke up when Fitzgerald tried to frame me."

"I just hope she doesn't intend to further pay you back in some other more personal way," Cynthia cautioned. One look at Dean told her she was getting close to home. "It's not that I don't trust you," she said. "I just don't trust her."

Dean changed the subject. He told of hearing a siren just before the accident and seeing what he thought to be a sheriff's car. It was clear that evidence pointed toward pursuit causing the wreck.




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