"Are you sure Fitzgerald's in Denver?" he asked.
"What the hell do I care where he is as long as I don't have to work with him? I'll be back retired before I see his face again. And why should you give a toot? There's sure no love lost between you two. Then Fitz goes and jails Fred O'Connor just for spite. I'm surprised you didn't kill the son of a bitch!"
"We didn't exactly hit it off." Dean muttered rubbing his eyes. "Look, Jake. There's a lot more to this business."
"So tell me about it." Then he smiled, no doubt remembering past times with David Dean-times he regretted similar words. "What am I saying? I'm a short-timer. Maybe you shouldn't tell me about it!"
But Dean did. It took most of the morning, his thermos, and Jake's pot of coffee to bring the retiring sheriff up to speed. It was an abridged version, excluding any mention of last night's session at Lydia's apartment but detailing the missing bones and Dean's suspicion concerning Billy Langstrom's death.
Fred returned part way through the recital, and after a greeting and a handshake, retired to the back room with Kathleen the jailer to fill out paper work for his release.
"I knew Billy Langstrom," Jake said as Fred left. "He was a bit wild at times, but a good kid. You really think Fitzgerald chased Billy down the mountain, huh?"
"Yup. I saw his face when I accused him of it. But there's no way to prove it-a good attorney would rip those allegations apart like a wet newspaper." Dean then brought Lydia Larkin into the picture by telling Jake Weller how she had radioed Fitzgerald with the two Denver investigators in her car, making the call from the spot where he claimed she'd be out of reception.
Jake laughed aloud. "I told you she was a sharp cookie!" Then he added, "Ms. Larkin better watch her pretty butt. Fitzgerald couldn't have thought kindly about her setting him up."
Weller added, "Maybe Lydia reported that business to Denver and that's why Fitzgerald got recalled." He thought a moment. "I can't see where there's near enough evidence to nail Fitzgerald over Billy's death, or that there ever will be. He'll see that himself when he thinks about it." He stared at Dean. "Don't count him out. He's pretty set on beating your butt for sheriff." Then he added, "You didn't try to blackmail him into quitting the election, did you?"
"Nope," Dean answered honestly but Weller didn't let him off the hook.
"But you're not telling me the whole story either, are you?"