"Damn it! I hate to let another predatory man get away with that shit." She took a deep breath. "I don't know. You're probably right. What do I do? Maybe I should ask Chip what he thinks."
That name definitely got Linda's attention. "Chip, Chip? Oh, my God, the girl's uptight with Detective Chip Goddard. The unnamed police source gets named."
"I didn't mean to say that! Forget that! Please don't get him in trouble, Linda, please. I'll do whatever you want."
"I don't want you to do anything." She laughed. "But I can't go to jail for what I'm thinking."
"You're a sweetheart, I mean...we're buddies?"
"Just buddies."
"You've got a big hug coming. And I'm not uptight with him. Not yet anyway."
"You do know he's got a live-in girlfriend."
Sandy didn't know and didn't want to know. "Not surprising, I suppose."
"That's all you have to say?"
"Do you know her?"
"I've met her. She's a legal secretary."
She had at least a dozen questions about Miss Legal Secretary but decided to shake it off, at least for the time being. Her phone buzzed. It was Chip. She turned away from Linda to take the call.
He said, "Problem here. I wanted to warn you. Huress saw us at the Coffee Spot yesterday and ran to Moran. Now Moran is in an uproar. He wants to meet with me, the chief and Huress this afternoon."
"Wait, wait, when did he tattle on you?"
"Yesterday, I just told you."
"What time yesterday?"
"What difference does the time make? It was yesterday, I don't know, in the afternoon, just before quitting time."
"So, it was long before yesterday evening. Are you in big trouble over this?"
"Not much. I'll just explain our arrangement, listen to him berate me and watch Huress gloat. If the case falls apart, they'll bring it up and I'll be blamed."
"Huress won't show up this afternoon."
"You don't understand. You don't know Huress."
"No, you don't understand. I do know Huress. I'm telling you he won't show up with any complaint. He's going to be reluctant to ever mention my name again."
Chip muttered something about a crazy woman. Sandy could picture him shaking his head. "Let me explain. I had a serious encounter with Huress last night." She told him what happened.
She could tell he was steaming, as expected. After a minute, he settled down. "Damn it, Sandy, are you up for all this?"
"And I'm not through with him."
"Sandy, if you file charges, the internal investigation of Huress probably won't get beyond the first inquiry. Your chances of any satisfaction are nil."