wheelsy_sheriff | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's late Monday afternoon on to early evening when they make it back to town. The drive was fine, but while Bill hated to see their weekend and time together end, the closer they got to Wheelsy the more anxious he felt about being gone and checking in.

After unloading at the house, Bill leaves Kate to go stop in at the station. He's grateful when she doesn't seem to mind, and he promises not to be long.

When he enters the department he's surprised to find the front desk empty, and follows the sounds of conversation towards the back of the office.

"Hey, anyone workin' today or what?"

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"He didn't."

"He did. Pulled a badger out of his — "

Dave pauses, straightening in his chair when Bill appears; Rudy, Kelly, Nancy, and Jason turn their attention to Bill.

"Back already, Bill?" Dave's smile bleeds toward sheepish. "We were just, uh — "

Bill's shaking his head, bemused to see his whole staff sitting around, and then his eyes fall on the stranger they're gathered around.

A stranger in a Wheelsy sheriff's department uniform.

"Yeah, just got in a bit ago. Who's this?"

"This is our new transfer," Dave says.

Jason's already standing, offering Bill a hand with an easy smile.

"Jason Bradley, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Transfer?"

Bill looks Jason up and down, belatedly taking his hand. After a quick, distracted pump Bill lets go and turns his attention back to Dave.

"What transfer?"

"Well, for -- "

Dave's eyes cut to Nancy.

"You signed the papers, sheriff," Nancy says, smoothing a hand down one sleeve of her blouse to cover her momentary panic. "That's what came in over the fax before you left."

Jason shifts his weight, resting a hand on the gun at his hip.

"It's a real honor to be part of this department," he says, inclining his head toward Bill. "I jumped at the chance when I heard about the opening."

"What openin'?"

The words come out snapped, almost harsh, and Bill shuts his mouth after they're out, trying to rein himself in.

Looking Jason over again, Bill's eyes fall on the gun at his hip, then go back to Dave.

"Can I talk with you a second?"

Jason opens his mouth to answer; thinking the better of it, he takes a step backward and reclaims his seat.

Rudy glances among Bill, Dave, and Jason, uncertain and uncomfortable, while Nancy looks down at her clasped hands.

Dave stands, clearing his throat.

"Yeah."

Seeing the expressions of the others, Bill works his throat then moves to another part of the office.

Hands on his hips, Bill turns on Dave.

"Did you do this?"

Dave blinks.

"No, you -- "

A pause.

"Didn't you? I thought Kimbrell okayed this with you after that task-force thing last week."

"He didn't okay shit with me."

Bill's jaw sets and he gives a small headshake at himself when he thinks back to Friday and the rush he was in to get out of here.

"Can't believe they-- " Bill sets his eyes on Dave. "Why the hell didn't you call me when he showed up?"

"Because I thought you already knew."

Dave expels a quiet breath.

"The paperwork was all in order -- hell, everything seemed set. I figured you just forgot to mention it Friday, with the trip and all."

"How would I forget t'mention somethin' like this, Dave?"

Frustrated, Bill turns away from Dave and looks back towards where the new deputy is.

"God damn council goin' over me like I ain't got a fuckin' head."

"Jesus, Bill, will you lower your voice?" Dave all but hisses.

"I'm sorry I didn't call -- I should've called. But Bradley's excited about bein' here, and that's a damn sight more than I can say for most of us. We can use him, especially with the council breathin' down our necks."

Bill turns back to Dave with a hard look, gritting his teeth to bring down his voice.

"This is them tellin' us we need help."

He needs help, like he can't run the department or manage his town.

Dave's shoulders slump a fraction.

"You don't think this might be them givin' us help?"

That brings Bill up short and makes him take a moment before replying.

"I doubt it, but if he's here we might as well use him."

Reaching up, he runs a hand through his hair.

"Could of at least given me the damn courtesy of pickin' someone. You saw his paperwork, what's it like?"

Edited 2010-10-18 19:20 (UTC)

"It's good," he says, quiet and tired. These small-town politics exhaust him, even on the periphery; he doesn't know how Bill has been able to balance the city, county, and state's demands with the needs of the department and make it look easy.

"Came up out in Dallas -- he's got experience with SWAT and the DEA. Relocated to Carolina to head up Columbia's drug unit a couple years ago, and when he heard through the grapevine we were havin' problems down here, he volunteered."

Dave manages a bemused half-smile.

"He's a fan of what you've done around here, said he wanted to work alongside the real deal."

Bill gives Dave an odd look.

"He said that?"

Shaking his head, Bill folds his arms across his chest, again looking towards where they left Jason.

"Guy must've lost a bet or somethin'." The words come out mostly to himself before he turns back to Dave.

"Don't sound too bad, at least. I'll sort it tomorrow, redo the roster an' make sure everything's been takin' care of. They give me a new deputy they better also have the money t'pay for one, 'cause I ain't pullin' it out my ass."

Dave chuckles.

"Better go ahead and pencil in a conference call with Kimbrell and Len while you're at it, then."

And that's a task Dave doesn't envy Bill one bit; while Bill was on medical leave, Dave was forced to hack through enough bureaucratic red tape to last several lifetimes.

"That's somethin' t'look forward to," Bill sighs.

Unfolding his arms, he nods back towards the others.

"Alright, lemme go meet him. Jason Bradley? Y'sure you got his names in the right order?"

"Yeah," Dave says, chortling. "Had to ask Rudy and Nancy the same damn thing."

Adjusting his cap, he glances to Bill before they rejoin the other three deputies and Nancy.

"Hey, did y'all have a good weekend?"

Smiling, he gives a nod.

"Yeah. Kate loved that restaurant."

The thought of her dressed for the evening and the time they had together is enough to calm his surprised frustration.

"She said I need t'give you some time off so you can take Sarah."

Dave's smile turns teasing.

"And leave you alone with this riffraff?"

A beat.

"You're a genius -- best idea yet."

"I didn't say I was gonna listen to her," he teases, even as he also knows that he can't let Dave go right now. Not with all of this going on.

Looking over at Dave, Bill's expression turns a shade apologetic.

"Gimme some time t'sort this out, an' let him get settled in, an' we'll get you away from here for a bit, alright?"

He didn't miss Dave's comment about not being thrilled to be here, and Bill can't blame him. He owes it to Dave, and Sarah, to get the man some time off.

Dave sobers, shaking his head.

"You know I'm just talkin' out of my ass -- I'm all right."

A heartbeat, and Dave frowns.

"Sarah, though, Jesus. They're puttin' her through the wringer with all this extra task-force shit."

"Christ. Well, maybe this guy'll help settle things out. At the very least we got someone t'take on shifts."

An extra man will be good to have, even if Bill isn't feeling to great about how it happened just yet.

"If there's anything I can do that you think'll help her out, lemme know."

The lines around Dave's mouth deepen.

"It's all comin' from the other side. She's jumpin' through all kinds of hoops for Kimbrell, doin' all this as a favor to Judge Cowan.

"I told her to ask for an extra person -- maybe even an intern from the high school -- but you know how she is."

"She ought to. They brought this one in for us, maybe folks are feelin' generous all of a sudden."

He hates how this problem is affecting so much in Wheelsy, especially the lives of the people and his friends.

"Maybe I can talk to Kimbrell, show him somethin' so he'll lay off all of us."

The only problem is, he doesn't have much to show.

"Maybe so," Dave says, but he knows as well as Bill does that they've barely gotten started, and Kimbrell's near-apoplectic on the best of days.

"C'mon, Deputy G.I. Joe's sweated enough."

"Yeah, I guess. Can't believe you were tellin' him that badger story."

Bill shakes his head at Dave with disapproval.

Dave looks chastened, briefly.

"It's a classic."

"Oh yeah? Well you better believe I'll be tellin' him some of your classics, too."

With that ~~threat~~ promise Bill pats Dave on the back and heads back to the others.

Edited 2010-10-20 00:19 (UTC)

"That's just not nice," Dave says, trailing behind Bill. "And besides, you and me both know that the good stuff's all Rudy, anyway."

Hearing his name, Rudy turns as they approach; Kelly, Jason, and Nancy fall silent.

Rudy glances between Bill and Dave.

"What about me?"

"I was tellin' Dave it's a little early t'be replacin' you. Wanna wait an' see if Bradley here works out, first."

Focusing on Jason, Bill looks the man over again. Holding himself straight, Bill offers his hand.

"Welcome to the department. Sorry I wasn't here when you got in, but I'm sure Dave gave you a good intro."

Rudy swallows nervous laughter while Jason stands again, taking Bill's hand for a firm shake.

"Thank you, sir. I'm happy to be here. You've got yourself surrounded by good people, sheriff."

"Yeah, I do."

Bill nods and takes his hand back.

"Y'need anything settlin' in here in Wheelsy?"

"Don't think so, at least for the moment — I'm still unpackin', gettin' everything squared away."

He nods toward Dave, then Rudy.

"These two've already offered to give me a county tour later."

"Alright, just lemme know if you need anything. I'll be in tomorrow an' will make sure we're all set."

Turning to Dave, he gestures at Jason.

"If there's time tomorrow you can go ahead an' take him around. I'll probably be stuck here on the phone for most of the day."

Stifling a sigh, he looks at his watch, then at the group.

"Alright then, I guess I'll see y'all in the mornin'."

Dave nods, resisting the urge to scrub his face. He's tired -- the whole department is tired -- and his desk is still swamped in reports he should sign off on before the day's over.

Amid a chorus of see you tomorrows, he gives Bill a quick grin.

"Tell Kate I said hi, and to stop givin' Sarah those healthy recipes of hers."

"If I did that I'd have t'eat that stuff alone," Bill replies.

"Besides," he adds, "they ain't bad, an' you ain't tried nothin'. I was eatin' caviar this weekend."

He gives Dave a pointed look before starting for the door.

On the way out he points towards his desk.

"An' y'all better have my candy jar full 'fore I get in in the mornin'. Rudy."

Dave chuckles.

"Tell me about it tomorrow," he says, and turns to head to his desk and the pile of paperwork waiting.

Rudy freezes, the butterscotch disc in his hands half-open.

"Uh, yes, sir."

Rudy hunches in his chair, the yellow-orange candy wrapper crinkling between his fingers.

Half-smile quirking his lips, Jason arches an eyebrow in Dave's direction.

"Gonna finish that story about the badger?"

"He ain't," Bill calls before heading out the door.

Getting in the truck, he grips the wheel hard and shakes his head.

This is just what he needed, some cityboy big-shot coming in to help clean up his town.

Starting the truck, Bill glances at the station, then heads for home.

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