A Bend in the Road Read Online Free PDF Page B

Curtis,
the county sheriff, looked across the table at his friend just as Miles took
his place at the table.
    “I don’t
smoke,” Miles answered quickly.
    Charlie raised
his hands. “I know, I know—you’ve already told me that. Hey, it’s fine with me
if you want to delude yourself. But I’ll make sure to put the ashtrays out when
you come by anyway.”
    Miles laughed.
Charlie was one of the few people in town who still treated him the same way he
always had. They’d been friends for years; Charlie had been the one who
suggested that Miles become a deputy sheriff, and he’d taken Miles under his
wing as soon as Miles had finished his training. He was older—sixty-five, next
March—and his hair was streaked with gray. He’d put on twenty pounds in the
past few years, almost all of it around his middle. He wasn’t the type of
sheriff who intimidated people on sight, but he was perceptive and diligent and
had a way of getting the answers he needed. In the last three elections, no one
had even bothered to run against him.
    “I won’t be
coming by,” Miles said, “unless you stop making these ridiculous accusations.”
    They were
sitting at a booth in the corner, and the waitress, harried by the lunchtime
crowd, dropped off a pitcher of sweet tea and two glasses of ice on her way to
the next table. Miles poured the tea and pushed Charlie’s glass toward him.
    “Brenda will be
disappointed,” Charlie said. “You know she starts going through withdrawals if you
don’t bring Jonah by every now and then.” He took a sip from the glass. “So,
you looking forward to meeting with Sarah today?” Miles looked up. “Who?”
    “Jonah’s
teacher.”
    “Did your wife
tell you that?”
    Charlie smirked.
Brenda worked at the school in the principal’s office and seemed to know
everything that went on at the school. “Of course.” “What’s her name again?”
    “Brenda,”
Charlie said seriously.
    Miles looked
across the table, and Charlie feigned a look of sudden comprehension. “Oh—you
mean the teacher? Sarah. Sarah Andrews.” Miles took a drink. “Is she a good
teacher?” he asked.  “I guess so. Brenda
says she’s great and that the kids adore her, but then Brenda thinks everyone
is great.” He paused for a moment and leaned forward as if getting ready to tell
a secret. “But she did say that Sarah was attractive. A real looker, if you
know what I mean.”
    “What does that
have to do with anything?”
    “She also said
that she was single.”
    “And?”
    “And nothing.”
Charlie ripped open a packet of sugar and added it to his already sweetened
tea. He shrugged. “I’m just letting you know what Brenda said.” “Well, good,”
Miles said. “I appreciate that. I don’t know how I could have made it through
the day without Brenda’s latest evaluation.”
    “Oh, take it
easy, Miles. You know she’s always on the lookout for you.”
    “Tell her that
I’m doing fine.”
    “Hell, I know
that. But Brenda worries about you. She knows you smoke, too, you know.”
    “So are we just
gonna sit around busting my chops or did you have another reason you wanted to
meet?”
    “Actually, I
did. But I had to get you in the right frame of mind so you don’t blow your
stack.”
    “What are you
talking about?”
    As he asked,
the waitress dropped off two plates of barbecue with coleslaw and hush puppies
on the side, their usual order, and Charlie used the moment to collect his
thoughts. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his
coleslaw. After deciding there was no easy way to say it, he just came out with
it.
    “Harvey Wellman
decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson.” Harvey Wellman was the
district attorney in Craven County. He’d spoken with Charlie earlier that
morning and had offered to tell Miles, but Charlie had decided it would
probably be better if he handled it.
    Miles looked up
at him. “What?”
    “He didn’t have
a case. Beck Swanson suddenly