Final Justice Read Online Free PDF Page A

to go marching off.
    He had not been around when Tammy was born, and Alma wondered if he would have even come back at all, if not for his mother. He sure never pretended to care anything about her. He never wanted to have sex with her, which was fine. Alma had never enjoyed sex anyway. It was only good for making babies. Look at her own mother, for goodness sakes. Ten children. Each of her sisters had several babies before they were twenty, making them old before their time. She had sworn it wouldn't happen to her. So she had left Tammy with Miss Orlena and gone to work at the mill, eventually climbing up the ladder to become a floor supervisor and earn a nice salary.
    She stubbed out the cigarette. Things weren't really so bad even if she and Luke couldn't stand each other. Thanks to his getting a VA loan, they were able to buy a house. Alma enjoyed being a respected member of the community, even though Luke wouldn't step foot inside her church—Gospel Light United. He said they were fanatics because the women couldn't wear lipstick, and dancing and watching television were considered sins.
    Smoking was also forbidden, she thought guiltily as she lit another cigarette. But as long as nobody knew about it, she was going to keep it up—especially when her nerves were bad, like now. Where was Luke anyhow, damn it?
    She didn't want her tidy life messed up, which meant it was time to put a stop to things between him and Emma Jean before they went too far. Emma Jean might be trying to talk him into running off with her, and he might be crazy enough to do it. After all, he had been acting funny lately, and when anybody mentioned his running for sheriff again next year, he wouldn't talk about it.
    She had to find out where he was, damn it, and if he was off somewhere with Emma Jean, there was going to be hell to pay.
    She reached for the phone.
    * * *
    Wilma Farrell was busy filing her nails. No one was around the courthouse because the sheriff and the deputies had worked most of the night. She didn't expect them until lunch time, and she was looking forward to a quiet morning.
    The phone rang, and she answered, hoping it was nothing important.
    "Is he there?"
    Wilma recognized the voice. "I haven't seen him this morning, Alma. I figured he'd sleep late." She started clearing her manicure supplies from the top of her desk. So much for an easy morning. Luke was probably on his way in.
    "Well, he isn't sleeping late here," Alma fired back curtly, at the same time wishing she hadn't. She didn't want to make Wilma wonder why she was upset. Softening her tone, she added, "I just thought maybe there was more vandalism than usual last night, and he was still working."
    "You mean he hasn't come home?"
    "If he had, do you think I'd be calling?" So much for not sounding upset.
    "Well, I don't know of anything that would have kept him this late."
    "Well, look at the log, damn it."
    Wilma's brows rose sharply. Everyone knew Alma Ballard called herself a Christian, so she must be really aggravated to curse. She quickly scanned the log. "Nope. Nothing here—but wait..." She saw that something on the very last line had been erased but couldn't tell what it was. "No. Nothing."
    "Then what time did he sign off?"
    Wilma saw the time noted for Matt and Kirby but nothing for Luke. "I guess he forgot to call in."
    "He wouldn't do that. He's the sheriff, you idiot. Where's Ned?"
    Wilma knew Alma was very angry now, but there was something else, a sense of urgency in her voice that was downright scary. "He left when I got here about thirty minutes ago. Said he was going fishing. Do you want me to call the deputies and see if they know anything?"
    "Don't bother. I'll take care of it myself."
    Alma slammed the receiver down, fuming to think Luke could only be at Emma Jean's. She had seen the schedule and knew Rudy was working nights. Luke was probably so hot to get over there he forgot to sign off for the first time. After quickly phoning the mill to say