Page 77 of Diamonds in the Mud

Jasmine leaned back in her chair. “Enough that you, Officer Rayne, may have to make some spur-of-the-moment decisions. Think you can do that?”

“Yes ma’am,” I said quickly.

The woman’s eyes moved over my face for a few seconds. “I can understand what he sees in you. After talking to your father, I know you’ll do what you must. My advice, when the time comes, is to stand your ground. No matter what.”

I nodded again in understanding, but I wondered silently if she meant about the job or about Jameson.

If Jameson was almost finished with his job, would he leave Gemsville after or stay like he’d hinted?

“What’s your timeline?” Randy asked, as if sensing the question in my head.

The woman shrugged slightly and turned back towards him. “It’s not up to me to make this move. I’m just here doing the warning.” She stood up.

“Thanks.” Randy stood up and shook the woman’s hand.

After she left, I turned to him. “She could have called instead of coming down here,” I suggested.

“There were… other reasons she did this in person,” Randy said, sitting back down.

“Such as?” I asked, sitting down again as well.

“Honestly, I think she just wanted to meet you,” Randy said, running his eyes over me. “From the sound of it, you’ve made quite an impression.”

What had Jameson told his SSA about me? I ran that question through my head for a moment.

“Someone’s been breaking into my office,” I said, changing the subject suddenly.

Randy’s eyebrows rose. “Any idea…” he started, but I set my phone down on his desk with the frozen image of Abe standing at my desk on it. “Son of a…” Randy finished. His eyes moved from my phone to the door.

“You can’t say or do anything.” I broke into his thoughts. “Not yet.”

“This is my house,” he added.

“And it’s the long game I’m looking at,” I said, leaning forward. “I need to know why.”

Randy was quiet for a moment before he nodded slowly. “It’s your game.” He handed my phone back to me. “What do you need?”

“Information,” I said, tucking my phone back into my pocket. “Everything you have on Abe.”

Randy nodded and turned to his computer.

For the next half hour, we ran through Abe Sterling’s background. He’d joined the precinct three years before. Even though his family was well established in the area, for a few years after he’d graduated high school he’d worked odd jobs, including at the junkyard and an auto parts store. Then he’d attended the academy and become a low-level beat cop.

He’d worked the night shift for the first year and switched partners a few times. He had been partnered with Quincy over the last few months.

“That’s one I never trusted.” Randy frowned.

“Who? Quincy?” I asked. When he nodded, I chuckled. “That’s because you don’t trust anyone I’ve dated.”

“True,” he agreed. “This Jameson, I’d like some time with him again.”

My smile slipped. “Don’t go there,” I warned. “We tried to steer clear of one another. It didn’t work out.”

Randy laid his hand over mine. “It’s my job to go there. Still, the man’s background came back clean.”

“You ran him?” I asked. I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“I run every man who looks at you,” Randy joked. He turned slightly to me after shutting down his computer screen. “There’s nothing here. No answers. What’s your plan?”