Darkness the Color of Snow by Thomas Cobb Read Free Book Online Page B

I’m doing? I just talked with the Lafe­rieres.”
    â€œTragic,” Martin says. “It’s just a tragedy. What a horrible thing. For the Laferieres. For you. For all of us. All of Lydell.”
    Gordy starts to turn his back on Martin and walk into his office. He gets two steps and turns. “Martin, did you tell the Laferieres they should sue the town, and me?”
    â€œGordon. Of course not. Of course I didn’t. I spoke with them. Expressed my condolences. The town’s condolences.”
    â€œThe Laferieres said you told them to sue the town.”
    â€œNo, Gordon. I did tell them that there might be legal ramifications about what happened. But no, I didn’t tell them to sue. Why would I do a thing like that? I mean, the poor ­people. They’re dealing with enough right now.”
    Gordy just glares at Martin and then turns away again.
    â€œGordon. We need to talk. About what happened.”
    â€œI think there’s been enough talk right now. I don’t want to talk about it.”
    â€œBut Gordon, you’re the chief of police. I’m the town council president. We need to discuss this.” Martin shakes his head. “This is a major incident. The town is going to have to answer for this. We must talk.”
    â€œNot now. Not now.”
    â€œGordon, you can’t hide from this. There are serious issues here. You know that.”
    Gordy keeps walking.
    â€œWe need to talk about the whole Ronald Forbert issue.”
    Gordy stops. “What Ronny Forbert issue?”
    â€œWhat issue? He’s a rookie patrolman. He got a man killed last night. Your Ronald Forbert. The Ronald Forbert you hired. That issue. This casts the town in a very bad light, Gordon. We could get sued over this, Gordon. Lydell could be ruined once and for all over this. Your mistake.
    â€œWe have a whole town of young men. Good, able young men, who would have loved to join the police force. Good students, never in trouble. But you had to have Ronald Forbert, when we could have done something good with that position.”
    â€œLike give it to the kid of one of your cronies? Trade it for something you need?”
    â€œWe’re going to get sued over this, Gordon. You just wait and see. We’ll get sued.”
    â€œIf we get sued, it’s because you’re putting the idea in the Laferieres’ heads, Martin.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous. I could lose my job. We could both lose our jobs. I like my job. Not sure you feel the same way about yours, Gordon.”
    Gordy turns to Pete. “I’ll be in my office. I don’t want to be disturbed.” He walks into his office and slams the door behind him. He sits at his desk and starts picking up pieces of paper at random, looking at them, putting them in new piles without reading them.
    Several minutes later there’s a knock on the door and Pete comes in. “Sorry, Gordy. I know you want to be alone, but Channel Eight is on its way for an interview. You want me to handle that?”
    â€œNo. Let me know when they’re here. Is he gone?”
    Pete nods. “Sorry, Gordy. And yes, he’s gone. For now.”
    â€œThat asshole.”
    â€œTrouble with assholes is that even natural-­born ones figure they got to keep on practicing. Tough thing when the town council president is so pumped up on ideology, he hasn’t got a clue what’s really going on.”
    Gordy shakes his head. “It’s not ideology. The ideology just happens to coincide with what’s good for Martin Glendenning right now. If he could get rid of the police department, it would benefit his side businesses. For Martin the power of government is the power to screw up his enterprises.”
    â€œAnd throw him in jail,” Pete says.
    â€œOne of these days, maybe, we’ll do that.”
    R ONNY F ORBERT IS still cleaning, trying not to think about it, not to think about anything, when his phone