Fraidy Hole: A Sheriff Lester P. Morrison Novel by Warren Williams Read Free Book Online

Sheriff’ s mood , tried to keep it light. “ Well, I’m not very good at thumb twiddlin’, not a s good as you old farts anyway . Where do you want to start?”
    “Back at the farm place. I want to take a good look around. Then, you and I are goin’ for a walk?”
    “A walk, what are you talking about? ”
    Lester declined to answer and fished a well worn phone book from a desk drawer. He found the listing for Parker, Albert, and dialed.
    “Hello?” the voice said with a noticeable waver.
    “Sheriff Lester P. Morrison on this end. Have you heard anything from Melissa , Ma’am?”
    “Not a word. I called everyone I know including my sister in Tulsa. No one has seen her or talked to her. She’s gone , Sheriff . I’ll never see her again.”
    Lester heard the voice break, her words barely audible. He waited a moment and said, “Mrs. Parker, we’re still lookin’ for your girl. I checked with the school and talked with Becky but she hasn’t seen her since yesterday afternoon. I’m goin’to talk to more of the kids at school later on today, but in the meantime, I’d like to come back out to your place and look around a little more . If she doesn’t show up soon , I’m gonna call the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and get those boys in on it, or try to. Thing is, they won’t make much of a move until there’s evidence of a crime but I’m gonna talk to them anyway, try to find somebody over there that’s got some common sense. ”
    “Thank you , Sheriff. I’ve spent all morning praying about this, praying as hard as I know how. I hope the Lord hears me.”
    “I’m sure He will , Mrs. Parker. You keep praying’ and I’ll see you later on, okay?”
    If the woman replied, Lester didn’t hear it, and he ended the call.
    “Anything?” Billy Ray asked.
    “Not a word . Let’s grab a quick bite to eat . I want to go back out to the P arker’s and check the property for any sign. Want to stop at that bar too.”
    “You buying lunch?”
    “What are you talkin’ about young man?”
    “It was your dispatcher made me miss breakfast this morning.”
    “My dispatcher? Humph. If you could haul your young ass out of bed a little earlier, you would’ve had plenty of time for breakfast.”
    “Oh, you’re a fine one to talk. If I recall, you were still in your skivvies when I got to your house this morning.”
    Lester shot him a look. “Hey, you young whipper-snapper, I’m old er than you . I need my rest. You should show more respect for us seniors .”
    “I would if you’d buy my lunch.”
    “Get in the truck , Billy Ray.
     
    *****
     
    The Merry Mart convenience store had one gas pump and no customers until Lester pulled in, unscrewed the cap on the fuel tank, and began to fill up.
    “You thought I’d forget to gas up didn’t you?” Lester said, leaning in the window.
    “Like that’s never happened?” Billy Ray answered without looking up from the latest Guns & Ammo magazine.
    “Maybe once.”
    “Maybe more than once. Don’t think I’ve forgotten the number of times we had to call the local police to bring us some gas.”
    “Hell, they probably didn’t have anything better to do.”
    “It was embarrassing , Sheriff.”
    “Little embarrassment never hurt anybody, builds character.”
    “Uh huh.”
    The pump performed the automatic shut off with a clunk. Lester replaced the hose and checked the meter.
    “By Gawd, that’s un-American, to charge a man that much for a gallon of gas.”
    “The county’s paying for it , Sheriff, not you.”
    “What, you don’t think I ever put gas in my personal pickup?”
    “You never drive your personal pickup. You stick it to the county even if you’re going to church.”
    “That’s because I’m always on the job, ready to rid the county of evil doers, face em’ down in the street at high noon if need be. I’ll throw their sorry asses in jail too, yes I will.”
    “Get in the truck , Sheriff.”
    At the turnoff toward the Parker