Big Jim grinned. Yes, in many ways a delightful boy. 'That's on the docket, probably starting next week.'
'If the Dome's still up. You think it will be?'
'I think so.' It had to be. There was still so much to do. He had to see that the propane cache was disseminated back into town. All traces of the meth lab behind the radio station had to be erased. Also - and this was crucial - he hadn't achieved his greatness yet. Although he was well on his way.
'In the meantime, have a couple of the officers - the regular officers - go on over to Burpee's and confiscate the guns there. If Romeo Burpee gives the officers any grief, they're to say we want to keep them out of the hands of Dale Barbara's friends. Have you got that?'
'Yep.' Carter made another note. 'Denton and Wettington? They okay?'
Big Jim frowned. Wettington, the gal with the big tiddies. He didn't trust her. He wasn't sure he would have liked any cop with tiddies. gals had no business in law enforcement, but it was more than that. It was the way she looked at him.
'Freddy Denton yes,Wettington no. Not Henry Morrison, either. Send Denton and George Frederick. Tell them to put the guns in the PD strong room.'
'Got it.'
Rennie's phone rang, and his frown deepened. He picked it up and said, 'Selectman Rennie.'
'Hello, Selectman. This is Colonel James O. Cox. I'm in charge of what's being called the Dome Project. I thought it was time we spoke.'
Big Jim leaned back in his chair, smiling. 'Well, then you just go on then, Colonel, and God bless you.'
'My information is that you've arrested the man the President of the United States tapped to take charge of matters in Chester's Mill.'
'That would be correct, sir. Mr Barbara is charged with murder. Four counts. I hardly think the President would want a serial killer in charge of things. Wouldn't do much for his standing in the polls.'
'Which puts you in charge.'
'Oh, no,' Rennie said, smiling more widely. 'I'm nothing but a humble Second Selectman. Andy Sanders is the man in charge, and Peter Randolph - our new Police Chief, as you may know - was the arresting officer.'
'Your hands are clean, in other words. That's going to be your position once the Dome is gone and the investigation starts.'
Big Jim enjoyed the frustration he heard in the cotton-picker's voice. Pentagon son-of-a-buck was used to riding; being rode was a new experience for him.
'Why would they be dirty, Colonel Cox? Barbara's dog tags were found with one of the victims. Can't get much more cut-and-dried than that.'
'Convenient.'
'Call it what you want.'
'If you tune in the cable news networks,' Cox said, 'you'll see that serious questions are being raised about Barbara's arrest, especially in light of his service record, which is exemplary. Questions are also being raised about your own record, which is not so exemplary.'
'Do you think any of that surprises me? You fellows are good at managing the news. You've been doing it since Vietnam.'
'CNN's got a story about you being investigated for shady bait-and-switch practices back in the late nineties. NBC's reporting that you were investigated for unethical loan practices in 2008. I believe you were accused of charging illegal rates of interest? Somewhere in the forty percent area? Then repo'ing cars and trucks that had already been paid for twice and sometimes three times over?Your constituents are probably seeing this on the news for themselves.'
All those charges had gone away. He had paid good money to make them go away. 'The people in my town know those news shows will put on any ridiculous thing if it sells a few more tubes of hemorrhoid cream and a few more bottles of sleeping pills.'
'There's more. According to the State of Maine Attorney General, the previous Police Chief - the one who died last Saturday - was investigating you for tax fraud, misappropriation of town funds and town property, and involvement in illegal drug activity.We have released none of this latest stuff to the press, and have no intention of doing so... jfyou'll compromise. Step down as Town Selectman. Mr Sanders should likewise step down. Name Andrea GirinnelL the Third Selectman, as the officer in charge, and Jacqueline Wettington as the President's representative in Chester's Mill.'
Big Jim was startled out of what remained of his good temper. 'Man, are you insane? Audi Grinnell is a drug addict - hooked on OxyContin - and the Wettington woman doesn't have a brain in her cotton-picking head!'
'I assure you that's not true, Rennie.' No more Mister; the Era of Good Feelings seemed to be over. 'Wettington was given a citation for helping to break up an illegal drug ring operating out of the Sixty-seventh Combat Support Hospital in Wiirzburg, Germany, and was personally recommended by a man named Jack Preacher, the toughest goddam Army cop that ever served, in my humble opinion.'
'There's nothing humble about you, sir, and your sacrilegious language doesn't go down well with me. I am a Christian.'