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to me,” Paul said.
    "Why? Because he tried to buy the resort? It was never for sale. So it can't be a conflict. If Sadie uses that as a defense, no one will believe her. Who'd believe a crazy woman who babbles to invisible friends?"
    "Her sister isn't crazy. Did the judge think about that?” Paul said.
    "It doesn't matter. It won't come to that anyway."
    Paul nodded his head toward an office near the dispatch desk. “What's Deputy Friborg doing in the sheriff's office?"
    "He just finished a phone call. Apparently he wanted privacy.” Carl flung the glass-paneled door open. It rebounded with a bang. “Hey, Lon. Did you see the front page of the newspaper?"
    Startled, Lon Friborg pulled his feet off the sheriff's desk so quickly they hit the floor with a thud. “Holy balls. You scared me. I thought you were the sheriff."
    "If I play my cards right, I will be.” Carl leaned against the door frame. He crossed his arms and waited for Lon's reaction.
    "You? The sheriff?” Lon put his feet back on the desk.
    "If you'd pick up a newspaper once in a while, you'd see I threw my hat in the ring.” Irritated at Lon's look of disbelief, Carl knocked the deputy's feet off the desk.
    Carl was fed up with the shock everyone expressed over his entering the election. Lon was the third person this morning who acted surprised, and not one of them said it was a good idea. Stupidity. That's what it was. They weren't intelligent enough to understand the big picture. He absolutely refused to tolerate the laughter that gushed from his wife when he told her his plans. What did she know? She was so ignorant she couldn't remember to wear her underwear.
    Lon bent to pick up the scattered papers. “Are you serious? You're running for sheriff?"
    "Damn right I'm serious.” Carl followed Lon back into the deputies’ office. “I've planned a platform that'll guarantee victory. And in case you haven't noticed, I've started parking my squad car in my driveway instead of in my garage. It'll be good advertising. Kind of an ‘in your face’ approach."
    "Your platform better include proving the Fossum crash wasn't an accident,” Lon said.
    Carl's jaw stiffened. “I thought I told you to drop it. The sheriff said it was an accident. Fossum hit a deer. That's all it was. An accident."
    "And if you remember,” Lon said, “I told you why I disagreed.” Lon held up an index finger. “Skid marks for starters. I've known Richard for years. He was a good driver. The skid marks indicated a sharp wheel turn to the left. Richard knew better than that. He knew to tap on the brake and ride it out. Those skid marks didn't indicate braking."
    Carl rolled his eyes. “That's lame. That's no reason to investigate. People swerve after hitting a deer all the time."
    "What would it hurt to investigate a little further?” Lon said. “Did you see deer hair on the car? Or blood or skin? I didn't."
    "You're blowing smoke out your ass,” Carl shouted. “It was an accident. Get over it."
    "Did you tell Paul about my concerns?"
    "No he didn't,” Paul said, looking at Carl for clarification.
    "Paul's got enough grief right now. Losing his partner was bad enough.” Carl glared at Lon as he returned to his desk. “And besides, it's bullshit."
    "This needs to be investigated. If you're not going to do it, then I will."
    Carl inched closer to Lon. “You do, and you'll jeopardize my chance of winning the election. People will think I'm not doing my job. I'm not about to go on a wild goose chase just because you've got a hunch."
    "I'm telling you, Carl, Richard hadn't been himself before the crash. I'd never seen him so withdrawn,” Lon said. “There's got to be something else going on."
    "Richard was prone to mood swings,” Paul said. “There was nothing else going on. I should know."
    "Listen to yourself, Lon. You're just as loony as Nan's ex.” Carl looked toward Angie as another dispatch call blared over the speaker. “When he made up stupid stories, everyone