“Morning, sir. I was wondering how I go about applying for a job on the force?” he said.
Walter waved toward a row of chairs against the wall. “Take a seat. I’ll be right back,” Walter said.
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Aaron said, and made a neat little pivot and sat down in a chair against the wall.
Walter hurried down the hall to the chief’s office. The door was open.
Sonny Warren looked up just as Walter walked in.
“Chief, I have a Pope look-alike up front, wanting a job application. Do you have any packets, or do I need to dig in the supply room?”
Sonny grinned. “What do you mean, a Pope look-alike?”
Walter shrugged. “For a second, I thought it was Cameron when he came in. That’s what I mean.”
“So, what kind of a job is this man wanting?” Sonny asked.
“A job on the force,” Walter said.
Sonny’s interest was piqued. “Really? Send him to my office.”
“Yes, sir,” Walter said, and hurried back up the hall and into the lobby. The man looked up. “Sorry, I didn’t get your name,” Walter said.
“Aaron Pope.”
Walter stifled a smile of satisfaction. “Mr. Pope, the chief would like to speak with you personally if you have the time.”
Aaron’s heart skipped. “Yes, sir. I have time,” and followed Walter down the hall, then into the police chief’s office.
“Chief Warren, this is Aaron Pope,” Walter said, and then headed back up front to his desk duties.
Sonny stood and shook Aaron’s hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Aaron. Take a seat.”
Aaron sat, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair, his hands loosely clasped, and looked the chief square in the face.
Sonny smiled. “I thought I knew all the Popes in Jubilee.”
“We haven’t been here long,” Aaron said. “My grandmother was Helen Pope, who recently passed.”
Sonny leaned forward. “Shirley is your mother! I haven’t seen her in years. My deepest sympathies for your family’s loss. So, are you living on the home place now?”
“Yes. We all moved back to be here with Mom.”
“All, as in how many are you?” Sonny asked.
“Four sons. No daughters,” Aaron said.
“So, you’re all single?” Sonny said.
Aaron took a deep breath. “I’m divorced. The others have never married.”
Sonny nodded. “Totally understood. Being in law enforcement is hard on marriages.”
“It’s not that,” Aaron said and then sighed. “Look. I’m going to be up front with you right now and save us both a lot of time.”
Sonny frowned. “I’m listening.”
“I’m divorced and unemployed because the police department in Conway, Arkansas, fired me. They fired me because a man named Clyde Wallace beat up his wife and nearly killed her, then killed two people later the same morning in cold blood. The trial was ugly. He got life. Clyde Wallace was our father. Seven solid years with commendations in the department wasn’t enough for them. My name alone got me ousted. Our family spent an entire year being hated for something we had no part in. Besides losing my job and my wife, the friends we had quit us. Mom divorced him, but it didn’t matter to anyone. We were pariahs by association. Then Grandma died, left the family home to Mom, and it saved us all.”
“Wallace? But you’re going by Pope?” Sonny asked.
“Not going by. We went to court and legally changed our names. It was Mom’s idea. It was the last link we had to that man, and we cut it. Taking her maiden name was a gift. So, if you don’t want someone like me on the force, I won’t say I’ll like it, but I’ll understand.”
Sonny got up, walked to a file cabinet, and pulled out a job packet.
“You know how this goes. Security clearance. Background checks. Fingerprinting. A physical checkup, etc. I’m always in need of good officers and our budget is generous enough for more. We’ll check your service records like we do everyone here. As soon as you turn in the packet, we’ll fingerprint you here, and then start the process.”
Aaron took the application. “I appreciate the opportunity,” he said.
“Of course,” Sonny said, and then stood. “Follow me. I’ll walk you out.”
Aaron wouldn’t let himself get excited. Not just yet. But for the first time in ages, he felt hope.
* * *
The ensuing weeks after Aaron’s interview were tense and nerve-wracking. Aaron couldn’t let go of the fear that he’d be rejected again. Only he’d been wrong.
He got a call, and in the middle of April, Sonny Warren pinned a badge on Aaron and issued his service weapon. He had a locker and uniforms on the premises, and the day he began his first shift, he was back where he belonged.
* * *
March 1—Monroe, Louisiana
It was half-past 11:00 p.m. and raining again. The streetlight in front of Dani Owens’s house was still out, although she’d reported it over a month ago, and night was not her friend. It afforded Tony Bing, her one-time boyfriend turned stalker, too much cover to continue harassing her.
It had been a year now since her nightmare began.
They’d dated for six weeks before it became apparent how controlling Tony was becoming. Seeing nothing but a bad end coming, Dani ended the relationship.
Tony tried cajoling her, sending her bouquets of blue flowers to match her eyes. Making constant calls apologizing for coming across too strong, with promises he’d never do it again. But she knew better and stood her ground. At that point, Tony and his twin brother, Alex, arrived on her doorstep. Tony had a box of chocolates, and Alex was holding a bottle of champagne, supposedly along to speak on his brother’s behalf.
* * *
It was a Thursday evening, and Dani had taken papers home to grade so she could hand them back to her students the next morning. She was just about to take a break and make herself something to eat when her doorbell rang.
She wasn’t expecting anyone, and rarely had friends drop in without calling first, but then she remembered they’d been working in the apartment building when she came home from work, and it might be the manager just checking on tenants, making sure the water pressure was back to normal.
She peered through the peephole, saw a man’s shoulder, and then opened the door, but kept the chain on the lock. When she saw who it was, her heart sank.
“Dani! Darling! Wait, please wait!” Tony said. “Just hear me out.”
And then she saw Alex was with him.
“I don’t know what game you two are playing coming here like this, but I don’t appreciate it,” Dani said.
Alex put a hand on his brother’s shoulder and moved into view.
“Don’t be like this, Dani. Tony’s just a passionate man. He overdoes it sometimes, but he’s harmless, believe me,” he said and flashed a big smile.
“He’s not harmless, and neither are you,” Dani snapped. “If either of you had a sense of decency, you’d know how to take no for an answer.” Then she shut the door in their faces and turned all the locks.