HELP.
Daddy, help.
Wren must have written fifty times to her father, but he wasn’t answering.
She knew he would save her. He always did. There was the birthday party at the bowling alley when her hand was about to be crushed between two balls, and he pretty much leaped over a table, a metal divider, and a bachelorette party to stick his own hand in the gap. There was the month she was certain there was an alien living in her bedroom closet, when he diligently slept on the floor beside her bed. There was the banana bike race she had competed in at age eight, when her brakes failed and she was careening down a hill into a street with traffic. Somehow her father had caught up and plucked her off the seat with one arm a hot second before it became a pretzel.
Dad reflexes, he called it.
She just thought it was love.
Help,Wren wrote again.
—
ABOUT TWENTY MINUTESafter his impromptu birthday party, Hugh was called to Chief Monroe’s office for actual business. He leaned back, already knowing where this conversation was going. “I’ve got to leave for lunch in fifteen minutes,” the chief said. “With Harry Van Geld.”
Hugh raised his brows, playing dumb. “The selectman?”
“Yeah. I understand his kid was picked up last night? What can you tell me?”
“Well,” Hugh said. “He’s an asshole, for one.”
“That’s not going to help me explain to his father why he was written up.”
“DUI,” Hugh said. “But he refused to blow.”
“How come he was stopped?”
“He took the corner too fast and hit the curb. It was twoA.M.Kept saying his dad was going to have my job. I didn’t even know who the hell he was, at first, until I put two and two together.”
The chief steepled his hands on the desk. “So we could amend the charge to reckless operation, if we don’t have enough for a DUI?”
Hugh grimaced. “If you want to go that route.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He was drunk, Chief.” Hugh shrugged. “He reeked of alcohol. And he’s got a reputation.”
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and silenced it with the push of a button.
“What about video?”
Hugh shook his head. “It’s been down in the cruiser for a week. Still trying to get it fixed.”
“So no breath test, no video, and we know that Van Geld is a dickhead who’s going to be pissed if we charge his kid with a DUI.” He frowned at Hugh. “What.”
“Whatwhat?”
“What’s the look for? You’re acting like I just said I’m going to drown your puppy. If the kid had blown a 3.0, that would be one thing. But he didn’t, and you don’t have a BAC. Hemighthave been drunk. Hedefinitelywas reckless. Consider it erring on the side of caution. We don’t need heat from the select board. It’s not worth it. Do me a solid here, Hugh. Amend it before the arraignment.”
“Because he didn’t kill anyone last night?” Hugh asked. “How about tomorrow?”
His phone vibrated again.
Chief Monroe stood up and grabbed his sports jacket. “Consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to have lunch with his father.”
“Guess that’s why you make the big bucks.” Hugh leaned back in his chair.
