“Gee, thanks.  You know everyone has been so helpful.  They keep handing me booklets or telling me things.  Golly, this job is actually interesting.  I read stuff and a couple days later I see someone come in that matches the information.”

“Do you understand that the end of your probation also means a raise?”

“You’re kidding.”
“No.  It’s not a lot, just fifty cents an hour.”

“Wow.”

“And I have something to have you think about.  If you keep studying and learn about the process we have a lab gal that helps out with casting and fittings that is pregnant.  She will be working another three weeks then she goes on leave.  Think about whether you might want to fill that while she is out.  It’s kind of like what you did for me with the Marta Kennedy.”

“I don’t know if I will be able to do it but if you think I can I sure would want to try.”

DAY SIXTY NINE

Deb Stough, Lem McNalley, Jeff Duvall, and Juanita Lopez reported for work.  The Chief assigned them to assist Penny, Barb and Margie.  They were assigned several of the names and they started checking them out.  Deb and Lem were given assignments that could be done in front of the computer or on the phone.  Jeff and Juanita were assigned to the detective division to help prepare reports.   Margie and Barb would do the outside work for now.  Penny would be accumulating the information and passing on new items to the team and the force at large until she could help the other two.  One thing that the additional people would do was run checks on the previously low priority suspects.  The chief was sure the “hate the police” idea was good but he was not as sure that the eyewitness was as certain.  Anyone who had expressed a hatred for the police was automatically a suspect.

At the morning break Jeff and Juanita sat together.  When Deb and Lem came in a couple of minutes later they sat with them.  Deb opened the subject.

“Rumor has it that you two are seeing each other.”

Jeff nodded.  “For the record, we weren’t seeing each other before the shooting.  It just happened while we were in the hospital.”

Deb smiled, “I could have told you months ago that that you were made for each other.  But you wouldn’t have listened.”

“Well, we can now.  We aren’t riding together any more so it’s OK.  Dating your partner would be like dating your brother.”

To read more of this story click here.  There are links to the other chapters in chapter 1.

The Night Sniper Chapter One: On the Beat

The Night Sniper: Ch. 043 Back to the Coffee Shop

The Night Sniper: Ch. 045 Samantha, Felicia, Mindy and Jan