Read The Beginning (Whispering Pines Book 1) Page 25

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  Max Pary stepped into the office a moment after Jacobs had driven away and asked the secretary, “What did he want?”

  “He was asking about some lake property. Guess he’s ready to go fishing because he wanted to know when the main gates on the dam were going to close. I tried to tell him nicely that he would hardly be able to afford any of the property on his salary.”

  Max looked out the window and watched as the distant patrol car sped away back toward town. Without another word, he stepped into his private office and closed the door behind him. Plopping down at his desk, he swept up the phone receiver and dialed, warily, leaned back in his chair and waited for an answer. A young, male voice snapped over the telephone receiver and said, “Sheriff’s office, Mimbs speaking.”

  “Let me speak to the Sheriff and you can tell him this is Max Pary calling.”

  A moment later, Walt Brooks’ voice came on line and said, “What can I do for you today, Mr. Pary?”

  Max leaned an arm on his desk and snapped, “You, Walt, can get rid of that nosy Deputy of yours before the sun goes down. Jacobs was just out here asking a bunch of questions about closing the gates on the dam. Now I’m smart enough to know that you didn’t send him out here to do that.”

  Brooks snapped back, “I had no idea he was going to see your Aunt this morning either. Now you’re saying he was out at your office? I’d have stopped him had I known.”

  Pary clenched his teeth. “Okay, Walt, I believe you. Now you’re going to do as I tell you, so listen closely.”

  Walt barked back, “I don’t take orders from you.”

  Pary sneered into the phone, “Would you care to call my aunt and tell her that?”

  Again the line was silent for a moment before the Sheriff replied, “I’ve got limits, Max.”

  Pary laughed, “No more limits, Walt, because you are going to do everything I say, understand? Now here’s where you start.”