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The Chief Will See You Now

Carol stepped into the bakery. The scents of holiday spice danced around the storefront. Phyllis was sliding a tray of cupcakes into the display cabinet. “Hey, Carol, be right with you.”

“No hurry, Phyl.”

Aundrea poked her head out from the kitchen. “Carol?”

“Hi, Aundrea. How’s Paul?”

She shook her head and retreated.

“What’s that about?”

Phyl looked over her shoulder. “Beats me. What can I get for you?”

“A batch of chocolate chip cookies to appease the mayor.”

She pulled a decorative bag out and headed for the cookies. “What’s got Maggie in a tizzy now?”

“Paul, the mistletoe and me.”

“Uh-oh. What did you do?” She slid four cookies into the bag.

Carol pulled out her phone and found the photo.

“Whoa, Nelly!” She pulled it closer. “Makes my toes curl just looking at it. That must have been—”

“It was.”

“So, what does Her Honor care if you got the smooch of the century?”

“It’s on the international news wire.” Carol leaned in to whisper.

Phyllis laughed.

“It’s not funny, Phyl.”

“No, it’s hilarious and desperate housewives on six continents will thank you for it.” She folded the edge of the bag over and stuck a gold sticker embossed with the bakery’s logo of a cake with a halo. “Maggie’s just yanking your chain.”

“She sounded mad when I spoke to her this morning.”

“She’s probably mad because she didn’t catch him under the mistletoe.”

“Phyl, she’s married.”

“For a kiss like that, most women could be temporarily single.” She handed Carol the bag of cookies.

“You’re no help at all.”

She grinned. “Three bucks.”

Carol tapped her card on the terminal. “After I get the mayor’s feathers unruffled, I need to go see Paul.”

“No, you don’t.” Aundrea called from the kitchen.

“What?”

Aundrea emerged from the back. “This does not leave this bakery. Do you both understand?”

They nodded.

“Paul is here for rest and relaxation. Helping with the…”

“Jingle Bell Jub—”

“Whatever. He doesn’t need the hassle.”

“But he said—”

Aundrea raised a finger. “Rest and relaxation. He had an episode this weekend and we’ve been getting very serious instructions from his doctor back in Empire City. Whatever this is…” She leaned in to see the picture Carol was showing her. “Oh, my.”

“He wants to talk about it.”

“I’m going to talk with Jeb about it when I get home tonight. If he thinks it’s okay, we’ll run it by Doctor Defay. If the doctor okays it.” She cocked an eyebrow. “If” She tapped the door jam. “We’ll set up a time for you to visit.”

“Oh, there you are.” Maggie looked up from the papers on her desk.

Carol walked up and handed her the bag of cookies.

“Pour moi?” She smiled as she popped the sticker loose. “Have you been crying?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, kid. I was just busting your chops. You want to play tonsil hockey with our celebrity guest? That’s your own business.” She pulled out a cookie. “Chocolate chip. Bless you.”

“I’m not crying because…oh, never mind.” She wiped away a tear. “Earl and the guys have the updated Christmas village almost done.”

“That’s great. We’re not opening it until next week anyway. Right?”

“Right.” She sniffled.

Maggie offered her a tissue. “So, go home and recover from that kiss. I’ll see you next week.”

“Maggie, I’m not crying about the kiss. Sarah quit.”

“Okay?” She looked mystified.

“Maggie, Sarah quit!”

“I told you she needed to toughen up. If she had paid as much attention to getting under that mistletoe as she did flitting around like a dragonfly with a clipboard, it might have been her in that picture.”

“That’s what she wanted.”

“Wanted? I want to eat my weight’s worth of these chocolate chip cookies without getting fat. Who cares about want? Either he meant that kiss and Sarah never stood a chance or he kisses everybody under the mistletoe like that and I’m pitching a tent to save my spot in line.”

“Be serious.”

“I couldn’t be more serious. If he’s handing out those kisses, count me in.”

Carol threw her hands up and retreated from the mayor’s office.

“Hey!”

She froze in her tracks and returned to the office. “Yes?”

“What’s the word on this Doyle guy?” Maggie munched a cookie.

“Earl says he’s doing good work.”

“And the Chief says he’s trouble waiting to happen.”

“They’ve got history.”

“Seems like. Go see if you can put his mind at rest. He’s bugging me.”

“I’m part of that history, Maggie. He’s not going to listen to me about Ryan.”

“Yes, he will. I told him to expect you.”

Carol shook her head and hurried away.

“The Chief will see you now.” The patrolman said, holding the door for her.

She stepped into Chief O’Reilly’s office. He was perched at his desk like a bulldog sticking out of its doghouse.

“Hi, Chief.”

“Maggie said you’d come.”

“She dropped it on me after I dropped off some cookies.”

“No good deed goes unpunished.” He said with a wry smile. “What’s the word on Doyle?”

“The word is good. He’s doing good. He’s being good. He’s not like he used to be.”

“Leopards don’t change their spots.” He crossed his arms.

“Spots are only skin deep. The change in Ryan is much deeper, Chief.”

“So everybody keeps telling me.”

“Then why do you insist you know better?”

The Chief jumped up. “Because I know his old man and I’ve known him his entire worthless life. That’s why.”

“Maybe he was living down to your expectations. If you treat someone like dirt, they’ll usually take it to heart.”

“Trash comes from trash.”

“That’s not fair, Chief. He can’t help who is dad was.”

“Fair?” He scoffed. “What’s fair got to do with anything? Was it fair he waved a gun in some kid’s face? Was it fair he got out early because he got brained in the commission of the crime? Life’s not fair, Carol. You, of all people, should know what he’s like.”

“I do, Tom. That’s how I know he’s different. Just give him a chance.”

“I gave somebody a chance once. You want to see the knife wound in my back?” He sat down and shuffled the papers on his desk. “I bent over backwards to keep his stink off of you back then, you know.”

“I remember you hounded him out of town.”

“You wanted to wind up in the system like him? Huh? I was protecting you.”

“Why weren’t you protecting him? I remember what his dad was like.”

“I was protecting this town from them. He was just like his old man and looked to be even worse. At least Patch was just a nuisance. Ryan was a growing threat, and I had to uproot a weed.”

Carol balled up her fists. “Did it even occur to you to try kindness?”

“Spare the rod, spoil the child.” He grumbled. “He’s not my kid. He was a threat to this town, and I handled it the best I could.”

“Agree to disagree. We can always do better.”

“I’m not a social worker, and neither are you. Like you said, agree to disagree.”

“Can you at least leave him alone? He’s got Pastor Greg and Earl looking after him.”

“And his Parole Officer.” He rolled his eyes.

“And me, too. I believe in him, Tom.”

“Guess we’ll see.” He pointed at the door. “Close that on your way out.”