Zombie Sheriff Read online

  Chapter 2

  Meeting

  The next morning a special meeting with the county Commissioners was scheduled at the courthouse concerning an allegation made against Sheriff Ed Pool by Anita Cole. Once she sobered up, she reported to her husband, county Commissioner David Cole that the sheriff had made sexual advances towards her during her DUI arrest. Mrs. Cole was not present, but she submitted a written statement that was to be read during the executive session. No press were allowed during the meeting due to personnel issues.

  At the front of a long room set a desk with four men sitting behind facing back towards a gallery made up of folding tables and chairs. To the side of the desk the county clerk sat with a laptop ready to take meeting notes. Sitting a few seats back was Sheriff Ed Pool and the county attorney Cindy Kubrick.

  “We call this meeting to order,” the county clerk said. Her name was Gail Scott.

  Commissioner Cole lifted a sheet of paper from the old wood desk and adjusted his glasses to read the statement made by his wife. “Before I read this, I want to make it perfectly clear that this statement was not coerced in any way.”

  “What statement is that?” the county attorney asked.

  “Yeah, what’s going on?” Ed asked.

  “Seems the sheriff here has been accused of sexual misconduct with a citizen of this county. I have her statement here and I’m going to read it into the record if you don’t mind,” Cole replied.

  “Should I have a lawyer?” Ed asked. He was in a panic.

  “You’re not being charged with anything,” Cole said. “Yet. This is a hearing to get the facts out.”

  The county attorney spoke up, “Can I read that before you enter it into the record?”

  “No, you may not. Now let me proceed,” Cole said as he pulled the paper close to his eyes. “On the night of July twenty-fifth, Sheriff Ed Pool attempted to gain sexual favors from me in exchange for being let off for a bogus DUI charge. I told Sheriff Pool many times that I would take no part in any sexual favors and he then became belligerent towards me using my profane words in an attempt to persuade me differently.”

  “That’s bullshit and you know it!” Ed yelled.

  “There’s more,” Cole said. “After much argument, the sheriff then forced me into the back seat of his patrol car where he then handcuffed me and molested me against my will. When he was finished, I tried to escape and fell to the ground scraping my skin and causing bruises.”

  “She fell down alright! Fell down drunk,” Ed replied. “I had the breathalyzer to prove it.”

  “Where is this breathalyzer you speak of?” Cole asked.

  “I keep it in the glove box of my patrol car.”

  “Does this breathalyzer maintain a history?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Then you have no way to prove that Mrs. Cole was indeed intoxicated do you?” Cole asked.

  “I use that breathalyzer all the time in court and it holds up fine. Hell, you guys paid for it!”

  “I do believe we did,” Cole said.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but I didn’t lay a finger on your wife and you know it.”

  “She has the scrapes and bruises, I’ve seen them myself.”

  “You weren’t there. She fell down drunk!”

  “That’s your word against hers.”

  “Yes it is,” Ed replied.

  “I don’t see much choice other than to put you on suspension until a full investigation can be conducted.”

  “You’re just doing this to get back at me for her making the paper. I was doing my job, that’s all.”

  “I’ll have to admit, I never understood why the fine people of this county would vote in a dead man to be their sheriff, but that’s not for me to decide. But when I get allegations like this, I have to act. I can’t leave a potential sex offender on the payroll with authority granted by this county who might be pursuing women in exchange for leniency.”

  “I can’t believe this. Last night I probably saved your wife from an accident and this is how you repay me?” Ed asked.

  “You have your job, I have mine.”

  “This has to be voted on by all four of you, I can’t believe that you all four believe these lies.”

  “You’ll still be on the payroll, don’t worry,” Cole said.

  “Is that right?” another commissioner asked.

  The county attorney spoke up. “Yes, that’s policy during an investigation.”

  Pissed, Ed replied, “You’re doing this to punish me. I didn’t lay a finger on her except to help her off the ground and cuff her. Where is she? I should be able to face my accuser.”

  Cole replied, “She doesn’t feel safe around you.”

  “Around me? There are six other people in this room besides me. That’s insane.”

  “It’s a safety issue, sorry,” Cole said.

  Ed turned to the county attorney. “I know I have the right to face her, I know it!”

  “I’ll look into it,” the county attorney replied. “Something here doesn’t seem right.”

  Cole looked to his left and to his right. “Let’s put this to a vote.”

  The county clerk then stated, “All in favor of suspending the sheriff with pay during the investigation raise your hand.”

  The only hand to raise was Cole’s to his surprise. The other four commissioners kept their hands down and waited for the count.

  “One for, three against,” the county clerk stated. “Motion denied.”

  Ed smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Fuck yeah,” Ed said.

  “This is an official meeting, please use proper language,” the county clerk stated.

  Cole shook his head and pushed the paper across his desk towards the county clerk. “I still want this in the record.”

  “It already is,” the clerk replied.

  “If that’s all, I’m leaving,” Ed said and stood up from the table. “You can conduct your witch hunt without me.”

  “You’re still under investigation, I will have someone interviewing you soon so don’t get too comfortable,” Cole said.

  “I gave you my side of the story, there’s nothing else to say.”

  “I want it official, not something you said at a commissioners meeting.”

  “Fine, do what you want, the answer’s the same,” Ed said. “And I do have some advice for you commissioner, you might want to keep your wife in check. She’s an accident waiting to happen.”

  Ed walked to the end of the room and didn’t look back. He entered the hallway and walked towards the exit when he heard his name called out to him. He turned to see Commissioner Cole with a briefcase in his hand working the lock. Not sure what was going on, Ed looked at Cole who was exasperated, poking at the keys of the lock until the case opened and the top popped open spilling papers all over the floor. In the flurry of white sheets flying through the air, Ed didn’t see Cole pull out a pistol and point it at him.

  In a blur, Ed noticed the gun in Cole’s hand and saw the muzzle flashes as the commissioner shot at the sheriff repeatedly in the face and chest. The bullets did no harm as the sheriff was not a living being and Ed just stood there watching until the entire clip was spent. As smoke rose into the air, Ed stepped over to Cole and pulled his handcuffs off his belt. “You’re under arrest for the attempted murder of the sheriff of Colfax County.

  “You can’t arrest me for attempted murder, you’re already dead,” Cole said.

  “That’s for the lawyers to decide, you’re going to join you wife in jail so put out your hands,” Ed said.

  Cole smiled and dropped the briefcase on the wood floor. He put out his hands and let the sheriff cuff him. “I bet you’re loving this aren’t you?” Cole asked.

  “I have a job to do,” Ed replied.

  “Yeah, harassing my wife and forcing me to get revenge.”

  “Force? I have a half a dozen witnesses that saw what happened. I’m surprised you didn’
t shoot me in the back,” Ed said.

  “Fucking zombie, you should have never been voted into office.”

  “My car is this way,” Ed said as he pointed down the hall.

  At the law enforcement center, Cole was brought into the booking room for his mug shot. At the counter was Deputy Pam Reed. She was Ed’s first hire as sheriff and his biggest regret. “What do you have sheriff?” Pam asked as she stepped around the counter. She was dressed in a low cut custom made uniform top and a matching brown skirt that would make a stripper blush and heels. On her hip was her gun belt with her deputy badge attached.

  “You didn’t hear from dispatch? This is county commissioner David Cole. He tried to kill me down at the courthouse this morning,” Ed said. He pointed to a bullet hole on his shirt and at one above his eye.”

  “No, I didn’t hear anything,” Pam replied. “I was late for work.”

  “Again?” Ed asked. “What this time?”

  “Lady problems,” Pam replied.

  “You always say that, I’m going to have you tested at the clinic if you’re late again. Now can you book Mr. Cole?”

  “Yes sir,” Pam said. She didn’t like getting barked at by her boss.

  “And what did I tell you about wearing heels to work?”

  “I don’t have anything else that matches this uniform.”

  “You can’t run in heels, what if you had to do a pursuit on foot?”

  “I’d kick them off,” Pam said.

  “I don’t think that would work,” Ed replied.

  Then Cole spoke up. “Why do you let your deputy dress like a hooker? What kind of fucked up sheriff are you?”

  “I’ll deal with my employee,” Ed said. “You worry about what you’re going to say to the judge.”

  “Are you fucking the help?” Cole asked with a grin.

  Pam was livid. “I’m no hooker you asshole!” Pam snapped.

  “Where did our fine sheriff dig you up?”

  “None of your business,” Pam replied.

  “I heard you were a stripper before he hired you.”

  “What I did is none of your business.”

  “I know what’s going on down here, everyone in town does too.”

  Ed spoke up, “Don’t let this asshole get to you. Book him and put him in a cell. Preferably one next to his wife.”

  “Yes sir,” Pam said.

  Ed left the room and Pam directed Cole to stand against the wall for his mug shot. She walked back behind the counter and made sure Cole was centered on the screen. Once she was satisfied, she clicked the “Ok” button on the screen and entered his photo into the booking database. This picture would end up on the front page of the paper the next day. Once she entered the booking information, she led Cole out into the jail area of the law enforcement center and put him in a cell next to his wife Anita.

  “When do I get my phone call?” Cole asked.

  “Whenever you want,” Pam replied.

  “Why didn’t you say that when you were booking me?”

  “You didn’t ask.”

  “What a dumb bitch.”

  “Yeah, well I’m not the one in jail now am I?” Pam asked.

  “I want my call now!” Cole snapped.

  Anita heard the conversation and spoke up. “David, is that you?”

  “Yes dear, it’s me,” Cole replied.

  “What are you doing in jail?” Anita asked.

  “Don’t say anything, I’ll let our lawyer tell you.”