Lead Me Home, Numb3rs, Part 35/84
Don't own; don't sue.
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Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20
Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30
Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34
After lunch, Colby followed Abigail into town. She waved to him as she pulled way from the four-way stop to go through town and back to Boise. He waved back and took a left down to the Sheriff's office.
It only took him a few moments to cross town and park in front of the office and jailhouse. He reached over to grab his badge and weapon from his glove-box. After a moment he put his gun back into the compartment; he wouldn't need it.
Habit had him slipping his badge over his waistband as he slipped out of the SUV. He wasn't entirely sure why he wanted it. Almost everyone would know him here; there might only be one or two newcomers working for the Sheriff Department.
"Colby Granger, as I live and breath! Get your ass in here."
Colby grinned and stepped through the door into the office. He was greeted by a 5'2" brunette who hugged him so hard he could barely breathe.
"Mar-Marge, let up. Can't breathe."
"Hey, hey! Marge, let him loose. You don't want the FBI to come arrest you for smothering one of their own."
Colby grinned over her head at Tony. The three of them had gone to school together, Marjory Pierse being a year younger than them. The age difference hadn't meant anything to them. The three had been inseparable in high school. There had been a group of about twenty who had hung out together.
Marge, through Tony, and Tony were the only two Colby kept in contact with.
"Ah, come on, Tony, you know I wouldn't kill our boy here. And if I did, you know the Feds couldn't make it stick." She paired the gibe with a poke in the side.
Colby laughed and looped his arm around her shoulders. "How you been, Margy-Girl?"
"Not too bad, Colby-Boy. You?" Her arm looked around his waist so that they were pressed hip to hip.
"Good, good."
Tony shook his head at the pair. They'd always been touchy-feely with each other, even though Colby had always had girlfriend. They both seemed to think of each other as long lost cousins or something.
"So other than my two favorite deputies, is the Sheriff in?"
"Nah. He got called out earlier today. Hey, Lou!" Marge turned to yell at the dispatcher. "We heard from the Sheriff?"
"Yep. Headed in from the Fuller place, should be here in 20."
"Thanks, Lou."
"So can I buy you two a cup of coffee while I wait?"
"Sure, if you get us out of here."
Colby nodded. "How's the Spoon sound?"
Marge shook her head. "Spoon's fine but you want coffee, we're going to the Cup. Let me grab my purse."
"The Cup?"
"The Chipped Cup Coffee House, it's a new place down on 3rd. Free lattes for law enforcement. We're addicted."
"You two go for coffee a lot?"
"We're cops and partners. Yeah, we have coffee a lot."
Colby rolled his eyes. Tony had always missed that Marge had liked him. Of course, that's because Tony was too busy wrapped up in liking Colby's sister. Everyone it seemed--but Tony and Marge--knew about the crushes.
It was a sad state of affairs that Tony and Marge were still exactly how they'd been in high school.
"Ready, boys?"
"Lead the way, Margy-Girl."
~3~
The Chipped Cup was in one of the older homes in Winchester. It had once been a rather elegant dwelling with a foyer, parlor, dining room, living room, and drawing room on the main level with the kitchen. Each of these rooms were now converted into different seating areas. Even the grand staircase in the foyer had been removed to add seating in the entry hallway. Colby remembered touring the home was a kid on a field trip and had thought it would have been marvelous to slide down the massive staircase rail. He found he missed it.
"The new owners live upstairs. They had a outdoor staircase put in and use the old servants stairs in the back."
"Wow," Colby replied, taking in the new decor. The place was decorated with very feminine lace and floral prints. Shadow boxes containing old tea cups seemed scattered throughout the place.
"Yeah, it's girly but wait till you have some coffee."
On cue, the waitress dropped three lattes, extra large, on their table. "No charge," she called as she sailed passed.
"Thanks, Anne, but California boy is paying."
"Okay," Anne replied with a nod.
Colby sighed and took a sip of his drink. "Hey, this is pretty good."
"Definitely better than the Spoon."
Three muffins appeared on their table as the waitress made another pass. Colby's was a simple bran, but Tony's was apple cinnamon and Marge's was banana nut.
"Don't get service like this is California."
"Nope, but there is a Starbuck's on nearly every corner," Colby said as he took another sip of latte. It was very good but he wasn't a fan of fancy coffees in general. He was more likely to drink the regular stuff in the break room.
"So... How've you been, Marge?"
"Oh, same old, same old. Work, sleep, church. Same as anybody here."
"And your parents?"
"They're good. Finally settled in down in Tucson near Jack and Teresa. They've been bragging about the weather there."
"Not much snow, I would guess."
"No, no white Christmas for them."
"You thinking of heading that way in a few years yourself? Since you're the last one here."
"Nope. My place is here. Besides, we still have the farm. I live in the house and rent out the barns and acreage to the Jones boys." Marge shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe if I get married or something, things might change but for now..."
Colby nodded. "I can relate."
"So tell me about your place in L.A. Should I be finding an excuse to come stay with you?"
"Nah. Don't get me wrong; it's a nice apartment. Two bedrooms, elevator, secure entry. No pool though. Pretty basic, really."
"No pool? The Feds aren't paying you nearly enough."
"Well, it's long hours; I don't really see the inside of it much."
"Definitely, not paying you enough."
"Yeah, well. I can still afford to buy your coffee and muffin."
"Thank goodness," Tony said before taking a big bite of his muffin.
Colby and Marge burst out laughing.
"Now, why am I not surprised?"
"Sheriff Taylor, I was just..."
"Latte and a muffin for you, too, Eric? I hear the California boy is buying," the waitress Anne asked, brandishing a plate and mug for him.
"Sounds good."
The sheriff took his goodies and joined them at their table. "So did you take a look at the files, Colby, or did these two drag you off right away?"
"Uh, actually, I suggested the coffee break since you'd be back soon, sir. I assumed you'd want me to wait for you. I'm sorry if-"
"Colby, I'm not your boss to yell at you for having coffee with some old friends while on vacation. And I know Tony and Marge wouldn't leave the office if something major was going on. Relax. I don't remember him being so uptight."
"Yeah, I remember him mooning you on more than one occasion."
"I was 17 and..." Colby replied defensively
"Drunk off your butt."
"Oh yeah. You were completely sloshed the first time."
"So were you. And you dared me to do it."
Sheriff Taylor frowned and looked at each of them in turn. "How did you get on the right side of the law, again?"
Colby and Tony burst out laughing. Marge just shook her head that the boys.
"Just lucky."
Next
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10
Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20
Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30
Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34
After lunch, Colby followed Abigail into town. She waved to him as she pulled way from the four-way stop to go through town and back to Boise. He waved back and took a left down to the Sheriff's office.
It only took him a few moments to cross town and park in front of the office and jailhouse. He reached over to grab his badge and weapon from his glove-box. After a moment he put his gun back into the compartment; he wouldn't need it.
Habit had him slipping his badge over his waistband as he slipped out of the SUV. He wasn't entirely sure why he wanted it. Almost everyone would know him here; there might only be one or two newcomers working for the Sheriff Department.
"Colby Granger, as I live and breath! Get your ass in here."
Colby grinned and stepped through the door into the office. He was greeted by a 5'2" brunette who hugged him so hard he could barely breathe.
"Mar-Marge, let up. Can't breathe."
"Hey, hey! Marge, let him loose. You don't want the FBI to come arrest you for smothering one of their own."
Colby grinned over her head at Tony. The three of them had gone to school together, Marjory Pierse being a year younger than them. The age difference hadn't meant anything to them. The three had been inseparable in high school. There had been a group of about twenty who had hung out together.
Marge, through Tony, and Tony were the only two Colby kept in contact with.
"Ah, come on, Tony, you know I wouldn't kill our boy here. And if I did, you know the Feds couldn't make it stick." She paired the gibe with a poke in the side.
Colby laughed and looped his arm around her shoulders. "How you been, Margy-Girl?"
"Not too bad, Colby-Boy. You?" Her arm looked around his waist so that they were pressed hip to hip.
"Good, good."
Tony shook his head at the pair. They'd always been touchy-feely with each other, even though Colby had always had girlfriend. They both seemed to think of each other as long lost cousins or something.
"So other than my two favorite deputies, is the Sheriff in?"
"Nah. He got called out earlier today. Hey, Lou!" Marge turned to yell at the dispatcher. "We heard from the Sheriff?"
"Yep. Headed in from the Fuller place, should be here in 20."
"Thanks, Lou."
"So can I buy you two a cup of coffee while I wait?"
"Sure, if you get us out of here."
Colby nodded. "How's the Spoon sound?"
Marge shook her head. "Spoon's fine but you want coffee, we're going to the Cup. Let me grab my purse."
"The Cup?"
"The Chipped Cup Coffee House, it's a new place down on 3rd. Free lattes for law enforcement. We're addicted."
"You two go for coffee a lot?"
"We're cops and partners. Yeah, we have coffee a lot."
Colby rolled his eyes. Tony had always missed that Marge had liked him. Of course, that's because Tony was too busy wrapped up in liking Colby's sister. Everyone it seemed--but Tony and Marge--knew about the crushes.
It was a sad state of affairs that Tony and Marge were still exactly how they'd been in high school.
"Ready, boys?"
"Lead the way, Margy-Girl."
~3~
The Chipped Cup was in one of the older homes in Winchester. It had once been a rather elegant dwelling with a foyer, parlor, dining room, living room, and drawing room on the main level with the kitchen. Each of these rooms were now converted into different seating areas. Even the grand staircase in the foyer had been removed to add seating in the entry hallway. Colby remembered touring the home was a kid on a field trip and had thought it would have been marvelous to slide down the massive staircase rail. He found he missed it.
"The new owners live upstairs. They had a outdoor staircase put in and use the old servants stairs in the back."
"Wow," Colby replied, taking in the new decor. The place was decorated with very feminine lace and floral prints. Shadow boxes containing old tea cups seemed scattered throughout the place.
"Yeah, it's girly but wait till you have some coffee."
On cue, the waitress dropped three lattes, extra large, on their table. "No charge," she called as she sailed passed.
"Thanks, Anne, but California boy is paying."
"Okay," Anne replied with a nod.
Colby sighed and took a sip of his drink. "Hey, this is pretty good."
"Definitely better than the Spoon."
Three muffins appeared on their table as the waitress made another pass. Colby's was a simple bran, but Tony's was apple cinnamon and Marge's was banana nut.
"Don't get service like this is California."
"Nope, but there is a Starbuck's on nearly every corner," Colby said as he took another sip of latte. It was very good but he wasn't a fan of fancy coffees in general. He was more likely to drink the regular stuff in the break room.
"So... How've you been, Marge?"
"Oh, same old, same old. Work, sleep, church. Same as anybody here."
"And your parents?"
"They're good. Finally settled in down in Tucson near Jack and Teresa. They've been bragging about the weather there."
"Not much snow, I would guess."
"No, no white Christmas for them."
"You thinking of heading that way in a few years yourself? Since you're the last one here."
"Nope. My place is here. Besides, we still have the farm. I live in the house and rent out the barns and acreage to the Jones boys." Marge shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe if I get married or something, things might change but for now..."
Colby nodded. "I can relate."
"So tell me about your place in L.A. Should I be finding an excuse to come stay with you?"
"Nah. Don't get me wrong; it's a nice apartment. Two bedrooms, elevator, secure entry. No pool though. Pretty basic, really."
"No pool? The Feds aren't paying you nearly enough."
"Well, it's long hours; I don't really see the inside of it much."
"Definitely, not paying you enough."
"Yeah, well. I can still afford to buy your coffee and muffin."
"Thank goodness," Tony said before taking a big bite of his muffin.
Colby and Marge burst out laughing.
"Now, why am I not surprised?"
"Sheriff Taylor, I was just..."
"Latte and a muffin for you, too, Eric? I hear the California boy is buying," the waitress Anne asked, brandishing a plate and mug for him.
"Sounds good."
The sheriff took his goodies and joined them at their table. "So did you take a look at the files, Colby, or did these two drag you off right away?"
"Uh, actually, I suggested the coffee break since you'd be back soon, sir. I assumed you'd want me to wait for you. I'm sorry if-"
"Colby, I'm not your boss to yell at you for having coffee with some old friends while on vacation. And I know Tony and Marge wouldn't leave the office if something major was going on. Relax. I don't remember him being so uptight."
"Yeah, I remember him mooning you on more than one occasion."
"I was 17 and..." Colby replied defensively
"Drunk off your butt."
"Oh yeah. You were completely sloshed the first time."
"So were you. And you dared me to do it."
Sheriff Taylor frowned and looked at each of them in turn. "How did you get on the right side of the law, again?"
Colby and Tony burst out laughing. Marge just shook her head that the boys.
"Just lucky."
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