"He's booking Santistevan into the county jail."
"Give him my compliments on a job well done, and my congratulations on his promotion."
"I'll do that." Garduno tapped his pendl on the desktop and gave Kerney a searching look.
"What's on your mind. Captain?"
Garduno smiled uneasily.
"That disciplinary report you asked me to write to Chief Baca-I'd like to forget about it. I'd rather not start my new second-in-command off with a reprimand."
"I ordered you to censure me for policy violation, not Lieutenant Gonzales."
"I know, but it would still smear egg on Gabe's face."
Kerney gave Garduno a tight smile.
"You can drop it.
A word of advice, Captain: When you have to chew butt, do it behind closed doors. Otherwise you humiliate your people, and it makes you look petty."
Garduno swallowed hard before replying.
"Thank you."
"Tell Morfin to stay in close contact with me."
Garduno watched Kerney limp out of his office.
Ouch, he thought to himself.
The dispatcher tapped on the glass partition to the radio room as Kerney walked by. He stuck his head inside and the woman gave him a pile of telephone messages He started scanning through them on his way to the outer office. About every third message was from Ruth Pino.
"You're a hard man to reach. Chief Kerney."
He looked up to find Professor Pino standing in front of him. Her tone carried a note of displeasure and her expression wasn't cheery. He waited for more.
"I've made an appointment for you to meet with Reese Carson at the Nature Conservancy tomorrow morning."
"That's not possible. Professor," Kerney said as he returned his attention to the phone messages to hide his irritation at her pushiness.
"Is the Nature Conservancy interested in the land?"
"Reese has been exploring options. Several possibilities have been discussed, including an initial purchase by the conservancy for resale to the Forest Service, or a joint purchase under the Natural Lands Protection Act."
"I'm not familiar with that law."
"It's a state statute that allows a nonprofit organization to purchase land with ninety percent public money.
The conservancy would pay the remaining ten percent and manage the preserve. Isn't there some way you can free up your schedule?"
"Not tomorrow."
"We must move quickly. Chief Kerney. There are many legal issues to be ironed out before probate is settled.
It is to your advantage to meet with Reese."
Kerney thumbed through more of his phonemes sages. Nothing appeared urgent.
"I should have some time this weekend."
Pino sighed in exasperation.
"I suppose that will have to do. Reese will be with me and a group of volunteers on the mesa this weekend."
"What's that all about?" Kerney stared at the last message. The brief note read "Call home. Sara" It had been logged in before noon.
"We're continuing the field survey and putting up temporary fences to protect the cactus."
"What did you say?"
"The plant and habitat assessment must be completed and protective fencing needs to be done. Nestor Barela has agreed to provide materials."
Kerney nodded, his mind sixty miles away in Santa Fe.
"I'll come up to the mesa this weekend."
"When, this weekend?" Pino's voice was tinged with irritation.
"Either Saturday or Sunday," Kerney said, no longer willing to hide his exasperation with the woman.
"Very well," Pino said. A frosty look matched her chilly tone.
Kerney nodded a curt good-bye to Pino and left the building. He considered calling to see if Sara was still waiting at home for him, and decided against it. If she had already come and gone, he didn't want to get slammed by that reality.
As he gunned his unit out of the parking lot, the events of the day faded. All he could think of was Sara and what she might have to say to him when he got home.
Kerney saw Sara's Jeep and all of his uncertainty about her sudden departure rushed through his mind again. He got out of the unit not knowing what to expect, and moved slowly up the walkway to his house.
He was halfway there when the door opened and Sara stepped out.
Kerney froze in his tracks.
"Did you stop off to say good-bye again?"
"Where's your dog, Kerney? What happen to Shoe?"