Deborah hated some parts of her job.
Since moving to Panguitch from Cedar City more than thirty years ago, Deborah had worked at the Garfield County Sheriff's Department. It was a small department that had a large area to cover. None of the small towns in the County could maintain their own police force, so the County received a small amount of money from each of them to provide services. It created a big burden - there was over 5,000 square miles of land to cover, and the population was small but scattered. The biggest problem the department usually faced was with illegal marijuana plantations located deep in the mountains. There was a big effort to eradicate these operations, but they were difficult to find and not very lucrative to pursue.
There were times like this, though, which hurt a lot. Because the department was so small, it was like a family, each member of the staff feeling like they were an intimate member of the team and very close in heart to those they worked with. It was a great place to work and you came to genuinely love each person on the staff. As one of the dispatchers, Deborah felt close to all of her "boys", feeling like she was the mother hen directing her chicks across a vast area, while protecting them under her wings. She wished she could take Jake Trotter's wife under her wings now and protect her from the news she was hearing.
Sheriff Johnson was explaining what the repercussions of the disappearance of Jake meant to her and her family. "He will continue to draw a pay check, and your benefits - medical, dental, etc. will continue. There will be nothing for you to worry about that way. We're here for you, Kate. Jake was like my own son. I've known him since he was a small boy. Don't worry. We'll find him."
Kate was nearly catatonic. There was just no way for anyone to absorb all of this. It was too much. Deborah knew both of these young people, also. She'd known Jake and Katie since she was still known as Katie. They'd been in love with each other ever since they knew what love was - even before that time, really. Katie had always known that they would be together. The longest time they'd spent apart is when Jake had gone to the Academy for Peace Officer Training. He'd always wanted to be a law enforcement officer, Deborah knew. And he'd looked great in the uniform. Kate and Jake had everything going for them.
Deborah sat next to Kate on their new couch. The home they'd purchased two years ago was an older, pioneer vintage home that was at least one hundred years old. They'd taken great pains to refurbish the place into a comfortable and clean home, Jake's salary providing means for gradual and slow improvements. Kate also supplied some funds occasionally through the piano lessons she taught to local school kids. Kate was a beautiful and devoted wife, and she would not lose hope.
Deborah had replayed the conversation she'd had with Jake several times - both literally, via the tapes made of all dispatch conversations, as well as in her own mind. The Sheriff had been distraught when he'd heard what had happened. He and Deborah both couldn't figure out what had possessed Jake to follow the Tahoe - particularly after Deborah had told him to break off pursuit. The GPS transponder in Jake's phone - which he usually left in the Ford Bronco - could not pick up any signal at all. It was almost as if the earth had opened up and swallowed Jake and his vehicle whole, and then sealed up again without a trace.
All of this was compounded by the fact that they were having to explain to Kate that they had nothing to explain.
Then there was the FBI man. Sam Donaldson. She'd snickered a little at his name, until she saw the hard look in his eyes. He walked and spoke with a practiced, even manner that was professional and efficient, but hard and cold. He'd come from Las Vegas the night before and was personally taking charge of the investigation. With the Sheriff's assistance, of course, he'd assured them. But neither Deborah nor the Sheriff were under no delusions as to who was really in charge. It made Deborah upset, but the Sheriff took it in stride.
"There must be some angle to all of this we don't know about," the Sheriff had said. "We'll do our best to help them out, but mostly let's just stay out of the way and learn what we can from what they do. Let's get out those maps. They're going to need them."
Deborah had complied, as was her nature. But she was surprised by the ease at which he'd turned over control of the investigation to the Agent. On reflection, she was even more surprised by how fast it was all happening. Jake had only been gone two days, and here was the FBI taking over things and the Sheriff was playing along. It smelled of something big - bigger than she'd known or been used to....
She pushed those thoughts out of her head. The Sheriff was finishing up his run down of what was going on to try to find Jake. Deborah found it curious that he didn't mention the FBI's part in the process. Maybe he'd just forgotten, or figured she didn't need to know.
Deborah reached out and held Kate's hand. Looking into her eyes, Deborah said, "I want you to know that I am here for you. I love you and Jake like you were my own, and all you have to do is call. You know I don't have much going on in my life right now..." Which was an attempt at levity, trying to break the tension of the moment. Deborah had, in fact, a lot going on - between work and twenty grandbabies who all lived within twenty miles, not to mention a husband who required full-time medical attention due to lingering cancer, there was just not enough time in the day...
But there was always time to comfort someone like Kate - someone who was very much like her own daughter.
The Sheriff stood to leave, prompting Deborah to do the same. "Please let us know if you need anything. I know your mother is close, and that you have a good strong network of friends. Now is the time to utilize that, Kate. It's what Jake would want you to do."
Kate just nodded her understanding. As if anyone could understand any of this. Her world was changing forever and there was nothing she could do about it. She'd try to be brave, but it was going to be hard. Very hard.
At least Kate was young and pretty, Deborah thought as the Sheriff pulled away from the curb in front of the Trotter's. What I am I going to do when my husband dies?
Suppressing this unworthy thought, she reflected on what she could do for Kate. Not much, she decided. She'd be well taken care of. But it would not be by the one man who'd always made things right with and for her...
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