Bobbye Terry

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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]When I woke up the next morning, I was still shocked by my dream fantasies most of the night. I hadn't fantasized about a woman, except for J Lo, of course, since my freshman year at Abilene Community College. But last night Schlickenmeyer had intruded into my sleep, and I didn't like it. It took me off center, and in this investigation, I had to be careful not to lose my cool objectivity.[/SIZE][/FONT]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] As I ate my chimachanga in the You Bet Dairy King, I wondered how long it would take for me to erase all those curves from my memory banks. Fact was I didn't know why she'd made an impression considering her feminist attitude. And according to the stories about her reputation, Allyn "Schlick" was as slimy as they come. Too bad she also had a smart ass accuracy to her wit. I must be a masochist.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] It was irrelevant. I threw the end of the chimachanga in the bag, and picked up my extra large coffee. An officer does what an officer has to do. Uphold the law, no matter what the consequences, personal or professional. That’s what the badge is all about.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] As I started to exit, I literally ran into Mrs. Richards. “Sorry, ma’am. I was a bit preoccupied.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “That’s okay Freddie.” She beamed. To her I would always be her fourth grade student. “I know what a gentleman you are normally.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Mrs. Richards, since you’re here, can we talk about the jewelry heist a few minutes?”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “You bet, darlin’ Let me just get my lunch and I’ll meet you at that back table.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] A few minutes later, I sipped on my coffee while Mrs. Richards ate her Cheesy Western. “I guess you know Thompson’s Jewelry Store better than anyone else in You Bet. Accept the Thompsons of course.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “I do, but the husband’s not too pleased about it.” She giggled. “He says if you threw me in a lake with all my jewelry on, I’d sink like an anchor.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] I nodded, as I looked at her hands, three rings on each and two bracelets adoring each wrist. “So, Mrs. Richards, on the day the car ran through the front window, did you see anything peculiar?”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Not really, except the fact Larry Crews was in there. He doesn’t know anything about jewelry. Didn’t even make an excuse for hanging around. Just said he was looking.” She took another bite of her Western.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Did you see him take anything after the counter got busted?”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] Lawd, honey, everything happened so fast. I couldn’t see a thing. And that young Krantz fella was making quite a scene, screamin’ about Larry, and then about his car.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Yep.” I knew those guys had something to do with this, but there was one thing missing. The jewelry. We’d put an APB out to all the neighboring counties and even to a few states. Nada.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Too bad whoever did this got away with that diamond ring,” I said.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Diamond ring?” She looked surprised. “What diamond ring?”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “The blue diamond. The one in the front counter with the silver.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “There wasn’t a blue diamond ring in the front counter.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] I grinned. “Yes there was. You just didn’t know that’s what it was. Probably thought it was a blue topaz.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Freddie Foushee, you know good and well I know my jewelry.” She lifted her chin in that elementary teacher warning. “The blue diamond is always in the back counter with the platinum and gold,” she said, with a nod. “That is, until the robbery. Mr. Thompson’s put it away for now. Afraid something’ll happen to it.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “How do you know that?” I leaned forward with keen interest.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] “Because, his wife told me so. In strictest confidence of course.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][B]To be continued . . .[/B][/SIZE][/FONT]