Mountain Ice (David Dean Mysteries)

"So you lied to him."

"I explained that."

"Yeah," Weller answered as he rubbed his chin in thought. He was silent for a ten-count, as if considering his options.

Dean asked, "What was your read on the guy?"

"Honest injun? He sounded like a shit head. All business. He's drawing up papers to have her committed and flying out here to 'save' the boy. He mentioned the term kidnapping, but of course being the saint he is he wouldn't press charges against his wife who according to him was just temporarily disturbed. Like, who would even consider leaving a great guy like him? He just wants to haul her back to home and hearth, where she belongs."

"Why did he call you?"

"That's what I asked him. I'm county. Bird Song is in the city of Ouray, not my jurisdiction. I tried to get him to call Tony but he said he was just running it by me. Greasing the skids. So's I can stand out of the way while he does what he's going to do anyway, small town hick that I am."

Dean smiled. "Sounds like you maybe didn't like Mr. Jerome Shipton very much. Do you think he's a wife beater?"

The lawman thought a moment. "He's certainly domineering. A real take-charge kind of guy. I'd have to say it's a distinct possibility he's a woman thumper. What do you say? I suppose you had a raft of this abuse stuff back in Pennsylvania."

"You've got that right. If you're in the business, it goes with the territory. Ouray, too?"

Weller nodded his head. "Sometimes I feel I'm becoming an expert on domestic abuse and child molestation. We might not get the gangbangers, car jackings and armed robberies like the big cities but we sure have our share of domestics."

"So, what are you going to do about Shipton?" Dean asked.

"I told you. It's not even my jurisdiction, even if there was something I could do. Unless the missus gets an court order on him or a good lawyer, she's back in the nest, and so's the boy. Especially if the law gives him an okay. He's not going to get her committed without a few miles of red tape but just the threat of a lockup could drag her back to old Virginia. And we both know if Shipton is a beater, chances are good she'll just keep on taking it, until he kills her or gets what he wants." Dean was silent. Weller shook his head. "You're not going to go and get us mixed up in a bucket of shit like the last time, are you?"