One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 17, page 8

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Lawperson Séara Nulıpésha drove her cruiser out East Crater Road behind Tamé’s towtruck. They were almost to the Kılímos’ house, almost back to the site of Pí‘oro’s brutal murder by Séara’s fellow lawpersons and the Colonial Enforcers. She forced thoughts of the kind old man out of her head, lest she resume crying.

Cruisers lined both sides of the highway, announcing their arrival at their destination. “I hope there aren’t any other crimes in the county today,” Séara muttered, “because it looks like the entire constabulary is here.” She pulled off the road behind the last cruiser while Tamé started turning his truck around in the middle of the road to get lined up with the first automobile.

Séara closed her auto door behind her and strode along the road toward the Kılímos’ driveway. The sun hung low in the sky ahead of her, not hot enough yet to worry about. Today did look like it would be another typical late-summer scorcher, though. Perhaps even hot enough to burn the memory of Pí‘oro’s final screams clear from her brain.

“Concentrate,” she told herself. “Help find the other suspects, the murderers of Enforcer Sıvího.” It was the least she could do, if she couldn’t yet make Pí‘oro’s killers pay.

Up towards the house, through the bushes, she caught glimpses of Senior Lawman Vomıvé directing the lawpersons and Enforcers. As she started up the gravel driveway toward him, Séara noticed that the constabulary’s equestrian squad hadn’t arrived yet; no horse trailers were in sight. Surely the horse-mounted lawpersons would be ideal for a desert-wide search.

Séara waited several meters away for Vomıvé to finish answering an Enforcer’s question before she stepped closer and reported. “Sir, Tamé is hooking up the first auto now. He knows his instructions to tow the two civilian autos and the damaged Enforcer cruiser. I request to assist in the search for Zhíno Zhu--”

“No,” Vomıvé interrupted, shaking his head. “I need you to keep an eye on Tamé. Make sure he doesn’t shirk and go back to bed.” He grimaced with the left side of his face. “Or the tavern.”

“Yes, sir.” Séara caught a sigh in her throat before it could escape. Maybe Vomıvé had read her report from last night, after all, and this was just his way of punishing her. No, he’s always given me the menial tasks.

The senior lawman waved a dismissive hand, scowling at her. “What are you waiting for? Go.”

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