The Salty Iguana by Bill King

Author:Bill King [King, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-21T16:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER THIRTY

JUANITA’S CONVENIENCE STORE

A Valdez County Sheriff’s Office vehicle pulled into the gravel parking area in front of Juanita’s, a mom-and-pop convenience store ten miles west of Arroyo Seco.

Darwin Sharpe, an older man in his sixties, was just leaving the store carrying a couple of plastic bags containing milk, bread, and two jars of homemade salsa that Juanita herself made and sold. He and his wife lived about five miles down the highway and often bought staples at the convenience store rather than drive all the way into town to the supermarket there.

The VCSO SUV pulled up next to Sharpe’s truck and a uniformed deputy got out and adjusted his equipment belt and cowboy hat. Sharpe did not recognize the man, which struck him as odd, since folks in Valdez County usually knew each other.

Heck, this part of Texas was so sparsely populated and isolated that the locals probably also knew most of the passersby, too.

“Good afternoon, sir,” said the deputy, who was wearing what appeared to be a freshly pressed uniform. “May I see your driver’s license and registration?”

“You must be new here, deputy,” said Sharpe, reaching into his back pocket and removing his driver’s license. Smiling, he handed it to the deputy. “I’m Darwin Sharpe and I live about three miles down the road from here.”

Sharpe opened the passenger door of his truck and removed the registration from the glove compartment. He handed it to the deputy, who examined both documents before taking them back to his patrol vehicle, where another person had remained sitting in the passenger seat.

Less than a minute later, the deputy returned to where Sharpe was waiting.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I’m going to have to take you back to the sheriff's office,” said the deputy. “Apparently, there is an outstanding warrant for you.”

“A warrant for me? For what? There must be some mistake.”

“It’s probably nothing, but my instructions are to bring you in with me. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s something they can resolve back at the office.”

As the deputy escorted Sharpe back to the SUV, the attendant stepped outside of the convenience store to see what all the commotion was about.

“What’s going on, Darwin?” the girl called out, laughing. “Did all those parking tickets finally catch up with you?”

“Who knows? Maybe Hanna just wants to sell me some more raffle tickets,” he said as the deputy opened the back door to the SUV. “Do me a favor, would you? Keep an eye on my truck for me. I should be back for it in about half an hour.”

“Sure thing, Darwin,” she said. “Want me to call your wife and let her know what’s happening?”

“Lord, no,” said the old man. “I don’t want to worry her about nothing.”

“Suit yourself. Want me to put the milk in the cooler while you’re gone?”

“Thanks,” he said, removing the key fob from his pants pocket and remotely unlocking the door. “Do me a favor and lock my truck after you’re done, would you?”

As

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