Midnight Crossing (Josie Gray Mysteries #5)(93)

“I have a job,” Otto said, looking at Josie as if she should have told him.

“I didn’t know anything about this,” Josie said. “I’m as surprised as you are.”

“That’s why we’re meeting together. Obviously we’d like your blessing, Josie. With Otto taking the job as interim, you’ll have to hire a temporary officer, and we all know that’ll be a tough position to fill.”

Josie sighed and folded her hands on the table, knowing Smokey was right. Otto still seemed too shocked to say anything, so she spoke. “Obviously I’ll support whatever decision Otto makes. As much as I hate the idea of losing him, I can’t imagine anyone better for the job.” She looked at him. “You are the person with the integrity and experience that we need right now. You can lead us out of this mess.”

“This department barely gets by on three officers,” he said. “You’ll be totally overwhelmed until you can find a replacement. And how many people want a temporary assignment for a job that takes months, even years, to feel competent in?”

“We’ll deal with that,” Josie said. “And you’ll be close by to help train.”

Smokey stood. “You go home and talk to Delores. Come see me at the courthouse tomorrow and we’ll talk it over. Bring Delores along if you’d like.”

Smokey left and Otto and Josie both sat quietly at the table, reflecting in silence on the conversation as only old friends can do.

Josie finally said, “My mom has hired a moving van.”

Otto raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Moving to Texas?”

“She is. I found a small house for her to rent downtown. And she’s going to work full-time as a clerk at the gas station.”

“I think that’s great. I really do,” he said. “Families are a giant pain in the ass, but in the end, they’re all we have for the long haul. I hope it works out for you.”

She nodded and brought the conversation back around to the issue at hand. “What do you think Delores will say about you taking the mayor’s job?”

Otto rubbed his hand across the stubble on his chin. “She’d like me to retire. She says she’s tired of worrying about me being a cop after all these years, but I don’t think that’s it. She’s used to being a cop’s wife. She knows I’m careful.”

“So why the push?”

“I think she’s lonely. She’d like me to stay home with her and work around the farm. She’d like for us to go visit Mina and the grandkids more often.” Otto lifted a shoulder and gave Josie a miserable look.

“You’d like to take the job, wouldn’t you?”

“I would.”

“You’d be a great mayor,” she said, grinning. “Mayor Podowski. Has a good ring to it.”

“So many times through the years I’ve thought, if I were mayor, I’d do this or that. Now’s my chance. I’d regret not taking it.”

Josie sipped her coffee. “I’ve been thinking about regret a lot lately. I want to make things right with my mom. I don’t want the two of us regretting that we didn’t try harder to patch things up between us. But what happens if she makes this move and it’s a disaster? I’ll still have regret and I’ll be miserable along with it. You know what I mean?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re turning philosophical.”

“I’m just wondering, how do you decide? Do you chase down a dream, or do you do what makes your wife happy? Do you take a chance on something new, or do what’s safe and comfortable? Life just seems like a giant game of chance.”

Otto smiled. “Don’t look so worried. That’s the beauty of it too. You take your best guess and you make the most of it.”

“What about you? Do you have regrets?” she asked.

“Well, sure. If you’ve lived, you’re bound to have some.” He took a moment to respond. “I suppose my biggest regret is losing touch with my family in Poland. But our choices were made with good intent. I miss my family, but in the end, I know we did what was best for us.” He smiled then and shrugged. “So I’ll go home tonight, and Delores and I will look at the pros and cons. Then we’ll make a decision together.”

They both stood and locked up the office for the night, turning off the coffeepot, computers, and lights. As they walked down the stairs together she said, “After forty years of marriage, I have no doubt, you and Delores will work it all out.”

*

Josie called Nick on her way home and asked if he could make it to her house for a late dinner and whatever else that might lead to.

“I’m still in Mexico. I have a meeting with a Federales officer tonight at seven. If I make it to your place, it’ll be late.”

Disappointed, Josie sighed. She needed Nick’s company.

“What if we meet halfway?” she asked. “I could meet you at your cabin. I’m off tomorrow, so we could sleep in and make a fire in the morning. After a big breakfast, we can share a long walk along the river.”

He laughed. “I definitely want to share. Bring Chester with you too. And can you bring a few groceries? My cabinets are pretty empty.”

“I’ll make you the best breakfast you ever had.”