Sheriff Jimmy Lorenzo cranked the air-conditioner as high as it could go as he sped along towards the outskirts of town. Still early in the morning and going outdoors already felt like wading into soup. As a native northeastener, he had never gotten used to the Alabama heat.<br/><br/>Inwardly, he was cursing his senior deputy, Bob Hanesworth, a lazy, alcoholic, tub of a human being who was coasting along in his job till retirement. He had long given up hope of locating Sarah Jackson. But he, Jimmy Lorenzo, was still a professional, he told himself. He was still a good cop, despite his not-so-sparkling past, and for that matter, his not-so-sparkling present. So he would make sure the search continued properly despite Bob's screw-ups. Anyway, it was something he needed to keep going. Trinity wasn't enough of a distraction.<br/><br/>His two-way radio crackled as he neared the gas station.<span style="font-style: italic">"Sheriff?"</span>It was Phil, half Bob's age and twice as competent a deputy.<br/><br/>"Go, Phil," Lorenzo said, speaking into the receiver.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Mrs. Walker says her husband still hasn't come home." </span><br/><br/>Lorenzo fought down the urge to curse out loud. Dennis Walker had probably run off with some woman from Red Hills. "Tell her to call us back if she hasn't heard from him by tonight," he replied. "Lorenzo out."<br/><br/>The sheriff didn't bother acknowledging Phil's reply as he pulled into the gas station. As he left his car he nodded at the the old-timers congregated outside the counter. He walked quickly inside, trying to get out of the heat and so he could avoid his reflection in the mirror. He was of medium height, still broad-shouldered, but was developing a paunch. And there was more gray in his hair than he cared for. Trinity didn't seem to mind but Lorenzo had his little vanities.<br/><br/>He nodded at Mary Stevens as he walked inside, his deputy's interview reports in hand. "Good morning, Miss Stevens," he said, all northeastern formal. It was still a habit of his he was finding hard to break. "Need to talk to you about Sarah, if you don't mind. I know Deputy Hanesworth interviewed you but I have some follow-up questions."<br/><br/>It probably wouldn't help at all. But Bob had done a shitty job on his share of the interviews. If they could get anything else they would get it. Because Lorenzo was still a good cop. Most of the time.