Saved By Grace

Chapter 18

The week had been total chaos with Monday being a blur and Jeff Riggs breaking his arm on Tuesday. So now everyone will have to cover twelve hour shifts and Lacey, the relief dispatcher, will have to cover the desk during the day while Riggs covers it at night. Sheriff Baxter offered to cover for Liza to have Thursday off and half of Friday because Saturday morning will start a seven day stretch of twelve hour shifts for Liza.

She was just sitting down to lunch at her desk when her cell rang. Smiling, she answered "Hey babe!"

"Hi, are you busy?" Grace asked.

"Just sitting down to lunch. Everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Do you want me to let you go so you can eat?"

"I can eat later, I'd rather talk to you. It's been chaotic around here." Liza said.

"I know the feeling. Are you still coming in this evening?" Grace asked.

"Yes but it won't be until late and I'll have to be back earlier on Friday than we had planned." Liza leaned back in her chair to prop her feet up on her desk. "Riggs getting hurt has us more short-handed than usual."

"In that case I'll spend the evening at the library working on my dissertation." Grace said.

"I'm sorry babe." Liza offered.

"It's not your fault sweetheart. It can't be helped."

Liza sighed, "I miss you!"

"I miss you too. Don't forget the strawberry oil!" Grace commented.

Liza laughed, "It's already in my bag love."

"My advisor is waiting for me so I have to go. Call me when you're on your way."

"I will. I love you." Liza said.

"I love you too!" Grace replied before ending the call.

Liza sat there for a few moments just thinking. She was already packed so all she had to do when she got off work was change clothes and trade trucks. Opening a file on her desk she began reading while eating her lunch.

"Chief?" Dorothy called from the doorway.

"Yes Dorothy." Liza answered and looked up.

"Those Bluetooth headsets you ordered are in."

"Great!" She wiped her hands on a napkin before getting up to follow Dorothy. "Are they charged?"

"Charging as we speak; they don't take long." Dorothy answered as she led Liza to the outer office where she had everything set up on a desk. "As soon as one is charged we'll get it linked to your phone."

"Great, no more talking to my truck." Liza laughed as she picked up one of the sets to look at it. "Does everyone know how to operate these things?"

"Max will of course object but he'll come around when he sees how easy it is. Everyone else is looking forward to using them." Dorothy answered.

Putting the headset back on the desk Liza said, "Thanks Dorothy. Is Lacey still coming in to cover the desk?"

"She'll be in at three..." Dorothy held her hand up to indicate an incoming call. She pushed a button on the box at her waist as she repositioned the mic in front of her mouth.

Liza followed the dispatcher to her office and waited while she completed the call and logged it in.

"Good?" Liza asked.

"Yep." Dorothy nodded.

"Okay. When Lacey gets in I'll go out on patrol unless Doug needs to rotate."