Читать книгу BORDER JUSTICE - Aubrey Smith - Страница 8

The day was a blur of hamburger steaks and Mexican plates. When Sierra was not helping in the kitchen, she helped her sister bus tables. About three o’clock, things slowed a bit and Sandra asked her if she was all right.

“I’m just a little worn out after staying out ‘till dawn.”

“You don’t look so hot Sierra. Maybe you ought to ask Dad to let you go home for a while.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“If you want to talk about anything, you know you can talk to me. I promise I won’t tell Mom or Dad.”

Yeah. Sure big sister. “There’s nothing to talk about,” Sierra said, walking back into the kitchen. My feet are killing me and I think that jerk Randy must have hit my head on the steering wheel. It hurts so bad, she thought But she was determined to get through the day. She looked at the clock. It was barely four when the chairs began to fill once again.

“You’d think this was the biggest thing that ever happened around here,” she said to the cook.

Normally the cafe closed at eight, but tonight her dad had decided to keep it open until the election results were complete and that could be midnight or later. He took a radio out of the kitchen and put it on the counter so everyone could hear the results as they were given live from the Rio County courthouse.

Magic Valley’s count came in very early, 1672 for Garza, 907 Causy. There was a shout from the fifty or more people crowded into the restaurant. The murmur continued loud and happy until the Bracketton precinct votes were given and Causy took the lead.

“In the Bracketton box, Causy received 2003 votes to Garza’s 1150,” the announcer said. “The race is close with Garza now trailing 2822 to 2910. The big Rio City boxes are not complete.” When the next report was given at nine-thirty, Garza had fallen behind 3704 to 3866. All boxes were reported and complete, except for two small reporting districts.

Some of the people had already left. Now, with these last results, others had started to leave. Even though Sierra could not vote, she still felt very sorry for all these people who had worked so hard to help Rey in his campaign. There was a gloom that seemed to have replaced the excitement of the lunch hour. She had to sit down and rest. Her head pounded a steady throb that had sunk deep into the center of her head. Eight aspirin during the day had not helped. Sierra was ready to go home and go to bed. Saturday night and all I want to do is go home, she thought. What a change from last night.

At ten-thirty, only one box remained unreported. The race had tightened. Garza still trailed, but only by 22 votes. He had received almost 80 percent of the last district to report. Now it was down to the final precinct. The crowd had begun to regain life. The clamor of excitement had returned, and so had some of the people who had left earlier.

Eleven-thirty, and still no change in the totals. The final box was still being counted by hand. The reporter announced, “The auto tabulator has malfunctioned and we’ll just have to wait for the election judges to complete the count.”

About ten minutes later, the music was interrupted for a special election update live from the county courthouse. “This is Roy Berry with the final results of the sheriff’s race. It’s now official. Rio County has a new sheriff. Rey Garza has won this special election by only eighteen votes. Garza 4009 to Causy’s 3991.

The customers were jubilant. Tony rushed to turn up the radio when Berry said, “And now a few words from Sheriff-elect Garza.”

Rey began to speak. “This is a new beginning. We will finally have justice in Rio County.” Sierra thought he sounded nice and well educated. “I want everyone to know that I’ll have an open door policy at the sheriff’s office. My office is there for all the people regardless of race or creed. God bless you all.”

Both the crowd at the courthouse and in the Magic Valley cafe was cheering. Sierra noticed that almost everyone was hugging someone. She felt so alone and betrayed. “I hate you Randy,” she said in a whisper. Then she realized she had no one to blame but herself. It’s not Randy’s fault any more than it’s mine, she thought as she carried a tray of cups and glasses back into the kitchen. She washed them alone. Everyone else was out front celebrating the new justice for this part of South Texas.