Free Killing The Blood Cleaner by Davis Hewitt Page A

women who were seated on one of the ancient leather couches nearby. Usually Howard was quiet and shy and rarely interacted with others, but these girls were laughing loudly at whatever he was saying at the moment. Dr. Clayton looked up and smiled heartily at Jack.
    “Jack we were just talking about you. I was telling them the story about when we were Epsilons at Vanderbilt and you picked up that great-looking woman with tattoos at a liquor store. She was trying to make it in music in Nashville. The fraternity hired her as our cook for several months until she got her big break. She then went on to a successful career as a third string country singer. She’s probably out there in a motel lounge somewhere, all thanks to you,” Dr. Clayton admiringly stated.
    “Johnny, you are misleading these girls. You know I was the shy intellectual one, and you were constantly on an ether frolic on your way to medical stardom. That girl bonded with you and wanted to have your baby which would have been born with a tattoo. Luckily, she met that guy from the rodeo and walked out of your life,” Jack replied to the laughter of all.
    “Jack, this is Cindy Jessup and her friend, Danielle Haaert. Cindy works for the Sheriff’s office in Ossabaw County and among her many duties she is the Assistant Homeland Security Director for the Georgia Coastal Region,” he said, reading the title from her business card in the dim light. “She was invited to the conference as a local emergency preparedness official. Danielle is in real estate and wants to sell you a condo,” Dr. Clayton continued.
    “Should there be an Ebola epidemic I would like to be quarantined in a condo with these two,” Jack said slowly as he looked straight at Cindy’s taut figure and flowing red hair. “Why don’t you to join us for dinner?” he continued. With a nod from Jack to the waiter, the group quickly moved to a nearby table. The white coated waiter who had been watching this process and now seeing its expected conclusion, approached and announced the dinner specials which were the usual prime steaks along with freshly caught, local sea trout which only hours before had been lurking on the edge of a nearby oyster bed in the Medway River. It only took a few minutes for fresh drinks and dinners to be ordered and the waiter was on his way.
    “Just what are your duties as the Assistant Homeland Security Director for the Georgia Coastal Region?” Jack asked, eyeing Cindy hungrily.
    “The Sheriff of Ossabaw County, Roger Odum, is the actual Director of Homeland Security Law Enforcement for the Georgia Coastal Region and that is a Federal appointment. I work for him. We monitor all of the emergency, police and military communications on the rivers and coast in the Georgia Coastal Region. It is our job to know the whereabouts of all these folks and all vessels and aircraft in the region. I also do typing and filing for the Sheriff, so it is not all glamorous,” she replied.
    “Do you deal with many drug smugglers around here?” Dr. Clayton asked. This question instantly produced a crisp response from Cindy.
    “Our job is to notify Washington and the local authorities if there is any suspicious activity which might be terrorist related. But, there is a lot of drug smuggling around here. There are miles and miles of twisting inland waterways which are great places to hide. And there are lots of flat roads and abandoned airfields for planes to land. But it is our job to look out for terrorists, although that does produce some drug smuggling arrests,” she replied in almost a mechanical way, as though the response had been rehearsed and memorized. Obviously, this was not a subject which she wished to discuss further.
    “Well, our drugs are legal and we will prescribe you some later,” Jack said. “Especially if you are nice to us,” he continued. “Of course it would be our medical duty to give you a full examination before doing that,” he said. Cindy’s