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Toby looked relieved. 'Glad to hear it. I was afraid some idiot might've left a gate unlocked. Sorry I wasn't around to let you in.' |
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'Anyway, I thought you might appreciate some light on the subject. I was on my way over to the school. I'm the head of maintenance, you know, gotta keep my eye on the cleaning crew. Bunch of no-good loafers, most of them.' Toby turned his eyes away from Hanson and frowned at the goalpost. 'Terrible,' he said. 'Any ideas who did it?' |
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''We're working on it. I just thought I'd stop by and try to get the feel of the situation.' |
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'I suppose you were out here last night.' |
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'Must've been pretty grim. I've seen my share of crispy critters, you know. Bakersfield Fire Department till a roof dropped out from under me.' He slapped his right leg. What it smacked through the trousers didn't sound like skin. 'Never a pretty sight. That's one aspect of the job I sure don't miss.' |
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Hanson, who'd taken a liking to the man right away, now felt a grudging admiration. 'They couldn't pay me enough to be a fireman,' he said. |
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Toby nodded. His eyes stayed on the goalpost. 'Think it was kids?' |
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'I don't know. Seems likely.' |
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'We haven't got any Klan here that I know of.' |
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'It's the sort of thing you might expect from the Klan. Really gives this burg a black eye.' |
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