He regarded her in some surprise. "The voters."
"I know, but who manages the voters?"
"You mean the party machine?"
"That's it. Well now, Bill, suppose the machine put a man in office, would he have to do what the machine told him?"
"He would, if he was that kind of a man."
She straightened and gave him a level look. "Billy, they say the gang that runs this county elected you sheriff."
"Who's they—Rafe Tuckleton?"
"Never mind who. What I want to know is do you have to do what that gang tells you to do?"
"I don't have to. Has anybody been saying I'd have to?"
"I—you hear rumors sometimes, Billy. Will you have a free hand, then?"