At a quarter of eight in the morning, Brian was sorting through a stack of files on his desk when a rap issued from his office door.
“Yes?” he said, and looked up as the door was eased ajar.
Deputy Allan Moore poked his head through the narrow space. “I have nothing against early-morning appointments with civilians, Sheriff. But when it involves a disdainful asshole of a man, and especially when I’m the one who has to fill in for some sick secretary to deal with such a
“Close the door, Allan,” Brian said. “Calm down, step inside, and close the door.”
Allan did.
“Who’s it this time?”
“Donnie… says he’s got an appointment to see you. And I get it, but he needs to learn a bit of patience if he wants to get past a lot of obstacles in life.”
Brian frowned.
Allan quickly added, “Just saying I don’t appreciate his “right-now” attitude. Not a bit.”
“Appointment with Donnie?”
“Yeah,” Allan said. “Weren’t you expecting him?”
Brian sat back in his chair, fingers interlocked. “Not really,” he said, casting a glance at Allan, whose features had changed and begun to speak volumes even before his mouth opened to seal the deal. “I haven’t scheduled any appointment with him yet.”
“Awesome,” Allan said, turning around to stomp back out of the office. “I’ve always known he’s a good-for- nothing son-of-a-bitch.”
“What’d you plan doing now?”
“Going to order him to leave right away and go make a genuine appointment. Only then can he return to drive me nuts.”
“And if he didn’t leave?”
“I’d suppose somebody might be itching for a lock-up in that case.”
Brian laughed. “Sounds a tad personal to me.”
“Oh, it is. Very much so. He’ll never pray for our paths to cross again when I’m done with him.” Allan was at the door, turning the knob.
“You didn’t happen to get up on the wrong side of the bed today by any chance, did you?”
Allan couldn’t help but smile a little in spite of his current mood. “I almost always do.”
“Relax, you don’t need to kick him out,” Brian cautioned. “You know… it’s funny.”
Hand still perched on the doorknob, Allan turned around. “What is?”
“I actually made a list last night.” Brian moved forward in his seat, shoving a sheet of paper to the edge of the desk for Allan to see. “This contains the names of the people I intend to contact before the day expires. His name tops the list.”
“Donnie’s?” Allan was back at Brian’s desk.
“That’s right.”
Allan skimmed through the list with disinterest and slid it back towards Brian, as if in a speedy dismissal of such an exonerating point. “That still doesn’t offer him a carte blanche to act like he has a couple screws loose.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s in Donnie’s make-up to be impatient, rash, and even unreasonable every so often. Let him in. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Arrest the boy and send him to the juvenile detention right away? Why’re you suggesting this, Donnie?” Brian asked for the second time. “There’s an ongoing investigation, as you’re well aware of. Men are working round the clock to unveil every mystery surrounding Robert Smallwood’s case. So, what do you mean by ‘justice must not go unapplied?’”
“Yes, Sheriff Brian,” Donnie said, rubbing his balding head customarily. “I understand every bit of what you’ve said so far, which is why I believe we’re speaking the same language, as evident in-”
“Not sure we are,” Brian cut him short. “To be honest with you, we actually aren’t. Listen-we need to follow protocols, Mr. Murphy. But if you’re suggesting we cut corners and play it fast in the name of letting justice have its way…” Brian finished his statement with a shake of his head.
“That idea sits well with me, Sheriff. I’m not interested in cutting corners any more than you do. Never been an exponent of such degrading act.”
“Good, I’m glad to know that.” Brian sat back in his chair.
“I’m also proud of you for following protocols. That’s why the people voted you in at the outset. One can always rest assured you’ll get the job done very well. However, Sheriff Stark,” Donnie said, but then paused, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the door, as if wary of a possible eaves-dropper.
“However what?” Brian asked, leaning forward in his seat, wondering where all of this was heading to.
“I suppose I’m attempting to observe that, in spite of everything you’ve said regarding your position on this matter, we should be extremely vigilant. There’s a very dark evil living among us, and we can’t afford to let our guards down at any point in time. That’s like offering the roofs of our houses up for the arsonists to set ablaze.”
Brian said nothing. He only propped his chin against his palm and watched as the man whom Allan would have thrown out of the department spat out gibberish from the plethora of his brainless reservoir.
Donnie cast one more glance behind him. Then, assuming a conspiratorial posture as he leaned forward a bit over Brian’s desk, he whispered, “Have you even heard a thing about the boy’s mother, Sheriff? And I don’t mean by dint of police investigation, because there’s actually no need for one-not when the stories about her are so obvious and widespread even a toddler can pick up a clear picture of what her life is made up of. Have you?”
“No, I haven’t. Fill me in, please.”
“Really?”
“Really what?”
“That not even a bit has filtered through to you-in this close-knit, small town.”
“Well,
“Sure, why not?” Donnie adjusted his bulky backside in his seat. It was time for the real business. “This isn’t just me telling you this, Sheriff. It’s the joint voice of the people talking to you.”
“Okay.”
“Been flying around for a while now-the issue of people living every single second of their lives in fear, without having any rest of mind,” Donnie said, seeming to play it the mealy-mouthed way at first, but then decided calling a spade a spade would serve the occasion much better. “She killed Charles Smallwood. That woman murdered her own husband in cold blood.”
“Wow,” Brian said.
“Yeah, that’s right. It
“It’s not?”
“Oh, no. It’s just the beginning.” Donnie swallowed, preparing to keep the words of revelation rolling off his lips without any impediment. To Brian, the potbellied man appeared to be having a whale of a time divulging the clandestine handiworks of the ‘evil lady.’ “It’s been found out that she committed similar atrocities against the two men that came ahead of Charles, whom she called husbands.”
“Murdered them, too?”
“Correct. Murdered them and thought she could bury the secrets forever.”
“But she should’ve understood better,” Brian said. “She should’ve known the truth would out at some point. It almost always does.”
“Oh, not within her own assessment. A wicked woman destined for a massive shame and destruction just at the peak of her evil carrier couldn’t have seen beyond her heart, a place that is nothing but absolute
