Chapter 19

What Evil Awaits

"I wrote you a poem," Danny said as he and Regina lay on the bed together.

"A poem?" Regina asked. "Were you going to let me read it, or are you planning on keeping it to yourself?"

"I'll let you read it. Let me get it for you."

Danny handed Regina the piece of paper, and she began to read it, “When I die and leave this world I vow I will return...” As she read the words he had written, she began to cry. "This is the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I didn't know you were a poet."

"I've never written a poem before."

"You mean I'm your very first muse?" Regina laughed as she pushed him down on the bed and began to kiss him. “That's really sweet.”

*****

"Hello," Sheriff Pendergrass said as he answered the telephone in his office. "What can I do for you?"

"Sheriff Pendergrass," a woman's voice answered, "this is Nancy Wright at Adamsville Telephone Company. I'm calling regarding your request for telephone records."

"Yes, Ms. Wright, how's it going?"

"Well, we're going to need a little more information before we can pull up the records. Can you tell us anything more, Sheriff?"

"Ms. Wright, I gave you the names, all the telephone numbers we know, and the approximate times the calls were made. I should think you could take it from there."

"But Sheriff, you just haven't given us enough to go on. If you'd give us..."

"Would a court order help, Ms. Wright?" the sheriff interrupted, "'cause I can get a court order today if you think that will help you move any faster."

"I think we can find what you're looking for, Sheriff Pendergrass."

"Good," the sheriff replied, "I'll be expecting a call from you tomorrow at the latest. Good afternoon, Ms. Wright."

As the sheriff hung up the telephone, Deputy Hart walked into the office, "You wanted to talk to me, Sheriff?"

"Yes," Sheriff Pendergrass replied, "Close the door, and take a seat Deputy. There's something very important I want you to do for me."

"Yes Sir," the deputy said as he closed the door. "What is it you need me to do?"

"Do you know Danny Johnson?"

"Yes Sir. Danny and I went to school together. I guess I've known him all my life."

"I thought you two were about the same age. How well do you know Danny?"

"I don't know, Sheriff. Danny left town just after we got out of high school, and I haven't seen him since his mother's funeral a few years ago. I've only seen him a few times since school."

"Well," the sheriff asked, "do you think Danny is guilty of all the things he's been accused of lately?"

"You want my honest opinion?"

"That's exactly what I want, Deputy Hart?"

"No Sir, I don't think Danny did any of those things. I don't know why, but I think Junior Ripley is setting Danny up for something, but I don't know what, or why. I just can't figure why Junior would do it."

"Junior is a little boy in a man's body," the Sheriff answered, "and that's exactly the answer I was looking for, Deputy Hart."

The Sheriff got up from his chair, and walked to his office window. "See that blue house on the hill over yonder, Deputy?"

"Yes Sir, you mean Danny Johnson's house?"

"That's the one, Deputy. I want you to watch that house day and night. You can watch it from your house as well, right?"

"Yes Sir, I sure can."

"Good, then that should make it even easier. I want you to keep an eye on Danny. I want to know everyone that goes in and out of that house. I want to know every car that drives down that street."

"I thought that you thought Danny was innocent?"

"I do think Danny is innocent, but I think Danny's life may be in danger."

"You think Junior might go that far?"

"I'm not sure if Junior would go that far," the Sheriff answered, "but I'm more worried about some of the people Junior Ripley has gotten involved with."

Webmasters Make $$$