King Chronicles: When Darkness Falls

Chapter 21 - The Widow-Maker

Sam casually walked into the pen drawing James attention immediately with a smile.

"Sam, to what I owe this early morning visit? I must say you came just in time, I've just set the coffee," he said as he pointed at the breakfast table.

Sam grinned, but he didn't budge as he continued to watch him. "So the mayor paid me a visit today. Anything you want to tell me?"

James noticed that Sam's request was more of a demand then a question. He frowned in confusion.

Sam laughed at his reaction, gathering everything that he needed to know. "You and Madeleine are not together?"

James put his pen down and shook his head.

"What is this about?" James asked, concerned. "Not you too. You've never had an interest in my love life, Sam."

Sam cleared his throat and pulled a seat back with a loud creak, sitting down so he was at eye level with his nephew. It seemed to Sam that now just might be the time for him to finally converse with the Sheriff about why he actually moved out here.

"James, I didn't come out here to become the law, nor did I have plans to take you and your brother in. I had another purpose..."

James tilted his head in curiosity as Sam continued.

"Your aunt... my sister, god bless her soul, had sent word before the fire that she believed someone was out to kill both her and your Uncle Ernest. I was on my way when I received news of her death. I had been upset I wasn't able to make it out there in time, but then with you boys fresh on my plate, I had to make do. I tried my best to uncover what I could from the incident, but I found no proof. God help me, no one really believed in me either."

James sat there listening to his uncle's confession carefully.

"What did you find?" he asked, quietly.

"Nothing substantial, so please take this with a grain of salt as I may sure as hell have been wrong. It involved the Mayor and his suspicious background. My sources back home told me that George O'Connell did not even exist prior to moving here to this town."

"Couldn't he have just immigrated?" James asked.

"Perhaps," Sam said, thoughtfully, "but finding any background of a citizen overseas is tough, James, real tough. I do have someone working on it, however."

James eyes shifted in thought. "Master Luong..."

Sam grinned in approval. "Master Luong has connections beyond our reach, though of course his main purpose comes first. It's been slow, but just a few days ago he said he had some news."

James fell quiet once again as memories raced through his head. Finally, he muttered out loud, "So when Savannah said she couldn't find time when she came back..."

She was the messenger," Sam said, finishing his thought, "she didn't want to get involved. You and Madeleine were in love, she didn't have the heart to lie to you so she stayed away."

The sheriff was crushed by the thought of her keeping a distance from him just to protect him.

"Sam..." he began.

"James, you can't change the past." Sam said firmly, ending the conversation. James knew full well what Sam meant, but he still made a mental note to talk to Savannah about it later.

"What do we do?" he asked his mentor.

"Nothing, not until we have proof."

James didn't like that plan at all, it felt like he was siting around waiting for something to happen. Sam placed his hand on his arm, reading his mind.