Elk Creek

Chapter 2

Outside the small window, above the chaos that was, at one time, a desk, snow blew in fierce flurries. Large white sheets blocked the view of Main Street. Taking a swig of the burnt black coffee that had been left over in the carafe from the earlier meeting, the sheriff readjusted his girth and settled into his chair. It had been a long day of domestic disputes and lugging cars too small to be driving in Montana that time of year out of snow drifts. The tsunami of paper work before him promised many more hours in the dimly lit office.

With a grumbled moan the sheriff pawed a form closer to him and snatched up a Bic who's cap had long been missing somewhere in the mess of the office. Tediously he filled out the incident reports, consulting his notebook for details when necessary.

When he'd run for sheriff three years ago, he hadn't expected the position to be so mundane. So nerve racking. Every move he made was monitored, every word spoken carefully noted. If he wanted to be reelected next year he needed to be on his guard.

Tense, the man's beady dark eyes leered over his shoulder at the door that lead to the rest of the station. So many of his deputies would gladly take his place. He wasn't necessarily the most liked around town. Women especially were leery of him. The sheriff's lip raised in a silent sneer under his mustache.

At thirty-seven he lived alone in a single bedroom log cabin not far from the station. Not by choice. Many times, over the years, he had tried and failed to find someone to spend the rest of his life with. Every one spurned him.

A young blond came to mind. Soft curly hair blowing in the wind. Innocent blue eyes.

The Sheriff shook his head. This wasn't the time for such thoughts. Later. Yes later. Now he had to stay focused.

With round fingers he flipped to the next page in his notebook. In the helter-skelter scribblings, the sheriff searched for the address of a domestic dispute. It had been an odd affair. Greg Nozick's wife had accused him of cheating. The bone-thin woman had grown violent and that was when Greg called the police. When the sheriff arrived he found the wife and a voluptuous brunette in the yard. The air had been filled with cruel words. The mistress claimed to have never seen Greg before in her life. The wife claimed to have caught Greg and the mistress, Cece Hanover in the act.

The event had ended with the Sheriff sending Cece home and Greg's wife back inside. Greg ended up on the curb.

A curved grin split the Sheriff's face as his finger stopped below an address. A visit to Cece would remedy the trying events of the day. Yes.

Hurriedly, the Sheriff filled in the remaining spaces on the form, making up information when he couldn't remember. It was just a domestic dispute. It wouldn't go anywhere. Greg and his wife would work things out and the form would be forgotten.

Triumphantly, the Sheriff signed the bottom of the form and threw down his pen. A skip in his overweight step, he snagged his jacket off a hook behind the door, his keys off the corner of the desk.

He stood, hand on the doorknob when the office phone began to chime obnoxiously. Grumbling, the Sheriff turned back around and strode to the phone.

"Sheriff Thomason," he growled. Who would call so late?

"Rick Thomason?" a deep rough voice said from the other side of the line. The Sheriff leaned his girth against the side of the desk so he could see the caller id. A 312 number. Why was someone from Illinois calling this late?

"Yes, this is he," the Sheriff answered.

"This is Officer Carter Williams with the Chicago PD, I'm calling for some information on a missing suspect who may be in your area." The Sheriff dropped back down into his office chair. He grunted, signaling the man on the other end to continue. "Raina Franklin is wanted for questioning." Blood froze in the Sheriff's veins. An image of a young blond at a high school party flooded his vision. "Her and her daughter have disappeared. I've recently come across a connection between her and Elk Creek. Is there any information you can provide me with on Ms. Franklin's whereabouts?"

The Sheriff's free hand tightened around the armrest.

"Sheriff?"

"No! I haven't heard anything about Raina Franklin in years. If she turns up I'll be sure to let you know."

After exchanging a few more words, the Sheriff set the phone back in the cradle and stepped back, hands shaking.. His almost black eyes stared pensively out the window. Slowly, he turned to leave. Keys jingled between his fingers.

As he locked up the police station, the Sheriff's lips pursed to sing a happy tune. Cece was waiting for him. Raina wouldn't show back up in Elk Creek. Not after what had happened. He'd made sure of that.