Enlightened

Chapter Five: Return of the Angel of Death

Toni went home ecstatic that night, but it was short lived.  The Sheriff got home to her apartment and parked Balthazar in the garage.  She had just walked inside and was taking her sneakers off when she got a phone call.  She checked the ID, it was Fangs.  That was odd, why was he calling her so late? 

She picked up the phone and was met by a very frantic Fangs on the other end.

"Toni!  You need to come down to Sweetwater river now!  On the Greendale side, please hurry!"  Fangs said before hanging up.  Man, why was everyone so on edge tonight?  She switched her keys, grabbing the keys to the cruiser and hopping in, she turned the sirens on and raced towards Sweetwater. 

She reached the Greendale side of Sweetwater in about 10 minutes.  She found Fangs and ran over to him, he'd been crying and was standing over something. 

"Fangs, what's going on?"  She said as she walked over to the distressed boy.  She then noticed he wasn't standing over something, but someone.  That someone being the ex-sheriff.  Tom Keller, father of Kevin Keller, husband of Sierra McCoy and step-father of Josie McCoy, lay dead on the ground.  He was also Toni's predecessor.  Tears filled her eyes and she began to hyperventilate, her breaths coming in quick short bursts.  "C-Call Mantle and Mason.  We have to get his body to the station for an autopsy."  Fangs nodded and walked off to call them. 

Toni crouched down to examine Tom's lifeless body.  He sure didn't go out without a fight; there were bruises all along his neck, back and chest.  He seemed to have had his throat slit, as there was a large, deep cut along his neck, right where his Adam's Apple sat.  Fangs walked back over and put a hand on Toni's shoulder.  The Sheriff looked up at her Deputy.  "I'm sorry Toni."  The pink haired girl couldn't hold it anymore, she began to cry into her hands.  Fangs just let her and rubbed her back as her emotions spilled from her eyes onto the soggy grass of the banks of Sweetwater. 

After another 10 minutes or so of crying, Reggie and Moose showed up with a body bag.  As Moose and Fangs put Tom into the bag, Reggie walked over to Toni, who was standing and staring out over the river.  "Hey Topaz.  I'm sorry.  I know how much Keller meant to you."  The ex-Bulldog said patting her on the shoulder.  Toni didn't say anything.  "I'm going to head back to the cruiser, take your time."  He said walking back to the car, helping Fangs and Moose load Tom into the trunk. 

Again, Toni just stared over the rushing white waters of Sweetwater river.  This river brought all things deadly.  All the way back to General Pickens slaughtering her ancestors, Jason Blossom's death, the "Maple Syrup" company Clifford ran and now Tom Keller.  They should change the name of Sweetwater, for it's not as sweet as everyone thinks it is.

Toni walked back to her car and got in.  She stared at the steering wheel for a minute before starting the car.  The three police cars drove back to the station to get Tom an autopsy. 

~

Cheryl ran up to her bedroom elated.  She got her kiss.  Finally, the little pink haired cowboy she'd been seeing everyday for the past two years had kissed her.  Hopefully something more could come out of this.  She opened her door to see Heather laying on her bed, Clueless on the TV, Heather was on her phone though.  "Well Red, how'd it go?"  Heather asked, looking up with a smile as the door opened. 

"Ugh!  It was great Heather!  We kissed.  She kissed me."  Cheryl said laying down on the bed and kicking her feet like a schoolgirl.  The blonde looked at her best friend and smiled wider. 

"Awwh Red, I'm so happy for you.  Come hop in and we'll watch the rest of Clueless to celebrate.  I have chocolate ripple ice cream here too."  Heather said patting the bed beside her.