The Path Not Taken (Wayhaught)

Chapter 1

Sheriff Nedley was a kind, warm man. Well, more like a giant, scruffy teddy bear, Nicole decided. Nicole surmised people likely took him for granted because he gave the impression he was old and tired. A washed-up sheriff who stayed too long after his prime. Nicole's instincts told her better, though. Nedley was sharp and still had some life left in him and Nicole wouldn't be surprised if he actually played up that stereotype just so people would underestimate him.

Nicole continued to mentally evaluate Nedley as they sat in his office talking, much like she was sure he was doing for her. They made small talk, discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly that was Purgatory. Even with everything he shared, Nicole got the sense he was holding something back, but it's not like she could accuse him of that or probe any further. This was a job interview, after all. Even when she attempted to broach the subject of the "rumors" surrounding the Ghost River Triangle in general and Purgatory, specifically, Nedley sidestepped them with ease. He even brushed it off as the "legend of Wyatt Earp", the town's most famous resident, and the fact that his descendants still played a prominent role in the town today.

Nicole looked at him skeptically, more skeptically than she intended to, and she could've sworn Nedley shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"You know what," Nedley said absentmindedly after a moment of awkward silence.

Nicole raised an eyebrow and allowed her lips to form a circle in preparation for a response, but Nedley continued on before she could get the words across her lips.

"It's my happy hour time. One thing I do not mess with is my routine."

Nicole smiled at the hard left he took in the conversation to change the subject away from the oddities of this town, and nodded. She liked Nedley, she decided. Even if he was hiding something. What's the worst that could happen, right? So maybe she'd get a little more big city excitement in this small town than she expected. That wouldn't be so bad...it would be more like the cherry on top of the sundae.

"Join me," he asked with sincerity and not out of some sense of obligation, pulling Nicole from her thoughts. "You should get a real taste of this town before you decide if you want to start settle down here."

Nicole thought about it briefly before standing up and smiling, hints of dimples forming in her cheeks, "You know what? You're right. Lead the way, Sheriff."

He stepped aside and allowed Nicole to exit his office first. Nedley casually trailed behind her, only pausing for a moment to grab his well-worn Stetson off the deer antlers hanging on the wall that doubled as a coat and hat rack.

The walk to Shorty's was brief, just a short stroll across the street, to be exact, but Nicole got the feeling she pretty much saw the entire town in those few moments. It was cute, quaint even, and had that old western feel. Almost like Wyatt Earp's legacy left it frozen in time. And the bar they stopped in front of, "Shorty's", was the picturesque saloon from that era, complete with old hitching posts for the four-legged transportation they used back then still standing out front. Nedley stopped short of the door and turned to look at the Nicole. The sun glinted off his face, calling attention to the flecks of grey in his over-sized mustache. A mischievous smile spread across his face accentuating the sun-kissed lines around his eyes.

"Ready?" he asked. And without waiting for a response, he pushed the door open and stepped aside for Nicole to walk through.

She hesitated briefly, curious as to what would cause Nedley to smile like that, like he knew a secret that Nicole was going to be blindsided with at any moment. He raised his eyes in a silent question, as if to ask Are you coming, or what? Nicole shrugged slightly and walked through the door, thinking to herself that whatever it was couldn't be that bad, could it?