Chapter 35
When they entered the office, they saw that there was a fat, balding man sitting in the chair across from the sheriff. This must be the mayor, O’Reilly thought. Higgins and he were deep in conversation, and so they didn’t notice the two visitors standing there for a moment. Finally Higgins looked up, surprise showing on his face.
"How the fuck did you get in here. I told that idiot secretary of mine not to bother me!”
The mayor seemed taken aback by the sudden outburst from the sheriff. This was a side of him that he had never seen before.
"Kevin, who are these men and what are you so angry about?”
"Shut up, you fat little prick. This doesn’t concern you.”
The sheriff shouldn’t talk like this to the mayor, especially when he’s the one that signs your paycheck. He would probably regret it later, but for now, he was rattled having seen these two again, and he wasn’t thinking straight.
The mayor looked shocked. He wasn’t used to being treated like this. “Don’t talk to me like that. Who do you think you’re talking to?”
"Shut the fuck up, the two of you!” O’Reilly ordered.
This caused the mayor to be quiet, and he sat back in his chair, looking very uncomfortable in the growing intense scene. He was looking for a way to escape the office before the situation worsened. There was no where to go, however. The strangers were between him and the door. He just sat there nervously, keeping an eye out for his chance to get the hell out of there in one piece. He maybe was the mayor, but he didn’t like confrontation. He never did.
O’Reilly approached menacingly. The mayor pulled away, trying to make himself small and not inconspicuous. He didn’t have to worry. Sean hardly even noticed him now. His full attention was directed at the slime-ball Higgins.
The sheriff began to rise but changed his mind. He started to weigh his options. How the two of them could be standing here without even a scratch on them, he didn’t know. What the fuck had happened to Zack and his buddies. He would have to have a chat with them later to teach them that when Kevin ordered someone to do something, it had better be done, done quickly, and without hesitation. Yes, he was looking forward to that little chat. If only he knew what really happened to them he would maybe be a little nervous right now.
However, he began to get a smug attitude toward his two ‘guests’.
"Well inspector, it’s a surprise to see you again so soon. Did you get that elusive case solved already? Or was it beyond your ability to figure it out. You seemed so certain the last time I saw you that you would get to the bottom of it, even though us locals had tried everything and failed.”
"Shut up Higgins!” O’Reilly ordered. He had had about all he was going to take from this shit head.
"Don’t talk to me like that. What the fuck gives you the right to come into my office and talk to me like that. Screw you.”
"No, screw you! Half an hour ago, we were attacked by four men. They told us that you hired them to take care of us. What do you know about this?"
"What the fuck are you talking about? Just because four men told you that I sent them after you, what makes you believe them? What purpose would I have for doing something like that?”
"The last time we talked, you didn’t seem too pleased. I think there’s something you’re not telling us that you know.”
"I told you every thing that was found out at the crime scene. As far as everyone is concerned, it was some drifter that came into town, crushed Mrs. Caulder’s skull, and left in the night. Case closed.”
"As far as I’m concerned, it is anything but closed, and I intend to prove it. Now, answer my question. What do you know about the four who came after us?”
"Are you deaf as well as dumb? I already told you I don’t know anything about it. And like I said, why would you believe strangers who said that about me?”
Higgins was starting to get very agitated by now. He started to shift about in his chair, but didn’t get up. It was probably a good thing for him. O’Reilly had had just about enough of Higgins. But he remained calm enough to continue.
"I can be very convincing when I have to be.”
"What does that mean?” the sheriff asked but now starting to become a little uneasy about the situation.
“What I mean by that is this. Your boys ran us off the road and then took a shot at us. I shot two of them after that.”
The mayor audibly gasped. He didn’t like violence, and he certainly didn’t like where this conversation was going. O’Reilly glanced at him for a moment, having forgotten that he was there. Then he turned back to Higgins.
The sheriff spoke. “That doesn’t tell me why you think that I had anything to do with this. I’m an officer of the law for Christ’s sake.”
"Let me continue. After I shot two of them, I had a little talk with the others. The one, the leader I think, still wasn’t cooperating. So I shot him just above the knee. It’s surprising how someone will spill the beans when they get capped like that. I guess he started to think that he better let me know what I wanted or I would probably kill him. That was when he told me it was you who put the contract out on us. He was right about one thing, I’ll give him that.” O’Reilly said
"What was he right about?” Higgins asked. He was definitely becoming a little scared now.
"He was right about me killing him.” Sean said. A malevolent look was crossing over his face.
"You shot him in cold blood! If you got what you thought you wanted to hear, why did you kill him?” asked the sheriff with a quiver to his voice.
"Why did I kill him? Why did I kill him?” Sean’s voice was rising now as he was losing patience. “Because, you little shit, it’s my justice. I don’t take prisoners.” Sean had been getting nearer and nearer to Higgins as he spoke. He was now close enough to grab him by the collar, pull him part way out of the chair and shake him. He pushed him back down, and then hit him in the side of the head with his pistol. A nasty gash appeared above his right eye.
He was still conscious but groggy. O’Reilly stopped for a moment and grabbed a glass of water from the pitcher that was on the desk.
"What are you doing? Let him alone!” It was the mayor who had spoken.
"This doesn’t concern you. Just be quiet and you won’t get hurt.”
"I’m the mayor of this town and I don’t appreciate people threatening me. What kind of a law man are you? You can’t pistol whip someone like that and expect to get away with it.”
"If you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut up. This is none of your concern.”
"As I said before, don’t try bullying me. I will not sit quietly by and watch someone get beaten up.”
"Mr. Mayor, I’m sorry that it had to come to this. But I believe that the good sheriff knows more about a case that happened fifteen years ago than he is letting on. We are investigating a double homicide and the prime suspect used to live here when he was ten years old. They found him one night sitting with his mother. She had been murdered in a similar fashion to the two recent murders.
"When we came to question him about the case, he became very angry and then sent four men to try and stop us from checking into it further. This in my opinion is very suspect. It’s a little more than him being upset that we are reopening a case that wasn’t solved. It appears that he is hiding something and I intend to find out what it is.”
"I can understand why you are upset. But stop hitting him. That won’t solve anything.” warned the mayor.
Sean stood there for a moment and took a drink of water. "You’re probably right. It’s just that men came to kill us and were sent, I am sure by him.” O’Reilly said, pointing at Higgins as he did so.
"You don’t know that for sure. The evidence seems to point that way, but you can’t be sure.”
The mayor may not have liked violence or confrontation of any sort. He was, however, someone who could smooth over difficult situations so that cooler heads prevailed. His rational thinking was having a calming effect on O’Reilly.
"You’re right I know. I have no proof that he was involved, just a gut feeling. Most times I play my hunches and they come true.” The inspector reflected.
"That may be, but no more violence. We’ll get to the bottom of this without you bashing heads. Now tell me about the case that took place in our town. Maybe I know something about it.”
"Miller, watch the sheriff here. I don’t want him trying anything. The mayor and I are going to have a little talk to see if I can shed any light on what our good friend the sheriff might know.”
"Okay boss, he won’t be going anywhere.”
Higgins head was clearing. “You fuck. I’m gonna tear you a new one.” He started to rise from the chair with the intent of going after the inspector. Miller shoved him back in his chair.
"Easy sport, you’re not going anywhere.”
"Up yours!”
"No, up yours! You keep still, or I’m gonna hit you so you won’t wake up for a long time.” Miller said forebodingly.
Higgins began to say something, but thought better of it. He saw the look in the sergeant’s eyes and he felt that he would keep still for now. He would wait until an opportune moment came and then he would take care of these two once and for all.
O’Reilly and the Mayor went to have a talk. What the inspector found out was interesting, very interesting indeed.
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