The 'Cousins'

Part Sixty-Eight : The Sheriff Investigates.

A/N: Pick up with Sheriff Flik Donovan after his disturbing discussion with Judge Denman at the Hapsburg Hotel where they talked about Mitt Fawley's ambitions to expand his plant through the condo; the rumour circulating about Greg and Jess; the other report from Bill Elbury of a possible vice ring run by Felix at the Truck Stop out of the High School and, above all, the knowldge that his own clerk, Tod Mecklen had passed sensitive information to Felix and failed or deliberately avoided telling the Sheriff about the incoming message until challenged. Flik has to know how deep is the damage being done to his office by Mecklen's leaks and has persuaded the judge to give him a 24-hour wire-tap search  warrant on Mecklen's cell phone. It starts at noon. Now read on!

Part Sixty – Eight 

Timeline: 11:18, Friday 20th April; Hapsburg Hotel.

Sheriff Flik Donovan left the hotel hurriedly following his chat with the judge with his mind in turmoil. He was also under the pressure of time before the wire-tap on Tod Mecklen came into effect and did not yet have a workable plan to use it to find out why Mecklen was passing information to Felix Gleitner. 

He grimaced when he checked the clock as he passed through the foyer and growled; “Just over forty minutes before the tap starts, find Gleitner and get a plan together”

The sun had come out from behind the clouds adding to the breeze and giving Main Street a freshness that brought out the people to stroll its sidewalks and enjoy the day.

Flik often stopped to shoot the breeze with the townspeople when ambling through the town. It not only gave him information on the well-being of his charges, but was good PR. He was, after all, an elected official and these were the voters who could keep him in a job or take it away. He was reminded of that today as he pushed past them with a cursory touch of his cap to the ladies and brief handshake for the men accompanied by a curt and uncustomary, “Good Morning. Can’t stop today.”  He felt rather than saw the expressions of indignant surprise of those he passed and who stood to watch him peer into doorways or down side streets for signs of Felix Gleitner, or his gas guzzling Buick.

Flik knew he was upsetting people by his peremptory handling of them this morning. They could not understand his urgency, and he had no time or wish to jeopardise his embryo operation with explanations.  He was only too mindful of the fact that he had secured an extension in his job at the last election by only forty-three votes; down from a majority of one hundred and twenty-three the time before. The loss of popularity pained him, and with elections coming early next year he could not afford to lose a single vote for fear of being forced into an early retirement.

He decided to continue his search from inside his car. It would not be as effective a method, but would avoid him offending people he passed by and not stopping to chat. He slipped down the next side-street and walked briskly to the rear of his office by the longer route through the unpopulated back streets.

He had his car keys with him and with time becoming ever shorter before the clocks struck noon decided against checking in with his office before continuing his search for Gleitner.

“Where the hell are you hiding Felix,” he murmured as he drove slowly along Main and back again, peering in each doorway, window, alley and side street for signs of his quarry or his car. He began driving the side-streets crossing backwards and forwards across Main working systematically from the Truck Stop at the Southern end to the first of the chicken sheds at the Northern limit of the town. 

On not finding his man, Flik decided to make the drive out to the Belcher farm near Plaisance; where he knew Felix lived in a rented trailer.  Technically this was outside of his jurisdiction as the county boundary was two miles before Plaisance. Flik was thankful that he enjoyed a good working relationship with the Sheriff of neighbouring Limburg county, which meant he need not check in with him before entering his territory. He glanced at his watch, and scowled.