The 'Cousins'

Part Seventy-Eight: The Wheel's Turn.

Timeline: 16:28, Friday 20th April,  Bamptonville Sherriff's Office.

With Tod Mecklen gone and Maisie out running his errand to Larksville, Flik Donovan had nobody other than himself to mind the outer office. He took up station at Tod's desk and began working carefully through the clutter in the drawers with the hope he might find something in them that would reveal more about the scope of Felix Gelitner's vice operations. He clenched his jaw to control the anger  rising within him at the thought of what that man might be bringing to town.

Flik perused each book, box and scrap of paper from the desk, laying them all out methodically on the top of the desk, but he found no further leads. His peace was disturbed when the street door crashed open to admit Maisie in full verbal flow.

"Hi Chief, that traffic don't get any better in Larksville. Marshal Peabody says 'no comment'." 

She skipped past the Sheriff dropping the envelope on his desk and continued to her own desk. "He says it's too long since you been to see him and Sylvie. He told me to tell you that  Mrs. Peabody says she thinks you don't like her anymore..."

She stopped talking suddenly as it dawned on her that Donovan was sat at Tod's desk with the content of its drawers laid out on its surface. Surprised, she pointed at the Sherriff as if she had just noticed him.

"That's Tod's desk and those are his things! What gives Boss! Where's Tod?"

Donovan clenched his lips together, breathing deeply through his nose, before speaking softly. "Tod's not with us anymore Maisie. ...He had to rush off to his brother; somewhere in Canada..."

"But...But he just can't leave. Not just like that ... without saying goodbye. Why all the rush anyway?"

Donovan shrugged and smiled sympathetically while he carefully chose his next words. "Emergency, he had to go right away. He said sorry he can't wait, and to say good-bye for him when you got back."

Maisie walked slowly towards Donovan, her face pale with shock and her left hand pulling her V-neck closer together at the throat.

"But, he'll be coming back, won't he Chief?" It was a question immediately answered by a vigorous shake of the Sheriff's head.

"Not this time Maisie. He's gone fer good."

She stamped her foot. "But he can't just go off like that. He's got no money or nothin'." A twin stream of tears flowed down her cheeks.

Donovan picked up the voucher Tod had signed for the thousand-dollar advance and slowly passed it over to Maisie.

"I gave him a grand out of petty cash as an advance. You can make up the rest of his dues up until today and pay the balance into his bank account. He'll be able to pick it up from wherever he's goin'."

"He must've left somethin', a forwardin' address, a number, a name."

Donovan shook his head again. "It all happened too quick. It was over in minutes, seconds really."

Maisie sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a piece of tissue.

"Well it's a day for changes to be sure," she said, "I just bumped into Chad Grozier who said Fawley's in Harry's sayin' how he's let Walt Kempster go today."

The news galvanized Donovan's attention. "What's that you said.? Fawley's sacked Walt Kempster. What happened and where's Walt now?"

Maisie sniffed again. "Dunno why Chief. Chad thinks it has to do with that condo in Whitewater Fawley wants to buy. He says Fawley's putting up for election to mayor to get his way on it."