Beatrice Taylor ran into my office with a piece of paper in her hand. She looked worried because of the urgent message she had gotten on the telephone a few minutes ago.

"Hi, Aunt Bee. Looking for Andy?" Barney Fife asked.

"Yes, Barney. Where is he?"

"You look worried. What's going on, Aunt Bea?" Barney asked.

"I have a message for Andy, Barney. When is he coming back?" Aunt Bee asked, her voice going higher as it always did when she was concerned.

"He'll be here in a few minutes. He's getting a haircut," Barney said.

"I'll wait and give him the message myself," Aunt Bee said, waving the piece of paper around her face.

"I can give it to him," Barney volunteered.

"No, no, Barney. I want to do it," she said.

Aunt Bee didn't want to tell Barney that the telephone call was about murder. The situation sounded dangerous. She didn't want Barney to worry right away either so that was why she didn't say anything about the message from Sheriff Jeremy Cline.

That's whenI walked in.

"I'm back, Barn. Any messages?" I asked.

I didn't see Aunt Bee standing there right away.

"Just one. Aunt Bee," Barney said.

"Aunt Bee! I wasn't expecting you. What's wrong? " I asked, noticing the look on my aunt's face.

"You got a message at the house, Andy. It's from a friend of yours. I have it right here," Aunt Bee said.

I took the piece of paper from Aunt Bee and unfolded it twice as she had folded it.

"Who is it from?" I asked her.

"Sheriff Jeremy Cline," Aunt Bee answered.

"Good ol' Jeremy," I said with a smile on my face.

"Who's Jeremy Cline?" Barney asked.

"He's a good old friend of mine, Barn. Jeremy Cline is a sheriff like I am. We go way back," I said to my deputy.

"That far back, huh?" Barney asked.

"Yes," I said.

"I wonder what made Jeremy call," I said, starting to read the message Aunt Bee had written for me.

"Well, what did Jeremy want, Andy?" Aunt Bee asked.

"Tell us," Barney echoed.

"I don't want to worry you anymore, Aunt Bee. I'll tell you at suppertime. You go right back home and do whatever you need to do," I told her.

"All right," she said and said good – bye.

"Well, Ange, since Aunt Bee's gone, are you going to tell me what the message said?" Barney asked.

"All right, Barn. Jeremy wants me to help him on a case his department has worked on for almost over ten years. They've never gotten close to solving it. I'll call him now and see what the story is on this case," I said, picking up the telephone.

"Sara, give me Sheriff Jeremy Cline at the Milwaukee Sheriff's Department," I said.

While waiting for my friend to come on the line, Barney took a look at the message Aunt Bee had given me. He didn't like the looks of it either.

"I don't like this, Ange. I won't go for it," Barney whispered to his best friend and cousin.

"I don't either, Barn, but if a friend asks I have to help," I said as I heard my friend's voice come on to the other end of the line.

"Hi, Sheriff. Sheriff Taylor," I said.

"Hi, Andy. I see your sweet and lovely aunt gave you my message," Jeremy Cline said.

"She did. She sounded worried about your urgent message, Jeremy. Why don't you tell me what you want me to help you with?" I asked.

"Well, Andy, this case has been going on for twelve years now and I'd like to see it come to a close. Do you remember me mentioning my deputy, Andrew Jones? We're still working on his case," Jeremy said.

"I think I remember you mentioning that deputy of yours, Jeremy. Wasn't he the young 'un?" I asked.

"Yes. We're still trying to figure out who his murderer is and we're coming up with nothing," Jeremy said.

"How old was your deputy?" I asked.

"Thirty," Jeremy answered.

"That is young. He had his whole life ahead of him," I replied

"I know, Andy. We all miss him dearly. He was a good deputy," Jeremy sighed.

"I'll bet he was," I said understandingly.

"You're lucky you still have your deputy," Jeremy said.

"I know I am. I'd hate it if Barney was dead," I said.

"One thing about my deputy, Andy. He left a daughter who is handicapped. She is in a wheelchair and can't care for herself," Jeremy said.

"Ain't that sad. Where is your deputy's daughter now?" I asked.

"She is in her twenties now and lives with my deputy's mother," Jeremy answered.

"That is a long time, Jeremy. I'm glad you haven't given it up," I said.

"We don't like to give up. He'd been on the police force since he was eighteen," Jeremy added.

I didn't respond right away. I decided to let Jeremy continue talking.

"What did you say what was your deputy's name was?" I asked.

"Andrew Jones. He liked to be called, Andy like you," Jeremy said.

"Ain't that funny," I said, but I didn't laugh.

Barney was next to the telephone, listening to the entire conversation between the two sheriffs. He was interested. He didn't want to interrupt so he stayed put and silent, but I knew Barney was listening.

"Why don't you tell me more, Jeremy?" I asked.

Barney sure didn't like to hear the word murder. He whispered to me he was going on patrol and I nodded okay.

"I'd rather not say it on the phone, Andy. If you'd like I'd be happy to send it by mail so you can read it for yourself," Jeremy said.

"All right, Jeremy. Go ahead and send me everything you've got," I said.

"All right. I also have a question for you, Andy," Jeremy said.

"What's that?" I asked as I watched Barney leave the office.

"I want you to help me on this case, Andy. Will you help?" Jeremy asked.

"Well, I don't know, Jeremy. Mayberry doesn't have murder," I reminded my friend.

"I know that, Andy. I do need your help... please?" Jeremy begged.

I was quiet because I was thinking about it. I didn't want the entire town of Mayberry to know I was on a murder cold case.

"All right, Jeremy. I'll help you," I said.

"Thanks, Andy. I knew I could count on you," Jeremy said.

He promised me he would send more details on the cold case in the mail later that week.

"All right, Jeremy. I'll look for it," I said and the two hung up.

Barney returned. "I see you're finished with your phone call."

"Yup," I said.

"What did your sheriff friend say?" Barney asked.

"He wanted was me to help him with a cold case murder his department has worked on for over ten years. I said I would help," I said.

"Murder?! We've never had a murder in Mayberry. Are you sure you want to do this?" Barney asked.

"No, I'm not, Barney. All I'm doing is helping Sheriff Cline with his cold case. Will you do me a favor?" I asked.

"What's that?" Barney asked.

"Will you not tell the towns people we're on a cold case? I want this kept quiet," I said.

"Sure, Ange. Whatever you say. Whatever you say," Barney said.

Barney and I left the office around our usual time and we headed for my house in the patrol car.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ange," Barney said as I got out of the passenger's seat.

"Don't you want to come in, Barney and eat supper with us?" I asked.

"All right, Ange; thanks."

Barney followed me into the house.

"I'm home, Aunt Bee!" I called once we entered the house.

Aunt Bee put the timer on the stove and entered the living room.

"Hello, Andy, Barney," Aunt Bee said and gave the two men a hug.

"Andy, you got mail," Aunt Bee said.

"Thank you, Aunt Bee," I said, taking the mail from Aunt Bee.

"Did you talk to Jeremy at all today, Andy?" Aunt Bee asked.

"I did, Aunt Bee. I talked to him about the message you wrote down. The message was he asked me to help him on a case his department has worked on for over ten years," I told Aunt Bee.

"A murder cold case? Andy, you didn't tell him yes, did you? If you did, be careful. We don't have murder in Mayberry, you know," Aunt Bee reminded me.

"I know we don't, Aunt Bee. I told Jeremy that," I said.

"I told Andy the same thing, Aunt Bee," Barney said.

Opie came downstairs just then.

"Aunt Bee told me you're working on a murder. Is that true?" Opie asked.

"Well, yes, Opie, it is true," I said.

I gave Aunt Bee a look telling her I didn't want Opie to know that.

"The boy's old enough to know, Andy. He's going to be in college sooner or later so it's all right for him to know you're working on a ten – year – old murder," Aunt Bee said.

"The case is ten years old, Pa? What kind of case is this?" Opie asked.

"I don't want to share this kind of information with the family. Jeremy's sending the details tomorrow," I said.

"Who's Jeremy, Pa?" Opie asked.

"He's a friend of mine, Op. I think he has a son your age," I said, remembering Jeremy Cline had two children who were both in high school.

"What's his name? Does he go to Mayberry High too?" Opie asked, interested.

"No, no, Op. He doesn't live in North Carolina," I said.

"Where does this Cline kid live?" Opie asked.

"Milwaukee," I answered.

"I'd like to meet this kid, Pa," Opie said.

"Maybe you will, Son," I said.

The three of us heard the timer go off in the kitchen.

"Dinner is served!" Aunt Bee called from the kitchen and the three of us walked into the kitchen and joined Aunt Bee and sat down at the table.

"Doesn't that look delicious, Aunt Bee," I said.

"Thank you, Andy," she said.

"It does," Barney said, agreeing with me.

We ate in silence. All four around the table were wondering and worrying about the deputy sheriff's murder.