**Missoula, MO**
Given the turmoil and general discontent of Falls End and the surrounding area of their home town, Shaw and Hudson had gone a long time without a grace period. In Missoula, away from the Project, amongst other young cadets, men and women of their own age, they could almost relax. They could laugh and drink and hang out. Yeah there was studying and training and field exercises and lots and lots of legal education, but overall it was a time to cool off and forget about the important shit for a few weeks.
Around the second week is when Joey began asking Shaw about her childhood. They'd been having a social at one of the downtown bars with the rest of the class and they'd managed to seclude themselves in a corner booth away from a lot of the noise and general tomfoolery of the drunken cadets. This was a two way conversation of course. After Shaw had given a short version of her time as a kid, omitting a lot of the stuff with her father and focusing more on her mother, she'd delved into Hudson's past. Joey had been raised in the Whitetails. Her mother was Mexican and her father was an old codger from South Dakota who'd cut ties with his family on the Lakota rez and decided to move out further West to Montana. Given how short Hudson's own conversations were about her parents Shaw made the accurate assumption that Joey's parents hadn't been the best guardians either. Didn't matter to either of them too much. Both their parents were dead.
They talked well into the night, long past when the rest of the group had left to go dancing and all the way up to last call, bottles of beer filling the table space in front of them. They talked about the Seeds. About their friends back home. Hunting (Hudson's father had also taught young Joey how to shoot and track), fishing. Stupid shit too. Who was her celebrity crush in middle school? What was their favorite food? Who had the best Sheriff Whitehorse impersonation? Did Pratt have the hots for Hudson? (that earned Shaw a not so quite soft smack on the shoulder from her companion). They talked about death. About love. It wasn't until a few days later that Shaw realized that she had a friend in Joey Hudson. Shaw didn't have a lot of friends. It took another week to realize that she had a lover too.
It just happened. They shared a hotel room with two double beds. Mostly cause Hope County PD could only afford one hotel room. There were already two dead wine bottles in the kitchenette sink and they were lying down on the same bed with another Moscato in between them, talking about the future. The two were more beer people but they had been joking about having a girl's night for the last two days and today had been the OC and Tazer certification day and they thought that a super soft girls night with mega pampering was needed to soothe their aches. They'd even painted their nails, this god awful bright pink ("that's fucking 80's neon work out pink, Becky") and had gone out to buy these plastic toy fans (the ones that have candy in the bottom for the kids and stupid looking cartoon characters on top). Shaw had gotten one of the yellow minion fans ("Boi's got a DICK!" Shaw had shouted down the street, lofting her minion fan high in the air as it spinned about at the waist, before Joey could playfully jump on her back and hold her hand over Becky's offensive mouth, her own Ariel Disney fan going full force). Now they lay on the bed, sharing a third bottle of moscato, holding their little fans up to their red rimmed eyes to calm the OC irritated tissue.
"I haven't really thought about it. You know." Shaw stared at her in disbelief.
"What do you mean you haven't thought about sex, Joey! It's sex! Everyone thinks about sex! Pratt certainly thinks about it, the way he looks at you!" Hudson flipped Shaw the middle finger and counter argued,
"Shit girl, what about those asexual types then? For all you know I could be asexual and you're misidentifying me or some shit."
"What?" Hudson got up onto one elbow, sloshing the white wine in its bottle. She waved her fan in her free hand,
"You know, asexuals. They're like peeps who don't experience sexual attraction." Shaw also got up on one elbow,
"Wait you sayin you're an asexual?" Hudson shoved Shaw,
"No, you ass, I'm just saying I haven't had time to think about sex and all that. There's the whole Peggie shit for starters. Not to mention I know everyone in town." Shaw made a face and nodded in agreement,
"Yeah that's a downer but hey, you don't know me and I lived there longer than you." Hudson hadn't moved to Hope County with her parents until she was 14 and the first time the two had ever met or seen each other was 3 weeks ago in Falls End. Hudson hadn't started working at the Sheriff's office until after Shaw's father died and by then Shaw as no longer living in Hope County.
"True but you don't count." Shaw frowned,
"Whaddya mean?" They were both incredibly drunk by now and Shaw had noticed that Hudson was a very huggy person when she got a few drinks in. Even now Hudson was lying on her side next to Rebecca and one hand was under Shaw's neck wrapped around her shoulder and one foot with bright pink toe nails was pressed gently into Shaw's calf muscle. Hudson was really warm, like a hot water bottle, which was fine because late March in Montana was still cold as shit.
Shaw had had to get use to how familiar Hudson could be. Conversely, Hudson had noticed how particular Shaw was about being touched so she'd slowly started to incorporate appropriate touching. She would ask if she could hug Shaw. Given it was still snowing in town when the cadet group went out drinking, Hudson would sidle up to Shaw and if she noticed her shivering would offer to walk with Shaw in the crook of her arms ("We can share heat"). She had begun to use high fives that transitioned into back pats that eventually turned into squeezes of her biceps and hands in warm congratulations. Shaw had grown to appreciate her gentleness and her slow progression.
Suddenly Shaw felt a hunger. She hadn't noticed that Hudson was staring at her, her fan turned off by a flick of her finger and flung casually to the foot of the bed. Hudson had beautiful eyes even if they were blood shot and rimmed in red from the OC spray. Hazel with touches of green flecks about the pupils. Her dark hair was in a rare unsecured hair style, ie not up in a bun or braided down her back. It framed around her face and smelled of black currants. They were both in pjs, which for Shaw consisted of a large olive green tshirt with holes in it and underwear, and for Hudson meant red boy briefs and a white tank top. She hadn't realized how close they were together on the bed. Shaw swallowed nervously and a red blush creeped up her neck and into her cheeks. Hudson smiled mischeviously,
"What do I mean? Oh Shaw. I think you're downright special." With that Hudson leaned in the very short distance and planted her soft lips right on Shaw's, her hand, holding the neck of the wine bottle, reaching over Shaw's waist and pushing gently on the small of her back, inexhaustibly guiding Shaw's hips around and into her own. One tanned leg snaked up Shaw's bare thigh also helping to drag their bodies together.
Shaw could taste her. The fruity sweetness of the wine and the rougher musk that was what Shaw had imagined she also tasted like. Hudson's smell enveloped her just as her body did and the heat seeped into her skin, setting something on fire. It was like fireworks and the overwhelming sound of the ocean surf. Shaw's fan fell from her fingers and her arms tentatively wrapped around Hudson's waist as Joey made encouraging sounds. Suddenly Shaw was pulling Hudson closer, wrapping her legs around Hudson's thighs. Shaw didn't want soft and slow now, her tongue broke through Hudson's lips and entered the warmth of her mouth. Hudson made a muffled surprised yelp, accidentally spilling a good portion of the wine on Shaw's back. Hudson broke contact at the lips, trying to say sorry, but Rebecca wasn't having it, she wasn't going to wait. If she did she'd lose this momentum and try to back off and that was the last thing that Shaw wanted.
So instead Shaw reached behind her, grabbed the bottle from Hudson's hand and quickly placed it on the bedside table on Hudson's side, having to reach over her body to do so, essentially putting Shaw on top of Hudson. Shaw was the bigger girl. She had 2 inches on Joey and a bit more muscle to boot, a little bit more fat too but who cared, Shaw had never felt as sexy as she did now, straddling Joey in-between her legs, her hands holding Hudson down on her biceps and her gaze fixated on Hudson's puffy lips, long neck, and the hard outline of her nipples through her tank as her chest heaved up and down.
"Rebecca." Shaw started and looked up into Joey's eyes. Shaw let go of one bicep and reached her hand up to cup Hudson's cheek, tracing her defined cheekbones up to her temple with her thumb. Joey tilted her head until her lips were in the palm of Shaw's hand and she kissed there before continuing, Shaw's thumb now tracing her lips as she spoke,
"Don't regret this." Shaw nodded, bending her head down closer to Hudson's, her long hair cutting their faces off from the room and it was just them, looking into each other's eyes, their warm breath intermingling together, Shaw's lips brushing softly against Joey's,
"Joey. How could I regret this?" The kiss was planted, easy and slow and then it was hard and needy, and their bodies were pushing together as if trying to sink into each other. That need drove them long into the night and for those blissful few hours, it was only them.
It wasn't awkward waking up next to Hudson the next morning. During the early morning hours they had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Hudson had started as the little spoon, mostly due to Shaw's size, but it seems that in deep sleep they had transitioned against each other. Shaw woke up curled into Hudson's body, her head resting on Joey's naked stomach as it gently rose and fell from her breathing. One of Joey's hands was curled in Shaw's hair and the other arm was up above her own head. As always Hudson was giving off intense heat. Shaw remembered last night and though she had a slight headache from the amount of wine they had consumed she felt more satisfied than anything else. She wanted to pass that feeling on. So she gradually pushed herself up off the mattress, letting Hudson's hand fall from her head (at which point Joey made a murmur and Shaw paused, letting her quiet down). After the brief pause in which time Joey settled, Shaw positioned herself in-between Joey's legs and, gently taking her hips in her hands, proceeded to wake Hudson up with her methodic attention to that warm spot in-between her legs. Thank god they had that Saturday off. They only left bed to briefly freshen up in the shower together and then grab some Gatorade and ibuprofen and Shaw's practice handcuffs.
The next two weeks were some of the best times of Shaw's life. School was mostly class work now with the previous three weeks of ranges, certifications, and field training out of the way. They almost always got out around 3 and after that they had the rest of the day to themselves. Shaw and Hudson made the best of it. By the time two weeks had passed they knew pretty much every nook and cranny of Missoula. They even started taking art classes together, something that had started as a bit of a joke, but just like with 'girl's night' ended up being something special that they could do together.
But all good things come to an end. Their good thing ended when one of their fellow cadets asked about the youtube video.
"Is it a hoax?" They'd just finished up a study session for the upcoming exam week when Harrison had come over with his cell in hand. Hudson had been whispering to Shaw about a thing she read online, something to do with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, when Harrison had interrupted. Needless to say she wasn't exactly thrilled by that,
"What are you talking about, Robert?" Robert held out his phone which was already loaded to a video that only had about a 100 views so far,
"I follow these guys who do 'investigative' journaling into shit that local LEOs can't close cases on, either cause they're corrupt or the criminals are working within the law. The guy, Alex, he's from my home town. He just uploaded this about 15 minutes ago. Didn't know if this was a joke or something. You are from Hope County right? If it's a joke it's not fucking funny." Shaw hadn't noticed how good the last five weeks had really been, more specifically the last two with Joey. The crushing since of trepidation and the disquiet feeling she had constantly experienced since finding out about Mary May's run in with the Project was abruptly back with a vengeance. It was like someone had walked into her brain, pulled a small chalk board from behind their back and proceeded to scrap their nails down the front. Shaw could tell that Hudson was feeling the same way because her shoulders tense and the moment of hesitation before she reached out a hand to take the phone. Whatever was on that video was going to put an end to their grace period.
And it was bad. The moment they saw the Seed brothers they grew abnormally quiet. Enough so that a few of the other cadets gathered behind them to watch as well, sensing their agitation. It was a 17 minute long video, roughly cut. It started with three vloggers, Alex, Hannah, and Sara, driving along a road that Hudson and Shaw both knew by sight. Then they were meeting up with Mark Russell.
"He actually got them to come in," Hudson breathed out, shaking her head slowly,
"Idiot." Mark talked about his sister Linny and about the Project. Shaw noticed Mary in the background at the Spread Eagle and Hudson pointed out Nick Rye, who Shaw had never met but had heard of. Then the scene switched to a car and the guy Alex prepping a hidden camera as they prepared to attend one of the Project's sermons. The moment that Rebecca and Joey saw the Seed brothers, Jacob and John, and Joseph Seed appeared with outspread hands and a serene face, that sense of the security that Shaw and Hudson had built over the past two weeks imploded. They quietly glanced at each other, both feeling as if they knew what was going to happen but they let the video play out, unconsciously grabbing hands under the table.
It was the proof they had needed. At the cost of four people.
This was actual video evidence of the Peggies kidnapping and drugging people with the Bliss, brainwashing them into submission. The video was exactly what was needed to prove that the 'Faithful' were nothing but puppets, controlled by a substance that took away their free will. There was visual evidence of the Peggies collecting caches of illegal weapons. Fuck, Jacob Seed could be seen shooting at the four escapees, Alex's rough breathing as he spoke his last words on the video, Hannah's alarmed voice calling out his name, the gun shots cracking loud through the woods. The last bit of video was Jacob Seed and a few of the Project Faithful approaching towards them out of the forest, his hooded eyes glinting in the setting sun and the grim line of his smirk with the knowledge that he was hunting and he'd soon have his prey. Shaw shuddered at that look.
If you are watching this then you already know what's happening. Eden's Gate is here. Hope County, Montana. They're real. I don't know what they're trying – what they're trying to do. They're taking people. They have Hannah, they have Sara. I'm not sure what's going to happen to us. Please, please do not forget about us. Don't forget about them. Come – come. Stop them. Please.
That was it. The group of cadets were completely silent for a few seconds, all of them staring either at the blank screen or at Shaw and Hudson. They'd of course heard the stories about the cult from them. Heard their suspicions about the Project and the Bliss. Some of them had shrugged it off as an overblown hyperbole meant to gain sympathy or one up other county PD problems, others had said that cults were everywhere in Montana, they all had their fair share of fanatics with guns. But either the video was a hoax or Shaw and Hudson's stories were real. Joey's eyes narrowed in concentration and her jaw line twitched. She handed the phone back to Robert,
"We need to send this to the Sheriff. You said it just got loaded?" There was the time stamp, 42 minutes ago. The view count was now at 2,314.
"Maybe it just happened. Maybe Sheriff and Pratt can do something." Shaw didn't say anything but she didn't have to. Like the rest of Montana, Hope County was geographically the same. Woods and mountains. She'd noticed the lake and the log camp, just like Joey had, but there were about 22 locations in the Henbane alone, not including those in the Whitetail Mountains that had temporary and permanent logging camps. Judging by the mountain location in the background as they'd been being hunted in the woods Shaw could guess that they were in the Whitetails and given that the kid Alex had been filming even after being forcibly taken they knew that it was close to McGregor's cabin and the abandoned Chapel up there, but that narrowed it down to a 12 mile radius location and there was no way in hell that Sheriff Whitehorse and Pratt were going to make it there by night fall from Falls End let alone be able to search that area with just the two of them. They tried anyways.
They couldn't get the Sheriff on his cell, they kept getting automated messages of cell service being out, but they finally got him on the office landline. He hadn't been tracking the video being posted but he had known that the three vloggers and Mark Russell had been missing since the afternoon before, having gone up into the Whitetails and last being seen at Teller's Ranch at one of the Peggie sermons. Mark had even called them just before the video went up online, but the message had been so garbled that they hadn't been able to get a location, just that the four missing persons were going to try and get to the Veteran's Center. They'd heard gun shots on the line before it went dead. They tried to find them. Four days and two warrants later and still no one could. John Seed released a press statement that Sunday stating that the video was a hoax made in an attempt to defame the Project's reputation. When the authorities insisted that the Seeds attend a hearing, the Project had gone radio silent. That was on Wednesday.
Shaw and Hudson finished there last exam that same Wednesday, earlier than expected, but given the circumstances, the Academy instructors had accelerated their testing and graduated them early so they could get back to Hope County. They left that Thursday morning and when they got in to Falls End at 2 in the afternoon there was already a US Marshal in the office talking with the Sheriff.
Shaw and Hudson had been told to get there as soon as they arrived in town and now they sat in the waiting room in chairs in front of Nancy's desk. Pratt was with them and they were quietly talking to each other, mostly about what Pratt knew about the missing persons and the abnormally quiet Peggies. Nancy even tremulously stated as she offered a batch of cookies to each of them to chew on,
"I've been hearing the rumors around town. The Father has been prophesizing the end times nearing and has been gathering all the Faithful together." Hudson rolled her eyes heavily and took one of the larger cookies out of the tub Nancy held out to her,
"Oh, Nancy, Joseph Seed has always been prophesizing about the end times. Nothing's changed except they finally got caught bullshitting." Nancy had gone to sit down in her padded chair with the bead covers that older folk liked so much. She clipped the tubberware top on with shaky hands,
"No, Joey, dear. Something's different. Can't you feel it?" Pratt stood leaning up against one of the many file cabinets behind Nancy's desk and polished off the two cookies he had taken. He didn't seem overly concerned. Either that or he was trying to hide his nervousness with some fresh bravado,
"Ms. Nancy, everything will be fine. I won't let those Seed boys bother you." Hudson and Shaw rolled their eyes at each other. Joey took a large bit out of her cookie and made a face,
"Man, I thought these were chocolate chip, Nancy! Raisin cookies!? The source of all my trust issues."
"I'd advise against that, Marshal." Sheriff's sudden words caused the four of them to look down the hall at the now opened door to his office. He was leaning out and beckoning the three Deputies to come. Shaw and Hudson had stopped briefly to change into their deputy uniforms because Pratt had made a last minute text that a US Marshal was in the office and that'd they'd best look sharp. It was a miracle that they'd gotten the text at all. The past week had been filled with dropped calls and cell phone disruption. They'd changed at Hudson's place, a nice little one story house about 5 minutes driving distance outside of Falls End, before heading in. Pratt had even opened up the armsroom and issued out their side arms and gear. At the same time he'd gifted Shaw her own shiny new badge ('Welcome to the force, probie.')
Shaw, Hudson and Pratt made their way down the hall and into the Sheriff's office, closing the door behind them. The US Marshal was not a tall man. He was maybe 5 foot 6, but he was built like a pit bull. Large chest, only made larger from the stance he held as he stood beside the Sheriff's desk dressed in slacks and a white buttoned shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his collar unbuttoned showing off a few whisps of chest hair and a cross necklace. His tattooed arms were crossed and he glared under hooded brows at the three junior deputies as they came to stand around the briefing table with its large map of Hope County. His badge hung at the front of his belt and he had one of those shoulder holsters that allowed his weapon to hang just under his left arm pit for an easy draw. Shaw noticed he carried a Smith and Wesson.
Sheriff sighed and leaned over the table, his beefy hands placed squarely on top of the map. He indicated the Marshal with a nod in his general direction,
"This is US Marshal Cameron Burke, everyone." The three of them nodded to Marshal Burke and Pratt made a little wiggle with his fingers. The Marshal glowered and interrupted,
"I'm here to clean up this mess." Burke's tone of voice was enough to get Pratt to stop smiling and to cause Hudson to narrow her eyes in his direction. It almost sounded like the Marshal was accusing them of letting the Peggies get out of hand.
"You let this cult get out of hand, so we're going to pluck Joseph Seed out of his compound and give him some justice long overdue." Oh yeah. Burke was not making friends fast. Shaw looked between Hudson and Pratt and then at Whitehorse who had maintained a bland facial expression but now warned Hudson off by raising his hand. Hudson had been about to talk back but she locked her mouth shut and settled for a glare.
"As I said before, Marshal. I'd advise against that. Pratt, why don't you give him a run down of the Peggie compound." Burke's expression had turned sour but Pratt didn't give him time to make any comments and immediately launched into his briefing. He indicated with one finger the island that the Project occupied currently. It was smack in the middle of the county map,
"The Project has a solid base of operations. Only one hard ball in –" His finger traced the one road leading to the island. He also pulled out from a folder at the corner of the table some satellite photos that showed closer blown up images of the island.
"As you can see they funded and built their own wall. Note the barricades at the entrance to the bridge and the triple barbed wired fence line that surrounds the road and the island itself. So no go on water landings because if the beach isn't closed off by the fence it's patrolled by Peggies with dogs. Obviously John Seed spared no expense on Joseph's island getaway." Burke seemed to be interested because he wasn't making any attempts to hijack the conversation and he was slowly saddling up to the table to take a closer look at the images. Pratt plopped down three more photos.
"This is the compound itself, note the roaming patrols and the secondary fence line, also triple placed. The Peggies live in these cabins –" Pratt pointed at the smaller white cabins and then rested his finger on the chapel,
"This is where they conduct services every night. Joseph seems to have words to spare because he never misses one of these. And frankly it's the only time we ever know exactly where he's going to be." Burke smirked,
"You don't know where he sleeps at night?" Pratt shrugged,
"According to the Peggies he doesn't sleep." Burke made to rebuke Pratt, but the young man waved off the tirade with a smirk of his own,
"Obviously I don't believe that. We think he moves between his siblings. Sometimes he stays the night with Jacob up at the Veteran's Center, sometimes at John's ranch –" Shaw's eyebrows shot way up and she leaned in close to Hudson as Pratt continued, murmuring,
"He has a fucking ranch?" Hudson nodded, waving her off at the same time so she could pay attention.
"- other times he sleeps at Peggie houses outside of the compound. He likes to make personal visits. So no. We don't really know where he sleeps at night. Did I miss anything, Sheriff?" Sheriff Whitehorse nodded,
"How many people at a time, give or take, reside in this compound?" Hudson answered for Pratt,
"Between 100-150, sir. And that number isn't counting anybody but those able-bodied. The Project has kids, elderly, and disabled but they keep them out of the compound." Burke was leaning over the map and pictures quietly accessing the layout and numbers, Whitehorse decided to wrap things up,
"So in summary, Marshal, while yes, I would love to serve Joseph Seed and arrest his crazed ass, unless you either have a company of National Guard incoming or have a plan to deal with up to 150 fanatics that will not be happy to have their Father taken away from them and also a valid exfil plan that won't put us at risk of ambush, well then, I'd like to hear it. Because, to remind you. My office comprises of those people in this room." It was a harrowing thought. Despite how much Shaw detested the Seeds, she would certainly hesitate going in with just herself, Pratt, Hudson, the Sheriff, and one US Marshal. Burke didn't seemed worried though which was odd given how worrisome his next statement was,
"Don't you guys have a helicopter?"
The next hour of deliberation was something for the ages. Shaw didn't think she'd ever see Sheriff Whitehorse's face turn that particular shade of mauve. And frankly the dick measuring was astounding. Hudson and Shaw had to reel in Pratt a couple of times, especially when he started catching some of the Marshal's fever,
"Maybe the plan could work, Sheriff. I mean it's a quick fly in, grab, and fly out. I'll drive, y'all can flex your muscles and bring the sucker out in chains. We hit them at night, we know he's going to be there and they won't be suspecting a thing. I mean, no offense, but maybe the fact that the plan is crazy will be the reason why it'll work. No one will be expecting us." Hudson even put her two cents in obviously not in favor,
"Your mouth is moving and words are coming out, Pratt, maybe you should see to that." Pratt shot Hudson a dirty look but Joey kept talking,
"Sheriff's right. The plan's half-assed. We need more people. Why the hell did the Governor only send you?" She jerked her hand towards the Marshal, expecting an answer and getting one. Burke heatedly argued,
"Because one Marshal is all you need. It's a simple arrest, you don't need the Guard to come in for this and even if you did you wouldn't get them, all the Montana Guards and Reserves are ramping up for deployment. We'd have to wait an additional two weeks for support from Wyoming or Idaho and by that time the Seeds could make a run for it." Sheriff Whitehorse had grown quiet during deliberations, his tired eyes behind his tinted aviators were focused on the far wall with the other county map with all the Peggie locations in red and the four folders which now had pictures of each of the Seeds on the fronts. Joseph Seed gazed at them from across the room, presiding over their deliberations, his stare unwavering from behind his own see through aviators. Whitehorse's voice was equally tired when he finally spoke out over the arguments,
"What do you think, Shaw?" Shaw looked up in confusion and the Sheriff continued,
"You're the only one who doesn't seem to have an opinion. Given it appears to be a two way tie, maybe you'd like to break it?" Suddenly all eyes were on Shaw. What the hell? Why would he ask her something like this? Shaw didn't speak for a second and it looked like Burke was going to try and speak over her, so she cut him off,
"I think –" Again all eyes were on her. There were a few folders on the map table. Shaw had been perusing them as the four had been having their heated conversation. One of those folders was opened up in front of her now. It was the case report on Mary May's injuries received in January. There were also hundreds of open cases of missing persons and allegations of kidnappings from concerned family and friends. Coercion cases were also prevalent. Shaw slid a photo from under a stack of excel sheets. This one showed the three vloggers; Alex, Hannah, and Sara; sitting at a bar smiling together. Shaw traced the lines of those faces,
"I think the Seed boys have gotten out of hand. Have we even found these guys?" Shaw looked up into Sheriff Whitehorse's eyes who was looking at her wearily and shaking his head. Her voice was firm and final,
"Well then. We need to find them. The longer we wait the more chance there is of the Project getting rid of them. And only Joseph Seed knows where they are. Someone needs to stop him from doing something worse than what's already been done. We're the only help there is." It was quiet for a moment, Sheriff was rubbing the bridge of his nose in resignation. Then Burke smiled. It was a bit disconcerting to behold.
"Even the Rookie knows what to do, Sheriff. Then it's settled isn't it? Tomorrow night."
