Chapter 40

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Gary couldn't believe it, Ryan Odonnell, the president of the United States of America, was now standing in front of him. Odonnell was 88 years old, he became president in Febuary 2020, almost a year and a half ago, when terrorists blew up the Capitol and killed presient Wallace Brady and everyone else in the line of succession. He then ran on his own for the 2020 election with a third party, the American Solidarity Party. Gary had never really heard of this party before, but the democrats nominated Hillary Clinton and the republicans nominated Donald Trump, so Gary voted for Odonnell. Still, it was amazing to see the president of the United States staning right here, as a former soldier Gary instinctively saluted, and the president returned this salute.

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President: At ease my friend.

Gary: Mr president, it's an honor.

President: Thank you. I also want to thank you for your good work here.

Gary: I still haven't figured out who murdered Angel Flint. For that matter I don't know for certain it was a murder.

President: We asked you to investigate, not your fault your investigation uncovered our little conspiracy.

Gary: So it's true, this town is like a hiding place for people in the Witness Protection Program?

President: And for ex-cons looking for a second chance. Before I became president I had no idea that the Druid Order even existed, now I'm the honorary magistrate for a secret society. Now that you know the purpose of the Order, can I count on you, as a former soldier and FBI agent, to keep quiet?

Gary: Yes sir. I understant the need to protect these witnesses. But I'd like to stay and investigate who killed Angel Flint.

President: Are you certain it wasn't suicide?

Gary: If it weren't for that pentagram I might agree with that assesment. But someone had to have carved it into her after she died. If it weren't for that, the killer could have gotten away with their crime, I don't know why they would risk it.

President: Okay, that poor girl does deserve justice. But I'd like you to work more closely with sheriff Duncan, make sure that the Order doesn't get exposed.

Gary: Yes sir. But, if I'm being perfectly honest, I still consider John Larabee a suspect.

John: Why me?

Gary: You know what your daughter and Angel were involved in. Armed robbery, duels, even conspiring to murder you. You might have blamed Angel for corrupting Samantha.

John: I told you, I didn't know any of that before I read Samantha's suicide note. And I've accepted that Samantha corrupted Angel.

Gary: Now you accept that, and I can't be certain when you learned any of this.

President: Noone, no member of the Order, not even me, is above the law. If you are able to prove that John murdered Angel, you will have to perform your duty as an agent of the law. I trust John to keep quiet about all he knows.

John: I would never betray the Order, and I didn't kill anyone.

Duncan: I hope that's true, I really do.

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As the president left, presumably to go back to the White House and get some sleep before his regular day started, Gary and sheriff Duncan began talking.

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Gary: My suspects at this point include John Larabee, Jimmy Tinker, Mary Elizabeth Merchant, Frank Kovick, William Lambert, Jane Lambert, Carmen Flint, and Abby Flint.

Duncan: John Larabee and Frank Kovick didn't know about Jane's past as a satanist.

Gary: Unless Angel told Samantha and she told either of them. No way to question her now.

Duncan: Maybe not. But rememer when I said Jimmy claims to be part psychic?

Gary: Vaguely. Why?

Duncan: We've followed this investigation as far as we can with science, why not try, for lack of a better word, a little magick?