Chapter 22
-oOo-
The female on duty at the front desk had clearly been briefed. Looking the Hunters up and down when they walked into the building, she immediately picked up the desk phone.
"They're here."
Putting the receiver down, she pointed at the door which led into the main hub of the department.
"Wait by that door there."
The pair weren't waiting long before the door opened to reveal Dan, the duty sergeant Dean had met previously. He grinned at Dean.
"Hello again Agent Foley. Gotta say, you seem to be pretty hot stuff round here, the Sheriff ordered me to take you through to her office 'immediately!'. I'm guessing you're onto something?"
Dean forced a smile.
"We're sure hopin' so Dan."
Dean walked into the Sheriff's office ahead of Sam. Phil was already in there and he looked up at Dean apologetically. Ignoring him, Dean focused his attention on the Sheriff who sat behind her desk wearing a cold expression. She silently pointed at the two empty chairs next to Phil, saying nothing until Sam and Dean were seated. Her stern gaze focused first on Sam.
"So tell me, are you involved in this moronic...Whatever it is...As well?"
Outwardly Sam was an oasis of calm.
"That depends on what 'whatever it is' that you're referring to ma,am?"
The Sheriff's eyes narrowed as she tried to decide whether the tall guy was mocking her.
"We haven't met before so please, enlighten me. Who are you and what's your story?"
Sam glanced at both Dean and Phil, not sure how best to answer the angry woman. Ever eager to help, Phil jumped in on Sam's behalf.
"I've already told you Sheriff. This is Sam, Sam Halen."
"I wasn't asking you Phil; zip it."
The Sheriff's glare switched to Dean.
"And how about you? Which should I call you? Is it Agent Foley? Or is Dean Cooper any closer to the mark?"
Dean rolled his eyes and glanced at Phil before turning to plead with his brother.
"Dude? Are you sure I can't shoot him in front of her?"
Phil squeaked, and Sam noticed the Sheriff's hand move meaningfully to her gun holster. He quickly raised both hands placatingly.
"Hey, hey! He's just kidding Sheriff, honestly!"
Dean smiled innocently at the increasingly furious woman, receiving a threatening glare in return.
"Here this, I'm warning you both...Start giving me the truth right now, otherwise? I've got an empty cell and I'm definitely feeling tempted to fill it. Just so's you know? I've got a real bad habit of losing keys. Do you understand me?"
Sam nodded his head.
"Yes ma'am."
The Sheriff turned to Phil, who shrank back as far as he could in his seat.
"And you...Not another sound, ok? You stay out of this or I might shoot you myself, clear?"
Eyes wide, not daring to speak, Phil nodded. Next to him, Dean dropped his head, and gave a deep and weary sigh.
"Fine. Fine. Ok Sheriff. Have it your own way."
Pointedly ignoring his younger brother's sideways look of concern and warning, Dean began to speak.
"My real name's Dean Winchester, an' this' my brother Sam."
Sam's brief smile of 'hello' wasn't returned.
"Just like Phil here's been tryin' to tell you behind our backs, me an' Sam go after monsters. Here's the thing though. I'm not talkin' 'bout the human kind. Lady, you've got a serious werewolf problem round here. Lucky for you, my brother an' me are gonna kill it. Now...The answers to your next questions go like this Sheriff...No, we're not crazy, we're called Hunters an' people like us? It's our job to kill creatures like this...Yeah, monsters do exist. Yeah, that includes stuff like werewolves, ghouls, ghosts, vampires an' most other things you'd care to name. Yeah, there's reliable people who'll confirm what I've just told you, people who're Hunters as well 'cos they had the crappy bad luck to find out for themselves that monsters are real. In fact, you know one of 'em. Sheriff Donna Hanscum, an' the other person who's word you might trust and believe is Sheriff Jody Mills, Sioux Falls. I suggest you ring 'em both, but sooner rather than later. Times movin' on an' I'd kinda like to be able to focus on stoppin' your serial killer werewolf; if that's ok with you ma'am?"
Stunned, the Sheriff turned her gaze onto Phil, hoping he could pull her back into reality. Unfortunately Phil simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders in an 'I tried to tell you' kind of way. The Sheriff lifted the receiver of her desk phone and pressed a single number.
"Hello? Yes, I'd like coffee for four in my office, and get me the Sheriff of Sioux Falls on the phone. Interrupt her if you have to. Thanks."
The four sat in silence while they waited. Phil couldn't stop himself from flinching when the desk phone's shrill tone finally broke the silence. The sheriff picked up the receiver.
"Yes? Thanks, put her through...Sheriff Mills?...Hello, I'm the Sheriff of Grantsville and I'm currently sat looking at two men that I'm told you know?...Um, that's right, Sam and Dean Win...Um, yes, they have. Actually that's why |I'm....Um, I see...Um, do you mind repeating that?..."
Coffee arrived while the Sheriff was still on the phone listening to Jody. Glad to have something to do Phil promptly played mother. Finally, the sheriff ended the call and, without so much as a glance at the two Hunters, immediately punched in the single number again.
"Get me Sheriff Donna Hanscum. Tell her it's crucial that I speak to her."
That done, the Sheriff stared hard at both Sam and Dean in continued silence while she waited for the phone to ring again, picking up quickly when it did.
Donna...Yes, Hi again. Look, I'm here with that guy you vouched for as Agent Foley? I need to know what's going on Donna and I need the truth from you 'cos now he says his name's Dean Winchester. He's here with a taller guy he claims is his brother, Sam Winch...Ok, that's their real names...Next question and this' gonna sound ludicrous but...What? You as well?..."
Once the call ended Sam, Dean and Phil remained quiet, waiting for the shocked Sheriff to speak first. Picking up her coffee she drained the mug then took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself down. Sam gave her a sympathetic smile.
"If it helps? You're actually copin' with this really well."
Dean nodded.
"What he said."
Standing up, the Sheriff walked over to a metal filing cabinet and pulled open the top drawer.
"I need something stronger."
She held up a half bottle of whisky,
"Anyone else?"
Dean smiled at the sight of the amber coloured liquid.
"Sure, I'll keep you company."
Pouring a generous shot into two glasses the Sheriff returned to her desk. Sitting down she handed a glass to Dean, then drank half her own whisky in one hit.
"So...Talk to me about my werewolf problem...How do we end this sonovabitch?"
Grinning broadly, Dean raised his glass to the woman in salute.
Using the rear view mirror, Dean glanced at Phil who sat, shame faced, in the back of the Impala.
"Ok Phil. Explain to us. What made you think it was a good idea to go runnin' to the Sheriff without talkin' to us first? You do get that Sam an' me could've been swimmin' in some real deep shit right about now?"
Phil lowered his head miserably.
"I know, and I'm sorry, truly but, I had to try to get her to understand what she and her officers are up against and how much danger they're in. I couldn't let them all go out tonight without knowing what I know. I just couldn't. These are people I know Dean. I had to try and warn them. I admit it though, I'm a dumb fool, a useless idiot. I didn't think it through, never stopped to contemplate what the impact might be on the two of you...I really am sorry. I desperately wish I could make it up to you somehow, but I know that's impossible."
Dean smirked,
"Don't be so sure pal. How about gettin' me some alone time with that Ava chick? That'd be a good start."
The comment earned him a cuff to the back of the head from his brother. Sam shuffled himself around in the passenger seat until he could see Phil.
"Phil, it's ok, really. It's done with. You're good people, of course you want to protect those you know an' care about. We understand that. Don't we Dean?"
"Yeah, Sammy's right dude. We're not gonna blame you for tryin' to save people. I guess it kinda makes you one of us."
Raising his head, Phil gave a weak smile.
"Does that mean you're not going to shoot me then?"
Phil hovered, shuffling from foot to foot just outside the hotel entrance watching Sam put the brothers' duffel bags in the trunk of the Impala. He reached out, catching Dean's arm as the Hunter strolled past him.
"Are you sure you don't want me to make up some sandwiches for you both? It'll only take me a jiffy?"
Dean shook his head despairingly.
"How many more times? Sam an' me ain't goin' on a picnic so, no. No sandwiches, an' whatever your 'jiffy' is, you can keep it to yourself. One more thing...We really gotta talk about you standin' round an' wavin' us off every time we leave. It's embarrassin'!"
Phil instantly shoved both his hands in his pants pockets.
"Oh. Sorry. It's just..."
Dean clapped a hand on the hotel manager's shoulder.
"We know, you worry about us. Well don't. Only time to worry is if we don't come back tomorrow, an' you know what to do if that happens. Right?"
Phil's demeanour morphed into a picture of misery.
"Right...But you will come back...You will! You have to!"
"Absolutely we will. Now get yourself back inside dude, we'll see you for breakfast in the mornin'."
-oOo-
Chick xxxxx
Chap 23 landing soon.
