Charlie gaped open-mouthed as the door to his office closed behind Maggie's retreating figure. He found it hard to believe the news she had just imparted to him. Abby. Abby was coming home.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Maggie had said that Abby might be coming back to the island. She wasn't certain that she would. Charlie sat back in his chair as he tried to make sense of his feelings on this bit of information. He couldn't determine if he was supposed to be ecstatic or panicked. One part of him was overjoyed at the possibility of seeing his only daughter again, but another part, a deeper, more private part of him, was terrified. His guilty conscience threatened to drive away any positive feelings this potential visit elicited. Deep inside of him, he had long buried a dark secret, a secret that often plagued him in the blackest part of the night, but he had made absolutely certain that it never plagued anyone else. It was the real reason he had sent Abby away that night…

Finding that sitting alone in his office was not helping his state of mind, he got to his feet and grabbed his gun. Snapping it into the holster, he headed out the door. His secretary got to her feet to see if he needed anything, but he waved her back down before she even opened her mouth. He needed to get out of there. He needed to be doing something constructive; something that could take his mind off of his unfinished business.

Charlie climbed behind the wheel of his truck and started the engine. He sat for a moment in silence, trying to figure out where to go. He finally decided he would just drive through town, maybe down by the docks, and make sure that everything was running smoothly in the town. It wouldn't hurt anything to just make an appearance.

He put the truck in gear and crawled out of the small parking lot in front of the station. He slowly ambled down the dirt road towards the main street of town. His eyes darted left and right, seeking out even the tiniest bit of mischief.

"Sheriff Mills. Sheriff Mills," the voice sounded harsh coming over the police radio, even for his secretary. He reached over and grabbed the radio off of the dash.

Clicking the button on the side, he replied, "This is Sheriff Mills, over."

"Sir, Nikki just called up from the Cannery. Apparently, Frank's causing trouble again, over."

Charlie shook his head in minor irritation. Frank Halleraan was a local fisherman who tended to make trouble when he had too much to drink. Of course, Shane Pierce could outstrip Frank in the temper category any day of the week. "I'll be right there." He put the radio back and stepped a little more on the gas. He didn't turn on his lights, because there was no need to. Harper's Island was a small place. Even as he was putting the radio back on the dash, the Cannery loomed ahead of him at the end of the road.

::~*~::

Charlie fell into bed that night. Even though the day had started very slow with nothing happening, it hadn't ended that way. He felt like he had cursed himself by even thinking about Shane earlier. At that exact moment, Frank and Shane were sharing neighboring cells at the station for the night. Charlie groaned. When were those boys ever going to grow up? Frank was easily old enough to pass as Shane's father, age-wise, but he still acted, especially when drunk, like he was thirty years younger.

His thoughts turned toward his daughter, Abby, and the permanent residence she had taken up in his mind all day. He had decided that he was glad that she might be coming back. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to see how she had grown, how she had prospered, how she was holding up after the horrors of her youth. He just wanted to know that she was fine and safe, and that she was living the life she was always meant to. He had only ever wanted the best for her and he had been glad to take the brunt of her verbal attacks on him that last day…as long as it meant that she was going to be safe and away from the island.

Charlie rolled over and faced the window. The trees just outside flowed gently in the slight breeze that had descended on the island, and he thought that he detected moisture in the air. Charlie was certain it would rain tomorrow. It was always calm and peaceful before the storm.