Floyd, his wings spread wide in the morning sun, dove and soflty landed into the yard of a small home. He passed through the front door of the house as though it were nothing but made of air. Inside the small living room, he saw Barney lying on the couch with his head in Thelma Lou's lap. He no longer had a cast on his arm, his injured leg had healed, and he still missed a pinky finger on his left hand. Thelma was stroking his hair softly. He looked up to her and said, "Thelma, I don't know what I have done without you. How can I ever repay you for taking such good care of me?"

Thelma said, "Barney. You don't owe me anything. I took care of you, because I care for you."

Barney smiled and sat up. The invisible Floyd also smiled for the two of them. He sat leaning forward, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped. Thelma asked, "Are you still thinking about it?"

Barney said, "No. I think I've made my mind up. I just can't take anymore of it, I'm quitting."

Floyd's eyes bursted wide open and placed his hand over his mouth. This was not what he wanted to see or hear.

"Are you sure Barney? Quitting is a big deal," she said.

"Yeah, I'm sure, Thelma Lou. I've had enough. I've had enough of Andy, I've had enough of this town and the direction it has turned in. No matter what I do, things just keep getting worse and worse."

Thelma said, "But anyplace you go to work has it's problems."

Barney said, "Look at me, Thelma. I'm missing a finger, I've been shot, my arm has been broken, and all by people I once called my friends. I know the old saying is, if you can't beat them, join them, but I can't go along with any of this. Besides, how long will it be before one of them kills me?"

Thelma nodded, "I understand, Barney. If you're sure."

Barney sat back on the couch and stretched so that he could place his hand in his front pants pocket, "I'm sure, Thelma. Barney Fife," and he pulled his badge from his pocket, "is turning in his badge," and he tossed the badge onto the coffee table in front of them. It made a loud clatter, like the closing of a door.

Thelma gently placed her arms around him and leaned her head on his shoulder, "We'll figure it out together."

Floyd muttered to himself, and the two could not hear him anymore than they could see him, "No! No, no. This can't happen. He has to know." Floyd rushed over to the couple and leaned to Barney's ear, he whispered into it, "You want to read the newspaper."

Barney sat up alert, and asked Thelma, "Say, Thelma, do you some paper I can use?"

Thelma said, "Sure. You writing your resignation?"

Floyd slapped his forehead and leaned to Barney's ear again, he whispered, "You want to read the NEEWWS paper."

Barney shook his head a bit, "No, I'm sorry. I want to read today's paper."

Thelma said, "Oh, okay. It should be delivered now. If not, soon." She stepped out onto the front stoop and looked, there was no paper laying there. She closed the front door and said, "It hasn't showed up yet, Barney. I'll look again later."

Floyd, alarmed, passed magically through the front door again and saw indeed, there was no paper. He looked to the left at the neigbor's yard, a paper was lying on the top step. He looked to the right, and also in that neighbor's yard was a paper. Floyd looked far down the street, and the paper boy was busy peddling and throwing papers. Floyd then looked across the street and saw the black winged Earnest there, who shrugged his shoulders and said, "Kids these days. They are so absent minded."

Floyd spread his wings and zipped down the street. He flew by the paper boy's ear and whispered into it, "Did you forget anything?"

The paper boy stopped his bike and scratched his tilted head. Then he grinned and turned his bike around; he peddled quickly back up the street and threw the paper hard at Thelma's house. It thumped against the door and the paper boy leaned his bike hard and turned back to where he came. Floyd had already been back waiting, he looked over at Earnest with a scowl. Earnest was standing with his lips pursed and his chin slightly up, he softly clapped his hands to show his approval of Floyd's quick thinking. He then spread his wings and blasted high into the sky. Floyd hustled back into the house after Thelma had gathered up the paper and walked back inside.

Thelma gave the paper to Barney, who calmly unfolded it and began to read. Suddenly his eyes were as large as saucers, "Thelma! There's a killer in Mayberry."

Thelma placed her hand over her heart, "What?"

Barney silently read with his lips moving, he folded the paper down and stared Thelma in the eyes, "The killer has killed seven people. They've found them in a mass grave in crimshaw woods."

"Barney, it can't be true. Not here in Mayberry."

Barney nervously nodded his head, "Yeah, I'm afraid it is. I told you. Town's going straight to hell." Barney grabbed his badge from the coffee table and pinned it onto his dress shirt.

Thelma asked, "Does this mean you aren't quitting Barney?"

"I can't quit now. This killer has to be caught. No one's safe." Barney moved to Thelma and grasped both her upper arms, "Thelma, you listen to me. You don't answer that door unless you know it's me. And don't be going outside after dark." Thelma nodded to each command, "And, if you see anything, and I mean anything suspicious, you call me immediately."

Thelma's voice shook, "Oh, Barney, I'm afraid."

Barney said, "I know. And you should be. Remember what I've told you." Barney kissed her on the cheek, "I've gotta' go."

Thelma watched Barney rush out of the house, she ran to the door and yelled, "Barney, please be careful!"

Barney looked back and nodded. He slid behind the steering wheel of the squad car and took off.

Several state police cars were parked to the side of the road at crimshaw woods. Police tape was wrapped around many of the trees plainly warning, "CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS." Barney ducked under the tape and trotted through the thicket. Soon he was there amongst the state police. One tall officer saw him coming and placed a hand out against Barney's chest and said, "Hey. You don't belong here."

Barney pointed to the badge on his dress shirt, "I'm deputy here. I've been on leave and I just found out."

The tall officer said, "Oh yeah?" He turned his head, hand still on Barney's chest, and yelled out, "Sheriff Taylor, do you know this guy?"

Barney heard Andy, "Yeah, that's my deputy. He's okay."

The tall officer lowered his hand and Barney hustled past him. When Barney was by Andy, he asked, "So, what's the deal here?"

Andy said, "Barney, I'm surprised to see you all healed up. Well, the state officers have found three more bodies. Makes ten so far."

Barney screeched, "Ten. Do they have any leads?"

Andy shook his head, "No. Not yet. It's still very early in the investigation." Andy turned and began to walk away from the crime scene. Barney turned and caught up with him, both walking, Barney having a hard time keeping up with him on the loose and cluttered forrest floor. Barney asked, "Andy, where are you going? You have a lead, right?"

Andy said, "Not a clue, Barney. The state police have asked us to let them handle this and that is exactly what we are going to do."

Barney grabbed Andy by the arm and stopped him. Andy rolled his eyes and Barney began speaking, "Andy, we can't just sit back on this one. Have you thought about Aunt Bee; what about Opie? They are just as much in danger as anyone, not to mention Thelma Lou."

Andy said, "I know, I know Barn. But I have too much going on anyway, and I can't do my job if I am taking all my time to solve what all of these more capable hands are working on."

Barney said, "I just don't understand you anymore Andy. There was a day and a time you wouldn't have slept until you stopped something like this. We know this town better than they do. We know where all of the abandoned places are that something like this could happen. You just can't do this Andy."

Andy said, "It's already done, Barney. They don't want us, and I don't want to do it." Andy walked away, leaving Barney there.

Barney turned and stomped back to the crime scene. He recognized the chief detective and walked up to him, Barney told the detective, "I'm Bernard Fife, deputy here. I know you guys don't want us helping, but I think we can be more help than you guys know."

The detective raised a brow and leaned back, "That so?" The detective hithered Barney with his index finger, "Come with me." The two took several paces to white sheet draped over a short form on the ground. The detective knelt down and made sure Barney was focussed on the sheet. Without looking down to it, the detective grasped the top of the sheet and whipped it downward exposing the small body of grimy butchered child, a twelve, maybe thirteen year old girl.

Barney gagged and turned, heaving his breakfast to the ground. The detective slightly grinned, then became stern. He stood and left the body exposed to sight. He said to Barney, "See, you local boys aren't equipped to handle this, not even a little. Now, you leave this crime to us, and you and your sheriff get back to watching the school crossings."

Shaking all over, Barney walked away from the detective and the corpse. He placed a hand on a tree and leaned, feeling almost too dizzy to stand. His voice quaked as he shook his head, "How pathetic was that?" Barney snapped his badge from his shirt again and threw it deep into the woods. "Pathetic," he repeated.

As he walked back out of the woods, the angelic Floyd whispered to Barney as he walked by him, "Thelma Lou." Barney stopped directly beside the invisible Floyd. Floyd whispered again, "Aunt Bee. Opie. Thelma Lou is still in danger."

Barney wiped his dripping nose and croaked, "I can't quit."

Barney made a straight march in the direction in which he had slung his badge. He scanned the forrest floor and said, "Brilliant, Barney. You're just brilliant," and the words had a sharp sting to them. A glisten, and there it was. He had found his badge. He smiled broadly and reached down to grab the badge. He moved a branch on a small shrub over to gain access to the badge, and that's when he saw it. It was dingy white, and there was possibly a speck of blood on it, but Barney recognized it instantly. It was a costume mask of 'Casper the Friendly Ghost.' Barney grabbed it up and gave it a curious one over; it was definitely blood and definitely a clue.

Barney looked around to make sure none of the state officers saw him. He stuck the mask beneath his shirt, bent as if he had a belly ache while keeping the lumpy hidden mask concealed. In walking this way, he caught the eye of the detective, who laughed, "You going to be alright, deputy?"

Barney soured his mouth and said, "Sure. I'll be fine. I can't be here anymore."

The detective laughed again and watched Barney walk away from them.