Jim stepped in front of a target thirty feet away, then lifted his revolver.
Boom!…Boom!…Boom!
Jim lowered the gun and saw that his shots were wild. The bullets hit the outer edges of the target. Everything raced through his head at a thousand miles an hour. He told his mind to relax, be quiet… and he tried to wipe it free of distractions.
It was hard. The look Nikki gave him at the hospital was burned into his mind. She looked so crushed, as if she didn’t recognize him anymore. She’s a good woman, he told himself. She would keep quiet for now, he knew, but if he didn’t find something soon, her conscious wouldn’t be able to handle it and she’d have tell someone.
It was a race against time, and he was losing. It didn’t matter much to him if people found out he was with Buck before he died or even if they thought he’d killed him. But he couldn’t let Nikki’s confidence be destroyed. He couldn’t lose her love. No! he told himself. He wouldn’t allow that!
Jim’s face turned to stone and his eyes narrowed. Concentrate and think, he told himself as he raised his gun.
Boom!…Boom!…Boom!
He lowered the revolver and looked at the target― a two and a half inch grouping around dead center. Much better, he thought to himself.
“Nice weapon,” came a voice beside him.
Jim looked over to see Alan standing there, but he said nothing.
“Ruger 357 model GP100 isn’t it?”
Again Jim didn’t answer. He was still upset by the way Bradley had started an investigation in his county and manipulated his staff to do so. He especially didn’t like the awkward position he was in because of the news reports.
He lifted the revolver, pulled the stem up, and swung the cylinder open allowing the spent shells to fall to the ground. Jim heard the impact of the shells tinkle on the gravel at his feet, then lowered the gun. He turned and walked down the firing line to the next target forty feet away. Jim pulled a speed loader from his belt, dropped it into position, then turned the locking knob. The bullets fell into the cylinder and Jim swung it back into position.
“Sheriff, you have to allow me to conduct my drug investigation,” Alan said, calmly. “I can help you. You’re undermanned as it is, you can use my experience and expertise.”
Jim lifted his gun.
Boom!…Boom!…Boom!
He lowered it again then looked at Alan. “All right,” Jim said hesitantly. He didn’t like it, but he could use the help. “But only if you agree to a few conditions.”
“Conditions?” Alan said loudly, then put his ego in check and composed himself. Then speaking in a calm voice. “Anything, just name it.”
“First of all, you’re not the press spokesman for this department. If there’s anything to tell the media I will do it. Is that clear?” Jim said sternly.
Alan could feel his face getting red, but he fought to control his temper. “Got it. What else?”
Jim was pleased to see that this upset Bradley. He turned back towards the target, so as not to let Bradley see the smirk on his face, and lifted the pistol again.
Boom!…Boom!…Boom!
Jim turned the gun and lifted the cylinder stem allowing the spent shells to fall out. “I don’t want to hear anymore bull about D.B. Cooper. Is that clear?” Jim spoke in a loud yet controlled manner.
Orders from a two-bit sheriff was just a little too much for Alan to take and he stepped forward, close to Jim, and speaking angrily. “Are you calling me a liar?”
“What I’m saying is that you’re following some bad information. Its time for you to drop it, and move on with your investigation,” Jim said, tactfully.
Although he liked irritating Bradley, he didn’t want to completely alienate him. Alan tried to reply, but Jim quickly turned his back on him and walked down the firing line towards the next target. Jim pulled another speed loader from his belt, placed it in position and dropped the bullets into place.
Alan composed himself before following. “What else?”
“My deputies are off limits,” Jim said calmly as he locked the cylinder in place and looked at the target fifty feet away. “If you need help, you’ll have to bring in your own staff. Is that clear?” There was no answer.
After a moment, Jim looked over at Alan and saw that he was fuming mad. Jim had to find out how cooperative Alan would be. If Alan couldn’t work under these conditions, it would slow down Jim’s murder investigation, and that kind of help he didn’t need. “If you can’t handle that, Agent Bradley, maybe I should call your superiors and have you removed from this case.” Jim spoke in a firm voice trying to push one more button.
That’s the last straw, Alan thought. His anger couldn’t be held back any longer and he stepped quickly in front of Jim. “Are you threatening me?” He snapped into Jim’s face.
“You take it anyway you like!” Jim barked back seeing that negotiations had just broken down.
“There’s something you should know about people who get in my way, Sheriff!” Alan yelled angrily.
“What’s that?”
Alan spun towards the target and dropped to one knee quickly pulling the Desert Eagle from his shoulder holster.
Boom! Boom!
It was all over in little more than a second and Jim was amazed at Alan’s quickness and speed. Alan stood, and both men looked at the target.
“They always lose,” Alan replied smugly as he returned his weapon to its holster. “Keep that in mind, Sheriff.” Alan turned and walked back towards the station.
Jim didn’t hear him as he stared in amazement at the target. The bullets hit almost dead center and about one inch apart. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. No, it couldn’t be that simple, he told himself.
Jim looked over at Alan and watched him walk towards the side of the station. Bradley was at Buck’s place after Jim left. He had found Buck’s body, Jim remembered. He stepped forward, picked up the two spent shells ejected from Alan’s gun and looked at the bottom of them. 44 mag. But why would he want to kill Buck? he asked himself.
“Deputy Kruger to Sheriff Harper. Come in, Sheriff.” The radio on Jim’s belt interrupted his thought.
Jim lifted the radio to his mouth. “Go ahead, Kruger.”
“Sir, I’ve got a lot of people out here. They started showing up an hour ago. I’ve been turning them away, but now there are just too many of them,” the radio squawked.
“Get Simms and Conley to help you. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Jim said, then holstered his weapon and hurried towards the station.