Chapter 7

He made one more stop, then headed back to Bob and Sarah’s house. He noticed Jorge’s car out front and wondered what was going on. Pocketing the small box he just picked up, he went inside where he was met by Jorge, Bob and Sarah.

“Have you heard the news?” Sarah asked.

“No, what?” Ryan asked.

“They just announced that Jake Knight died of a heart attack,” Bob said.

“A heart attack?” Ryan asked. “When did that happen?”

“According to the news, just after the hearing this morning,” Bob said.

“Well, imagine that,” Ryan said.

“Did you have anything to do with that?” Jorge asked. Ryan shook his head.

“Never touched the man,” Ryan said. Jorge looked at him suspiciously.

“I’m serious,” Ryan said. “I never touched him. Not once.”

“So, what were you doing?” Sarah asked. Ryan pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it, revealing a very expensive wedding and engagement set.

“I picked this up for Beverly and went to see Lisa,” Ryan said, purposefully leaving out his visit to the courtroom.

“That’s beautiful,” Sarah said.

“I hope she likes it,” he said.

“Trust me, she will, Dad,” Sarah said. “So, you went to see Lisa?”

“I did,” Ryan said. “I gave her the DVD Elmer gave me and confronted her about all the lying, cheating and backstabbing. I also told her about what’s happening with Knight and I told her about Beverly. I don’t think she took it too well.”

“That’s just too damn bad,” Sarah said sarcastically. Ryan smiled and nodded his head.

“No argument from me, princess,” he said. Later, Sarah put dinner on the table and they all sat down to eat. They had invited Jorge to stay, so he joined them. After a nice dinner, they all went into the front room.

“There’s going to be a special on Jake tonight,” Bob said. “Thought it might be interesting to see how they spin his life and career.”

“Why not?” Ryan asked. Sarah brought in several glasses of sweet tea and they watched the program, which had just started.

“This is one of my favorite shows,” Bob said. “I enjoy his take on business.” Ryan grunted and nodded his head. How anyone could enjoy something like that was beyond him. But, he decided, to each his own. They turned their attention to the program.

“Good evening, and welcome to a special edition of the program,” said a relatively young man with curly dark hair. “Tonight, we will examine the life of Jacob Knight, the disgraced former CEO of Knight Petroleum who was accused of conspiring to murder his estranged wife and her former husband. As you may know, Mr. Knight died earlier today from a heart attack.

“Joining us tonight to discuss this is author and investigative journalist Trevor Whitaker, who is set to publish a book about Knight, titled, ‘From Riches to (Oil) Rags: The Rise and Fall of Jacob Knight.’ Welcome to the program, Mr. Whitaker.”

“Thank you for having me, Neil,” said an older, well-dressed man in a gray suit.

“I’m not one to speak ill of the dead, so I’d like to start by offering our condolences to the family and friends of Jacob Knight. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Tell us, Trevor, what are your thoughts about all this?” Neil asked.

“Like you, Neil, I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead, either,” Trevor said. “But frankly, in this case, I’m not sure you’re going to find anyone who would really mind if you did.”

“That doesn’t sound too nice,” Neil said. “Why would you say something like that?”

“Well, to be honest, Mr. Knight was not the kind of man who engendered good thoughts,” Trevor said in response.

“Surely, he was somewhat well-liked, wasn’t he?” Neil asked.

“On the contrary, Neil. In fact, from my research over the last several years, he was not liked at all. By anyone. In fact, he was universally despised and hated, even by members of his own small family,” Trevor said. “One source even told me – and I’m quoting from my book – ‘look up a-hole in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of Jacob Knight.’ That was from someone who worked closely with Knight for a number of years.”

“Ouch,” Neil said. “So, why did your source stay with him so long?”

“Simply put, Knight paid him well,” Trevor said. “And, the man was frankly scared of what Knight would do if he ever left. You see, Knight believed that you were either for him or against him. Turning on him was not considered a wise career choice.”

“I see,” Neil said. “Getting to the case, Knight was accused of, among many other things, conspiring to murder his now-estranged wife’s ex-husband. From what we learned, the divorce between her and her first husband took place over 12 years ago and it seemed to be about as amicable as a divorce can be, at least on paper. There was no demand for support of any kind, even though there was a teenage daughter, no demand for spousal support and in fact, she left him with all of the marital assets. So, why would Knight suddenly desire to go after the man? That doesn’t make sense. He had the man’s wife and daughter. Why pay to have him killed after nine years?”

“To answer that question, you need to understand the man,” Trevor said. “Several years ago, I sat in Knight’s office doing an interview for a lengthy article about the company’s rapid expansion and growth. On his desk was a plate that read, ‘Kill them all. Let God sort them out.’ That pretty much sums up Jacob Knight. That’s how he did business, and it’s how he conducted his personal life. If he saw something he wanted, he did whatever it took to get it. That includes businesses, property, even women.”

“Women?” Neil asked.

“Yes,” Trevor said. “In that regard, Jacob Knight made a certain former president look like a Boy Scout. If he saw a woman he wanted, he did whatever it took to have her. I’ve spoken to quite a few men whose lives and marriages he reportedly destroyed. For him, it was a sport, like big game hunting.”

“I see,” Neil said. “So explain why he went after this man.”

“Well, Neil, it turns out the former husband was working as a private security contractor for a foreign oil company Knight wanted to absorb,” Trevor said. “You have to understand, Knight’s idea of business negotiations went something like, ‘nice business you have here, be a shame if something happened to it.’ He often used a carrot-and-stick approach, offering what might look like a lucrative price while at the same time presenting a show of force meant to intimidate the target.”

“About four years ago, Knight went after that foreign competitor. It was then that Knight learned the former husband, whose name has never been mentioned publicly, thanks to an injunction, worked for this company,” Trevor said. “Knight apparently believed he could literally kill two birds with one stone and went after the man with a team of assassins, according to the court documents we’ve seen. Keep in mind all this came from the man Knight originally targeted, so that explains the judge’s order.”

“I see,” Neil said. “I found it interesting that the original divorce documents were sealed by this judge’s order, and the brief summary we were given as a result of an FOIA request had all the names and addresses of the parties redacted. That’s a bit odd, isn’t it?”

“The federal prosecutor said he acted out of concern for the man’s safety,” Trevor said. “The defense has gone after this like a shark smelling blood in the water. They want this man’s identity made public and they want him to testify in open court. Given what has happened recently, it’s a good thing the judge has stuck to his guns.”

“So, Knight went after him, what, just because he could?” Neil asked.

“Pretty much,” Trevor said. “Knight didn’t really need a reason to do anything. All that mattered was what he wanted, period.”

“So, what do you see happening now?” Neil asked.

“Just because the executives, including Knight, are now dead, doesn’t necessarily mean the case is over, even though the indictments against those individuals have been rendered moot,” Trevor said. “The man who allegedly shot Lisa Knight has turned state’s evidence in return for leniency, but that doesn’t mean he won’t see any prison time. Also, the feds are still looking into Knight’s internal operations, and it’s possible Ms. Knight may be indicted as an accomplice. So, this could drag on for some time to come.”

“What about the company itself?” Neil asked.

“As you know, Neil, stock in the company has taken a huge hit,” Trevor said. “Shareholders are dumping it as fast as they can to minimize their losses. If something isn’t done soon, the company will probably go under. I have heard a rumor that something is in the works, but that hasn’t been confirmed to me yet.”

“I see,” Neil said. “Very interesting. Thank you for being here, Trevor, you’ve given us all a fresh look at the situation.”

“Thank you, Neil,” Trevor said.

“Up next, will the situation with Knight Petroleum affect your retirement accounts, and if so, how? We’ll address that with a well-known financial advisor in just a few minutes. Stay tuned,” Neil said before a commercial cut in.

“Damn,” Bob said. “I had no idea it was that bad.”

“It was,” Ryan said. “Well, guys, this has been fun, but I need to call home and hit the hay.”

“You still want me to keep tabs on things here?” Jorge asked.

“If you would, please,” Ryan said. “I think the primary danger is over, but you never know.”

“I agree,” Jorge said. “Alright, well, thanks for the dinner, guys, but I need to head out. Talk to ya later.” They all said their goodbyes and Ryan went upstairs where he called Beverly and went to bed.

The next morning, he was up early, and after breakfast, gave a warm farewell to Bob, Sarah and little Ryan. After saying his goodbyes, and promising to keep them informed of his wedding plans, Ryan left and headed for the airport.

On the way, he spotted a large church, and something told him he needed to stop. He hadn’t been to a church since Sarah’s baptism, but something just drew him to the place. He parked and went inside. He lit a candle for his old departed comrades and took a seat in a back pew, noticing that he was the only one inside the large sanctuary, except for a priest at the altar. He felt compelled to get on his knees and as he did so, he thought of Dawson and all the others who never made it back.

As he knelt, his head resting on his clasped hands, he mentally confessed everything he had ever done since that day Lisa and Sarah left. All his hatred, his anger, his disillusionment – everything – poured out of his heart. He wept for his losses and gave thanks for what he now had. When he finished, he looked up at the large crucifix above the altar and considered what it meant.

As he sat back on the pew, a young Latino man in priestly robes sat next to him.

“Is everything okay, my son?” he asked softly. Ryan smiled to himself. He was old enough to be this man’s father. He kept his tongue in check – something not normal for him – and looked at the young priest. He smiled as he nodded his head.

“It is now, padre,” he said. “Thanks.”

“Then may the peace of God which passes all understanding, go with you, my son,” the priest said, crossing himself.

“Thank you again,” Ryan said. The priest stood up and Ryan joined him.

“If there is anything you need – prayer, confession, counseling – please feel free to ask,” the priest said.

“I think I’m good now, padre,” Ryan said. “Thanks, anyway.”

“I will pray for you anyway, my son,” the priest said, nodding his head. “I sense that you are starting a new chapter in your life and you will need all the help you can get.”

“Don’t you need to know my name?” Ryan asked. The priest smiled as he shook his head.

“God already knows, my son,” he said. Ryan nodded his head.

“Reckon so,” he said. “Thank you.” The priest smiled, nodded his head and walked to the large altar up front. Ryan grabbed his hat and left the building. When he stepped into the bright sunlight, he inhaled deeply. He felt like a new man. He laughed to himself, got in the car and went to the airport.

...

He called Beverly when his plane landed, tossed his duffel bag in the truck and headed home. As he drove, he felt better than he had in ages. Everything seemed fresh – new – almost as if he had never looked at it before.

He finally got home and saw Beverly waiting for him on the porch. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he took her in. She was always lovely, he thought, but the shorts she had on were the tiniest he had ever seen on a woman. They were even shorter than the ones she had before and he noticed this pair had holes strategically placed in the front. She also sported a cut-off t-shirt that barely covered the bottoms of her B-cup breasts.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he told her as he wrapped his arms around her. They kissed each other, deeply, for several minutes. When they broke the kiss, she stroked the front of his jeans, feeling his hard cock.

“Lunch is out by the pool if you’re hungry,” she said with a wicked smile.

“Lead on,” he said. As she walked in front of him, he noticed the shorts left nothing to the imagination. When they got out back, he looked at the pool, expecting to see a picnic basket or something. He walked around, but still didn’t see any lunch items.

“Where’s lunch?” he asked.

“Right here,” she said from behind him. He turned and saw her standing on the deck, completely naked. “That is, if you want me,” she said.

“Oh, God, yes,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. They made love on the deck for some time, enjoying each other and the bright sun at the same time. When they finished, he got up and grabbed his trousers.

“I almost forgot,” he said. “I got a little something for you.” He pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it up. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at the set of rings.

“Those are beautiful,” she said. He pulled the engagement ring out and gently placed it on her finger. She smiled as a tear formed in her eye.

“I love it,” she said. “And I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said. She studied his face for a bit before speaking again.

“Are you alright?” she asked. “You seem, I don’t know, a bit different.”

“Actually, I am,” he said. “I feel like a new man turning over a new leaf.” She smiled and kissed him again.

“I’m so glad,” she said. “I think we’ve both had enough sadness to last a lifetime, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I agree completely. Oh, I got something else.”

“What?” she asked. He went inside and pulled a box from his duffel bag. He handed it to her and watched her open it. She pulled out a wrought-iron chicken made to hang on the wall.

“I love it,” she said. “What made you decide to get this?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I saw it and I thought of you. I figured it’s time we started putting some things up on the walls, make the place feel like a home again.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” she said. “And I know exactly where to put it.” He smiled as she said that. Yeah, he thought. Home, sweet home. For real this time.

After they dressed and put the chicken on the wall in the kitchen, he called Russell.

“Hey, Ryan,” Russell said. “You get everything squared away?”

“Yeah, I did, and I’d like to come talk to you about that job offer,” Ryan said.

“Perfect,” Russell said. “Come on down and we’ll talk.”

“Be right there,” Ryan said. After letting Beverly know, he cleaned up and went into town, pulling up in front of the Sheriff’s Office. He went inside and noticed the deputies giving him the once-over.

“Sheriff Coltrane is expecting you, Mr. Caldwell,” the uniformed deputy said. “Right this way.” He followed her to Russell’s office. She opened the door and escorted him inside, then left and closed the door. Russell got up and shook his hand.

“Have a seat,” he said. Ryan sat down and faced Russell. “So, you have any questions?”

“Yeah,” Ryan said. “I have one. What about my background? You already seem to know what I did for nine years.” Russell smiled.

“You mean, being a ‘private security consultant’ and all that?” Russell asked, making air quotes as he said, “private security consultant.”

“Yeah, that,” Ryan said.

“Well, nine years training security people to deal with dangerous situations is a lot of experience if you ask me,” Russell said. “Plus your service in the Army was quite exceptional. The county board agrees.”

“What?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah,” Russell said. “They seem to think you can teach our deputies a thing or two.”

“I never thought of that,” Ryan said.

“Don’t worry, son,” Russell said. “I’ve already done a background check on you. Standard procedure. They just want to make sure you’re not an axe murderer on the lam from the law. You’ve never been behind bars and everything checks out. Hell, on paper, you’re cleaner than some of my deputies. So, if you’re willing, you’ll need to go through an interview with the board. That’s pretty much a formality, though. I would suggest you maybe get some nicer clothes and a new hat.”

“What about the beard?” Ryan asked. “Trust me, that hides a multitude of sins.” Russell smiled.

“So long as you keep it neat and trimmed, it’s not a problem,” he said. “Besides, it gives you character.” Ryan smiled.

“You got this all figured out, don’t you?” he asked. Russell smiled.

“Comes with the territory, my boy,” he said. “Once they give the okay, we’ll get you fitted out with a uniform and you’ll spend some time shadowing me. So, what do ya think?”

“What the hell,” Ryan said. “The worse they can do is say no. Set it up.”

“That’s my boy,” Russell said. “How about tomorrow morning bright and early, say, 8:30?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Ryan said. “I’ll go down now and get some new duds.”

“There ya go,” Russell said. “See you then.”

From there, Ryan spent much of the afternoon, buying new clothes, boots and a new hat. Beverly was shocked when he came in, arms loaded with new clothes.

“Don’t ever complain about me getting new clothes,” she joked. “So, when do you go before the board?”

“Tomorrow morning,” he said.

“I’m glad to see you taking this on,” she said. “It’ll do you some good to get integrated into the community. I’m so proud of you.” He smiled and kissed her.

That night, they watched the news and learned that the federal case against Knight had expanded to include a number of the middle-level managers. It seemed that more people were involved than originally thought, but none of them apparently knew the full situation. The expose on Jake also caused the company’s stock prices to fall even further as confidence in the company dwindled to practically nothing.

The next day, Ryan appeared before the county board with Russell. As Russell indicated, the meeting was cordial and mostly informal. There were only a few questions that Ryan had to think carefully about before answering.

“Doesn’t that eye patch give you problems with your depth perception?” one of the board members asked.

“It did at first,” Ryan said. “But I’ve learned to work through it.”

“So you can drive and fire a sidearm without any problem?”

“None so far,” Ryan said.

“Personally, I prefer to see someone with direct law enforcement experience,” another board member said. “You don’t even have a degree in law enforcement. If we do this, would you be willing to enroll in an online course and get a two-year degree?”

“Absolutely,” Ryan said.

“How much do you expect to get paid, Mr. Caldwell?” one female board member asked.

“I hadn’t really thought about it, ma’am,” Ryan said. “To tell you the truth, I really don’t need the money.”

“Yes, we checked your financials over at the bank,” she said. “By the way, that was a wonderful thing you did for Ms. Simons.”

“Thank you,” he said. “She needed help, so I thought I’d lend a hand.”

“So, about the compensation, how much do you think you’d like to get paid?” she asked.

“Frankly, I haven’t given it any thought,” he said. “Whatever you’re paying Sheriff Coltrane, I guess. Maybe you could donate it to the homeless shelter downtown or the women’s and children’s center.” She smiled and nodded her head.

“I think we can arrange that,” she said. “Don’t you?” she added, looking at the other board members. They looked at each other and nodded their heads.

“Yeah, we can do that,” one of the others said.

“Gentlemen, I think we’ve found our candidate, don’t you?” the female board member said. They discussed it among themselves before answering.

“I agree,” one of the board members said. “I say we vote on it.”

“I second that,” another board member added.

“Well then, let’s take a vote,” the female board member said. “All in favor of appointing Mr. Ryan Caldwell as sheriff raise your hands.” Everyone raised their hands. “Those opposed?” No hands went up.

“Very well,” she said. “Mr. Caldwell, welcome aboard and congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Ryan said, accepting her hand.

“Sheriff, why don’t you take Mr. Caldwell here down and get him a uniform?” she asked. “We’ll conduct the swearing in ceremony about 1:00 this afternoon.”

“Will do,” he said, standing up. They drove back to the sheriff’s office and Russell took Ryan into the back, where he found several shirts and pairs of trousers that looked as though they would fit. Ryan was relieved to see they had all been cleaned and pressed, and still hanging inside their protective plastic coverings. Ryan tried them on and found they fit perfectly. Russell also grabbed a new hat, a gray Stetson, and handed it to him.

“That looks like a good fit,” he said. Ryan tried it on and was surprised to see it fit better than his old beat-up hat. Russell looked at him, nodding his head in approval. “Looking good, son,” he said. He grabbed a black name tag from his desk drawer and attached it to Ryan’s shirt. Apparently, Ryan thought, he had it pre-made just for the occasion. After attaching the name tag, Russell glanced at his watch. “About time for your swearin’ in,” he said. “Let me make a quick call.”

As Ryan watched, Russell pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. He was surprised to hear Beverly’s voice answer. Russell winked at Ryan, and put the phone on speaker.

“Beverly, I really need you to come down to my office, right away,” Russell said, sounding serious.

“Is everything alright?” she said.

“Don’t know,” he said. “But it’s serious and I need you down here as soon as you can.”

“Alright, Sheriff,” she said, sounding scared. “I’ll be there in just a few minutes.” Russell ended the call and put his phone away. He looked back at Ryan and smiled.

“That was mean,” Ryan said.

“Yeah, it was,” Russell said. “But I had to make sure she’d get here, y’know? Wouldn’t be right for you to get sworn in without her here, don’tcha think?” A few minutes later, Beverly came in through the front door and was escorted to Russell’s office.

“Is everything alright? What’s going on?” she asked, frantic. Russell smiled and sat her down.

“Everything’s just fine, darlin’,” he said. “I just thought you might like to be here when they swear your man in.” He turned to the door leading down the hallway and called for Ryan. Beverly gasped when she saw her husband-to-be come in wearing a uniform.

“Wow,” she said. “I always did like a man in uniform,” she told him. “So, when is the swearing in?” she asked Russell. He glanced at his watch.

“Any time now,” he said. A few moments later, they heard the front door open and a group of well-dressed people came into the station. The desk sergeant came into Russell’s office to let them know they had visitors.

“Thanks,” Russell said. “Have everyone meet in the main conference room if you would, please.”

“Will do, Sheriff,” she said, leaving the office. Russell looked at Ryan and Beverly.

“You two ready for this?” he asked. Ryan looked nervous.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I reckon,” Ryan said. They went down the hall and entered the large room, which was full of people, including a number of uniformed deputies. Ryan noticed an ice chest on the floor next to the table and a store-bought cake that had been decorated for the ceremony.

The deputies checked Ryan out as he walked in and he thought they seemed to approve of Russell’s choice. He sensed no animosity or jealousy from any of them, which was a good thing.

The ceremony itself was short and sweet. The senior county board commissioner administered the oath of office, and Russell pinned the new badge on Ryan’s chest. He handed something to Beverly, and asked her to follow his lead.

She watched as Russell pinned three stars on Ryan’s shirt collar – the rank insignia worn by the sheriff. She pinned the other set of stars on his remaining collar and stood back to admire him.

“Congratulations, Sheriff,” the commissioner said, shaking his hand. “And may God have mercy on your soul,” he added, causing everyone in the room to laugh.

“Thank you, Commissioner,” Ryan said.

“There’s tea and coca-cola in the ice chest, and Ryan, excuse me, Sheriff Caldwell, gets the honor of serving up cake,” Russell said to laughter. “Sorry, no beer, we’re still on duty, you know.” Ryan sliced the large cake and served Beverly first, then the deputies. He gave Russell a slice, then served the commissioners. He cut a small piece for himself and noticed there was still about a third of the cake left.

“Why don’t we save this for the fellas out on patrol?” he asked. Russell agreed.

“Good idea,” he said. The female desk sergeant smiled and put the cake in a refrigerator for safe keeping. Ryan ate his cake, then made the rounds, meeting the deputies he would soon be responsible for. They all seemed nice, he thought, and they appeared to accept him as their new sheriff.

After the ceremony, Beverly came to Ryan and took him in. He looked so good in his uniform, she thought. Almost as if it was made just for him.

“You look so good, sweetheart,” she said. “I’m so proud of you.” He smiled and gave her a kiss.

“Why, thank you, little lady,” he said, using a horrible John Wayne impersonation that caused her to laugh.

“I’d better get back now, dear,” she said. “I have to stop and pick up some feed for the chickens, and get dinner started. I’ll see you at home, alright?”

“I’ll be there,” he said, giving her one more kiss. He watched as she walked out the door. The deputies all congratulated her and seemed to welcome her into their little family. Ryan turned to Russell.

“So, what now?” he asked.

“Now, I issue your sidearm and your gear,” Russell said. They walked to the armory, and Russell had him sign for a belt and a Smith and Wesson M&P 9 mm pistol, a polymer-framed, striker-fired full-size pistol similar to the Glock 17. All things considered, Ryan knew this was one of the best 9 mm handguns on the market, and he was surprised that a small sheriff’s department like this would issue them. He almost expected them to carry six-shot revolvers.

“One last thing,” Russell said, pulling a small box from his desk drawer. He handed the box to Ryan, who opened it and saw a small bar that sported a blue field with white stars on one side and three stripes, one white stripe with a red stripe above and below it. On the white stripe was written, “U.S. Army vet.”

“What’s this?” Ryan asked.

“It’s a little something to show appreciation for your service,” Russell said. “All the vets get one here.” Ryan had seen some of the deputies sporting something similar and he noticed Russell had one as well that said, “USMC vet.”

“Thanks,” Ryan said.

“You’re welcome,” Russell said.

“What now?” Ryan asked.

“Well, we start getting you up to speed tomorrow morning,” Russell said. “Be here at 8:00 am, sharp.”

“See you then,” Ryan said as he gathered his civilian clothes. The deputies said their goodbyes as he walked out the door. When he got home, he gave Beverly a kiss and headed upstairs. He looked at himself in the mirror.

“There’s a new sheriff in town,” he said quietly to the image in the mirror. The boys’ll never believe this, he thought to himself. He smiled as he imagined himself asking, “Do ya feel lucky, punk?” They enjoyed a quiet meal and an evening of lovemaking.

“I’m glad I got to be a part of that ceremony today,” Beverly said as she snuggled her naked body against him.

“I am, too,” Ryan said.

“Promise me you’ll be careful out there?” she asked. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her as he took in her warmth.

“I’ll be careful, little lady,” he said. “I promise.”

The next two weeks flew by for Ryan as Russell gave him a crash course in law enforcement. Ryan watched as Russell briefed the deputies on the day’s duties and took in every nuance he could. This was a good group, he thought to himself. Dedicated, motivated and loyal. They knew their stuff.

Russell finished the briefing by turning to Ryan, asking, “Anything you’d like to add, Sheriff?” Ryan knew this was Russell’s way of making sure they knew he would eventually be taking over.