Having not found anything wrong with all the unoccupied properties they inspected, Bill Logan and his Deputy returned to the Sheriff’s office long after sundown. The rain had stopped thankfully on their way back, but they still were drenched and exhausted.
Annie had hot coffee ready and told them to get first out of their soaked clothes before having their dinner.
Jake, wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt belonging to the Sheriff, not quite fitting his larger frame, got up from the table after the meal and said “I better get home to get some clothes that fit me” and then turning to Bill Logan “we are going to head out again tonight, yes?”
Sheriff Logan nodded “Now that that damn rain has stooped, it will be easier to check the remaining two cabins”.
After Deputy Spencer left, Bill went back to his office to plan the route for later and was joined by his wife.
“How is he handling the death of his brother?” Annie asked “Jake has not been around much until the last couple of months, did Brad and him stay in contact during his time as a Marine?”
“Don’t think they were ever very close, given the difference in their ages, but blood is blood” her husband replied.
“I had to fill him in about the sort of man we are looking for and also about what Brad had found at the Miller’s, before he got killed. It really shook him up badly and he is more than ever determined to get hold of that murdering swine and get him back to where he belongs, into solitary confinement for the rest of his sorry life”.
Annie looked at her husband and he saw a few tears running down her cheeks, tears shed for young Brad the tortured young women, for Mary Miller her husband and all the others who got killed by one savage man, by Chase Cotter.
She turned to go back into the kitchen to prepare and pack some sandwiches for the two men to take with, while waiting for Jake to come back.
***
After a quick hot shower and a change of clothes, during which he could not shut off his brain and kept on thinking about his dead brother, Jake Spencer arrived back at the Sheriff’s, finding Bill Logan in his office nursing a hot cup of coffee.
“Sit down” and then “Annie, get Jake some coffee please”.
“Looks like the rain stopped, at least for now, but we can’t expect the promised chopper until tomorrow” he grunted “but at least it will make the going somewhat better”.
They finished the coffee and Sheriff Logan instructed his wife to stay close to the phone and radio in case there should be any more news from the Marshall.
“Once we have to leave the car you won’t be able to get hold of me, but I will check in when I can” he said, kissed his wife and the two men headed out into the night again.
Annie looked after them with tears in her eyes, she could not shake the feeling of impending doom that was threatening to overcome her.