42

 

Randy Joyce Locke and the incident at Sparrow Lea   42 Sometimes, the apparent distracts us from the obvious. Sheriff Templeton was seen by many people, for no apparent reason, abandoning his car and rushing into the woods to the northeast of Sparrow lea. That was the last any of the residents saw of their sheriff. Apparently, everyone collectively agreed, the people-of-the-sky had returned after one hundred years, the covenant was fulfilled.  No one spoke of the antiquated pact to outsiders. No one dared to. Collectively, the society held its breath, hoping and praying what they had given, what the people-of-the-sky had taken was enough. The elders whispered the story, a story that had been told to them, as if they were righteous witnesses to the destruction brought down on them one hundred years before. There would be no investigation into the disappearance of Sheriff Templeton, his three cousins who lived more like vagabonds in surrounding woods or the teenager, Jack Pratt. Even the skeptics, in the shadow of their doubts, knew the five residents of Sparrow Lea had left the planet. The people of Sparrow Lea smiled coyly at each other. They knew a truth outsiders couldn’t understand.   The town council, in an emergency meeting held in the Lichen’s kitchen on a hot August afternoon, over iced tea and homemade apple pie, appointed a new sheriff. His most important qualification for the job was he had actually spoken to the aliens. Sheriff Jack Corning’s first task was to spin official information and protect the two abductees, his daughter, Lisa, and Joey Lichen from any outside inquiry. Jeffery Kent dealt out drafts of his filed story to Roger Carlyle, Eve and me. “I think you’ll like it.” He spoke over the music in the roadhouse. “As long as you spell my name right.” I shrugged with a mouthful of potato. Roger looked up from his sheet. “Randy, you’re not mentioned.” He paused and laughed. “Good work.” Eve approved. “I’m going to copy and paste most of it, add just a little and file it as a report to Charnack.” “Who’s Charnack?” Kent asked. “Your boss?” Eve put a hand on Kent’s arm. “I told you. We’re private citizens.” “Yeah, right. And the space guys kidnap people.” “Lester Charnack is a government guy,” I admitted. “Get your notebook out.” I gave Kent Charnack’s contact number. “Use my name when you call. He, or his office will give you quotables, like official government denials of crop circles and how they don’t investigate such things.” Kent looked at me with narrow eyes. “Eve’s filing a report. The government doesn’t investigate such things.” He laughed. “They use private contractors!” “So those two spooks were checking up on you?” Roger asked me. “Spooks?” Kent asked. Eve told him to put his notebook away and dance with her. “They’re cute together.” I watched Kent and Eve move off. I turned to Roger. “Stuff hits the radar that’s kinda weird. Government investigative agencies overlap. As you see, I keep my head down but can’t help but be high profile. Eve and I get spooks dogging us all the time.” “Even with Aristotle Harrison "” “No one knows about the General. No one. I bet you never tried to track him down, huh?” “No reason to. He’s always seemed to be on the up-and-up to me.” I laughed. “Curiosity is a good enough reason for me. I bet you jump when he calls.” “Don’t you?” “Not even. I don’t know his agenda and I only serve mine. When he has a job, I look at it first and then decide if I want it or not.” “I looked over everything. I think Harrison connected the missing kids with Benjamin Manson.” “You over think things. Don’t ever think Harrison --or anyone -- has all the pieces. That’s what we do.” Roger’s jaw stiffened. “Get all the pieces and make choices.”