As expected with a case of this magnitude, the national media has ascended on the small town of Twisted Timbers. Normally at this time of year, the streets of town would be nearly empty at all times of the day. Now there is a steady stream of news vans entering and leaving town. Agent Walker has become a hit with the reporters and has been seen on television sets across the country for the last few days.
Mitch has had numerous requests for interviews but has turned them all down. The town has come together and shown unbelievable support for him on the loss of his father. The mayor of the town quickly named Mitch the new sheriff, only after making sure that Stuart wanted nothing to do with the title. He was sworn in at a private ceremony that was conducted at City Hall the night after he arrested Fred at the bar.
Mitch is currently in his dress uniform, attending a final briefing being led by Agent Walker. This meeting is basically a summary of everything they have been able to find out about the case in the preceding days. The bodies of all the participants in the game, except for that of Jesse Meyer, have already been transported to Portland for autopsies. The final death toll has been listed as thirteen people, five of the killers, the sheriff and seven federal officers who were killed in the series of explosions that ripped through the park.
Most of the information that is being supplied has been a result of the demanding work of the computer staff. They have been able to find out that the explosives were set on a timer and did not need to be remotely triggered. No matter what happened, there would have been no way for anyone to stop the explosions from happening. The grand total of money that was wagered and lost on the event totaled just over fifty million dollars. That figure does not include the nearly forty million dollars that was collected as a subscription fee in order to just watch the streaming video. Agent Walker explains that he has already been in talks with the State Attorney's Office about making sure that most of the recovered funds are used to rebuild the park and cover funeral expenses for the fallen men.
An agent on the left side of the table asks for an update on the missing killer, the former Army Ranger. Agent Walker is quick to point out that they have several men working on the identity and location of the man but have not been able to make much progress, as of yet. They have checked with the military and the name of Jesse Meyer is not listed as ever being an active member. The meeting ends without much more information being shared than anyone in the country could read about in their morning paper.
Stuart Johnson is leaning against his truck when Mitch walks out of the police station. He has been insistent upon trying to help make the new sheriff overcome the grief of losing his father. They ride to the cemetery together and Mitch does his best to avoid the small talk. Today will mark the conclusion to the two biggest things that have happened to him so far during his adult life. The death of his father will rest heavier on his mind than anything that happened at the park.
It looks like the entire town has shown up to say their final goodbyes to Sheriff Thompson. He was loved in the town and was a face that everyone knew. Most of the people who had known him all their life are here to show their support. Mitch walks slowly through the rows of chairs, shaking hands and getting hugs from several people who he could not name. It takes far too long for him to reach the only empty seat next to the grave. He sits down and nods to the priest that he can begin the service.
Most of the normal passages were read from the Bible and the priest spoke fondly of the departed. Mitch daydreams during most of the funeral, choosing to reminisce about the good times he spent with his father, rather than have someone tell him how good of a man he was. When the final words are spoken, and the men begin throwing dirt on top of the grave, Mitch stands and again is met with handshakes and hugs from strangers. He has never seen so many grown men crying in one place before. He has not yet been able to shed a single tear over his father's death, exactly how Bill Thompson would have wanted him to mourn.
He is surprised to see that the few federal agents that are still in town have made an appearance and have taken their place in line to give Mitch their condolences. Agent Walker is the last of these agents and makes sure to remind him that if there is anything he can do to help him out, to let him know. Walker has already agreed to upgrade several of the computers in the police station, to at least get the town into the twenty-first century.
Stuart is once again leaning against the truck when Mitch is finally able to leave the grave site. The two men get in and make their way back into Twisted Timbers. Stuart is once again making small talk and yet again Mitch is paying little attention. There is something about driving through the Oregon hills that makes a passenger lose track of their surroundings and get lost in the view. Mitch remembers telling his father that these rolling hills looked like the pictures he would see of Ireland.
"Do you want me to take you home or back to the station?" Stuart has to ask the question several times before he is able to get a response from his passenger.
"I got a better idea. What do you say we stop down at The Bottom Dollar? I could go for a drink." Mitch has never been much of a drinking man, but drastic times call for drastic measures. He is more looking for a little company at the moment.
The request comes as a shock to Stuart. He quickly slows the car down and makes the turn onto Main Street. The sun is setting on a lazy Tuesday night in town. The sudden increase in visitors was a welcome surprise to the business owners of the town. The tourist season is still a few weeks away and the attention the news has given the town will surely cause a spike in business.
With a small grin Stuart looks over at Mitch as he parks outside the same bar where they had to arrest a former deputy. "Anything you say, Sheriff."
THE END
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