

### Liberty Betrayed

An Act of Tyranny

### Linda L Barton

Copyright 2015 © Linda L. Barton

All Rights Reserved

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Table of Contents

Title Page _,_ Copyright _,_

Dedication and Special Acknowledgements

Introduction/Chapter1 _,_

Chapter2 _,_ Chapter3 _,_ Chapter4 _,_

Chapter5 _,_ Chapter6 _,_ Chapter7 _,_

Chapter7 _,_ Chapter8 _,_ Chapter9 _,_

Chapter10 _,_ Chapter11 _,_ Chapter12 _,_

Chapter13 _,_ Chapter14 _,_ Chapter15 _,_

Chapter16 _,_ Chapter17 _,_ Chapter18 _,_

Chapter19 _,_ Chapter20 _,_ Chapter21 _,_

Chapter22 _,_ Chapter23 _,_ Chapter24

Chapter25 _,_ Chapter 26 _,_ Chapter27 _,_

Chapter28 _,_ Chapter29 _,_ Chapter30

Dedication and Special Acknowledgements

I dedicate this book to my husband, Bob, who has believed in me and told me to never give up on my dream to be a writer.

I also would like to dedicate this book to three individuals who inspired me in the writing of this book.

First, for the next President of the United States of America, Donald J Trump. Thank you for giving voice to the problem of illegal immigration and all the problems it brings. It's time to BUILD THE WALL. I know you will be a great President, and together, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

Second, to a man, I greatly respect, Sheriff David Clarke. As the parent of a daughter serving her community, it warms my heart to hear you speaking out for our Heroes in Blue. You, Sir, were the inspiration for the hero and main character of this book, Police Chief Silas Greer.

Third, to a woman, I enjoy watching each week as you shine the light of truth on difficult subjects without fear, Judge Jeanine Pirro. You were the inspiration for the character Judge Gina.

### Introduction

For years, those in Washington D.C have campaigned on the promise of securing our southern border with Mexico. With each election cycle, those running for office stand before the American voter and promise to solve the problem of illegal immigrants flooding into our country.

However, _nothing seems to change_.

For this reason, with each new election cycle, those vying for our vote will once again make the same worn-out promise with no intention of keeping it.

This story will not point an accusatory finger at any particular elected official or political party. It simply shares the tale of the residents of a small US town. This story will share what happens when people find themselves forced to live with decisions made by those in our government with a certain political agenda. An agenda that does not put the needs of the American people as a top priority.

Sandley, Texas is a fictitious town, but what happens there is taken directly from the daily news reports we all watch, as we try to survive this New World Order forced upon us.

Those in government have forgotten their promise to serve _We the People_. Until we remind them in a _LOUD_ and UNIFIED voice, we will continue to lose the treasured freedoms guaranteed us in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The constant attack on the second amendment and the persistent whispers of limiting our freedom of speech should cause a chill to consume every freedom-loving American. The sad fact is once we lose those freedoms, it is only through the shedding of blood that people will regain those cherished and God-given rights.

***

_The Constitution is the guide, which I never will abandon. The time is near at hand, which must determine whether Americans are to be_ freemen _or slaves._

**~~** George Washington **~~**

### Chapter 1

The sound of dogs barking off in the distance echoed throughout the night air. However, tonight it was not the warning of a wild animal stalking its prey, or local teenagers out for a night of fun. This warning foretold an unimaginable nightmare that would forever change the sleepy town of Sandley, Texas.

***

Police Chief Silas Greer had stayed late working on some long-overdue paperwork. While reaching for another folder, he heard the sound of large vehicles driving through town.

"Who the hell is that?" Curious as to who was driving through town at such a late hour, Silas stood and walked to the window. He peered through the blinds just in time to watch a set of taillights fade off into the night.

"Someone must have gotten off the Interstate by mistake," he said aloud while closing the blind. Pushing it out of his mind, Silas returned to the paperwork on his desk.

***

Twenty years had passed since the Interstate bypassed Sandley, virtually cutting it off from the outside world. On most days, the only traffic in town was the locals going about their daily activities. However, from time to time, an occasional tourist or lost traveler would find their way to town.

It had always been a quiet community, a place where you knew your neighbors and never felt the need to lock your front door at night. Sandley was also a carefree place to be a child. The children in town rode their bikes to the park and played with their friends without the worry of molesters or gangs. As far as the residents were concerned, Sandley was the perfect place to live and to raise a family.

Having grown up in Sandley, Silas, like so many of those graduating from the local high school, had grown up with plans to see the world. He planned to go to college then onward to exciting destinations. However, life will often have different plans for us. This is why in his senior year, Silas decided a career in law enforcement was his destiny, as well as to marry his high school sweetheart, Jen.

With acceptance to the Police Academy being competitive, Silas decided to attend community college to get his associate's degree. He had worked nights at the local Lumber Mill while attending college. Then after graduating, he entered the academy. The months of training were grueling, but Silas had enjoyed every moment. Then once he graduated, he began his career as an officer with the Sandley Police Department.

***

Glancing up at the clock, hanging on the wall above the door, Silas realized he should head on home for the night.

"This can wait until after my meeting with the Mayor tomorrow," he sighed as he gathered the paperwork scattered on his desk and put it in the wire basket next to the filing cabinet.

"I'll be glad when Doug gets back from visiting his grandparents in Atlanta. Damn, he should be doing this, not me," Silas groaned.

Doug Lloyds was the other police officer in Sandley. He had flown to Atlanta to visit his 82-year old grandfather, who was in the hospital. With his grandfather's failing health, Doug had wanted to be there in case the unthinkable happened.

Silas looked around the office and was relieved to finally be going home for the night. With Doug gone, it had been hectic doing everything himself. Before powering down his computer, Silas forwarded the emergency telephone line to his cell phone and then said a silent prayer that it did not ring until the morning.

"Well, I guess I better get home before Jen sends out a search party." Silas looked around the empty office one last time when his cell phone began to ring.

"Silas Greer." He assumed it was Jen, wondering why he was so late. However, the voice on the other end of the call caught him by surprise.

"Silas, something's going on at the old mill tonight. I was trying to see what had Chuck Wilson's dogs all worked up when a large bus pulled on the road leading to the mill."

Howard Broyles had lived in Sandley for 87 years, where he had owned and operated the Texaco gas station with his wife, Marie.

"I was about to go to bed when those damn dogs began barking like a bunch of crazy fools. Well, you know how Marie is; she insisted I find out what was going on. I saw that bus when I looked out of the big picture window in the living room."

"Are you sure? Maybe it just went around the bend up the road a piece." Silas assumed Howard was somehow mistaken, as no one had any reason to go to the mill at this hour of the night.

"Yes, I'm sure. I watched it turn on that dirt road. Silas, I may be old, but I still have my wits about me. I watched them build that damn place, and then I watched them close it down after Bill Jenkins died. If you don't come out here and find out what's going on, Marie is gonna make me do it, and, to be honest with you, I've already taken off my boots."

Silas knew there was no sense in arguing with Howard. "Okay, I'll drop by there on my way home and have a look around. Tell Miss Marie hello for me, and get yourself some rest."

After hanging up the telephone, Silas called Jen and told her he was going to be later than expected. "Howard's complaining about Chuck's dogs again, so I need to go see what has them all worked up this time."

Jen chuckled softly, "Well, bless his heart. I'm sure it's just some ole 'coon wandering around. Those dogs get worked up over the wild critters all the time. Be safe, and I'll see you when you get home."

"That's what I'm thinking, but you know how Howard can be. Once he gets an idea in his head, there's no changing it."

Silas had always liked Howard, but he could be stubborn at times. "I'll be home as soon as possible."

Silas tucked his cell phone into his shirt pocket, grabbed his keys, and walked toward the door. "Well, let's go see what has those dogs and Howard so upset."

When Silas stepped outside, he noticed the warm, humid night air. He had always enjoyed summer in Southeast Texas. Jen, on the other hand, would complain from early June until late September.

She would always say, "You do know the real reason southern women were always fainting, don't you? It's because of the stifling heat mixed with all the damn humidity, and then cinching their corsets too tight!"

Silas had always loved Jen's sense of humor. Whenever he would least expect it, she would say, or do the cutest things.

One thing he had always looked forward to each year was Jen's gardening time. The vision of her wearing her big floppy hat with the bright pink ribbon tied under her chin was a sight to behold. He enjoyed seeing the smile on her face as she carried her basket filled with gardening tools and then listening to her sing as she worked in the small garden she had in their backyard.

One afternoon, when Silas dropped by the house for lunch, he found Jen sitting on the back porch, rubbing ice cubes on her chest and fanning herself in the futile attempt to stay cool.

"Is that helping, Sweetheart?" Silas then laughed at the look of disgust on Jen's face at his flippant statement.

"Silas, even Satan himself would complain about the heat today," she groaned.

"Then how about we take a drive and get ourselves a big ole milkshake to cool off?"

Jen looked up at him with an expression of pure joy on her face. "Baby, you do know how to treat a lady."

***

Silas stepped up to his truck and had just reached for the door handle when his cell phone rang again.

"Silas Greer," he said as he climbed inside and closed the door behind him.

"Silas, it's Chuck Wilson. Something is going on at the mill tonight."

"Thank you, Chuck, but I'm already aware of the problem; Howard Broyles called about it earlier. He said your dogs were causing quite a ruckus tonight. Chuck, I've already warned you several times to keep them quiet at night, and this isn't the first call I've..."

Chuck interrupted before he could continue, "Silas, I'm telling you something's going on over there. A couple of large vehicles pulled up the road. Now, people are talking, and it's lit up like daytime over there. You need to come out here and look for yourself."

"Are you sure about this, Chuck? You haven't been hitting the bottle tonight, have you?" Silas teased.

Silas was aware of how Chuck enjoyed having a drink or two after work, and honestly, the whole story did seem a bit farfetched, even for Chuck.

"Damn it, Silas, I told you that I hear people talking, and it's all lit up over there! What if it's some of those damn meth dealers? You know how they'll set up shop anywhere if you let them. I don't want their kind around here, do you?"

Silas understood Chuck's concern, and honestly, he had to agree. The last thing he wanted setting up shop in the area was a bunch of drug dealers.

"Okay, stay inside, and I'll be there in a couple of minutes. I'm sure it's nothing, but I'll check things out to be sure. Thank you for calling."

Silas tucked the cell phone back into his shirt pocket and said a silent prayer it was just travelers wanting somewhere to stop for the night.

After putting the key in the ignition and starting the engine, Silas inhaled deeply. "Okay, let's find out what's going on out there."

He put the truck in drive and pulled out onto the road. As he drove northbound out of town, Silas wondered what he would find. Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared him for what lay ahead of him and the residents of Sandley, Texas.

### Chapter 2

Two Months Earlier

"Breakfast..." Jen called out as she filled Silas' coffee cup and set it on the table next to his plate. "What are you doing in there?"

"I'm coming. I'll be there in a minute."

Silas had gotten out of bed early and was doing some additional research on the company planning to reopen the window factory just outside of town. It had been a great loss for the town when it went out of business all those years ago, leaving over one hundred of the townsfolk out of work. Then the lumber mill closed seven years later, nearly killing the once-thriving town.

For this reason, with the announcement of the factory reopening under new ownership, the people in town were thrilled with the prospect of the new jobs.

For years, Sandley had been a bustling town. It was a place where people could raise their families while enjoying the livelihood provided by the two once-thriving companies. However, over the last few years, several families had found themselves forced to move away in search of work. Then for those who stayed, they found themselves commuting nearly fifty miles to work each day.

Silas had enjoyed serving the people of Sandley over the years. He had quickly moved up the ranks, so after ten years with the city police department, Silas was elevated to the position of Chief of Police. However, with the drop in tax revenue, the town found itself forced to downsize the police department to only Silas and one other officer.

It had been a sad day when the Mayor called Silas into his office to give him the news of the cuts.

"Silas, I'm sorry, but the city can no longer support a police department the size it is now. We've tried every way to balance the city budget, but there just isn't enough money."

Silas had protested, but all his attempts to convince the Mayor were in vain.

"I'm sorry, Silas, but my hands are tied. We can only justify keeping you and one officer. We both know if something would ever happen where you needed help, we can always call the County Sheriff's Department."

Unfortunately, the Police Department was not the only city service to end up on the chopping block due to the drop in tax revenue. After several meetings and heated discussions of which services to save, the Mayor and City Council had decided to use one of the newly emptied offices in the City Hall building as the police station. Silas hated the idea but was thankful he still had a job.

The years of struggle appeared to be at an end with the reopening of the window factory, and everyone looked forward to a bright future.

Silas powered down the computer then headed to the kitchen. Before he had left his small office, he heard a frantic knocking at the front door.

"Hold on, I'm coming," he said as the person continued to knock excitedly.

"Hold on..." Recognizing the face showing through the oval window in the front door, Silas groaned when he opened the door, knowing what he must do.

"Silas, you need to come immediately," the older woman said breathlessly. "He's doing it again!"

Silas shook his head in disbelief. "I thought I told you to keep him inside, Maribelle. Where's he at now?"

"He has Ron pinned between the azaleas and the porch. I tried to get him to stop, but he ignored me," she cried out as she hurried back to the sidewalk.

"Jen, hold breakfast for me. Timmy's at it again."

Silas closed the front door behind him, and then followed Maribelle to her house. This was not the first time he had dealt with Timmy's foul mood swings, and each time Maribelle had sworn it would be the last. Silas had never understood why Maribelle put up with him for all these years, but she would just say she loved him despite his wicked ways.

"He's messing with Ron? Damn it, Maribelle, he shouldn't be messin' with the mailman!" Silas quickened his pace, worried about the situation awaiting him.

"Silas, shoot him!" Ron shouted when he saw the two of them walking toward him. "I can't do my job if I have to put up with this crap."

Silas did his best not to laugh at the sight of Ron pressed against the porch railing, holding his mailbag out like a shield against Maribelle's enormous tabby cat, Timmy. The expression on the cat's face let Ron know his presence was neither wanted nor appreciated.

"Please don't shoot him, Silas," Maribelle cried out. "He doesn't mean any harm. He's just protecting me."

"Protecting you? That damn cat is a public nuisance! Shoot the damn thing, Silas!" Ron cried out, as the cat slowly moved closer, as though stalking a helpless mouse.

At realizing things were about to elevate to the next level, Silas walked up to the cat, which kept its eyes firmly trained on a terrified Ron.

"You see, what you don't understand about Timmy is, he smells fear. If you show him you aren't afraid of him, he'll leave you alone. Come on, Timmy; let's leave the nice mailman alone."

Silas reached down and picked up the big cat that immediately began purring loudly in his arms.

"See, ole Timmy, here is nothing but a big baby. He just thinks it's his job to protect the house from bad people. He must believe you're up to no good, Ron. Come on, boy; let's get you inside before you cause any more trouble," Silas playfully said to the cat, while rubbing behind its ears.

Maribelle glanced over at Ron and frowned as she followed behind Silas to the front door. "I'm so sorry about this, Ron. He's a sweet cat most of the time."

"Yeah, sure he is. He's more like a demon cat from the depths of Hell," Ron mumbled under his breath.

Waiting until everyone was inside the house, Ron stepped out from behind the bushes. "Damn it, I don't get paid enough to put up with this crap."

Feeling quite foolish for allowing a cat to get the best of him, Ron looked around, hoping no one was watching, and once assured the coast was clear, he gathered his mailbag and continued with his deliveries.

***

"Who was Timmy after this time?" Jen snickered when Silas walked into the kitchen and sat at the table.

"He had Ron trapped behind her azaleas," Silas chuckled as he reached for his cup of coffee.

"Oh Lord, I would love to have seen that. Bless his heart, I bet he was fit to be tied."

"He was. The damn fool even wanted me to shoot Timmy." Silas had to admit he enjoyed the memory of Ron's bright, red face from both anger and embarrassment at allowing a house cat to bully him.

"Oh no, he didn't. So, what did you do?"

"I just picked Timmy up and carried him inside. You know that cat doesn't mess with you unless it senses fear. I did have to warn Maribelle if she didn't keep him inside, I'd be forced to remove Timmy permanently. I hated to be so firm with her, but someone could get hurt or will end up killing the cat someday in retaliation. Hell, I wouldn't put it past Ron to hurt Timmy after what happened today if given half the chance."

Silas knew Maribelle loved Timmy, but she needed to understand she could find herself in a lot of trouble should the cat end up hurting someone.

"Hey, where's that breakfast you were talking about earlier? I'm starving."

"Here you go, sweetheart. I saved it for you."

Jen reached into the oven and pulled out a plate of homemade buttermilk biscuits, smothered in sausage gravy.

"Oh, baby, you do know how to spoil a man." Silas breathed in the welcoming aroma.

Jen could not help but smile at the look of contentment on his face. "I do try. You better hurry up and eat. You have that meeting with the Mayor at 10 o'clock, and you know how much he hates it when people are late."

"Yeah, but the old coot doesn't mind letting you sit around and wait for him, does he?"

Silas thought back to their last scheduled meeting, and how the Mayor had left him waiting for nearly an hour.

"Well, the whole town knows how he is, so eat before your breakfast gets cold."

Jen stood and walked to the dishwasher. After she had put her plate and flatware inside, she grabbed the thermos off the counter and filled it with the remaining coffee.

"I sure hope it's not as hot today, as it was yesterday. I need to get my beans planted before the rain moves in this weekend. I planted the tomato plants yesterday, so if everything grows, I'll have a lovely garden this season."

Silas looked at Jen, seeing the excitement in her eyes. Every year she planted a garden, and every year she complained about all the work involved. He would often ask her why she went to all the aggravation, but she would just roll her eyes and dismiss the question.

Silas knew the real reason she did it. It was her way of filling her days during the summer vacation.

Silas and Jen had never known the blessing of children. They had tried, but after two years, they discovered that Jen would never be able to conceive, let alone carry a baby to term. It was devastating news for them, as both had wanted a large family.

Silas had worried about Jen after she received the news. However, when the position of kindergarten teacher opened at the local elementary school, Jen had gladly accepted the position.

"Well, I'm looking forward to a big mess of green beans with bacon and onion." Silas patted his stomach while licking his lips. "So, be sure to plant plenty of them, okay?"

"Don't worry; I will." Jen laughed at the silly expression on his face.

She was also thankful to have a man who was not a finicky eater. It never mattered what she sat in front of him; he would dig in without a single complaint.

"Well, I guess I should get going. I don't want to keep the Mayor waiting."

Once Silas had finished eating, he walked over to Jen, wrapped his arms around her waist, and playfully nuzzled her neck. "How about I drop by for lunch around noon?"

"Is there anything special you want today?" Jen teased, recognizing the playful glint in his eyes.

"Why, Mrs. Greer, I do believe you know me too well."

Jen pressed her body against his. "Are you sure your meeting with the Mayor will be done by then? You know what a windbag he can be."

"True, but I'll just inform him I have an important meeting to attend, and I can't be late." Silas reached for the tie string on her apron with a playful grin on his face.

"Okay, you need to get out of here before you start something you don't have the time to finish," Jen playfully scolded while pushing his hands away.

"Fine, I'll get going, but do you know how sexy you are in that apron?" Silas grabbed his thermos and turned to leave.

Jen blushed at seeing the passion in his eyes. "Hey, Silas, I'll see you at noon, okay?"

"It's a date." He blew her a kiss and then walked out of the back door.

### Chapter 3

"Good morning, Silas. He's waiting for you in his office."

Maggie had worked for Mayor Andrew Sexton for nearly five years. Silas had always liked her and was thrilled when she replaced her grandmother as the Mayor's secretary upon her retirement.

"Thank you, Maggie. Is he in a good mood this morning?" Silas winked, as he reached for the doorknob.

"As a matter of fact, he is. He just got off a call with Mr. Timmons from Top Choice Windows. I guess they're planning to have the plant open in a couple of months."

"Is Mike going to try to get on with them?" Silas knew several men in town were planning to apply for the new jobs.

"Oh, yes, he's looking forward to it. All the driving he does to and from work has really taken a toll on his truck. He needs to replace it, but we can't afford a car note at this time with everything else."

"I understand, Maggie. I'm sure he'll get one of those jobs. Mike's a hard worker, and they would be lucky to have him."

Silas took a deep breath then grabbed the doorknob, "Well, I better get in there before he has a fit about me being late."

***

"Good morning, Silas. I thought I heard you out there. Come on in and have a seat." Andrew motioned toward the chair across from his desk.

"I'm glad you were able to meet with me this morning. As you know, I've been in contact with the representative from Top Choice Windows. This is an exciting time for our little community, and I want everything to go smoothly. Now, I have both good and bad news. The good news is Mr. Timmons has told me they are planning to reopen the plant in a couple of months."

Silas remained quiet, wondering what the bad news could be.

Andrew saw the look of distrust in Silas' eyes, and honestly, he did not blame him. Realizing he could no longer put it off, Andrew sat up in his chair and cleared his throat before speaking.

"As you know, we all had believed they would hire locals to do the renovation. I had made it clear to Mr. Timmons how we have experienced contractors here who would do the job for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, someone at their corporate headquarters decided to bring in their own people to do the job."

Andrew paused a moment, noticing the look of disappointment appeared on Silas' face before continuing, "This plant is going to make the newest design of energy-efficient windows. It's quite exciting they chose our town to build this new model. I had to make several concessions to convince them to come here, but I believe it will all pay off in the long-run."

"Well, that all sounds good, but what do you want from me?" Silas leaned back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest. It always made him uneasy whenever a politician used terms such as making concessions. As far as Silas knew, it usually meant the other side ended up with the better deal.

Andrew leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk. He paused a moment, trying to decide how best to say his next statement. "Silas, I have the utmost respect for you, and I know the men here in town listen to you."

"Okay." Silas did not like the direction of this conversation. Over the years, he had discovered anytime someone begins a conversation with telling you how much respect they have for you, it typically does not end well.

"I need you to talk to the local contractors and smooth any ruffled feathers there will be when they hear the news of the company bringing in their guys." Andrew held Silas' gaze, trying to gauge his response.

"Okay, so, let me get this straight. You want me to tell OUR friends, not to be upset after that company screwed them out of making money by bringing in their own people to do the work. Do I understand you correctly? Is that what you want me to do?" Silas' eyes narrowed as he glared at Andrew.

"I wouldn't exactly put it that way." Andrew shifted in his high-back leather chair, realizing how cruel his request sounded.

"Fine, I'll do your dirty work, but I can't promise they won't march right in here and give you a piece of their minds, Mr. Mayor," Silas said with a menacing grin.

"Andrew, you know how rough it has been for everyone in this town to make ends meet. For the past few weeks, I've watched the mood of the residents change since receiving the news of the plant reopening. Everyone seems to have a renewed sense of optimism I haven't seen in years."

Many of the residents had struggled after both the window factory and lumber mill went out of business. To have families forced to move away over the years had steadily sucked the life out of the town. For this reason, when this opportunity arose, it was as though the dark cloud hovering over Sandley had finally lifted.

"Andrew, for the first time in years, people are excited about the future of this town. Hell, several have even decided to hold off on moving out of town with the chance of getting one of those jobs. This is not a good way for the new owners to begin their relationship with the people of this town. Hell, what other surprises will they have for us?"

Andrew understood Silas' concerns, and honestly, he had a few of his own. However, he knew this could be the beginning of something big, so he wanted to be sure everything went along smoothly.

"Silas, can I depend on you to handle anything that may come up? Can I count on you to smooth things over with the local contractors?"

Silas shook his head, clearly showing his discomfort with the request.

"Yeah, I'll be the bearer of bad news. I only hope they don't want to kill the messenger," he laughed nervously.

"Thank you, Silas. I knew I could count on you." Andrew forced a smile, hoping it would put Silas at ease.

"Well, if there isn't anything else you need of me, I'll go drive the dagger through some hearts now. I might as well get this over with, so they'll have some time to cool off before they see those other men showing up in town. Good day, Mr. Mayor," Silas said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Thank you again," Andrew grinned nervously, as he watched Silas leave the room.

***

Maggie looked up from her work, surprised to see Silas leaving so soon.

"That was a quick meeting," she said with a curious expression on her face.

"Yeah, it doesn't take long to dispatch the assassin," Silas groaned sarcastically.

"What... an assassin?" Maggie was not sure what he meant, and, to be honest, she did not want to know.

"Oh nothing, I'm just upset. I'll talk to you later. Hey, tell Mike hello for me, okay?"

"I will, and tell Miss Jen hello for me."

Maggie wondered what could have him so upset. _What did you_ do, _this time, Andrew?_

"Goodbye, Maggie."

"Goodbye, Silas." Maggie nervously watched Silas step out into the hallway and then close the door behind him.

***

"That didn't take long." Jen watched an apparently upset Silas walk in the back door.

He did not respond as he walked past her and went straight to the refrigerator.

"What happened?" She knew he hated meetings with the Mayor, but she had not seen him this upset since the downsizing at the Police Department all those years ago.

Silas pulled the pitcher of sweet tea out of the refrigerator and poured himself a glass. After a long swallow, he refilled the glass and then sat at the table.

"Do you want to know something? I really hate politicians."

Jen fought the urge to laugh at the look of frustration on his face, knowing it would only upset him more. "What did Andrew do this time?"

"He wants me to talk to the local contractors and smooth over the fact that the plant owners are bringing in their people to do the renovation work."

Silas' shoulders slumped at the realization of how they would react to the devastating news.

"Oh, no, that's horrible! I know how much they were counting on that work."

Jen placed her hands on his shoulders. "I don't understand why he wants you to talk to them. Why doesn't he hold a town meeting and make the announcement himself?"

However, no sooner had the words left her mouth than she knew the truth.

"It's because he's a damn coward, that's why? He came up with some bullshit excuse of how they listen to me, but I know why. He's just worried they'll drag his lying, sorry ass outside and kick it all over the town!"

Silas closed his eyes to the vision of Andrew having his pompous butt kicked by several of the local men. Of course, this brought a smile to his lips.

"You know something, Jen? I'd pay to see that." He then laughed aloud at the surprised look on her face.

"Silas, you're terrible!" Jen giggled playfully, but she understood his anger at Andrew for putting this on his shoulders.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't want me any other way."

Silas grabbed her hands from his shoulders and pulled her arms down around him, holding her tightly.

Jen nuzzled her face into his neck and whispered playfully in his ear, "I seem to remember a date we had for lunch today. Are you still interested in a little appetizer?"

Silas pulled Jen down on his lap. "I sure am. I could use something sweet after that meeting."

They shared a passionate kiss, and then he lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

### Chapter 4

The bright neon light flickered above the door inside the small smoke-filled bar. Two-Shot Joe's was the local watering hole and a favorite place for the men to gather and talk about their day while slamming down a few cold beers.

"Damn it, Silas, you know how much Ed and I were counting on getting in on that project. It figures our cowardly Mayor didn't have the balls to tell us."

Craig Fletcher was the owner of a small construction company in town. His business had built the addition to the school a few years back, as well as kept up with the constant repairs on the City Hall.

"I know you're disappointed, and, to be honest, I am too, but there's nothing we can do about it now. Maybe there will be something out there for you to do." Silas picked up his mug of beer and took a long swallow, trying to shake the anger burning deep inside of him.

Silas hated to have been the one to tell Craig. They had been friends for many years and would often get together for a few beers on Friday after work.

"You may not believe this, but I think Andrew was just as surprised about it. I saw the expression on his face earlier today, and he seemed honestly disappointed."

Craig knew the chance of getting any work was slim if they were bringing in their crew. With the economy and people not having any extra money for new construction or remodeling, Craig had struggled to stay in business.

"Damn, I might need to apply for one of those factory jobs at this rate," Craig groaned as he took another drag on his cigarette.

Silas knew things had been difficult for Craig over the last few years. His wife had been sick recently, so he was sure the medical bills were beginning to pile up as well.

"Things will pick up once the plant is up and running. People will have extra money to spend again, and that should bring some new construction to the town."

Craig put his cigarette out in the ashtray while exhaling the smoke swirling in his lungs.

"You know something, Silas? Shelia and I nearly moved to Dallas a couple of years ago. Her brother owns a large construction company there and is always looking for someone with experience to run a crew. I should have taken him up on the job the last time he offered."

"Dallas? You'd be miserable living there." Silas tried to make light of the comment, but he understood why Craig would consider moving.

"Besides, if you moved, who would take over your part of the deer lease?" Silas teased.

"I'm sure you'd find someone. Besides, my freezer is full, so I don't need any meat for a while."

Craig had always loved hunting. What all one would have to do is mention it, and he was ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Craig glanced over at Silas, "I think Doug might be interested. I overheard him talking to Josh the other day how he wanted to find a deer lease to join."

"Doug's a decent kid, but I'm sure he wouldn't want to hang out with a bunch of old coots like us. Besides, it wouldn't be the same without you."

Silas had always enjoyed his time at the deer lease. They had all been classmates and friends while growing up, so the thought of losing Craig was something he did not look forward to experiencing.

"Just admit it. You're worried the kid will make you old guys look bad." Craig gave Silas a side-ways glance then quickly took a swallow of his beer.

"You might be on to something there. I guess I'm worried he'll think it's the perfect time to take a shot at me after one of his weekly ass chewin's." Silas chuckled at the surprised look on Craig's face.

Craig shook his head, visualizing Silas running through the woods with an angry Doug, hot on his heels.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. The last thing the town needs is its police chief chased through the woods by an angry officer."

"See, so that solves it. You can't move to Dallas. Besides, who's gonna make sure the beer stays cold? We'll never survive without you and your unique ice chest?"

Craig looked at Silas and smiled. "I guess I could leave that old ice chest behind with y'all. The damn thing's so worn out I'd hate for anyone other than you guys to see it."

Silas watched as a look of sadness appeared in Craig's eyes. He understood why so many good families had moved away, but the thought of Craig and his family joining them broke his heart. "Maybe something will come up, so you won't have to move. This town has lost too many good folks over the years, and I hate to think of you leaving as well."

"Yeah, Shelia's worried about leaving, as well. She loves it here, but with her health issues, I don't know how much longer we can hang on."

Craig took the final drag on his cigarette, and then put it out in the ashtray. He slowly exhaled as he traced his fingertip along the scratches on the bar top, trying to think of how to say what else was bothering him.

Noticing Craig seemed to have something else on his mind Silas inhaled deeply before asking, "Okay, what else is bothering you? You know there isn't anything you can't say to me."

Craig reached for his beer and took the last swallow then set the empty mug back down. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Shelia has breast cancer," the words escaped his lips in a near whisper.

This news caught Silas entirely by surprise. Everyone knew Shelia had not been well for a couple of months, but he never imagined it could be cancer.

"Craig, I don't know what to say." The words caught in his throat as a vision of Jen appeared in his mind.

Silas would always tease Craig that Shelia must have felt sorry for him because it was the only way he could ever get such a fine woman to marry him. "What's her doctor saying?"

"They believe they caught it early, so she has a good chance of a complete recovery. She has an appointment in Houston next week for some more tests, and to decide when to begin her treatments."

"Do the kids know yet?" Silas knew how difficult this must be for the family.

Craig pulled another cigarette from the pack in his shirt pocket and lit it. He held the cigarette out and watched the smoke swirl from the fiery, red tip.

"You know what doesn't make any sense? I have smoked these damn things for going on twenty years, and she's the one who gets cancer. It doesn't make any sense, does it?"

Craig snickered then took another long drag on the cigarette. "We're planning to tell the kids this weekend. Damn, I don't look forward to it at all."

Craig flicked the cigarette ashes into the ashtray then took another drag.

Silas knew it would be difficult to break the news to their three children. Their oldest son, Tadd, was a junior in high school. Next was their daughter, Heather, who was in the eighth grade, and lastly, their youngest daughter, Shelby, who was in the fourth grade.

Shelia was a teacher at the elementary school with Jen. She taught the sixth grade and was popular with all the children at the school.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Silas asked with a heavy heart. He knew what a difficult time this would be for their family.

Craig lifted his head and looked at Silas.

"Maybe I should have you break the news to the kids. You seem to do a good job of telling people bad news," Craig chuckled, but Silas could see the pain and sorrow in his eyes.

"I'm just pullin' your leg, Silas. This is something we must do as a family. I just don't know how Shelby is going to take the news. She's her mama's little girl, and this is going to scare the crap out of her."

Craig felt his heartbreak at how his sweet, little Shelby would react to her mommy being sick. He looked toward the end of the bar then motioned to the bartender, "Hey, Joe, we need a couple of cold ones over here."

"Yeah, and give us some of those peanuts you keep hidden behind the bar, too," Silas added.

***

"Well, there you are; I was wondering when you'd get home."

Jen walked up to Silas and kissed him on the cheek then stepped back, noticing the sadness in his eyes. "How did Craig take the news?"

Silas was not ready to talk about what happened at the bar. "Is dinner ready? I'm hungry and tired. Why don't we talk during dinner?" Silas pulled off his boots and set them by the back door.

"Sure, I was just waiting for you to get home. Why don't you go clean up a bit, and I'll get dinner on the table?"

Noticing Silas' dark mood, Jen worried things had not gone well.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes. Maybe a quick shower will help?"

Silas walked to their bedroom, wondering how things could get any worse. Once there, he undressed and tossed his clothes on the old chair in the corner. He then walked to the master bathroom and turned on the shower.

"Damn, today was a crappy day," he said aloud.

Steam filled the room as Silas stepped into the shower. He stood under the hot water and closed his eyes, hoping it would wash away the dark mood consuming him.

On the one hand, Silas was thrilled the window factory was opening soon with all the jobs it would bring to the town. Then, of course, he was also disappointed they had chosen not to use the local contractors for the renovation work.

As the hot water flowed over his head and down his body, Silas thought back to what Craig had said about Shelia - Cancer. Just the sound of the word filled you with a sense of dread. What would he do if it were Jen? Just the thought of it brought tears to his eyes.

"Damn it, she doesn't deserve to go through something like that," pain and fear filling each word.

"Silas, are you okay?" Jen called out from the bedroom.

"Yeah, I'm all right. I'll be right out." He turned off the water and then reached for a towel. "I'm sorry; I guess the warm water was feeling a little too good."

"No problem, I'll see you in the kitchen." Jen left the room, closing the door behind her.

***

"I'm sorry about taking so long. I was relaxing in the shower and got lost in thought."

Silas sat in his chair and looked at the pot of beans with ham hock, and the plate piled high with cornbread on the table.

"That looks delicious," he smiled while licking his lips.

"Well, I know how it's one of your favorites." Jen filled his bowl with the steaming beans and set it down in front of him.

Silas reached for a piece of cornbread and the butter. "Honey, there ain't much that can beat your beans and cornbread. After the day I had today, it's a welcome treat."

Jen filled her bowl and spread some butter on her cornbread. She could tell by the look on his face he needed to talk, but she also knew to let him do it on his own terms.

Silas ate a couple bites of the cornbread before he finally spoke, "Did you know Shelia has cancer?" Just saying the word caused his heart to ache.

"Did Craig tell you?"

"So, you do know. Why didn't you say anything?" He looked at her and could see the tears filling her eyes.

"I've only known for a couple of weeks, though I've suspected it for a couple of months. She swore me to silence until she was ready for everyone to know. They're going to tell the kids this weekend."

Jen reached up and wiped the tears flowing down her cheeks. "How's Craig holding up?"

Silas put a few drops of Tabasco sauce in his beans and mixed it in with his spoon.

"As well as can be expected, I guess. He's scared, and, to be honest, I don't blame him. He was counting on the renovation project at the window plant to help pay her medical bills."

"Yeah, Shelia said her health insurance through the school isn't going to pay for all of it. She said their money has been tight for quite some time now, and they've even been talking about moving to Dallas. Oh, Silas, I hate to think of losing more of our friends."

Silas put the top back on the bottle of Tabasco and handed it to Jen.

"As do I, maybe once the plant opens, things will get better. This town has hung on by a shoestring for the last few years, so I'm praying this will be a new beginning for everyone."

Jen set the bottle of Tabasco next to the salt and pepper shakers on the Lazy Susan in the center of the table.

Silas looked at Jen and forced a smile. "Why don't we put this subject aside for a while and enjoy this delicious meal."

He then scooped a spoonful of the beans and put them in his mouth, rolling his eyes and grinning with a look of sheer pleasure on his face.

Jen could not help but chuckle, and for a few moments, all the fear and pain they had felt over the sad news was gone.

### Chapter 5

The whole town was abuzz with the arrival of the men working at the window factory. They had brought in a crew of eighteen men and set up travel trailers on the property to house them.

Randall Camery, who owned the local motel, was upset when he learned the men would not be staying with him. Upon hearing the news, he had taken his complaint to the Mayor.

"Damn it, Andrew, how is it legal for them to stay out there? Isn't there anything you can do?"

Andrew understood why Randall was upset, but it was beyond his control.

"I'm sorry, but they aren't breaking any laws. Their travel trailers are self-contained, they have running water, and they brought in a big generator to use until they get the power out there. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."

"That's bullshit. When we had the town meeting, you promised this whole thing would be a benefit to the town. I want to know when it's going to begin helping us. They've brought in their men, so they didn't hire any of the local contractors. Now, they are housing those men, so they aren't staying in my motel. What's next? Are they going to bring in their employees to make the damn windows?"

Andrew did not know what he could say to ease the anger and betrayal Randall felt. He was aware Randall had expected the work crew to stay at his place. Randall was hoping to make some long-overdue improvements to the motel with the extra money.

Andrew did his best to remain calm and in control of the situation. The last thing he wanted was Randall having a complete meltdown.

"Why don't we wait and see what happens? I'm sure there will be more people coming, so they may be staying with you in your motel."

Randall knew there was no sense in protesting. He just had to admit the obvious. The days for his little motel were coming to an end.

"You may be right, Andrew, but I believe in time this town is going to learn this whole thing is nothing but one big lie. I don't think they ever planned to become part of our community."

Realizing there was nothing he could do to change this situation; Randall stood and offered his hand to Andrew. "Take care of yourself, and tell Nancy hello for me."

Andrew took the offered hand and returned Randall's firm handshake.

"I will. Why don't you go home and relax for a bit? Everything will work out for the best. I'm sure of it."

"I sure hope so because I have a feeling we're in for a rude awakening. Oh, well, thank you for your time, Andrew." With that statement, Randall turned and walked out of the office door.

"Goodbye, Mr. Camery; it was nice to see you again," Maggie said as she looked up from the paperwork scattered across her desk.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Anderson; it was nice to see you again, as well."

Randall nodded his farewell while he walked past her desk. "Take care of yourself, and tell your grandmother I said hello."

"I will." Maggie knew Randall had been sweet on her grandmother for years. However, now that her grandfather had passed away, she did not understand why he had never asked her out on a date.

"She speaks of you often, and how much she enjoys visiting with you at the weekly Book Club meeting. Maybe you can take her out for a dinner date sometime? I'm sure she would love to go."

Randall had to admit the suggestion caught him by surprise. While attracted to Ester, he never thought she would return his interest. He looked at Maggie and could see Ester in her eyes, and suddenly he felt uncomfortable.

"I...I guess, I could. Do you really think she would want to go out on a date?" He felt his face flush and realized he must look like a nervous schoolboy.

Maggie grinned at seeing the excited expression on his face. "Of course, she would. She's always talking about you, and how much fun she has with you. I think you should just do it."

"Well, if you think I should." Randall drew in a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled, trying to find the inner strength to accept the challenge.

Maggie held his gaze, fighting her desire to laugh at the terrified look on his face.

"Thank you, Maggie. I must be going, but I promise I will call your grandmother this afternoon."

Randall grabbed the doorknob and stepped out into the hallway with a renewed sense of hope things might be going his way, after all.

Once the door had shut, Maggie grabbed her cell phone and dialed her grandmother.

"Gran, you're not going to believe who I just talked to."

### Chapter 6

The Arrival

The moon peeked from behind the clouds in the night sky, as Silas pulled up to the dirt road leading to the old lumber mill. When he turned on the road, he was surprised to see the glow of light coming from the direction of the mill.

"Well, I'll be damned; Howard and Chuck were right. There is someone out here," Silas mumbled under his breath.

It had been nearly two weeks since the renovation crew had left town, so everyone was waiting for them to begin accepting applications. There was a small staff brought in to prepare for the opening, but no announcement yet of when they would begin hiring.

As Silas reached the end of the road, he noticed a large bus and a big rig parked in the open area next to the old office. He also saw three Suburbans parked there.

"Crap, what's going on here?"

Silas pulled up next to the Suburbans and noticed the US Department of Homeland Security logos on each of them.

He rolled down his window and waited as one of the men standing by the office, approached his car.

"Good evening, what's going on here?" Silas asked.

The man looked at Silas and grinned. "Good evening, Chief Greer. Nothing you need to concern yourself with; everything is under control."

Silas looked at the man and noticed he stood over six feet tall, wore a dark blue, short-sleeved shirt with ICE boldly printed just above the left shirt pocket.

_How does this guy know my_ name? Silas thought as he narrowed his eyes.

Silas nodded toward the group of people standing by the bus. "Who are they, and what are they doing here?"

When the man did not answer right away, Silas suddenly had an uneasy feeling overcome him.

"As I said before, there is nothing here that concerns you or your town. I don't want any trouble; I'm just doing my job," the man forced a smile, but Silas knew this was not going to end well.

"I understand you're doing your job, but I'm responsible for knowing what's going on in this town. Now, who are those people, and why are you here?" Silas began to open the truck door, but the man held out his arm, letting him know to stop.

"Chief, I don't want any trouble with you tonight. I know it's your job to protect the citizens of your town, but you have no jurisdiction here." The man's expression remained hard and emotionless.

The words caught Silas by surprise. "What do you mean, I have no jurisdiction here?"

"This is federal land, and your jurisdiction ends at the highway. Now, please leave and let us continue with our work." The man stood rigidly, his fixed glare letting Silas know not to press the issue any further.

Silas was about to protest when the man interrupted, "Please don't force me to arrest you."

Again, the man surprised Silas with his words. Arrest _me, why would he_ arrest _me, and when did this become federal land?_

Deciding it was best not to press things at this time, Silas started his truck and slowly backed away. He stopped briefly to look at the crowd of people gathered by the bus, realizing it was a mixture of men, women, and children.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" At that moment, Silas understood what was going on, and he knew who he needed to go see.

***

The tires of the truck screeched to a stop, as Silas pulled up in front of Mayor Andrew Sexton's house. He then jumped out of the truck, slamming the door behind him.

The sound of the truck door closing alerted Andrew someone was outside. He had been working on some paperwork at his desk when he heard the pickup truck stop in front of his house.

Andrew stood and walked to the window and was surprised to see Silas rushing up the sidewalk. "What is he doing here this time of night?"

When Silas reached the front door, he began pounding the brass doorknocker. "Open the damn door, Andrew. I know you're still awake!"

"Hold on, I'm coming." Andrew opened the door, but before he could say a word, Silas stepped inside.

"Damn it, Silas, what's going on? Please hold it down, or you'll wake Nancy and the whole neighborhood."

"How could you do it, Andrew? How could you sell us out like that?" Silas shook with rage, and it took every ounce of will he could muster not to grab Andrew by the throat.

Andrew stood dumbfounded, not sure of what to say.

"What's wrong? I've never known you to be speechless," Silas words dripped with sarcasm.

Andrew looked at Silas and tried to understand what had him so upset.

"Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about, Silas. What happened?"

Silas saw the shocked and confused look on Andrew's face and suddenly realized he had no idea what was going on.

"You were bamboozled, my friend. They dangled a dream in front of you, and you danced like a fool; that's what's wrong!"

"Andrew, what's going on here?" A dazed and confused Nancy asked as she stood in the hallway in her robe and slippers.

"Nothing dear, Silas, and I just need to discuss some city matters. Go back to bed." Andrew gave her a reassuring wink, hoping she would understand.

"I'm sorry for waking you, Miss Nancy. I just have something important to speak to Andrew about; that's all."

"Are you sure..." Nancy said, but Andrew interrupted her.

"Nancy, please go back to bed. Everything is fine."

Nancy looked at Silas again and decided it was best to do as told.

"Goodnight, Silas. Please tell Miss Jen hello for me."

"I will, and I'm sorry for waking you. Goodnight."

Silas watched Nancy turn and walk back to their bedroom, then close the door behind her.

Once he knew they were alone, he turned back to face Andrew.

"I'm so sorry about that, Andrew. I should've calmed down some before coming here."

Andrew shook his head, trying to understand why Silas was so upset.

"It's alright, Silas, but I have no idea what you're talking about, I swear. Why don't we sit, drink some coffee, and then you can fill me in on what's going on?"

***

Nearly an hour had passed since Silas arrived at Andrew's house. They had drunk close to two pots of coffee and eaten most of the pound cake Nancy had baked earlier that day.

When Andrew finished the last of his cake, he set his fork aside on the table.

"I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. I negotiated with them in good faith. Damn it, how could this have happened?"

Andrew had seen on the news of how the federal government was bringing groups of illegal aliens to towns across the country. However, he never thought they would do it to his town.

"Shit, Silas, what are we going to do? I believe you're right. I bet they brought them here to work in the factory."

Andrew felt a sickening feeling in his stomach. "How am I going to face the townsfolk? You know they're going to blame me for this."

Silas did not know what to say. He was aware it would be devastating news to all those who were looking forward to the new jobs, and he could not begin to imagine the effect it would have on the community.

"I don't know what to think. We can't afford all those people and their children. We can barely afford ours." Silas rubbed his temples, trying to ease his pounding headache.

"You said there were approximately seventy people, right? How many of those do you think are school-age children?" Andrew held his breath, waiting for the answer.

Silas thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, but it looked like twenty or so."

"Twenty? Crap, the school, can't afford twenty new students at this time."

Andrew poured the last of the coffee into their cups. "Silas, this is bad. This is really bad."

Silas had to agree, but what worried him more, were the reports on the news of the gang members coming across the border as well. It was too dark for him to tell the exact ages of those standing by the bus, so he said a silent prayer none was among the group.

"You know you're going to have to call a town meeting and let everyone know what's going on sooner or later, don't you?" Silas took a sip of his coffee, wondering how the news would go over with those expecting a job at the plant.

Andrew hung his head in shame. "This is my fault. I brought this to our town. I sought them out. I went to that meeting and sold them on how mutually beneficial it would be for them to set up their new operation in our town."

Andrew looked at Silas, hoping for a look of forgiveness that never came. "Silas, I have a confession to make."

Silas steadied himself, unsure if he wanted to hear any more bad news. "Go ahead."

"I knew someone bought the lumber mill. In fact, I've known for several months."

He held Silas' gaze, waiting for the outburst; he was convinced would come.

"Damn it, Andrew! You knew the federal government bought the mill. How could you not tell me?"

"I didn't know it was the Feds, I swear. A man who said he was a representative of the company that bought it came to my office one afternoon to introduce himself. He stated they would be reopening the mill within the year, but he didn't want it announced just yet. I believed him. I thought I would have more exciting news for everyone." Andrew looked away, ashamed of being made a fool.

"You can't put this off, Andrew. You should let everyone know what's going on out there before the word gets out. You know this isn't going to be welcome news at all, right? I know a few people who will be rather upset."

Andrew looked down at the coffee in his cup, not wanting Silas to see the fear and shame in his eyes.

"I know, but I need to get more information about what's going on out there. I'll contact the ICE office first thing in the morning, and try to find out why they brought them here. I'll also contact Mr. Timmons at Top Choice, and see if they, in fact, were brought here to work in the plant. I've spent hours on this project, and I thought it would be a good deal for our town. I swear, Silas, I had no idea about any of this."

Silas believed Andrew was telling him the truth; however, it still did not make him feel any better about it. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it tonight. I need to get home, and you need to get some rest. I'm sure tomorrow is going to be a busy day for both of us."

Silas stood then carried his plate and coffee cup to the sink.

"You didn't need to do that, Silas," Andrew said, as he put the cover on the remainder of the pound cake.

"It's habit. Jen has me trained well," Silas snickered, as he ran some water over the plate and fork, and then rinsed out the cup.

"I'll have to thank her," Andrew teased.

Silas held out his hand to Andrew, "I'm sorry about barging in here earlier and accusing you of selling us all out. I should have known better."

Andrew took the offered hand and returned the handshake. "You have no reason to be sorry. You care about this town, and only want what is best for it. That's why we're so lucky to have you here. Go home before Jen comes over here and gets us both."

Both men laughed, and each felt better knowing they were on the same side of this brewing battle.

"Goodnight, Andrew, and tell Miss Nancy how sorry I am for waking her earlier."

"I will. Goodnight, Silas, I'll call you as soon as I know more tomorrow."

### Chapter 7

The sound of the alarm clock brought Silas out of a restless, deep sleep. He had returned home around 2 o'clock, to find Jen already in bed and sound asleep. Silas rolled over and hit the snooze button, hoping for a few more minutes of sleep.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. Breakfast is on the table." Jen walked over to the bed, pulled the blanket down, and patted him on his bare butt.

"Time to get up and face the day," she said cheerfully.

"I don't want to face the day. I want to stay right here and hide from the world." Silas reached for the blanket, but Jen smacked his hand.

"Oh, no, you don't. I got up early and made you a delicious breakfast, so you are going to get up and enjoy it." She leaned down and kissed him on the side of his head, "Now get out of that bed and join me in the kitchen before your breakfast gets cold."

"Yes, ma'am, I'll be right there." Silas groaned then sat on the edge of the bed, trying to wake up.

"I hope you made an extra special breakfast because I sure could've used some more sleep." Silas stood then yawned and stretched before walking toward the bathroom.

"I did, but you're going to have to come and see for yourself." Jen winked playfully and then left the room, laughing all the way down the hall.

Silas stepped up to the bathroom sink and looked in the mirror. "Damn, everything has gone to shit."

He turned on the water and waited for a moment for it to get warm then splashed his face, hoping it would help clear his mind.

As he stood there, staring blindly into the mirror, Silas thought back to the events of the night before, and he wondered how the townsfolk would take the news.

"Crap, this is not going to end well at all," Silas groaned then reached for the towel to dry his face.

He dreaded going to the office, but he knew there was no avoiding it. "Well, I better get out there before she comes back and chews me out for making her wait."

"Good morning, handsome. Breakfast is ready." Jen placed a platter with French toast on the table next to the plate piled high with crispy bacon.

"This looks delicious, Babe, why the fancy breakfast this morning?" Silas sat in his chair and reached for his cup of coffee.

Jen sat in her chair and handed Silas the syrup. "I figured since you had to work so late last night, you deserved a special treat this morning."

Silas took a sip of his coffee then set the cup back down on the table. "Thank you, I appreciate it. Yesterday was a rough day."

He could sense she wanted to ask him something, but she was not sure how to do it.

"I don't know how much I can talk about at the moment, but I promise you will know everything soon." Silas could see the disappointment on her face, but she nodded her understanding.

"Dang, woman, this looks almost too good to eat," he grinned as he spread some butter on the French toast, and then covered it with thick maple syrup.

Jen could see the conflicted look on his face, but she knew not to push the subject with him. "It may be pretty, but I'm going to eat."

Jen grabbed a slice of bacon and took a big bite. "This is so yummy."

Silas watched Jen as she finished the slice of bacon, and he laughed at the look of sheer pleasure on her face.

"Thank you, Babe," he reached out and took her hand in his.

"Thank you for what?" She saw the sadness in his eyes and wondered what was happening that he could not talk about it now.

"For just being you," he gently squeezed her hand then lifted it to his lips, kissing it tenderly.

"Honey, what's going on? You're acting so strange; you're scaring me."

"I just want you to know how important you are to me. Learning about Shelia has made me realize how precious and fragile life is, that's all." He hated to keep the truth from her, but he did not want to say anything until Andrew had learned more about what they were facing.

Jen looked at him for a moment, not sure if he was being honest with her. "I know; I'm worried about her too. Come on; let's eat. We wouldn't want this delicious meal I prepared to get cold."

"Yes, ma'am," Silas chuckled. "Now, hand that bacon over here."

***

Andrew had arrived at his office, bright and early. He was sitting at his desk, looking up phone numbers online when Maggie poked her head in the door.

"Good morning, Andrew, what are you doing here so early?"

He glanced up from the computer monitor and smiled, "Oh, I just had something that needed to get done first thing this morning, that's all."

"You should have told me. I would have come in early to help you." Maggie knew Andrew was at a loss when it came to working on the computer.

"That's sweet, dear, but this is something I needed to do myself. You can make me some coffee, though. I didn't take the time to make some at home this morning since Nancy was still in bed."

"Sure, I'll do that now. Are you sure there isn't anything else I can help you with?" Maggie noticed a strange look appear on Andrew's face, and she wondered if something terrible had happened.

"No, just the coffee, thank you." Andrew forced a smile, hoping she would stop asking questions. He needed to find out what was going on before the news leaked out to the residents of the town.

Maggie closed the door, leaving Andrew to return to his internet search. He finally found the regional office for ICE, along with a phone number.

"I sure hope I can get some answers." He looked at his wristwatch and realized he still had twenty minutes until 8 o'clock. He decided to use this time to do some additional research, and learn more about the illegal alien problem happening today.

After a few minutes, Maggie opened the door and came in with a cup and a carafe filled with coffee. "Here you go. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No, thanks, this is fine." Andrew minimized the screen on the monitor before he took the cup and carafe and set them on his desk.

"Thank you again, Maggie." He waved a dismissive hand, letting her know she could return to her work.

Maggie paused a moment, wanting to ask what was bothering him, but she decided against it. "You're welcome; call me if you need anything else."

Andrew did not respond as she left the room. He was aware she sensed something was wrong, but he knew it was not the time to tell her just yet.

"You're just like your grandmother. I never could keep anything from her," Andrew whispered to himself.

"Well, I guess I need to educate myself on this problem before I call them." He looked at his watch and realized he still had fifteen minutes until 8 o'clock. Andrew reopened the browser and began going through the different articles.

***

Silas left the house a little after 7 o'clock. He had planned to go to the office and wait to talk to Andrew, but somehow, he ended up parked on the road leading to the mill.

Silas sat and looked down the road, clearly seeing all the tents set up since the last time he was there. "What plans do you have for all those people? Did you bring them here to work in the plant?"

He knew the truth, but he just could not force himself to admit it.

He had sat there for roughly thirty minutes when one of the Suburbans he had seen from the night before pulled up alongside him.

"Crap, now what?" Silas groaned as he watched the same man from the night before get out of his vehicle and walk toward him.

Silas rolled down his window and waited.

As the man approached Silas' truck, he smiled, "Good morning; is there a problem today?"

Silas knew he was only doing his job, but it still did not change things. "No, just enjoying the nice morning, that's all."

The man's eyes narrowed as he looked intently at Silas. "Chief Greer, what are you really doing here?"

Silas met his gaze, unsure of the direction of this conversation. "Nothing, like I said, I'm just enjoying the morning. You don't have to call me Chief. Please, call me Silas. May I ask your name?"

"Frank Morrison. It's good to see you again, Silas." Frank smiled, hoping to ease the tension between them.

Seeing the expression on Frank's face, Silas realized he meant what he said. "It's nice to see you as well."

"I have some coffee in a thermos, would you like to join me? I think we have a few things we need to clear up off-the-record." Frank waited for a response.

Looking at Frank, unsure of how to respond, Silas finally answered. "Sure, I can use some more coffee."

After he had grabbed his travel cup, Silas stepped out of his truck and followed Frank over to the suburban.

"I hope you like it black? I don't have any sugar or creamer." Frank motioned to let Silas know to get in on the passenger side before he got into the driver's seat.

"Is there any other way to drink coffee?" Silas chuckled as he opened the door and climbed inside.

"No, there isn't." Frank reached for the thermos lying on the seat between them, unscrewed the lid, and offered some to Silas.

"Thank you." Silas held his cup in place, as Frank filled it with the hot coffee.

Once Frank had filled both of their cups, each man sat in silence for a few awkward moments trying to decide how best to begin the conversation.

Silas was about to speak when Frank spoke up. "I know you're upset about what is happening out here, and honestly, I don't blame you."

Silas looked at Frank, trying to see if he was being honest or just testing him.

Frank took a sip of coffee then continued, "You have no reason to trust me, and I don't blame you. I could get into a lot of trouble for saying this, but I believe what we are being ordered to do is wrong."

Frank looked out of the windshield, as though trying to remove himself from this uncomfortable situation.

Taken by surprise, Silas sat in silence, looking out of the windshield as well. After the confrontation he had with Frank the night before, he never expected to hear those words. "I don't know what to say. How is this happening?"

Frank shook his head, feeling the weight of the entire situation, resting firmly on his shoulders. "You know, I used to be proud of my job. I always felt I was protecting my country and doing my duty. I don't feel that way anymore. This whole thing is a lie. I'm being forced to betray my oath and my country daily."

Frank took another sip of coffee, and then he set the cup on the dash of the suburban.

"I can't begin to tell you the things I've seen since this whole thing began. I go to bed every night ashamed of what I'm doing because some damn bureaucrat doesn't want to follow the rule of law."

Silas could see the agony in Frank's eyes, and he wondered what he would do if put in the same situation.

"How long have you been with ICE?"

Frank exhaled before answering. "Since its beginning in 2003, and before that, I worked for the Immigration Service. It will be a total of eighteen years in July. I'd quit if I weren't so damn close to retirement."

"Damn, I can see why you're so troubled." Silas took another sip of his coffee, trying to decide the best way to ask the question burning in his mind.

Frank could see Silas was struggling with how to ask the question every local law enforcement officer has asked him since this whole thing began. "Go ahead and ask, Silas."

"They were brought here to work at the plant, weren't they?" Silas held his breath, waiting for the answer he prayed would not come.

"I don't know all the details, but your town is a test site of some sort. You need to look into the deal between the Top Choice, and the department that purchased the mill. I'm sure there was a sweet deal made, and money exchanged hands. When I was first put on this detail, I overheard some things I'm sure they didn't want anyone out of the loop to know. Silas, be careful after my men, and I leave, and be sure to keep your eyes open at all times."

Silas felt an uneasy feeling move over him at hearing Frank's warning. "Thank you, Frank; I will."

Neither man spoke as each contemplated what was ahead for them. After a few tense-filled moments, Frank broke the silence. "Well, I need to get back. They'll be wondering where I am. I'm glad we had this time to talk. You seem like an honorable man, Silas. Your town is lucky to have you."

Frank offered his hand, and Silas returned the handshake. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, as well. It's good to know we are on the same side regardless of some damn bureaucrat and their orders."

Silas reached for his cup and then opened the door. "You make a good cup of coffee, Frank. Next time it's on me," Silas grinned and then climbed out of the suburban, closing the door behind him.

"I look forward to it." Frank started the suburban then put it in gear.

"Take care of yourself, Silas," he said as he pulled away and drove toward the mill.

Silas walked back to his truck and climbed inside. He sat for a moment, going over what Frank had said. "So, there was more than likely some sort of backroom deal; interesting, very interesting."

### Chapter 8

Andrew could not believe what the regional ICE office representative had told him about the illegal aliens or undocumented workers as they referred to them. They had made it quite clear; the illegal workers out at the mill had a RIGHT to be there.

Andrew had argued with them, but they had made it clear there was nothing he could do. They had gone on to say if he or anyone else in authority tried to move them out, they would face prosecution.

"Damn, what's happening in this country? I understand if someone wants a better life for themselves and their family, but there is the right way to do it. Breaking the law by sneaking across our border isn't a way to begin your new life in this country," Andrew said aloud.

He was about to make another call when Maggie buzzed him that Silas had arrived. "Good, let him in."

"Come on in, Silas, and have a seat. We have a lot to talk about." Andrew motioned for him to take the seat across from his desk. "Would you like something to drink? Maybe some coffee or coke?"

"I'd love a coke. I've already had plenty of coffee today. If I have anymore, I won't get any sleep tonight."

Andrew buzzed Maggie and asked her to bring each of them a coke. He then turned to face Silas, trying to think of the best way to break the bad news to him.

He was about to speak when Maggie opened the door and walked in with their beverages. "Here you go, gentlemen. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, thank you, Maggie, that's all for now." Andrew looked at her, letting her know he did not want to be disturbed again.

"I'll be at my desk if you need anything." She smiled at both men and then turned and left the room.

Silas twisted the cap off the bottle and took a long swallow. "Damn, that's good. Nothing beats a cold coke."

He twisted the cap back on the bottle and was about to set it on the floor when Andrew held out a coaster. "Here, use this."

Silas took the coaster from Andrew and placed it on the desk, along with the bottle of cola. "Thanks, I didn't want to ruin that fancy desk of yours."

"I appreciate that. I cannot tell you how many times people have set a bottle or cup down on it. Rosie has a fit whenever she sees a new ring on it. After the last time she chewed me out, I brought in this set of coasters the very next day." Andrew rolled his eyes and chuckled at the memory of how Rosie, the woman who cleaned the offices in the City Hall, had scolded him as though he were a small boy.

"Yeah, I learned not to leave any uneaten food in my trashcan," Silas snickered.

Andrew nodded his head in agreement. "I learned not to do that myself a while back."

Both men then looked at each other and laughed, knowing it was best to keep Rosie happy.

Each man took another swallow of their beverage, trying to decide how best to explain what he had learned about the new residents in town. Silas was the first to break the silence.

"I went back out there this morning." He held his breath and waited for a response.

"You did what? Damn it, Silas, did they give you any trouble?" Andrew suddenly felt his stomach tie into knots.

"No, as a matter of fact, I had a nice little talk with the same guy I spoke to last night."

Andrew leaned back in his chair with a suspicious look on his face. "Okay, so what happened?"

Silas had taken another swallow of his coke before he began. "I don't know what made me go back out there this morning. After I had left the house, I was going to come straight here, but I felt compelled to go back out there. I pulled up to the end of the road to the mill and parked, trying to decide what to do next. I had been there for a little while when one of the Suburbans pulled up and the man I spoke to last night got out."

Andrew wanted to speak, but he decided it was best to let Silas continue. "I was ready to catch some grief for being there, but instead, he invited me to join him for a cup of coffee."

Silas reached for his drink and took another swallow before continuing. "He warned me the whole thing was part of some backdoor deal and how those people were brought here to work in the plant."

Silas closed his eyes, trying to control the anger burning inside of him.

Andrew slammed his fist down on his desk. "Damn it, now it all makes sense. I tried to speak with Mr. Timmons this morning, but his secretary said he's out of town for a few days. I bet the bastard will be dodging my phone calls now that his workers are here. I can't believe I bought into the lie!"

Silas understood how Andrew felt. The entire town was thrilled to have the opportunity for new jobs. For this reason, learning a group of people who came illegally into the country would get those coveted jobs, was a difficult pill to swallow.

"Did he tell you anything else?" Andrew leaned forward in his chair, tapping his finger absentmindedly on the desk.

"Not much more. I can tell you he doesn't agree with what's being done." Silas thought back to the look on Frank's face as he sat in the suburban, sharing the story of what he found himself forced to do.

Andrew rubbed his hand over his balding head, with frustration clearly showing on his face. "I wish I knew who negotiated that deal. I'm sure some politician has worked a sweet deal for himself."

Silas nodded in agreement. He knew how things worked in politics, and it made him sick. However, it now affected the town he loved and its citizens.

"I understand why you're upset, and I'm right there with you, Andrew. However, we have some important decisions to make shortly."

Andrew glared at Silas and shook his head. "I know; I just hate the idea of having to tell everyone. Damn it, how did this happen? Whatever happened to the rule of law?"

Silas had to agree. Just the thought of knowing all those people were in the country illegally and how his own government had tied his hands made his blood boil.

Andrew stood and walked over to the window and looked outside. The town was alive, as the people went about their daily activities. "I don't know if we can survive this as a community, Silas. This could be the final death nail for Sandley."

Andrew turned around to look at Silas, praying for an answer to this problem.

"I've wondered that myself," Silas said flatly.

Andrew turned back to look out of the window. "How do I tell them? How do I tell the honest and hard-working citizens of this town the federal government chose those people over them?"

Silas did not have an answer. He knew the residents of Sandley would be angry and blame Andrew. "You're just going to have to be honest with them. Call a town meeting and tell them the truth. I know it's going to be an ugly scene, but they deserve to know the truth."

Andrew's shoulders slumped, and he appeared to have aged ten years. "I know; you're right. I'll call an emergency meeting for this evening."

"You're doing the right thing, Andrew. We need to show the people of the town we are still here for them and will do everything we can to see this doesn't cause any unnecessary problems." Silas stood and walked over to the window and looked outside.

Andrew stepped away from the window and offered Silas, his hand. "I'm glad we've discussed this, and I'm also happy to have you on my side."

"Andrew, I'm on the side of the townsfolk. They depend on us to do what is in the best interest of the town and make sure this is a safe place to live. I don't know how we're going to handle what is being forced on us, but damn it, we're going to do everything we can." Silas took Andrew's outstretched hand and shook it vigorously.

"Thank you, Silas. Well, I guess I better get a hold of Sam at the radio station and have him make a few announcements, and I'll have Maggie print off some flyers to put out around town." Andrew walked over to his desk and sat in the chair. He then reached for the telephone.

Silas silently excused himself and left the office.

"Is everything okay, Silas?" Maggie watched him gently close the door as he left Andrew's office.

"Oh, yeah, everything is going to be fine, Maggie."

Maggie looked at Silas and could see the look of concern on his face. She narrowed her eyes and was about to speak when her telephone rang. She motioned to let Silas know to wait as she answered the call. "Mayor Sexton's office, how may I help you?"

Silas decided to use this opportunity to escape the questions he had no answer for at this time. He smiled and nodded his goodbye, and before Maggie could protest, he left the office and walked outside.

Silas looked around, and could not help but wonder what lay ahead for Sandley and its residents. He had always thought it was a pleasant place to live. However, now he wondered if he would be able to say the same thing, or was it now facing an unwelcome change?

***

The old, red, and white barber pole hung by the door of the barbershop, spinning in circles as it had for the last seventy years. It was a familiar welcome for those needing a haircut, or just to catch up on the latest town gossip. Silas had decided to walk to the barbershop and inform Claude of the town meeting planned for that evening.

Claude had been the local barber for going on forty years, having taken over after his father retired. For this reason, if you wanted any news to get around town in record time, you only needed to tell Claude.

"Good morning, Silas, what are you doing here? You aren't due for a haircut for another week or so." Claude waited for the next customer to sit in the barber chair, and then spread the haircutting cape over him and snapped it behind his neck.

Silas walked over and sat in one of the chairs along the wall. "I'm just here to let you know Andrew has scheduled an emergency town meeting this evening at 7 o'clock at the community center. I need you to help spread the word. Will you help with that?"

Claude looked at Silas, as though there was something he wanted to say, but then he thought better of it. "Sure, I'll help, but..."

"But what, what's on your mind, Claude?" Silas had an idea of what it might be, so he said a silent prayer he was wrong.

"Does it have anything to do with all those people living out at the ol' lumber mill? You know the government brought them all here, don't you?" Claude combed through the man's hair and began to cut when he suddenly stopped and looked at Silas through the reflection in the mirror.

Silas swallowed and thought a moment before responding. "Yes, that's true."

Claude whirled around to face Silas, leaving the man sitting there with a stunned expression on his face. "Damn it, I was hoping that was all some sick joke. What are you going to do about it? How could you let them come to our town? Haven't you watched the news? Silas, this isn't good at all."

"Claude, please tell people about the meeting, and I promise I'll explain everything then. I'm just as concerned as you are about all of this, believe me."

The man sitting in Claude's chair turned to face Silas. Having listened to everything said, he found himself beginning to worry about the direction of this conversation.

"Chief Greer, my name is George Beckham, and I live just west of town. I have two young children who go to school here in town. I'm wondering how the school will handle the children of those people when school starts in a few weeks. We've all watched the news and heard some upsetting stories. I know those people just want a better life, but do my wife and I have anything to be concerned about as far as our children? I heard on the news they don't have to supply any shot records, and many of them are sick."

Silas understood the man's concerns, but he did not have any answers for him. "I'm sorry, George, but I don't know any more than you do at this time. Please help spread the word about the meeting tonight, and maybe by then I'll have some answers for you."

George and Claude exchanged glances with neither of them convinced Silas was being completely honest with them. "I will," the two men said in unison.

"Well, I need to get going. I have a few more stops to make. I'll see you both this evening." Silas decided it was best to make a hasty retreat from the barbershop before either man could respond.

As the door to the barbershop closed behind him, Silas heard a familiar voice from across the parking lot.

"Silas, Silas, I need to talk to you for a moment." Sarah Millington was the principal of the Sandley Elementary School. She was a good woman but loved to talk.

"Hello, Sarah, it's nice to see you."

Sarah was in no mood for pleasantries. "Silas, is it true about those people? How could this happen, and what are you going to do about it?"

"I can't go into it right now, Sarah, but if you come to the community center at 7 o'clock this evening, all will be explained."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Alright, I'll be there, but I want you to know I'm not pleased in the least with this news. We cannot afford a sudden influx of children in the school. Not to mention the fact most of them will probably be far behind the rest of the children in their classes."

"I understand your concerns, and, to be honest, I'm sure it will be an issue that will need addressing." Silas understood her misgivings, and he was sure Jen would be just as upset.

Realizing she was not going to get her questions answered, Sarah decided it was best to leave the subject alone at this time. "Okay, but I want you to know I'm not happy. Is there anything you need me to do before the meeting?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. Please help spread the news of the meeting this evening. We'd like as many of the townsfolk there as possible." Silas knew she would not feel better until she had the whole story, but even he did not have all the facts yet.

With nothing more to say, they both exchanged their goodbyes. Silas decided to head back toward the courthouse, and then he planned to go home and talk to Jen. He was sure she must have heard the news by now since it appeared to be spreading throughout the town like wildfire.

***

"What do you think is going to happen, and why didn't you warn me?" Relieved that Silas had finally come home, Jen was waiting for him at the door.

"We've both watched the evening news and seen all the problems the other towns are having." Before Silas had returned home, Jen had received a call from two other teachers, wanting to know what was going on and why it appeared he was doing nothing about it.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about everything sooner. I just didn't want to say anything until we had more answers. Andrew has called for a town meeting at 7 o'clock, so hopefully, we'll have more answers by then." Silas decided not to tell her about his conversation with Frank earlier in the day, as it would only increase her fears.

"I'm hungry. Is there any more of those beans and cornbread from last night?" Silas hoped a good meal would help him think of what he needed to do next.

Jen looked at him and smiled. "That sounds like a great idea; I'm hungry too."

They both walked to the kitchen when Silas' cell phone began to ring. He looked at the screen and noticed the call was from Andrew. Realizing it could be some additional news, he excused himself to take the call in private.

"Hello, Andrew, is there more news?" He held his breath; waiting for what he prayed was good news.

"Silas, things are getting out of control up here. I've had several upset and extremely vocal people in my office since you left. The news of those people brought to the mill has spread throughout the town." Andrew's voice quivered with a mixture of fear and anger. It appeared this whole situation was steadily growing out of control with each passing minute.

"I'm very aware of the current state of things, Andrew. Sarah Millington broadsided me when I left the barbershop and let me know her thoughts on the subject. Between her and Claude, I've had the privilege of a classic ass-chewin' since I left you. Please tell me you've learned how to get us out of this mess."

The phone was silent for several moments before Andrew finally spoke. "No, I haven't, I'm sorry. It looks as though we have no recourse, Silas. There is nothing we can do according to those I contacted since you left my office."

That was not the news Silas wanted to hear. "Damn it, I was worried about that. Well, I'm at home now, and once I finish my lunch, I'll come back to your office, and we'll get our game plan ready for this evening. I'll be there within the hour."

Andrew released a nervous chuckle while trying to steady his nerves. "That sounds fine. I'm getting hungry myself, but I think I'll have Maggie go pick something up for me and bring it back here. I'm in no mood to face anyone else right now."

"I think it's a good idea. I'll be there as soon as possible." Silas hung up and walked to the kitchen, where Jen was preparing their lunch.

"Is everything alright?" Jen could see the worried expression on his face.

Silas walked over to the table and sat in his chair. "As well as can be expected, I guess. That was Andrew, and things are beginning to heat up in town."

Jen did not know what to say. She knew Silas was upset, but so was she. "So, what's going to happen at this meeting?"

"I have no idea, to be honest with you. Andrew has to convince everyone things will work out for the best, but I don't know what to expect." Silas wondered if he should tell her about his conversation with Frank, but he decided it was probably best to keep that information to himself for the time being.

"I heard they have several children out there. Is that correct?" Jen looked at Silas, hoping she had heard wrong.

He knew she was hoping the news was incorrect, but he could not lie to her. "Yeah, from what I saw, there are a few."

Jen set the pot of beans on the table next to the cornbread. She then sat silently in her chair for several moments before she finally spoke. "I'm scared, Silas. I've heard some real horror stories about the conditions these children came from. I don't believe we're prepared to handle anything they may have brought with them. Our town is hanging by a string as it is. Hell, we can barely afford the children we have enrolled now, let alone several more with special needs."

Silas reached for the soup ladle and scooped up some of the beans then poured them into his bowl. "I'm worried about that too. I wish I knew how we're supposed to handle any problems they may have brought with them. To be honest, nothing could've prepared us for this surprise."

Jen took the ladle from Silas and filled her bowl. She picked up her spoon, but could not bring herself to eat. "Why didn't the federal government let us know they were bringing them here? How is it fair to just drop them here without alerting us first?"

Silas looked at Jen and noticed the tears forming in her eyes. He understood her fear and doubt, and he wished he had a definite answer for her. This entire thing was something he could never have imagined happening in Sandley.

"I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. I never thought we would live in a time where our government would consider people from another country more important than its citizens," he frowned.

Silas took another bite of his beans, as his mind spun wildly. He knew it was his job to uphold the law, but he wondered if his heart would be in it. "I'm aware we have difficult times ahead of us, but I need to focus on protecting the people of Sandley first. I will not sacrifice their safety for anyone, and I don't care who they are or what the Feds say."

Realizing what he had just said, Silas dropped his head, ashamed to look at Jen. "Damn, I can't be that way. No matter what my personal feelings are, I still must do my job."

Jen could see the mixture of emotions on his face. "I don't understand what you mean."

He slowly lifted his head, meeting her gaze. "I'll even have to protect those people, should the need arise."

The words were poison on his tongue, but he knew he had no choice. Silas knew no matter what was ahead for the town of Sandley, he was responsible for protecting everyone, no matter how he felt.

### Chapter 9

The news of the meeting to discuss the unexpected new residents of Sandley had assured angry citizens would fill the community center. Silas stood in the back corner of the room, listening to several men discuss how they would not let a bunch of illegal aliens believe they can sneak into the United States, and then demand to stay. As he watched their tempers rise, he wondered if he would be able to keep things under control once the meeting began.

Andrew was in the backroom, filling in the members of the City Council on everything and having a difficult time keeping tempers under control.

Tim Raines, the owner of the local feed store, slammed his fist down on the table. "What do you mean there's nothing we can do? That's bullshit!"

Andrew looked around the table and noticed everyone nodding their heads in agreement. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. I've been on the phone most of the day trying to get this resolved, and I hate to say, but there is nothing we can do at this time."

Terry Miller, the wife of Dr. James Miller, spoke up, "James and I were discussing this problem just last week. He has a friend who is a doctor working in one of those detention centers where they're bringing those people. He said many are sick, and the government is covering it up so as not to cause a panic. What happens if they brought some horrible sickness here with them? There have been rumors of people coming here with tuberculosis and some strange viruses. How are we supposed to protect ourselves?"

This brought the rest of the council members to their feet, with all of them talking at once.

Andrew could see the meeting was getting out of control and feared this was a sign of what was to come. "Please, sit and control yourselves. We need to remain calm, or we will not be of any help to the townsfolk."

Realizing he was correct, everyone sat in their chairs, all but Richard Hill.

"Andrew, I don't know how we are supposed to calm down when our town is being invaded. I have never been the type to judge someone by the color of their skin, but I cannot condone someone breaking the law and then being rewarded for it. I served our country for twenty years as a United States Marine. I fought in the first Gulf War and did two tours in Afghanistan before I retired. I have always believed we were a country of laws, but somehow things have changed. I will not sit idly by and support something I know is not right."

Andrew waited as Richard took his seat, but when he stood in place, Andrew spoke. "I understand your concerns, and I feel the same way. I just don't know what we can do. The federal government has us over-a-barrel at, this time, so unless we want to bring their mighty arm down upon us, we'll need to play along for a while."

Richard glared at Andrew, as though searching for any hidden deception. Finding none, he begrudgingly took his seat.

Andrew looked at the group gathered around the table and wondered how he was going to get them to remain calm once in front of the townsfolk.

"Okay, it's almost 7 o'clock, so we need to pull ourselves together and let everyone out there know we are going to do everything in our power to protect this town. So, if you have anything else you need to say, say it now."

Each member glanced at the others sitting at the table and decided it was best to remain silent. Besides, no one knew what to offer as a solution to this problem, so each of them made the mutual decision to keep any doubts about themselves.

***

A cold chill seemed to fill the room as Andrew walked to the long table placed at the head of the room, and then took his place in the center chair. A low murmuring filled the room as each council member took their seats, causing them to worry as to what the meeting would accomplish.

Andrew felt burning anger radiating from each person gathered in the room, and he wondered how he would ever find the words to explain what had happened.

After several tense moments, Andrew reached for the small gavel on the table in front of him and pounded it on the sound block. "Please, we need to begin. We have a lot of things to cover."

An angry voice sounded from the back of the room. "Andrew, why did you sell us out? You told us we would all have a chance for one of those jobs!"

Another voice piped up, "Yeah, first it was the men brought in to get the plant ready, and now this. What the hell is going on, Andrew?"

Shouts of anger filled the room, as most of the residents released an onslaught of threats and profanity. Silas decided it was time to calm things down before it got out of control, and someone did something foolish.

"Everyone needs to sit and cool down. Let's try to remember we are all friends here." He raised his hands, motioning that everyone needed to sit in their chairs.

As the angry murmuring began to subside, Silas turned to Andrew, "It's all yours now."

Seeing the look of appreciation on Andrew's face, Silas winked and then walked back to the corner.

Andrew looked around the room and felt a tightness growing in his chest. It surprised him how, for the first time, he found it difficult to speak to a crowded room. However, tonight was different. Tonight, he knew he would not have the answers the people of Sandley wanted and needed.

He cleared his throat and took a deep calming breath before he began. "I know everyone is upset and worried about the development at the mill. Last year when I went to meet with Mr. Timmons about building the new window design in Sandley, I never imagined things would turn out this way."

A low murmuring filled the room again, but this time, Andrew pressed onward. "I wish I could tell you about this new development, but I've run into a roadblock. I've called the regional head office for ICE, Austin, our senator, congressional representative, and anyone else I thought might have an answer for us. My calls were met with either polite comments about how there wasn't anything they could do to help me or how I needed to contact someone else."

Chuck Wilson jumped to his feet, not allowing Andrew to continue. "I have lived here in Sandley all of my life. My granddad settled here after WWII, where he married my nana and raised his family on the very land I live on today. I remember when Bill Jenkins came to my granddad and wanted to buy the land to build the lumber mill. It took some talkin', but Granddad finally agreed to sell Bill the thirty acres he said he needed. It wasn't until three years later granddad learned ol' Bill sold ten acres to that window company for a hefty sum."

Andrew interrupted Chuck, "We've all heard the story of how Bill Jenkins screwed your grandfather. What does that have to do with anything today?"

Chuck bristled at the snickers filling the room. As far as he believed, his family had helped build this town, so he did not appreciate someone making him appear a fool. "I don't want their kind living next to me. That's what's wrong. They snuck across the border, and now they are getting OUR jobs. Do y'all know they put up tents for those people to live in?"

A collective gasp filled the room.

"I even caught a couple of them bathing in Turkey Creek. Now tell me how damn sanitary is that?" Chuck pointed an accusing finger at Andrew.

The room erupted with calls for action and demands for answers.

Realizing things were elevated to a dangerous point, Silas stepped forward and held up his arms. "Quiet, we need to remain calm and come to a rational decision about what we need to do. We are facing something none of us has ever experienced before, so we need to stick together for the good of our town."

Silas glanced at Andrew, who appeared flustered. He gave Andrew a reassuring wink before returning to his place against the back wall.

Andrew swallowed and then cleared his throat before resuming. "I understand your concern, Chuck, but those tents are only temporary. I learned today the Feds will be providing them with old FEMA trailers."

A voice shouted from the back of the room, while others chimed in, "What the hell are you saying, Andrew?"

"What I'm saying is those people are here to stay, and it appears there is nothing we can do about it. For some reason, our federal government has decided to set those people up in our town with a job, as well as a home paid for by the American taxpayer. They will be getting the jobs at the plant, and the worst part is we can plan on more of them coming to fill the remainder of the positions shortly. From what I understand, they will deliver the FEMA trailers within three weeks, and their contractors will be preparing the area. They informed me the federal government is managing this, so state and local officials have no jurisdiction."

Silence fell over the room as everyone contemplated what this news meant. Andrew sat with his shoulders slumped, feeling as though the troubles of the world rested on him at seeing the defeated expressions on their faces.

Sarah Millington stood and waited until Andrew noticed her.

"Quiet, please, Mrs. Millington has a question." Andrew was not sure if he wanted to hear from her, as her facial expression was cold and harsh.

She cleared her throat and waited as silence filled the room. "Thank you, Andrew. As we all know, our schools have struggled to offer the children of Sandley a quality education over the years. We have done everything we could to see that our schools have only the best to offer. However, over the past few years, with the reduction in funding, it has become nearly impossible to balance our budget each year."

Several voices chimed in, expressing their concerns.

Sarah squared her shoulders and pressed on. "Now, I've heard there are several children with that group of people. I want to know how we are going to afford all those new students."

"Yeah, we can't pay for all of those new kids." Someone shouted from the last row of seats.

"Even if we could, it still doesn't make it right." Another person shouted from the seats on the right side of the room.

"We should go out there and make them leave!" Someone from the corner of the room by the entry door shouted.

A chorus of angry shouts instantly filled the room. Several men jumped to their feet, shaking their fists toward the table where Andrew and the rest of the City Council members sat stunned by the outburst and concerned for their safety.

At seeing the mood in the room elevated to a dangerous point, Silas stepped forward and held out his arms. "Shut up, and sit down! I cannot believe how y'all are acting. This isn't the time to turn into an angry mob. We need to remain calm and discuss things in a civilized manner."

Realizing Silas was correct, the men took their seats, holding their faces downward in shame.

A few tense moments passed when suddenly from the back of the room, a soft voice broke the silence. Everyone in the room turned toward the voice and was surprised to see Sheila Fletcher standing proud, with a sweet smile on her face as she recited The Lord's Prayer.

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever.

Amen.

Tears flowed down the faces of those who just moments before were full of hate and anger. The mood of the room transformed in an instant, as everyone joined her in reciting those comforting words. To witness a woman standing strong, while facing the severe battle of cancer, had reminded everyone of what was important - Life and Love.

Silas knew the town had difficult times ahead, but he was pleased to see this brief moment of unity.

Once Sheila had finished, she sat in her chair and clutched her hands on her lap.

Andrew stood and wiped a tear from his cheek. "Thank you, Miss Sheila. Thank you for reminding us of what's important. I know everyone is worried, and so am I. We, as a town, must now accept the unacceptable, which our government has forced upon us. I wish I had answers for each and every one of you, but I don't. We're going to have to face this together as a community and pray we survive it. I know there are several of you who want to chase them away from here, but from what I understand, we're stuck with them for the time being."

A man in the back of the room stood and motioned that he wanted to speak, but Andrew ignored him and continued talking.

"So, I want to make it clear you are to leave those people alone. I know a couple of you, and you know who you are, are thinking of heading out there after this meeting. Well, please don't do anything so stupid. The Feds are serious. They will arrest you and put you in prison."

### ***

The room had cleared, with only a few people remaining to help put the chairs away. Jen walked over to Silas, who was talking with Andrew and stood beside him.

"I have to admit I was worried about how people would take the news. For a few moments, I was convinced it was about to break out in a fight," Jen said with a nervous grin.

Andrew looked at Jen and shook his head. "Yeah, I thought we were going to have a knockout fistfight for sure until Sheila..."

The three of them looked at each other and realized what a special moment they all had shared earlier. That simple act had reminded them all of what was important.

Silas broke the silence between them. "She's a brave woman, and I know the Lord has more for her to do before she leaves this life." Silas had always liked Sheila, and his heart ached to know what she was facing in the coming weeks.

Andrew and Jen both nodded in agreement, as each of them said a silent prayer for Sheila's recovery.

"Well, it looks like everything is put away. It's late, and I'm tired. I think I'm going to head for home. Nancy stayed home with a headache, so I need to check on her." Andrew was glad this day was over. In all his time as Mayor of Sandley, he had never felt so inadequate.

Silas looked at Andrew and saw the sadness in his eyes. "You handled yourself well tonight. I don't think anyone here could have done any better."

Jen nodded in agreement and then stepped forward and gave Andrew a reassuring hug. "Everything will work out in the end. We just need to believe it. Please tell Miss Nancy I missed her tonight, and I hope she's feeling better."

"I will, and thank you. I hope you're right. I just wish I understood more about everything that has happened lately." Andrew struggled to smile, but Silas and Jen both knew his heart was not in it.

"Hey, Andrew, do you have a free moment before you leave?" A voice called out from across the room.

Andrew looked at Silas, and Jen then rolled his eyes. "Sure, hold on, I'll be there in a moment."

He held out his hand to Silas, who accepted the handshake. "Thank you for your support in this mess. I don't think I could have handled this alone."

"You're welcome. Don't ever believe you're in this alone. We're a family here in Sandley, and family sticks together through tough times, right?" Silas saw the doubt in Andrew's eyes, but he meant every word.

Jen looked at Andrew and smiled, "He's right. We're all in this together. You are never alone, so stop feeling as though you are. You do understand that, don't you?"

Andrew had always liked Jen, as she always seemed to know how to say the right thing when needed. "Yes, ma'am, I understand. Thank you both for your support. Well, I guess I need to get over there and see what they need. Goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, Andrew," they said in unison.

As Andrew walked away, Silas took Jen by the hand and pulled her close. "Why don't we head on home? Today has been a long day, and I'm exhausted. I'd like to take a long, hot shower, have a piece of that cobbler I saw on the kitchen counter, and snuggle with my sexy lady for a while."

He pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck, causing her to giggle. "Silas, what are people going to think?"

He continued to molest her neck as he playfully whispered in her ear. "They're going to think I'm one lucky man."

"Excuse me. Silas, do you have a free moment?"

Silas looked up to see Howard Broyles, with his wife Marie standing next to him. Both had a smile on their faces, but Marie's cheeks glowed with the softest shade of red.

Silas released his grasp on Jen and cleared his throat. "Yes, what do you need, Howard?"

Marie and Jen's gazes met, and at that moment, both women blushed and snickered softly.

"I want you to know I caught a couple of those people snooping around my barn earlier. I don't want any trouble, but they need to know to stay off my property."

Silas groaned silently, knowing this could erupt into something messy if not handled properly. "I understand, and I'll speak with the Officer in charge out there. I want to thank you for telling me privately about this. We wouldn't want to get everyone else worked up unnecessarily."

"Well, that's what I thought. I was going to bring it up during the meeting, but after Sheila..."

"Yeah, she saved all of us from saying or doing something rash, didn't she?" Silas thought back to her soft voice, floating on the air as she recited the Lord's Prayer.

Howard lowered his head as he reached out and took Marie's hand in his. "She sure did, and she reminded us of what's important. I cannot imagine what Craig must be feeling, and the children; damn it's so unfair."

"We just need to keep them in our prayers," Jen chimed in.

"Yes, we do. I think several of us ladies need to get together and help. Maybe we can bring over meals and help with the household chores during her treatments?" Marie was the President of the Local Women's Relief Organization and had organized the relief programs after Hurricanes Rita and Ike hit the area.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful. I'm sure they will protest, but I'll convince them." Jen knew Craig and Sheila would never ask for help, but she also knew this was not the time to let pride get in the way of receiving some much-needed assistance.

Silas and Howard watched their wives as they made their plans and could not help but smile. The men looked at each other, and both knew at that moment no matter what anyone threw in their direction, the little town of Sandley would survive.

"Come on, sweetheart, it's late. You ladies can finish your plans tomorrow." Howard gently tugged on Marie's arm. He was ready to go home and relax in his comfortable chair while reading the new book he had begun a few days ago.

Silas and Jen said their goodbyes then watched as Howard and Marie walked toward the door.

"You know, I think Howard is right. It's late, and I'd love to go home and forget all of this until tomorrow." Silas reached out and took Jen's hand in his.

"That's an excellent idea. Come on, sweetheart." Jen walked toward the door with Silas close behind.

### Chapter 10

Silas pulled into their driveway when his cell phone began to ring. "Damn it, who would be calling at this time of the night? I'm in no mood for any more crap."

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pressed the answer button. "Silas Greer. Are you sure? Don't do anything. Stay inside, and I'll be right there."

Jen could tell by the look on his face he was not pleased. "Is everything okay? Who was that?"

"It was Paul Jackson. He said he was in his office, counting the receipts for the day when someone tried to break into the back door of the grocery store."

"Oh no, who would do something like that?" Jen could not remember the last time they had someone try to break into one of the businesses in town. The low crime rate was one of the things she loved most about living in Sandley.

"I don't know, but I sure hope it's not who I think is. I'll see you in a bit; I need to go." Silas leaned over and kissed Jen on the cheek and then waited for her to get out of the truck.

"Be careful." Jen could not explain it, but she had the strangest feeling come over her.

"I will. Now, get inside the house and be sure to lock the door. I'll call you as soon as I know something." Silas smiled and gave her a reassuring wink. Once she had closed the truck door, he watched her walk to the front door. Then once she was inside and had closed the door, he put the truck in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

"Okay, let's go see what's going on."

***

Silas pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store and noticed Paul standing just inside the front door. Most of the lights inside the store were dim, except for the one shining down on the entry and Paul. Once Paul realized the truck pulling into the parking lot was Silas, he stepped outside to greet him.

"Thank you for coming so quickly. I think they're still back there." Paul Jackson was a tall, slender man with a balding head and nervous demeanor.

"Okay, I need you to go back inside, lock the door, and stay there until I come for you. Do you understand?" The last thing Silas wanted or needed was Paul getting involved in a scuffle.

"Are you sure? I can help..."

Silas held up his hand, letting Paul know he was serious. "I don't have time to argue. Now, get inside and lock the door."

Realizing there was no sense in arguing, Paul turned and went back inside. He had to admit he was glad Silas did not need him because his heart was pounding in his chest, and sweat dampened his forehead.

"Be careful," Paul whispered to himself.

Silas was thankful it was a full moon that night. He made his way around to the back of the store, doing his best, not to alert any unwelcome visitors. He paused a moment. _What's that?_

Silas reached down and unclipped the safety on his holster, and slowly withdrew his 1911 Colt .45, bracing it with his other hand.

"Police! Police!" The sounds of frantic voices speaking in Spanish from near the back door of the store brought Silas to full alert.

"Freeze! Don't move!" Silas rushed toward the two young men while keeping a keen eye out for any others that might be hiding and waiting to attack. Silas aimed the .45 in their direction, letting them know it was best not to move.

Once they had placed their hands on their heads, Silas slowly walked toward the young men. Without warning, out of the shadows from behind the dumpster, another one jumped Silas, pushing him to the ground.

It had all happened so quickly. Dazed, Silas fought to get to his feet, as the young man jumped to his feet, laughing. He then kicked Silas in the side with such force it knocked the breath out of him, causing him to crumble to the ground.

"Run! Run!" the young man yelled in Spanish to the others.

"Stop..." Silas struggled to get to his feet, then suddenly something hard hit him on the head. The last thing Silas heard, as he slipped into the darkness was laughter fading off into the night.

***

"Nurse, he's waking up!" Jen had been by Silas' bedside the entire night, praying he would wake up and let her know he was okay.

Paul had found Silas unconscious on the ground with a gash on the side of his head and had called for help. After an MRI to make sure there was no bleeding in the brain, the doctor stitched him up and put him in a room for observation. Jen had paced the floor while waiting for the results of the MRI. She had prayed and cried until the doctor informed her it was clear.

Silas did, however, have a couple of cracked ribs from the kicks to his side while he was on the ground, but, all in all, he was in good shape.

"Hi, baby, what's going on?" Silas spoke in a raspy whisper, as he reached up and gently touched the bandage wrap on his head.

Jen reached for his hand and pulled it away from his head. "Don't mess with that now, sweetheart. You got a mighty, hard hit to the head, and you're in the hospital. Do you remember anything that happened?"

Silas closed his eyes, trying to remember, but his memories of the night before seemed lost in a thick fog. He just looked at Jen and slowly moved his head from side-to-side, "No, not really."

Not wanting to press him too much, Jen lifted his hand to her lips and gently kissed it. "Don't worry about that now. You need to feel better first. Why don't you rest for a while? I need to go make a phone call. I'll be right back in a few minutes."

Jen left the room and went out in the hallway. She closed the door to the room before pulling her cell phone out of her jacket pocket. Then she dialed the number and waited. "Come on, answer."

The phone rang several times before it finally went to voice mail. "Andrew, this is Jen. Silas is awake, but he doesn't seem to remember anything. Will you please come to the hospital? We need to talk about something important."

Jen ended the call and tucked the cell phone back into her pocket. She was hoping to speak to Andrew about the attack, but she figured he was busy with other business. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes when she heard someone speaking to her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Greer, I understand he's awake." Jen liked Silas' treating doctor. He seemed to take a sincere interest in his patients and their families.

"Yes, he is Doctor, though he doesn't appear to remember anything from last night."

"That's not at all surprising. He had quite a blow to the head, so it may take some time for him to remember everything. Well, I think I'll go check on him and see for myself how he's doing." The doctor reached for the door handle and pushed the door open.

"Are you coming in?" he asked Jen.

"Not right at this moment. I need a cup of coffee, so I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

Jen turned and walked toward the nurse's station, where they had a coffee pot with freshly brewed coffee.

After filling one of the Styrofoam cups sitting on the table, she began to walk back to Silas' room when she heard a voice from behind her.

"Mrs. Greer, may I ask you a question?"

Jen turned around to see one of the nurses standing there with a concerned look on her face.

"Sure, what can I help you with?"

The nurse was a lovely woman, maybe in her mid-forties, with chocolate brown eyes and a pleasant smile. "Do you know who did this to your husband? Was it some of those people the government moved here?"

Jen did not know how to respond. She had wondered the same thing when she received the call from Paul. He had said when he heard the scuffle outside of the back door, he had opened it in time to see three teenaged boys run down the alley and disappear into the darkness.

"We don't know who did it, and unfortunately, Silas doesn't remember anything yet either." Jen hated to lie to the woman, but she knew it was for the best. Until they knew more, she did not want to cause a panic amongst the townspeople.

The nurse nodded her understanding, but she still felt no better. The news of the new residents had been quite a surprise to the people of Sandley. Most worried about how a small town such as theirs could handle so many new people all at once, let alone any problems they may have brought with them. She had heard reports of sick children and dangerous gang members, and she wondered if there were any among those gathered at the old mill.

"Thank you, Mrs. Greer. I'm so thankful we have a good man like your husband protecting us. I'm also grateful he's going to be alright."

"Thank you for your support of Silas. It's always good to know the people appreciate him for what he does for the town. Well, I need to get back to his room. It was nice talking to you." Jen turned and began walking back toward Silas' room when Andrew charged out of the elevator door.

"Jen, what's wrong. What do you need to talk about?" He rushed toward her breathless, and his face flushed a bright red.

Jen took him by the hand and led him down the hall away from the nurse's station. Once assured they were alone, she turned to Andrew and said in a near whisper, "We have a problem. When Paul found Silas, his gun was nowhere around. Plus, the magazine is missing from his belt. Paul said he searched everywhere but couldn't find either of them. Oh, Andrew, whoever attacked him has his gun and 17 rounds of ammunition."

Andrew stared at Jen, not sure of what she meant.

"His .45 holds 1 round in the chamber, and 8 in the magazine. I know he keeps another magazine on his belt next to his handcuffs. The cuffs were still there, but the extra magazine was missing along with his sidearm." Panic filled Jen at the thought of hoodlums on the streets of Sandley with Silas' gun and plenty of rounds to cause a real problem.

Andrew could not believe what he was hearing. "Jen, what's going on? Things like this just don't happen in Sandley."

Jen felt nauseous, she knew it had to have been someone from the group out at the mill, but how could they prove it? Silas had told her how the ICE officer had made it clear those people were to be left alone, but undoubtedly, this changed things.

Jen and Andrew looked intently at each other with a growing sense of dread consuming them. Neither knew what course of action to take or who, if anyone, to contact with their concerns.

"How's he doing this morning?" Andrew thought it best to change the subject.

Jen could tell Andrew was worried, and honestly, so was she. "He's awake and seems to be doing better."

"That's good to hear. Why don't we go in and check on him?" Andrew then stepped back and allowed Jen to lead the way to the room.

"Oh good, you're still awake. Look who's here to see you." Jen walked over to the bed where Silas was sitting up and sipping on some juice.

Andrew stepped around to the other side of the bed and looked at Silas for a moment before he spoke. "You scared the crap out of all of us. It sure is good to see you awake and enjoying some juice."

Silas did not reply. He merely nodded and continued drinking.

Jen looked at Silas, not sure of what to say. "I'm not surprised you're thirsty."

Silas set the empty glass on his bedside table and rested his head back on the pillow. "I was, besides my mouth tasted like dirt."

Jen reached up and touched his cheek. "Would you like me to get you some more juice?"

Silas looked at Jen and grinned, "Actually, I'm starving. I sure would like something to eat?"

"Of course, I'll be right back." Jen leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, then she walked toward the door.

"Tell them I would love some scrambled eggs if it's possible."

Jen glanced back over her shoulder and winked before she grabbed the door handle and left the room.

Once they were alone, Silas looked up at Andrew and could see the sadness in his eyes. "Don't worry about me, I'm just fine. It will take a lot more than a bump on the head and a couple of cracked ribs to get rid of me."

Andrew pulled the chair sitting in the corner over to the bed and sat on it. He knew he should tell Silas about his missing gun, but he did not want to worry him.

"Well, I always knew you were hard-headed." Andrew forced a smile, but his eyes betrayed him.

Silas could see the concern in Andrew's eyes, and he wished he could say something to make him feel better. He knew everyone wanted to know what had happened, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to remember. He was about to speak when Jen came back to the room.

"I talked to the nurse, and she said she'll have the kitchen send you something to eat."

Jen walked over to the bed and noticed the expression on Andrew's face. "Is there something wrong?"

Silas glanced over to Andrew and then to Jen. "No, Andrew was just saying how lucky I am to be so hard-headed."

Jen looked at Andrew and noticed the surprised look on his face.

"Did you just make that discovery, Andrew? Heck, I've known it for years," Jen laughed when she saw the look of relief appear on Andrew's face.

"Is there somebody hungry in here?" An older woman walked through the door, carrying a tray with a covered plate. I hear you wanted some scrambled eggs."

She walked over to the bedside table and set the tray down in front of Silas. "Enjoy, Mr. Greer."

Silas reached for the lid over the plate and then set it aside. "Thank you, this looks delicious."

"You're very welcome, and I hope you feel better soon. Lunch will be here at noon. Just set your tray on the table by the window, and we'll get it then." The woman smiled and then walked back toward the door.

"Thank you, ma'am," Jen said.

"Anytime, Mrs. Greer." The woman left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Boy, that does look good," Andrew leaned forward, breathing in the aroma of the crispy bacon.

Silas glared at Andrew and narrowed his eyes playfully. "Stay away, this is mine."

Andrew pulled back, laughing at the expression on Silas' face. "I would never dream of taking an injured man's bacon."

"I would hope not," Silas chuckled, then he reached up and touched the side of his head.

"Are you okay?" Jen could see he was experiencing some pain.

"Yeah, I guess I just need to take it easy for a while, but I still plan to finish this delicious meal." He picked up a piece of bacon and took a big bite, grinning and moaning with pleasure.

Jen and Andrew exchanged looks of concern between them. Each aware of how things could have ended much worse for Silas, and saying a silent prayer of thanks.

No one spoke while Silas finished his meal. However, each of them contemplated what to do next. Once he was finished eating, Jen took the tray and set it on the table for the kitchen crew to pick up later.

"You look tired. Why don't Andrew and I get out of here and let you take a nap? I'll come back in a couple of hours, okay?"

Silas wanted to argue, but he had to admit he could use a nap. His head was pounding, and his body ached, so he thought some rest might be a good idea.

"Okay, I am a bit tired. Thank you for dropping by, Andrew. I just wish I had more answers for you."

Andrew stood and pushed the chair back to its place in the corner. "Don't worry about it now. You just need to focus on getting better."

The two men exchanged knowing glances, aware of how things were never going to be the same in Sandley.

Jen leaned down and gave Silas a kiss, then whispered in his ear. "I love you, sweetheart. Get some rest, and I'll see you soon."

Jen then looked at Andrew, "Come on, let's get out of here so he'll get some rest."

Andrew noticed a tear escape Jen's eye, and he felt his own emotions bubbling to the surface. He cleared his throat and then gently patted Silas on the shoulder. "I need to get home. Nancy wants to go pick up a few things for Sheila, so if I keep her waiting for too long, there will be hell to pay."

Jen never did understand why Nancy had never learned how to drive. Jen had asked her once, but she only said there was no need because Andrew was there. "Then you better get going before you get yourself in trouble."

As Jen and Andrew walked toward the door, Jen glanced back over her shoulder and noticed Silas was already asleep.

### Chapter 11

Once out in the hallway, Jen closed the door and turned to Andrew. "Thank you for coming to see Silas. I know he appreciated it."

"I'm glad I did. I know he looks bad, but in my imagination, he was much worse. Jen, this whole thing makes me so angry. Nothing like this has happened here for years. To be honest, I can't remember the last time we had something like this happen. I know this is wrong of me to say, but I'm convinced they were some of that group out at the mill. I know I can't prove it yet, but I'm sure it has to be some of them."

Jen nodded in agreement, but she decided not to tell him her plans to go out to the mill and confront those in charge.

"I hope you're wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me at all. Well, you better get going before Miss Nancy calls to see what is taking you so long." Jen chuckled when she saw the urgent look on Andrew's face after he looked at his wristwatch.

"Crap, I have 10 minutes to get home. I'll check back with Silas later today, goodbye." Andrew turned and rushed toward the elevator. He reached for the call button and prepared to wait, but the doors opened, allowing him to enter.

Jen was glad Andrew had left. She had plans of her own, and she did not need him interfering.

***

Jen pulled to the side of the road and parked by the turn leading to the mill.

She had gone over in her head what she would say, but now was beginning to question her decision to come there. She closed her eyes, resting her head against the headrest, trying to decide what she should do.

The sound of tapping on the window brought Jen out of her musing and face-to-face with Frank. He smiled and then motioned for her to roll down the window.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Greer. What brings you out here today?"

Surprised that he knew who she was, Jen did her best to compose herself. "Ah, I need to speak to whoever is in charge."

"Well, you've found him. My name is Frank; how may I help you?"

Unsure of how to begin, Jen nervously rubbed her hands on the steering wheel. Deciding there was no escape from this uncomfortable situation, she decided it was best just to begin. "Frank, I assume you are the man my husband has spoken to, correct?"

Frank nodded his head but decided to wait for her to continue.

"I'm not sure how to say this," Jen paused a moment, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Mrs. Greer, is there a problem?"

Jen looked at Frank, and suddenly the words exploded from her. "I believe someone from here attacked Silas last night. He's in the hospital, recovering from a blow to his head and some broken ribs."

Frank stared at Jen, unsure of how to respond.

"Did you hear me? I believe someone from here attacked Silas last night. He got called out last night about an attempted break-in at the grocery store. When he came upon them, someone jumped him and knocked him unconscious."

Frank was not surprised at hearing this news. He had been worried about a few of the younger men in the group. He wanted to tell her of his fears, but he knew it was against orders. "Is Silas okay?"

"Yes, thank the Lord, but we have a problem. They took his gun and extra magazine." Just saying those words made Jen's stomach turn. To think of what they could do with a gun made her blood run cold.

This was not something Frank wanted to hear. "Crap, if I remember his gun correctly, it means they would have 17 rounds available to them."

Jen could see the concern on his face as he processed this news. She wanted answers but was beginning to believe she would not be getting any from Frank today.

"You said Silas is in the hospital, right? I need to speak to him before I do anything. Thank you for informing me of this, Mrs. Greer." Without saying another word, Frank stepped away from her car, and hastily walked over to his suburban. Once inside, he pulled out onto the highway and headed toward town.

***

The news of the attack on Silas spread through the town like wildfire. Several of the local men had gathered at the local Diner, discussing what course of action they should take to protect the town.

"You know they have to be from the group out at the lumber mill. We haven't had any problems like that in years," Chuck Wilson said with anger clearly showing on his face.

"We all know they are, but what can we do about it. You heard what Andrew said at the meeting," one of the other men chimed in.

All the men erupted with ideas of how they would handle the situation. The conversation continued to grow in intensity when, suddenly, the door of the Diner opened and in walked Andrew.

Suddenly all eyes in the Diner turned and looked directly in his direction, putting him on high alert. He walked toward the counter and took his place on one of the stools without saying a word.

The quiet hovering over the Diner was unnerving, as tempers churned and continued to build to a dangerous point.

Finally, after several tense moments, Chuck broke the silence. "What are you going to do about it, Andrew? They could have killed Silas. We all know who did it, and you want us to welcome them to our town."

Several of the men chimed in their agreement, all the while, their eyes held fast on Andrew.

The waitress brought Andrew a cup of coffee and sat it on the counter in front of him. He took a sip of the hot liquid before turning to face the group of angry men.

"I know everyone is upset and worried. I feel the same way, but until we have proof as to who attacked Silas, we need to remain calm."

"That's bullshit! We know who did it, Andrew!" One of the men in the group shouted out.

"We sure do, so what are you going to do about it?" Another one added.

Andrew sensed their emotions growing to a dangerous point, and honestly, he felt the same way. From the day he learned of their arrival, he knew it was going to be nothing but trouble for the town.

Taking a moment to look at the men, Andrew saw the betrayal in their eyes. In all his years living in Sandley, he had never seen such hopelessness in the eyes of its residents. Not even when the window factory and lumber mill had closed.

He was about to speak when a short but stout Latino man, a woman, and two young children walked through the door of the Diner. The angry glares that just moments before had burned into Andrew now turned to face the new, unexpected customers.

The glares, dripping with hate and mistrust once on focused on Andrew, now shifted to the unwelcome family. No one said a word as the man escorted his family to one of the tables in the rear of the Diner. It was as though time stood still, and they all found themselves trapped in a single moment, unable to escape.

Seeing the potential of this ending poorly, Andrew decided to break the silence. He waited for the family to take their seats before he approached them.

"Good afternoon, my name is Mayor Sexton. I'd like to welcome you and your family to Sandley."

The man looked at Andrew with a mixture of confusion and mistrust in his eyes, unsure of what to do. After a few tense moments, he finally relented and accepted Andrew's outstretched hand, never once breaking eye contact as they shook hands.

"Do you understand English?" Andrew forced a smile and prayed the man understood him.

At seeing the agonized expression on Andrew's face, the man nodded his head. "Si, a little," the man forced a smile, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions.

Andrew was about to speak again when the waitress walked over to the table with four glasses of water and two menus. She set the glasses on the table in front of each person and then handed a menu to the man and woman.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to get your order." The waitress turned then walked back toward the kitchen, wanting to escape the uncomfortable situation.

Andrew watched her walk away. He then he returned his attention to the family. He was about to speak again, when the oldest child cried out in Spanish, "Mama, I want French fries, please!"

"Shhh, be quiet; your father is speaking," the woman whispered in Spanish to the child, letting him know not to interrupt again.

Andrew looked at the young boy, who sat back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest. He then glared his mother, who was helping his young sister with a drink of water.

"Please excuse mi Hijo, I mean, my son. He is just excited to be here in Los Estados Unidos." The man glanced over at his son, who was intently watching the waitress as she strolled back toward the table.

"So, have you made up your mind what you want to order," the waitress asked.

"French fries!" the boy shouted out, startling his sister and causing her to cry.

The father quickly turned and gave each child a stern look to let them know they were to stop this nonsense immediately.

"Well, he does, at least, know how to say French fries in English," Andrew chuckled.

The man glanced back at Andrew with a look of relief in his eyes. He was not sure what would happen when he decided to bring his family to eat at the local restaurant. Several others in the group had told him he was a fool, and how the townsfolk would never accept them. "Yes, he does. I believe it is his favorite English words."

Realizing this was not a good time to try to get information, Andrew decided to take his leave. "I'll leave you to your meal. It looks like you have a hungry son there. We'll talk another time."

"Gracias, I mean, thank you."

"Okay, Trisha, they're all yours." Andrew stepped back, allowing the waitress to stand next to the father and then nodded his goodbye.

As he walked back toward the group of men still sitting at the table, Andrew felt a sickening feeling wash over him. _Damn, they're just regular people like any of us._ He understood the desire to find a place for a better life for your family. However, you should not do it by breaking the laws of the country you came to for that better life.

No one said a word as Andrew stepped up to the table. Each man wondered how Andrew could walk over there and act as though nothing was wrong. Everyone knew it was someone from their group who had attacked Silas, and now Andrew was treating them like long-lost family members.

Chuck Wilson was the first to break the silence. "Well, so does this mean we are supposed to welcome them here with open arms? I sure hope not because I don't plan to be so cordial to them. As far as I believe, they are nothing more than trespassers and need to be sent back where they came from."

Several of the other men chimed in with their agreement.

Andrew understood, but he also knew they needed to tread lightly until they knew what legal rights they had before acting.

"Now, Chuck, I don't need you stirring up emotions and causing trouble. I told you what the Feds told me, so the last thing we want or need is for you to start something the rest of us must clean up." Andrew met Chuck's stare, letting him know he was serious.

Chuck looked at the other men, who were now realizing maybe they needed to do as told. None of them wanted to have the United States Government on their backs over a bunch of illegal aliens.

Chuck glared back at Andrew and then folded his hands across his chest. "Fine, but I ain't calling them undocumented workers. In my mind, they're nothing but a bunch of criminals, no matter what age they are."

"That's fair, Chuck. If I have your word, you will leave them alone and not cause any trouble; everything will be okay. Well, I need to get back to the office. I have some phone calls to make and see what steps we need to take next. Good day, gentlemen." Andrew smiled and then turned to walk toward the cash register at the front of the Diner.

"Aren't you going to stay and eat some lunch, Andrew?" Carol, the owner of the Diner, asked.

"No, I need to get back to the office, but why don't you make me a BLT, and I'll have Maggie come and get it for me."

"Okay, I'll have it waiting for her."

Andrew took a ten-dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it to Carol. "Here, and keep the change."

Carol took the bill from him and put it in the register. She then pulled out the change and tucked it into her pocket.

"Thank you, Andrew; I'll make sure the bacon is extra crispy for you," Carol smiled when she saw the look of appreciation on his face.

Andrew paused for a moment and then leaned in over the counter, getting closer to Carol.

"Do me a favor. Keep an eye on those guys, and let me know if they start anything, okay?" He glanced over his shoulder at the group of men still gathered, talking among themselves.

Carol glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "Sure thing, I'll let you know if there's any trouble."

They both shared knowing expressions, then Andrew turned and walked out of the front door.

### Chapter 12

When Frank pulled into the hospital parking lot, his heart was pounding in his chest.

_How could something like this happen? Shit, this is going to make things much more_ difficult _._ The words screamed in his mind with the knowledge of how this was not going to end well. Frank wondered how he was going to handle things, then he said a silent prayer that it was not someone from the group he had brought to town.

After parking, Frank quickly jumped out of the suburban and rushed toward the hospital entrance. His mind was racing with what he would say, but he also worried about how Silas was doing. He had grown fond of Silas after their talk, so the thought of him lying in a hospital bed did not sit well with him.

"May I help you, Sir?" The older woman asked as Frank approached the desk in the main lobby.

"Yes, I need to know what room Chief Greer is in, please."

"He's in Room 317. Take the elevator to the third floor, go down the hall on your right, and it's on the left about five rooms down." The woman looked at Frank, curious as to why he would be coming to see Silas.

"Thank you." Frank wasted no time. He took the elevator then headed down the hall, reading the room numbers until he came to 317. He slowly opened the door and peered inside to see Silas relaxing on the bed, watching something on the television.

"Good afternoon, Silas. Do you mind if I come in? We need to talk."

Silas turned his head, trying to make out who was at the door. Once he realized it was Frank, he said, "Of course, come in."

As Frank walked toward Silas, he noticed the bandage on the side of his head. _Damn, he's lucky they only knocked him_ in _the head._

Once Frank got closer to the bed, he grabbed the chair from the corner and pulled it next to the bed.

"So, what brings you here today, Frank?" Silas had a suspicion, but he wanted to hear it for himself.

Frank, consumed with guilt at seeing Silas lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to wires and tubes with a bandage on his head, suddenly found himself at a loss for words. He looked down at his clenched hands, embarrassed to meet Silas' gaze.

"Are you alright?" Silas saw the conflicted look on Frank's face and wondered how this must be difficult for him.

"I don't blame you," Silas said in a near whisper.

"Um, what? I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said I don't blame you," Silas repeated, but, this time, a bit louder.

"Thank you; however, I must admit I'm not sure if I can forgive myself for what happened to you."

The first night Silas had met Frank, he appeared tall, strong, and self-assured. However, now, he seemed beaten down and questioning everything he had ever believed about himself.

"Frank, you can't feel that way. We both know there are no guarantees in our line of work. Now, pull yourself together, and tell me what brought you here. I'm pretty sure I already know. My wife went out there to talk to you, didn't she?" Silas smiled wryly after seeing the expression on Frank's face.

"Yes, she did, and I must admit she's very persuasive. I hadn't heard of your attack yet, but she informed me it was without a doubt someone from the group I brought here." Frank grinned, remembering the determined and angry expression on Jen's face.

Silas shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, she can be a little firecracker when she wants to be."

A serious mood came over Frank, as he searched for the right words. "Do you believe those who attacked were from the group I brought in?"

Silas knew what Frank wanted to hear, but it would have been a lie. "Yes, I do. They spoke Spanish and had several tattoos on their bodies. None of the young Hispanic men living here have tattoos like that. To be honest, they looked like gang tats."

Those were not the words Frank wanted to hear. He had argued with his superiors about bringing the small group of teen men to Sandley. He knew they were gang members, and would end up being nothing but trouble. "Damn, I sure hate to hear that, Silas. Did you see any of their faces?"

"No, their faces were hidden in the shadows. I was only able to see their tattoos because of the full moon last night." Silas strained his memory for anything else that might help with catching them, but everything else he remembered seemed wrapped in a thick fog.

Frank sat in silence, mulling over how he was going to broach the next subject. He assumed Silas did not know his gun was missing since he had not mentioned it.

Sensing something else was bothering Frank, Silas wondered what else was wrong. He hated to ask, but as Police Chief, he was sure it was something he should know. "Okay, what else is on your mind?"

Frank shook his head, then he lifted his face and looked directly at Silas. "We have much more to worry about, I'm afraid to say."

"Okay, go ahead," Silas responded with apprehension clearly in his voice.

Frank could not think of any other way to say it other than just to blurt it out. "They took your gun and extra magazine."

Silence filled the room as each man contemplated what that statement truly meant. Both knew his weapon in the hands of gangbangers was dangerous. The problem was neither of them knew what to do to retrieve it before someone got hurt or worse.

It was Silas, who finally broke the silence. "Damn, I was worried about that, but when Jen didn't say anything, I figured it was okay."

Frank could see the fear in Silas' eyes. He understood his concern and wondered how they were going to retrieve the gun before it was too late. "I have an idea of who it probably was, but I can guarantee you that they have the gun hidden away from the mill. I don't know what to do about this. I can file a report, but without any evidence, we both know nothing will come of it."

Silas reached up and rubbed the side of his head. "Damn, the little bastards sure did stir up some trouble. I can't imagine how several of the men in town are handling this. Hell, they were mad enough when they lost their chance for a good job, but now this. No, I fear this sleepy little town may begin to heat up."

Frank and Silas shared looks of understanding. They knew how things went whenever men felt threatened, and, to be honest; this was far beyond that. Their government had taken sides against its citizens. Those in the government had forced the people of Sandley's hand, and no one could know how to prepare for what was ahead.

"Frank, will you do me a favor?" Silas glanced out of the window and then exhaled a long, slow breath.

"Sure, anything you need," Frank's voice dripped with compassion.

"Will you please make sure those people stay at the mill for a while? I'm afraid things could get out of control before my other officer returns from Georgia. He's supposed to be flying in later tomorrow, so we're relying on you and the County Sheriff's Department to keep the peace until then.'

Silas chuckled nervously then continued, "Now, I'm not saying those ole boys from the Sheriff's department aren't good at their job, but some of our townsfolk can stir up a shit-storm before you know it."

"Sure, I'll do my best to keep them away from town. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Silas looked up at Frank and grinned, "Yeah, hand me the remote for the television. I can't stand this soap opera crap."

***

Jen had decided to drop by the school and check on a few things before heading back to the hospital. When she pulled into the parking lot, she was surprised to see so many other cars parked there. "Damn, was there a meeting I forgot about?"

Jen quickly got out of her car and walked up to the lobby door. She was about to open the door when Sarah Millington stormed out, nearly knocking Jen to the ground.

"Jen, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Sarah said breathlessly.

"Oh, that's okay. Is something wrong?"

Sarah stood still for a moment, trying to compose herself. She finally looked at Jen with tears forming in her eyes. "We're screwed, Jen. They're bringing in thirty-seven children from Pre-K through High School. We can't afford that large of an influx of children at one time, and the worst part is most of them don't speak any English."

Jen could not believe her ears. "You have to be kidding. We can't handle that many special needs children," she said, as she nervously twisted a loose button on her shirt.

"Oh, and it gets even better. We must now teach our classes in English and Spanish to accommodate them. How do you like that crap?" In all her years of working in education, Sarah had never seen anything as ridiculous as what she was ordered to do at the beginning of the new school year.

Jen shook her head, trying to clear her mind, as she was sure she had heard wrong. "I don't understand how this is even possible. Most of us don't speak Spanish, so how are we supposed to teach in Spanish?"

"Exactly, that's what I said, but they said we had better learn before school starts in a month or find ourselves replaced with those who can." Just saying the words made Sarah nauseous, but she knew there was no way of getting out of it.

_How is this possible?_ Jen said silently as she felt her body grow numb. She reached to steady herself on the wall then closed her eyes for a moment to compose her nerves.

"Are you okay, Jen?" Sarah reached out and took her by the arm, helping to steady her. "Oh, my, I forgot to ask; how is Silas doing? I heard about what happened at the grocery store last night. It's just horrible, I tell you, horrible."

Feeling better, Jen stood straight up again and looked at Sarah, noticing the pained expression on her face. "He's okay. He took a hit to the head, and he has a couple of cracked ribs, but the doctor says he should be able to come home tomorrow."

"Oh, that's wonderful. I'll keep him in my prayers," Sarah smiled, hoping nothing else would happen.

"Thank you, Sarah. It means a lot to us."

Both women stood in awkward silence for a few moments before Sarah finally spoke, "Well, I need to get some paperwork from my car. I guess I'll see you inside."

"Ah, yes..." Jen said absentmindedly as she watched Sarah walk toward her car.

Jen took a deep breath and then reached for the door handle. "Okay, let's see what's going on."

***

The meeting had lasted nearly an hour and had grown quite heated.

"What do you mean if I can't speak Spanish by the time the school year begins, I could lose my job? I have taught at this school for going on seventeen years." Connie Miller was the third-grade teacher and a favorite among the students. The students always said she was one of those teachers who made learning fun and easy.

"This is crazy. We're in Texas, not Mexico. How are the children who already live here supposed to handle a class taught in two languages? It won't be fair to them," chimed in another teacher.

Sarah did not know how she was going to enforce the new rules set out by the federal government. "I don't know what to say. No matter how much I complain, they just don't care."

"I've heard of other school districts being crushed under the new rules. How are we supposed to help these new children learn, and not hamper those already here?" Nancy, the second-grade teacher, asked.

"I wish I could answer all of your questions, but I just can't, I'm sorry. I need all of you to do your best to prepare for the start of the school year in a few weeks and do your best to pick up on the language some. I'll continue to fight against this unfair pressure from the Feds, and hopefully, they will finally realize the error of their ways. I'll be joining with some other educators for a meeting with the Governor next week, so hopefully, he'll be of some help in this matter." Sarah knew it was only wishful thinking on her part, but she had hoped to calm some rather frazzled nerves.

Jen had sat in the rear of the room, listening to all the comments from the other teachers. She knew there was no fighting against the government on this. However, she did hope the Governor would step up and help. Once the group began to leave, Jen decided to go to her classroom and begin preparations for the start of the school year.

### Chapter 13

After Frank had left the hospital, he decided to go have a little talk with the manager of the grocery store about what he may have seen when Silas was attacked.

All eyes turned to watch the tall, dark-haired stranger wearing the uniform shirt with a Department of Homeland Security emblem on the pocket walk into the store. Frank glanced around, hoping to see the manager.

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" A nervous voiced asked from behind Frank.

Frank turned to face the man and noticed the nametag on his shirt: Paul Jackson, Store Manager.

"You are just the man I came to see," Frank smiled while offering his hand.

Paul took the offered hand, exchanging a firm handshake. "Okay, what can I help you with today?"

"I'd like to speak to you about what happened here last night. I'm the Officer in charge out at the mill, and I learned some rather distressing news. May we speak in private?"

"Certainly, why don't we go to my office?" Paul motioned, letting Frank know to follow him. Neither man spoke as they walked through the store as customers watched them intently, wondering what was going on between them.

Once inside his office and the door closed securely behind them, Paul pointed to the chair next to his desk, "Please, take a seat."

Frank smiled then sat in the offered chair.

"So, what may I help you with today, Officer?" Paul asked as he sat in his chair and shoved a stack of papers out of his way, so he could rest his hands on the desk.

Frank looked around the small office and found himself amused at the organized chaos. Invoices covered the desk, as well as sales clippings from the newspaper. There were also several empty soda cans scattered about. On the wall behind the desk was a chart with employee schedules for the week and a calendar with red marks and writing all over it.

Realizing Frank was distracted, Paul cleared his throat and waited.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just looking at your scheduling board," Frank grinned.

Paul turned and looked at the board, then returned his attention to Frank. "Yeah, I need to keep a close eye on the schedules, or I end up short-handed, Officer Morrison."

"I can respect that, but why don't you just call me Frank."

Paul could see the hesitation in Frank's eyes, and, to be honest, he had been dreading this conversation ever since the attack on Silas. "That's fair enough, but only if you call me Paul."

Frank nodded his agreement.

"I know why you're here. You want to know if the men who attacked Silas came from the group out at the mill. Am I correct?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid I already know the answer," Frank said nervously.

"I never did get a good look at them, but they spoke in Spanish. While we have a few Mexican people living in the area, we've never had any problems with them in the past. I'm sorry, but I think you have some bad people in that group of yours." Paul held Frank's gaze, never once blinking.

Frank shook his head, sickened by the thought he had brought that sort of trouble to this peaceful, little town. "I'm pretty sure I know who they are. The only problem is proving it. I'm sure they've hidden anything they took nowhere near the mill. So, the chance of linking them to the attempted break-in is slim unless the Sherriff's department was able to pull some prints."

"I'm sorry I'm not more help. Silas told me to stay inside so I couldn't see anything until I went outside and found him unconscious on the ground. I can't begin to tell you how scared I was. I thought they had..." his voice trailed off.

Frank nodded in agreement, "Yes, he was lucky. Things could have ended much worse than a couple of cracked ribs and a blow to the head."

Paul exhaled as he stared at Frank, trying to decide how to ask the question on everyone's mind. "May I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what do you want to know?" Frank was sure he already knew the question, so he steadied himself.

"Why did they choose Sandley? Why did they deceive us in such a cruel way?"

Frank searched his mind for the answer he had wanted to know himself. After a few tense moments, he looked at Paul and merely shrugged his shoulders.

Not surprised by the response, Paul merely smiled. "I guess it's not meant for people like you or me to understand. You know something, though. I used to believe those in the government worked for us, but no longer. I now see those people we've elected seem to believe we serve them. What happened? When did it all change?"

Frank wished he had an answer, but, to be honest, he had often wondered the same thing. When he had joined law enforcement years ago, he did so with high ideals for the level of professionalism expected of him. However, over the last few years, it had all changed. With the way things were going, he felt more like a prison guard than a public servant. He used to put on his badge every morning with a sense of pride, but now it brought him nothing but a profound sense of shame.

"I often wonder that myself, Paul. I'm sorry about what's happening in your town, and I don't blame you for being upset. I used to stop people from coming across our border, but no longer. Now, it seems we just gather them up and bring them to the facilities, only to have them put on buses or airplanes and sent around the country. None of it makes any sense to me. It's as though our laws and borders mean nothing anymore."

Paul could see the sadness and disappointment in Frank's eyes, and he wondered what it would be like to follow orders that are against everything you once believed. "I can't say this makes me feel any better. May I ask if you have a family of your own?"

Frank closed his eyes with the image of his family flowing into his mind. "Yes, and I worry every day what type of country we're creating for them. I guess I have everything I came for today. I'd like to thank you for your time, Paul." Frank stood and held out his hand to Paul.

"It was my pleasure, Frank," Paul took the offered hand and shook it firmly.

Frank turned and walked toward the door with Paul following behind him. "Thank you again for your time, Paul."

"You're welcome. I hope you find out who attacked Silas."

"I do, too, goodbye."

"Goodbye." Paul closed the door and then returned to his desk to work on some more invoices.

***

Jen arrived at the hospital a little before dinner to find Silas resting. Tip-toeing to the chair sitting beside the bed, Jen waited for him to wake up. She had been there about ten minutes when the woman delivering his dinner came through the door. "Dinner time, I bet you're ready for a good meal."

Silas slowly opened his eyes as she placed the tray on the bedside table.

"It smells good," he grinned playfully as he reached for the bed remote.

"I'll help him with that," Jen said while she reached for the cover over the plate.

Silas was surprised to see Jen. "When did you get back?"

"A few minutes ago, you were resting, so I didn't want to disturb you." She lifted the cover off his plate and set it on the bedside table.

"Oh, that looks delicious," Jen teased.

"It sure does. Hand me a fork," Silas licked his lips.

Jen was glad to see him alert and with an appetite. "Slow down, you don't want a tummy ache from eating too fast."

Silas glanced up at her and winked before shoving another bite of the Salisbury steak in his mouth.

At seeing the look of sheer joy on his face, Jen could not help but laugh. "Maybe I should get their recipe?"

Silas nodded his head then scooped up some mashed potatoes and gravy.

Realizing he did not need any help, Jen sat back in the chair and watched him enjoy his feast.

Once he had finished his meal, Silas pushed the table away and leaned back on the bed.

"That was good. I didn't realize how hungry I was."

Jen picked up the tray and carried it over to the counter by the sink. "You did seem to devour it like a starved animal. Are you feeling better now?"

Silas laid his head back on the pillow and then rubbed his stomach. "Yeah, I do. I just wish my ribs weren't so damn sore. I have to remember not to take any deep breaths."

Jen knew he must be sore, but she was thankful his injuries were not any worse. Just the thought of what could have happened to him made her nauseous.

"I know, babe, but we both know it could have been much worse." Jen could see the concern flash across his face as he realized just how correct she was.

Not wanting to dwell on what could have been, Silas decided to change the subject.

"So, what have you been up to this afternoon? You haven't been stirring up things again, have you?" he asked playfully.

"Now why would you ask such a thing?" Jen teased.

Silas loved the defiant look on her face, but he also knew she had no fear when she felt things needed fixing. "Well..."

Jen leaned back in the chair, contemplating her next step. While she did not want to upset him, she could not bring herself to lie to him either.

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking, she finally swallowed and began. "I decided to go to the school and see what's going on with the new students. I ended up talking with Sarah when I got there, and she's fit-to-be-tied."

Silas was not sure if he wanted to know what had Sarah all worked up, but he knew Jen would explain anyway.

"Silas, it's crazy. They told her all the teachers must learn Spanish, or we can lose their jobs. Can you believe that shit?" Jen's face suddenly took on a vibrant shade of red as anger swirled up from deep inside of her.

Silas was shocked at this development. "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know, but Sarah said she's attending a meeting with the Governor, along with other educators who are facing the same thing. I don't know what we are going to do. How can we teach children who don't speak English, and what is going to happen to the other students? It's wrong, just wrong!" Jen covered her eyes, fighting back the tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"What are the other teachers saying about this?" Silas knew there was no way all the teachers could learn to speak Spanish before the school year began in a few weeks.

"They're just as upset as I am. We aren't set up for something like this. We are a small school district with limited funds, so how are we supposed to provide quality education to all of our students if we have to teach in two languages?"

Silas did not know what to say. He thought back to the news reports of schools trying to prepare themselves for all the children flooding across the border. They were even shocked by allegations of adults posing as children to get a free education. Silas knew this was not going to end well for the people of Sandley and their children.

Jen looked up at Silas with tears in her eyes. "I'm scared. For the first time in my life, I feel as though I'm a second-class citizen in my own country. I never thought my government would force me to do something that was not in the best interest of my community, but it has. It's as though honest, law-abiding citizens must surrender their rights to people who are here illegally. How is that even possible? It's like a slap in the face for doing the right thing for your entire life."

Silas gazed at Jen and shook his head. "I wish I understood it myself. I guess those in charge don't worry about the consequences because they don't have to face it every day. They make their backdoor deals for money and power and to hell with the average American citizen."

Silas felt helpless for the first time in his life, and he did not enjoy that feeling one bit. He had never understood why all the cries of racism for just for pointing out a person was here illegally. None of this made any sense to him. His grandfather and father had both taught him a man must earn respect through his actions. His father taught had him a man must step up and take responsibility for his family and community, not rely on the government.

Silas thought back to how his father would say, "Son, the color of our skin does not make us weak. Hold your head up as a proud black man. Treat others with respect and give them a reason to treat you the same."

Silas never understood why so many in the black community cried racism, yet used it as a weapon themselves. Growing up, a black man in the small town of Sandley had its ups and downs, but through perseverance and respect for oneself, he became a valued and respected citizen of the community.

Jen knew he was right, and she wondered how the town would survive. She was about to speak again when the door opened and in walked the doctor.

"Good evening, Chief Greer, how are you feeling?"

"Much better now that I've had some real food," Silas grinned.

"I must admit it did smell good out in the hall while I was making my rounds."

The doctor walked up to the bed and looked at Silas' head bandage. "Well, I was going over your chart, and it appears you'll be able to go home tomorrow. How does that sound, Mrs. Greer? Are you ready to take him home?"

"Oh, yes, I'm more than ready," Jen said enthusiastically.

"Good. I'll get the paperwork ready for what I need you to do. I don't see any reason he can't be home by noon tomorrow." The doctor reached out and rested his hand on Silas' shoulder. "Mr. Greer, you are a fortunate man to have such a lovely wife to care for you."

"Thank you, doctor. Nothing against the hospitality here, but I'm ready to go home," Silas winked playfully.

"I'm sure you are. Well, I have some more patients to see. Get some rest, and I'll drop by in the morning before you leave."

"Thank you, doctor," Jen said as he walked toward the door.

"You're welcome. I'll see you both in the morning." He walked out of the door, then closed it behind him.

Jen looked at Silas with a big grin on her face. "Now, that's some good news."

"Yes, it is. I wonder how soon I'll be able to return to work."

"Oh, no, you don't. He didn't say anything about returning to work just yet," Jen scolded.

"I know, but..."

"But nothing, Doug will be back this evening, so he can handle anything that comes up until you're able to return to work. You took a nasty blow to the head and cracked a couple of ribs. The last thing you need to think about now is work." Jen leaned down and kissed Silas on the forehead then rested her fingertip on his lips when he began to speak.

"No protests allowed, doctor's orders," Jen smiled.

Silas knew there was no use in arguing with her. She would make sure he rested, and leave any problems for Doug to solve. "Yes, dear; I promise to be good for now."

### Chapter 14

Silas had been home from the hospital for nearly two weeks and was more than ready to return to work. Doug had dropped by the house every day to give him a daily report of the going's on around town, as well as several of the townsfolk dropping by to check on him and to leave him goodies.

"Damn, if I don't get back to work soon, I'm gonna gain a hundred pounds from all these sweets," Silas winked as he shoved another homemade chocolate chip cookie in his mouth.

"Well, I have to say the people in town seem to want to make sure you are well cared for," Jen laughed as she watched him reach for another cookie.

"They sure do. I can't wait to dig into that carrot cake Maribelle brought earlier. I just hope she didn't let Timmy lick the spoon. I've seen her share her food with that darn, old cat." Silas chuckled at the memory of Maribelle sharing a bowl of ice cream with her big, tabby cat.

"I think you've had enough sweets for now." Jen reached for the platter of the cookies when there was a knocking at the front door.

"One moment," Jen called out as she walked toward the door. She peered through the small window and saw Frank standing under the porch light.

"It's Frank," she whispered, then opened the door.

"Good evening, Frank. What brings you here?" Jen opened the screen door and motioned for him to come inside.

Frank smiled and then stepped inside without saying a word. He glanced over at Silas, who was sitting in his recliner.

"I hope you don't mind me dropping by so late; I would've come by sooner, but things have been busy. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling much better. At least, I can breathe without feeling like I'm being kicked by a mule," Silas chuckled.

"I bet. I've broken ribs before, so I know what you mean." Frank thought back to the time he had broken three ribs while chasing a perpetrator during a drug bust.

"Frank, why don't you take a seat on the couch, and I'll get us all something to drink." Jen motioned toward the couch.

"Thank you, that sounds wonderful. I am a bit thirsty." Frank sat on the couch, next to the stack of decorative pillows.

"Honey, why don't you bring us some of that sweet tea you made earlier," Silas asked. "You do drink sweet tea, don't you?"

"Of course, I do. Is there any other way to drink tea?" Frank teased.

"Not in my books," Silas grinned.

Jen left the room, leaving Silas and Frank to sit in awkward silence until she returned a couple of minutes later with three glasses of sweet tea.

"Here you go." She handed a glass to Frank, and then one to Silas. Once the men each had their drinks, Jen sat in the overstuffed chair next to Silas.

It was Silas, who finally broke the silence. "I gather you haven't found who stole my gun."

"No, I'm sorry, but I ran into a dead end. I'm sure you've heard the Sheriff's department wasn't able to pull any good prints from the door of the grocery store." Frank shook his head before he took a sip of the sweet tea. "This is some good tea, Jen."

"Thank you. I make it the way my mother did. She never did like instant tea. She said the only way to make sweet tea was to dissolve the sugar in hot water before adding the tea bags."

Frank took another swallow of the tea. "Well, your mama knew how to make great sweet tea."

Silas waited for them to finish speaking before he finally said, "What are you doing to figure out who they are? We both know they had to be from the group you brought to town."

Frank could see the anger in Silas' eyes, and he thoroughly understood. Over the last two weeks, Frank had watched the younger men, hoping he could catch them trying to sneak out at night. He had put a curfew in effect, but no one seemed to be leaving the camp at night. With the delivery of the FEMA trailers and setting them up, it had been rather hectic around there.

"I know you want me to make an arrest, but whoever assaulted you is playing it smart for the time being." Frank hated it as much as Silas, but he just had to wait for them to slip up and expose themselves.

Silas knew Frank was right, but it still did not make him feel any better. He decided to put it behind him for the time being, and maybe whoever attacked him would get comfortable and eventually make a mistake. "Jen, would you get me and Frank a piece of that carrot cake Maribelle brought over?"

Frank's eyes lit up at the idea of a piece of carrot cake. "I love carrot cake. My wife makes it for me all the time."

Jen looked at the excited expression on both men's faces and laughed. "You two look like a couple of little boys. Hold on, I'll be right back with your cake...boys."

Frank and Silas exchanged glances and smiled, each anticipating the special treat they were about to enjoy.

A couple of minutes later, Jen walked back into the living room carrying two plates with large pieces of carrot cake. She handed one to Frank and then gave Silas the other piece. Each man grinned, as they each took a large bite. Frank moaned his pleasure, as Silas quickly took another bite.

"This is delicious," Frank moaned, as he savored the sweet flavor teasing his taste buds.

"Oh, honey, I hate to say it, but this is better than your mothers." Silas waited for her to protest, but Jen only smiled and nodded her head.

Jen sat back in her chair, watching them enjoy the last bite of their cake.

Once Frank had finished, he sat his empty plate and fork down on the coffee table then leaned back on the couch with a look of pure satisfaction his face. "Thank you, Jen."

"Yes, thank you, honey," Silas chimed in.

Frank looked at Jen, wondering what she thought of the changes the town was facing with the new arrivals. He cleared his throat," Jen, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what do you want to know?" Jen glanced over at Silas then back to Frank, unsure of what he would possibly want to know from her.

"I understand there have been some rather harsh demands made on the teaching staff at the school, regarding the children at the mill. Are you going to be able to meet the new requirements?" Frank hated how this whole thing was turning Sandley upside down. In the time he had been there, he had come to like the town and its residents.

Jen suddenly felt a mixture of anger and sadness overcome her at the thought of what could happen. She glanced over to Silas and saw a look of encouragement in his eyes. She then exhaled a long breath to calm her nerves before answering his question.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen, to be honest with you. Our school district has struggled for years just to make ends meet, so this sudden influx of students is going to be a real burden on us. Not to mention the fact we must now teach our classes in both English and Spanish. I don't even know how that's going to work and not shortchange the students. This whole thing has everyone quite upset and wondering what we can do to stop it."

She glanced at Frank and could see the shame in his eyes, realizing he hated to see things taking the direction they were as well.

Frank lowered his gaze, unable to meet her pain-filled eyes. "I can get into loads of trouble for saying this, but they're shipping in more next week. The worst part is from what I understand this group will have several young children as well as school-aged teenagers. They told me they wanted all of them settled in before the start of the school year."

Jen felt sucker-punched. "You've got to be kidding? We can barely handle the ones already here, let alone several more."

"These school-aged teenagers, are they more like the ones already here? From what I saw, they don't look like the type who would be interested in attending school. They look more like those who run with those gangs from South America," Silas's eyes narrowed at the thought of gang-bangers brought to town.

"I'm afraid you are probably correct, Silas. I've already had some reports that this new group looks to be a rough crowd. I'm sorry; I wish there was something I could do to prevent this." Frank looked at Silas as though he was facing a firing squad and pleading for forgiveness.

Silas knew it was not Frank's fault, but it still did not remove the fact he had brought this plight down upon them. "I know it's not your fault, Frank. I just wish there was something we could do to stop it. I worry about the future of Sandley, and the lifestyle we have all enjoyed over the years. I'm not saying it wasn't rough on the town after the mill and window factory went out of business, but we never had to face the crap we are now."

Frank knew Silas was right. He had spoken with other's working on settling the illegal's in different areas, and each one voiced the same concerns.

Frank looked down at his wristwatch and shook his head in disbelief. "Wow, I can't believe how late it is. I need to get going. I have an early meeting tomorrow, and I'm sure you need your rest. It's good to see you on the mend, and thank you for the delicious piece of cake."

Frank stood and walked over to Silas and offered his hand.

Silas returned the handshake, "You're welcome to drop by for a visit anytime."

"Yes, please come by anytime. As a matter of fact, you should come for dinner some evening," Jen said.

"That would be nice. I sure do miss a good home-cooked meal. I haven't been home for several weeks, and those microwave meals are getting old," Frank chuckled.

"Wonderful. Why don't you come for Sunday dinner? I always make a pot roast, so there is always plenty to eat. We usually eat at around 5 o'clock." Jen laughed when she noticed the smile appear on Frank's face.

"Sunday pot roast sounds perfect. I'll be here a little before 5 o'clock. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"No, just a healthy appetite because she makes enough to feed an army," Silas teased.

"I look forward to it. Well, I need to go. Goodnight, and thank you again for the carrot cake."

Frank walked toward the front door with Jen following close behind.

"Goodnight, Frank. Feel free to drop by anytime," Jen said as she closed the door after Frank had stepped outside.

"I like him," Jen said as she walked to the coffee table and picked up the plate and fork Frank had set there earlier. She then walked over to Silas and got his plate from the end table next to his recliner.

"I do, too," Silas said. "I just wish we would've met under better circumstances."

### Chapter 15

The town was abuzz with the arrival of the additional people at the mill.

"Damn, how many more of them are they going to bring here?" Tim Raines thought aloud while waiting for his turn for a haircut.

"I don't know, but this is bullshit. Those jobs should have gone to the people of this town, not a bunch of law-breakers," Craig Fletcher groaned.

Claude had just finished with the last customer and had turned to Tim when the door opened and in walked Paul Jackson.

"Good afternoon gentlemen, I see we have a gathering of the local men here today," Paul grinned as he took a seat along the wall to wait for his turn.

"I don't know what's so good about it. Didn't you see all those new people they brought to the mill?" Craig mumbled.

Paul knew of the new arrivals, but he also knew nothing would come of worrying about it. "Yes, I did, but we're all aware it's beyond our control. I'm just trying to make the best of the situation; that's all."

"I guess it's easy for you since you don't have any children in school, or a wife that has to teach them. Sheila is just finishing up on her treatments, and now has to figure out how she's going to teach a bunch of kids who can't speak English."

Craig had tried to convince Sheila to postpone her return to teaching, but she said they needed the money, and it brought her so much joy.

"I'm glad all of my children are grown and living elsewhere. I would hate to have them involved in all of this crap," Claude motioned toward Tim, letting him know it was his turn to sit in the barber's chair.

"I hate to bring this up, but haven't they been having problems with the kids being sick? I watched on the news the other night about different diseases they seem to be bringing with them. Doesn't that worry you, Craig?" No sooner had Tim said the words than he wished he could take them back.

Craig glared at Tim with rage burning in his eyes. "Yes, I'm worried. I have thought of packing up and moving to Dallas for weeks now, but Sheila wants to stay. She said the children are happy here, and everything we know is here. I love my wife, but she is just too trusting. I don't trust anything we're being told about those people. I hate to say this, but I worry something bad is going to happen shortly."

The room grew deathly quiet as each man contemplated what the town was facing. However, they each were aware there was nothing they could do to prevent the destruction barreling down upon them.

***

With the arrival of the first day of school, Jen found herself fighting conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she was thrilled to be teaching again, but, on the other, she was terrified of what the new school year would bring.

She was sitting at her desk, going over some last-minute paperwork when the first student arrived.

"Good morning, Mrs. Greer. My name is Joey, and my mommy says you're my teacher," the little brown-eyed boy said cheerfully, as he held onto his mother's hand.

Jen looked at the little boy and smiled, "Why, yes, I am. Welcome to Kindergarten, Joey. Will you please take a seat at the table?"

Joey looked up at his mother, who nodded her approval. He then walked to the long table and took a seat next to the window.

"He's been talking about starting school all last week," Joey's mother laughed.

"Well, I'm sure he'll do great. He seems like a smart little boy," Jen grinned.

"Hi, Joey, we get to be in the same class," an excited young girl said as her mother led her through the door.

Joey looked at the eager girl, smirked and rolled his eyes, but Jen could see the excitement hidden behind the disinterested glare.

"Be nice to her, Joey. She's your friend," Joey's mother said playfully.

The little girl pulled away from her mother's grasp and ran over to the table, then sat next to Joey.

"As you can see, my daughter, Amanda, is excited to be starting school. I hope she won't be too much of a handful for you, Mrs. Greer."

Jen looked at Amanda's mother and could see the love in her eyes for her daughter. "I'm sure she'll be just fine. They are always a bit rambunctious on the first day of school."

"Thank you, Mrs. Greer. She's so excited about starting kindergarten; it's all she's talked about the last month."

Jen was about to respond when several more children and their parents entered the room.

"Good morning, students, take a seat, and we'll begin the day," Jen said as she helped a couple of children put their backpacks on a hook on the wall by the door.

The room was full of excited chatter of the new students and their parents until a group of children followed Principal Millington through the door. Jen turned to see what had caused the sudden silence to overtake the room and was surprised to see what it was.

"Good morning, Jen," Sarah said, trying to conceal her true feelings. "These are more of your new students. I have put name tags on them, as none of them appear to speak any English."

Jen felt a knot suddenly tighten in her stomach when she gazed into the faces of the children she knew would make her life as a teacher more difficult. "Okay, thank you. I'm sure we will get along just fine. I've been working on my Spanish, so hopefully, we won't have any communication problems."

Jen looked at the children and forced a smile; then, in strained Spanish, she said, "Good morning. My name is Mrs. Greer, and I am your teacher. Why don't you come over to this table and sit in one of the chairs?"

Each of the children looked up at her, unsure if they wanted to do as told. Finally, one of the women in the group spoke up, "They are... are... nervous. Ah, this is the first time to go to school." The woman spoke in broken English, but Jen was still able to understand her.

"I understand, and I will do everything I can to make them feel comfortable and welcome." Jen hated how this was forced on the school, but she was a teacher, and it was her duty to teach every child that walked through the door.

The woman looked at Jen and smiled. She then pointed to the table, letting the children know to take a seat.

"I want you to obey the teacher and follow the rules," the woman told the children in Spanish.

The children all looked up at her and nodded their understanding. Once they all settled in their chairs, the woman turned to Jen, "Thank you. We will return later."

Sarah and Jen exchanged worried glances, each unsure of how this was going to work with children in one class but speaking two different languages.

Sarah glanced at the table with the immigrant children and said a silent prayer that everything would go smoothly. She knew the Feds were watching the school to make sure they were treating the new students fairly. The only problem was who was going to make sure the local children did not have their education short-changed because of all the new rules and restrictions?

"Okay, well, let's leave Mrs. Greer to her students," Sarah said to the parents.

However, as Sarah turned to leave the room, it did not escape her attention that the parents of the local children did not seem too thrilled about the small group of students sitting together at the table by the window.

***

Jen breathed a sigh of relief when the lunch bell rang, letting the children know it was time to eat. Teaching with the constant need to repeat everything for the children who did not speak English made for a long morning. Once the children had their lunches and sat at the long table in the cafeteria, Jen joined a couple of the teachers standing in the corner.

"I don't know how I'm expected to teach a class this way," Rebecca, the fifth-grade teacher, groaned.

"I know; it's not fair to the other students. I feel sorry for them, but those students are so far behind the others. I mean, it makes it impossible to teach properly," Sheila shook her head, wondering how anyone was going to make this work for the benefit of all of the children.

"I feel sorry for them too. I'm sure their parents only want what is best for them, but so do the other parents. If we must repeat everything, it's going to make teaching nearly impossible. Children can't stay focused for that long anyway." Jen looked out over the children sitting at the long tables, eating their lunches, and wondered how they could get the education they all deserved.

Once the bell sounded, letting the children know their lunchtime was over, Jen walked over to the table with her students. She was pleased to see most of them had eaten all their lunches and were quietly waiting for her to take them out to recess.

"Okay, everyone needs to take their trays over to the trash cans and throw everything away, and then set the tray on the table." Jen walked toward the cans along the wall with the students following her in a single line. Once the trays were in their place, Jen led the children outside to the playground.

It was no surprise when the children split up into two different groups to play. The children from the mill all gathered in a small group, unsure of what to do while the rest of the children went to the swings and other playground equipment. Jen could see the immigrant children wanted to play, but she could also see the hesitation in their eyes.

Realizing they were not going to play, Jen walked up to the group of children and said in her best Spanish, "Why aren't you playing like the other children?"

The children exchanged nervous glances but did not say a word.

Jen was not sure what she should do. She thought for a moment, then an idea came to her. She walked over to the wire basket sitting by the door and pulled out a ball then walked back over to the children, who were now watching her intently.

"Mrs. Greer," a shy little boy said in broken English, "They no want us here." He then pointed a shaky little finger at the other students playing on the playground equipment.

Jen glanced over at the other children then back to the little boy. "That's not true. Why would you think that?"

"Mi papa... my papa said no one wants us here." His eyes showed a mixture of sadness and confusion.

Jen wanted to tell him it was not true, but he would know she was lying. She thought for a moment, searching for the correct words. "Many people in town are confused and scared, but I'm sure over time everything will be okay. Why don't we play some before recess is over?"

The little boy nodded his head with excitement. Jen told the children to stand in a circle so each could take a turn bouncing the ball across to another child. It took a few tries, but soon the children were laughing and having fun.

### Chapter 16

Silas was relieved when the doctor finally released him to return to duty. Doug had done an excellent job keeping things under control during his recovery, but he was glad to have Silas back in charge.

"Doug, I want to thank you for everything you've done these last couple of weeks. I know it was a huge burden on you, so I want to thank you for stepping up and doing such a good job of keeping things under control." Silas had wondered how things would go with him on the mend, but Doug had handled everything that came up in a professional manner.

"Hey, it was all part of the job, Silas. I do have to admit I'm glad you're back. I don't know how you put up with all the phone calls. Damn, don't people sleep in this town," Doug chuckled.

"Yeah, some of them do like to call at all hours of the night," Silas rolled his eyes and laughed. "I know one thing; it's good the doctor allowed me to come back to work. If I had stayed home any longer, I'd be too fat to fit in my jeans. I've never had so many sweets in my life."

"I heard the ladies in town were keeping you filled up with goodies. Hell, maybe I should get hurt so they'd do that for me," Doug laughed.

Silas leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. "Well, if they ever do, make sure Nancy Sexton brings some of her lemon pound cake. Now that's a treat. In fact, I think there's still some at the house. How about after lunch I bring some in for an afternoon treat?"

Doug's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's a great idea. I look forward to it. Well, I need to go make my rounds. I'll see you later."

"Okay, I have some paperwork to catch up on, and then I have to go meet with the Mayor. I'll see you later." Silas reached for the stack of mail on the corner of his desk and pulled it over in front of him.

"I'll see you later," Doug said as he walked out of the office door.

Silas was about to open the first envelope when the phone rang. "Chief Greer."

"Silas, you need to get here, now!" the excited voice on the other end of the call said.

"Craig, is that you? What's wrong?" Silas suddenly felt his stomach tighten.

"It's Shelby. The ambulance is taking her to the hospital as we speak," Craig's voice quivered with fear.

"Oh, Lord, what happened?" Silas could not believe what he was hearing.

"She woke up this morning and wasn't feeling well. Sheila wanted to stay home with her, but I told her since I wasn't working I would stay with her. Shelby was lying on the couch, watching cartoons when she suddenly cried out she couldn't feel her legs. I'm following the ambulance now, so I was wondering if you would please bring Shelia to the hospital. I didn't want to call her with news such as this."

"Of course, I will. We'll be there as soon as possible." Silas hung up from the call, grabbed his keys, and headed out to his truck. On the drive, over to the school, he wondered what could have happened to cause Shelby not to be able to feel her legs. He then said a prayer that she would be okay.

***

The drive to the hospital seemed to take an eternity. By the time Silas had arrived at the school, the news of Shelby had already made it there. Shelia was waiting outside, and as soon as Silas pulled up to the front entrance, she jumped inside the truck.

"Please hurry. Craig said she appears to be getting worse, and the doctor has no idea what it could be."

Silas pulled up to the hospital emergency room entrance and let Sheila get out, then he drove to the parking lot. Once he had parked the truck, he hurried inside.

"I want to see her," Sheila pleaded, trying to force her way past Craig.

"We need to stay out here until the doctor gets her stable, sweetheart." Craig hated not knowing what was going on, but he also knew the doctor and hospital staff were doing everything they could for Shelby.

"Is there anything I can do?" Silas asked.

"Not right now. I talked to Jen, and she's going to make sure Tadd and Heather get home and stay there until we know more," Craig said as he held a sobbing Sheila in his arms.

"I think we could all use some coffee." Silas hoped finding something to do would distract him from the pain welling up inside of him. He reached out and gently touched Craig on the shoulder and then walked toward the cafeteria.

Silas could not believe what was happening. Just a few short months ago, things seemed to be looking up for everyone in Sandley. However, now it all appeared to be falling apart. First, the jobs promised to the residents were given to illegal aliens. Then he was attacked and had his gun stolen, the school was struggling to survive the influx of new students and their special needs, and now this.

Silas filled three cups with coffee and then walked over to the cash register. He was deep in thought and not paying attention to his surroundings when he said under his breath, "Oh, Lord, what else is going to happen?"

"Excuse me, I didn't hear you," the woman at the register said.

The sound of her voice pulled Silas out of his thoughts. "Oh, nothing; how much do I owe you for these?"

The woman looked at Silas and smiled, "Nothing, there's no charge to you, Chief Greer."

Silas met the woman's gaze and could see the compassion in her eyes. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

Silas picked up the three cups and walked back toward the emergency room where he had left Craig and Sheila.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Silas asked as he handed a cup of coffee to Sheila then to Craig.

"Nothing yet, and I'm beginning to worry." Craig's voice quivered as the vision of Shelby's limp body played out in his mind.

When Craig had rushed to Shelby's side, he noticed she was burning with fever. It surprised him because he had kept her temperature under control the entire morning. Craig had heard of a high fever causing different problems but never of it causing paralysis. He had immediately called an ambulance, but by the time it arrived, Shelby was unconscious and barely breathing.

"I should have stayed home with her," Sheila cried out. "If I would have been home maybe..."

Craig pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he fought to speak. "It's not your fault. Don't ever think this is your fault."

Silas stood in silence and watched two of his best friends in fear for the welfare of their child. He had never felt so helpless. Silas loved Shelby as if she was his daughter, and his heart broke to think of her in such a condition. He was lost in thought until the doctor walked through the double doors and up to them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, you can come in and see her now. I want to warn you she's on a ventilator and hasn't regained consciousness. We will need to run some tests, but we have her resting comfortably for now."

Craig's mind fought to understand. "She's on a ventilator, why?"

"She is having a difficult time breathing on her own. We're not sure why, so we're hoping the tests will shed some light on what's going on with her. You said she woke up this morning with a slight fever and complaining of not feeling well, correct?"

Shelia turned to face the doctor and squared her shoulders, trying to compose herself before she spoke. "Yes, she seemed a bit under the weather last night, but I just figured it was a cold coming on. A couple of children in her class have been sick, so I thought she had caught a cold from them. But this morning, when I went in to wake her up, she had a slight fever and was complaining of not feeling well."

Sheila turned and briefly looked at Craig before she continued, "I was going to stay home with her, but Craig said he would because he wasn't working today. I should have stayed home. Maybe I could have done something..."

The doctor interrupted her, "Mrs. Fletcher, it wouldn't have made any difference if you stayed home. I'm sorry to say, but Shelby is a sick little girl. I assure you, though, I'll do everything I can for her."

Craig and Shelia stared at each other, finding it difficult to stand with the sudden flood of emotions surging through them.

"Come on, you two, follow me; let's go see your lovely little girl."

Craig turned toward Silas. "Thank you for bringing Sheila. Your friendship means the world to us."

Silas fought back the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Of course, I would be here. You're family to Jen and me. Now get going. Shelby needs her mommy and daddy by her side."

Silas stood and watched as Craig and Sheila followed the doctor through the double doors leading back to the treatment rooms. After they had left, Silas said another prayer for Shelby's complete recovery, and that she would go home soon.

***

The sound of the heart monitor beeping with each beat of Shelby's heart reminded Craig and Sheila of how fragile life indeed was. Shelby had remained unconscious since her arrival at the hospital, and with each passing hour, Craig and Sheila worried she might not survive.

"Sweetheart, why don't you get some sleep? I'll stay up with her." Craig could see Sheila was exhausted, and, to be honest, he was worried about her as well. With having completed a round of her chemotherapy a few weeks ago, she was still weak, so he worried she might push herself to the point of exhaustion.

Shelia wanted to protest, but she knew Craig was right. "Okay, but only for a couple of hours. I want you to promise that you'll awaken me should she wake up, alright?"

"I will, I promise." Craig could see the sadness and worry in her eyes, but he knew there was nothing they could do at the time for Shelby other than pray and worry.

Craig walked over to the chair in the corner of the room and opened it, making it into a small bed. He then took one of the crisp white sheets the nurse had brought in earlier and spread it out on the cushions with the extra sheet and blanket. Lastly, he reached for the pillow, fluffed it some, and placed it on the head of the small bed. "Come here, sweetheart, you need your rest," Craig held out his arms for her to come to him.

Sheila felt her heartbreak as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. The sound of his heart beating in his chest was reassuring, and for a moment, she believed all would be good again.

"How could this happen? I don't understand." The pain consumed Sheila as nothing she had felt before. How her sweet, little Shelby could be lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life was beyond her, when she had been laughing and playing just a day before.

Craig wished he had an answer for her, but he was at a loss himself. He pulled Sheila tighter into his arms and kissed her forehead. "I don't know, but we need to have faith in the Lord to care for her. Shelby has a mission to fulfill in this life, and I just can't accept her time has come to an end.

Shelia pulled her head back and looked deeply into Craig's eyes. "You're right; we need to hold on tight to the belief the Lord will watch over her. I love you."

"I love you, too." Craig released her, then he bent down and pulled back the top sheet and blanket.

Sheila got into the small bed and then covered herself. "Craig..."

"Yes."

"If something bad should happen..."

He interrupted her before she could finish. "Don't even think that way. Shelby will be okay. She will come home with us, and she will return to her usual, silly self. Now get some rest."

Sheila was about to protest, but the look in his eyes let her know everything would be okay. She smiled softly, then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

### Chapter 17

Silas walked out to his truck with a heavy heart. To know Shelby was fighting for her life was a feeling he never wanted to experience. Silas climbed into the truck and closed the door behind him, but for some reason, he could not bring himself to start the ignition. A dark and foreboding feeling consumed his soul, and for the first time in his life, he understood the fear a parent had when worrying about a child.

He closed his eyes, and suddenly the laughing and playful image of Shelby appeared in his mind's eye. She had always held a special place in his heart, and he had always imagined she was the daughter he and Jen would have had if things were different.

"Dear Lord, please care for Shelby and help her in this time of need." His heart ached, and tears streamed down his cheeks at the thought of not seeing her bright and cheerful face again.

Brought out of his musings by the sound of someone knocking on the driver's window, Silas turned to see an excited Doug Lloyds standing there.

Silas flipped the key in the ignition and then rolled down the window. "What's going on, Doug?"

"You need to come with me out to Chuck Wilson's place; there's been a shooting!" Doug's eyes were wide with excitement and fear, as he waited for a response from Silas.

"What shooting? Just what the hell happened? Never mind, get in, you can tell me on the drive there." Silas could not believe what he was hearing.

Doug ran around to the passenger side and climbed in, quickly closing the door behind him.

Silas turned on his emergency lights and backed out of the parking space. Once they were out on the highway, Silas turned to Doug, "Okay, what happened?"

"You know how Chuck kept complaining about how someone was killing some of his younger stock and only taking certain parts and leaving the rest to rot? Well, he finally caught who was doing it." Doug braced himself, unsure of how Silas would take the news.

Silas said a silent prayer that it was not who Chuck had accused from the beginning. "Go on..."

Doug swallowed then began, "He said he was out looking for any trace of who might be killing his young steers when Buck took off running toward the creek. He then jumped on that old ATV of his and followed him when he heard a gunshot. The next thing Chuck saw once he topped the hill was Buck lying on the ground next to a young steer. He said that's when he noticed three young men standing by the wild blackberry bushes."

"Crap, please don't tell me they were from the mill," Silas said with a sense of dread.

Doug shook his head. "Yeah, they were."

"Crap, I was afraid of that." Silas had tried to convince Chuck someone else was killing his stock, but he knew it must have been someone from the mill.

"What happened next? Please don't tell me Chuck was the one-shot," Silas inhaled deeply and waited.

"No, once Chuck realized what was going on, he jumped off his ATV and hid behind a tree. He said he called out to the men to surrender, but one of them fired a shot at him. Chuck said the bullet barely missed him, striking the tree. Chuck said he then fired off a shot and saw the man fall to the ground. The other two guys froze in place against the bushes, so Chuck ran down the hill toward them."

"Shit, the damn fool could have gotten himself killed," Silas groaned as he turned the truck onto Chuck's driveway.

As they pulled up to the house, Chuck's wife, Sandy, met them outside. "He's still down by the creek. He told me to take you there."

"Okay, jump in," Silas said as Sandy jumped in the back seat.

No one uttered a word on the drive out to the creek, each wondering what was waiting for them there. As they topped the hill and looked down at the creek bed, Silas felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

Lying on the ground was a partially slaughtered steer and Chuck's dog, Buck. Then only a few feet away, Chuck stood over the body of a young man while guarding two other ashen-faced men. Silas inhaled a deep breath as he drove the truck over to the scene playing out before him.

Neither Doug nor Sandy uttered a word, as Silas turned off the ignition and pulled his sidearm from the glove compartment. He then opened the door and stepped outside.

"It took you long enough to get here," Chuck grumbled. In all the years Silas had known Chuck, he had never seen such an expression on his face. It was a look of pure anger mixed with heartfelt sorrow.

"Well, it seems like you've handled things alright without me." Silas walked past the dead steer and dog, shaking his head in disgust.

"I didn't take care of things fast enough. Look, the bastard killed Buck. At least, Ole Buck got a chunk out of his ass before he died." Chuck may not have been the friendliest of men, but he cared deeply for his dogs, and most especially Buck.

Doug stepped around the truck and stood over Buck's lifeless body. "Damn, that's a shame. He was a good dog."

Silas knew they had some important business to handle, so he turned toward the two frightened young men huddled together against the blackberry bushes. "So, who do we have here?"

"They ain't talking, Silas. I've asked them several times who they were and where they live, but they just look at me like a couple of damn fools," Chuck said sarcastically.

Silas carefully watched the two young men, trying to see if they understood anything said to them or were just faking.

"I told you a while back that it was the people from the mill killing my stock, and look the dead one has what I bet is your gun, Silas." Chuck motioned toward the lifeless body of the young man lying on the ground.

Silas looked at Doug and then walked over to the body. Leaning down, he noticed the barrel of a handgun sticking out from under his outstretched hand. Not wanting to disturb any evidence, Silas leaned in closer and recognized the barrel of his stolen gun.

"Well, I'll be damned. This solves two cases, Doug. It looks like we have those responsible for attempted robbery of the grocery store, assaulting an officer of the law, as well as killing Chuck's cattle. Crap, this won't be good with the Feds involved."

Doug looked down at the body and then back to Silas. He knew what Silas meant by that statement, and he had to agree it was not going to be good for anyone involved. "Do you want me to call the coroner?"

Silas shook his head, knowing what was ahead for the town once word leaked out of the shooting. "Yeah, and put a call into the Sheriff's department and let them know we could use their Investigative Team out here for this one."

Silas walked over to Chuck, who still had his gun firmly aimed at the two scared men. "So, what are we going to do with the two of you?"

The two men exchanged nervous looks but never said a word. "Doug, toss me your handcuffs," Silas shouted.

Once Silas had the handcuffs, he walked over to the men and ordered them to put their arms behind their backs. It amazed him how they understood that, but did not seem to understand anything else he had said. Once, Silas, had both men secured, he led them toward his truck. "Miss Sandy, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to ride back to the house with Chuck. I need to secure these two in the back seat until a car from the Sherriff's department arrives to transport them to the county jail."

Silas waited as Sandy got out of the backseat. She then walked over to Chuck, who was leaning down, looking at Buck.

"You were a good dog. We had a lot of fun, you, and me. You'll be greatly missed." Chuck patted Buck on the head.

Sandy placed her hand on Chuck's shoulder, and then tenderly kissed him on the top of the head. "He was a good dog, and we'll all miss him."

Once Silas had the two prisoners secured in the truck, he walked back over to the dead man. "You're one lucky guy, Chuck. It could've been you lying here."

"You know better than that, Silas. There was no way he could out-shoot me," Chuck snickered. "I bet the rest of them assholes will think twice about stealing from me again."

Doug walked back over to where Silas was standing. "Okay, the coroner and the Sherriff's boys are on the way."

"Good, the more we have involved in this investigation, the better. I'm sure this isn't going to go well for all involved, as it is." Silas looked at Chuck, who grunted his disapproval.

Sandy could see the concern on Silas' face, and suddenly realized what he meant. "Silas, Chuck isn't going to be in any trouble, is he?"

Not wanting to frighten her, Silas did his best to explain what they were facing. "Per Texas law, Chuck did nothing wrong. However, I'm sure the Feds and those in the Media are going to want to make a big deal out of this, but I'm hoping I'm wrong. Chuck has the right under Texas law to protect his property from theft, as well as his right for self-defense. They were on his land, stealing his property, and they attacked him with a firearm. In an ordinary case, there would be no question. I just don't know with the Feds involved what they could push for in a case such as this one."

Sandy did not like what she was hearing. She looked at Silas, trying to read his emotions; however, what she saw in his eyes made her blood run cold. Her heart caught in her throat, and her body grew numb as the weight of his words sunk into her mind. "Chuck, I'm worried."

Chuck stood and clutched Sandy in his arms. "Don't worry, babe. I didn't break any laws, so everything will be just fine."

As Sandy surrendered to his embrace, Chuck glanced over at Silas with a look of doubt in his eyes.

"Sweetheart, why don't you take the ATV back to the house? I'm sure this is going to take a while, and there's no sense in you hanging around." Chuck gently kissed her on the forehead.

Sandy glanced over at the body of the young man and sighed, "I agree, it's for the best. I'm not needed here anyway."

Sandy turned and walked to the ATV, with an unmistakable look of despair on her face. She climbed on the ATV, glanced once more at the body of Buck, and then the young man. Her heart was heavy with worry at what the future held for them. She finally started the ATV and drove back to the house.

Once she was out of sight, Silas toward Chuck, trying his best to hide his own concern. In all his years of protecting the citizens of Sandley, he had never faced something like this. Silas also wondered if it was possible to keep things under control once the news leaked out. Silas had an unfamiliar feeling building up inside of him and one he had never felt before - doubt. Sensing the impending doom headed in their direction, Silas glanced out over the bubbling creek, hoping everything would work out fine.

***

Silas was relieved to see the coroner's vehicle, along with three Sherriff's cruisers pull over the hill and drive down to the creek.

Deputy Bridges was the first one to park and get out of his car. "I hear you had a little problem out here, Chuck."

Deputy Bridges lived up to the image of the typical law enforcement officer. He was roughly six feet tall, with broad shoulders and a keen wit. Silas had always liked him and was glad to see he had come to help with this case.

"Yeah, but they won't be killin' my stock anymore. Well, at least not this one," Chuck grinned as he pointed down to the lifeless body lying a few feet away from him.

Bridges glanced over at the body and shook his head. "No, it looks like his poaching days are over."

Chuck nodded his agreement. "You got that right, Bridges."

"Oh, damn, is that Buck?" Bridges walked over to where the dog lay motionless on the ground next to the steer.

"Yeah, but, at least, he got a chunk of the asshole before he died," Chuck wiped a tear from his eye.

"That's a real shame. Buck was a good dog." Bridges shook his head as the rest of the officers approached, with the coroner following closely behind.

"Chuck, why don't you come over here, so we can talk? Silas, would you mind helping Rollins transfer the prisoners to the cruiser?" Bridges looked at Chuck, letting him know to follow.

Silas smiled as he saw the excited look on Deputy Rollins' face. Rollins had only been with the Sherriff's department for a little over six months, so this was all quite exciting for him. "Sure, come on, kid. I'd like to get them out of my truck as soon as possible. Doug, why don't you help with the body?"

Doug looked at Silas with a broad smile, "Sure thing, Chief. I'm on it."

Silas was walking toward his truck when another vehicle came rushing over the hill. "Who the hell is that?"

***

Frank was sitting at his desk when the report of a shooting involving three of the residents that lived at the mill came over the police scanner. When he heard the call for officers to go to the Wilson place, and one Latino male was dead with two others under arrest, he knew what he must do.

Frank immediately knew who it was because he was sure they were the ones he suspected to have assaulted Silas that night at the grocery store. He had hoped he could have proven it sooner by finding enough evidence, but it was a moot point now.

Frank pulled up next to Silas' truck and quickly jumped out. "I came as soon as I heard the news. I heard there were three of my people out here. Is that them? I also heard one of them got shot."

Silas walked over to Frank and prevented him from getting any closer to his truck. "The two who are still alive are in my truck, and about to be transported to the jail. The coroner is examining the other one. He wasn't quite as lucky as these two were."

Frank looked over at Silas' truck and noticed the two young men sitting in the backseat. He then looked to where the coroner was examining the body while a couple of the other deputies were marking off the area.

"What happened here?" Frank was not sure if he wanted to know.

"I'll tell you what happened. They've been killing my young stock and taking a small amount of the prime meat, then leaving the rest to rot, or eaten by the scavengers. Well, they made the mistake of doing it today because I heard them and caught them in the act. My dog, Buck, rushed them so that one shot and killed him," Chuck pointed an angry finger at the man lying on the ground.

Frank looked over at the large, black lab lying motionless on the ground and felt a tug at his heart. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Wilson. I know how difficult it is to lose a beloved pet."

Chuck glared at Frank with hate burning in his eyes. "I wouldn't have lost Buck if you hadn't brought those people to our town! They've been nothing but trouble since they got here. They stole our jobs; they cause problems for the school, and now this. Hell, now we know who attacked Silas. I looked at the gun that asshole used, and it looks just like the one Silas has carried for years. I guess there's a reason you didn't warn the townsfolk they were armed now, correct?"

Frank glanced at Silas and was about to respond when Chuck continued. "I want you to know one thing if any more of them step even one toe on my land they'll end up just like that one!" Chuck pointed toward the dead man without breaking his gaze with Frank.

Silas at realizing this conversation was going nowhere constructive stepped forward and stood protectively between the two men. "Chuck, I know you're upset, and you have every right to be. This whole situation has been upsetting for everyone in town, and everyone's nerves are on edge, so before things get out of control, I think you need to calm down, alright?"

Chuck stood rigid, unwilling to compromise, as the muscles in his jaw clenched tightly.

Frank glanced at Silas, understanding the expression on his face. He had to agree with Chuck about how it had been difficult on the townsfolk to adjust to the new arrivals. He also knew some of the people from the mill were not the most model citizens. Granted, most were decent people, who wanted a better life than the ones they left behind, but some needed deportation immediately as they were dangerous individuals.

"Mr. Wilson, I understand your anger, and, to be honest, I'd feel the same if I were you. I'm sorry for all the aggravation and heartbreak this has brought to your community, but I'm only doing my job." Frank knew his words were empty. How many horrible things have men done in the name of doing one's duty?

Chuck was about to respond when he noticed the look of sincerity on Frank's face. He glanced at Silas, who nodded his agreement.

"Chuck, you have every right to be upset. I know this has cost you money, as well as worry. Yes, it's my gun, and I'm sorry he used it against you. I didn't announce it was missing because I didn't want to cause a panic. Everyone's nerves have been on edge, and I worried someone might get a little trigger happy at hearing the slightest noise at night." Silas knew his words did not improve things, but he had no idea of what else to say.

An uneasy quiet passed between the two men as each evaluated what it all meant to the future of the town. Chuck finally broke the silence. "I know you did what you thought was right, and I hope this won't cause too many problems for the town. I just couldn't let them continue to kill my stock. Besides, you saw all the tattoos on them. Those weren't hungry teenagers looking for food."

Silas knew Chuck was right, but he also knew this was going to start a firestorm of media attention none of them was ready to face. "Don't worry about this. You did what you had to do to protect your property and yourself. Why don't you go on to the house? I'm sure Sandy needs you there with her after all of this. I'm confident Bridges won't mind dropping you off at the house on his way out."

Frank and Silas watched as the coroner ordered the body put on a gurney, and then put into the van. Each knew what was about to descend upon the small town of Sandley, and they both wondered how it would end.

### Chapter 18

Silas breathed a sigh of relief once the coroner had left with the body. Bridges, along with the rest of the deputies, then gathered up everything and packed it away. He was glad to have Bridges in on this, as he did not want anyone to be able to accuse him of any impropriety in the investigation. He knew it was going to be enough of a mess without anyone saying he was not handling the case fairly, or crying racism.

Bridges walked up to Silas and Frank, who had been waiting next to Frank's truck. "Well, gents, it looks like that's all we have to do here. Silas, I'll contact you once the coroner has the results of the autopsy." Bridges smiled then held out his hand.

Silas took the offered hand and returned the handshake. "Thank you; I appreciate your help on this one."

Bridges could see the worried expression on Silas' face, and he wondered what was going to come of this case. "Hey, no problem; we're all on the same team, right?"

"Yeah, we are," Silas forced a grin while trying to hide the growing sense of dread, building up inside of him.

Frank offered his hand to Bridges, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Deputy Bridges. You seem to have an excellent group of men working with you."

Taking the offered hand, Bridges looked Frank directly in the eyes. "Yes, all of the men here are professional and do their best to serve the community."

Bridges was not entirely sure of what to think of Frank, but he could sense Frank was sincere in his respect for his fellow Law Enforcement Officers.

Glancing toward Silas, Bridges gave him a wink. "Well, I better get going. We'll book those other two on Felony Theft charges, trespassing, and whatever else comes to mind."

"Thanks again, I'll check with you later. Hey, would you mind giving Chuck a ride back to the house? Frank and I have a little business to discuss." Silas watched Bridges walk toward his cruiser.

"Sure, not a problem, come on, Mr. Wilson." Bridges climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. He waited as Chuck got into the passenger side and motioned for the other cruiser to follow him.

Once they disappeared over the hill, Silas turned to Frank, "How can our government allow thugs like that to cross the border and stay here? Those aren't harmless kids. You and I both know who and what there are."

Frank knew Silas was right, but he was helpless to do anything about it. In all his years in law enforcement, he had never seen such blatant corruption of the law. When the first influx of illegal aliens began a few months earlier, he had believed his superiors would clamp down on the border and stop them. However, the opposite happened. It seemed as the weeks passed, the numbers only grew until it looked like a tsunami crashing down on our southern border and spreading across the entire country. The sheer number of them was bad enough, but there were several no one would want living in their towns.

Hundreds of young men covered in tattoos, and flashing gang signs, crossed the border along with some Frank knew was more than likely from the Middle East. Children forced to leave their parents and homes, only to travel the hundreds of miles with coyotes with the hope of a reunion with their families once here. Frank had heard the stories of rape and children left to die in the vast desert. It was all too horrible to contemplate how any parent could send their children away like that. However, with the promise of a better life in the United States, Frank knew why people would do such irrational things.

"I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. None of this makes any sense to me either," Frank mumbled. "Well, I guess I better get back and get busy with all the paperwork I need to fill out. Silas, I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I bet it won't be pleasant for you or Sandley. I'll do everything possible to help, but we both know this is going to ignite a powder-keg none of us is ready to face."

Silas knew he was right, and he had to admit he was not looking forward to it either. "Frank, I trust that you will do your best to shield us from what is coming our way, but this is something we must face on our own. Sandley and its people have come through some difficult times over the last few years, so I'm sure we will come through this as well."

Frank held out his hand, "I'm sure you will. Call me if there is anything I can do, and I'll get with you if I hear anything."

Both men looked into each other's eyes, trying to read the other's thoughts. They both knew things were going to change for them, and they each said a silent prayer for the strength they would need to weather the coming storm.

***

Silas' mind was reeling on the drive back to the office. In all his years, as Chief of Police, he had never felt so inadequate. What was he going to do? How would he protect the people of Sandley from what he knew was before them?

Silas knew once the media caught wind of the death of one of the residents out at the mill by a local; all hell was going to break out. His head pounded furiously, as he searched his mind for what to do first when it suddenly came to him. "Andrew, you and I need to have a little talk."

***

Andrew had just hung up the telephone when Silas barged in the door. "Andrew, we need to talk." Silas closed the door to Andrew's office behind him.

"You're right; I was just about to call you, Silas. What the hell happened out at Chuck's place?" Andrew's eyes furrowed as the gravity of the situation sunk into his mind.

Silas sat in the chair across from Andrew and exhaled a deep breath before he spoke. "I guess you've already heard about the shooting?"

"You're damn right, I've heard! How could something like that happen, Silas? Please tell me Chuck didn't shoot that kid for being on his land." Andrew did not enjoy a reporter taking him by surprise with questions about one of the residents of Sandley killing a teenager for being on his land.

Silas could not believe what he was hearing. "That's not what happened, Andrew. That kid, as you call him and his friends were the ones who attacked me and stole my gun. He used that gun to kill one of Chuck's dogs, and he damn neared killed Chuck. Those were no harmless teenagers; those were hardcore gang members covered in gang tattoos."

Taken aback, Andrew sat there, unable to believe what he had just heard. "You've got to be kidding me? I can't believe they brought those types to live in our town. Damn, this just gets better and better."

Silas did not know what he could say to improve things. He understood Andrew's anger because he felt the same way. Somehow, they were going to have to think of how to prepare the townsfolk for what was about to happen, once all the media descended upon them.

"I heard the Fletcher's little girl is in the hospital, and she's not doing too well," Andrew said, attempting to change the subject.

Silas looked down at his hands, folded together on his lap, and felt tears form in the corners of his eyes. "Yes; they took her in earlier today. It wasn't looking too good the last time I spoke with Craig."

"I heard they believe it's a virus. I sure hope it isn't serious. She's a sweet, little girl." Andrew had always liked Shelby. He distinctly remembered the time at the Fourth of July picnic when she and her father won the three-legged race. She had laughed so hard during the race Craig ended up dragging her across the finish line.

"I've never heard of a virus attacking someone that way." Silas looked at the clock hanging on the wall and realized how late it was getting.

"I didn't either, but I guess this one is something they've never seen before." Andrew tapped his fingertips on his desk, unsure if he should say what was on his mind.

Silas could see the troubled expression on Andrew's face. He understood his concern, but it appeared he had something else he wanted to say. "What? What else is bothering you?"

Andrew fiddled with some papers on his desk, unsure if he should voice his fear. He looked at Silas and could see the impatience on his face, so he decided to throw caution to the wind and just say it. "What if the people at the mill brought the virus here? The timing is rather suspect, is it not?"

Silas looked at Andrew, his eyes narrowing. "What did you say?"

Andrew knew there was no going back now, so he swallowed and repeated his statement. "What if this virus is something the people at the mill brought with them?"

Silas sat in stunned silence for several moments, trying to comprehend what Andrew had said. He had worried about the children going to school, but he had believed they would only have problems with truancy or the language barrier. He never thought the town's children would face unexpected illnesses.

Silas stared at Andrew, wondering if Andrew was on to something. "You know, Jen did mention how several children have been coming down sick. Do you think it's the same thing Selby has, and why didn't the authorities make an announcement about it?"

"I don't know, but I am going to check into it." Andrew reached for his telephone and dialed.

Silas decided to check his cell phone and see if he had missed any messages. He pulled the phone out of his pocket, and sure enough, he had missed a call from Craig. Not wanting to interrupt Andrew, he motioned he was going to step out of the office to make a call since Maggie was out of the office, running errands.

Silas dialed Craig's number and waited.

"Silas, thank you for returning my call," Craig said breathlessly.

"I'm sorry it took so long, something came up after I left the hospital." Silas could hear the fear in Craig's voice, so he prepared himself for the worst.

"I heard about the problem out at Chuck's place. Damn, what the hell is next?"

Silas knew Craig was angry, and honestly, so was he. "Has anything changed with Shelby? I was just talking with Andrew, and he said they think it's a virus of some sort. Is that correct?"

Silence filled Silas' ears as he waited for an answer. Finally, after several tense-filled moments, Craig had the strength to say the dreaded words. "They are saying it's something called Enterovirus D68. The doctor says there are thousands of these cases popping up across the country in the last few weeks, forcing the children into intensive care with acute respiratory distress. Not only does there appear to be no end in sight to this current and sporadic outbreak, but also a disturbing new symptom is presenting itself in some of the children infected - paralysis."

Silas felt his knees buckle, causing him to grab the corner of Maggie's desk to steady himself. "Oh, dear Lord, I don't know what to say."

"Silas, this is bad; really bad. There were two more children brought in since you left."

"I'll come back to the hospital once I finish with Andrew. Craig, please tell Shelby I love her."

"I will. I'm scared, Silas. She looks so weak. I don't know how much longer she can hang on." Craig's voice quivered as the image of Shelby lying motionless with various IV tubes protruding from her body played out in his mind.

Realizing there was nothing more either of them could say, they hung up their cell phones. Silas took a moment to gather his strength before returning to Andrew's office.

***

The pained look on Silas' face let Andrew know it was not good news. He waited as Silas sat before he spoke.

"How is she?"

Silas stared at Andrew as the reality of the situation formed in his mind. _How can this be? How can something so horrible be in_ Sandley _? It's_ bad _enough to have the new jobs snatched from the residents by these invaders, but now they've brought a dangerous sickness with them. How do you stop_ a disease _that's attacking your children?_

"Silas, are you okay? What's wrong?" Andrew held his breath and waited.

Silas drew in a deep breath and steadied his nerves the best he could before he repeated what Craig had told him. Just saying the words caused Silas' heart to ache, and he wondered how many more of the town's children would become ill.

"I'm going back to the hospital once we finish here. Andrew, I'm worried. We are sitting on a powder keg about to erupt, and I'm concerned once the news of this leaks out, things are going to get ugly. People are already worked up, but with the shooting and now this. I'm afraid things could get out of hand."

### Chapter 19

Frank pulled into the long driveway leading to the old lumber mill. It amazed him how different it looked from his first time there. Several FEMA trailers filled the grounds with children playing on the playground, consisting of old equipment brought in from the personnel housing on one of the many closed military bases around the country.

Wondering what was ahead, Frank pulled up next to his office and parked. Before getting out, he sat a few moments, going over the day's events in his mind. He knew Chuck was within his rights to protect his property, but he also knew Chuck was lucky to be alive. For had things gone differently, it could have just as easily been Chuck hauled off to the morgue.

"Well, I guess there's no sense in putting this off any longer," Frank groaned as he opened the door and stepped outside.

"Hey, Frank, is it true?" Tyler Jemison, one of the other ICE Officers working at the site, walked up to the suburban.

"Huh, is what true?" Frank hoped this had nothing to do with the shooting, but he knew better. News traveled fast in a small town.

Tyler looked at Frank, unsure as to why he would respond in such a manner. "The shooting; is it true three of the residents from here were caught poaching, and one of them got shot and killed?"

Frank did not want to discuss this outside, so anyone could hear. "Come on, let's go to my office and talk there."

Tyler gave Frank a wry look but said nothing as he followed him inside.

***

The sound of boots echoed off the walls of the hallway as Silas walked toward the ICU waiting area. He kept going over the events at Chuck's place earlier, wondering what everyone was facing once the media got a hold of the story.

_Damn it, we don't need this now!_ The words screamed in his mind. He knew once the media learned of the shooting, and those involved, things would never be the same in Sandley. Silas understood the effect an overzealous, agenda-driven media had on a story. He had watched in horror as they would take a simple event and spin it into something beyond comprehension.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a soft voice from behind him.

"Silas, wait for me."

He turned to see the tear-stained face of Jen walking toward him.

"Hi babe," his voice quivered with emotion. He stopped and waited for her to join him.

"Oh, Silas, it's horrible. I can't believe it. Shelby was all right the other day, and now this. I just don't understand."

Silas took her in his arms and held her tightly. "I don't either, but I think I know how she got it." Silas' jaw clenched as he fought to control his anger.

Jen lifted her face to look at Silas, "I do too. A couple of those children from the mill were sick, but none of them ended up in the hospital."

Silas wished he knew what to say to make Jen feel better, but he was at a loss himself. "Come on; let's go see how she's doing."

***

"Jen, Silas, it's good to see you." Craig sat on one of the small sofa's in the waiting room, with Shelia resting her head on his lap.

Silas and Jen quietly walked over to the chairs across from the sofa and sat, each wondering if there were any new developments.

They each sat quietly, unsure of what to say until Silas decided to break the silence. "How is she doing?"

Craig wiped a tear from his eye before answering. "She's the same. The doctor is concerned because she doesn't seem to be responding to any form of stimulus."

Silas and Jen exchanged worried looks. "What do you mean she's not responding to stimulus?"

Craig looked down at Shelia and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "She can't seem to move her legs, and the doctor is worried whatever this thing is might leave her paralyzed."

"Oh, no, it can't be true, poor Shelby." Jen felt her heart skip a beat at the idea of Shelby going through her life paralyzed.

Silas shook his head, unsure if he had heard correctly. "I don't understand. How can a virus do that?"

Craig looked at Silas, the anguish clearly showing on his face. "Like I said earlier, the doctor called it Enterovirus D68 or EV-D68. He said there are reports of thousands of cases in the last few months all around the country. Children are in intensive care units with acute respiratory distress, and some are even experiencing paralysis like Shelby. He said there doesn't appear to be any end in sight to this exceedingly rare outbreak."

"I don't understand; if it causes respiratory distress, why the fear of paralysis?" Jen asked.

"I didn't understand most of what he said, but it seems to cause lesions on the spinal cord, which can lead to paralysis." Craig glanced down at Sheila when she mumbled and shifted on the sofa. He worried how all of this would affect her health as she was still weak from her chemo treatments.

Silas tried to calm his emotions, but the memories of everything that had happened the last few months kept flooding into his mind. No one could have ever expected the changes the residents of Sandley had endured since they learned the window factory was reopening.

Silas lowered his head and closed his eyes, preparing himself for what he knew was next.

***

Frank sat quietly at his desk, looking out of the window. He was finished making the necessary telephone calls and had filled out the forms regarding the incident at Chuck Wilson's place. He knew this was not going to end well for Chuck, regardless of the fact the three young men were trespassing and had attacked Chuck when he caught them.

"How have we come to this as a country?" Frank said to the empty room.

His supervisor had told him to prepare as those in the Media would more than likely make an issue out of the death of the young man. He said to do his best to keep the other workers under control, and not allow this to turn into a media circus.

Frank knew it was an impossible request, as he knew the reporters would take the story and twist it to fit the current political agenda. Frank turned around to face his desk again when he heard a knock on his office door. "Come in."

The door opened and in stepped Tyler Jemison. "Do you have a moment, Frank?"

Frank nodded without saying a word, motioning for him to come in and sit so they could talk.

Tyler could see the worry clearly in Frank's eyes, and it concerned him to see Frank so troubled.

"Hey, I want you to know there's grumbling amongst a few of the people in town. There's quite a bit of talk of a dangerous sickness being brought here. I guess there are a couple of local children in the hospital right now with a strange virus appeared in the States about the same time these people started coming over the border. Do you think that's possible?" Tyler rubbed his hands together, nervously.

Frank sat a moment, unsure of how to respond. He had heard of children across the country coming down with the strange virus, and honestly, he worried about his own children. In all his years of working for the Federal Government, not once did he believe things would get so out of control.

"Frank, why did the fools in DC let things get to this point?" Tyler shook his head in disbelief.

Frank looked at Tyler and chuckled. "Fools; you got that right. I wish I knew how to answer you, but I don't. I always believed it was our duty to protect the border, and in turn, protect the American people. I must confess since this damn thing began, I've seen things I will never be able to cleanse from my mind. We are being sold down the river as a country, and guys like us are just as guilty. Every day when I wake up, I look in the mirror, and the man I see looking back at me is a stranger. I used to believe in honor and service to my fellow citizens. However, now the man I see looking back at me is a traitor to everything I once believed."

"That's not true, Frank. You're the most honorable man I know. I'm lucky to..."

Frank interrupted Tyler before he could finish. "I don't feel honorable. In fact, I feel as though I'm letting my children down. How can I look them in the eyes, knowing the future this is creating for them? How can I tell them I couldn't protect them from an invasion? How can I ask forgiveness for allowing the corruption of our laws for political reasons? Tyler, we're aiding and abetting the destruction of everything we both swore to protect."

The silence in the room was stifling, as both men contemplated the gravity of their words. Each knew they were helpless to change what was happening, as the powerful lobbyists and politicians were in control of America's future. They had set the agenda and had been for many years. For this reason, it would take something drastic to wake up the American people for them to push back and regain control of their lives and destinies.

Frank gathered the scattered paperwork and put it in the metal basket sitting on the corner of his desk. "It's late, and I'm tired. How about we call it a day? We'll have a meeting with the people tomorrow, and hopefully, clear up a few things. I just don't feel up to any more crap today."

Tyler was not sure if it was a good idea to put things off, but he nodded his head and stood to leave.

"I'll be in early so we can discuss what we are going to do about this situation. How about around 6 o'clock, I'll even bring some donuts," Frank forced a smile.

"Sounds good, I'll see you at 6 o'clock then."

Both men walked outside and looked at the people going about their evening activities, each wondering what the next day would bring.

***

Silas and Jen left the hospital wondering how things were ever going to be the same in town. While they were there, another child had arrived with the same symptoms as Shelby.

"Silas, what if she doesn't get any better? She could be paralyzed for the rest of her life. I just can't believe this is all happening." The entire time they sat with Craig and Sheila, Jen had wondered how she would feel if it were her daughter lying in the ICU bed with all the tubes and wires attached to her tiny body.

"I don't know, but I do know we need to keep praying for her," his voice cracked with emotion.

Jen looked at Silas and noticed a tear escape from the corner of his eye and flow down his cheek. In all the years she had known him, not once had she seen him shed a tear until today. Even when they had received the heartbreaking news that they would never be parents, Silas had remained strong for her.

She reached over and placed her hand on his thigh, this bringing him out of the dark place his mind had wandered. "I love you, Silas."

He glanced in her direction and smiled. "I love you too. How about we stop at the burger joint and get some takeout? It's getting late, and there's no sense in you having to cook after today."

"That's an excellent idea. I'm tired, and I didn't take anything out of the freezer earlier."

Silas turned the car toward their favorite burger joint. "Hamburgers, it is then."

### Chapter 20

The sound of the old rooster crowing his morning greeting filled the air. Chuck had spent a restless night trying to shake the image of the events of the day before but to no avail. Once everyone had left, he decided to bury Buck by the creek under the oak tree. He figured Buck would like it since he had always loved playing in the water during the hot summer days of Texas.

"You're up early," Chuck groaned when Sandy walked into the kitchen.

Sandy walked over to the counter and pulled a coffee cup out of the cupboard. "Yeah, I didn't sleep too well myself last night. Do you need a warm-up?" she yawned as she reached for the coffee pot.

"Sure," Chuck smiled, and then he held out his cup for Sandy to top it off.

Sandy carried the empty cup and coffee pot over to the table. She sat her cup on the table, filled it, and then poured some in Chuck's cup.

"You know this isn't going to end quickly, don't you? Once the media gets wind of it, all hell is going to break out," Sandy said as she returned the coffee pot to its place on the counter.

"Yeah, I know. It seems like they thrive on crap like this." Chuck set his cup down on the table next to his laptop computer.

Sandy walked over to the pantry. "I'm hungry, would you like some toast?"

"Sure, that sounds good. I'm a little hungry myself."

The smell of the toasting bread and freshly brewed coffee filled the room, as Chuck and Sandy mulled over the events of the day before. The vision of the dead man lying next to the creek played out in their minds, and they wondered what would happen to them as the word got out.

Once the toast popped up from the toaster, Sandy lightly buttered each piece and put them on a small plate.

"Here you go." She placed it on the table between the two coffee cups then she sat in her chair.

"Thanks," Chuck grinned as he reached for a piece of toast.

"What were you doing on your laptop?" Sandy nodded toward the laptop with an open browser.

"I wanted to do some research on this whole deal of sending those people all around the country. I heard they've even been putting them on airplanes and flying them up north." Chuck was surprised to learn how many had flooded across the border over the last few months, but what surprised him the most was all the children.

"I know it's horrible, isn't it? I don't understand how a parent could send their child over a thousand miles with strangers. I heard some terrible things have happened to many of the children." Sandy reached for her cup and took a sip.

Chuck looked at Sandy and nodded his acknowledgment. "What's worse is all the gang members crossing the border and being allowed to stay here. I read on a website they are passing themselves off as teenagers coming here for a better life, but I'm sure they're coming here to continue their gangster ways."

"Like the ones who attacked Silas and killed our cattle?" Sandy's tone was now serious.

Chuck looked at her with a stern expression on his face. "Yes, just like them."

***

"Silas, you need to get up. Breakfast is ready." Jen shouted from the kitchen.

Silas rolled over on the bed and pulled the pillow over his head. He knew it was time to get out of bed, but he was not ready for the day with all the crap facing him.

"I'm coming," he groaned, tossing the pillow across the bed.

The night before had been difficult for Silas with everything going on. Once he and Jen had returned home, they decided to check in with Craig and Sheila to see how Selby was doing and was disappointed to learn there was no change in her condition. He had tried to put it out of his mind, but seeing the look of concern on Jen's face had only reinforced his fears.

Silas walked to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror, and saw a man full of fear and doubt glaring back at him. "Damn, things just keep getting worse."

***

"Good morning, Sweetheart," Jen smiled as she set a cup of coffee down on the table by his chair.

Silas took his seat and reached for the cup. "I don't' know what's so good about it."

"Wow, are we in a bad mood this morning?"

He took a sip of the coffee then set the cup back down on the table. "I'm not sure what I'm feeling this morning. Have you heard anything about Shelby?"

Jen poured herself a cup of coffee then sat at the table with Silas. "Yes, but it's nothing good. There hasn't been any change."

"Damn, I was hoping she'd be awake by now." Silas rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his mind.

"I know; me too. I'm worried about Sheila. Craig says she won't leave Shelby's side, and she looks weak. This amount of stress is not good for her." Jen looked at Silas with tears glistening in her eyes.

Trying to shake off his foul mood, Silas looked at Jen and smiled. "Hey, where's that breakfast you were talking about?"

Jen laughed, "Oh my, I did tell you breakfast was ready, didn't I?" She stood and walked over to the cupboard and pulled out two bowls, then she grabbed two spoons from the drawer.

"I decided to make some oatmeal this morning," Jen grinned.

"Oh, yummy," Silas teased, rolling his eyes.

"You know this is good for you. Now, hush up and eat." Jen filled the bowls with the steaming oats then set them on the table.

Silas pulled his bowl in front of him then leaned down, taking in a deep breath. "Just like my mama used to make," he grinned.

"Yes, and look how strong and healthy you grew up to be," Jen teased.

"Well, I better eat because I'm going to need all the strength I can get to face what's ahead of me today after the shooting." Silas picked up his spoon and took a large scoop of the oats and put them in his mouth.

***

The telephone had not stopped ringing from the moment Maggie showed up for work. Somehow, those in the Media had already learned of the shooting at Chuck Wilson's the day before and were clamoring for answers to questions no one had an answer for yet.

Andrew showed up a little after 8 o'clock to see an already flustered Maggie trying to handle the many lit up lines on her telephone.

"Oh, thank God you're here," she said breathlessly.

"What the hell is going on?" Andrew had a suspicion, but he hoped he was wrong.

"It's reporters; they want to know about the shooting yesterday. I didn't know what to say, so I just told them you would make an announcement once you know more. I hope that's okay?" Maggie looked up at him with the frustration clearly showing on her face.

Andrew shook his head, wondering how he was going to handle this problem. "Yes, Miss Anderson, you did fine. I need you to call Silas and tell him to get here as soon as he can." He then turned and walked to the door to his office.

"Yes, Sir; I'll do that now."

Saying a silent prayer this would not blow up in his face, Andrew opened the door to his office and stepped inside before anything else happened.

Maggie reached for the telephone receiver to call Silas and realized all the lines were lit up. "Dang, I'll have to use my cell phone."

Silas and Jen had just finished their breakfast when his cell phone began to ring. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, and was surprised to see it was a call from Maggie's phone. "Hello."

"Silas, Andrew needs you to come to his office as soon as possible."

"Is there something wrong?" It confused him as to why she would call him on her personal cell phone for business matters.

"Silas, it's crazy here today. Reporters have been calling and have plugged up all the lines on my phone. They are asking about the shooting out at Craig Wilson's place yesterday."

"Damn, I was worried about that. I'm sure they'll try to make it into something out of control." Silas knew how those in the media loved to create an interesting report by blowing things out of proportion.

"Tell Andrew I'll be there in twenty minutes, goodbye." Once he hung up the phone, he put it back in his pocket.

"What's wrong?" Jen asked, unsure if she wanted to know.

"It sounds like all hell is breaking loose. Reporters have been blowing up the phone at the Mayor's office, wanting to have information on the shooting yesterday. Poor Maggie is going nuts trying to run interference for Andrew," Silas groaned.

"Oh no, that's horrible. Is there anything I can do?" Jen hated to think of what this would mean to have reporters crawling all over town, asking questions.

"No, just go about your usual routine. We can't let this change our lives. I need to get going. I'll check in with you later." Silas stood then gave Jen a kiss on the forehead before he walked out of the back door.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later." Jen stood and grabbed their empty bowls, and walked over to the dishwasher, wondering what was ahead for the people of Sandley.

### Chapter 21

The site of the numerous media crews parked in front of the Court House surprised Silas. He noticed Doug standing on the steps, keeping the crowd outside, but Silas had to admit he wondered how much longer Doug could keep them under control.

"Damn, this is going to be one hell of a mess," Silas groaned.

He decided to go around to the back, and if luck allowed, he would sneak in unnoticed.

"Hi, Silas, he's waiting in his office for you," Maggie said as she hung up the telephone again.

Silas did not say a word; he just opened the door to Andrew's office, stepped inside, and then closed the door behind him.

"Thank the Lord you're here," Andrew said breathlessly. "Poor Doug is having one hell of a time keeping them all outside."

"Yeah, I saw that. The kid seems to have his hands full, doesn't he?" Silas walked over to the window and looked down at the growing crowd.

"I guess I need to go down there before they storm the door." Andrew looked at Silas, hoping he would try to stop him.

"Why don't both of us handle this? I'm sure they'll want to talk to me since I'm the Chief of Police." Silas grinned when he saw the look of relief appear on Andrew's face.

Both men took a deep breath and walked to the door, each wondering what would unfold as the day went on.

***

Jen knew she should stay at home and wait for Silas, but her nerves were frayed, and she needed to do something before she went crazy with worry. With several more children coming down sick, the administrators had decided to close the schools down temporally to prevent any further spreading of the virus.

"I'm sorry, Silas, but I need to get out of here for a while," Jen said aloud as she grabbed her purse and walked out to her car. She had decided to go to the hospital and check on Shelby and Sheila.

On the drive to the hospital, she was surprised to see all the News vans gathered around the City Hall building.

"Damn, that doesn't look good at all." Jen worried if this would shed a bad light on Sandley and if it would bring people to town with an agenda and the desire to blow it up into something that would cause problems for Chuck Wilson. She was glad to get to the hospital without anyone from the media bothering her.

Jen pulled into a parking space at the hospital and walked inside, hoping there was good news about Shelby.

"Oh Jen, I'm so glad you came," Sheila cried out as Jen walked through the door.

"How's she doing today?" Jen looked at Shelby with tubes and monitors attached to her delicate frame.

"She's in and out of consciousness, but there's still no movement in her legs." Sheila looked exhausted, and her eyes were red and puffy from hours of tears.

Jen fought back her own tears as she hugged Shelia. "I'm so sorry this is happening. I don't understand how something like this is here. Do the doctors know how she got it?"

Sheila met Jen's gaze with anger replacing the tears. "They won't come straight out and say it, but I've heard whispers they believe it came with those children from the mill."

Jen looked at Shelia, surprised at this announcement. "Are you kidding me? How could the government bring sick children to our town?"

"I don't know, but they say cases have been popping up all over the country where they've taken them." Sheila glanced over at Shelby and frowned. "I guess the health of our children isn't as important to those in DC. You know, I watched the news for a while last night, and all I heard was how those children deserved a chance for a better life. That's all fine and good, but what about the lives of OUR children? What happened to protecting the citizens of this country over those who broke the law to get here? I'm a Christian woman, and I believe in helping my fellow man, but I don't believe the Lord wants us to do it at the expense of our own."

Jen had to agree with Shelia. For the life of her, she could not understand why the federal government would endanger its citizens in such a horrific way.

"Where's Craig?" Jen asked.

"He stayed at the house last night with the kids, and this morning he went to do some repairs at the hardware store. I guess someone did some damage there last night."

"Really, I'm surprised Silas didn't mention it." Jen wondered what could have caused someone to vandalize the hardware store.

"Carl didn't find the damage until he opened this morning. You know, the other day Carl did mention to Craig he's been having problems with a few of those people from the mill coming to the store and letting their children run amuck and leave a mess. He said their children would move things around the store, climb all over the displays, get the free popcorn, and just throw it at each other causing a mess all over the floor. He also noticed when he did his inventory counts that several products were missing," Shelia looked at Jen and could see the concern on her face.

"Anyway, Carl said he'd finally had enough and refused to do business with them. He told them if they couldn't control their children, then they should leave them at home, or they weren't welcome in his store."

This news surprised Jen. "I didn't know about that. Carl is usually an easy, going man. It must've been bad for him to ban them from the store."

"I guess he'd asked them several times to control their children, but apparently, they didn't understand or didn't care." Shelia never did understand why parents did not teach their children how to behave in public.

Jen suddenly had a sickening feeling come over her. "Sheila, do you think the damage may have something to do with Carl banning them from the store?"

"I wondered that myself. I bet they wanted to send Carl a message. He did have to chase a couple of those rough-looking teenagers from the mill out of the store last week after he caught them trying to steal one of those fancy knife sharpeners Carl carries in his store. I wonder if it was them." Shelia shuttered at the idea of what could happen next.

"I don't know, but it would make sense. I need to get going. I need to stop by the grocery store and pick up a few things. Is there anything I can get for you?" Jen forced a smile, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

Shelia looked at Jen and understood the worried expression on her face. "No, Craig said he'd stop after work and pick up something for dinner, but thank you."

"Okay, but if there's anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask, okay?" Jen smiled, hoping things would get back to normal soon.

"I will. Hey, I heard they suspended classes for a while because of this virus," Sheila said.

"Yeah, they were worried it would continue to spread, so they thought it was best for the time being. To be honest, I'm glad. There's too much going on at this time," Jen groaned.

"Well, I believe it's for the best," Shelia said with a hint of anger in her voice.

"I do too."

Both women hugged and said their goodbyes, then Jen walked back out to her car. As she reached for the ignition, a thought came to her. _If they went_ after _Carl, would they do the same to Chuck?_

***

"Hello, Jen. It's good to see you," Paul Jackson, the owner of the grocery store, said as she walked through the door.

"Hello, Paul. It's good to see you too. How have things been going for you lately?"

"Well, I hate to complain, but I've been having some problems with our new residents," he frowned.

"Problems, what sort of problems?" Jen hated to think about what else could be happening with the local business owners.

"I usually don't say anything when people sample a grape or cherry, but I can't afford people letting their children rummage through the produce, playing with it, and tossing it on the floor."

"Are we speaking of the ones from the mill?" Jen held her breath and waited for his answer.

"Yes, and it's not just the produce. I've been finding opened cereal boxes, cookie packages, and milk cartons sitting on the shelves as well. I hate to point a guilty finger at people, but I never had this problem before they came to town. I can't continue to eat that loss. If it doesn't stop, I'll have to raise my prices, and that's not fair to the rest of my customers."

"I'm so sorry to hear this, Paul. I just heard Carl has had problems at his store as well." Jen hated to think of these two decent men facing such problems.

"Yeah, I heard someone had vandalized his store last night. Jen, this has always been such a nice town. We may have had our problems from time to time, but nothing like the things happening lately. I'm worried. I'm going to call Andrew this afternoon and see if he'd be willing to call a meeting of the local business owners. We need to decide the best way to handle this problem," Paul looked at Jen then frowned.

"Paul, I don't think it would be a good idea to have a public meeting with all those reporters in town. I just drove past the City Hall, and there were several news vans and reporters parked out in front."

"Crap, someone mentioned it earlier, but I thought they were just exaggerating. This can't be good. I bet they're here because of the shooting out at Chuck's place," Paul groaned.

Jen looked at Paul and nodded her head in agreement. "I'm worried about that myself."

### Chapter 22

When the door opened on the gathered crowd, Andrew and Silas squared their shoulders and stepped out on the front stoop of the City Hall building. Andrew then stepped forward and held up his arms, trying to quiet the shouts from the reporters, struggling to get in a good position.

"Good morning," Andrew said once the crowd grew silent. "My name is Andrew Sexton, and I'm the Mayor of Sandley. I'm sure you all have questions about the shooting yesterday, but as of now we are still in the middle of an investigation."

"Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, my name is Patricia Haley from Channel 8 News, and I'd like to know why Mr. Wilson isn't under arrest yet?"

Andrew looked at the young woman, wondering why she would ask such a question. "Miss Haley, there was no reason to arrest Mr. Wilson. He was only protecting his property, and from what I've heard, he only shot in self-defense." Andrew glanced at Silas, who nodded.

"Was there really any reason to kill that kid?" Another reporter shouted from the crowd.

"Yeah, I've spoken to a few of your townsfolk, and they all say no one wants them here. Don't you think this shooting was racially motivated?" A different reporter shouted.

Andrew struggled for a response. He could not understand why these people would believe what happened was due to race. The kid stole Silas' gun was also killing Chuck's stock, and once caught in the act, he had tried to kill Chuck.

"I'm sorry, but that's impossible. Mr. Wilson has never shown any racist tendencies. He was merely protecting his property and himself. He is..." Another reporter interrupted.

"Come on, you can't stand there and honestly tell us it had nothing to do with him being a Latino. We all know how people..."

Silas had had enough of the direction this conversation was going. He stepped forward and looked at the reporter directly in the eyes.

"So, are you trying to say the people of this good town are racist? Then maybe you can explain to me why they would put up with having a black man as their Chief of Police? I grew up in this town, and I have been the Police Chief for many years now. Not once have I felt the people of this town looked down on me because of the color of my skin. If you're going to ask a stupid question like that, then I suggest you go look in the mirror and see the racist looking back at you. To cry racism when someone breaks the law is wrong. I don't care what the color his skin is. The only thing I care about is he broke the law in my town. So, if any of you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me." Silas stood in place, his eyes burning with rage and his jaw taut.

Andrew steadied himself for what he was sure would come, but instead, there were only muffled whispers and glares from the group of reporters.

Andrew stepped forward again. "As you can see, Chief Greer and I have answered your questions. Once we know more, I'll make an announcement."

Andrew looked at Silas and smiled, then he turned around and went back inside with Silas following him.

Once the door had closed behind them, Andrew turned to Silas and began to laugh. "Damn Silas, you sure shut them up."

Silas looked at Andrew and winked.

"I thought for sure things were going to get out of control before you spoke up. Thank you for saving my butt," Andrew grinned.

"Hey, no problem; I just didn't like the direction of their questions. I only hope I've nipped that stupid idea of racism in the ass before it has a chance to take root. The last thing we need is a bunch of those damn equal rights protesters coming here and stirring up trouble."

Andrew's face suddenly grew ashen. "Damn, I hadn't thought of that. You're right, that's the last thing we need."

Silas reached over and slapped Andrew on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go back to your office, have a cup of coffee, and discuss our game plan."

"That sounds like a good idea."

***

"Chuck, someone's coming up the driveway. Damn, it looks like several vans with satellite antennas on top of them," Sandy groaned.

"Crap, it's the damn news people. I bet they want a story about the shooting." Chuck grabbed his coat and walked to the front door.

"Chuck, I'll call Silas. I don't think you should talk to them without him here." Sandy reached for the telephone and dialed.

Realizing she was probably right, Chuck stopped and walked back to the kitchen.

"Damn, I sure hope they don't plan to bother me about this. I have work that needs to get done." Chuck had worried the shooting would bring hungry hordes of media, trying to get a lead story. Hell, it seemed like any time it involved a white man shooting a minority, it would bring out the media like fleas on a stray dog.

"Chuck, Silas said to stay inside, and he'd be here in a few minutes." Sandy could see the worry on Chuck's face, and honestly, she felt the same way.

***

"Damn it, they're out at Chuck's place now. I told Sandy to make sure Chuck stays inside, and I'd be there in a few minutes. I sure hope that stubborn ass does as told for a change." Silas put his cell phone back in his pocket and walked to the door.

"Hey Silas, tell Chuck not to worry. Let him know we are going to do everything we can to solve this problem, okay?" Andrew knew Silas was right. Chuck could get a bit ornery when backed into a corner, so Andrew hoped he just stayed as far away from the reporters as possible.

"I will." Silas opened the door then turned back to face Andrew. "Hey, will you call Jen for me and let her know I may be late. I don't want her to worry."

"Sure, I'll call her right now. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." Once Silas had left, Andrew reached for his phone and dialed Jen.

***

Jen had just finished putting the groceries away when Andrew called.

"Thank you for letting me know, Andrew. I won't count on him being home anytime soon then."

"I'm worried about all these reporters, Jen. I have a feeling most of them already have their minds made up as to what happened out there at Chuck's place. They even tried to make it out to be a racist deal. Can you believe that?"

Andrew had watched the news reports of what happened to other towns where a legal case had turned into a media event. The last thing he wanted was the same thing happening to Sandley. It had been rough enough with everything happening over the last few months, and something like this could destroy a town if not handled properly.

"I'm worried about that too, Andrew. I was just talking with Paul at the grocery store. He was telling me about the problems he's having with shoplifting and partially eaten products left all over the store. He said it's getting out of hand and is costing him quite a bit of money. Paul can't afford that. He's a small business owner and the only grocery store in town."

"I know, I've heard of other business owners having problems as well. I don't know what to do about it. I'm sure no matter what they do or say, it will get blown out of proportion. Jen, I need to go. My other line is ringing."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later, goodbye." Jen hung up the phone, wondering what would happen next.

***

Silas could not believe all the commotion at Chuck's place. As he pulled up the driveway, he counted six vans parked in front of the house with camera crews set up on the front lawn.

"Damn, this isn't good," Silas groaned as he parked beside Chuck's pickup truck. He took a moment to compose himself before he opened the door and then walked over to the group of reporters.

"Good afternoon, folks. You do realize you're trespassing on private property, don't you?"

Silas did not wait for them to respond before he continued.

"I'll give y'all ten minutes to pack up and get back out to the highway. If you feel the need to stalk Mr. Wilson, you can do it from there."

The group exchanged glances before the one closest to Silas spoke up. "Why won't Mr. Wilson come outside and give us a statement? We only want to ask him a few questions about the shooting."

Silas looked directly at the reporter, making it evident he was not pleased. "As y'all know, this case is still under investigation. For that reason, Mr. Wilson is within his rights not to answer any questions at this time."

Silas then looked down at his watch and smiled. "Y'all now have eight minutes. If you don't want to spend time in our county jail, I suggest you get busy packing."

Realizing he would not change his mind, the crews began to load their equipment. Once the last one had finished, they all drove down the driveway, disappearing into a cloud of dust.

### Chapter 23

"Come on in, Silas. Would you like a glass of sweet tea?" Chuck was glad Silas had made the reporters leave, as he was not sure how he would have handled them.

"I'd love some, thank you."

"Hey, I want to thank you for getting rid of that group of vultures," Chuck chuckled nervously.

"No problem; I just told them they were trespassing on private property, and if they didn't want to spend some time in our jail, they'd better leave." Silas laughed at the surprised look on Chuck's face.

"I guess after Andrew wouldn't answer their questions, they decided to bother you. Let's hope since the highway is far away from the house, they'll give up and leave." Silas winked at Sandy when she handed him the glass of sweet tea.

"I hope so, I don't like the idea of them hanging around here," Sandy groaned as she handed Chuck his glass of sweet tea.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore. They decided they didn't want to be guests in our county jail," Silas grinned.

"I hope not. I have some knitting to work on, so I'll leave you two alone to discuss things. I'll be in the living room if you need me." Sandy hated to think of what they were facing, so she figured it would be best for her to leave them alone to discuss what they needed to do next.

Both men nodded their understanding and watched Sandy leave the room before resuming their conversation.

Chuck took a sip of his tea then set the glass down on the table. He looked at Silas, unsure if he should speak but decided he needed to get a few things off his chest.

"Silas, do you think I'm in trouble for killing that kid?" He held his breath and waited for an answer.

Silas understood Chuck's concerns, but he also knew how the simplest things could become complicated.

"I don't see that you would, Chuck. You caught them in the act of robbing you, and then they fired at you. It's a clear case of self-defense. Besides, you're protected by the Texas Castle Law. I'm sure there will be those who want to make it into something it's not, but you have the law on your side."

Chuck nodded his understanding, but there was still a hint of doubt stirring in his mind.

"I know, but look what's happening to others involved in shootings lately. You know how much those special interest groups love to spin and twist the facts to fit their agenda. That kid was part of the whole border issue, so you and I both know there will be those who claim I'm racist and was just out to murder him because he was here illegally."

Silas knew Chuck was right, as he had seen it earlier at the City Hall. He wanted to tell Chuck the people would believe in his innocence, but he also knew there would be those who would use it as a tool to further their agenda.

"Chuck, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Yes, there are going to be people who will try to make this into a big deal. There will be those who demand I arrest you and force you to face punishment for shooting that kid, but you and I both know he would have killed you if given a chance. That was no ordinary kid. You saw all the tattoos on him. He was one of those gang members we've all heard about, and our government brought him and his friends to our town."

Silas felt his blood surge at the idea of gang members brought to Sandley by the government of the United States of America. What happened to the promise of protecting the people? What happened to securing our borders? Silas had always believed in the rule of law, so this blatant disregard of the law stumped him.

"Silas," Chuck said, unsure if he wanted the answer.

"Go ahead and ask. We can't have any secrets between us during this." Silas saw the fear on Chuck's face, and it broke his heart.

"After everyone left and I was burying Buck by the creek, I wondered why I didn't just shoot all three of them and hide their bodies." He looked down at the tabletop and shook his head with shame.

"I know I can be a bit of a hard-ass, but I never thought of myself as a killer. Silas, I had no choice but to shoot him. I was just lucky to have been a better shot. Then when they hauled his body away and took the other two to the jail, I knew I had difficult times ahead of me."

Silas looked at Chuck, not sure of what to say. He understood Chuck's fear, and he wondered if the same thought to shot the other two and hide all their bodies would have crossed his mind.

Silas smiled, wanting Chuck to know he was not alone in this. "I don't know what to say, but I don't blame you for how you feel. You did what you needed to do and never feel otherwise. I promise to stand beside you through this, as will the rest of the townsfolk. We are all facing challenging times, but we need to stick together. Now, I want you to keep quiet and stay away from those media people. I don't want them to be able to twist anything you say. Do you understand?"

Chuck nodded but still was too ashamed to look at Silas.

Realizing there was nothing more to discuss at the time, Silas stood. "Well, I need to get going. I want to drop by the hospital and check on Shelby Fletcher before I go home."

Chuck looked up at Silas with concern clearly showing on his face, "I heard she was in bad shape. People around town seem to think whatever it is, came to town with those people."

"Yeah, I've heard that too. I sure hope not because things already seem to be at a boiling point. I can't imagine what would happen if that were proven to be the case." Silas knew tempers were short with the developments over the past few months, so with the shooting and the possibility of a dangerous illness brought to town, he hated to think what could happen next.

"I'll check back with you later," Silas smiled as he held out his hand.

Chuck took the offered hand and returned the handshake. "Thanks, and I'll do my best to stay away from those reporters."

Silas turned and walked to the back door. "Thanks for the sweet tea, Miss Sandy. I need you to keep a close eye on Chuck and make sure he behaves himself," Silas grinned when he saw Chuck roll his eyes.

"I will, Silas, and thank you for your help earlier," Sandy said from the living room.

***

When Silas reached the end of Chuck's driveway, he was surprised to see several of the News vans still parked along the highway.

"Damn, why don't they just leave Chuck alone?"

Silas knew the answer to his question, but he wondered if they, in fact, would respect Chuck's privacy.

As he turned out on the highway, he had to laugh at the glares of hate from the reporters gathered there.

"Go ahead and stare all you want," Silas chuckled to himself.

***

Silas had just turned into the hospital parking lot when his cell phone rang. "Hello."

"Silas, you need to come to the grocery store. I'm having a bit of trouble with some customers," Paul said excitedly.

"Are you in any danger?"

"No, but they're destroying the store! Please hurry!" The call ended abruptly.

### Chapter 24

"Thank God you're here," Paul shouted above the protesters forcing their way into the store.

Chants of "We are here; deal with it," filled the air as the group made their way around the store, knocking items off the shelves and breaking glass jars on the floor.

When Silas pulled in the parking lot of the grocery store, he saw a group of about twenty protesters forcing themselves through the double door as others gathered in front of the store. He immediately called the Sheriff's Department for help, then he called Doug.

"Doug, get to the grocery store, NOW."

Once he had pulled up by the group gathered outside, Doug pulled into the parking lot then came and parked next to Silas.

Silas got out of his pickup and waited as Doug got out of his cruiser. "Doug, watch this group until the deputies from the Sheriff's Department arrive. I'll be inside."

***

"Damn it, break it up!" Silas shouted while forcing himself through the door.

"What the hell is going on here, Paul?"

Paul was beside himself with fear. In all his years of owning the local grocery store, he had never had anything such as this happen.

"I don't know, Silas. They just stormed the store and started trashing it. I didn't know what to do, so I called you."

A man strolled up to Silas and looked at him, giving him a challenging glare, daring him to do anything about what they were doing.

"You; come here," Silas ordered.

The man looked at Silas and laughed, "What are you going to do, arrest me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I am. Are you the ringleader here?"

"What if I am? We have the right to protest, so you can't do anything about it," the man looked at Silas defiantly.

"This isn't a protest. It's a riot. You are destroying private property, and threatening the citizens of MY town." It took all the willpower Silas could muster not to slug this jackass right between the eyes.

A movement from the side of Silas caught his eye, and when he turned, he saw a news cameraman standing there with the little red light on the top of the camera glowing.

"So, that's what you're doing. You're trying to get some film of me roughing up you and your friends, aren't you?"

The man looked at Silas and chuckled, "It would help the cause if you did. However, we don't need that because there are plenty of people in your town who don't want my people here. Look how they've been treating the newest residents of your little community here."

Silas knew what he was trying to do, but he wondered how he could prevent this from erupting into something as what had happened in other towns across the country.

"The residents of Sandley are only reacting to what the federal government forced upon them. Besides, how does destroying this store prove your point?" Silas looked at the mess spread all over the floor.

"It proves we will not take abuse from a store owner. Our people should be able to come into this store and not harassed by the owner. He's even banned several people from shopping here," the man bellowed.

Silas noticed the protesters who were vandalizing the inside of the store were now standing close by and watching the confrontation between the man and himself. He was about to respond to the last statement when he heard the sounds of sirens of several cruisers pull up in front of the store.

"Well, it looks like my backup has arrived," Silas grinned when he saw the glib expression on the man's face transform into one of anger.

"Go ahead and arrest us. This will not end here. We are here to stay, and there is nothing you or your stupid little town can do about it." The man stepped forward, daring Silas to react.

Silas held his ground, never breaking eye contact. He knew what was happening, and honestly, he did not want to add fuel to the fire.

The sound of several officers entering the store broke the standoff. Doug stepped up to Silas and nervously looked at the crowd gathered around, watching Silas and the man with anger burning in his eyes.

"Bridges and his guys have things under control outside. We thought you might need some help in here, but it looks like you're doing fine without us," Doug nodded at the six deputies standing behind him.

"Yeah, we're not having any problems, are we?" Silas looked at the man, letting him know their time together was over.

Several tense moments had passed before the man stepped back. "No, we don't."

"Good." Silas looked at the people standing behind the man. "Why don't all of you go outside with the Deputies, and they'll let you know what to do next."

The man began to leave with them when Silas held out his arm. "They can go, but you need to stay here."

The man looked at Silas, unsure of what he meant, as the others went outside.

"Paul, come here. Is this man the leader of this group?" Silas smiled when he saw the look of apprehension appear on the man's face.

Paul stepped up next to Silas, trying to stay out of the line of the camera filming everything happening between Silas and the man. "From what I could tell, yes, he is. He was the first one through the door shouting orders to the others."

"Good. Then he should be the one to do the clean up in here," Silas grinned when he saw a look of defiance appear on the man's face.

"You can't make me do that. I have rights..."

"Sure, you do, and you also have the right to spend a nice long visit in our county jail. You know, I'm sure I can come up with a long list of offenses you've committed here today. I'm also sure it might take some time to get you before the judge so he can set your bail. After all, he'll be busy with all your friends out there as well. We both know I'm going to arrest you. How you act from this point forward depends on how long you'll sit in our jail."

The man was about to protest again then decided it was best to leave things as they were. "Fine, I'll clean this up, but I want the news cameraman to stay in here with me. I think people need to know how you abuse your prisoners."

Silas looked at the man, rolled his eyes, and laughed. "You have got to be kidding me? No, the cameraman will be joining everyone outside. I'll be staying here with you, though."

The man stood his ground with a look of anger on his face.

"What's your name?" Silas asked.

"My name is Alejandro Munez."

"Well, Alejandro, I wouldn't want you to do a half-assed job of cleaning up this mess, so I'm going to stay with you. Is that alright with you, Paul?"

Paul glanced at Alejandro and smiled. "Yes, that would be just fine with me."

"Good. Then let's get busy." Silas nodded, letting Alejandro know to follow him over to the canned vegetable display scattered all over the floor.

"I'll get the mop bucket and some trash bags," Paul said, as he walked to the back of the store.

_Damn, I can't believe he's making that guy clean up in here,_ Paul chuckled silently.

### Chapter 25

It was late into the night by the time Silas took Alejandro to the county jail and booked him.

"Damn Silas, I can't believe you made him clean up that mess," Bridges laughed.

"Yeah, he didn't either. I just figured it wasn't right for Paul to have to clean it up, so I had Mr. Munez do it since he was their ringleader," Silas chuckled.

Bridges shook his head as he slapped Silas on the shoulder. "Well, you will probably catch some flack over it from those media people who were standing around, but I think it was a great idea."

Bridges had watched the news reports of the violence in other cities when people believed the authorities mistreated them, so he hoped those gathered today at the grocery store were the last to come to town.

"I didn't recognize anyone in the group. They were all from out of town, weren't they?" Silas already knew the answer, but he hoped he was wrong.

"Yeah, all of them were from out of town. Most of them came from the Houston area. Apparently, they're part of that LaRaza group over there," Bridges sighed, knowing what it meant.

"Damn, I was worried about that. I'm sure these won't be the only ones to show up here. We need to prepare for more trouble because these people will not stop."

Over the years, Silas had watched the riots on the television whenever a particular interest group wanted to make a point. He, like so many other Americans, had watched helplessly as groups of people terrorized cities by destroying property and attacking innocent people.

"Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. I heard you chased several of those news reporters off Chuck's property earlier. You know that's not going to make you very popular with them, right?" Bridges chuckled at the image of Silas going in there and breaking up their attempt to get a story.

Silas looked at Bridges and smiled, "I'm sure you're right, but, to be honest, I don't give a rat's ass. Most of them only seem to be here to see that Chuck is convicted of murder. Well, I'm not going to allow that. Chuck did nothing wrong. He was well within his rights to protect his property, but more importantly, he was within his rights to protect himself."

Bridges said nothing but merely nodded his head in agreement.

Silas looked down at his watch, "Damn, I didn't realize how late it was getting. I had planned to stop by the hospital, but it's too late now. I guess I better head home before Jen sends out a search party for me."

Both men exchanged their goodbyes, and Silas went out to his truck. Once inside, he called Jen to let her know he would be home soon.

***

The room was dark with only a small light above the bed shining down on the small, figure lying peacefully on the bed. It had been an exhausting day for Craig and Shelia. Shelby had not regained consciousness, and it appeared she still had no feeling in her legs.

Craig had finally convinced Shelia to go home and get some rest. She had protested, but he told her she had to take care of herself, or she would be of no use to Shelby once she awoke.

Craig was beside himself with worry. How could something like this happen to her? She was always so strong and healthy. He closed his eyes, and the memory of the last time they had gone out for their special Daddy/Daughter date replayed in his mind.

It was a beautiful spring day. The leaves filled the trees after the barren days of winter, and bright, colored Blue Bonnets filled the fields. When he had asked her what she wanted to do for their special day together, she had said she wanted to go fishing. He had laughed when she went out to her mother's garden and dug up some worms. As she put them in an old coffee can full of dirt, she kept telling them she was going to take them swimming and not to be afraid.

When Craig asked her why she told the worms she was taking them swimming, she looked at him with a serious expression and said, "Daddy, I know it's wrong to lie, but I can't tell them the truth. How would you like to know you were going to be someone's lunch?"

He couldn't help but agree with her logic, and that was one of the unique things he loved about her.

The night nurse came in to check Shelby's vitals and IV feed. She looked at Craig and slowly shook her head.

He could see the sadness in her eyes, but when she reached out and gently touched Shelby on the forehead, he saw the tears forming in her eyes.

"Thank you for your care," Craig whispered, fighting back his own tears.

"Mr. Fletcher, your daughter is in my prayers as she is in so many others. I have faith she will recover fully from this and will be home with you and your wife soon."

"Thank you." Craig wiped the tears from his eyes.

Once the nurse had left the room, Craig reached up and took Shelby's small hand in his. "Come back to us, baby. Mommy and Daddy miss you."

***

It was a restless night for Silas. The events from the day before kept replaying in his mind, and he felt helpless to keep things under control. Jen was already up and getting ready for the day when he got out of bed and went to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. I was just about to come and make sure you were still breathing," Jen chuckled as he walked into the kitchen.

"Damn, you seem to be in a good mood this morning. What happened?" Silas groaned as he sat at the table. He reached out and firmly grasped his coffee cup, feeling its warmth on his hands.

"Nothing special, I just feel good this morning. I prayed for Shelby last night, and I believe today, the Lord will answer all our prayers for her. What's got you all grumpy this morning?" Jen filled her coffee cup and joined Silas at the table.

"I'm sorry for my foul mood. It's just all the crap going on lately. Hell, I even had to break up a riot at the grocery store yesterday."

"I heard something about that. Did those people actually come from out of town?"

Silas had taken a sip of his coffee before he spoke again, "Yes. They came from the Houston area. I guess they're part of that LaRaza group. You should have seen the mess they made in the store."

"No one got hurt, did they?" Jen hated the idea of protesters coming to Sandley and causing trouble.

"No, but it could have grown into something like that in no time. They terrified poor Paul. When I got there, people were trashing the store, and Paul was hiding in his office."

Jen looked at Silas and smiled, "Is it true you made one of them clean up the mess before taking him to jail?"

Silas reached for his cup. "I sure did."

"I heard that you had, but I wasn't sure if it was true," Jen smiled then took another sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, I figured since he was the leader of the group, then he should be the one to clean up their mess. I have Paul adding up the cost of the damaged and destroyed goods so it will be available to the Judge."

"Well, at least, no one was hurt," she paused a moment, trying to think of the best way to tell him her fear.

"Silas, I'm afraid this can grow into something bad. We've both seen how things can grow out of control with the right nudge from the wrong people."

He could see the fear in her eyes, and, to be honest, he was worried about the same thing.

"I know; I'm concerned about that too. I only know we need to stand together and not allow anyone to come here and try to destroy what we've all built. Sandley is a nice town with good people living here. We have never discouraged new people from coming to live here, but they handled this the wrong way. It was wrong of OUR government forcing us to accept people who are in this country illegally. I understand how someone would want a better life for their family, but damn it, you need to obey the law first. Then to bring in gang members along with those people and try to convince the American citizens they are only harmless teenagers is a dangerous lie."

Silas looked down at his coffee cup, fighting the urge to throw it against the wall in frustration.

"I was watching on the news earlier that our government is now prepared to bring thousands of refugees from the Middle East and settle them around the country as well. Silas, I know bad things are happening all over the world, but we can't take everyone in and provide for them. Most of us are struggling now as it is. I'm scared if this type of thing keeps happening, we will reach a tipping point. Look how difficult it's been for us. Can you imagine if this sort of thing were to happen all over the country?"

Silas was at a loss for how to respond. He had not heard of the refugees yet, but it did not surprise him in the least.

"I don't want to think about that now. I have more than enough on my plate for now," he groaned.

Silas was about to take another sip of coffee when his cell phone began to ring.

He looked at Jen, and then he answered the call, "Hello. Oh, that's wonderful. Yes, we'll be there soon."

Jen looked at Silas, wondering what could have brought a smile to his face, "Who was that?"

"It was Craig. Shelby's awake, and she wiggled her foot," Silas felt tears of joy forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Oh, Silas, that's wonderful. Come on, let's get to the hospital." Jen jumped up from the table and rushed to put on her shoes.

Silas tucked the cell phone into his pocket and went out to start his truck.

***

"Hi, Uncle Silas," Shelby softly said as he walked into her room.

"Hi there, cutie; it's good to see you awake. I missed seeing your beautiful blue eyes," he grinned when he saw the broad smiles on Craig and Sheila's faces.

Jen walked over to the bed, leaned over the bed railing, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm so glad you're doing better, Shelby. Everyone has been so worried about you."

Shelby smiled.

"The doctor said she's doing much better. In fact, he said her chances of a complete recovery are excellent," Craig said as tears of joy streamed down his face.

Jen gently placed her hand on Sheila's shoulder. "You look better today. You had me worried yesterday."

"I feel better. Craig made me go home last night and get some rest. I guess I was more tired than I realized. Heck, I fell asleep around 7 o'clock and slept until 6 o'clock this morning. I can't remember the last time I slept that long. I had just gotten out of the shower when Craig called with the good news," Sheila looked back at Shelby and smiled.

"The Lord answered everyone's prayers, and for that, I will be eternally grateful," Sheila gave Shelby's hand a gentle squeeze as she looked up at Craig with tears in her eyes.

"Well, we better get out of here before the hospital staff chases us out of here," Silas teased.

"You keep getting better, okay?" Jen said as she stood to leave.

"I will," Shelby whispered.

Silas and Jen walked to the door with Craig following them. Once in the hallway, Silas turned to Craig, "Do they believe she'll walk again?"

Craig glanced back inside the room at Sheila and Shelby. "They seem to think so, but they warned us it might take some time. It will be difficult, but I'm holding out hope she'll have a complete recovery. I'm just hoping all this worry and stress won't have an effect on Shelia and her recovery. She was supposed to go have another treatment this week, but she's refusing until Shelby is stronger."

"That's not good. She needs to keep up with her treatments," Jen said.

Craig shook his head, "I know, but we all know how stubborn she is when it comes to the kids. She looks so weak; I'm worried about her."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Jen glanced back in the room at Sheila and Shelby.

Craig looked at Jen with tears in his eyes, "Pray."

### Chapter 26

After Silas had dropped Jen at the school, he decided to drop by the grocery store and pick up a few things. When he walked inside, Paul came up to him as he got his cart.

"Good morning, Silas."

"Good morning, Paul, how are you doing today?"

"I'm doing fine, thank you for asking. Where is Miss Jen?" Paul grinned.

"I dropped her off at the school. The teachers are holding a meeting about the best way to handle this problem with all the sick kids. With everything going on lately, I thought I'd do some shopping for her."

"Well, isn't that nice of you? I'm sure she will appreciate it."

Silas could tell by the expression on Paul's face there was something on his mind.

After a few tense moments, Paul looked at Silas and said, "I wanted to thank you for your help yesterday. I was convinced someone was going to get hurt, and it was probably going to be me."

Silas did not want to admit he was also scared when he pulled up and saw all the protesters gathered outside of the store. However, once he went inside and saw the mess, his fear transformed into anger.

"Well, I don't think you'll have any more problems with them anytime soon," Silas chuckled.

Paul shook his head and grinned, "I doubt it too by the look on Alejandro's face when you cuffed him after he had finished cleaning up things around here. I must confess I nearly fell over when you told him to grab the mop and bucket. The look on his face is something I will remember to my dying day."

"Yeah, it was pretty funny, wasn't it?"

Both men then looked at each other and broke out into laughter.

Silas then noticed there was something else on Paul's mind, but he was unsure if he should ask.

"Okay, what else is on your mind, Paul?"

"I don't know if it's my place to ask, but..." Paul wrung his hands nervously.

"Go ahead and ask if I can give you an answer, I will."

Paul looked at Silas with a look of dread in his eyes. "Do you think the Feds are going to try to turn this into something against us? I mean, you've seen how they've handled other cases like this one. Several people in town are worried that yesterday's events are only a taste of what's to come."

Silas wished he could tell Paul not to worry, but he had to admit the same thought had crossed his mind.

"Paul, let's hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, I know we will all pull together as a town and not let it destroy what we have here."

"Mr. Jackson, you have a telephone call," the voice sounded over the speaker.

"Well, I guess I need to go. Thank you again for your help, Silas." Paul offered his hand and smiled.

Silas returned the offered handshake. "Anytime, we'll talk again."

Once Paul was out of site, Silas turned and looked toward the produce aisle. "Okay, time to get some goodies."

***

The last few days had been busy for Frank. With all the forms and meetings about the shooting and the attack on Chuck Wilson, he wondered how it was all going to end, not only for Chuck but for the town as well. He had felt the pressure from the higher-ups in D.C. were all clamoring for answers to the questions Frank was unable to provide. He knew this incident could turn ugly by the number of news vans in town, all trying to get the next scoop. The only problem was Frank also knew if they did not get what they wanted they would just create their own story for their nightly report. Unfortunately, he had seen it happen all too often.

The arrest of the two young men had caused anger to surge throughout the camp among several of the other young men. He had worried there might be problems with them, but so far, things had remained calm.

He did have to talk with the family banned from the grocery store. The wife had claimed the owner was over-reacting and just did not want them in the store because they were Latino.

Frank had assured her he would speak to Paul about it, but he already knew what had happened.

"He no like us because we Latino," the angry woman had said in broken English. "He say I no bring my children in the store anymore."

"I know you're upset, but I think it's best for the time being if you have someone else go to the store for you," Frank said in fluent Spanish. He forced a smile, but he knew by the look on her face she did not like the idea.

"This not right. We have our rights to shop there," the woman responded in Spanish, not trying to speak English.

The words hit Frank like a sledgehammer. _Right; she believes she has the right_ ; the words burned into his mind.

He knew he should not feel that way, but as far as he knew, her rights were limited. He was aware that the politically correct way of thinking was she had the same rights as a citizen, but in his heart, he did not agree. It may be his job to watch over them, but he did not have to agree with them staying here. As each day had passed, the government he once loved and respected was turning on those it was supposed to serve and protect, and it did not sit well with him.

"Senora Hernandez, there is nothing more I can do at this time. I suggest that you stay clear of the grocery store, and let things calm down. I have to make a telephone call, so if there isn't anything else, you need to return to your trailer." Frank nodded toward the door, letting her know their talk was concluded for the time being.

As she walked out of the door, he heard her mumble something under her breath, and he had to chuckle when he heard her call him a dirty dog.

Once she had closed the door, Frank reached for the telephone and dialed his home phone.

"Hi sweetheart, I sure do miss you and the kids," Frank said with sadness in his voice.

### Chapter 27

Three weeks had passed since the riot at the grocery store. The media frenzy had grown to a fevered pitch in town with the announcement of no charges filed against Chuck Wilson and the two young men still held in the county jail on Felony Theft charges. Several protest groups had shown up in town, but, for the most part, had remained calm.

"Free the Innocent! Stop Racism!" the large group chanted that had set up outside of the county jail. It did not matter they had caught the two young men under arrest in the act of committing a felony. All that mattered was their prosecution was unjust in the minds of the protesters.

Another group had set up on the highway by Chuck's driveway. Shouts of "Murderer!" and "Racist!" filled the air, only fueling the media frenzy. Silas had tried to get them to leave, but if they did not break any laws, he was powerless.

Andrew had gone to Austin several times, attempting to get assistance. However, they informed him; as long as things remained relatively calm, they were on their own.

Silas knew Sandley was a powder-keg waiting to erupt. All it needed was one more incident to light the fuse.

***

"Mommy, can I have pizza for lunch?" Shelby grinned, as her mother pushed her wheelchair up to the table.

"I don't think it's on the menu today, Sweetheart. I believe it's chicken," Shelia smiled when she saw the frown appear on Shelby's face.

After Shelby had regained consciousness, her doctor had moved her to the Rehab Unit in the hospital. The strength was slowly returning to her body, but they still were unsure when she would walk on her own again. Shelia had taken time off to be there for Shelby as she went through her treatments. It was painful and quite grueling, but with each day, Shelia believed she saw improvement.

"Good afternoon, Shelby. You look hungry," the older woman, pushing the food cart, said as she stopped at the table in front of Shelby. She reached inside of the cart, and pulled out two trays and set them on the table.

Shelby looked at the chicken drumstick, mixed vegetables, and the small pile of mash potatoes. "Yes, ma'am, but I was hoping for pizza."

"Pizza, oh, my, that does sound much better than baked chicken. Well, why don't I make a deal with you? If you eat your lunch, I'll see about them letting you have pizza for lunch tomorrow; fair enough?"

Shelby glanced over at her mother, who was smiling then back to the older woman. "You have a deal."

Shelia could not help but laugh at the look on Shelby's face as she grabbed the drumstick and took a big bite.

"Well, I need to get back to the kitchen. You two ladies have a nice lunch."

Shelia and Shelby both said goodbye, then quietly ate their lunch.

Once they had finished, Shelia set their trays at the end of the table before she turned to Shelby.

"Well, young lady, it's time for you to go to your appointment."

Shelby knew she had to go, but the idea of another physical therapy session was not appealing in the least.

"Okay, but I can't wait to go home. I hate doing this all the time," Shelby moaned.

"I know you do, but it's the only way you'll be able to walk again. You have come such a long way, so don't give up now."

Shelby looked at her mother and saw the tears in her eyes. When she had first gotten sick, Shelby could not understand what was happening to her body. Her father had told her to lay on the couch and rest, but Shelby had suddenly felt strange. The next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital bed.

"Okay, but I don't like it."

"I know you don't, but I'm very proud of you for working so hard to get better. Come on, we don't want to be late," Shelia grinned as she pushed Shelby's wheelchair to the Physical Therapy room.

***

The mood of the crowd gathered around the small bonfire grew dark, as the outsiders stoked the fires of hate.

"You don't have to put up with being treated like this. You have rights."

"They think they are better than you, but we will show them.

The grumbling grew to a fevered pitch when a man from the back of the crowd shouted, "Justice belongs to us!"

Shouts of anger erupted, filling the night air.

"Yes, Eye for an Eye!"

"Kill the Murderer!"

"We will no longer wait for justice!"

The man from the back of the crowd stepped forward with the flames of hate burning in his eyes. "He murdered that boy because he was Latino, like all of us. We all know how the people of this town feel about us. They will protect him from paying for his crime, so it's up to us to make him pay."

The man knew the media would broadcast their stories across the country once they made their move. He also knew the federal government would not step in and do anything, as this was just another incident involving minorities fighting for their rights. As he looked into the eyes of those gathered around the fire, he knew this would be a grand statement for the cause.

"What's going on over here?" Tyler Jemison asked.

The man spun about to face Tyler and at seeing his uniform, replaced the look of hate in his eyes with one of surprise.

"Why nothing, Officer, we are just enjoying the beautiful evening."

Tyler narrowed his eyes, unsure if he believed the statement. "I don't know you. You're not part of the group living here, are you?"

The man steadied himself before answering, "No, but I am a friend of theirs. I only want to help them."

Tyler stepped forward to get a better look at this stranger. He could not quite put his finger on it, but something about the man did not sit well with him. He knew they hated the fact he could speak Spanish, which was one thing they had on several of the townsfolk.

"Well, we don't want any trouble here. Do you understand? Things were sounding a little out of hand, and that's the last thing we'd want, correct?"

Tyler looked the man directly in the eyes, trying to get a gauge of what he was thinking.

"Yes, Officer, that's the last thing we want as well. We'll keep it down, I'm sorry."

"Good because I don't want any trouble."

As Tyler glanced around the crowd, he saw a look of disgust or guilt on their faces. He knew how they felt about him, but he also knew Frank would never put up with a mob threatening violence.

"Don't worry, Officer. We promise not to cause you any trouble here tonight," the man announced as he looked around at the others.

Tyler looked at the man again and still had a feeling of foreboding overtake him.

"Okay. Be sure the fire is completely out before you call it a night. The last thing we need is a brush fire." Tyler looked at the group once more before he turned and headed back to his truck. Once he got inside, he picked up his cell phone and dialed. On the third ring, Silas answered.

"Chief Greer."

"Good evening, Chief Tyler Jemison here. I work with Frank out here at the mill."

"Good evening, Tyler, what can I do for you?" Silas was surprised to hear from Tyler instead of Frank.

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest with you, but I thought I should give you a heads-up."

"Okay, go on,"

"There's a group gathered out here this evening; I'm not sure, but I'm getting a bad feeling. They aren't doing anything I can act on at this time, but my gut tells me they are up to no good. I have a feeling they're planning something against Mr. Wilson. I thought you might like to know so you can keep an eye on him."

"Damn, I've been worried about this with all the crap they've been saying in the media. I have noticed more people from out of town in the interviews lately trying to stir the pot," Silas groaned.

"Yeah, I have too. In fact, there was one of them here tonight. He acted innocent, but there was just something about him I don't trust."

"Well, thank you for the call. I appreciate it more than you know. Tell Frank to call me tomorrow when he gets in, okay?"

"I will; goodnight."

"Goodnight," Silas hung up the telephone.

***

Once Tyler was out of sight, the man turned to the group and let out a low, hate-filled laugh, "See, they are not as smart as they think they are. Let's enjoy ourselves as the fire burns down then we will make the murderer pay." This statement caused the others to laugh as they gathered around the fire again.

***

The moon laid hidden behind the clouds filling the night sky as the Predators moved through the trees unseen. Their low murmurings drowned out the sounds of the nocturnal woodland creatures as they scurried for cover.

"Stop here," the man whispered. "Look, all the lights are off in the house."

The others nodded their understanding, each anticipating the moment the murderer would pay for his crime.

A frantic bark, followed by a pain-filled yelp brought Chuck out of a sound sleep.

"Damn it, something's wrong with Missy," Chuck moaned as he reached for his jeans hanging on the chair by the window.

"I sure hope she didn't mess with another skunk. You remember how long it took to get the stink out of her the last time," Sandy groaned as she sat up on her side of the bed.

Chuck looked at Sandy and grinned. "Well, if she did, you get to clean her this time. She's your damn dog."

Chuck had always liked Missy. She was a good dog and had been a companion for Buck. They had planned to breed them, but she was still too young. The first few nights after Buck had died, Missy had slept by his grave as though waiting for him to come home. It had taken Sandy luring her back to the house with steak bones before she would finally leave Buck's gravesite.

"Stay inside until I know what she's gotten into."

Chuck slid on his boots and walked to the back door. He was about to reach for the doorknob when the telephone rang.

"Damn, who'd call this time of the night?" He reached for the telephone receiver.

"Hello."

"Chuck, it's Silas. I hate to call at this hour, but I've received some distressing news I thought you should know."

Chuck tried to make sense of what Silas was saying. "Distressing news; what's going on, Silas?"

"I received a phone call from Tyler Jemison out at the mill, and he said there was a group out there acting suspiciously tonight. He said he didn't hear everything they said, but he got the feeling they were talking about you." Just saying the words caused a chill to move over Silas.

"I've been worried about something like that, Silas. Damn..."

Silas felt his heart catch in his throat, "What's wrong, Chuck?"

"Missy was barking, then she let out a yelp. I was just going outside to see what's wrong with her. You don't think..."

"Stay inside, Chuck. I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

Silas grabbed his keys and ran out to his truck. Once inside, he called the Sheriff's Department and asked for backup, then he called Doug.

"Doug, get out to Chuck's place as soon as you can. I think something's about to go down out there."

***

The sound of breaking glass followed by the popping sound of fire brought Chuck to full attention. Sandy ran into the living room to see fire consuming the curtains hanging by the front window and slowly spreading across the back of the sofa.

"Oh, my God, what's happening?" she screamed.

"Get back," Chuck yelled as he rushed past her with the fire extinguisher.

"Oh, no!" Sandy jumped back out of the way, as another window broke. This time, the flaming object landed next to the large overstuffed chair sitting in the corner of the living room. Flames immediately consumed the chair and began to spread across the carpet.

"Chuck, I smell gasoline," she shouted as she backed away from the flames.

"Damn, these are bombs made from beer bottles. Go to the kitchen and call the fire department," Chuck shouted above the sound of the fire and more breaking glass.

Sandy did as told, but just as she entered the kitchen and reached for the telephone, another window shattered. The smell of gasoline filled the kitchen with the liquid from the broken bottle spreading flames across the floor.

"Chuck, I can't reach the phone," Sandy cried out.

"Hold on, I almost have this under control," Chuck fought the urge to cough from the thick smoke filling the house. He finally had the fire under control when he heard Sandy scream in pain from the kitchen.

***

The short drive to Chuck's house seemed to take an eternity. Silas had just pulled off the highway when he saw the glow of the fire at the end of the driveway.

"What the hell?"

The site playing out before Silas' eyes was something out of a nightmare. Flames and smoke billowed from the broken windows. Silas came to a screeching stop, wondering if Chuck and Sandy were safe, or still inside. As he stepped out of his truck, Doug sped down the driveway and pulled up next to Silas.

"Call the Fire Department," Silas bellowed as he rushed toward the house.

Doug reached for his radio and ordered the Fire Department to fight the house fire.

"Chuck, Sandy, are you in there?" Silas shouted as he ran toward the house.

Silas was nearly on the front porch when he felt a sharp pain on the side of his head. He reached up his hand and felt moisture. He pulled his hand away when another sharp pain hit him on the side of the face.

"What the hell..." Silas stumbled, trying to gather his senses.

"Are you alright, Silas?" Doug cried out as he got up next to him.

"I don't know, but I think something hit me," he held out his hand, noticing the blood.

The sirens screaming in the night air as the cruisers rushed down the driveway was a welcome sound for Silas.

"Good, they're here," Silas groaned as he wiped the blood on his pant leg. He strained to see inside the house, but the flames blocked his view.

"Chuck, Sandy, are you in there?" Silas shouted again.

Silas was about to step up on the front porch when something caught his eye.

"Run, run," a man's voice shouted in Spanish.

Silas turned and noticed a small group of men running toward the wooded area to the east of Chuck's house.

"Stop!" Silas yelled as he followed the escaping group with Doug running closely behind him.

The fire truck arrived on the scene, and the firefighters began working on the fire. Unfortunately, the fire consumed most of the house by the time they got it under control. Two firefighters had gone inside and found Chuck and Sandy unconscious on the kitchen floor, overcome by the thick smoke filling the room.

***

The sound of breaking twigs and heavy breathing alerted Silas of which direction to run. The pounding in his head and nausea steadily increased with each step as he struggled to catch the group, now disappearing into the trees.

"Doug, we can't let them get away."

"I know," Doug said through gasps of breath.

Both men continued forcing their way through the trees and underbrush until...

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Doug cried out in pain.

Silas spun around, and to his horror, he saw Doug crumpled on the ground.

"What happened?" Silas rushed over to Doug.

"I stepped into a hole of some sort. I think I broke my ankle," Doug groaned.

Silas glanced over his shoulder at the shadows disappearing into the distance. He wanted to continue, but he knew he had to get Doug to safety.

"Can you stand if I help?" Silas reached for Doug.

"Yeah, I think so." Doug wrapped his left arm around Silas' shoulder and held on as Silas stood.

"Crap; that hurts. Maybe we should take off my boot?" Doug moaned.

"No, it's best to leave it on to prevent any more injury. Also, the boot will help keep the swelling under control until we get you to the hospital," Silas groaned, hoping it was just a bad sprain and not broken.

"Shit, I didn't think about that. I sure hope they don't have to cut the boot off; I just bought these a month ago."

Silas looked at Doug and laughed, "Leave it to you to worry about a pair of damn boots."

"Silas, Doug, where are you?" Bridges shouted through the trees.

"We're over here," Silas responded when he saw Bridges and several deputies coming toward them.

"Did you see who they were?" Bridges asked.

"No, we didn't. They had too much of a start on us. I did hear them speaking in Spanish, so I have a good idea who they are."

Bridges and the other officers rushed over to where Silas and Doug were waiting.

"Damn, what happened here?" Bridges shook his head as he looked at Doug, who was standing on one foot with Silas supporting him.

"I had a little mishap with a hole," Doug grinned.

"Is it broken?" Bridges asked.

"I'm not sure, but it sure feels like it is."

"Can you two help him get back to the house, and the rest of us will continue to follow them." Bridges pointed toward two of the deputies, then he looked back to Silas.

"That sounds like a good idea," Silas said as the two deputies took hold of Doug and braced him.

"Man, I'm sorry, Silas. I should be going with you," Doug groaned.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You need to have that ankle examined. Bridges and I can handle this," he grinned, trying to put Doug's mind at ease.

"Come on, we don't want to lose their tracks." Bridges turn turned and walked deeper into the trees.

***

It was roughly fifteen minutes since the group split up after the attack on Chuck's house. The man in charge knew the authorities were tracking them, which is why he had the others headed out in different directions.

"We need to be careful not to lead them back to the mill," he said in a whisper to those still with him.

"We showed him, didn't we? The Gringo wasn't so tough, after all," one of the men chuckled.

"No, he wasn't. I only wish that Police Chief hadn't shown up when he did." The man knew the chance of discovery was high, with Silas having seen them as they escaped into the woods. He also knew Silas would never rest until he caught them.

"We have made it impossible for him to track us, so we have no need to worry," another man added.

The man wanted to believe they had fooled Silas, but he knew they should not let down their guard.

"Quiet, I hear something."

Frozen in place, they each held their breath and waited.

"Jose, it that you?" the voice came from the underbrush just ahead of the group.

"Damn it, what are you doing here?" Jose pushed forward to the woman hiding in the brush.

"I was worried. The others are already back, so I was concerned you had gotten captured," she cried.

"Damn it, woman, you could have led them to us!" The man looked at her and then looked at Jose. "Come on; let's get back to the camp. I hope the fire is still going."

The woman looked down at the ground and nodded her head. "Yes, just as you ordered."

"Good, we need them to believe we've been there this whole time."

***

"Damn it, they've split up," Bridges groaned.

Silas looked down at the disturbed brush and smiled. "It doesn't matter; I know exactly where they went."

Bridges looked at Silas and smiled as well. "Come on, let's go and meet them back there."

Silas reached for his cell phone and dialed. "Tyler, I need you to do something for me."

***

The look of surprise on the faces of the returning group, once they realized the authorities had them surrounded, was priceless. Tyler, along with several deputies, had laid in wait for their return. When they had gathered around the fire, laughing at what they had done at Chuck's house, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by numerous officers.

Silas and Bridges arrived a few moments later to find those responsible for attacking Chuck and Sandy, handcuffed and awaiting their fate.

"Well, well, look who we have here," Silas said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

The man held his gaze toward the fire, refusing to look at Silas.

This act of defiance only drove Silas on more. "I can honestly say I'm not surprised you had something to do with this," he chuckled.

The man continued to hold his gaze on the fire, refusing to surrender to the taunts.

Bridges looked at the man, and then over to Silas. "Silas, isn't this the man who led the protest at the grocery store? I seem to remember him spending some time in my jail."

Silas looked at Bridges and grinned, "He sure is. This is our mutual friend, Mr. Alejandro Munez."

Bridges glanced at the man and laughed. "Damn, I guess he didn't get enough time in my jail after all. I guess destroying a grocery store wasn't enough for you. Now you've moved on to arson and attempted murder."

Munez looked up at Bridges with a look of defiance in his eyes. "I want to speak to my attorney."

Bridges smiled, "Don't worry, you'll get to talk with your lawyer soon enough. Come with me."

Once the group responsible for attacking Chuck was loaded into the squad cars, Bridges turned to Silas. "Are you going to stop by the hospital and check on Chuck and Sandy?"

"Yeah, I'm headed there now. Thank you for your help tonight," Silas held out his hand.

Bridges took the offered hand and returned the handshake. "Hey, anytime. Call me when you know how they're doing, okay?"

"I will."

Both men walked to their vehicles and got inside.

Silas watched as Bridges drove down the driveway and then pulled out on the highway. He then reached for his cell phone and dialed.

"Silas, oh, thank goodness. I heard about Chuck and Sandy," Jen said breathlessly.

"Yeah, in fact, I'm headed to the hospital to check on them now."

"I cannot believe those people would do that. How horrible, they both could have died." Jen never understood how people could be so cruel.

"Well, we don't have to worry about that bunch anymore. Bridges is taking them to the jail as we speak," Silas chuckled.

"Good, that's good to hear. Do you want me to meet you at the hospital? I'd love to see Sandy." Jen always had liked Sandy since they were friends in school.

"I don't know if they will let you in to visit with them at this hour. I'm going there in an official capacity, so I'll be able to talk to them. Why don't you stay at home and I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

Jen knew there was no sense in arguing. "Okay, I'll see you later."

Once they had hung up their phones, Silas started his truck and pulled down the long driveway.

### Chapter 28

"Good evening, Chief Greer, both are settled into their room for the night," the nurse said as Silas walked to the nurse's station.

"How are they doing?" He steadied himself for the answer he prayed would not come.

"To be honest, they're doing quite well. Mr. Wilson has been asking for you. He has refused to go to sleep until speaking to you," the nurse smiled at the amused look that appeared on Silas' face.

"Yeah, ole Chuck can be a bit stubborn at times. What rooms are they in?" Silas glanced down the hall to the closed bedroom doors.

"Well, actually, they're in the same room. Mr. Wilson said he wanted them to share a room. He was quite adamant about it," the nurse said nervously.

Silas noticed the look on her face and smiled. "Yeah, he can be strong-willed at times."

The nurse nodded her agreement. "He's in room 206. I was just in there a couple of minutes ago, and he was wide awake."

"Thank you, I'll go speak to him now." Silas turned and walked down the hall to room number 206. Once there, he reached for the door handle and slowly opened the door.

"Well, it's about damn time you got here," Chuck bellowed. "I've been fighting with that damn nurse for the last hour. For some reason, she seems to think I need some sleep."

Silas was relieved to see Chuck looking so well. He had a few cuts and scrapes, but all in all, he looked like he had escaped getting any significant injuries. Unfortunately, Sandy appeared as though her injuries were more severe. Her right arm was in a cast, they had the top of her head bandaged, and she looked as though she had some burns on her throat and chest.

"It's good to see you two," Silas said as he walked closer to Chuck's bed.

Chuck glanced over at Sandy, who was sleeping soundly. He reached up and wiped a stray tear away before he spoke. "I hope you caught the bastards who did this to us."

Silas looked at the anger and sadness in Chuck's eyes. "We sure did. They're sitting in jail as we speak."

Silas saw the relief on Chuck's face. "Good, I'm glad you caught the bastards."

"Chuck, I need to know if you were able to see any of them before they ran away." Silas was sure he already knew the answer to his question, but he had to ask.

"No, I'm sorry. I never got a chance to see any of their faces. I hope that won't jeopardize the case against them."

"No, they were caught red-handed. It just would make it easier for the prosecutor, but that's okay. Bridges and his men will be able to backtrack their trail to your house," Silas grinned.

Chuck looked at Silas and smiled.

"How is Sandy doing?" Silas nodded toward Sandy, who was still sleeping.

"She's doing better than they thought she would. The poor thing was terrified. She got some bad burns on her neck and chest, and her arm got broke when she tripped and fell because of all the thick smoke. I tried to get to her, but I couldn't find her in all the smoke. Then the next thing I remember is lying on the stretcher in the ambulance," his voiced cracked as the emotions he had felt at the time overtook him.

Silas walked closer to the bed and rested his hand on Chuck's shoulder. "I'm just thankful the two of you survived. I'm sorry I couldn't get there sooner. Maybe I could have stopped..."

Chuck interrupted Silas. "None of this is your fault, Silas. I blame this on the damn Feds for forcing all of this on us. We didn't ask the government to bring those people to our town. Yet, they were, and under false pretenses. We all know those boys who attacked you are not the innocent children portrayed in the news reports. They're gang members and criminals who have no desire to come here for a new life. Look at the illness brought to the school and all the sick children. Silas, our town is under assault, and it's our very own government who is doing it. Something needs to happen to wake people up to the truth. People need to know the truth about what's going on here."

Silas knew Chuck was right, and he knew just what he needed to do. "I'll let you get some rest, and I promise I won't stop until our fellow Americans understand what's happening to the people of Sandley."

Chuck looked up at Silas with tears in his eyes. "Thank you," were the only words he said as he closed his eyes.

Silas quietly left the room, and once he was out in the hall, he reached for his cell phone. "Jen, I'm on my way home. I know it's late, but make some coffee because we have some work to do."

***

The sound of the alarm brought Silas and Jen out of a deep sleep.

"I'm going to take a shower and try to wake up," Jen moaned as she crawled out of bed.

"Okay, I'll start the coffee," Silas yawned and stretched as he walked to the kitchen.

They had both been up most of the night searching the internet for prominent people in the media to contact that would be willing to report the truth without any political correctness spin or hidden agenda. They finally settled on three. They had sent emails requesting time to share the story of what was happening in Sandley.

The coffee had finished brewing when Jen came into the kitchen. "Oh. thank goodness," she smiled as she reached for the cup Silas held out to her.

She walked over to the table and sat in her chair as Silas filled his cup and joined her.

"Do you think any of them will contact you?" Jen asked.

"I don't know. I'm hoping, at least, one of them will have the courage to report the truth," Silas grinned as he lifted the cup of hot coffee to his lips and took a sip.

"Well, I need to get going. I'll call you during lunch to see if anyone has contacted you." Jen took another sip of coffee, then stood and put the cup in the sink.

"Don't you want anything to eat before you go?" Silas asked.

"No, I need to get there early. With all this time off lately, I need to get a few things ready for when we open classes again," Jen sighed.

"I know the kids will be glad to be back in school again. I'll talk to you later." Silas stood and gave her a kiss goodbye then he walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a bowl.

"I'm going to have a bowl of cereal before I go to the office," he grinned.

"Okay, well, don't forget to call and let me know, all right?" Jen then walked to the back door.

"I will."

Once Jen had left, Silas grabbed the box of cereal, the milk carton from the refrigerator, and a spoon from the silverware drawer. He sat back down at the table, but as he began to fill his bowl with the cereal, his cell phone rang.

"Chief Greer."

"Good morning, my name is Michael Ramsey, and I'm with the Judge Gina show. I was surprised to read your email this morning about what is happening in your town, and we would love to interview you on our show."

"Well, I must admit I'm surprised to hear from anyone so quickly," Silas responded.

"I assume you sent your request out to other individuals, am I correct?" Michael held his breath as he waited.

"As a matter of fact, I did."

Michael took a moment to gather his thoughts before he continued. "I know from your email you don't want to waste your time. I also know you don't trust members of the media not to spin your story in a negative light. I have spoken with Judge Gina, and she is anxious to talk to you. Do you have a few minutes? She'd like to put your mind at ease at the prospect of being a guest on her show."

"Sure, I'll talk to her."

"Thank you, Chief Greer. I'll transfer the call now; please hold."

Silas heard the phone click twice, and then the voice of a woman came on the phone.

"Good morning, Chief Greer. I'm so happy you decided to contact me about the problems your town is facing."

"Good morning, Judge Gina. I'd like to thank you for your interest in helping."

"Please, just call me Gina. I'm hoping we will be friends, so there is no need for formalities," she said with a hopeful tone in her voice.

"Okay, Gina, but only if you call me Silas," he chuckled.

"Fair enough, Silas, it is then. I read your email, and I find your words compelling. I have done a few stories on the immigration problem, but I should admit this is the first time I've had someone contact me about the effect this has had on an entire community. Silas, I have to say I'm shocked to learn what your town has endured at the hands of the federal government and their effort to force illegal immigrants on a small community."

"I will only do this if I know I won't be censored or have my words edited. I want my story told in MY words, is that understood?" Silas had no desire to waste his time if they were only going to spin his words.

"I can live with that, Silas. In fact, I would love to come to your town and see for myself if you don't mind. We can get some footage to go along with the interview, so that way the viewers will have a complete picture of what's going on there."

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea. Just let me know when you want to be here."

"Let's see, today is Thursday, so I can be there on Monday. We can spend a couple of days filming the area, interview some of the residents, and, of course, we'll do your interview. That way, we can have everything ready for the live show the following weekend. Of course, I'll let you have the final approval of the footage before airing it next weekend. How does that sound to you, Silas?"

Silas mulled over her offer for a moment before he answered. "Can you give me until this evening to make my final decision? You're the first to contact me, so I'd like to know if I have other options. I hope you understand."

"Of course, but please let me know by this evening so I can schedule everything. I hope you decide to allow me to help you with getting your story out to the American people. I have a good feeling about this, Silas."

"I will, and thank you for getting back to me so quickly."

"It's my honor. Just call this number, and Michael will get everything set up. I hope you decide to trust me with your story, goodbye."

Once they both had hung up the phone, Silas reached for the box of cereal and filled his bowl. He was about to pour the milk when his phone rang again.

"Damn, so much for breakfast," he groaned as he reached for his cell phone.

***

It was nearly two hours and the last two phone calls from the other media outlets when Silas finally made his decision to go with Judge Gina. He could not quite put his finger on it, but something about her made him want to trust her. After he called Michael and told him to begin the arrangements, he called Jen.

"Oh, Silas, that's wonderful. I've watched her show before, and she seems to be an honest person. I think you made an excellent choice."

"I think I did too. I'm going to go tell Andrew what I'm doing. He doesn't need to be side-swiped with this. You know how he can be if caught off guard," Silas chuckled.

"Oh, yes, that's a magnificent idea to warn him," Jen giggled at the vision of Andrew preparing for his time on a national news show.

"How's it going at the school?" Silas knew it had been rough with all the sick children lately.

"It seems to be calming down some. They are going to resume classes on Monday, and even Shelby is coming back to school soon," Jen said enthusiastically.

"She is? Oh, that's wonderful."

"She'll still need to use the wheelchair for a while, but she said she wanted to come back to school. Silas, we came so close to losing her."

"I know; it sure was a scary time. I'm just thankful she's still here with us." Silas felt a tear forming in the corner of his eye.

Jen felt the same way. "Hey, I need to go. We're having a meeting in a few minutes. I'll talk to you this evening."

They both said their goodbyes and hung up. Silas poured the cereal back into the box. He then carried his empty coffee cup and bowl to the sink, rinsed them, and put them both in the dishwasher.

"Well, I guess there's no time like the present," Silas smiled as he walked to the back door.

### Chapter 29

The town was abuzz with the news of Judge Gina coming to interview Silas. Andrew had called an emergency meeting where he told everyone to be sure the town was clean, and everyone would be pleasant to Judge Gina and her crew.

Silas was relieved to know he had the support of the residents with his decision. He had worried they might feel betrayed, but they all said they were glad he would tell their story.

When Judge Gina and her crew pulled up in front of the City Hall building, she was pleased to see the town's residents holding up signs welcoming her to town.

"Welcome to Sandley," Andrew said as she stepped out of her van. "My name is Andrew Sexton, and I'm the Mayor of Sandley. We are honored to have you come to our little town."

Gina looked around at the crowd of smiling faces until she noticed Silas. "Thank you, Mayor Sexton, for your warm welcome. I see Silas has come out to meet me as well," she smiled as she shook Andrew's hand.

Silas stepped forward. "It's good to see you as well, Gina. Thank you for coming."

"I want to thank you for inviting me. I understand Michael made arrangements for us at your local motel," she turned to look at the young man who walked up and stood next to her.

"Yes, he did. In fact, Randall has been fretting ever since Michael called and made the reservations," Silas laughed.

Gina looked at Silas, unsure of what he meant. "I hope he has rooms for us."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. He has your rooms. As a matter of fact, he made sure all his rooms were available for you and your crew just in case," Silas winked.

"Oh my," Gina grinned. "I'm sure his rooms will be more than satisfactory."

"Which way is it to the motel? I'd like to get everyone settled into their rooms," Michael asked.

"That's a good idea, Michael. I'd like to spend some time talking with Silas while you take care of that." Gina looked at Silas and smiled.

Realizing he could be of help, Andrew turned to Michael, "I'll take you to the motel."

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor; I appreciate your assistance," Michael responded.

Once they had left, Gina turned to Silas. "Well, why don't you give me a tour of your quaint little town?"

***

The rest of the day, Silas took Gina and her cameraman around the area, showing her the different points of interest. He was surprised at how she took notes and asked questions. He was also pleased with how pleasant she was to the residents. She took pictures with them and spent time talking to them about their concerns. By the end of the day, Silas knew he had chosen the right person to tell the story of Sandley.

"Gina, we need to get going. Andrew, I mean Mayor Sexton has a dinner planned at the community center for you and your crew." Silas knew she probably needed to rest after her flight, but he also knew this would give her a chance to get to know more of the townsfolk on a more personal level.

"How nice; I'd love to join you for dinner. To be honest, I'm starving," she grinned.

"Good, I'll call and let them know we're on the way. It's only about a five-minute drive from here." Silas opened the passenger door of his truck and held it for Gina as she climbed inside. The cameraman then got into the back seat, as Silas walked around and got in the driver's seat.

"It's a good thing you're hungry because I promise you there is going to be loads of food there." Silas turned on the ignition and pulled out on the street.

***

The food was excellent, and everyone seemed to have a pleasant time. Gina sat at the table next to Silas, rubbing her stomach and complaining about how she had overeaten.

"That was some of the best food I've ever eaten. I wish I had more room in my stomach because I'd love to have more of that cobbler," Gina grinned while licking her lips.

"Yeah, Maribelle makes some of the best cobbler I've ever eaten. I always look forward to one of these dinners so I can have some," Silas laughed.

Suddenly Gina's eyebrows furrowed. "I hate to think about what has happened in your town. It angers me to think the federal government would destroy your peaceful lives the way they have, and all because of an agenda. I look forward to sharing your plight with my viewers. It's just not right."

"Thank you for your honesty. I hope my message will be a warning to other towns that our government is more than willing to overstep its bounds without a second thought of how it would affect We the People." Silas fought the anger stirring up from deep inside of him.

Gina understood his feelings as she felt the same way. "Silas, we are going to shine the light of truth on this. That is the only way to stop them from doing this somewhere else."

She looked around the large room at all the people enjoying each other's company after sharing a delicious meal. "We need to save your town, and that's just what we're going to do with this report, but first, I need to get some rest. Come on, Michael; gather up everyone and let's go to the motel. I'm ready for a good night's sleep. Silas and I have a big day tomorrow," she winked toward Silas.

"I thought we could do the interview here tomorrow," Silas said.

"This is a little cold and impersonal. I was hoping to have it somewhere warm and more inviting." Gina looked around the large room, not thrilled with the idea of doing the interview there.

"How about doing it in our living room? We have two comfortable chairs, and you can use the fireplace as a backdrop," Jen offered.

Silas was about to speak when Gina cut him off. "That sounds like an excellent idea. Why don't we come to your house at 9 o'clock in the morning? That way, the crew has time to set things up while you and I go over any last-minute details."

Silas looked at Jen then back to Gina. "Okay, that sounds fine with me. We'll see you at 9 o'clock in the morning."

"Good. Come on, Michael. If I don't get some rest, I'll look like death-warmed-over tomorrow," Gina chuckled as she stood and walked toward the door.

"Goodnight," Jen and Silas said in unison as Gina walked away.

***

Silas and Jen were up at 5 o'clock, trying to prepare for Gina and her camera crew.

"I cannot believe you offered our house," Silas sighed.

"I don't know why I did it. It just sort of popped out of my mouth before I realized what I had said," Jen groaned.

Silas looked at her and laughed. "Well, next time, let your brain know what your mouth is about to do, alright?"

Jen looked at Silas and rolled her eyes. "I will, I promise. Well, at least, the house is clean."

Silas walked over to Jen and took her in his arms. "Woman, you make it impossible to stay upset with you." He leaned down and gave her a kiss while holding her in his arms.

"Silas, we don't have time for this. You need to take a shower and shave. Your whiskers are deadly," she giggled.

"Okay, but I'd rather stay here and snuggle with you," he grinned, as he playfully reached for her again.

"Behave yourself. Now, go take your shower, and I'll get your clothes out for you. I'm glad I washed and ironed your uniforms the other day," she laughed as she pushed his hands away.

Realizing he was fighting a losing battle, Silas turned and walked toward their bedroom. "Okay, but you owe me."

"I owe you? Owe you for what?"

Silas just turned his head and flashed a big grin before he disappeared through the bedroom door.

***

Everything was ready. There was a freshly brewed pot of coffee, the chairs were neatly placed in front of the fireplace, and Silas was nervously pacing the floor when the doorbell rang at precisely at 9 o'clock.

Jen looked at Silas and saw the fear appear in his eyes. "Relax; everything is going to be fine." She opened the front door.

"Good morning, Jen. Is Silas ready?" Gina said as she walked inside.

"Well, he's dressed, but I don't know how ready he is," Jen chuckled as she looked over at Silas, who was now standing in the middle of the living room. "I think he's having a little bout of stage fright."

Gina looked at Silas and smiled. "You have no reason to be nervous. I promise this will be painless."

"I didn't think I'd be quite so nervous," Silas groaned.

"Why don't the two of you go to the kitchen and have some coffee and maybe that will calm you down some. I'm sure there are some things you need to talk about before you begin. I'll stay out here and help your crew get all set up," Jen said.

"Thank you, Jen; that's a splendid idea. I can use a good cup of coffee. Nothing against your motel, but his coffee was a little bitter."

"You won't have that problem here. Jen makes an excellent cup of coffee," Silas said as he led the way to the kitchen.

Silas and Gina sat at the table and discussed a few things they would cover in the interview. As time went on, he began to relax and realized she would make sure the interview was honest and without distorted facts.

After half an hour, Michael announced everything was ready for them.

"Okay, Silas, it's time to tell the American people what is happening in Sandley." Gina reached out and gently touched him on the arm.

***

"Okay, you're on in 3, 2, 1..."

"Good evening, as we all know, that our federal government has been playing games with us, the American people by telling us there is nothing they can do about the problem on our southern border with Mexico. Over the past several months, we have seen thousands of illegal immigrants flooding across the border with no resistance from those in Washington DC. As a matter of fact, the very government supposed to protect us from such an invasion is actually aiding them by shipping them to towns all across the country. We have all seen on the nightly news the peril of the children and families forced into the detention centers. We are told how it's the responsibility of the American people to see these people are treated with respect and provided the opportunity for a better life. However, the government hasn't shielded us from the outcome of relocating those who came into our country illegally, and the effect it has on the average American citizen and their communities. Tonight, I'm going to share the story of one such town and its residents."

Gina turned to Silas. "I'm here in Sandley, Texas, with Chief Silas Greer. First of all, I'd like to thank you for inviting me to come to your quaint little town, Silas."

"You're welcome, Gina. I'd like to thank you for coming and helping us share our story."

The interview proceeded as planned. Silas explained how the people were tricked into believing the jobs at the factory would be for the people of Sandley, only to learn the company had made a deal with the government to use illegal immigrants brought to town under cover of night.

He also explained how the crime rate had steadily grown and how it finally escalated to the attempted murder of Chuck and Sandy Wilson. Silas also spoke of how his best friend's daughter had nearly died because of a deadly illness brought to town by the group brought in to work at the factory. He finally spoke of how he had tried to get assistance from the federal government to handle the added problems, but how they had turned him away.

"Silas, I want to thank you for sharing your story with the viewers. I'd like you to take this time to tell us anything else we may need to know," Gina leaned back in the chair and waited.

Silas looked at Gina and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked directly into the camera and began to speak in a calm, but firm voice.

"My fellow Americans, we are under attack from a dangerous enemy. I know most of you will say you already know that fact because we are fighting them in the Middle East. However, that's not the enemy I'm referring to tonight. The enemy that has attacked us is our own government in Washington, D.C. For far too many years, we have sat in silence and allowed those WE elected to destroy our freedom. With each passing year, they have chiseled away at our constitutional rights with each new unjust law. From trying to take our guns to unrealistic regulations that stifle business, the greatest enemy the American people face today is those serving in Washington DC. They tell us we must allow those who broke our laws to stay here and how they are entitled to our jobs because apparently, they are the only people willing to do them. Well, I hate to tell those in DC, but the people of Sandley were thrilled to have the opportunity for those jobs, but an uncaring federal government cheated us out of them."

Silas paused a moment before continuing, "I fear for the future of Sandley. This once peaceful town is now a target for those who would try to force a change none of us want. The residents of Sandley are good and honest people. They love their families and want to have a safe place to live. The people of Sandley are not bigots or full of hate. As a black man, they have accepted me as their Chief of Police for several years, as well as their friend. The people of Sandley treat each other with respect and are always available to help each other in a time of need, but now those with an agenda are painting us as haters. We only want our lives back, and we want our government to put us, its citizens first for a change."

Silas looked at Gina with tears glistening in his eyes. She understood the pain he felt, and she had to admit she felt it as well.

After a few tense moments, Gina spoke. "Silas, I'd like to thank you for sharing your story with us. Your words have touched my heart, as I'm sure they have anyone watching this tonight."

Gina then turned and faced the camera. "As you can see, the residents of Sandley, Texas, have been betrayed by our very own federal government. Now, I ask, how many other towns are facing these same problems? We have always been a country of immigrants, which is why we have such a rich history. However, as we grew as a nation, it became necessary to control those coming here. Everyone knows the history of Ellis Island and the millions of immigrants screened there on their quest to begin a new life here. That process was performed to protect the American people from sickness and undesirables putting the American people at risk. However, for some strange reason, our government no longer wants to keep us safe, and if we stand and cry out NO MORE, we find ourselves labeled as racist and haters. Now we have learned our government is flying the families of illegal immigrants here at taxpayers' expense to spare them the long and dangerous trip across the desert. They then label the new arrivals as refugees, thus making them eligible to receive numerous benefits at taxpayer expense. Then to top off the insult, not only has our government forced people who came to our country illegally upon us but now they are also bringing Muslims by the thousands from the Middle East as supposed refugees. This, of course, makes no sense, as it's the Christians who are being murdered by ISIS by the thousands. So why not bring the Christians facing death?"

Gina reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek before she continued. "We are facing the death of our country if we don't stand up and fight back. We can no longer cower to political correctness. We can no longer allow those who want complete control over us, to bully us into submission."

She looked at Silas and smiled, "Silas, I will keep you and your town in my prayers, and I hope everyone watching tonight will do the same." She reached out her hand and then took his in a firm handshake.

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell our story," Silas said.

The camera then focused on Gina, "I hope you all will contact your representatives and let them know you want them to do their job and protect you from this over-reaching administration. Together we can save this great country for the next generation. Until next week, goodnight."

Once the cameraman turned off the camera, Gina turned to Silas. "You did an excellent job. I'll have my guy get everything together this afternoon so you can approve it. We're scheduled to fly out tomorrow, so I'm hoping you like what we did here."

"Okay, I'm sure I'll like it," Silas smiled.

"Great, we'll get out of here, and I'll call you when it's ready." Gina stood and looked around the room. "You have a beautiful place here. Thank you for letting us film here."

"You're welcome," Jen responded with a smile on her face.

"Come on, let's get out of here and let these lovely people have some time to themselves," Gina smiled then walked toward the front door.

### Chapter 30

Gina called at 6 o'clock, letting Silas know the report was ready for his approval. They decided to meet at the local Mexican restaurant, so they could eat dinner and discuss the footage. Silas decided to call the owner of the restaurant and request the use of the private room in the back so they could talk undisturbed.

***

Silas and Jen were sitting at the table, enjoying some chips and salsa when Gina and Michael arrived.

"Where's the rest of your crew?" Silas asked.

"Oh, they decided to try some Crayfish at the restaurant just outside of town," Gina grinned.

"Oh, I'm sorry, would you rather eat there?" Silas asked.

"No, this is fine. I love Mexican food." Gina sat at the table and grabbed a chip then dipped it in the salsa. "This is delicious."

The waitress came to the table and handed them each a menu and put another bowl of chips and salsa on the table. "What would you like to drink this evening?"

"I would love a Margarita," Gina winked.

"Oh, yes, I'll have one too," Jen grinned.

Silas and Michael looked at each other and smiled.

The meals were delicious, and everyone had enjoyed some pleasant conversation. Once the waitress picked up the dirty dishes and left the tab, Michael set his laptop computer on the table and turned it to face Silas and Jen.

Silas sat in silence as he watched the report. The images of the town and interviews with the townsfolk all put Sandley in a positive light. Next was his interview with Gina. He watched as he poured his heart out, and he felt the same feelings well up inside of him.

Once it was finished, he looked at Gina and said, "It's perfect, thank you."

"Great. Jen, why don't you and I have another Margarita to celebrate?" Gina grinned as she motioned for the waitress.

"Silas, next weekend, the country will learn what the federal government has done to your town. I only pray this will be what it takes to make the American people stand up and fight back once and for all.

### ~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed the story of the people of the fictional town of Sandley, Texas. As a writer, I was unable to give this story the typical ending, as the events portrayed are still evolving today. As Americans, it's up to us to fight to save this great country for the next generations. We can no longer turn a blind eye, believing what's happening today won't affect our futures. As portrayed in this story, the people of Sandley are no different from most Americans who only want to live their lives in peace and raise their families.

It doesn't matter what political party one chooses because when you step away from the parties, we are all Americans, and this is our country to protect. We also need to stop allowing those in power to divide us, for that is how they gain power and control over us. Since the beginning of this great Republic, many have died to protect it. Let's not let our generation be the one to allow those deaths to be in vain.

Linda L Barton - Proud American

### ~~~~~~
