by Michael Baier

Created on: April 20, 2008

CHAPTER 1

James Maverick drove the one and only squad car down the road. His day was slowly coming to an end. Absolutely nothing had happened. Nothing ever happened in Plainsville, Oklahoma.
James was 74 years old and the sheriff since he was 25 as he was the town's only cop. During his 49 years as sheriff nothing had ever happened. There wasn't as much as a mysterious death. His job couldn't have been any easier but it got boring. He wished something would at least happen in his last year as sheriff. It was tradition to retire after 50 years as sheriff. He didn't mind. If something did happen, he wouldn't be able to do much. He was simply getting too old, and arthritic, but that didn't stop him from wanting an interesting last year.

As he drove past the town's park on 4th street, he watched the kids running around and having fun, just like they did every day after school. A couple of the kids waved at him. He waved back before turning onto Main Street. He parked the car outside the town hall which served as the police station and walked across the road to the Main Street Bakery. He bought a coffee and two donuts and walked back to the town hall.

He went inside and directly to his office. Taking a seat at his desk, he started sipping his coffee. He ate the donuts and turned his attention to the news. As he was never involved in anything here, he liked to know what was happening elsewhere. He wasn't surprised to here that a cop had been killed in a gunfight in Seattle, Washington but was surprised when he heard that a teacher and student had been killed in a school shooting in Cleveland, Ohio. Another teacher and student had also been injured in the shooting. The only other story of any interest was about a St. Paul cop who had been arrested for steeling and reselling drugs from the evidence room.

The sheriff leaned back in his chair and continued listening to the 6:00 news. About 15 minutes later he fell asleep leaving his coffee to go cold. It wasn't unusual and wouldn't bother him in the least bit. It was just part of being old.

Dave and Lisa Matthews were getting worried. Their daughter, Jenna hadn't come home from school, and hadn't called as she normally would have if she had gone to a friend's house.
"It'll be alright," Dave told Lisa. "She'll be home soon, or she'll at least call." He knew that it wasn't true. If she was going to call, she'd of done so hours ago. It was already 8:30. She never stayed out this late without calling.

"I think we should call James,"

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