He made it back home and went inside, heading to get a shower. He wanted to wash the lake water off him. He finished and made his way down to the kitchen. He needed some coffee and time to think about everything. He no sooner sat down than there was a knock on his front door again. "Well, I know it's not my neighbor, he is at work." Aaron thought. He made his way to the door and opened it.
There stood the sheriff and a deputy behind him. "I heard you were out at the mill by the lake." he said. "Yes, I was. My neighbor needed a ride to work." Aaron replied. "I need to talk to you about what happened after." the sheriff said. Aaron stepped backwards and let the sheriff come inside. "You can stay outside for now." the sheriff said to his deputy.
Aaron could tell his deputy did not like that one bit, but he did what he was told. Aaron shut the door and he and the sheriff made their way into the living room. Aaron was grateful he had cleaned up earlier and had put all the things about the murder away. "Have a seat." Aaron said as they walked into the living room.
"I will get right to it! I asked you not to get involved and now you have, now I need to deal with it." the sheriff said. Aaron suddenly started to wonder if the sheriff was going to blame him for the man's death. The man who he pulled out of the wreck in the lake. He knew no one there and his was pretty sure his neighbor would most likely not back him on taking him to work. He sat there waiting for what was coming next.
"You should have stayed out of it!" the sheriff said. "I wanted nothing to do with it and tried everything I could to stay out of it!" Aaron said in an angry tone. "If you were trying to do that than why I am now?" the sheriff replied. "I don't know, why are you here?" Aaron asked. Aaron knew there was more to why the sheriff was there and why he didn't want the deputies to follow the sheriff inside.
"I think I know who killed Norma Ray, but I can't prove it yet. I was getting closer but then you show up!" the sheriff said. Aaron was trying everything to not lose his temper. "I want nothing to do with any of this, but it seems that I am being dragged into it whether I want to or not." Aaron said.
"I have a strong feeling there is more to why you told your deputies to stay outside." Aaron said. The sheriff sat there for a moment, then got up and walked to a window where he could see the deputies. He could see them talking but could hear what they were saying. He then turned and walked back to the chair he had been sitting in and sat down.
"Yes, there is more to it! I don't think you need to know though." the sheriff said. "Well, I think there I do need to know. I am involved now whether I want to be or not. I may be able to help you sheriff." Aaron said. "There are certain people in this town that have a lot of pull with people who live here. The father of the one who died tonight is one of them." the sheriff said.
"Do you know what happened? Why his car went into the lake?" Aaron asked. "I have a strong suspicion why but like a lot of things in this town, I will be told to let it go." the sheriff replied. "You're the sheriff, can't you do something about it?" Aaron said. The sheriff gave Aaron a look and Aaron knew to not press the matter anymore.
"Well, what are we going to do now?" Aaron asked. "We aren't going to do anything." the sheriff replied. Aaron sat there a moment not saying anything. "There is something I need to show you." Aaron said. He got up and walked out of the room. When he came back, he had all the papers and printouts about the murder.
He laid everything on the table that was between the two of them, then pulled one piece out. "I didn't know anything about this. I had no idea she even knew her until I opened a box my mom had left me when she passed away." Aaron said as he handed the sheriff the letter his mother wrote asking Aaron to help find the killed of her good friend.
The sheriff read what Aaron gave him, then stared at Aaron for a moment. "Your mom knew Norma Ray?" he said. "Apparently so but I had no idea. I found this place online and bought it. I had no idea about the murder or that my mom knew her." Aaron said. "I think there is a stronger power working in all this." the sheriff said.
Aaron knew what he was getting at but wanted nothing to do with God. "Stronger power or not, the murder and those involved need to answer for what they have done." Aaron said. "Is the anything else you need to tell me?" the sheriff asked. "No, but if I think of something I will let you know." Aaron replied.
"We need to keep this between us. When I walk out of here, I will need the deputies to think you had something to do with the wreck from earlier. You know that right? I don't want them to get any idea that I am on to them and their connections to what is happening in this town." the sheriff said. "I understand but know that I will be delving more into all this. I know a few people who I am sure can help us with this, but I will wait until you give me the okay to get their help." Aaron said.
"I best be going, just stay low and don't get in my way. I will arrest you if that's what it takes to keep you from interfering with what I am doing." the sheriff said as he stood up. He walked to the front door and opened it. Seeing the deputies standing close by, the sheriff turned, looking back at Aaron and said. "If you know what's best for you Mr. Aaron, you will keep your nose out of this." He then closed the door behind him.
Aaron walked back to the living room and stood there a moment. "What am I doing? These guys are not playing around. Not only was Norma Ray killed but now someone else." Aaron thought. He went into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. Thinking about what he should do next.
"I need to find out more about the mill and the guy who died in the wreck but how am I going to do that without being seen? It was then that a thought came to him. He used to ride his bike whenever he had time when he lived in the city. He brought it with him and stored it in the garage. "I can use it at night, that way no one will see me." Aaron thought.
He finished his cup of coffee and then went to bed but first he made sure the doors were locked. He placed his pistol on the table beside the bed, then laid down. It had been a long day, and he was tired. He fell asleep quickly and started to dream.
He was outside of the house, the same one from the dream that he had before. This time he was moved closer and as the person came out of the house, he saw the person's face. It was a man but not someone he knew. Aaron was being moved behind the man, following the man to a car that was parked in the darkness of a road close by.
The man got into the car and drove off. It was then that Aaron saw the license plate. It was a personalized plate and Aaron took note of it. Suddenly, the dream ended, and Aaron woke up. He grabbed a pen and piece of paper from the drawer of the table by his bed and wrote the id of the plate down. He then laid back down and fell back asleep.
When he woke up it was daylight and he had slept a good part of the morning away. He had forgotten about the dream until he sat up in bed. He reached out and saw what he had written. "I need to find out who that plate belongs to." he thought. He made his way down to the kitchen and made himself something to eat.
Once he was done eating, he went out to his garage and lifted his bike off the rack where he had it hanging. He checked everything, wanting to make sure it was in good shape. He then hid it underneath a tarp, not wanting anyone to see it when he opened his garage door. He then went back inside and took care of a couple things. Waiting for night to some.
When night came Aaron waited. He didn't want to be seen so he waited until after ten to leave. He retrieved his pistol off his bedside table and put it the holster. He turned the lights out just in case someone was watching, hoping they would think he was going to bed. He then made his way to his garage. He knew not to open the garage door, so he walked his bike through the house, then out the back door.
He made his way to the side of the house and listened. Not hearing anything, while staying in the darkness he slowly came to the front part of his house. He looked, trying to see if anyone was there, watching but saw no one. He then got on his bike and started making his way toward the mill. He tried to stay out of sight the best he could.
He knew not to ride toward the front, so he came in the same way that he brought his neighbor. The dirt road was rough, and Aaron felt every bump. "It's been to long since I have been on this thing." he thought. As he came up to the lake where the car drove into, he stopped for a moment. That's when he noticed headlights off in the distance.
He looked around trying to find a place to hide and saw a small patch of woods nearby. "If I hurry, I can get to it before they get close." Aaron thought. He rode the bike to it and quickly got off, hiding himself and the bike behind a tree and weeds. He then waited for the vehicle to drive by.
He heard it and in time could tell it was a truck, but it didn't keep going, it stopped out in front of him. He then heard what sounded like two doors opening and two people started talking and laughing. Aaron was straining to hear what they were saying over the noise because they had left the truck running.
Shattered Will (Backyard Starship, #14 
