Sheriff Cherry kept his boots on the table and his hat over his eyes. He knew Deputy Schim was unhappy with his latest round of decisions but his body ached terribly all over and he didn't rightly care how unhappy it made Deputy Schim. At the present moment, he was content to take it easy and let his hastily bandaged injuries heal. It had only been one day since his tussle at the church and he had plenty of healing to do.

"If you're goin' to be keepin' demons in the jail, you ought to be there watchin'," Schim seethed.

It was a quiet, remote corner of Garrapy's. Cherry didn't mind talking with his deputy. "He's not goin' anywhere."

"How do you know that?"

"I locked him in."

"And you don't think he might be able to break out?"

"He couldn't break down the church door, could he?" smirked Cherry.

"What is this, really?" demanded Schim. "You know he's dangerous. You've essentially brought a fox into the hen house. And you know everyone's gonna think you arrested Father Speigelman and they're gonna want to know why."

"Misappropriatin' church funds," suggested Cherry. "I anticipated this."

"And when he plays to their sympathies? When he insists he's an innocent and beloved holy man that you've shoved into a cage, what then? Are you gonna reveal that you brought a demon into the center of Brody's Cross?"

Cherry raised a hand and gesticulated. "Not exactly the center."

"Ewald," said Schim. "What is your plan? How does takin' this...thing and moving it into Brody's Cross help anyone?"

Cherry gave Schim a look. "You wanted to find Herman Tate. This was your idea."

"You suggested the preacher," countered Schim.

"And I lost my precious Goldie for it," reminded Cherry. "I think I'm within my rights to keep him locked up for a while."

"You ought to have killed him," stressed Schim. "He would have killed you."

"I'm not nearly so rare," came the cryptic response.

"No," said Schim, realizing the significance of the comment. "No, you are not thinkin'..."

"Hm?"

"Are you insane?"

Cherry helped himself to some tobacco, remarking as he did, "If you'd only led me to Lacey Tate's body, I could be profitin' off a ruby ring instead."

"Why?" Schim couldn't form his question beyond that. There were so many whys, and hows, and whats.

Cherry rubbed at the bandaging that wrapped around his head and mused, "Do you think it hurts, having him chew you up? Do you think it's an excruciatin' way to go?" He mused privately then spat on the floor. "I've be tryin' to come up with a fate worse than shootin' a man. I don't know if this is good enough."

Schim cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Cherry. "Our friend in the cell has more than one use to me."

Schim forced his anger down and spoke calmly. "Are you planning to bring Levi Asper by to see if he's one of the folks the preacher mentioned?"

"Oh, hell, Jeff. I don't trust anythin' the preacher says. He'd insist he saw the president if it meant keepin' him alive another day. I'd do the same thing in his shoes."

It was difficult not to go off on the sheriff again. "I truly do not understand the way your mind works."

"It's always nice to have you around, Jeff," beamed Cherry. "I mean that sincerely."

"Don't patronize me."

"The sheriff?" The faint voice of the barkeeper made it to the men. They each glanced toward the door as Lindsey Pieth hurried over, sporting his usual colorful attire. "Sheriff Cherry! How did it--?" He paused, inspecting the lawman. "Good heavens! What happened to you?"

"You know that train robbery the other day?"

"Yes?"

Cherry shrugged. "Then that's that."

"Oh, aren't you clever," taunted Schim, unseen and unheard.

Pieth took the seat across from Cherry and asked eagerly, "Have you had a chance to speak with Miss Lacey?"

Cherry pulled at his nose. "No, not yet. I've been tryin' to see her but it ain't happened yet. Maybe soon."

Schim rolled his eyes.

"You promised," insisted Pieth, taking on the qualities of a dejected puppy.

"Look, Lindsey. I'm beat to hell. I'm really not in the mood at the moment."

"Miss Lacey isn't gonna attack you! If anythin', it's the ideal sort of work for a man on the mend!"

"We didn't think the preacher would attack either," observed Schim. "And look where that got us."

"Maybe tomorrow," suggested Cherry.

"No," stated Lindsey firmly. "I want you to go today. I want you to go now."

Cherry laughed in his face. "No."

"I'll tell my uncle," Lindsey threatened. His voice wavered. "I will."

"Go ahead," challenged Cherry. "What is your uncle gonna do about it?"

Pieth gasped. "Sheriff Cherry, I'm a patient man, but I will not be talked to like that. I asked you to help and you've got a duty to help."

Cherry said nothing. He pulled the brim down further on his hat.

"Sheriff Cherry!"

"Goodbye, Lindsey."

Infuriated, the young man stomped away. Schim watched him with heavy eyelids. "Why don't you claim you spoke with her and she rejected him again? If he tries to confirm it, the servants will tell him she's sick."

"What's this?" chuckled Cherry. "You're tellin' me to half ass my duties?"

"You ought to do somethin' today," nagged Schim. "If you're not watchin' the preacher, there's plenty more you might do."

"I'm recouperatin'," said Cherry.

"Where is Sheriff Cherry?" A new voice boomed.

"What ho," said Schim. "That looks like Levi Asper."

"Nnn," grumbled Cherry. "That was quick."

To his surprise, Asper approached with a congenial air. If he came on behalf of his nephew, it didn't show. "Howdy, Sheriff."

"Howdy, Levi."

"I was sittin' at home this mornin' and I had a stroke of genius, I did." He settled into the seat Lindsey had vacated. "I'm not the quickest thinker but when I get an idea in my head, well, I stick with it."

Cherry didn't like the sound of that. "Is that right?"

"I realized that the best course of action in the case of a missin' person is to go to the man in charge of locatin' missin' persons."

"The Pinkertons?" suggested Cherry.

"Don't be silly," said Asper. "The sheriff."

"Do we have any missin' persons?" Cherry asked, trying to deflect.

Schim smiled cruelly. "Here you go, Sheriff. It's about to be an official request from an influencial citizen."

It took most of Cherry's willpower not to sneer at his ghostly companion as Asper said, "I know it's not usual to report a missin' person on behalf of another family, but I think you ought to know that no one has seen Herman Tate in comin' on two weeks."

"Really?" said Cherry. "Have you asked at the Tate house?"

"I have," said Asper. "They haven't seen him. They gave me the run around, said his sister has gleet and he's respectin' her situation. I'm not sayin' she isn't sufferin' but I know if my sister were doin' poorly, I'd be by her side to see that she recovers." He gave the sheriff a once over. "You're not lookin' too well yourself."

"I'll manage," said Cherry bitterly. Of course Asper would be the one to charge him with Herman's disappearance. If Asper wanted it, he'd pay to make it happen.

"Well, if you could go ahead and issue some posters, maybe wire over to the neighborin' towns to be on the lookout, I'd be mighty appreciative."

"I'll get right on that," said Cherry. He remained where he was.

"Oh," added Asper. "I've taken the liberty of informin' the local paper too. I figured I'd save you the time."

"Such kindness," mused Cherry aloud. "I don't deserve it."

"I'm sure come tomorrow, you'll discover plenty of folks willin' to tell you what they know. You may want to be in your office, actually. I'll see you there at eight."

The sheriff made a face. "Why are you gonna be there?"

"I'm offerin' a reward," said Asper matter-of-fact.

"We don't know he's missin'," said Cherry. "You can't start offerin' rewards and issuin' statements."

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Levi Asper rose and gave the sheriff a heavy pat on the shoulder. Cherry wince as it exacerbated a bruise. "Sheriff, you're just comin' into this information, but I've suspected since the beginnin' that Herman Tate has disappeared. You've got plenty of catchin' up to do." With an unimpressed shrug, he remarked, "That's all right. I think I speak for everyone when I say we're used to knowin' more than you."

"I told you this was comin'," said Schim.

"Bright and early tomorrow," reminded Asper as he wandered away.

Cherry scrubbed his face. "So it's Herman they know about, not Lacey."

Schim reflected, "Ironic, then, that we know where Lacey is, not Herman."

"You know," said Cherry. "You haven't said anythin' to me."

"And I don't intend to at this rate," said Schim.

"Eventually," remarked the sheriff, "Someone's gonna stumble across that ditch. Would you rather I get that ring or some opportunistic cowhand?"

"Neither," said Schim, "If neither of you will do the morally decent thing."

"Sheriff Cherry?" The distant voice of the barkeeper echoed. "Yes, around that way."

"God damn it!" profaned Cherry. His vexation eased away as the widow Schim appeared. "Oh. Amanda. I wasn't expectin' to see you."

"Levi Asper's in a tizzy," remarked the woman. She stopped and took in his bandages. "What happened to you?"

"I fell off the roof rescuin' a kitty cat."

"Funny." Rather than sit across from the sheriff, she settled in the chair beside him, scooting close. Schim took the oportunity to step through the table to keep the same intimacy the pair shared. "There wasn't much to straighten up at the manor today. I was leavin' around the same time as he was headin' out and he gave me a ride to town in his carriage." She lowered her voice. "You didn't try to you-know-what the you-know-what yet, did you?"

Cherry stared into the middling distance. Actually, he stared at Jeff Schim, but Schim's wife had no idea. "No," he said. "Not yet."

"Good," she said. "Don't. He's about to make your life hell."

"He already has," said Cherry. "You just missed him."

"Did I?" She craned to peer around the sheriff. "You're a popular man. I didn't know if you were here. I didn't see Goldie." Cherry lowered his head mournfully. Amanda didn't notice. "He's been upset all mornin'. I thought he might take it out on you."

"He wasn't anythin' but friendly," said Cherry.

"Can you believe he's offerin' five hundred dollars to anyone who know where Herman Tate is?"

Cherry and Schim peered at the woman as if she had shouted 'fire'. "Five hundred dollars?"

"That was my reaction. He really wants him found." She continued, "It sounds like he's got guys camped at the church and everythin' in case he shows up there. You know, given that old man Tate saved Father Speigelman that one time from that bear."

"Does he." Not a question.

Amanda nodded. "That's the root of his sourness today. I guess he had Jed Hoskins out that way and sent Amos Lavine to relieve him. Neither of 'em have come back and he's convinced that Herman must have come by and given 'em the slip so they're too chicken to report back."

"That is two people your demon in the cells has eaten," said Schim.

"We don't know that," said Cherry.

"True," said Amanda, unaware of her husband's contribution. "Maybe somethin' happened durin' that storm yesterday. It must have rained for hours. I was grateful to be inside because it looked miserable."

Cherry acknowledged, "It was."

"What were you doin' out in it?"

"Gettin' a kitty cat off a roof, " said Cherry.

"You're strange, Ewald Cherry." She poked at her nose. "We need to get you a new deputy. This "lone wolf" sheriffin' isn't workin' for you." Her smile faded. "Someone like Jeff who can keep you in line." She lifted her chin. "Hey, what we talked about the other night, before the ring. You know--"

"No," said Cherry firmly, trying not to come across suspicious. Amanda didn't know Schim hovered close. What would she have thought had she known? "Not here. Not right now."

Amanda studied the sheriff's face. "All right then. I was just thinkin' that as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter how he dies. I'll be glad enough just to know he did die after what he did." She kept her expression as even as she could given the subject.

"What is this?" asked Schim. It was an ominously unexpected conversation.

"You know what I mean? I don't want you riskin'--"

"Later," said Cherry. Amanda nodded.

"I hope you feel better," she said, standing to go. "I hope whatever kitty cat did that to you got what was comin' to him."

Cherry chuckled. "Amanda Schim! Encouragin' me to hurt little ol' kitty cats? That's not very nice!"

"Don't let Levi Asper push you around too much. Remember, there's always the you-know-what to get back at him."

"Ah," said Cherry. "Givin' me justification beyond my own greed."

Amanda gave a wave. "Goodbye, Sheriff."

Schim didn't wait for his wife to go. He was horrified. "Who are you plannin' to kill? My wife asked you to kill someone?" Then, "Did you kill Lacey Tate?"

"It doesn't matter," said Cherry. "And no, of course not. I wouldn't need you to tell me where she is if I did."

"You didn't know about the ring."

"Yeah, but I think I could remember where I left a body."

Schim derided, "Well, I don't know what else to think. You can't be bothered to do much of anythin' and the only feller you've ever meant it when you said you'd kill was..." Realization dawned. Schim's features hardened and his eyes bored into the sheriff. "Ewald."

"Forget about it."

"He's here?" The raw lacerations and contusions that framed the otherworldly visage glowed bright as the waterlogged man clenched his fists. He appeared both more alive and more the bloated corpse than Cherry had seen since his demise. "Where?"

"I don't know," said Cherry. "Let me handle it."

"You can't go after him," said Schim with grave anger. "I told you, if he ever showed up in Brody's Cross, I'd make him suffer for every agony he put me through. I'd repay my death ten fold,... no, one-hundred fold."

"Given that you can't even make me do your biddin'," said Cherry, "I'm not sure what it is you got planned."

"Don't make light of this," growled Schim. "Everythin' is a goddamn joke to you. Somethin' to brush off and ignore. This isn't some trivial matter, Ewald. This is the reason I can't rest in peace."

"I know," said Cherry. "But I don't think it's a wise idea to be rilin' yourself up when there's nothin' you can do. It's like I told Amanda, I don't even know if it's the right guy. I'll kill him. I promised you. I promised Amanda."

"That's why you've been focused on that ring and Lacey Tate, right?" scoffed Schim. "Because you're gunnin' for the bastard who put me in that lake? Yes, Sheriff, I can see you've been pursuin' this with the same vigor you put into everythin'."

"I don't know what I want do about it," snapped Cherry. "I have to think."

"What is there to question?" screeched Schim. "Why wouldn't you do somethin'?!"

"Because I don't know what will happen if I do!" Cherry pounded his fist on the table. If he looked crazy, he didn't care. "I have to figure that out!"

Schim laughed bitterly. Cherry didn't like it. "You're not worried about not doin't it right. You're worried you will."

"Jeff, I promised you and I will keep my promise. It's just--"

"You never do anything that doesn't serve your purposes," said the deputy. "Isn't that right?"

"Obviously I want you to find peace," began Cherry. It was hard to sell his sincerity and Schim saw through it.

"I think," Schim cut in coolly, "That you'll be on your own for a while, Sheriff. Unlike you, I've got someone to find."

With that, Deputy Jeff Schim vanished into the floor.