Winds of Change

Copyright © 2019 - This is an original work by Zeb Carter and is protected under copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Author.

Author's Note: There is no sex in this story, only adventure, suspense and romance. This is also the last in a series of related stories. I may or may not publish the related stories in the future, here at Lit. Each story can stand on its own and is complete. This story is 52,000 words long. You have been warned.

Order of the John Abernathy Adventures...

1. Aftermath

2. Time and Again

3. The Kings Undoing

4. The Lives of John Abernathy

5. Rerun

6. Winds of Change

Chapter 1

John Abernathy sat behind his desk reading the reports from the night shift. Being Sheriff of Barnes County North Dakota, John finds himself, as always, busy with nuisance meetings, useless politicians and boring reports. He preferred to be out solving crimes. The biggest problem in the county was the Valley City State University. Even though it was within the city limits of Valley City, there are sometimes things that happen there that the city police force cannot handle. And there was always spill over out into the rest of the county.

Another problem was the interstate. Interstate 95 ran right through the middle of the county. The county commissioners wanted John to patrol the section that ran through Barnes County and wanted the Sheriff's Department to use the interstate as a revenue stream by issuing tickets. John, on the other hand, could hardly patrol the county with the manpower he had. Every time the commissioners brought it up, John asked for more manpower to patrol the highway. The commissioners always turned down his request for more deputies and funds. The interstate was left to the Highway Patrol to patrol.

Then, of late, there was the Valley City Chief of Police. For some reason, that John couldn't verbalize, he didn't like the man holding that position. It was only a feeling, but John sensed, somewhere deep down in his gut, there was something wrong. The Chief always rubbed John the wrong way. John can feel, call it his cop intuition, the police chief was up to something, something he shouldn't be up to. John just didn't know what, but he's sure he's was. The man, Harvey Muller, was hired by the city council three months ago, was a mystery. The last chief, Bill Ryerson, retired. Bill had been a good man and was now a Reserve Deputy. This guy, Harvey, was a pain in the ass and from what John had observed, a lousy cop.

For the past fifteen years, John has been Sheriff. That's three elections in which he had been picked by the voters to be the top law enforcement officer in the county. The last election, his fourth, he ran unopposed. He now had five years until the next election. John really liked the people of Barnes County he liked living here and he liked being their Sheriff. Well, except for the boring things he was required to do, like the deal with politicians.

Besides the Sheriff, the county had six full-time deputies and one part-time deputy. They are all good deputies and know their jobs. Jimmy Conner was second in command. Jimmy grew up in Valley City and after graduating high school, attended the state police academy. Jimmy was street smart, having worked for Fargo PD for five years before coming back to Barnes County just as John took over as Sheriff fifteen years ago.

Bobbie Shelton was the most experienced officer he had, having come from Atlanta PD where she spent, ten years on the street and five years as a detective. Her reasons for moving to North Dakota vary depending on how much she has had to drink. She was a good deputy, but sometimes, she didn't know when to bend the rules. John took her under his wing when she first started.

The rest of them are as good as Jimmy and could fill John's shoes if the need should arise. All in all, John was in good company and his deputies are loyal to him and the residents of Barnes County, without question, as John was to them. Over the years, John had tried to teach them everything he knew about being a good cop. John was sure they were all honest, dependable people who just wanted to serve the people of Barnes County.

John's background in law enforcement started when he was in the military. He spent twenty years as a law enforcement specialist in the Air Force. He attained the rank of E9, the highest enlisted rank in the service. Then, two years prior to his retirement, his commander sent him to OCS, Officers Candidate School, where he passed to become a second lieutenant. John found himself posted back to his old outfit as the assistant squadron commander. At thirty-eight, he retired and moved to North Dakota where he bought a small ranch, raising horses. John quickly became bored with his life of leisure. When next election for Sheriff came up, he ran and was surprised to find himself elected.

The department also had an office assistant, John called her his secretary, but Bobbie insisted she was the office assistant. Carol Littledove was also the department's dispatcher. Carol answered the phones and dispatched Deputies accordingly. Carol was a middle-aged widow. Her husband, a Deputy at the time, died in the line of duty ten years ago during John's first term as Sheriff. Dispatched to a domestic disturbance, Ben was trying to calm the situation, when the wife stabbed him in the back. Soon after the funeral, Carol applied for the open position of office secretary/dispatcher.

Carol was full blood Dakota Sioux. She took her maiden name back when she applied for the position in the Sheriff's office. She grew up on the Spirit Lake Reservation and met Ben while he was with the Highway Patrol. The two of them fell in love and married. Ben applied for an open position as deputy in Barnes County. Two years later Ben died. Carol was indispensable to the office. She also doesn't take any guff from anyone, which pleased John.

Sitting at his desk, listening to the rain pound at the window, John was finishing his reading of the overnight reports when Carol came into his office. John looked up at her questioningly.

"A woman's body has been found out on Burnsen Road, you're the only free unit and I know you'll want to be involved this one."

"Where on Burnsen Road?" asked John as he stood up, pulling on his coat.

"Two miles north of 95," Carol answered.

"That's Valley City jurisdiction."

"She's on the west side of the road."

"Ah, okay. Call Doc Bajek and have Bobby meet me there."

"Doc is on her way, but Bobby is tied up on that missing cattle call up north. Jimmy said he will meet you there."

"Damn, all right I'll go it alone until Jimmy gets there."

"Here's your dispatch ticket," Carol said handing John a piece of paper as he passed her on his way out. "Don't forget to call in when you get there."

"I won't," yelled John pushing the door open, as he puts his hat on, stepping out into the rain.

Chapter 2

Squinting through the windshield as the wipers try to keep it clear of the rain pounding down, John slowed when the lights of the Valley City squad car loomed into sight. Pulling to the side of the road, John saw one of Valley City's finest standing, shoulders hunched against the downpour, looking down into the ditch on the East side of the road.

John could hear shouting over the patter of rain on the top of his car from down in the ditch. It sounded like Doc Bajek was doing most of the yelling. Walking to the top of the ditch, shoulders hunched against the chill of the rainfall, John nodded to the police officer standing there, as he pulls the collar of his coat up against the dampness. Down in the ditch, John saw Susan, gesticulating wildly while yelling at another Valley City officer. Both of them stood over the body of a young woman.

"What's going on here," John asked the officer next to him adjusting his hat to keep the rain out of his eyes.

"She's upset because whoever called this in was wrong about which side of the road the body was on," the cop answered.

"Susan!" John yelled trying to make sure he was heard over the pounding rain.

Susan stopped her tirade, looked up at John and shouted. "They moved the fucking body! When we pulled up they were dragging her across the road."

John looked at the shoulder of the road. He saw the drag marks in the gravel and mud. The two paramedics standing by the ambulance, trying to stay dry, nodded when he looked their way.

"So you two not only contaminated the crime scene but tampered with evidence?"

"No, the body was in the ditch," the cop snapped back.

John was trying to calm himself before taking the next step, he knew he had to when Jimmy pulled up. Waiting for Jimmy, John placed his hand on his weapon casually. Nodding at Jimmy, John turns back to the officer.

"You are under arrest for obstruction and tampering with evidence and anything else I can think of when we get back to the office," John told the cop.

The cop just laughed. "Good one Sheriff, good one."

He stopped laughing when Jimmy grabbed one of his wrists, pulling it behind his back.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing," the cop yelled attempting to pull away from Jimmy while taking a swing at him.

That in itself was a big mistake. Jimmy was a Dakota farm boy, standing six foot eight and weighing in at two hundred and forty pounds, all muscle. The cop was on the ground, his face pushed into the wet gravel as John stood watching the cop at the bottom of the ditch. Without hesitation, the cop in the ditch started up the embankment, when he reached the top, John stood there, his Colt pointing at his face.

"Just put your hands on top of your head," John told him softly.

"Sheriff, you don't want to do this," he stammered.

"Shut up and get on your knees," John told him softly.

Jimmy was finished with the first one. John handed his cuffs to Jimmy. They had both officers disarmed and in the back of Jimmy's squad car when the Valley City police chief pulled up.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Sheriff?" Chief Muller yelled as he got out of his car popping open an umbrella.

"I'm arresting two of your men for tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice."

"The body was clearly in Valley City jurisdiction... "

"Only after these two morons of yours moved it. See the drag marks, here," John points to the shoulder of the road, "and here, and here."

"Those could have been from the killer dumping the body."

"I also have three witnesses who saw them move the body," John said softly.

"Well... I... don't know... what to... say," the chief said haltingly. "Well turn them over to me and I'll deal with them."

"Harv?"

"Yes."

"Climb back in your car and drive away and maybe, just maybe, I won't arrest you too."

"Umm... shit," Harv yelled, spinning on his heels, returning to his car. He peeled out, speeding past John and Jimmy the umbrella sticking out of the top of the driver's door.

John turned and climbed down into the ditch with Susan who was at work gathering evidence as quickly as she can.

"The rain is washing away our evidence faster than I can gather it. Are you really going to prosecute those two thugs?"

"Yes. They committed a crime. No one gets away with breaking the law in my county, the voters won't stand for it," John chuckled.

"Good, those two are the worst," Sue replied going back to examining the body.

"You and I will have to have a nice long talk over a pot of coffee sometime."

"Sure whenever you can spare about three hours."

"That bad?" asked John.

"Yes. Now I need to get back to work. I'll be finished in about twenty minutes, sooner if the rain continues."

"Good, I'll be up top, keeping the riff-raff away," John told her on his way up the embankment.

"Good, I don't need to be bothered anymore."

John was up the embankment in three steps where Jimmy met him.

"What do I do with these two?"

"They go in, process them and stick them in a cell. They fucked up the crime scene and moved the body. Now Doc not only has to process where the body is, but she has to process the other ditch where it was originally dumped."

"Right, you want me to stick around until she's finished?"

"That might be a good idea."

"Why do you think these morons moved the body?"

"Because they were told to," John told him.

"Oh... oh," replied Jimmy.

"Yeah, oh," responds John.

Chapter 3

Three hours later, John sat in his office once again, his hair still wet from the downpour, writing up the arrest reports on the two Valley City police officers. He was just signing the documents when Carol comes in.

"The Valley City council is here to see you," she said calmly.

"Thanks, Carol, have them come in," John said without looking up.

"Right this way, gentlemen," Carol told them closing the door after they are all in the office.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" asked John, leaning back in his chair. He's tired and hungry and really didn't need this right now.

"You can show us the respect we deserve," Olsen Lambert growled at him.

"I am," John replied flatly. "Now what do you want?"

"We want you to release our two officers into the custody of Chief Muller."

"That's not going happen."

"We insist, Sheriff.'

"Gentleman," John said softly, "the two officers in question moved a murder victim before the medical examiner could process it. They then attempted to commandeer the crime scene, even though they knew, before they moved the body, it was out of their jurisdiction. And even if it had been inside the city limits of Valley City, I can take jurisdiction of the scene if I see fit and you gentlemen know that."

"John," Allen Finley started trying to calm John, "when will they be arraigned?

"They already have, Judge Tyler remanded them to county custody."

"John would you... "

"No Allen, they will go to trial. Not only did they break county ordinances, but they also broke state law. Now if you want, I can have Leland Vickers down here to take over the investigation?"

"Uh, no that won't be necessary John," Allen said. "Gentlemen, we have let Sheriff Abernathy know our concerns so we should let him get back to work solving the brutal murder committed in our county."

John just shook his head as the four councilmen filed out of his office. Hanging his head, he closed his eyes trying to think of nothing, to ease the tension in his neck. He was startled back to the here and now by Carol's soft voice.

"You really ought to learn how to be a little more diplomatic," Carol said just loud enough to be heard over the patter of rain on the window as she stood in the doorway.

"I suppose I should, but they are just so... "

"Yes and thinking like that won't make you any friends."

"What's up, Carol?"

"Doc Bajek called, she would like you to come over when you have a chance."

"Thanks, Carol. Have I told you how nice it is having you around?"

"Why no, no you haven't."

John just smiled at her as he left the office. Carol chuckled as he did.

"Ah, Sheriff Abernathy, how nice of you to join us," Harvey Muller said when he saw John enter the lab.

"What are you doing here Harv?" John said walking up to Chief Muller. John was close, close enough to make Harvey uncomfortable as John towered over him.

"Just trying to find out what our Medical Examiner has found out about the victim," Harv said taking a step back from John.

"Well Harv, how do I put this so you'll understand, it's none of your business," John told him taking a step toward Harvey. "This was a county case. If you want to know anything about it, you talk to me. If I think you should know anything about the case, I will call you. Until I do, you will leave the 'county' medical examiner alone. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Harvey said trying to step back once more, only to come up against a table.

"Good. Now get out. I find you or your mall cops around here, I will personally throw you or them in jail."

"Fine Sheriff, fine," Harvey said squeezing out from between John and the table he was pinned up against.

"Dumbass," John whispered. "That idiot should be... never mind, what do you have for me Doc?" John asked turning to face Susan a smile for her on his face.

"One minute," Susan said going to the door and closing it, loudly. "Damn him," cursed Susan.

"Forget about him. He shows up here asking questions about county cases you call us. I'll be here quick as I can to toss his ass in jail."

"No problem John," Susan sighed.

Opening a drawer, she pulled out a thick file folder. Opening it, she started handing John plastic pouches.

"Her name was Mary Fletcher. She's from Houston, Texas. Her ID is in the first bag. She was stabbed five times. I would guess this was a crime of passion or some maniac. The suspect is right-handed, about six feet tall. So far, I haven't found any evidence pertaining to the suspect. No hairs, fibers, fingerprints, nothing," Sue told John.

"How could you, with two of Muller's goons marching around the crime scene and the heavens opening up like that."

"True. I found plenty of their shit around the scene though."

"Keep it in the case file. If nothing else it will prove they were where they shouldn't be."

"Sure thing," Sue replied.

"Is that all?"

"No. I found this," Susan said pulling a small metallic disk out of the file folder. "I don't know what it is, never seen anything like it before. It was strange, the way it was caught in the lining of her purse."

John took the disk from Susan. "What do you mean?" It was only as big as the pad on his thumb. He turned it over then back. He runs his fingernail over the surface. Pulling the light over to him, he looks carefully at the shiny surface.

"It looks like someone dumped her purse out and it slid down the side and lodged under the lip of the lining. Here, try this," Susan said handing him a jeweler's loupe.

"Ah, good, thanks. Did you find all the contents of the purse on the ground or in the purse?"

John examined the surface with the loupe. He could barely make out tiny scratches. Yet the scratches appear to be in a pattern across the surface of the disk.

"The contents of the purse were inside, but I did find traces of stuff that would have been in a purse like hers on the ground in the first ditch," Susan told him.

"Do you have a microscope?" John asked Susan. "So those goons of Harvey's were looking for something, maybe this?"

"Yes, over here," she said leading him to another table. "It looked as if they were."

Opening a cabinet set on the tabletop, Susan pulled out a large microscope. Taking the disk from John, she placed it in the holder just below the lens. She then adjusted the light so that it shone across the surface. Leaning down she looked through the eyepiece and pulled back quickly.

"Shit," she cried.

John, looking at her with curiosity, put his eye to the eyepiece. He too pulled his head back, but just as quickly, he was back looking at the disk.

"I haven't the faintest idea what it says, but those are mathematical symbols."

"They are," Susan said.

"Do you know what they say?" John asked Sue.

"No, my math ended with Trig."

"Mine too. Do we, meaning you, know anyone at the university, who we could trust, that knows what this might say?"

"I do."

John looked at Susan sharply.

"She is a dear friend, recently widowed. I would hate to get her involved in... "

"Yes, what would she be getting into? What have we gotten into, ourselves? We do need to know what this is, what it says. If she can help, I would appreciate you making introductions."