Timmins truly had no idea that the man standing before him was a fugitive from the Blackwater robbery.
As the mayor of a small town, capturing criminals wasn't part of his responsibilities.
Damn you, Hanley. You were actually working with a wanted man.
Timmins cursed silently, but on his grim face he forced out a strained smile.
"My apologies, Mr. Callander. I didn't realize you were… uh… Perhaps we should discuss the sheriff election and the matter of job positions."
"A close friend of mine was once killed by a gang, so I have strong feelings about such things… Of course, I don't mean you, Mr. Callander."
Coming from a wealthy family, Timmins didn't hesitate to lower his head the moment he realized his family name didn't offer him any protection here.
He had never associated a moonshine dealer with a dangerous fugitive.
"Good, Mr. Timmins. It seems we've reached an understanding."
"Officer Lyle is a good friend of mine, and I believe he'll become a good friend to you as well. I can guarantee this: when Mr. Lyle becomes sheriff, Officer Luke will serve as his deputy."
"And I will honor my earlier promise and invest a substantial amount into Strawberry Town."
"I hope you won't try anything behind my back, Mr. Timmins. If something unpleasant were to happen, it would be very easy for someone to get angry."
Davey wasn't worried about Timmins running to his family for help. He had fled from his own family long ago.
Besides, their conflict only stemmed from Timmins' prejudice against gangs.
"Don't worry, Mr. Callander. I won't do anything like that," Timmins replied with a bitter smile. He knew his own situation better than anyone; earlier he had only been trying to frighten Davey.
When the sheriff's office door opened, the officers saw Davey and Timmins walking out together, laughing as they talked.
The scene was almost identical to when Sheriff Hanley was in charge.
Luke's face turned sour, while Lyle lit up with joy—he knew he had made the right choice.
Davey walked straight over to Lyle.
"Mr. Lyle, congratulations. Mr. Timmins has agreed to fully support your campaign for sheriff. Soon, you'll likely be working inside the station."
"Mr. Luke is also a commendable officer. Strawberry Town has never had a deputy sheriff, but I think after this election, that's about to change."
"With the two of you in charge, and Mr. Timmins leading the town, I believe Strawberry Town's future will only get better."
Davey laid everything out openly in front of all the officers.
In that moment, every officer finally understood just how much influence Mr. Callander held.
Lyle expressed his gratitude to Davey.
Luke looked much better too. Even if he didn't get the sheriff's seat, becoming deputy was still acceptable—far better than having nothing and getting fired.
A town sheriff had full authority to hire or dismiss officers.
As for Donal, he was practically worshipping Davey now. Something this troublesome had been solved in barely ten minutes by Mr. Callander's talk with the mayor—it was like watching a magic trick.
…
After leaving the station, Davey said to Timmins, "I still have a few things to take care of, Mr. Timmins. After the sheriff election, we'll celebrate together."
Timmins had nothing else to say. "Very well, Mr. Callander. Strawberry Town welcomes you."
Watching him walk away, Davey turned to Donal.
"Donal, send two men to keep an eye on the mayor. If he heads to the Post Office, don't hesitate—just tie him up."
Davey didn't care about the Nicholas family, but he didn't want unnecessary trouble either.
If the mayor was only pretending to cooperate, then there was no helping it.
"Understood, Mr. Callander. I'll have men watch him closely," Donal replied.
Davey thought for a moment.
"There are two more things I need you to handle, Donal."
"First, the owner of the general store. I've heard he's been running a moonshine operation, brewing it secretly in the cellar under his shop."
"Go find Lyle and have him take a few officers to arrest him. Lock him up for a few days until he learns to behave."
"The second matter is the clinic. The town doctor hasn't been seen in a long time. Nobody knows if he's even alive. But Strawberry Town can't be without a clinic. How are the people supposed to get medical care? They can't keep going all the way to Blackwater."
"Discuss this with the mayor. Find a doctor willing to cooperate with us and take over the clinic business in Strawberry Town."
"Handle these two things properly. Don't disappoint me again, Donal."
Davey couldn't stay in Strawberry Town for too long—it was part of West Elizabeth, after all. The hardest part had already been settled, and he couldn't manage every detail himself.
"Please rest assured, Mr. Callander. I won't disappoint you again," Donal said quickly.
Davey nodded. He had originally planned to head back to Valentine after finishing everything, but because of Timmins, he decided to stay the night to avoid any unexpected trouble.