Fall 2025
Everly
“Hey Dad!” I try to sound cheery when I pick up his call.
It’s been a long day driving up and down the North Fork Road, dealing with the fallout from a pack of wolves last night. Not to mention how much my arm still hurts from the breech calf I delivered two days ago.
“Are you doing alright?” he immediately asks, and I sigh.
“I am. I’m just tired and looking forward to our visit,” I answer him honestly.
“That’s actually why I was calling.” Dad’s a very decisive person, so the hesitation in his voice has me frowning. “Maybe I can visit you for a change?”
This is bad, I think, pulling over into the mouth of the Sweets’ long driveway. Between his feed store and the church, he hasn’t taken time off since I graduated from Veterinary School.
“Tell me what’s happened,” I demand after a long pause.
“There’s a new… element in town. I don’t know how comfortable I am with you being around right now, but I very much want to see you,” his response is annoyingly vague—also, not like him. I don’t think the man has ever beaten around the bush.
“Element? Are you talking extraterrestrials or like, Crips and Bloods?”
He lets out a snort at my question. “I think I’d prefer either of those.”
“Are you in danger?” I ask, trying to quell the shivers running up and down my spine.
“You don’t need to worry about me, baby girl. I didn’t mean to get you all wound up. It’s just with Mills out, I’d rather get a better handle on things before you visit.”
That last line silences my next question. Art Mills has been Kent County’s sheriff for as long as I can remember, and he was a deputy before that.
“What do you mean, Mills is out?”
“They say he took a leave of absence. There’s a man who came to town earlier this year.
Deep pockets, name of Rogan Balo. He bought the truck stop and any other business that was struggling.
Someone at the state level appointed a temporary sheriff, some bozo who was on suspension.
He seems very close with Rogan, considering they’re both newcomers. ”
“What does Joanie think of this? What did Mills say to her before he left?” I ask about the woman who’s managed the sheriff's office for nearly a decade.
“If she knows anything, she hasn’t said a word. Literally. And she’s about to give birth any day now, so no one wants to cause her any more stress than she’s obviously under.”
“Is there no one who’s talking to or trying to get ahold of Mills?”
“Well, we can’t exactly file a missing person report with the new sheriff, Everly. And to be honest, people are scared,” he finishes in soft voice, filled with worry and defeat.
“Dad, you know you’re always welcome at my home. For however long you need.”
“I know, Ev, let’s just play it by ear. If I feel like I can get away the middle of next week, I will.”
“Great, we can hit up the hot springs.” I try to sound upbeat, but the shivers that had been dancing up and down my spine have now taken up residence in my stomach.
*
Instead of going home, I hosted Dad for a couple of nights instead of the four he had planned on. A break-in and failed arson attempt at his feed store cut our visit short.
While the new sheriff tried to say it was undoubtedly just a couple of teenagers who didn’t mean any harm, the Fire Chief saw it for what it was and refused to change his report.
Besides being a member of Dad’s congregation, Craig was an old fishing buddy of his and had given Dad storage tips over the years. Those, along with a state-of-the-art sprinkler system kept the damage to a minimum.