Is this destiny?

Ron glanced at Zula who retracted her hand and kept the gun back into its holster.

The sheriff exhaled. "I see that you are all nervous. People with guns should be levelheaded."

Ron nodded in agreement. "True." He glanced at Allen, Julius, and Zula. "Next time, don't allow your nervousness to make you hesitate. Pull the trigger. Whoever dares to oppose any of us should just die."

The sheriff frowned. Did Ron just say to them to kill whoever is in their way? How can he say such a thing? And in front of the law enforcement officer! He didn't like his current situation, not even a little bit. He is facing four youngsters who are all looking at him mockingly. In his fifty years of life, he was never so embarrassed!

"Listen, you kids." The sheriff said threateningly. "Maybe you have guns but that does not give you..."

"What is going on?" Mr. Heine asked breathlessly while running from across the street.

Mr. Heine is not sure if he saw it right, but he thinks he saw that the sheriff approached Ron and the other three and then Zula held a gun to sheriff's head!

If the youngsters dare to be so bold in the broad daylight, they definitely have a strong backing. Well, Jeffrey White is known not to tolerate retaliation, and people who went against him didn't have a good ending.

Mr. Heine is aware that he should not provoke these four, and knowing the sheriff's personality, he definitely stirred the pot.

"Paul…" Mr. Heine spoke to the sheriff amicably. "I see you met with the representatives from Los Angeles. They are here to figure out how we can save Heinelurgy and the economy of this town." Mr. Heine mentioned the economy of the town on purpose, to emphasize the importance of these four people.

The sheriff looked at Mr. Heine in disbelief while processing what he just heard. Representatives from Los Angeles? Saving economy? Isn't that Ronald Heine, his son, the troublemaker?

"Old man, take care." Ron said to the old man who is sitting on the ground and cradling the boxed lunch before turning to his father. "Mr. Heine, our time is precious, and we don't have time to chat on the street with people who are not important. Can we move on to the next item on the agenda?"

Mr. Heine looked at the sheriff apologetically and responded to Ron: "Absolutely. The first store is just down this street… Mrs. Darcy is the general manager of the three stores which are in this city, and she is expecting us…"

The sheriff looked at Mr. Heine and four youngsters who were walking down the street and frowned. Did Ron call him 'not important'? He is the sheriff! How can that be not important? And did they pull guns on him?

"Stan, what is going on?" The sheriff asked the old man who was happily opening his lunch.

"Didn't you hear what Ron said? The things are changing…" The old man responded without removing his gaze from the food.

The sheriff angrily kicked the water bottle which burst when it hit the road. He snorted and walked away.

The old man sighed. "And that was good water…"

When the sheriff was out of sight, a middle-aged woman came out of the store. "Stan, did Paul bully you again?" She asked with concern. She knows that the sheriff is a bully, but she does not dare to say anything against him. No one who went against the sheriff had a good ending.

"Not this time." The old man responded.

She glanced at the box in his hands. "You have lunch?"

He nodded happily. "Yes. Ron got it for me."

"Ron?"

Old man confirmed. "The Heine boy. He is back and grown-up. He said that things will change in this town."

Marge shook her head, thinking that the old man is talking nonsense. He often makes up stories to be more interesting. "Don't eat on the ground. Come to the room at the back of the store. I also have extra food for lunch. You can keep that for dinner if you want. I have more at home."

Old man collected his things, stood up, and looked at Marge. "I will take the back door." He moved in hurried steps through the alley because he knows that if anyone sees Marge helping him, they will give Marge a hard time.

…

When they reached in front of the Heinelurgy store which is their first stop, Mr. Heine turned to Ron. "Don't mind the sheriff. He is used to knowing who is in the town and might appear nosy, but he has no ill intentions."

Mr. Heine's smile fell when he heard Ron's response.

"You don't need to tell me who the sheriff is. Can you give us a few minutes?"

Mr. Heine understood that Ron wants him to leave. "OK. I will find Mr. Darcy and we will wait for you inside. Come whenever you are ready."

When Mr. Heine went inside the store, Allen used the opportunity to ask Ron: "Why is that old man still here if he is being mistreated like this?"

Julius and Zula wondered about the same thing. The man is obviously homeless and if the sheriff is treating him so badly in front of strangers on the street, who knows what he is doing when no one is watching?

"He told me that he used to be an important figure in this town, and then he disagreed with the pastor. He lived his whole life here and he has nowhere to go. Some townsfolks still treat him kindly, but they are doing it secretly. I don't know the details, but he was nice to me when no one else was, and that is enough for me to help him."

Zula, Allen, and Julius nodded in understanding. Ron told them that the real power in this town is held by the pastor and the sheriff. No one will cross his father, but only because they are financially dependent on him. Other people are not relevant, they are only figures, and that includes Mayor of the town and any other elected officials.

"That sheriff will be back." Zula said.

Ron nodded in agreement. "He is the sheriff for a very long time. He is used to people fearing and obeying him. He will not let this pass; his ego will not allow it."

"We are ready for him." Julius said and added cheekily: "At least this will not be a boring mission with paperwork only."

"Let's do our best to not use guns. It will be a bigger blow for them if we handle things without weapons." Ron advised.

"When will we meet the pastor?" Allen asked.

Ron shrugged. "I am surprised that he didn't bump into us accidentally during lunch. But after our encounter with the sheriff, I'm sure that he will show up and try to win us over."

Ron glanced at Zula. "Are you OK?"

Zula didn't understand where is that question coming from. "Why?"

"Today you seem to be a bit off." Ron said ambiguously. He noticed that her focus is somewhere else, but he could not put his finger on it.

Zula's eyes widened for a second. There is no way that she will tell him how she can't stop thinking about what they did that morning and that they spent the night together.

"I am fine. Don't worry about me." 

She answered too quickly, and he didn't miss that she is slightly embarrassed and suddenly things fell into place and he got his answer.

Ron glanced at the side and saw that Allen and Julius moved away, to give them privacy.

Ron leaned closer and spoke only for Zula to hear. "Tonight, you come to my room to sleep."

Zula smiled. "OK."

She likes the prospect of spending another night by Ron's side and her heart is fluttering at the thought of what they might do other than sleeping… and if Ron thought that he will calm her down by telling her to come to his room, he is wrong because it did the opposite. Zula was never this distracted. She really-really wanted dinnertime to come as soon as possible so that she can shower and put her pajamas on and then go to Ron's room.

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