While Grady was eating, Sharon took her cellular phone and dialed Peter's number. Getting no answer, she stopped the call, dialed another number, and waited for a reply.
"This is Deputy Norton; can I help you?"
Sharon responded, "Yes, I'm looking for someone, his name is Peter Wells. Is he being held in jail?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Are you sure?"
"Why, yes Ma'am. He's been here for a couple of days. He doesn't look like he's going anywhere."
"Deputy, I'd like to speak to the sheriff. Is he there?"
"Yes Ma'am, but he's very busy right now."
"Deputy, it's very important that I talk to him. You just tell him that."
"OK, Ma'am, but who should I tell him is calling?"
"I'd prefer not to say to you."
Curtly the deputy placed Sharon on hold and punched in the sheriff's extension.
"Sheriff, I have a woman on the phone who says it's important that she speak to you. She won't give me her name."
The sheriff waved at the three deputies in his office and pointed to the door. As the last man left the office, the sheriff replied, "OK, put the woman on."
He answered on the first beep. "This is Sheriff Williams, what can I do for you?"
"Sheriff, you don't know me, but I'm an FBI agent working undercover in town." Sharon spoke softly and with the most cordial of southern accents.
The sheriff rolled his eyes and responded, "What! Is everyone in town now an FBI agent?"
"No, Sheriff. But this one has it from inside sources that the person responsible for the train crash is in the town hospital. I was also told this information was supposed to be passed on to you so that you could release Peter. However, I now know that you weren't told, and I suspect something went wrong at the hospital. I can't go investigate without blowing my cover, so I need someone who can."
"So you want me to check it out!" the sheriff said.
"I appreciate you volunteering, Sheriff; you know how to make another southerner feel welcome." Sharon sounded very seductive; the sheriff couldn't say no.
"The hospital did inform the office of a patient admitted today with a gunshot wound and it's normal practice to investigate. I can send a deputy over to take a statement and check it out."
Sharon raised her voice, "No Sheriff, don't send a deputy. There are too many people involved and it's difficult to know whom you can trust. Please do it yourself. There is Agent Drago, who was to interrogated the suspect and set a trap to catch his accomplice." Then softly she added, "I don't want this getting out to others."
"OK, I'll check it out personally," the sheriff acquiesced.
"Thank you, Sheriff."
