"I have complete confidence in you Brock and I know you're doing everything you can possibly do," Mayor Christopher Duncan told the Sheriff in his spacious office.

He was a jovial and dapper man. A real glad-hander.

"But, I want the Astatula Assassin stopped. NOW!" he continued speaking, "So tell me what it is going to take to get the job done?"

Sheriff Daniels responded to the Mayor's question by assuring him, "I'm close. In fact I have a suspect I am bringing in for questioning as soon as we adjourn."

Mayor Duncan ran his fat fingers through his balding hair. He was overjoyed at the Sheriff's response.

"Who do you have in mind Brock?" he curiously wanted to know.

"According to the State of Texas Criminal Database Todd Burgmeyer, who lives alone out by the Palo Duro Canyon, served six years in Coffield Prison for manslaughter," the Sheriff replied then said, "the Crime Lab found his fingerprints on the Chinaman's geta."

"His shoes!" the Mayor exclaimed then jubilantly said, "he has to be our man."

Sheriff Daniels paused a moment to collect his thoughts and decide what else he wished to divulge to Mayor Duncan.

Gesturing by sort of waving his hands in front of him in a "come on, tell me more" motion the Mayor tried to coax Sheriff Daniels into providing him additional information about this newest development in the case.

Continuing, the Sheriff added, "The murders of Zhang Wei, and Li Na Foo, occurred before the laundry opened for business that morning. Looks like we finally have a real strong suspect here Mayor."

"There was never a doubt in my mind that you wouldn't capture the Astatula Assassin Brock," the Mayor boastfully stated, "you've been faithfully serving this little community of ours for a very long time now."

He extracted a brandy snifter out of his desk and poured himself a drink. Then offered the Sheriff one. The drink was refused by the lawman.

It was then the Mayor gleefully said, "I'll alert the Gazette!"

Sheriff Daniels looked hard at the Mayor. He knew he had to carefully say what he needed to whenever he spoke to the pompous, self-serving, glory-seeker who led the political side of life in Astatula.

Fortunately his term as Mayor was rapidly winding down. At least, bright light could be seen at the end of the tunnel.

"Let's not jump the gun here, Mayor," the Sheriff said reminding him that "Todd Burgmeyer is only a strong suspect."

Then he stated, "I'll get back to you about when it's time to inform the newspaper after I question the suspect."

"You do that Brock. Sure you won't have a drink?" the Mayor implored him once again.

The Sheriff declined the invitation.

"Bring Burgmeyer in and, let me know this case is closed as soon as you can," the Mayor instructed the Sheriff to do.

Basking in the sweet taste of victory the Mayor stated, "I might yet go down in history as the very best Mayor this town has ever seen. What a feather in my cap. Capturing the Astatula Assassin!"

Sheriff Daniels rose to his feet. He could not escape Mayor Duncan's office fast enough. He wanted to laugh in the Mayor's face but valued his job too much to do so. Besides, he had a suspect to question.

After sliding out of City Hall Sheriff Daniels made a beeline for the canyon. If Burgman was the Astatula Assassin this was one case the Sheriff would be ecstatic to close.

Making his way down Canyon Crest Drive, which in reality was nothing more than a pothole-filled, County-Maintained dirt road meandering down to the long, narrow canyon Sheriff Daniels could see the cloud of dust trailing behind his vehicle.

He thought about how long it would take the court to approve the adoption papers he had filed prior to his meeting with the Mayor? Soon, he would have a ready-made family. He and Beth would tie the knot in another month or two and Cody would be his.

Mentally side-tracked by the many thoughts racing through his mind Sheriff Daniels almost ran over a body laying beside the road. He slammed on his brakes and quickly brought his car to a screeching halt. He got out of his vehicle and made his way over to where the body lay. There were no signs of foul play noticed.

Sheriff Daniels checked the man's carotid artery for a pulse. If Todd Burgmeyer was the Astatula Assassin the town would be much safer than it had been before. Somehow, the Sheriff seriously doubted they had seen the last of the deranged madman.

Almost immediately Sheriff Daniels noticed that Todd Burgmeyer was left-handed. That ruled him out as the prime suspect. Previous ballistic evidence gathered at the murder scenes proved the hollow-point rounds fired to kill his victims had been expended from a .357 Magnum Semi-Automatic pistol held in the Astatula Assassin's right hand.

Heading back to his vehicle to radio the Coroner's Office, Sheriff Daniels knew he was back at Square One. This game of cat and mouse he would rather not play was still ongoing.

Todd Burgmeyer was dead.