You've now entered the sheriff's department.  Here you notice a rather unorganized area.  The space isn't used to its best advantage, and on the sheriff's desk is... well, just a big mess.  You realize that the sheriff has better things to do than stick around and sort all day, but you think things would be easier for him if he were to get a bit more organized than this.

    Sheriff branch is sitting at his desk, and welcomes you to his town.  He tells you that the town was named after his father, who helped get the town out of a slump during the early 1960s.  You ask what the town was called before that, but he changes the subject.  That's when you realize that he must be one of the few to know the true history of Branchville, and it's hidden secret.

        In hopes to be able to find out more, you accept his offer of a cup of coffee, and you sit down to watch as he answers the phone a couple of times.  During the second phone call, the sheriff turns from you and lowers his voice to talk to the caller.  you only hear snatches of the conversation:  "... Ms. Fire ... more evidence ... can't be done yet ... hope you're right."

    After this phone call, he appears troubled.  You ask him if something is wrong, and he tries to act nonchalant.  You accept the fact that he isn't going to tell you anything about Lucy Fire.

        Trying to appear as a regular visitor, you ask him questions about the town and where things are.  You ask him about special sites of interest, and he mentions a monument to his father.  This is your opening!  You start to question him about his father.  Since he is proud of the heritage left to him, he shares some of the family history and that of course leads to the town history.

        You learn that in 1963 something serious happened here.  Though he doesn't tell you what, you can deduct from what he does say that many people left here.  What you can't figure out is if they left or died.  It looked like the town would be completely deserted, but his father did something, and he won't say what, that turned the town around.  He also mentions that his father was a prayer warrior, and a devout Christian, as is he and the rest of his family.

        After talking to him awhile longer, you understand that is all you are going to get out of him without causing suspicion.  You thank him for his time, and as you get ready to leave, he calls out after you:  "Be sure to stop by and see the local bell tower!  It's a beauty."  Being the detective at heart that you are, you wonder if he is giving you a clue.