over this way?” Sheriff Holet said, pointing down the gravel drive by the football field.
They walked thirty feet before the Sheriff finally spoke.
“Mr. Trahan, what are your plans once the hurricane is past and the residents are allowed back into the parish?”
Not having any idea that the Sheriff had taken such an interest in him, Daniel was caught off guard with such a probing question. The tone in which he asked the question seemed to Daniel like the Sheriff had an issue with his presence in Plaquemines Parish.
“I plan on returning to finish my study.”
“Umm. What kind of study are you’re doing?”
Again, the tone of voice along with the question asked, raised Daniel’s suspicions of the Sheriff’s motives.
“I’m studying coastal erosion in the marsh. I’m looking at the effect the canals are having on the interior marshlands.”
The Sheriff didn’t say anything for a minute. He seemed to be considering Daniel’s response.
“Mr. Trahan, let me be honest. Sometimes we have questionable people come through this parish. People who are out to take advantage of the simple parishioners who live here. It’s my job to identify these people and ensure they cause no harm. I hope you won’t mind, but I need to see your identification to be certain you are who you say you are.”
Daniel felt perplexed by the Sheriff’s statement and his request to see his identification. He wondered if he had done anything to warrant the suspicion of law enforcement. Seeing little alternative, he pulled his United States Department of the Interior identification card out of his wallet and handed it to the Sheriff. Sheriff Holet inspected the identification closely, front and back. He seemed surprised as he looked at it. Finally, he handed it back to Daniel.
“Thank you, Mr. Trahan. May I ask how you were chosen to do this study in Plaquemines Parish?”
“I volunteered for it.”
“You volunteered?”
“That’s right. My supervisor asked for volunteers who would be interested in doing the study, and so I volunteered.”
“Is there a reason you volunteered, Mr. Trahan?” The tone felt accusatory.
“Because it sounded interesting and it was in an area I had not worked before,” Daniel replied with growing consternation. “Sheriff, have I done something wrong? I feel like with your line of questioning you suspect me of something?”
Sheriff Holet didn’t answer immediately. He seemed to be letting the silence of the moment answer in the affirmative. When his reply finally came, the words were soothing, but unconvincing.
“No, Mr. Trahan. You’re not suspected of anything. I’m just doing my job. I like to get to know all newcomers. That’s all the questions I have. Why don’t we head back to Ms. Breland and let you two get on your way. I don’t want to delay you any longer. You’re going to head directly out of the parish to safety aren’t you?”
“That’s the plan, Sheriff.”
“Good. Delay could be dangerous.”
Daniel felt like the way the Sheriff intoned the words “delay could be dangerous” could have more than one meaning. They walked the short distance back to Rachel in uncomfortable silence. Daniel had enough of talking with the Sheriff.
When they reached Rachel and the other deputy, Sheriff Holet again admonished Rachel to evacuate as soon as possible and to be careful on the highway. He gave one final glance at Daniel, and then he and the deputy returned to their cruisers and drove away.
“What was that all about?” Rachel asked Daniel.
Daniel shook his head back and forth. “I’m not really sure, but I felt very uncomfortable. The Sheriff seems to be suspicious of me, but I don’t know why. He asked me a lot of questions about why I’m here and what I’m doing. I don’t think he believed my answers.”
“He also acted strangely when we drove up to that checkpoint yesterday. Do you remember?” Rachel reminded Daniel.
“I remember. Today was even stranger.
They walked thirty feet before the Sheriff finally spoke.
“Mr. Trahan, what are your plans once the hurricane is past and the residents are allowed back into the parish?”
Not having any idea that the Sheriff had taken such an interest in him, Daniel was caught off guard with such a probing question. The tone in which he asked the question seemed to Daniel like the Sheriff had an issue with his presence in Plaquemines Parish.
“I plan on returning to finish my study.”
“Umm. What kind of study are you’re doing?”
Again, the tone of voice along with the question asked, raised Daniel’s suspicions of the Sheriff’s motives.
“I’m studying coastal erosion in the marsh. I’m looking at the effect the canals are having on the interior marshlands.”
The Sheriff didn’t say anything for a minute. He seemed to be considering Daniel’s response.
“Mr. Trahan, let me be honest. Sometimes we have questionable people come through this parish. People who are out to take advantage of the simple parishioners who live here. It’s my job to identify these people and ensure they cause no harm. I hope you won’t mind, but I need to see your identification to be certain you are who you say you are.”
Daniel felt perplexed by the Sheriff’s statement and his request to see his identification. He wondered if he had done anything to warrant the suspicion of law enforcement. Seeing little alternative, he pulled his United States Department of the Interior identification card out of his wallet and handed it to the Sheriff. Sheriff Holet inspected the identification closely, front and back. He seemed surprised as he looked at it. Finally, he handed it back to Daniel.
“Thank you, Mr. Trahan. May I ask how you were chosen to do this study in Plaquemines Parish?”
“I volunteered for it.”
“You volunteered?”
“That’s right. My supervisor asked for volunteers who would be interested in doing the study, and so I volunteered.”
“Is there a reason you volunteered, Mr. Trahan?” The tone felt accusatory.
“Because it sounded interesting and it was in an area I had not worked before,” Daniel replied with growing consternation. “Sheriff, have I done something wrong? I feel like with your line of questioning you suspect me of something?”
Sheriff Holet didn’t answer immediately. He seemed to be letting the silence of the moment answer in the affirmative. When his reply finally came, the words were soothing, but unconvincing.
“No, Mr. Trahan. You’re not suspected of anything. I’m just doing my job. I like to get to know all newcomers. That’s all the questions I have. Why don’t we head back to Ms. Breland and let you two get on your way. I don’t want to delay you any longer. You’re going to head directly out of the parish to safety aren’t you?”
“That’s the plan, Sheriff.”
“Good. Delay could be dangerous.”
Daniel felt like the way the Sheriff intoned the words “delay could be dangerous” could have more than one meaning. They walked the short distance back to Rachel in uncomfortable silence. Daniel had enough of talking with the Sheriff.
When they reached Rachel and the other deputy, Sheriff Holet again admonished Rachel to evacuate as soon as possible and to be careful on the highway. He gave one final glance at Daniel, and then he and the deputy returned to their cruisers and drove away.
“What was that all about?” Rachel asked Daniel.
Daniel shook his head back and forth. “I’m not really sure, but I felt very uncomfortable. The Sheriff seems to be suspicious of me, but I don’t know why. He asked me a lot of questions about why I’m here and what I’m doing. I don’t think he believed my answers.”
“He also acted strangely when we drove up to that checkpoint yesterday. Do you remember?” Rachel reminded Daniel.
“I remember. Today was even stranger.
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