[Hider=Able "Bud" Dawkins"]

Name: Able "Bud" Dawkins 

Appearance: [IMG]https://klausming.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/lone-star.jpg[/IMG]

Age: 42 

Occupation/ Cover: Sheriff 

Public Goals: Bud has kept the peace in O'Connor county for the last eight years. There have been no major crimes since his landslide victory in eight years ago. There's the occasional drunk in public dust-up and domestic violence call from time to time. Bud though as shown that he is more than capable of handling the situation. The number of times he has actually had to pull his gun and fire in the line of duty can be counted on two hands, and not use all ten fingers. His deputies are VERY loyal to him and he expects the same of them. Bud is in church every Sunday morning, helps coach the High School football teams, willing to help out in the community wherever he can, and is the first one in the office and last one to leave. 

Private Goals: Underneath the easy going "Sheriff Andy Taylor" persona Bud is as corrupt as they come. He makes sure that everything goes smoothly for anyone doing anything illegal (for a price). Whether it is making sure the paths are clear for any runs to be made, that they know when a raid is coming, or they need a piece of evidence to disappear Bud handles it got them. 

Supporting Cast: 
 [color=fff200] Beth-Ellen/ "El"[/color]: Bud's loving and loyal wife for the past 17 years. She is a History teacher at the Junior High School. Bud and "El" have two kids a 17 year old son (Eddie) who is the starting QB for the High School team, and a 12 year old daughter (Ruth-Ann).

[color=f26522]Howard[/color] and [color=8dc73f]Lois[/color]: Bud's parents. They own a farm just on the outskirts of town. The farm has been in the family for over 100 years. Howard is beginning to show signs of slowing down from running the farm, and taking care of Lois who suffered a stroke five years ago. Bud is coming to terms that by the middle of the decade his parents will be dead, and this is weighing heavily on him. 

[color=f49ac2]Amelia Hawkins[/color]: Though Bud will do anything for any of the mobsters in the county his loyalty is primarily to her.  

Personal History: Bud was born and raised in O'Connor county. In High School Bud was the "B-M-O-C" he was the starting QB on the team that won the State Title four years in a row. He was dating the most beautiful girl on campus in Beth-Ellen Davis, and he had four year scholarship to Ole Miss. Bud graduated college and joined the Army just as the Korean War was going on. While in Korea he became an M-P and proved to be very good at police work. Not only in terms of procedures but as an investigator as well. Bud was shot in his right leg when questioning a call-girl and now has a slight limp, but it was enough to get him sent home. 

He came back to a Hero's welcome and Sheriff Jack Tyler offered him a deputy's position. Bud accepted and with his future pretty well locked in he married Beth-Ellen. However Bud realized being in Law Enforcement wasn't exactly making him wealthy. He wanted to provide not only the best for Beth-Ellen but Ed Holmes at the First Street Bank was drooling over the prospect of foreclosing on his parents' farm. The land was in a great location and bordering on a couple of areas with very rich mineral rights that were ripe for the picking. Bud vowed Ed would never get his parents'farm. Bud saw how the mobsters were making money hand over fist, and he knew what he had to do. Bud would start to look the other way when it came to some of the booze runs for the local families, and began doing them favors very discreetly over a period of time. 

This caught the attention of Amelia Hawkins. She was impressed with how he handled himself and how what he was doing was for his family and not for himself at the time. Amelia made sure Bud was well compensated. Before he knew it the word was out among the Underworld that if you took of Dawkins he would take care of you. They all knew though that Sheriff Tyler would catch on to him, so with the backing of the mob a political juggernaut was created. Bud won the election easily, and ensured the mob would be able to operate without too much restraint. Any "gifts" given to Bud is primarily used to keep the bank from foreclosing on his parents' farm or to take care of his family.   

Notes: 

--Bud hates the way he has betrayed his office. He tells himself that the ends justify the means, but the guilt is painful for him to bear.

--He already has a deal in place with Burt Nelson at the First County Bank. Once his parents die he will sell the farm to him and Bud will leave a large part of the money to Beth-Ellen. Then Bud plans on faking his death and quietly leaving town with what's left of the money and starting all over again. 

--When it comes to helping out the underworld Bud has three rules. 
1) You want his protection you must "appease" him and that ain't cheap! 
2) He has to know the names of all the players in your organization so there are no surprises.
3) No harm comes to ANY child! That rule is sacred to Bud. If you do something and it hurts a child; the Wrath of God will feel almost pleasant compared to what Bud will do to you. 

--Those in the Underworld look to Bud to "keep the peace." In keeping the peace everyone flies under the radar, no attention from the Feds,  and it enables everyone to make a little something for themselves. Bud is universally liked by those he deals with because he keeps his word and he is usually able to help everyone find common ground. [/Hider]