actually , the ex-sheriff , whom almost everyone in town believed was dead , was in considerable pain and was close to wishing he was dead.-his own admissions on tape were absolute proof of his involvement in the protection of the smuggling operation and that he had been receiving regular pay-offs for keeping his office from interfering in that illegal enterprise.-he lay in bed and tried to determine through the dense fog of pain and painkillers whether his best interests lay in disclosing the identity of the big boss or in holding out for a better deal on his own situation.-he tried unsuccessfully to weigh the pros and cons of the different alternatives.-he was pretty sure there was no point in hoping for help from his erstwhile partners in crime.-he had thought the first shots fired when he had been arrested were aimed in his defense.-however , there was little doubt that the last bullets were meant to silence him and that did not speak well as to help from friends in high places .