Shamus JournalsChapter 2
- 2 years ago
- 24
- 0
We had just landed back in Florida when Sean walked into the hangar with a big smile on his face.
"What are you so happy about?"
"The divers just faxed the pictures of the men who were aboard the boat you guys blew up and guess what?"
"Well gee there Sherlock, should I be able to read your mind?"
Sandra started giggling and Sean gave her a smile before he got around to answering me.
"The lawyer and his client were on that tug, Harry. Needless to say you two should be able to go home as soon as it hits the news. We already gave a press release. Too bad though because I could get used to hitching rides on those fighters. Man, are they fast and sweet to ride in. I left an hour after you and still beat you back. How about you two staying here tonight and then we will fly you back to Columbus tomorrow? We also can fly you to Reno if you want."
"Ok Sean, the contract's off, but what have you and the Director done about the leak. It had to come from your or his office. Wait a minute! I know where it came from Sean. I want a cell now, preferably my own."
"All of your stuff is still locked up in storage Harry. Here, use mine it's clean."
"No, I don't want you to be associated with this at all, Sean. I'll use the pay phone outside the terminal."
"Harry, if you figured out where the leak is I want to know. This is a matter of pride to me and I hate a traitor in my own ranks. I promise I will do it in such a way it can't be traced back to me or you."
"Sandra honey, why don't you take a little nap while me and Sherlock have a little talk. We'll be right outside if you need me for anything."
"Ok grandpa, don't be too hard on Sherlock. Don't forget he is still young and learning."
Sean stuck his tongue out at her and she started giggling at him. Then it hit me just how young he really was to be in such a responsible position.
We went into the hanger and I told him my suspicions and got an angry stare when I was done.
"No frickin way Harry. Oh I'll check it out, but if you're wrong I will expect an immediate apology."
"If I am wrong Sean, then you know I'm man enough to be the first to apologize to you and to him. I don't think I am though."
"It will take a couple of hours so order pizzas for you and the shrimp. I can't believe she called me Sherlock."
I laughed as I went back inside and found she was sound asleep on the couch. I figured she needed it with all that had happened today. I closed the blinds to the office and sat in the desk chair to watch over her. I had to take the fifty off as it was just too uncomfortable in this chair. I put it on the desk by my hand and sat back thinking about Mark. I knew he still loved his wife, but I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that he would put Sandra in danger like that. Me, I could take care of myself but she was a babe in the woods. How the hell do I handle this one? I sat for about three hours racking my brain on what to do and it all came back to his love for his wife. I knew about that and while I could sympathize, I still couldn't forgive him for putting Sandra in the middle of it. Then I thought of how he would have taken her death and knew he would be deeply hurt and his girls would be even more devastated.
I felt sorry for them and even though I was pissed at Mark I still loved the two of them like they were my own. If Mark and I became enemies then they would be caught in the middle of it all. This time I decided I would sit down and talk it over with Sandra. Maybe she had a perspective on it that I had missed. Then it hit me that I was depending on her to help me! That brought a whole new set of shocks to me. I had someone who was smarter than I was to bounce ideas off of instead of just wading in and damn the consequences. I had someone besides myself to talk to and she would always have me to talk to about her problems. I was thinking it was a good feeling when Sean knocked on the door and stuck his head in motioning me to come out of the office.
I went out slipping the fifty under my belt.
"Harry you were right. I can't believe it. We would never have known except when he used the radio he forgot to change the channel back to the normal one he used. The operator marked it down in his book and we were able to trace it to Sonora. I checked and she didn't know a thing about it. Before they could get her gun away from her, she almost shot him. The SEALs said she made them proud with all the new language they learned from her. Harry, I trained him and worked side by side with him for five years until he got married and they got posted down there. They were there for more than five years and this was the first sign of any trouble with anyone we sent down there. Why would he do it Harry? I just don't understand it at all. They had it made and they were able to bank their checks because everything was free for them. I'm sorry Harry for putting you and Sandra in danger. If something had happened to her I could never forgive myself. I thought you would be safe there."
"Calm down Sean, will you? It's not your fault. There's no way you could have known. If it eases your mind any the only way I was able to figure it out was because he supposedly set the claymores as he was coming back to the house. But, they were all electronic signal controlled and he never threw the switch when he came to the secure room. The dogs were still running loose when he came in. May had whistled them in but he let them back out when he opened the door. I started thinking about it when Sandra made the comment that she would miss the dogs as we were getting off the plane."
"I just talked to the Director and he is going to make an example of him and he will probably spend the rest of his life in prison. As soon as Sandra wakes up I have transportation arranged for you and her to go to a hotel. There are several clothing stores nearby where you both can get some new clothes if you want. Two men will be with you at all times until this story hits the national news. I will have the Special Forces at the chemical plant sweep your property before you get home. Not saying there is anything there but it's a just in case type of thing. I have some worse news that I just found out, Harry."
"Will this wait, Sean? I think I have heard enough bad news today to last me for several months. Besides, I want to get Sandra settled back home so she can start playing again. She has hated not being able to play her music for the last month. I must admit I miss it myself. I just want to get her back to a semi normal life again. I want to spend time with her at our home doing normal things."
"I can understand that Harry, because my wife has already reminded me that I have a months vacation coming and she has already had me put in for the whole month. She wants to rent an RV and travel with the girls out west. I think I need the time with my family too. It's been a long time since we have spent more than a few days together, and I think it will do us all good to be with each other."
"Grandpa, I'm hungry and I need a shower. Can we please get to someplace where I can have the creature comforts that I deserve? Tell Sherlock we need a room and food."
Sean got a shocked look on his face then rolled his eyes. I busted out laughing at his next comment.
"She did it again Harry."
He got on his phone and called for our ride as I walked back into the office laughing. Sandra hugged me and whispered; "he looks like a Sherlock grandpa, and I think he's funny."
Sean hollered out our ride was here. We went out the door into a withering hail of gunfire. I pushed Sandra back inside and tipped the metal desk over and got behind it with her. I pulled the fifty and waited to see who would come through the door while wondering if Sean was ok. I heard a few more shots then sirens coming in the distance. The door was partially ajar so I told Sandra to stay right there handing her one of the Walther twenty-twos. I had taught her to shoot them on the island, plinking at cans we had set up on the far end of the island. I crawled to the door and looked out seeing nothing but glass everywhere. I pulled myself further out where I could see a little better and Sean was lying next to the wall in a pool of blood. I reached out and felt his neck and he had a good strong pulse. From where I was it looked like he had been hit in the leg and shoulder.
I grabbed his collar and drug him into the office behind the desk where I checked him a little better. Neither wound was life threatening but he was losing blood and I had to stop this or he would bleed out before help came. I tore my t-shirt off and tied it around his leg then tied his tie around his shoulder. I looked over at Sandra and to my surprise she was watching the door while I took care of Sean. I heard the crunch of glass outside the door and motioned Sandra down. I waited then saw the barrel of a gun come into sight. I didn't figure he was a friendly or he would have sung out already. I aimed the fifty where his body should be and pulled the trigger twice. He fell flat before the last boom had dissipated. I waited to see if anyone else showed up but the sirens were so close I didn't think they would stay around, if there was anyone else out there. I got Sean's cell and called the Director, and told him what happened. He said he would handle it and that I was to stay where I was. I took Sean's badge out and got ready for the locals to come storming in. I took the Walther back from Sandra and holstered it.
Sure enough the locals came in pointing guns everywhere and I yelled out I was FBI and had an officer down. The lead man took one look at the badge and called for the ambulance attendants to come in.
"Sir, I know you are armed, please slide it out until we get to the bottom of this, please?"
I slid the fifty out in plain sight and watched as he holstered his weapon.
"Are there any other wounded in here sir?"
"No, but there was a driver in the car that was coming to pick us up. The man out there is one of the shooters. He was the only one I saw but I counted three different automatic weapons firing. You might want to have your men check the other buildings close to this one. They can't have gone far and I didn't hear any vehicles leaving."
He got on his radio and had his people shut down all the gates and ordered them to search all the buildings. He also warned them that the shooters were armed with automatic weapons. I heard a chopper coming in and it landed on the tarmac in front of the hangar where we were. I heard the challenge to the occupants and they all identified themselves as U.S. Marshals. Three came in and immediately spread out in a defensive position between me and the locals.
"Mr. Hanson, I am Marshal Teague. We were sent by the Director to guard you and your granddaughter. If there is any doubt of our identity I was told to have you call the Director."
"No offense Marshal but I plan on doing just that."
I made the call and was given a description of all three of them that matched them, and also what they were wearing down to the sock color. I stood up and watched as Sean was loaded onto a stretcher.
"I want life flight called for him right now. He has lost a lot of blood."
"He is one of us and I made the call as we were coming in. I can hear their chopper coming as we speak, Mr. Hanson."
"Call me Harry, Marshal, and we will be going to the hospital when we leave here. I want my gun back also."
He went out to the local in charge, and a few words were exchanged and he came back in and handed me the fifty, which I reloaded then holstered. We walked out with the stretcher and I watched as it was loaded on the life flight chopper. When they took off, I looked around and saw a sheet-covered form lying next to a black Crown Vic. I felt sorry that the driver hadn't made it, and made a note to send a large flower arrangement to his funeral. I heard gunfire again and pulled Sandra down beside me. I had the fifty in my hand without even realizing I had drawn it. The Marshals formed a circle around us with their guns drawn also. The gunfire died off and I heard there were two bad guys down, and also an officer was hit but only grazed. I let out a sigh of relief at the news that while another one of the good guys had been hit, he was ok.
"Marshal, I want to know who these guys were and how they knew we were here. I also want our transport shadowed by a gun ship from the local base."
"I really don't think that's necessary Harry."
"I do and if you won't make the call then I will and I guarantee I will get what I want. Let's come to a quick understanding here and now. I am taking charge of our safety from this point on. You follow my orders or get the hell out of here and I will make my own arrangements. Your choice Marshal. I want to get to the hospital to check on my friend and I don't have time for any bureaucratic bullshit."
"Sorry Harry, but even you don't have that kind of pull. Now get in the chopper so we can get you both out of here."
I didn't say another word but got on the phone and called the Director and went off on him. He listened to me for a few minutes then told me to shut up and calm down, and to put that dumb ass Marshal on the phone. I handed him the phone and walked away taking Sandra with me. I climbed into the Crown Vic and fastened the seat belt on Sandra then started the engine and pulled out. I went through the exit gate about ninety holding my badge in plain sight. The cop on the gate just waved me through. I headed in the same direction as the life flight chopper. I knew there had to be a hospital close by where they had taken him. I got on the radio and identified myself to the dispatch and asked which hospital Sean had been taken to. They came back in a few minutes with the information and directions on how to get there. I turned the lights and siren on and floored it. This had the big interceptor engine and I was flying as I headed to the hospital. I looked over at Sandra figuring she would be scared to death, but she had a grin from ear to ear as we flew down the highway. I saw the sign for the hospital exit and went down the ramp, and barely slowed as we went through the light. I went down the street about four blocks and saw the sign for the emergency room. When we pulled up, I parked in a reserved spot and we jumped out and went inside to the desk. I flashed the badge again and was told they had just taken him to surgery. We got on an elevator and rode up to the surgery waiting room. There were vending machines and Sandra asked for some money so she could get a soda and some chips. I gave her all the change and ones I had. I sat down after checking in at the desk and Sandra came over with soda and chips for us to snack on while we waited.
I woke the next morning in the chair still gripping the beer bottle in my hand. The sun was barely up but I was wide awake. I set the coffee to brewing and went to the shower, and then I grabbed a shave. I almost passed on doing it 'till I remembered the lunch meeting I had today. I went to the kitchen and marveled about how silent the house was, because I could see all kinds of birds in the trees and even a few crows on the ground in front of the cabin. Man this was great, no crow opera in...
I sat in the captain's office for almost fifteen minutes before Sergeant Chapel showed up to get his keys and when he did, his attitude immediately pissed me off. "I am looking for the ass who ran my relief from the cage and took the keys." "That would be me and if you value your job you better tone it down and do it fast. From now on, you don't leave the cage unless you have a relief and the relief is a deputy. If that don't suit you, then tender your resignation. The attitude will...
I had gotten almost to the garage when I remembered that my unit had no call sign, and I had forgotten to tell Andy how many keys I wanted for each lock change. I did a U-turn and headed back to the department. I came through the front door and there was not a soul in sight. I heard the sound of raised voices coming from Andy's office and headed that way. The sight that greeted my eyes was an impromptu meeting of about all the civilian employees with a few uniforms mixed in. I listened in...
I was headed to Mick's house and listening to the patrol radio and it was dead. There was no traffic to speak of and I wondered how many of the deputies were patrolling, and how many were shooting the breeze at some store or snoozing. It didn't take me long to get to Mick's house and to my surprise it was a small cottage surrounded by flowerbeds. I got out and walked up to the door and knocked loudly. It was answered by a gray-haired lady and she greeted me by name and asked me to come...
I was making good headway with all the junk in the desk and most of it was junk. I found a new NRC code book and set it aside to read and memorize. I also found a little notebook that listed all the payments received from the businesses in town. Thumbing through it, I found the gun shop payoffs and I had to admit they were quite substantial. I set it aside and finished out the cubbyholes in the right side and started on the left. I remembered the cabin and decided to call Shorty and see if he...
When the guys went out, I sat back to think for a little bit. I was realistic and knew I had seventy two hours at the most before I would find out if I was going to be hassled by any of the names on the list in the books. I was going to Reno tonight and make some copies and send the original copy to Floyd and tell him to cover my ass from his end. He was connected and high in the family and a good friend. I had other dealings with him and he always covered me ten ways from Sunday. I knew he...
"Hey Harry, you daydreaming or something? Did you find out if there were any prints on that stuff?" "Yea Shorty, I did and your not gonna believe whose they are. I find it hard to believe that they would have the gall to even attempt it, let alone act on it. The first recorder I found had Pinky's fingerprints on it. The one you found had the intake clerk's prints all over it. I think we better call Andy in with the prosecutor then we will all meet with Pinky and see why he did this....
We made it back to the station and I quickly ducked into my office, hoping I wouldn't hear more about my love life and Tran. I had just got settled in the chair when Shorty came in with one of the Lieutenants on the list and told him why we were letting him go. He didn't seem upset and explained that he had been expecting it with the new leadership. He was pleasant about it and wanted to know if we would give him a good report when he applied to one of the casinos. I told him I would and...
We went back out into the showroom and the clerk was still on the floor with the young deputy standing over him. "Grab your partner and book him for assault on an officer. Have them hold him for seventy two hours for investigation. Then come back to the station and see me or Shorty for a special assignment. Bring your partner with you." "Yes sir, sheriff!" He yanked the clerk up with little effort and marched him out the front door. I saw him speaking into his radio as he went out. We...
The more I thought about the bust tonight the more little details came to mind that I hadn't discussed with the men. I decided I would call them all in and have an operations meeting before we started. I knew we all had cars and all but two were unmarked. I had to make sure we all had walkies and that they were charged. Mine was sitting on the charger so I knew it was charged. Since Jim and Jerry were new to this type of detail, I wanted them to be in the least danger if it went south on...
I just about had all the notes together for the meeting tonight when my phone rang and I about jumped out of my chair. I picked it and it was Sergeant Abrams on the other end. "Sheriff, I just checked my answering machine and there were several messages on it to call you. Have I done something wrong or did I screw up that murder somehow?" "No, Abrams, you haven't screwed up or anything like that. I wanted to know if you wanted some overtime and to help work on a special operation...
I got the milling troopers attention, and asked if their supervisor was there yet? I was told he was on his way and would be there in a few minutes. I watched as still another State Trooper unit pulled up and it was a Sergeant who got out of the car. I called him to the side to speak in private. "Trooper get most of these men of yours out of here. They are tramping over my crime scene and interfering in my investigation." "Now look sheriff, I think this should be a combined bust and...
I took a shower in the bath off of the bedroom and to my surprise, found a cupboard full of towels and other stuff. I found new razors and shave cream, and toothbrushes still in their original packages. I felt like a new man by the time I was finished. I went back out to my office and all the men were already gathered waiting on me. I noticed that Kit's boy was there and was joking with Beau and Shorty. He was built like a football player and sure looked older than his thirteen years. I sat...
Shorty spoke up and ended my thought process. "Harry, this stuff is so far beyond us I hate to think about it. I know a lot of the names on this list, and let me tell you, they will do anything to keep this from coming out for public consumption. I think we need to get that smart ass FBI agent back here with his team and turn it all over to him." "I am going to call my friend in Homeland Security and see if he can't get that ATF team in here tonight. Let me get on the phone with him...
I followed the guys out and watched as they put the mines in the trunk of the car. I told Bob to drive them back to the department and then to take time to eat before coming back. I had to wait for the team to move the bodies and for the refrigerated truck. I was hoping against hope there was maybe only a couple of bodies in the house but I guess deep inside I knew I would be wrong. I had smelled that type of decay before and this was stronger than I had ever smelled. I knew that there would...
I sat until the girl's movie went off and they came out to get me to help tuck them in bed. I made a big production out of it as I always did. I went back to the kitchen and set the coffee pot up for the morning. I remembered my favorite go cup was still in my unit and went to get it. I found it on the floor with a bullet hole through the center of it. To say it was ruined would be an understatement. Now that pissed me of because I had used it for years and it was the only one I had ever...
We went back to the station and I called all the remaining men into the office. I closed the door and told Shorty and Beau to check the office. They started checking and when Bob saw what they were doing he told them to leave it to him. He dug into the bag at his feet and pulled out a small box which he flipped the switch on and it started beeping. I recognized it immediately as a modern sniffer and knew it had only been out for federal use for a year. I watched as he went around the office...
I woke up and there was a beautiful oriental woman sitting in the chair next to my bed. Damn, it was Tran. What the hell was she doing here and in my room? When she saw my eyes open she ran out of the room. I looked around and realized I was in a hospital. Damn but my head hurt. Within a few minutes, two little girls came running in and climbed into my bed with me, and I got all kinds of hugs and kisses from them. Now this was the kind of healing I could get used to. "Uncle Harry, you look...
I sat and sipped my coffee with Tran and the young deputy. She was laughing and kidding around with him as we sat in the lobby. I finally decided I was tired enough to go back to my room and lay down. We all three walked back and the deputy took his station outside of the door and I crawled back into bed. That little bit of exercise had taken more out of me than I ever thought it would have. I was almost asleep when Tran kissed me goodnight. I remember smiling but nothing after that. I woke...
Tran came in wearing jeans and a sweat shirt. She was carrying a small bag and had a paper bag from the drug store. She handed me an ibuprofen and refilled my coffee cup so I could have fresh hot coffee. I had to admit, being home I felt a lot better and my head wasn't hurting. Mark came back in and sat down, sipping his coffee. You would think we were at a wake the way they both were looking at me. "All right you two. What's up?" Mark laughed and looked at Tran and she nodded her head...
"Technically I am not allowed to let you go to work, but since you have all the other commissions and your federal carry permit, I don't see the harm in letting you nose around a little to see what you can find out." "I want to pick up my marked unit from the motor pool and I want someone to call State and find out where the hell is my M-16 they were supposed to return to me two months ago. In one of the units is some chain and locks for my gates and extra mags for my 16. I don't...
I decided I would call Tran from the cabin and explain why I wasn't coming over. I had a few hours of daylight left and I wanted to get the chains on the gates and put the signs up that I had ordered. I got her on the phone and she sounded like she was out of breath. When I asked her about it she informed me she was playing twister with the girls and losing badly. I had to laugh at the picture of a grown woman of our age trying to get into some of the different positions required for the...
I watched as the Trooper pulled up next to Mark's unit and shut it off. I saw who it was immediately and wondered what he wanted. He nodded at Mark, looked at the girls and came straight to me. "Hey Harry. I see you're back at it again. Can't you ever stay out of trouble or at least till your healed?" "What are you doing here? I hadn't heard the State was called in on this." He looked at me and busted up laughing. I just looked at him like he was nuts. "You really don't know do...
I was sitting drinking my first cup when it hit me. I hadn't called Tran to see if she liked the little car. If for some reason Doris hadn't delivered it, I was going to give the whole surprise away. I decided I would wait till I got done with the governor's big press conference. I got my go cup and locked the cabin, set the alarm, and cranked my unit. Yes, I checked it first, and since I had the other problem, Doris had made a few changes to protect me from it happening again. I turned...
I went down in the hole one step at a time, shining the light ahead of me as I went. I noticed dust along the sides of the ramp and grabbed a handful as I went. I was walking and throwing it ahead of me as I walked. I wasn't taking any chances of there being a floor ankle height laser system. If there was, the dust would show it and keep me from breaking the light. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble setting this all up. The ramp had a slight curve to it and came out in the middle of a huge...
I walked back outside and Bob was sitting on a milk carton, holding his head in his hands. I didn't say anything to him, just headed out front to see who else had showed up. Beau was sitting on a chair blocking the doorway as I came up behind him. "Harry, there have to be about thirty feds from a half a dozen departments out there and they all want in. I sure don't envy you your job today. Mark told them all that you were running the investigation and they would have to talk to you. Have...
We made it out of the cave ok, but I noticed that Bob was still talking on his cell to someone. I followed Preacher out the front door. I handed the blocks of explosive off to one of his men, and went to my unit. I immediately locked the folder and book up in the lockbox in the back of my unit. I went over to Mark and the man standing beside him and introduced myself. "I am Steve Johnson from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. From what the sheriff has told me you are in charge...
I went back out to the main part of the casino and into the office to give Butch his gun back. I noticed that there was a Coroner there with him. I handed him back his gun and arched my eyes at him in question. "This is the State Coroner, Harry. Since Porter County doesn't have one assigned yet I called ours in. I will make sure your Glock is returned to you personally. I think we have destroyed one too many of your guns. As soon as the Coroner is done, you're back in business. We turned...
Before we got back to the casino, I turned in the seat and told Butch what I wanted him to do in relation to the illegals. "Butch, I am turning over the search operation to you to run. I want that warehouse found and help given to those poor women and girls. If anyone gives you any shit, call me on my cell and if you need warrants then you will have them. I will put the prosecutor on notice and he will be ready for your call. I have the bus filled with bottles of water coming and if you...
I was still thinking about all that went on in the Chief's office as I drove back to Porter. I went directly to the motor pool to pick up my unit. I parked my Jeep in front again and went inside. Several of the mechanics waved as I walked through the shop. I went up the steps and went into the office, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down for a minute. "That was quick Harry. Are you ok? Here are your keys and your unit is in the wash bay. I am going to put your name on the floor so you will...
I watched as the SWAT team gathered up the prisoner along with their own wounded. They wasted no time getting them all loaded on the chopper and flying out. I watched as Preacher's Huey landed in the front yard of the smoking house. His team climbed down and came over to us. "Preacher, I want this whole front area cleared of any booby traps. I am not going to let those women out of there until I know it's clear. I also want your pilot to go back and get loaded with the bottles of water...
I made sure I met Hadley at the coffee pot as he came up to the feeding area. "Harry, if I didn't have a family to support I would spend the rest of my life looking for the people that could do this to children. This is one time that I need to go home and hug my kids and my wife. If she saw this, she would be in the hospital with shock. Do you have any idea at all who is shipping these kids to this part of the country?" "I haven't had a chance to go through all the papers I confiscated...
My God! I still couldn't believe I had found my granddaughter among all these poor children. I was going to have to readjust my whole way of thinking and living. I would have to remember I had to think about someone besides myself for a change. The shock of my daughter's death still hadn't set in yet, but I knew it would. To die in a filthy hospital leaving her daughter must have been hard on her. I remember how independent and proud she was when she turned 18. I still remember taking her...
I was deep in thought when I heard the phone ringing. I glanced over at Sandra and she was still sound asleep with a smile on her face. I glanced at the caller ID and it was Mark's cell so I picked it up. "Harry, I am at the office with a supervisor from the INS. He wants that girl you took from the valley. He is having a fit because you kidnapped her, as he put it. He is threatening to have you arrested by his people if you don't bring her in. What do you want me to do?" "You tell him...
I was sitting and looking out the window when Sandra came back into the room. "Grandpa, do you have a small step ladder I can use to finish what I am doing in my room?" "Let me look in the shed, sweetie. I will be right back." I went to the garage, found a small step ladder and carried it back inside and gave it to her. She thanked me and headed back to her room. I was wondering what she needed that for when the phone rang again. I saw by the caller ID it was the State Police so I went...
We were to be really surprised at the girls' condition when I sent Mark to call them for supper. When they showed up in the kitchen, the sight was enough to make a sane man pull his hair out. Dina had a scarf tied around her hair and the only thing it protected was her forehead. Dana was in about the same condition, but she had one side of her face painted white like she lost a battle with a paint roller. Sandra was still looking like she had lost a battle with a paint ball gun. The only...
I dressed in older clothes and went in to wake Sandra. When I shook her and her eyes opened, she smiled at me and said, "Good morning". I turned to leave and the picture was glowing with the sun shining on it. It took me a few minutes to realize she had used some kind of glitter mixed in some of the colors. Talk about a heart stopper. I went down stairs and got my first cup of coffee and sat and thought about it. I still couldn't believe she was so skillful with the way she had put the...
I don't know how long we sat there in silence, but Jimmy came in and addressed me. "Sheriff, Sis sent me in to get you. We found something she thinks you ought to see." He went back out the door before I could give him any answer. I looked at Doris and she was smiling. Jeesh, I could see right now she wasn't going to be any help when it came to those two keeping me running. I went outside and everyone was looking in bay 2, and as I walked over to see what was going on Sandra looked at...
Dammit, here I was in the middle of the old sheriff's greed again. I wondered how much more contraband we were going to find. He still had several properties we hadn't even looked at yet. Well, this time I wasn't going to take any chances. I was going to delegate, and go home to be with my granddaughter. I turned to Charlie and made my intentions clear. "I am turning this over to you, Charlie. I have a scared granddaughter at home and we just got back together. You know what has to be...
"Come on you two, I have somewhere I have to go before five. Jimmy, throw your moped in the back of my unit." He picked it up like it weighed ten pounds and sat it on top of the gun box in back. He grabbed what Sandra called his lunch box, but to me it looked like a small satchel packed too full. Jimmy got in the back and buckled up then Sandra did the same in the front. We went down the drive, and Sandra remarked to Jimmy that this was better than him carrying his moped, her, and his...
I was right. Doris gave me hell about spending that much money on someone I didn't even know. I didn't say anything until we pulled up in front of the steakhouse they had chosen to eat at. I turned in the seat so I could face Doris and still be able to see Sandra and Jimmy as I spoke. She opened her mouth to say something and I just held up my hand for silence. "You been giving me hell since I left the music store. This time you shut your mouth and let me speak. I bought the pair of...
She was still laughing as we got in the house. I went to the kitchen and got a pot of coffee brewing and she grabbed a glass of orange juice. We sat down at the table and sipped our drinks. "I think I am going to fly to Columbus on Monday. I want to get those papers from that box. It's time for me to get some things done that need to be done. Those papers had to be checked by an attorney and certified as your mother's handwriting." "If you think I am going to stay behind then we need...
The rest of the night went by smoothly and we got the girls to bed without anymore mention of the coming dinner. I set the coffee pot and the alarm and fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. I woke up about fifteen minutes before the alarm went off. I made the trip to the kitchen and turned the pot on and went back to get my shower. I made sure to wear jeans and hiking boots today as we were going back to the motor pool again to try to finish up as much as we could before the...
I locked my unit into four-wheel drive and eased down the hill to the cabin. Looking in the rear view I noticed Mark had waited till I was almost half way down before he started after me. I pulled up to the back of the cabin and parked behind the VW and of course Sandra had to remark on it. "That little car is beautiful, Grandpa. Who does it belong to? I like the picture of the dragon protecting her eggs." "It belongs to Tran, the girls' baby sitter. I thought it was pretty too, and...
I listened to the kids laughing in glee at every musical instrument they found. To put it mildly, I was bored to death. I had watched the kids bounce in and out of the bay for the last hour. I just wished I had their energy. I was about to doze off when Sandra came over to me with Jimmy right behind her. She was holding a hard case that looked like it was for a guitar. "Grandpa, I found what I was looking for. I found a left handed guitar and a mandolin. I want you to buy them so I can...
I got my coffee and took a deep breath and headed back outside. Doris called me to the side before I had gone a hundred feet. "Were you able to help those poor people, Harry?" "They are in the process of getting their permits as we speak. How are the kids doing with the bays?" "We got lucky on one of them. There were two portable sawmills in it and they both were on wheels. They have already been loaded on one of the trailers and headed for the gulch. I am having all the stuff for...
When I got back to town, I went by the shop. The gate was closed and locked, so I headed for Doris and Jimmy's house. I pulled up in front and honked the horn. Sandra came running out and climbed into my unit. "Hey, Grandpa, I see you made it back in time to go to dinner. I think we're all going to enjoy this evening. I know I'm looking forward to it." "I think I am too, sweetie. By the time we get back to the cabin, Mark and the girls should be there. Do you think Dina will have a...
I went walking around the area looking for the kids. I finally found them playing a game, trying to win a big teddy bear. Sandra was cheering him on, trying to get a yellow bear. "Grandpa, Jimmy won me a big bear. I'm going to keep it in my room on the end of the bed. What are we going to do this afternoon, Grandpa?" "I don't know, Sandra, I think we will just go home and relax. Maybe you and Jimmy can practice your music awhile? I don't know about you, but it's going to be a long...
We left the room and went down to the front desk and made arrangements to pick the car up out front. When we climbed in the car, I made sure we were buckled up. We headed for the freeway to go to Eastland Mall. When we got to the mall, the lot was packed full of cars. "Looks like we got a long way to walk honey." After walking for what seemed like 15 minutes we finally made it inside. I let her lead the way and just followed along. After about two hours of window shopping, I was totally...
When we got out to the kitchen, the women were setting the table for dinner. "Ok Harry, since you and Bill have had your man talk, I think it's time for you to catch the rest of us peons up on what you have been doing for the last ten years. Linda has already told me you would be here for her graduation so I won't have to nag you about that." I spent the next hour catching them up on my life. They must have asked a hundred questions before the meal was over. We went into the front room...
I woke up with the phone ringing in my ear. It was our wake up call I had left the night before. I roused Sandra and we got ready to go to breakfast. She was half asleep as we sat down at the table. I ordered for us and she ate everything they set in front of her. I had my usual coffee but with what I knew was coming; I just didn't have any appetite. When I saw Sandra smiling and waving at a little girl at the next table, I knew she was awake and in her usual good spirits. "Honey, before...
Here I was sitting on a pristine white beach on my own island, thinking about how we had arrived here. We had flown from Grove City, Ohio to Miami, Florida landing at a small airport I had never heard of, even though I was from Florida before I had moved to Nevada. Sandra and I stepped out of the plane inside a small hangar and were met by Sean Hadley of the FBI. He hugged Sandra and shook my hand, telling us both there was food inside the office for us. He followed us in and watched while we...
I waited for Sandra to finish in the shower and when she came out she had a big smile on her face. I looked at her in a quizzical way and she smiled at me then explained. "You're gonna love this shower, grandpa. It has the massaging head on the shower and it has enough pressure that it almost knocked me down when I stepped under it. I hope they brought me some jeans with those clothes. I hate wearing a dress and trying to be nice just because it's expected by a girl in a dress." "You...
The impromptu concert went on for about another hour with Sandra playing with several different people. The cook came in with refreshments when it was over. Sandra climbed into my lap and promptly fell asleep. I think everyone in the rec room came over and just touched her with smiles on their faces. They all said I was to thank her for all the fun and the great playing she had done all evening. Butter came over and said our room was ready if I wanted to put her to bed. I got up with her in...
We all got loaded up in the Bradleys and left the truck at home. Jimmy was having a ball and he and Sandra were talking a mile a minute as we pulled out. We went down my drive and made the turn to go to Mark's house. The whole time I was thinking about what I was going to say to Tran and the girls. When we pulled into his drive the big gate was open. As I looked out the windshield I saw a man in the tree line. Now who the hell could that be I wondered and immediately the hair went up on the...
I was still sitting in the chair when Tran brought me another coffee. She gave me one of the most sensual looks I had ever seen from any woman and I watched her as she went back in the cabin. She had to know I was looking at her cute little rear because she seemed to put an extra little wiggle in it as she walked. I took a sip of my coffee and burned my lip. I was still muttering under my breath when Sandra came out and sat down in the lap that Tran had just vacated. "Grandpa, I have been...
When I got to the end of my driveway, I decided to call the Seal team at the chemical plant. When I got their Commander on the line and identified myself to him, he said he was expecting my call. I asked him if he could put someone up on one of the tallest buildings there with binoculars to keep an eye on my cabin. He said it had already been done as they watched out for their own. I had to think for a minute before I realized he was talking about Sandra. Damn, I would never have thought it...
I woke up just before dawn and got dressed without waking Tran by some miracle. I put the shoulder holsters on and the fifty on my belt. I put the extra mags in the vest I was wearing. I had bought it at a gun store and it was made fuller for the shoulder holsters. It had many inside pockets that fit all the mags perfectly. I went down to the kitchen and opened the shelter. I quickly got out several of the sixteens and about a dozen mags for each of them. I hid them around the house, up high...