Shamus JournalsChapter 2
- 2 years ago
- 27
- 0
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 my arms and followed him to one of the double occupancy rooms that some of the staff had evidently given up for the night. There were still personal pictures on the walls. I noticed there was fresh clothing for both of us on the footlocker at the end of the bed. There was a private shower and then it hit me this was Butter's and his exec.'s room. They had given it up for us for the night. I got Sandra undressed and tucked in and she never moved the whole time. I sat down on the edge of the bed and ran my hand across her hair getting it out of her face. I watched her sleep like I had always done with her mother, wondering how I had fallen in love with this little bundle of beauty so fast. I felt like I had always been with her.
I sat there wondering about the lives we would have down the road and I swore to myself then and there she would always come first before anyone or anything from now on. Then I realized that since she had found me I had always been putting her first instead of myself like I had always done before. I sat and thought about how close she and Jimmy were and hoped they would always be that way. Those two shared a love for music like no others I had ever met before and they complimented each other when they played the music they both loved. I got on the cell and made a call to Floyd and we talked for about an hour, making some arrangements and getting a few things straightened out. All of our things he was holding for us would be sent out immediately to the package holding company that I had an account at. I would make sure the things that Sean had put in storage would also be sent as soon as possible. We never did open that little safe that had been recovered as Sandra had Sean put it in storage too. She decided she would wait till we got home to open it so we didn't take it to the island like we started to.
I finally turned in and was asleep within a few minutes, still fully clothed. I was still a little worried so I figured it would save time if an emergency came up during the night.
I woke up the next morning to the sound of reveille being piped throughout the base. I looked at my watch and saw it was five thirty and I just groaned. I looked over to Sandra's bed and it was empty. I got a bit of a scare until I heard her singing in the shower then I smiled at my foolishness. I sat up on the edge of the bed wishing I had a cigarette while I waited to take my turn in the shower. She came out barefooted with a green T-shirt on and fresh fatigue pants in the desert camouflage colors.
"Morning Grandpa, are we going home today?"
"Just as soon as we visit Sean in the hospital. I don't know about you, but I've had my fill of this hiding crap."
"Me too! I had fun last night and enjoyed playing with all the people here. I don't know about you but if you get your shower maybe we can eat 'cause I'm starving."
I just laughed at her and headed for the shower. I got mine and dammed if I didn't cut myself shaving again. I would be glad to get home to my electric shaver. I brushed my teeth and went back out, dressed in the same fatigues she was wearing. I had a pair of the desert boots waiting for me to put on that matched hers. I felt kind of foolish wearing these but it was all I had so they would do until we got home where I could wear my jeans and flannel shirts I had grown to like so much. I put the shoulder holsters on under the shirt and to my surprise they didn't show at all because the shirt was big enough to cover them completely. I put the nine in my back and put the holster for the fifty on, making a note to be sure to get it back this morning. I put the extra mags in the lower side pockets of the pants, making sure I separated them, remembering where they were by weapon. When we were both ready, we headed out the door to find the chow hall. There was a guard outside of our quarters and he led us to the chow hall. I figured this was to keep us from seeing too much in case we started to wander around. I didn't mind because this was for security reasons and if I were here I would do the same thing. I did notice Sandra had her rank on along with the medal she had been given last night.
When we walked into the chow hall and were seen, almost everyone stood and clapped, welcoming Sandra. We were given our own table and were soon joined by the team after we got our food and sat down. They kept up a steady stream of conversation with Sandra and me as we ate. I had to smile at her because she was giving as good as she got with these men. I could tell she felt at ease with them just from the way she was acting. The fact that she was being treated like royalty seemed to make her and the men happy as they waited on her hand and foot. She had been seated at the head of one of the tables with the team all sitting around her while I was exiled to the far end by myself. I didn't mind at all because this would be a memory for her to always keep as she grew older. Even though she was only ten years old, she would be able to do anything with her life because she was so smart and talented. The whole team was dressed the same as we were so she fit right in with them. Butter came in and sat next to me. He dug into his food without saying a word until he was finished eating and was sipping his coffee.
"Harry, we have been ordered to go with you to your home in Nevada and make sure you get there with no problems. The men are all looking forward to it so they can spend some more time with your granddaughter. All I heard all morning is how talented they think she is. I was asked by the team if some of them could visit with you after this deployment. Sandra had told them about how you had fishing ponds they could fish in and how big the trout were supposed to be so they decided they would come and camp on your place, if it was ok with you. Harry, I have never seen any of these men take to someone like they have taken to her. I think to a man they have all pretty much adopted her as one of their own even if she is only ten years old. She told them about what happened and how she went through all the hardship she endured to find you. She is the unofficial commander of this whole base as far as the troops here are concerned. I hope this doesn't offend you in any way."
"Butter she is smart enough to make her own decisions and if they want to visit, then they are all always welcome at my home. I am sure she would give me holy hell if I did have a reason to object. They think she is talented but wait until they hear her and her adopted brother play one of their concerts. Those two are geniuses on any instruments they play. Their IQ's are higher than any four people here but they both have common sense, unlike most highly intelligent people you meet. I have plenty of room at my place for any of them that want to visit and you as well as your team are always welcome to come out and unwind anytime. Butter, I was a very bitter old man until she came into my life and now I depend on her like she is my right arm. I spent years beating around this country and she has given me more help and love than I can ever remember knowing for all my fifty-seven years. I think she has come to love and feel a part of your team in a very short time and would be very hurt if she lost contact with them."
"Not to change the subject Harry but the Director called today and we are supposed to take you to the hospital to visit your friend then escort you to your home. Harry, I have never been married but if I ever do and have kids, I just hope they are half as down to earth as she is. I have been the commander of this team for five years and they have never taken to anyone like they have to her. They are as proud of her as I have ever seen them with anyone. The two that are married and have their own kids are already planning some kind of reunion so they can introduce their families to her. The armorer is done with your fifty and is in the range doing the final adjustments to it. He spent the whole night working on it and I think you will be very surprised with what he has done with it. He asked me to ask you if you could get him some of those Carswell silencers for our Berettas. I think he was the most shocked at Sandra's little demonstration last night. He said she was the most gifted shooter he had ever seen."
"Well Butter, tell him I think the silencers might be arranged but I won't guarantee him anything. I will need to know if he wants the screw in or the outside lock-on type. I have a connection in Germany who can lay his hands on about anything and if I can, I will arrange to see if he can have some made with the refillable chambers in them. This way if they start to get too loud your armorer can refit them and quiet them back down. With a nine like your people use it won't take many shots to burn the filler out. He will be able to refit these in the field and it might save a life when you need the silence. I think I can get him a set of ten with the material to repack them but it won't be cheap as they are always made to order. I can have them made in gunmetal blue so they won't shine in the night but it's up to your armorer. I can mail them directly to him or you if you give me an address before we part company."
"We have a blind drop we all use for important things we can't get on the outside and I will give it to you later. Harry, I was not snooping on you but I got my hands on your service record, or at least most of it that wasn't classified, and I couldn't believe half of what I read last night. How come you never became an officer? I saw it was offered and you always turned it down. A field commission is a great honor in times of war. I know it's none of my business but I am curious about it. I know you old guys don't like to talk about it but if you would tell me I promise I will never repeat our conversation to anyone."
I took a deep breath, thinking about his question, trying to answer it in such a way that he could understand my reasons. He was right. I hated to talk about it but he had earned my respect in the short time I had known him. I decided to answer his question but I didn't know if he would be able to understand it all. But, I would try, if for nothing else but to try to get it off my chest after all these years. If I would admit it to myself it would probably do me good as I had never talked about it to anyone.
"Butter, I never took it because it would tie me down with too many rules. As an NCO and squad leader, I felt I could bend, twist and even break the rules if it would save one of my men. Officers just have too rigid of a code and too many superiors they have to answer to. I worked in the field behind the lines on most of my three tours over there. I only lost one man because I didn't move fast enough to save him. If I had been an officer, I wouldn't have been able to even make the attempt because of their rigid orders. In Nam anything you did in the field was subject to change by the minute or hour. They sent several butter bars out with us for training but out of all of them I only met one who was worth a shit, and that was cause he was a former NCO and was willing to learn. Most of them were fresh out of West Point and gave commands that made no sense. They tried to turn my people into cannon fodder, which I couldn't allow. I had three article fifteen's over this because I countermanded their orders. I had to threaten to shoot one who later pissed himself the first time a bullet came near him. He told me and my men to charge into an ambush that would have gotten us all killed. That's why I never accepted it and never had a high opinion of officers. No offense intended."
"None taken," he said as he busted up laughing.
"I was just curious, Harry. It's not like that now, thank God. We have the last word when we're in the field. We may have our asses chewed when we get back but there is no interference during a mission."
I didn't say anything else, just sat and watched Sandra chatting back and forth as she ate her food. We were escorted back to our quarters where the armorer came in and handed me back my fifty with a smile on his face.
"That's the first time I have been able to handle one of those since they came out. I will be buying myself one when we go home this time. That is one of the sweetest shooting pistols I have ever fired. I made a few changes to it to make it better to handle but overall there wasn't much I could do to improve it. I did make the slide and trigger pull a lot better by doing a little milling on them. I was at the range trying out a few ideas but I really didn't have any time to follow through. I hope it handles a little better for you now. I would love to get my hands on those two little Walthers of yours too but since we are leaving in a few minutes, I won't have the chance. Maybe if when we come to visit you will let me work on them a little? Sandra, you are a better shot than any person I have ever seen in your age group and I hope to have the time for you to show me just how well you can do."
"Thanks from the both of us. If you should come out for a visit I have a machine shop you can play around with a little. I also have some World War Two era forty fives that have already been reworked that you might be interested in looking at."
He just gave me a big grin as he went out the door. I was getting our stuff ready to go when I noticed a sea bag with Sandra's name on it at the end of the bunk. It was full of the fatigues and had an extra set of the jungle boots in it. I had to smile, thinking she would love this. She came back out of the bathroom with a smile on her face and came over to me. I handed her the sea bag and she looked at me in surprise. She set it down and started going through all the stuff the team had given her with an ear to ear grin on her face. She picked the sea bag up and threw it over her shoulder and looked at me.
"Well, come on Grandpa, I don't wanna miss my ride."
I followed her out, chuckling at her enthusiasm. We went to the helo pad which was about twenty yards from the chow hall. The team was waiting on us and she got helped in. They buckled her in while I was climbing into the chopper. It lifted off silently and headed back into the city. We landed at the same airport we had started from and there were two humvees waiting on us. They took Sandra's bag saying they would load it on the jet with our other stuff. I wondered what other stuff as we pulled out heading for the hospital. We were all dressed the same except the team all had pistols on under their shirts like I did. I noticed there were several M-16s in wall racks in the humvees. I would hazard a guess they were ready for anything but I didn't feel we were in any danger on this trip. When we got to the hospital we were accompanied by two men while the others stayed with our transportation. I went to the desk and asked what room Sean was in. It wasn't until I showed my ID that they finally told me what room and floor. At least they were following basic security I thought and I saw the receptionist get on the phone as soon as we walked away. I figured she was warning his team that we were on our way up. We were meant by an agent as soon as we got off the elevator.
"I will need you to give up your weapons before you can go any further, Sir."
I looked at her in a searching way as I didn't like her smart attitude.
"We don't give up our weapons for anyone, Agent. I outrank you and I suggest you better call your immediate supervisor before you try to push your weight around here. Here's my ID and these are my escorts."
She looked at my Id and immediately backed off with the attitude and said to go down the hall to room three twenty. She handed me back my folder saying "Sorry Sir for any misunderstanding". We went down the hall and saw another agent sitting outside the room. He didn't say a word as my team sat down while Sandra and I went in the room. Sean's wife was there and immediately got up and hugged Sandra, speaking a mile a minute in Spanish to her as I went over to the bed.
"'Bout damn time you got here Harry. Will you tell these idiots I am fine and to let me go home?"
"Hey buddy, I have no control over your doctors. Besides, I think you better stay and make sure there are no problems. I have a feeling your wife would kill you if you screwed up her vacation."
He busted out laughing and grabbed me in a hug, asking if we were ok. I said we were fine and was on our way home as soon as I left here. He looked at me a little funny and the grin and good nature went away as he settled back in the bed.
"What's wrong Sean? You look like somebody just stuck a pin in your balloon. Ok buddy, what's going on?"
"I tried to tell you yesterday Harry and now I wish I had. Mark is dead."
"What! How the hell did that happen, Sean?"
"He went back to Florida to bury his wife and after he had her cremated, he went looking for the ones who killed her. I don't know the whole story but he was killed in a gun battle with some of her bosses and the bouncers from the strip club she worked in. According to the report I got, he didn't start it but they tried to keep him from talking to her boss and one of the bouncers, not knowing who he was, pulled a gun and all hell broke loose. Three innocent bystanders were seriously wounded but none by Mark's weapon. He killed both bouncers and her boss by the time it was all over. He was cremated and his and his wife's ashes were sent back to Nevada. Harry, the girls are now yours as he had a will stating that they were to be given over to you if anything happened to him. They are with Tran at their home waiting for you to come back. The judge there has all the paperwork for you. I tried to tell you yesterday but you didn't want any more bad news. I'm sorry Harry; I know he was a close friend. If it's any consolation he died instantly and he took those assholes with him."
I just stood there trying to absorb what he was saying when Sandra started sobbing and ran over to me. I bent down and took her in my arms, still in shock myself. Poor Dina and Dana. They have lost their mother and now their dad in a very short time. I wondered if they thought I had abandoned them too as I had been gone for so long. My God, I now had three kids to raise. I wondered why Floyd hadn't told me about all of this when I had talked to him last night? He probably figured I already knew since me and Mark were so close. God Dammit, I had lost another friend to a bunch of cowards. Now I wondered how I was going to take care of all three little girls when I hadn't even got to know Sandra as well as I wanted to. I turned to Sean with tears in my eyes and told him we had to go and if he needed anything to make sure he called. I got a hug from his wife as I walked out the door in shock. Butter saw my face and immediately took charge, hustling us onto the elevator and getting us back in the humvees headed back to the airport.
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...
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...
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...
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...