Shamus JournalsChapter 2
- 2 years ago
- 22
- 0
It was hard as hell to just sit and wait for all the Intel to come in. The Seal team was back and Preacher was debriefing them, but I was waiting for the teams that were at the battle site to get done and come in. This was the apple we all were waiting for. I got on the cell and checked with the Director, telling him I wanted a recovery team at the battle site tomorrow first thing. He said they had the proper facilities at Nellis and had a team specially trained for this type of thing. I brought him up to date and told him we had filmed it all, and that he would have copies ready when he wanted them. Almost the next question out of his mouth was the one that I was waiting for. I told him I had two teams at the site taking pictures and getting fingerprints, and I was pretty sure we had put JJ out of business permanently. I also told him we were taking DNA samples from all the victims to see if they could be identified by that method. I got a "good job and thanks" for all I had done so far. I just shrugged it off and hung up the phone.
I hadn't been off the line for more than three minutes when it rang again. This time it was General Brown telling me that as of fifteen minutes ago, Lieutenant Masters was now a Captain. Also, he was faxing the promotion to me to have Preacher give him the ceremonial promotion speech. I thanked him and just grinned when he said the Major's spot was still open if I wanted it. I told him to go to hell in a laughing manner. He just laughed and said he had framed the signed hundred dollar bill he had won from the President. He informed me he also owed me a big steak dinner. We chatted for a few more minutes before he had to go, thanking me again for taking care of JJ and his men.
I sat and thought about all the men who had died today because they had followed JJ's lead. I didn't feel proud, just sick inside at the loss of all the lives I had ordered today. Damn, but I wish there had been another way. No matter how I looked at it, I just didn't see another way I could have accomplished it. I was sitting at the table wondering why I felt so drained when it hit me that I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. I had been living on coffee the whole time. I stood up and headed out to ask someone where the chow hall was, when I almost knocked Masters over as he was coming in the door to get me.
"Harry, the other two teams are landing. Preacher sent me to get you for the debriefing."
"Thanks Lieutenant, I appreciate it and if you would, can you find me a nice thick sandwich of some kind? I haven't eaten anything since yesterday."
"I sure will Harry. I will bring it to you in the briefing room along with a soda to wash it down."
He went out the door and I headed for the briefing room, stopping by the operations section to grab the faxes out of the machine. One was the promotion and the other was a well done to the men from the President. I would pass them to Preacher at the debriefing and let him handle them as he saw fit. I didn't figure the two teams coming in would be in much of a mood to celebrate after the job they had just finished. But then again, I remembered when we used to look for good news to wipe out what we had seen in the bush. I watched as the two teams went in the briefing room. I followed them in and stood to the side, observing them as they got seated. They all looked like they were beat and needed a hot shower and some food that wasn't out of a box. Preacher stepped up to the podium and I sat down to listen.
"I am not going to drag this out because I know all of you want to shower and find some hot food. I have ordered the cook to fix steaks and all the trimmings for you."
This got a big cheer and smiles from all of them.
"Men, you did a good job out there. Stumpy, that prisoner you got for us was a treasure. After Harry scared the shit out of him, he sang like a songbird. I videoed everything and it is available to any of you that want to watch and listen. Rather than have you write your reports, I have a camera set up that will record all that both field commanders have to say. When you both have finished with your reports, the rest of your teams can speak if they want. I want any observations positive or negative that any of you want to tell us about. Stumpy, you start then Anderson will follow. I want a complete mission report from the time you were dropped till you returned here."
I sat and listened as Stumpy gave a precise report from the time his team was dropped right up to the point when they came here to be debriefed. Only one of his men had anything to say and it was a derogatory remark about the men they had found acting as rear guard. He got a brief laugh from everyone present and a dirty look from Stumpy. From Stumpy's report, his team had acted as scouts, looking for bodies at the battle site. Anderson and his team did all the picture taking and fingerprints.
"We positively identified JJ from the photograph we had with us. From what we could tell, he jumped out of one of the choppers trying to save his life. But, he was impaled on a chunk of an old pine tree that was sticking up where he landed. If it hadn't been for that, he might have survived the fall and been able to get away. We took his picture from all angles and then we took his fingerprints just to make sure. Most of the men died in the crashes and there weren't many remains to be seen. All the choppers must have been carrying extra fuel bladders because of the heat from the fires and the way the wreckage was scattered. I am afraid we don't have much to show in the way of bodies or prints, Preacher. The small chopper was the only one that didn't explode. It was so full of holes, that I was surprised that the pilot was still alive when we got there. He told us he had been hired because of the radar equipment he had onboard. He was the only one in the bird and he died before we could get him out."
Masters came in and handed me a big sandwich and a soda and then sat down by my side. I hated eating in front of these men, but I was starving and still had things to do. I stood and handed Preacher the two faxes and sat back down, sipping my soda as he read them. He started smiling when he got done.
"I want to thank all of you for your detailed and precise reports but on top of all of the bad things you have seen today, I do have some good news that concerns all of you. The two faxes Harry just handed me concerns you Green Beanies. It seems for some reason, and I don't know why, Lieutenant Masters has been promoted to Captain effective immediately. Since I am a Seal I don't think this is fair to me, because I don't need another double bar strutting around."
Everyone was cheering Masters. Preacher called him up to the podium and shook his hand, congratulating him on his promotion. He handed him the paper and the two teams gathered around him, slapping him on the back and giving him hell. I just sat back and smiled at their antics, it brought back a lot of good memories for me. I looked over at Preacher, and he nodded his head at me with a big smile on his face. Other than the sergeant I had spoken to, he was the only one that knew I was behind the promotion. I got up and slipped out the door, heading for the chopper pad to catch my ride to Reno to see Agent Thomas. I used the ear bud to tell the radio operator I was coming. When I got to the pad, one of the Whispers was winding up so I climbed in. I got strapped in and put the helmet on so I could speak to the pilot. He spoke first and to my surprise, it was a question I could answer.
"Harry, did we get JJ today? If we did, is it ok if I tell the other pilots? None of us has heard if the mission was a success or not."
"I have to tell you it was a complete success. JJ won't be killing anyone else where he went. You can tell the other pilots and give them a big well done from me and the President. The mission was a complete success and we didn't lose a man. Also, you can tell them Masters has been promoted to Captain, effective immediately."
He had a big smile on his face as he informed the other pilots of my news. I heard several cheers then he came back to me to thank me for the news. He asked where we were bound for and I told him to set down in the Federal space at the Reno airport. I told them they would have at least two hours before we returned so they could get something to eat. This got a big "thanks" from both pilots. I had them radio ahead and make arrangements for a car for me. When we landed and I climbed out, I was met by the same man as before and handed a set of keys. He pointed to a white Crown Vic and went back inside without saying a word. I got in the car and headed for the hospital. I parked in a reserved spot again and went inside and up to the same floor as last time. Once again, I was met by a guard who checked my ID before I was allowed to go any further.
I asked him if Agent Thomas was still in the same room. I was told he was and doing well, so I walked down the hall to his room. I looked in before I entered and saw that he was sitting up in bed. All the bandages were gone from his head and there was only one IV that I could see. He was black and blue but seemed to be wide awake and reading a book. I stepped in and when he saw me, his whole face lit up in a big smile.
"Hey Harry, I see you made it back. As you can see, I am doing a lot better than the last time you saw me. They're supposed to take the upper part of the cast off tomorrow. The lower half will be gone in about a week. Man, it's good to see you. I have been talking to the guard a lot, but he never stays long."
I walked over and grabbed the chair in the corner and sat down next to his bed.
"Well, you sure do look a lot better. I flew in just to check on your progress. From the looks and the sound of your voice, you are healing nicely. Have any of your people been in to visit?"
"Not for a couple of days. Thanks from all of us, Harry. I heard how you went to bat for us and got our names and reputations cleared. You don't know how much we all appreciate it. I know I am sure glad I got to meet you in the gulch that day. I'm also very glad you were put in charge of the investigation at the lumber camp. If it wasn't for you, we would have been branded as a bunch of idiots. Some of the other guys I see in physical therapy told me to pass the word to you that they appreciated all you did for us. You're probably the only one who had the balls to speak for us and clear our names. Man, you should have seen all the reporters that tried to get interviews after you sent those tapes out. It was on all the news stations, and now there is a congressional investigation over the whole thing. Every man on this floor was presented with a Medal of Valor by the Director yesterday. Harry, were any bodies recovered at the site? I tried to find out but they have clamped a lid on it all."
"Barry, I don't think there were. The fires burned so hot I think all of the bodies were cremated on the spot. You were one of the lucky ones, if you want to call it luck. I have been so busy the last couple of days I haven't had time to get updated on it yet. Hell, I haven't seen my family for two days."
I went on and told him everything that happened in the last two days. He was absorbing the news I was giving him like a sponge. He had a smile on his face as I told him all about what had happened, and that we were going to go after the camp that had caused the explosion. We sat and talked for about two hours, but I could see he was getting sleepy. I told him I had to go and would stop back in a couple of days. He thanked me for coming and asked if I would bring him a big chocolate milkshake when I came back. He said I would have to sneak it past Attila at the desk. I laughed and said she didn't want the trouble I could bring her if she tried to stop me. He laughed and was nodding off as I stood up to go. He smiled tiredly and thanked me again for coming.
He was asleep by the time I got to the door to leave. When I walked past the nurse's desk, the woman there gave me a dirty look as I passed. It pissed me off so I walked over to the desk.
"Lady, what is your problem? If you ever look at me like that again I will have you moved to the geriatric floor until you retire."
She was still sputtering and trying to speak as I got on the elevator. The door closed and I was still chuckling to myself when my cell started that damned irritating chirping. When I answered it, Preacher was on the other end.
"Harry, you left your personal cell on the desk and like a damned fool I answered it when it started ringing. Your wife wants you to call her, and if you don't, she said she would put knots on my head because I didn't tell you she called. Harry, that woman scares the hell out of me so would you please call her? Make sure you tell her I called you right away to give you the message."
I totally lost it, and he hung up cussing me because I thought it was funny. I was still chuckling to myself as I dialed her cell. She answered on the second ring, wanting to know if she was going to see me tonight or not. She also informed me the girls were worried about me because I hadn't called. I asked her where she was and was informed they had just gotten home. I told her I was at the hospital in Reno, and would have the chopper land in the meadow and let me off. I said I would be home in about an hour and to put some coffee on. I was told that George had already started a pot because he said that since she called, he figured I would come running. I hung up, telling her I loved her, and chuckling at her description of George, and his figuring I would be home shortly.
As I drove toward the airport, I had to admit it would be great to go home instead of that stinking chemical plant. When I got close to the airport, I called in on the unit's radio and informed the voice that answered me that I would be there shortly and to pass the word to my pilots. He said they were sitting in front of him and would be ready to go when I got there. I signed off and finished the drive, wondering how they would take to me having them set down in the meadow and letting me off there. Well, I thought, since I was their boss, they probably wouldn't voice too many objections to the unorthodox landing site.
When I pulled into the parking spot where I had found the car, the rotors were already turning on the Whisper. I handed the keys back to the man who waved in an off handed way and went back inside. As I boarded the chopper, I thought maybe he had gotten used to agents dropping in and borrowing the cars. When we lifted off, I told the pilot where I wanted to land and he asked if it was ok with the owner. I laughed and told him I owned the whole mountain, between me and my wife. He just turned and grinned, saying then he had permission to land. I was laughing at him as we flew over the metropolis of Reno on the way home.
It seemed like it took us forever to get there, but I knew it was just that I was anxious to see my family. Two days without their company was way too long, and I promised myself it wouldn't happen again if I could help it. When we were getting close, I told the pilot I wanted to be picked up at nine the next morning and we would have two stops to make. He said he would be fueled and sitting in the same meadow waiting on me. I just smiled as I jumped out on the ground and he lifted off, heading back to the chemical plant. I just knew I was going to be sent to the shower because although I had washed up last night, I knew I stunk of sweat and chemicals.
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...
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...