Читать книгу As the Eagle Flies - J. D. Oliver - Страница 10

Chapter Five

The Hester’s were already seated when we got there. They weren’t expecting Rosie, but it was no problem, the table was plenty big enough.

Edith Hester said, “I didn’t know you had another child, she looks a lot like you Faith, that is all except for the red hair.”

“Yes, doesn’t she though, but I just dyed my hair, you should of seen it before.” Faith said, smiling sweetly.

Frank and Fern Blake were seated at a table a short ways over. I waived at them, Frank got up and came over. “I heard you had an interesting afternoon. Did you know they were already bailed out?” Frank said.

“No, but it doesn’t surprise me, these are the people that they tried to rob, Edith and Charles Hester.” They shook hands, I continued, “This is Frank and Fern Blake, he’s the clerk and recorder here in Santa Fe.”

After some more small talk, Frank went back to his table. I was always somewhat of an introvert; not too good at small talk. Now Faith was just the opposite; an extrovert, at times you couldn’t shut her up, that was fine though, I loved to hear her talk.

After we had ordered, I said, “Charles, do you know what they were after in your billfold?”

“Why, money, I suppose.” He said.

“No, they were after your SS Card and the copy of your birth certificate that you always carry with you.”

“How in the world did you know what I carry in my wallet?”

“I’m a special investigator for the State of New Mexico, the police knew, I guess the pickpockets most of told them. They also said that they wanted to get in your safe deposit box. What do you have in there that they might be interested in?”

“Nothing much, keepsake jewelry, a few mementos from our past, that’s all.” Charles said.

“Those mementos, could you elaborate on them?” I said.

“Sure, some of my medal’s from the war, and a copy of a deed, on a Spanish Land Grant that my Great Grandfather gave to me. He sold the Ranch, but the deed isn’t completely worthless, he kept the mineral rights.”

“Ah, the mineral rights, worth more now than the land that covers them. That was what they were after. Where is this old ranch located?” Faith asked.

“It was over close to the Brazos Mountains, close to the Chama River Valley. But I believe part of it is in the ‘Edward Sargent State Wildlife Area.’ You can’t drill for oil in there. Unless of course someone changes the rules.” Charles said.

“Well the way their ignoring the constitution now, I’m sure some crooked politician can overcome that.” Faith said.

Our food came and food being the more important; our conversation lapsed. Rosie had ordered steak and lobster, she had said that she never had lobster before, so I had told her to order what she wanted. Of course her eyes were bigger than her stomach. Which I knew would be the case, that’s why I had only ordered a small steak, I ended up eating what she couldn’t. I didn’t like to waste food.

As we were drinking our after dinner coffee, I said to Charles, “I would suggest you not carry those documents with you, I don’t know how they found out that you did carry them in your billfold, but I wouldn’t do it anymore.”

Rosie was feeding Alita a small dish of vanilla pudding for dessert, of course she got more of it on her, than in her. I sure could get used to this family stuff. Charles sat his coffee cup down and said,

“I suppose you’re right, this world sure has changed. There was a time when we didn’t even have to lock our houses much less worry about someone stealing our pocketbooks.”

“Yes,” I said, “the only thing that remains constant is change itself, much like the weather I suppose. But I wouldn’t mind change so much, if it wasn’t always for the worse.”

“Sweetheart,” Faith said, “don’t be negative, some changes have been for the better; you know like health care, haven’t they?”

“Yeah, I guess, if health care was available to everyone on an equal footing, but of course it’s not.” I said.

Faith quickly changed the subject, “So Edith, how long do you and Charles plan on staying down here?”

“We planned on going back next week; but now that this has happened. We might leave quicker.” Edith said, looking at Charles.

“Yes, we’ve been here for a week already and there are some things that I have to take care of at home. Even though my Grandson runs the place now, I’m still in charge. I think we’ll leave the day after tomorrow.”

With that the party sort of broke up. As we were leaving the dinning room, I said to Charles. “Charles, I want to emphasize the seriousness of things now. With Crude Oil selling at over a hundred dollars a barrel, there isn’t anything some of these oil people wouldn’t do to get your mineral rights, even murder.”

He stopped, I could see that he was mulling it over, “You really think so? They would stoop that low?”

“Yes, they started a war to get oil, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill us small potatoes.” I said. “Just watch your back, okay?”

He nodded, they went to their room and we went to ours. We put Alita down and she went right to sleep. Rosie’s eyes were drooping also, her head had no more than hit the pillow and she was out.

Faith and I weren’t too far behind them. Faith was asleep long before I was. I kept running things over in my mind. You know worry is nothing more than a circle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a point of fear. I always knew that, but trying to get your mind to stop doing that is another thing.

I must of went to sleep, because the next thing I knew I awoke from a bad dream. I couldn’t remember all of it, something about getting shot. I lay there for awhile. I didn’t want to wake Faith up, she needed her sleep. I looked at the bedside clock; one thirty. The bar would still be open, I decided to go get me a night cap.

Faith and I always slept naked, I was hugging her, I slowly disentangled myself, she stirred and muttered, but didn’t wake up. I picked up my clothes and dressed in the common room.

I was right; the bar was still open. There were about nine of ten people still there. I went to the bar and ordered a blackberry brandy. I always notice things, when I came in I seen two people that I knew; those pickpockets Blackie and his wife, I never did get their last names. They had seen me when I walked in. They were in deep conversation, glancing my way every once in awhile.

Damn, I had forgot my gun. Here I told Charles to watch his back and I leave my gun in the room. I turned my back to the room and watched them in the bar mirror. There was a heavy glass ash tray on the bar, I was sort of playing with it, idly, more sub-consciously than not.

The bartender called for last drinks before closing. Most of the people got up and left, those two didn’t. The bartender poured me another shot of brandy. I held the shot glass in my left hand. I seen that Blackie and his wife were walking toward me. She was reaching in her purse for something, I let them come.

She came up on my left, Blackie on my right, her hand was still in her purse. I felt the barrel of a pistol as she held it against my ribs. Now you see that is a mistake a lot of criminals make; they always have to grandstand. She should of just shot me right away. Instead she started to speak, “You son of a bitch,” she said.

That was all the further she got, with my left elbow I pushed the gun to the side as I turned to smash her in the face with that heavy glass ash tray that I held in my right hand. I caught her right on the bridge of the nose. Her gun went off, just grazing my ribs, the shot wasn’t a complete waste, it got Blackie right in the heart.

She lay there on the floor, out like a light, making a ghastly breathing noise through her smashed nose, the pistol still gripped in her hand. Blackie wasn’t doing anything; he was stone cold dead.

The bartender looked like he was in shock, I said to him. “Would you please call 911, I think she needs a paramedic. And I would also like one, that shot seemed to of perforated my hide a little bit.”

They got there post haste. Of course the cops came at the same time, I showed them my new I.D., they acted some impressed. The medics wanted to take me to the hospital, I said, “No, just sew me up right here.” Before they were done, Cort showed up.

“I’m sorry Clay, I should of warned you, that they made bail.” Cort said. Then, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I think so. That bitch tried her best to put me under. Her mistake was that she just wanted to palaver awhile before she did it. Remember that Cort; if you want to kill somebody don’t stop to talk about it.”

The medic finished with the stitches, “does that hurt?” He said.

“No, not since you shot it with Novocain. Is there anything special I should be doing with it?”

“Just don’t get it wet. And you had better let a doctor see it on the morrow. I’ll put a bandage on it. I wouldn’t be doing any setups, if I were you.” He said. I turned to Cort,

“How about it, do you need me any longer?”

“No, I don’t think so, the bartender gave me the particulars. And there was also a surveillance camera. When you going home? There sure seems to be a high body count when you’re around.” He laughed, then added, “I was just kidding, I’ll be by after lunch tomorrow. I have a little more info on that Dipper Tick. See you then, go on, go the bed.”

I used my magnetic key on the door, looked like every one was still asleep, the clock said that it was three. Faith was still asleep, I undressed and got in, cuddling up close. She was on the right side of the bed, my wound was on my left side, so I could lie on my right side. It wasn’t long till I fell asleep, with no dreams.

I was woke by Faith screaming, “What the hell, where did all of the blood come from?” She was setting up in bed looking at me. She had thrown the covers back, “There’s blood all over you and the bed.”

Her screaming brought Rosie on the run, she was carrying Alita. All three of them were staring at me. “Take it easy, I’m okay. I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went down to the bar for a nightcap.” I looked at Rosie, “Rosie, your old foster father is dead, and your foster mother has a broken nose.”

Faith said, “Turn over, let me see your side.” I did so, “What happened, it’s still bleeding.”

I told them the whole story. Faith said, “Come on, get in the bathroom, let me take that bandage off and see if I can’t put a cork in that leak.” I got up and walked to the bathroom, with blood running down my side. Faith yanked the bandage off, “That’s a piss poor job of sewing, Rosie get my sewing kit out of my suitcase, will you. Get in the tub, don’t bleed all over the floor. Take your shorts off, they’re soaked with blood.” I stood there in my altogether. Rosie came back and handed Faith the sewing kit. Faith said, “Rosie, use your free hand and hand me a wet washcloth, then put Alita in her high chair and come back and give me a hand.”

Of course Alita wasn’t about to be left in the next room, Rosie had to bring the high chair into the bathroom. Faith looked at Rosie, “You okay?” Rosie nodded, “Good, then put your finger here, put pressure on it. I’m going to cut those stitches, it’s bleeding from somewhere deeper, I have to get down to it. Here let me hold that, you get me that book of match’s from my suitcase.” She looked up at me, “You’re not going to faint on me are you?”

“Hell no, do what you have to, I’m okay.” I said, with more bravado than I felt.

Rosie came back with the match’s and then put her finger on the spot, Faith finished cutting the stitch’s. “There it is, that little bleeder, Rosie light me a match and heat the end of this needle, I have to cauterize that blood vessel.”

There was a little sizzle, then Faith said, “Rosie thread the needle with that cat gut thread. No, not that one, the other one.” It didn’t take her long to stitch it back up. Then Faith said, “I’m going to turn on the shower and wash the blood off of you, it won’t hurt your ‘owee’. I hadn’t noticed before, but Faith was still naked, just like when she went to bed. I had left my shorts on when I came back and went to bed. Rosie didn’t bat an eye at either one of us, she knew what was important and what was not.

After we had got dressed, Faith called the front desk and had them send a maid up. She was little bit upset, the blood had soaked down into the mattress. I told her we would pay any damage’s. And that we were going down to eat. The maid said she would call maintenance for a new mattress.”

As we were walking down to the restaurant, Rosie said, “Where did you learn to do that?” She was looking at Faith.

“Oh that, in college one year I had a part time job with a vet, I used to watch him do it, it looked pretty simple. And sure enough it was.”

“But you had cat gut, in your sewing kit, who carries cat gut?”

“Oh, I’ve had to do that sort of thing before, I believe in being prepared.”

While we were waiting for our food, Cort found us. I asked him to join us. The waitress came over and he ordered. Then he turned to us, “I’m afraid the woman died, seems a little bit of bone penetrated her brain. And again, they want an inquest, tomorrow to be exact.”

“Are they going to want one every time I kill someone?”

“Again, I’m sure it’s just a formality. Nothing to worry about.” Cort said.

Rosie looked at me and said, “You’ve killed other people?”

Cort said, “Yes,” and then told her about me saving that Highway Patrolman. Rosie smiled at me and said, “You’re somewhat of a hero, huh?”

“No Rosie, I’m not, I was just in the right place at the right time. Now Faith here, she’s the hero, and you also. Look at how you both saved my life this morning.” I said,

Cort said, “What’s this?” Rosie told him all about it.

“Clay, you had better go have that checked out,” Cort said. Faith said, “Hey, you doubt my work?”

“No, of course not, but you’re not a Doctor.”

“No, I’m not, I work for free. Clay’s alright, but just to be sure, I’ll take him by the Hospital this morning, myself.” And she did, along with Rosie and Alita.

We went in, they said that they were expecting me, Cort had called them. They ushered us into one of those little tent rooms. It only took about 30 seconds for the Doctor to show up. He looked at the wound, “Hey that’s a pretty good job of stitching, did the paramedics do that?”

“No, my wife and daughter did, there was a bleeder the paramedics missed, she had to cut it open and cauterize it.” I said.

“Huh, you did this? With no anesthesia or anything?” He said, incredulously.

“Sure, my husband is tough, he didn’t even cry.” Faith said, giving me a wink.

“Well, that’s good, I would have. But we had better shoot him full of antibiotics, to ward off any infection.” He rang for the nurse, then said to me, “I hear you’re responsible for those two new bodies in the morgue?”

“No, I’m not. She killed him as she committed suicide. I just got in between them.”

“Uhhuh,” he said, then he seen my face, he flushed and went to meet the nurse. Faith looked at me and said, “Really honey, he didn’t mean any harm.”

“I know, it’s just that maybe I’m feeling guilty.” I said.

We sort of lazed the day away, anyway, I did. The girls all went shopping. I laid on the bed watching TV. Yeah, it hurt. I didn’t want my family to know it did, but I think they figured it out, when I wouldn’t go with them.

They, all three came back late that afternoon with more clothes and accessory’s, for all of us. Faith had bought Rosie a video game that you could plug into the TV, you could play Golf, Bowl and stuff like that, pretty realistic, you actually got exercise from it. What wouldn’t they think of next?

I didn’t feel like going out, so we just ordered room service for supper. Cort called and told us the time for the hearing; ten the next morning. I was feeling some better, just a little stiff. Faith changed the bandage, she said there was no sign of infection.

All four of us went to the hearing. Guess who else was there, yep, you’re right, that Dipper Tick. He tried to speak, but the Judge shut him down right quick. He had that Delbert Washington with him. The Judge had them escorted out. Anyway, I was glad he was there, I got a good look at him, I bet I could recognize him in a dark alley.

Cort was right, it was just a formality. Especially after they seen the bar video, it sure made things simple, cut and dried. The Judge did say that I seemed to be a little bit of a violence magnet. Whatever that meant. Come to think of it, things did seem to be always happening to me.

As we came out of the court house, Dipper and Delbert were waiting for us, they came up to me and Dipper started calling me a murderer. Seemed he couldn’t do it without yelling, of course there were members of the press there, which I am sure he called. I was a good boy, I didn’t do anything. Faith was a bad girl though.

She got right back in his face, then she did something that was pretty neat, she sort of fell backwards making it look like Dipper hit her. I was watching and I could hardly tell that she was faking. She staggered back and then kicked him in the groin and when he bent over, she kneed him in the face. He was out like a light.

I yelled at the press, “Did you see that, that man hit my wife, did you get a shot of that?” The camera man for the local TV station said, “Yes, I got it all.” There were a couple of police officers that seen it also, they turned Dipper over and cuffed him. Delbert was hopping up and down and screaming at the cops, they cuffed him also.

I gathered my family and we got the hell out of there. As we got in the car, I said,

“Honey, where did you learn to do that?”

“I told you I took gymnastics. That was nothing, I could of made it look much worse.” Faith said, with a big grin on her face. Rosie looked at her and said,

“Will you teach me how to do that fake thing? Also how to do what you did to him, I liked that.”

“Sure Honey, that was just self-defense, all women should know how to do that.”

Alita was laughing and clapping her hands, her eyes were sparkling. That kid was very aware of what went on, sometimes she was down right scary, how smart she was.

Rosie handed her one of those vanilla cookies, the kind that sort of melt in your mouth. Rosie said, “I read some to Alita last night, she really likes it.”

“I know Rosie, I try to read to her every chance I get. I’m really glad you are with us, you’re just what she needs, a big sister.” Faith said.

I said, “Well, what do you women think, do you think we should leave Dodge?”

“Huh? What do you mean leave Dodge?” Rosie asked.

“Get out of town, you know leave Dodge.” I said.

“Oh, you mean like Dodge City, in the old west. Where would we go?” Rosie asked.

“Home, to the ranch,” Faith said. “In the Chama River valley. Grandpa and Grandma are there, plus two cousins, you will like them.” Faith said to Rosie.

“Do we have a big family?” Rosie asked.

“Well, not too big. Just the right size you might say. But there are a lot people who work for the ranch, they have kids just your age. You’ll have loads to do, all kinds of fun things.” Faith said.

“You mean, I’ll have kids to play with?” Rosie said.

“Sure, didn’t you have kids to play with at the orphanage?”

“Not really, no one felt much like playing, they wouldn’t let us do anything that made any noise. Then after Blackie and Mina took me, they wouldn’t let me out of their sight. All they did was show me how to pick pockets and stuff.”

“Oh, so you know how to pick pockets? Well that might come in handy some day, if done for the right reason,” I said, “were you very good at it?”

“I guess so. Sometimes they let me do the dip and Mina was the handoff. I hated it; stealing that is. Do you believe that stealing is wrong?” Rosie asked me.

“You bet I do, very wrong. Look what it got Blackie and Mina, a ride on the big express to hell.” I said.

“Do you believe there is a hell? I heard a preacher one time say that we were all going to hell; if we didn’t join his church and give ten percent of everything we owned.” Rosie said.

“One thing I do know, Rosie, is that if you get the proper meaning of Hell, Hades or Sheol, they simply mean the common grave of mankind. And aren’t we going there anyway, some day?”

“Hey, that kind of talk is depressing, let’s think of something happy, okay?” Faith said.

“Alright,” Rosie said, “I didn’t like that preacher anyway, he kept trying to touch all of the young boys.” I looked at Faith and shook my head, we dropped it. We had arrived back at the Hotel anyway.