Cash Call, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 5

by William Manchee

  Chapter 2

  Don Blaylock

   In law school we were admonished never to get too close to a client because of the difficulty in maintaining objectivity. It was perhaps sage advice, but extremely impractical for two reasons. First of all, clients over time would invariably become friends, and they would be extremely put out if they were suddenly cast aside as a client when that happened. Secondly, since I worked eighty hours a week practicing law, I didn't have much time for socializing. If my clients couldn't be my friends, I wouldn't have any.

   Since Rebekah wouldn't go out in our new boat, I invited Don Blaylock and his son Greg to go with us. Reggie and Greg were good friends as they were on the same baseball team which Don and I coached. Over the course of the previous season we had spent a lot of time together on the baseball field but had never met socially. We had often talked about doing something together, but were both so busy it never happened. The new boat seemed like the perfect opportunity to change that.

   Don stood about six feet tall, obviously worked out, and wore his jet black hair combed straight back. He appeared to be in his late thirties and was blessed with bright blue eyes, the kind women seem to adore. At least that's what Rebekah had informed me on more than one occasion. He was obviously intelligent and very outgoing as well.

  "Can you believe this heat?" I said as we drove off with the boat in tow.

   "Oh, I know. We're going to have to keep a close eye on everybody out there today. We don't need anybody getting heat stroke."

   "That's for sure," I replied. "I've got plenty of sun block if you need it."

  Don nodded. I had been curious about Don's history, so I took this opportunity to ask some questions. "So what kind of work are you in?"

   "Sales," he replied.

   "Oh. What's the name of your company?"

   "Thermotech Industries. Their headquarters is in California--San Jose."

   "I've heard of them. When did you all come to Mesquite?"

   "February, but Pam and the kids didn't move until school was out in June."

   "So, how do you like it so far?"

  "We like it here a lot. Pam's made a lot of new friends. In fact, she was just elected President of the Junior League."

   "Right. Rebekah was telling me about that."

   "And I was promoted to sales manager for the new office, so I got a nice raise."

   "That always helps," I said.

   "Yes, we finally don't have to worry about money."

   "I liked California better," Greg interjected.

   I looked back at him and asked, "Really? How come?"

   "It's so flat here and there's no ocean."

   Don looked at me and shrugged. "Greg's a surfer. He used to go to the beach every morning to catch a few waves before school."

   I nodded. "Yeah, it's a long drive to the Gulf. That's for sure."

   "I wish I could learn how to surf," Reggie said.

   I nodded and smiled at him. "Well, maybe sometime we'll go down to Galveston and rent a couple of boards."

   "That would be cool. Would you teach me how to surf, Greg?"

   "Sure. No problem. We should bring my brother Rob. He's really good at it."

   "He's a good ballplayer too," I added. "How old is he now?"

   "Sixteen," Don said. "Just got his driver's license."

   "Oh, really? I'm not anxious for Reggie to get his."

   "Why not?" Reggie asked indignantly.

   "Cause I'll be worried about you out there with all the lunatics on the road."

   Reggie shook his head. "I'll be fine."

   "Pam and I set down some strict rules for Rob."

   "Really? He seems like a very responsible kid."

   "Yeah, but I'm not crazy about a couple of his friends."

   "Right. A lot of kids these days are bad news."

   The sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon when we finally put Deadbeat in the water for her maiden voyage. The kids were all smiles as we idled out of the harbor. I didn't know what to expect as I pushed the throttle forward. The boat took off with a thunderous roar jolting us backward. Everyone started laughing hysterically. Soon we were sailing across the lake at full throttle. As I looked back at my delirious crew I knew trading for the boat had been a good decision.

   It took us about thirty minutes to locate the armada of boats who were stalking the school of stripers. We idled into the pack and got ready to fish. After everyone got their line in the water, we waited . . . and waited . . . and waited.

   "I got one!" Greg screamed, as his pole bent, and his reel began to wail. "It's a big one." He pulled back and tried to reel it in when suddenly the line went limp. "Oh, crap! I lost it."

   "Oh, no. That's too bad," I said. "I thought maybe we wouldn't get skunked today."

   Greg reeled in his line. He had lost his lure as well as the fish. Don and Reggie watched their poles anxiously, but there were no more strikes. After a while it became obvious the striper had moved on, and the armada began to disperse. We followed a couple of guide boats for a while but they soon split up and we lost them. We found several other groups of boats and joined them, but we saw very little action. It was almost noon when I suggested we go to the islands and take a swim.

  There were a string of islands about midway between the Texas and Oklahoma sides of the lake. They had nice sandy beaches, picnic tables, and big shady trees. A lot of people camped there, and at night you could see their campfires across the lake. It was hot, and the boys were exhausted, so I got no argument.

   As we neared the shore, I cut the engine to an idle and we gently pushed up onto the beach. After I tied the boat to a rock, so it wouldn't drift away, we took our shirts and sneakers off and hit the water. A brisk southerly wind created some nice waves that the kids used to pretend they were surfing.

   The water was cool and very pleasant on this hot summer day. It was totally enjoyable, and my only regret was that Rebekah and Marcia weren't there to enjoy it with us. After a half hour Don and I got out of the water, found a couple beers, and watched the kids play from the shore. After another half hour had passed, Reggie came in to shore with a serious look on his face.

   "Let's go do some more fishing, Dad," he said. "I'm tired of swimming."

   "I doubt we'll catch any striper this time of day," I replied.

   "I bet there are some nice bass in those coves we passed."

   "Maybe. I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out. What do you think, Don?"

   "Hey. You're the captain. Whatever you want to do."

   "Great! Let's go," Reggie said.

   After the boys had put their clothes back on, they got back in the boat, and we shoved off. I idled backward a ways and then turned the boat around and gave it full throttle. The kids looked at each other with broad smiles. Normally I had a good sense of direction. Even on a big lake like Texoma I had never had a problem getting where I wanted to go. But suddenly I looked around and didn't know where I was.

  "Daddy," Reggie yelled, pointing toward the shore. "Look at that cove over there. I bet it's full of bass."

   I scratched my head, wondering where the hell we were. I didn't want Don to know I was lost so I didn't say anything. Finally I shook my head and said, "Okay," and headed the boat toward the cove.

   It was a beautiful little cove about a half mile deep. I slowed the engine to an idle and glided along the shoreline. When we were about a hundred yards out, I saw a bass jump, so I cut the engine and dropped the anchor. The boat slowed, and when the anchor hit bottom we turned 180 and then came to a stop.

   "This looks as good a spot as any," I said.

   Everyone jumped into action as the hunt began. "Daddy, fix my lure. It's tangled," Reggie said.

   "All right. Bring it over here."

   While I was fixing Reggi's lure, Don made a long cast toward the shore.

   "Nice cast," I said.

   He smiled and started
slowly reeling the lure back toward the boat. Greg cast his lure to the rear of the boat. Half way to its expected destination it snagged and dropped straight down about ten yards from the boat. The lure lay dead in the water.

   "Crap!" he said. Then suddenly the lure disappeared, and his pole bent like a palm tree in a hurricane. "I got one!" he yelled.

   "Good. Don't let it get away this time," Don said.

   Reggie gave Greg an envious look and then his poll jerked. "I got one! . . . Oh, man! It's an elephant!"

   By this time Greg had his catch on board. It was jumping around like water on a hot griddle. As hard as he tried, he couldn't get a grip on it to pull off the hook. "Help me, Daddy!" he screamed.

   Don reached over, grabbed the fish and tried to extricate the hook with a pair of needlenose pliers.

   Reggie brought his aboard and exclaimed, "Wow! It must be five pounds."

   "It's a big one, all right," I said as I removed the hook from Mark's big bass. To my rear I heard a splash. I turned to see a bass jump eighteen inches out of the water.

   "Daddy! Look. I've got another one," Greg yelled.

   "Whoa! I guess so," Don said.

   The pole was suddenly jerked out of Greg's hand and he fell hard against the side of the boat still holding the line in his hand.

  "Greg! Hang on. Don't let it go," I said, grabbing his foot so he wouldn't go overboard. After crawling over him, I reached out and grabbed the pole just before it sank out of sight. I got up and started reeling it in. "Stand up." Greg rubbed his stomach and then struggled to his feet. . . . "Now here," I said, handing him the pole. "

   "Hang onto it this time," Don admonished.

   Greg took the pole and began reeling in the fish. It was slow as the fish was stronger than he was. I watched in amazement at our sudden fortune--but not for long.

   "I've got another one!" Reggie yelled.

   "Me, too," Don said..

   "Jesus! We must be in a school!" I exclaimed. "Where's my pole? I want some of this action."

   "Daddy, take off my fish. I want to catch another one," Reggie said.

   "Take it off yourself. It's my turn to catch one."

   Thirty-two fish later, the waters calmed and we stood with our lines in the water, dumbstruck--numb from excitement beyond our wildest fantasies. I took a deep breath and shook my head.

   "Well, I think we caught them all," I said.

  "No, I bet there are more," Reggie said.

   I looked at my watch and saw it was almost four. Since I wasn't sure exactly where we were, I decided it was time to head on home. We certainly didn't need any more fish and I figured it might take a while to get my bearings and find Little Mineral where we'd launched the boat.

   "Okay, men. It's time to head back."

   "Nooo!" Reggie moaned.

   "Do we have to?" Greg asked.

   "No argument," Don said. "It's getting late."

   Reluctantly, the boys reeled in their lines and settled in for the ride home. As I was about to crank up the engine, Don pointed to a boat coming at us fast. When it got about fifty feet from us, it slowed down to an idle and came up along side. It was an Oklahoma Fish & Game patrol boat with two officers aboard. My stomach tightened.

  "Hi, there," the older of the two men said.

   "Hi," I replied politely.

   The two officers scanned the fish scattered about our boat.

   "Quite a catch you got there."

   "Yeah, we came up on a school, I guess. I've never seen anything like it."

   "You got licenses, I guess?"

   Don nodded, pulled his wallet out of his pocket, and located his license. He handed it to the officer.

  "What about you, sir," the officer said directing his attention to me.

   "Sure," I said, as I reached for my wallet. I pulled out the license and handed it to the officer.

   He studied it a second. "This is a Texas license."

   I nodded. "Right."

   "I hope you have an Oklahoma one."

   "An Oklahoma license? Why?"

   "You're in Oklahoma waters."

   I looked around at the landscape. "I am? I thought for sure I was on the Texas side. I didn't mean to come into Oklahoma waters."

   "Well you did, and unless you've got an Oklahoma license we've got a problem."

   Suddenly I remembered I had purchased an Oklahoma license when I was up at Lake Murray a few months before. "Wait. Maybe I do have an Oklahoma license."

   "Dad, don't you have a license?" Reggie asked.

   "Yeah, I'm sure I do," I said as I fumbled through my wallet. "Here it is, an Oklahoma Fishing License." I handed it to the officer.

   "Nice try, but this expired forty-five days ago."

   "What? That can't be. Aren't they good for a year?"

   "This was a 30-day license."

   "Oh no. I am so sorry. I never intended to come into Oklahoma waters. I promise to buy an Oklahoma license next time."

   I was trying to plead ignorance even though I knew in my heart it wouldn't work. How could I have been so stupid not to realize I needed an Oklahoma license? It just never occurred to me. I thought of all the times I had gone fishing without a license. Who would have thought I'd run into a Fish & Game Warden? I couldn't remember the last time I'd even seen one.

  The officer frowned. "I'm afraid we can't let this go. What I can do is sell you an Oklahoma license."

   Relief blew over me like a cool ocean breeze. "Great, no problem. How much is it? Twelve bucks?"

   "That's what it is on shore, but out here it's two hundred dollars."

   "Two hundred dollars!"

   "Yeah, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to collect two hundred dollars or take you into custody."

   "Take me into custody? You're going to arrest me over a fishing license?"

   "I'm afraid so."

   "Can't you take a check or a credit card?"

   "No. . . . Just cash."

   I knew I didn't have two hundred dollars--not even close. And I knew if I got arrested over a fishing license Rebekah would divorce me for sure. I struggled to breathe.

   "Listen, I am an attorney. Just give me a ticket, and I'll pay the fine just as soon as I get back home. You can trust me. I'm an officer of the court."

   "It's not that I don't trust you. It's just regulations. You don't have a fishing license, so we've got to bring you in."

   "Wait a minute," Don said shaking his head. "I've got $200 I'll loan you, Stan. You're not going to go to jail."

   "Really?"

   "Sure," Don said as he pulled his wallet out one more time.

  "Thank you, Don," I said. "I can't believe you have to have two licenses to fish on this lake."

   Don paid the wardens and they went on their way.

   Don looked at me and smiled. "You looked a little green there for a moment, Stan."

   "Yeah, well Rebekah would have had a cow, had she been forced to come bail me out of jail?"

   "How come you didn't have $200 on you?"

   "Didn't figure I'd need a lot of cash," I replied feeling totally humiliated.

   "A lot of cash. I thought that be pocket change for a lawyer."

   "Well for some lawyers maybe."

   Don frowned. "Business been slow?"

   "No. I've got lots of business, just client's who don't pay their bills."

   "Hmm. I would think the first person you'd pay would be your lawyer. At least, if it were me, that would be the case."

   "I think most of them have good intentions, but they just have more trouble than they have money. I hate to abandon them when they are down."

   "That's very noble, but business is business. If they can't pay, then you should withdraw and spend your time helping those who are willing and able to pay you."

   "You sound like my secretary, Jodie. That's her philosophy too."

   "Maybe you should let her manage your practice."
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   "Yeah. I've thought about it but--"

  "Well, it's really none of my business. I'm just glad I was here to help you out."

   "Me too. I owe you one."

   "Well, I'm quite sure you'll have an opportunity to save my ass one of these days. As a matter of fact, I was going to talk to you about a little problem I'm having."

   "Really? Do you want to talk about it now?"

   "No. I want Pam to be there when we discuss it."

   "Okay, If you'd like I'll stop by your place on the way home some evening."

   "That would be good."

   "Don't tell anyone what happened here today, okay. I don't want Rebekah to find out."

   Don grinned. "Seriously? You're not going to tell her? I never keep secrets from Pam. Lies always come back to haunt me."

   "I know, but Rebekah wasn't happy when I traded a boat for a fee. I just don't need anymore grief from her."

   "I don't know. This may be too good a story to keep under wraps," Don teased.

   I shook my head. "Oh, God. I'll never live this down, will I?"

   "Wait until I tell Mom," Reggie said.

   I glared at Reggie and then everyone started laughing.

   "It's not funny," I said. "I almost went to jail."