Rocky Trail

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  "You make me laugh Pine Queen. We can huddle up under the electric blanket until around two then we lock up the joint. If they discover the SUV, we are up shit creek, but these three Flatheads are sorely lacking in the brain department. What have I missed?"

  "First of all I'm not sticking my chest out to tease you. I've got a kink in my back from the high kick to the guy's throat. Secondly, I thought we were on our honeymoon. My mother would die of fright if I told her want was happening in the Rocky Mountains."

  By now David was laughing so hard he had to pull over to the side of the road. Janice was having the time of her life. After wiping the tears off her face her hand, she turned in her seat, pulled her sweater up flashing him two nice sized mounds of pure love.

  "Stop – stop," he said. "I can't take anymore of your humor. But first let me have a taste of the left one." She unhooked her bra, raised the left cup up and waited for him to devour her hard nipple.

  Her breathing became faster and faster. She said, "Get behind the wheel big fella and head for home. We've plenty of time before the Indians attack."

  *~~~~*

  Janice lay in bed taking a nap while David did some prep work for the night's guests. He had to move a bunch of stuff so the SUV would fit in the small outbuilding. Then he hung up an old tarp completely hiding the car. He laid the ladder he used in front of the tarp. Next he put some old fence posts against the tarp making it appear the small outbuilding was used for storage. He looked at his watch seeing long shadows fall across the cabin. I'd best build a fire, he thought.

  Janice had finished a shower. She screamed it was freezing and to hurry up the wood stove. He said, "Why didn't you make a fire before the shower?"

  "I'm a city girl and we city girls don't think of building a wood fire before taking a shower," she yelled back while pulling on some long handle underwear. The stove was putting out some heat when she arrived looking like a lumber jack.

  David looked up and started laughing. Her red plaid logger shirt was way too big, but on her it looked rather sexy, he thought. The store next to the variety store had some outdoor clothes. They both had some fun shopping for clothes that they thought they would never wear.

  "What are you laughing at Kemosabe?"

  "Nothing Pine Queen. I was wondering where your axe is?"

  "Not sure where I put it, but my teeth will do just fine next time I hunt for your log."

  Chapter IV

  At The Wooden Indian Tavern, the three guys who had lain on the floor earlier that day now sat at a table nursing a picture of beer. The leader, Charley, sat fuming with his head leaning off to the left from a stiff neck. Sitting to his left, with a neck brace on, Willie complained of the pain. On the other side of Charley, Larry was constantly rubbing his chest where David's size twelve had almost broken his chest bone.

  Charley looked at his Timex and said, "It's almost closing time. I going to make that bitch Delores pay for laughing at us. Then we will high tail up the mountain and waste those two east coast smart asses."

  Willie said, "Why don’t we just forget it and go back to the construction site where we belong. I don't much like messing with that bad eyed white man. He's damn scary Charley."

  "I'm with you," said Larry. "Come on let's quit while we're ahead Charley."

  "I'm going to tie that asshole to a tree. Then I'm going to rape his wife. After that I'm going to fill him full of bullet holes."

  Both Willie and Larry shut up. Delores called for last call. Our three bad guys went outside to wait for Delores to lock up the front door.

  Actually Delores was being careful knowing that Charley might jump her. But all was quiet when she came out, locked the door and started across the street to her beat up van. Charley and his two friends were hiding behind the van. The next thing Delores knew she was lying on the street finding it difficult to breathe through broken teeth and a nose slightly bent off to one side of her face.

  *~~~~*

  "I've a question, dear husband. How did the pioneer people survive the winters? Can you imagine six feet of snow outside under blizzard conditions?"

  They were huddled in bed with the electric blanket on high. Regardless of the hardship, he thought this was just short of heaven. The adrenalin was beginning to flow with game time approaching in about three hours.

  He answered her question, "A lot of them didn't survive Janice. Remember Native Americans didn't live in houses and they somehow survived. The kids were lined up like cord wood to stay warm. Mother and father, I don't know how they stayed warm. There appears no shortage of wood for a fire. Anyway, let's speculate on what Dr. Jones and Jake, along with Alex have in mind."

  "I think we are doing what they had in mind. We'll operate on the fringe of the law. Also I think we will operate mostly covertly using a disguise. Like this windmill company, some big time operators will face our wrath. I can see us in a few years so paranoid that even going to the bathroom will stress us out."

  "I agree with you. Let' set a time limit or a money goal. Then visit a plastic surgeon and a new identity. I could do a lot of snorkeling, how about you?"

  "I'd be black in a few weeks. I could pass for a native. You're fair skinned and probably burn rather than tan."

  *~~~~*

  "Alright my Pine Queen its game time. After we put on our hiking boots, let's check off our tool kit. I've found a place on the bank above the road where we can observe the guests. I'm sure that the Indians of old would not appreciate the noise these guys will make coming up the road. As soon as they turn up our side road and are safely out of the way checking out the cabin, we'll slide down the bank, walk down to their pickup truck and wait."

  "I'm right behind you Kemosabe. I suppose once we get the drop on these hombres, you'll want me to come back to fetch Silver out of the garage?"

  "You're too smart for a girl. Give me a big smooch for the trail."

  According to David's watch, they should be coming very soon. The first doubts came in circling like a buzzard as the minutes ticked by.

  Janice heard them first. She poked him in the arm. David thought she had super hearing because it was a few minutes before he heard the three of them grumbling up the road.

  They heard the leader tell his companions to shut up and be quiet, as they were almost there. The only sounds now were shoes on gravel and heavy breathing. Obviously these guys were not in the best of shape. David's estimate of a quarter mile turned out fairly close. He smiled thinking these beer drinkers who smoked were so far out of shape they were lucky to complete the hike to the cabin. After they found the cabin empty, they'd be really pissed off.

  David and Janice slid down the bank of their rear ends; then hiked quickly down the road holding hands. In no time they found the pickup truck sitting in the middle of the road. Both leaned on the tail gate waiting for them to return.

  It was only a short while when they heard loud voices swearing into the night. A half moon shed enough light to see the road without a flashlight. Silently David moved up to the driver's door while Janice did the same on the other side. Both could hear one of them whining that Tommy told him he'd seen them go up the mountain road.

  As they approached the pickup truck, David with his right hand pulled the headlight switch out illuminating the three bad guys. They came to a stop with mouths hanging open.

  David said, "Make one move and you're dead. We have pistols aimed at you. Drop all your weapons now or die."

  The leader carried a hunting rifle. The other two had pistols sticking out of their belts just above their manhood. It took only a few seconds for all of them to drop their weapons. They all knew this white man played no game of bluff.

  David said, "Now back up three steps and stop. They did as told, while Janice moved up to pick up the weapons. After that he said, "Now on your knees with hands on your heads."

  Once again they obeyed. Janice took off jogging up the hill to get their SUV. David never moved until she returned. The gravel logging road was wide en
ough for her to pass by and then she turned around. Janice stopped about twenty feet from the backend of the pickup truck.

  She covered the men as David duct taped their hands behind their backs. When that was completed he stuck his Glock in the leader's ear telling him to get up. The rest followed meekly to the back of the pickup truck wondering what was coming next.

  David said, "Now sit on the tail gate." During the whole time David was mostly unseen. But now as he stood about five feet away he held his Maglite to his face so they could see him clearly.

  "You guys are slow learners. We thought this afternoon was evidence enough that you'd be smart fellers and go home. Well, you idiots crossed the line. The first thing you did wrong was be born. The second thing was you took a baseball bat to an old Indian who never did you any harm. You broke his leg and left him stranded on the highway.

  "Now it's payback time. I'm going to do to you what you did to him. I want you three guys to say thank you to me for not killing you. I'm waiting dickheads."

  All three with voices sounding as dry as a creek bed looks, said, "Thanks you white man for letting us live."

  Now lay down with your backs on the bed of the truck. I expect you take your medicine like men. Any sign of a struggle and I put a slug in your brain."

  David then took the new aluminum bat to first the leader and then the other two. Janice later said the sound of the bat against bone echoed off the mountains. In addition to the screams, she added.

  They left the scene and drove to Kalispell for a day's rest in a motel. That afternoon they paid a visit to Eddie Two Shoes. They were startled to see a bandaged Delores in the bed next to Eddie. After she struggled to tell them the story, David wished now he'd killed the bastards.

  Chapter V

  Old Eddie Two Shoes smiled when he heard the story. His smile was so big Janice could easily count his three remaining teeth. Delores tried to smile but it hurt too much. Her eyes showed gratitude and asked them to come back tomorrow if they could.

  Back at the motel, they had yet to take a shower or eat. After they had checked in, they lay on the bed fully clothed. They slept for three hours. Both felt obligated to tell Eddie about his perps. However, now it was time to talk to Dr. Jones.

  David did a lot of listening and very little talking. After a few minutes, David told AJ that he would talk to Janice about it and call him back in a few hours.

  "How about we check out the hot water here my Pine Queen. I'll tell you what was said while you scrub the body clean of bad guys. I'll continue the story while doing the same for you. After that I could eat a herd of buffalo. I hope you wouldn't mind my queen if I had a little before dinner snack?"

  They went to the same restaurant where Delores had taken them. The difference this time was they truly enjoyed the dinner, not to mention each other's company.

  Janice said, "This Allied Power sounds like a big scam to me. I didn't know but major power companies that provide service to business and homes are obligated to buy power from suppliers. Allied has a win, win program. First they bait the fishing hole with a bit of cash, go balls to the wall with erection using cheap material from China, then selling the power to power starved electrical companies. So what if a few lease payments are missed? From what you're saying, Allied Power is now negotiating with the Navaho tribe?"

  "This is over our heads I think. I have no idea what to do, or how to do it, even if I knew where to start. The strange thing is we don't have any choice now that we kicked some butt. Dr. Jones suggested we lay low here in Kalispell for a day or two.

  And that's exactly what they did for the next few days. Janice loved it as David doted on her and all the while made tender love. It almost seemed that things had returned to normal when a message was left for David to call a Mr. Charles Warner. Mr. Warner was a guest of the motel. Before David called him, he rang up AJ. AJ told him Charles Warner was a US Marshall sent to talk to him and Janice from Virginia.

  Janice saw the game face return to David. He paced the floor then looked at her smiled, then returned to his thoughts. She was used to him after four years of working with him day in and day out. However, it was only when they became lovers that she saw a side to him never seen before. Janice saw a complex and very sensitive man who cared about the common folks. It was obvious that he resented the phoney side of the social order.

  A knock on the door brought her back to the present and the visit by a Marshall was about to take place. Janice fluffed her curly black hair and put on a smile.

  Mr. Charles Warner was a pleasant looking man on the downside of fifty, Janice guessed. He moved slowly and had a warm, firm handshake making direct eye contact.

  The problem with motel rooms is the lack of seating. Most offer the small table with two chairs. Another uncomfortable chair sits in front of a mirror. For the upcoming meeting, Janice sat Indian style on the king-size bed while the two men took the table chairs. The only rewarding part of the room was its privacy. And in this meeting privacy was tantamount to both David and Janice future lives.

  Mr. Warner told them to please call him Charles. Even though this was a formal meeting, first names were used for personal reasons. David and Janice were about to become US Marshalls. They were duly swore in and ID's passed on. In addition, a large, fat manila envelope had both their names on it marked personal.

  Charles said, "I'm to give you all the back ground we have on Allied Power. Also," reaching into his large black bag, "here are some reports on them. The FBI and the CIA have been watching Allied carefully, but this event that happened to you is their first mistake. They've done some behind the scenes arm twisting for leases, but violence has yet to surface. There's an Allied man here in town by the name of Clyde Hyster. He is one silver tongue man who leads the team. He's due to move down to set up an office in Flagstaff to break ground with the Navaho."

  "No one knows but a handful of people that you are now US Marshalls. We'd like to use you for bait. We have a feeling that Allied will hire a hit man to try and take the two of you out. This has been discussed with your friends in Chicago. I think you will find most of the answers to your questions in that brown envelope. Now, no one here knows me from Adam. I'd like to have breakfast with you two in the morning. I'm fairly sure that the motels restaurant is safe to have a little conversation before I fly back to Virginia."

  "We thank you Charles, but you haven't heard the latest we did to the perps who broke the leg of the old Indian Eddie." David went on, in some details the story from the tavern to the mountain event. Charles never showed an ounce of expression. When David completed his story Charles said:

  "I'm basically a desk man, but fair is fair. I'm happy you didn't waste them, although they would probably be better off. I'll see you at eight, if that time is fine with you."

  After Charles left, Janice opened the sealed envelope and poured out the contents onto the bed. A letter in long hand from AJ explained what would be happening in a few days time. Also, two new passports with new identity with credit cards to match; a bank account number was stapled to the back of each passport. In their own names credit cards were in a separate Ziploc bag. In another Ziploc a stack of $100 dollar bills looked fresh off the press. She said, "Can you believe all this stuff Kemosabe?"

  "And check this out. In the letter from AJ it states that D. Bloom will arrive in Kalispell in two days time." Then she read on to herself. He was to be used as they saw fit. AJ went on to say that the computer tech Carol _____ was setting up a communication center in AJs unused family room. Bloom would set up the Montana end of things.

  "I think we are rich my husband. Let's take the money and run," she said playfully. "Seriously, are we in over our heads?

  "I don't think so Pine Queen. They're only men or women just like us. We are just as smart, if not smarter than they are. We are a big threat as we saved an elder and medicine man from the white, fork tongued wind company. We are heroes my Pine Queen. The moccasin telegraph will spread the news like wildfire."
>
  "Let's assume they will send a hit man in the form of a sniper. It could very well be a woman, but odds are it's a male. There are lots of former military for hire as mercenaries. However, they must be careful not to choose a dunderhead. No, they will pick a smart one and pay big bucks. You don't know this my Pine Queen, but I was a sniper in Afghanistan."

  Janice, still sitting on the bed, playing with the documents, sucked in her breath, snapping her head up looking at him in fear. She said, "Its one thing to stalk, but quite another to be stalked. I'm not sure I can live one day knowing a bullet, at anytime, may take me out."

  David smiled trying to reassure her that it wasn't so bad. He said, without thinking, "The old soldier would say, 'If you can hear the shot, you're still alive' to a young soldier about to go into battle."

  Janice rolled over on her stomach saying, "I don't think that is very funny David Cockrun."

  David had been sitting at the small table after Charles left. He jumped up knowing he'd stuck his foot in his mouth, and lay down beside Janice. He rubbed her back telling her he was sorry. Then he slid his hand under her shirt to massage her smooth skin. Janice gave off a small sound of delight so he went a little further placing his warm lips and tongue on the small of her back. In a short time, they were in the sweet throes of love making.

  Chapter VI

  David and Janice met D. Bloom at Glacier International Airport. By international standards it’s a small airport. Parking in the pickup area, David showed a security guard his US Marshall ID.

  The plane was due in at one, but D. Bloom didn't come out until quarter to two. When they saw him, they started laughing. D. Bloom was the spitting image of a drug store cowboy: from the tan cowboy hat on his head to a pair of snake skin cowboy boots on his feet. In-between a silver snap button red and white shirt was firmly tucked into a new pair of Lee jeans. An ear to ear smile with sparkling blue eyes quick stepped his way to their SUV. David helped him store his bags in the back, shook hands and said, "Welcome partner to Montana."