Sitting in the back, Janice turned and said, "Where did you park your horse Black Bart?"
All three cracked up laughing as David drove back down Highway 2 to Kalispell. Bloom said, "I hope you're not disappointed in me being here. I was told to blend in and thought this outfit would serve the purpose. However, from little I've seen so far, I'm slightly overdressed.
"That's an understatement Bloom," David said. You could probably ditch the hat, boots and shirt for a pair of hiking boots complete with outdoor gear. It's damn cold up in the mountains. April is not spring to the Rockies. However, tell us what role you are to play in the scheme of things."
"Dr. Jones wants me to buy a motor home set it with computer and phone/fax stuff and park it in a campground or RV place nearby your cabin. I know by a map your cabin is a fairly long ways from any town, but I've surfed a few places to check out. Then he said to do whatever you guys told me to do."
"What more can you tell us about the wind company putting a hit out on me," asked David.
"The idea is to set them up, capture the perp alive and have him or her turn back to testify against the wind company."
"The problem there is how to follow the money trail back to Allied."
"Because of the terrorists crap since 9/11 tracing funds has been much more transparent. Also, because this is such a high profile hit; you guys are famous you know, the dealings are possibly not so distant, but closer to home. AJ is hoping some Allied flunky will give up his boss as to the hiring of a hit man."
Janice said, "That's a lot of ifs and wishes and hopes with our necks hanging out just waiting for a sharp sword to lop our heads off."
"Dr. Jones and Jake both said, 'just think of the money your making' and they laughed like hell."
David dropped him off a block away from the motel. They would remain unseen together for the time being. After that they drove over to the hospital see their new Indian friends.
Sue Leadfoot was there when they arrived. Delores was still sporting a bandage partially covering her mouth. A strip of white tape contrasted with her brown skin crossed over her nose to hold it straight. Eddie Two Shoes was his usual quiet self. Sue said, "Delores will have some major dental work, but we consider that a small price to pay. She could've been killed. We heard that an ambulance took the three bad guys to Whitefish. Someone instructed the ambulance driver to take them to North Valley Hospital rather than here in Kalispell."
They all chatted for awhile and David and Janice left for their motel. David asked Janice to ring up Tommy Sharp Eye for some topographical maps along with back roads and trails in the cabin area. "I need to make a list of stuff to buy for catching the bad guy. Let's hope he’s naive enough to underestimate his quarry. Oh, by the way, no way am I going to put you in harm's way, my Pine Queen," he said with a squeeze of her knee.
From the room to room phone, David called Bloom. He said, "Hello Inspector. I bought a 25' motor home. It was a private sale. It's still at his house so could you give me a ride out there tomorrow?"
"Why don't you come to our room? We have some things we need to chat about."
"On my way Inspector," Bloom said happily.
Janice let him in. Bloom had changed into casual clothes of blue jeans, sweat shirt and a pair of Nikes. Janice said, after giving him the once over, "That's better Black Bart. Have a seat and tell me about this Carol girl who is moving into AJ's apartment. I suppose it was your idea," she said flippantly.
Bloom blushed and said, while walking towards David, "I had nothing to do with it. Well, mostly I didn't. I was asked and I gave my professional opinion. For a tall computer nerd she is rather nice."
David said, "Have a seat. I want you to get on the internet and have these items here by tomorrow night." He handed Bloom a list. 1.M1903 Springfield rifle. 2. M25 sniper rifle with B&L 10X40 scope. 3. One B & L 3X9 scope for .06 rifle. 4. Spotting scope Zeiss 5. Four pair of high quality binocs. 6. Sighting targets 7. Rambo knives [2] 8. 200' of quality climbing rope. 9. 20' square fish net 10. Four army blankets 100% wool.
"Wow, you don’t want much do you. I'd best get on this right now, but, hey guys, I'm a little hungry. How about you?"
"I need a change of pace," said Janice. "Some junk food sounds good to me. I saw a pizza place about a block away. What say you guys?"
*~~~~*
The next morning they took Bloom down towards Flathead Lake where the almost new motor home waited for him. Bloom was yawning all the way down, occasionally nodding off. He said he was up most of the night ordering what was on the list.
Janice said, "You're young Bloom. This is only the beginning. You'd best catch a nap when you can."
After saying good morning to Wanda Bright Flower, David and Janice walked back to see Tommy. Tommy rose and greeted his new friends with a smile and a good morning. As usual, they discussed the weather and the health of each other, then he said, "I've got what you requested David. The hiking trail maps will be here by noon. Also, a surprise awaits you on the mountain when you return to your cabin. It's a small token of our hospitality and a small reward for helping our people who are basically helpless."
"We thank you for the maps, but the surprise is like when my mother said the same thing. In those days I'd be treated to a plate of warm cookies. Now we were treated to some homemade strawberry jam by Tana at the restaurant and that was a nice surprise."
"We have a young man who goes by the name, Johnny, Eagle that Soars. He will stay with you at the cabin in his little trailer. He raises German Shepherds for a living. He knows the area around your cabin like the back of his hand. He'll be no bother as he rarely speaks, but you can rest assured he will be on the alert for any bad guys."
"We are a little overwhelmed," said Janice. "But thanks in advance. I hope we don't need him, but we appreciate the added security."
Outside, sitting with the motor running waiting for the heater to take the chill off, David looked over his treasure of maps. Janice was thinking about how her honeymoon digressed into a major fraud case with murder just around the corner.
*~~~~*
Houston, Texas. Home to Allied Power, among other major conglomerates. In the CBD sat a high rise office building. In a conference room there were five men of various nationalities sitting at a round oak table. The topic was Montana and the event that threatened a set back to the plans of Allied Power. A distinguished looking man of advanced age said, "The report from Hyster is not good. Apparently his security men took it upon themselves to physically harm an elder of the Flathead tribe to entice him to sell his property. Furthermore, it appears, and I'm not sure how, two hotshot Chicago homicide detectives got involved. Now these security men work for us. In addition, these men assaulted a tavern worker putting her in a hospital."
"Now believe it or not, these men go up in the mountains where the two detectives are on their honeymoon and attempt to do them harm. Our men fall into a trap and wind up in a hospital."
One of the men across the table said, in halting English, "Does this event, as you call it, have any effect on our Navaho/Hopi plan?"
Another man, Asian, said, "This could bring the federal agencies into play.
An extremely old man said in a voice belying his age, "I've a mole in Virginia that sends word these two Chicago detectives are to pursue the, so called, injustices, by our actions against the Native Americans."
The fourth man said, "Do we need to silence those two detectives?"
The last to speak, but when all eyes turned to him, all knew where the power resided. He said, "Make it happen. Try to make it look like an accident. Regardless, we can't afford to have anything impede our plan. If we fail, Enron will look like child’s play."
Chapter VII
Before David and Janice arrived at their cabin, Johnny Eagle that Soars was already set up looking like he'd been there for a long time instead of one day. It was just after noon and a warm sun was beating down on the cold ground.
Sitting just off to the side of the
outbuilding sat his small travel trailer and a big four wheel drive Ford pickup that looked almost new. As they drove in Janice noticed the cabin’s front door and wooden shutters for the windows were open. Also smoke poured out of the steel stack displaying a welcome home sign.
From around the back walked a tall dark skinned man followed by a mostly black German shepherd dog. His hat hid his eyes and what part of the face she did see was stern and grim. At the corner of the cabin he stopped and starred. Janice got out and with her usual smile walked towards him saying her name. David meanwhile went to the back of the SUV to remove some bags and other things they brought with them.
As Janice came near Johnny took off his hat revealing a full head of black hair in a pony tail. His dark brown eyes revealed nothing of his personality. However, lowering his eyes and then shyly taking her hand in his rough callused hand, said, “Pleased to meet you Miss Janice.”
Then he said, “This is my dog, Black Thunder. He will make sure that no one sneaks up on us.”
David had sat the sacks down on the steps then came over to where they were standing. Janice noticed Johnny was about the same height as David, but much thinner; like a long distance runner. David shook his hand and made the welcome as warm as possible. Then he said, “Hey thanks for opening the place up and building a fire.”
“No problem. Our people thank you for what you’ve done for Old Eddie and Delores. I’ll not bother you folks much. If you have some suspicions about any retaliation coming please tell me what you are thinking. The more I know the better we can watch out for you.”
“Please come in Johnny. We have some things to tell you and the chill of the evening is starting to feel uncomfortable,” said Janice.
Once inside, Johnny, always cautious around white people, hung back until asked to sit down. Black Thunder sat on the porch as if this was his home since birth.
Janice went to the kitchen to make some coffee and both men sat around the warm stove. With his hat still in his hand, David told him about the three bad guys coming and how they turned the tables on them. Then he said, “I think Johnny, we, my wife and I, have thoroughly pissed off the wind company. We have reason to believe they will send a person to do us harm.”
“Mr. David, I did a tour of Afghanistan so I’m not without some experience in warfare. I know these mountains very well. This cabin is so situated that it would take a damn fine sniper to hit his target. As the crow flies it’s fully a mile or more across to the other side of the canyon. Anyone wanting to assassinate you or your wife, attack would have to come from up the mountain behind us.”
Janice came in with three cups of fresh brewed coffee. She smiled thinking of Alex. Alex would turn his nose up at the store coffee from a can. Janice stood by the stove watching Johnny sip his coffee. His age she guessed at around thirty. He was the nervous type that didn’t sit down for very long at one time. She wondered if he was married, or had a girlfriend.
Janice asked, “You raise shepherds, Tommy says. I’m a little curious but who are your customers, if I might ask.”
“My dogs are raised specifically for security. That’s to say for both personal and business. They don’t bark any warning, but attack. They are highly intelligent. What I mean is, like tonight, if you’re not expecting anyone, I tell Thunder no visitors. So I suggest if you have any visitors coming let me or Black Thunder know. Tomorrow we will introduce you two to him. Never fear, he already knows you are the good guys.”
“We have only one other person with us and he is down in some camp ground. However, he’ll be up here sometime tomorrow. I’ll tell him not to get out of his vehicle until told to.”
Janice said, “How about some dinner Johnny. I’m a fair cook and we have plenty to go around.”
“I’d like that Miss Janice. But first let me do a walk around with my dog. Not only do we have human enemies, but bears are not uncommon around here.”
After dinner they sat talking around the stove. Johnny told them a little about his life and as it turned out; he too was a relative of Old Eddie Two Shoes. After listening to his account of life in Montana, there was no doubt Johnny was a traditional Indian. He enjoyed the old ways and even though he was college educated, he used that education to help his own people. Johnny spent a lot of time with Old Eddie listening to old stories of life far back in history. Then it was revealed Johnny was training to be a traditional medicine man learning the ways of nature in curing.
The next morning Janice woke up early as a faint light shown through the curtain less window. She saw her breath it was so cold. Hurrying to the wood stove, she found some faint coals glowing. From the wood box she took some little pieces and soon had a fire going. After that she stopped off at the bathroom, turned the electric heater on, did her business, then went back to warm up next to her man.
David felt one of his headaches coming on. Janice lay next to him and it felt so warm and pleasant. His right arm was around his treasured wife, while the other hand rubbed his temple. The stress was coming back with the fear of danger from someone doing harm to his wife. The added responsibility increased his anxiety. He really needed to talk to Dr. Jones.
That was how he met Dr. A Jones in the first place. Inspector Cockrun was suffering from PTSD. Dr. Jones, a pioneer and noted psychologist agreed to see him. Dr. Jones was mostly retired from private practice, but on occasion, agreed to treat special cases. David Cockrun’s fear was he would go over the edge and use his gun on some bad guy; or himself.
The Dr. Zee serial killer case was the catalyst that set him on the road to recovery and the relationship resulted in a friendship. They worked so well together, a special plan was formed to take on the bad guys by teaching them a hard lesson. That hard lesson led to the death of Dr. Zee who had murdered five women before he left the land of living.
Janice had decided a man sized breakfast was in order. She cooked off a couple pounds of bacon, a large pile of grated potatoes; half dozen eggs were set aside for frying at the end of things. The poor toaster was over worked and finally gave up the ghost.
David was outside with Johnny and Black Thunder. Johnny was showing David how to work with BT, his nickname. Johnny used a combination of hand gestures and speech to communicate with BT. David was astounded that it seemed like BT understood what his master was saying and gesturing.
Johnny said, “Watch this. BT, circle the cabin see if all is well.” He made a circle in the air with one arm and BT took off walking quickly around the house with eyes and ears pointed to the forest. David guessed it was about three minutes before BT came back sat down and blinked his eyes at his master. That passive look told Johnny that nothing out of the ordinary was nearby the cabin.
“Now David, you try it. Use your hand and arm showing the road out front that you want BT to check the road out. Use the phrase, ‘check the road’ and gesture a back and forth straight line motion.”
David said, “BT,” and BT looked at him intently, “check the road.” David used his hand and arm to show BT what he wanted. BT again walked quickly down the driveway to the old logging road. He first went down the road for a quarter mile and then back past the driveway about the same distance. David thought about thirty minutes went by before he came back, sat down, blinked telling David all was well.
Janice came out about then and David said, “Honey, you will not believe what I just witnessed with Johnny and BT. You could knock me over with a feather. This is no doubt the most amazing dog I’ve ever seen or heard of. You’d best come down here and have Johnny tell BT you are one of his masters.”
“Miss Janice, just tell BT to go sit next to the road and wait until you call him back. Use your arm to point and then say, ‘BT go sit on road.’ After that call him back saying, ‘Come BT.’ He will then come back and sit in front of you. He’ll look up and blink his eyes telling you all is well for the time being.”
Janice did as instructed and BT walked quickly down to the side of the road sat down and looked back and forth. T
hey all waited for a few minutes then Janice said, “Come BT.” However, he still sat there starring down the road with his ears straight up.
Johnny said, “Someone is coming up the road. After he spots the vehicle he will come back, sit down and not move until told. He’ll never take his eyes off the vehicle or be distracted until a command is given.”
A minute or two went by then they heard a car coming up the hill. The vehicle was a small truck van. It was very similar to a small house moving U-Haul truck. Behind it was a dark maroon SUV. The truck turned into the driveway slowly. David and Janice both saw it was D. Bloom behind the wheel grinning from ear to ear. He stopped in front of the steps and the SUV pulled along side the truck. David made a stop motion to Bloom to not get out until told to. Janice did the same with the SUV driver. David nodded to Johnny who told BT that these cars and men were okay guys. BT relaxed next to his master.
David motioned for Bloom to get out. Bloom, being no dummy, saw the black shepherd knowing better to not get out until told to. It was the same with the SUV driver. Bloom cautiously opened the door and got out. Janice said, “All is well now Bloom. Who is your friend with you?”
Bloom said, “He’s a government man who came to deliver you guys a new SUV. He’ll take the old one back with him. But first he wants to show you a few things about your new rig.”
Sam Pagent was a young guy from Virginia. After the introductions he asked David and Janice to come look at their new vehicle. The first thing he showed them was the remote that turned the car on or off and releasing the locked doors. There were no outside door handles. Then he said the windows didn’t go up or down but were stationary bullet proof as were the side doors and the back door also. Walking to the front of the car he showed them that the front end was protected from bullets with a titanium wall in front of the radiator.
Rocky Trail Page 4
