by Diane Roads
CHAPTER 5
As Jasper and Jim got into the car you could hear the radio squawk, "Chopper to Sheriff."
Jasper answered, "Sheriff here."
"Sheriff I think I have found someone. I can't seem to land because there are too many trees in the area. But whoever it is is lying on the ground propped up next to a tree. I don't know if he is dead or alive at this point."
"Okay where's your location?"
"I am at grid nineteen, by the Old Mill Road, and just North of 96 Road about an 1/8 of a mile."
"Okay we are on our way. I need you to let me know if he moves. We will be there in less than five minutes. Does this guy have a beard and mustache?"
"It is kind of hard to tell. He could have. He’s very huddled up in his coat."
Jasper and Jim checked the map for grid nineteen. There was nothing else out there. Years ago the Humbles use to have a farm there but that had been closed for about 10 years. It was just pasture land farther north now, the rest was woods. There was a barn about a half a mile away if Jasper remembered right. That was about it. It was still pretty early as they drove away.
When Jasper and Jim pulled up you could hear Rego back on the radio. "Sheriff he is starting to move, and it is away from you."
Jasper and Jim got out of the car. Jasper had run marathons before, but Jim had a good two inches on him and was 10 lbs. lighter. They both took off in a jog. Jasper saw the man dressed in a long black coat. He yelled "Stop! Police." As the man in the black coat started to run so did Jim. In no time at all Jim caught up with him and in one flying leap tackled him to the ground. Jasper caught up with the both of them. He reached down and helped Jim get the man up from the ground, all the time eyeing the black coat with the Baptist pin on it. One button was missing.
Jasper then said, "Stop. No one is going to hurt you."
Jim then added, "Listen to what the Sheriff said. No one is going to hurt you. Stop fighting."
Jasper then said, "Who are you?"
There was dead silence in the man. He looked more scared than anything. He cowed almost like he was waiting for Jasper to start hitting on him. Jasper asked again, "Look fellow we are not going to hurt you, but who are you?"
Again Jasper saw that pained look and still no answer. He realized the man must be homeless.
Jasper then said, "Let's get him back to the station. Maybe after he gets cleaned up, and some food in him, he will feel more like talking."
Jasper saw a sparkle in the guy's eyes at the mention of food. He wondered when the last time was that the man had eaten.
Then to everyone's surprise the man said, "My name is Anthony Pavarotti. Yes sir, I would like some food."
Japer answered with, "We will get you some food Anthony. But may I ask why did you run from us? We weren't trying to hurt you."
"How was I to knowed that? The last town I was in, they beat me for walking across the street. Ain't the first time either. And that time, when I hit the ground some blood spilled out, so they added spittin’ on the sidewalk. When they finally did turn me lose it was one A.M. in the middle of nowhere. They didn't even give me anything to eat."
"Where are you going to?" Jim asked.
"I am goin’ to Salt Lake City. I heard my Kathy was there. Last place I was at, those old guards thought that I was asleep. Didn't think I heard a word of what they was a sayin’. It's better if you let them think that. They don't bother you so much. I let them think that I was sleepin’ sound and I heard them talkin’. They was sayin’ that my Kathy was up in Salt Lake City and she was lookin’ for me. I ain't seen her since she was seventeen. She's a grown woman by now. They never knowed that I had heard them talkin’. They said that it was better for her to think that I was dead than to see me. I don't think so. I am goin’ to find my Kathy. I may not have much to offer but I do love her. Did you really mean it when you said that you would get me some food?"
"Yes I did, and a hot shower also.” Looking into the eyes of Anthony Pavarotti he saw no violence. “Well Anthony I don't think you will give me any trouble, will you? I mean, I won't have to put the cuffs on will I? "
"No sir. I won't give you no trouble. No sir!"
Jasper and Jim escorted Anthony back to the squad car. When they put him in the back seat they then put all of the windows down. Anthony had evidently been on the road for a long time. His chances that he had seen a shower in the last week or two had been slim they guessed. That was about to change.
Back at the station, Jim escorted Anthony back to the showers. He showed him where to put his belonging. Jim laid fresh clothes out for Anthony, and took his others to be cleaned. He checked over the long black coat with the Baptist pin on it.
Jim walked out and let Jasper know. "Sheriff I found Mr. Twilliger's literary in the coat pocket. This was his coat alright. But I can't believe that this old man did anything to him. It just doesn't seem like his nature."
"I agree but we are going to have to ask him about that coat. Oh and it is missing a button, the same kind of button that Marty found at the Twilliger's. I hope he has something good to tell us."
"Another thing, Sheriff, I saw him take his shirt off. This guy has been beaten badly before, and I don't think just the one time, it looks like several times. He has had some bad breaks in life it looks like. I am surprised he has lasted this long."
Jasper went in his office. Before he saw Anthony he wanted to check with the NCIC, the National Crime Information Center, to see what kind of a record he had. He had found 23 different entries, mostly jaywalking and such. On one count, he was sleeping on a park bench on a Sunday. Turns out only residents of the town could do that. One town had a shoe tax. Anyone who didn’t have a car or horse had to pay a shoe tax. That was enacted in 1902. The law was still on the books. Jasper just shook his head. No wonder he ran from them. This guy had had some really bad breaks in life. Not one of the counts was serious.
He read on, and his daughter Mrs. Kathryn Morris was looking for him. Apparently she had married. Anthony said she was seventeen when he last saw her. With her new name Anthony would have never found her. Maybe it was time he had some good breaks, but first Jasper wanted to hear his side of the story. Why did Anthony have Mr. Twilliger's coat?
Minutes later Anthony walked out of the locker room dressed in a grey sweat suit. His hair was slick back from all of the water. He looked around the room and a disappointed look came over him.
Jasper then said, "Anthony lets go back in the break room. I would like to ask you some questions."
Next thing out of Anthony's mouth was, "I knew it was too good to be true. All talk and no food. I thought you were different."
"We are, Anthony. We did order the food and it should be here any minute. I didn't know what you would like so I ordered a double helping of the blue plate special. Wasn't sure what kind of pie to get, so I got you all three. Sally should be here any minute. Let's go sit down and get you something to drink while we wait. There will be plenty of time to talk later."
As Jasper poured a glass of tea for Anthony Sally walked in with a basket. Jim took it from her and carried it into the break room. Anthony's eyes widened when the basket was unloaded. Jasper then added. "Anthony you don't have to worry about eating it all right now. You can save some for later if you want. There will be more where this came from."
Jasper saw a man that looked like he hadn't eaten in days. Jasper got up and got himself a cup of coffee and sat down. He wanted to make Anthony feel more at ease. He could see it was working. This freshly washed man had a spoon in one hand and a fork in the other. He didn't miss a spot on the plate. You could hear the spoon scrap across the plate as he devoured the last piece of pie. When Anthony was finished Jasper started asking questions. "Anthony I would like to ask you a question. If that is okay with you?,' Anthony nodded. 'Where did you get that coat?"
"I knew that coat was going to get me in trouble. I knew it when that man gave it to me."
"What man are you talkin
g about?"
"I don't know his name. I found him in a hole. He was half covered up in dirt. I helped dig him out of the hole. When he crawled out of it his coat came off. He took off a walkin’. I followed him for a ways askin’ him if he wanted his coat back. I kept sayin’ ‘Mr. here's your coat.’ I was tryin’ to talk to him. He finally said ‘no, you keep it’ and just kept on walkin’. He kept goin’ down to that big old road. It was pretty far away, but I think I saw a big truck stop, and when I looked again he was not there anywhere."
"What kind of a truck was it, do you know? Could you read a name on it?" Jasper asked.
"It was just a big old box type truck. I couldn't read the letters, but they were in orange. That's all I seen. Do I have to give the coat back? I ain't never had a coat like this before. These nights get cold, and this will keep me warm until I find my Kathy. Too bad it lost a button."
"No Anthony you don't have to give it back. We will have it cleaned for you. We might be able to get a button back on it for you. Now I want you to go with Jim here. We don't have much, but we do have a cot in the back. You can stretch out and get some sleep. I'll talk to you later."
"You sure are bein’ nice to me. I ain't never had anyone be this nice to me when they arrested me."
"Anthony you are not under arrest. There is nothing you have done wrong. You are free to go anytime, but you are welcome to rest awhile, and wait until your clothes get cleaned. We will talk later. Now you go with Jim."
"Okay, Mr. Sheriff. I don't understand why you bein’ so nice to me, but I will do it."
Jasper shook his head. He walked back into his office. His next call was to Pastor Michael. "Pastor Michael, this is Jasper. I was hoping you could help me with a problem I have here. I have a guy here who has had some tough breaks and I would like to see something good happen to him. We found him by the Old Mill Road, and just North of 96 Road. He was wrapped up in Mr. Twilliger's coat. He told me that he found Mr. Twilliger half buried in a hole, and helped dig him out. I believe him.
He has a rap sheet with about 23 counts on it. Things like sleeping on a park bench on a Sunday. It seems you can't do that in that town unless you are a resident of that nice little burg. The rest are Jaywalking and such. From what Jim said, he looks like he has been beaten up a lot. I did find out that he has a daughter in Salt Lake City that has been looking for him. But with us looking for Mr. Twilliger I don't have time to work on his case too. I was hoping for a reunion if she will have him. Do you think maybe you can help me on this? I am going to leave Jim here for now. I don't want to leave Sara alone with him."
"Is there a reason why you don't trust him?"
"No nothing like that. I just don't want to put Sara in that position. She can handle herself, but she shouldn't have to in this office. I have no reason to hold him for anything, so he is not in a cell. I really do think he is harmless."
"Tell you what Jasper, I will come over and talk to him. If I feel that same way you do, I will take him off your hands. We will see if some Christian love can get him to his daughter, even if I have to buy the ticket to get him there myself."
"Thanks Pastor, I will be glad to have Jim freed up. I'll tell Jim he can leave as soon as you get here."
Jasper bowed his head and said a prayer for Anthony. He prayed that he was not wrong about his judgment about Anthony.
