Josh lifted the sledge up and drew it behind his shoulders and eyeballed the spot he wanted to hit--smack dab in the middle of the big stone! He twisted his shoulders and brought forth all his might in his first swing. Boom! A nice wedge of sandstone dropped from the wall. He drew his hammer back again and Boom! Another slice fell and shattered.
“Your turn, buddy.” Josh handed the sledgehammer to Eddie. He, too, drew back hard and gave a mighty swing. Boom! Every swing of the big hammer brought wedges of the sandstone down. Eddie took a couple of more swings. A nice dent was forming, but neither boy was able to make a hole yet.
Eddie said, “Step up, Burl, It’s your turn!”
“Alrighty!” he accepted cheerfully.
Burl took the hammer in his hands and positioned his feet firmly on two solid rocks. He stood tall and didn’t have to reach up as the boys did. He could swing level and inflict maximum damage on the stone. He drew the hammer back and took a Babe Ruth swing at it. Whaammm! A massive section of the stone crumbled and fell to the tunnel floor.
“Oh my gosh!” Josh said, laughing. “Not only does he have an arm like a leftfielder, he can hit, too!” He and Eddie laughed, as did the others. It was nervous laughter. They couldn’t wait to see inside!
Burl repositioned his feet again. Everyone took a step back because Burl’s swing had made sandstone debris fly everywhere.
He reared back and heaved another swing at the stone and Whaaam! another huge piece of sandstone fell to the floor of the tunnel. He kicked it out of the way and then offered the hammer to anyone else who might want to try, but everyone agreed that he was the guy to do it. He looked at them and accepted the job.
He once again positioned his feet firmly on two solid rocks and drew the sledgehammer back across his right shoulder. With everything that he had and a loud growl, he brought the hammer around with all the force of a wrecking ball. To the boys it almost seemed in slow motion and the past few days flashed in their eyes--all the hard work, the research, the new friends, a raft ride, a mountain lion, the island--everything came down to this point. Was it here?
Whaaaam! A hole! They had finally made a hole! This is the vault of the Southern Jewel! This stone was only about six inches thick as opposed to two feet thick like the others. And the way that Edmond Mansfield had laid it in there, it was not load bearing. It could be taken out and not upset the structural integrity of the trestle.
The hole was small, about a three-inch jagged circle, but it was a hole. Cheers erupted in the tunnel with smiles all around!
“Flashlight!” Burl said excitedly. “Hand me the flashlight!”
Josh handed him the flashlight and all fell silent again. Burl put it up to the hole and shined it around inside the sandstone vault. Josh noticed that even the frogs and crickets outside had gotten quiet. That was kind of strange, but it was probably from all the sledgehammer impacts. Brad noticed it, too, and turned to look outside, but then looked back at Burl and moved closer to the vault.
“What’s in there?” Josh asked with excitement. “What do you see?”
Burl pulled the flashlight down and looked down at the tunnel floor with a look of disappointment. He paused a second and Josh’s and Eddie’s stomachs fluttered. He then looked up and a broad smile spread across his face and his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Fellas, someone mark the time and the date because we have just made history! It is our lucky day!” he announced. “We’re gonna need a bigger boat”!
Cheers and high-fives were shared. Even some tears. It was the culmination of a century of search and infatuation of many, many people and Josh, Eddie, Brad, Burl, Tiny, Elton and John had done it. They had teamed up, combined their resources and their knowledge of the event and had prospered! They had found the 162 pounds of Confederate gold that had been cleverly robbed from a train by two desperate men in 1903. This generation would now be able to right the wrongs of the past and return the gold to where it belonged. No one would be rich; it wasn’t theirs to keep, but a century-old crime would now be solved.
The congratulations continued until Eddie said with exuberance, “Burl, knock the rest of it out of there! We wanna see it!”
Burl handed the flashlight back to Josh and began whamming on the stone again. over and over without a break. With the breach in the stone, the rest of it began falling out much more easily and Burl moved pieces out of his way with his hands and his boots. Wham, Wham, Wham! A cloud of dust was all around the hole, which was opened up now to about a two-foot square. Burl laid the hammer down and began fanning the dust.
The six other men moved up closer in a semi-circle. As Burl Otis fanned the dust away a form began to appear, a mound about two feet tall. Everyone was captured in the moment. Mouths hung open and eyes strained to see. Josh brought the light up high and shined it through the thinning dust cloud and onto the mound. Covering the mound was an old cloth, an oiled canvas-type material. The oil had preserved it from deterioration all these years and it had continued to do its job of lying on top of whatever it was covering.
“Look how big the chamber is!” Tiny exclaimed. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so big!”
“Goodness,” Burl agreed. “It’s like a small room in there! It goes back and up too!”
As the dust settled they began to see the vastness of the vault. The entry was just the size of one stone, two feet by three feet, but after one entered, the vault grew into a chamber about six feet by eight feet! It was amazing to see!
Burl looked back at Elton Mansfield. “Your great-grandfather did a nice job!” he said, smiling.
“He should have just stuck to stonework!” Elton replied. “We don’t make good criminals.” He smiled and all laughed.
Josh stepped up to the entry of the vault and looked at the cloth that covered the mound just inside the opening, a couple of feet. He looked at Eddie, and his friend stepped forward, too, and each boy reached in and pinched at the cloth with thumb and forefinger.
“Moment of truth,” Eddie said, looking at his buddy. “One, two, three!”
Simultaneously they gave the old canvas a jerk. Dust jumped off of the cloth and the boys pulled their heads around to keep it out of their eyes. Slowly they turned their focus back to the mound that stood inside the entryway. Josh pulled the flashlight up and hit it directly on the pile.
“OH MY GOSH!!!” He shouted. “Look at it! Look at it! It’s here Eddie! We found it!!!” Josh was now beside himself. He began jumping up and down and high-fiving everyone once again. The excitement was contagious. All seven of the guys were looking on in amazement and disbelief. Right in front of them was a beautifully stacked and sorted mound of gold bars and coins left there just the way Clyde Franklin had put it.
The oilcloth that had covered it had done its job very well. The bars and coins were in remarkable condition. It was unmistakably gold, still clean and shiny.
Josh and Eddie both reached in and grabbed a gold bar, both in awe of what was in their hands, what had been right there, literally, in their back yard. The weight of it was amazing for its size and they both realized that they were experiencing a moment in their lives that boys only dreamed about. Adventure and Gold!
The team of seven all stood around the entryway to the vault, now as close as possible so that all could see inside.
Tiny said, “Brad, why don’t you grab that lantern on the sandbar and we can set it inside the vault and take a good look!”
“Yeah,” Brad said, turning to get the lantern immediately.
He returned quickly and Tiny took the lantern and placed it inside the entryway and over to the right a little bit so the light would be hitting them in their eyes but project well back into the chamber. What Tiny saw then jarred him and sent one of those jolts of electricity through his body. “Oh my….Oh my goodness!” He said.
“What? What is it?” Mansfield asked.”
Tiny moved out of the way to collect himself, and the others stretched their necks to be able to see what he had seen.
“Oh Gosh!” Josh said, with instant fear in his eyes.
Eddie groaned and Brad looked as if he might throw up.
Against the back wall of the vault that held the gold were the skeletal remains of a large human. There was no flesh remaining but simply the dusty tattered remnants of some of the clothing that had been worn on his last day alive.
Burl Otis looked in and knew instantly whose remains they were looking at. He was somber but expressionless as he looked at the bones of his great-grandfather. The body had been shoved back into the corner and ended up in a fetal position with the skull facing toward vault opening. There was a large hole in the forehead of the skull, which was most certainly a gunshot entry point. In front of the skeleton was a leather holster and belt that held what looked to be an old Colt revolver called a Peacemaker back in the day. Standing up and off to the left of Art Otis’ remains was an old railroad lantern with its red and green lenses in beautiful condition. It was stamped C&O on the front.
Burl studied the remains a little bit, looking in and contemplating the size of his great-grandfather and how he had gotten himself into a situation like this. What made him do it? He was a self-reliant mountain man. His kids were grown and gone and money was not something that he valued or needed. The reason may never be known. He then stepped back away from the vault.
“I’m very sorry,” Tiny consoled quietly. “Nobody was expecting that…”
“No, No, No,” Burl said. “It’s OK.”
John Hopes patted him on his huge shoulder, offering comfort, as did the others, and Burl nodded his head and smiled an appreciative smile back at them.
Burl said, “Well guys, we got it! Let’s get it out of here!” He clapped and rubbed his hands together, ready to work.
Mansfield spoke up, “Wait, we have to contact some authorities, I guess. I don’t think we can just march out of here with this gold like this. This could be considered a crime scene and I’m sure they will document everything with photos and such.”
All agreed that this was true and three cell phones popped out of pockets quickly. Mansfield, Hopes and Josh looked at each other, confused.
“Who do we call?” Josh laughed.
At that moment a shadow moved across the sand bar.
“Drop the phones! Drop them now!” A calm but firm voice ordered from outside the tunnel.
All heads spun towards the sandbar end of the tunnel and that annoying jolt of electricity ran through the bodies of the seven guys who were standing beside three million dollars in gold. A tall figure stood at the entrance to the tunnel. He was slightly silhouetted by the back porch light of the Baker home across the river which was now turned on. Behind him on the far riverbank were trees and bushes making, it even harder to discern his features. The voice was an obvious disguise but the tone was familiar to Josh and Eddie. Burl thought he knew it, too.
“I sure appreciate the hard work that you guys have saved me,” the voice said, “but now I must ask you to step away from it. I will ask you one more time to put your phones on the rocks.”
Everyone was frozen for the moment, except Josh. “Why should we?!!!” He barked.
The unmistakable report of a gunshot through a silencer was Josh Baker’s answer. He jumped and slipped off the rock that he was standing on and landed, one foot in the stream that ran through the tunnel. Tiny grabbed him to help him back up. The bullet had gone safely into the riverbank. A warning shot.
“Are you okay boy?” He said softly with concern.
“I’m fine.” Josh said, regaining his composure and staring out at the shooter.
Tiny was ticked and frightened at the same time. “Who’s out there?”
Another shot. “I’ll do the talking here. Is that clear?”
No one answered him but all three guys placed their phones on the rocks in front of them inside the tunnel. Josh noticed that his phone screen was lit up so he placed it face down on the stone. When he jumped from the first gunshot he had inadvertently hit the call button and dialed a number. Emily Baker had tried to call him four times since looking out her bedroom window and seeing the disturbed campsite. Josh’s sound was turned off and now he was returning her call…without knowing it.
“When I was a young boy my mother told me of the story of the train robbery and how my great-grandfather had masterminded the holdup. He was a clever man, smarter than most people in his day and was able to outsmart people to get it done. From stealing the lantern and dynamite from C&O, to tricking your stupid great-grandfather into building this vault for a couple of coins, Mansfield. And Art Otis was his scapegoat, the fall guy.”
His vocal disguise was getting lazy, but by this time there was no mistaking who stood in front of them at the end of the tunnel, shrouded in backlight and fog. Sheriff Collins had gone off the deep end. It was too late now. He would pay dearly for his obsession …if he was ever caught.
“Do you know why Art Otis did it? Do you know how my great-grandfather talked him into it, Burl”
Silence.
“He promised him gold.”
Burl Otis was now agitated. “He didn’t want gold, especially stolen gold. He worked for every dime that he made.”
“Yes, that he did,” Collins agreed calmly.
“Clyde Franklin pulled off old school blackmail on Art Otis. It seems that he promised Art gold if he helped him, which was only fair, but he also promised to reveal the whereabouts of that nice little three acres of ginseng that has been in your family forever, to anyone who wanted it.”
“That’s a lie! Art Otis would have just put a bullet in his head for saying that! ”
“He was angry at first, very angry. But Clyde Franklin was a good talker. He started describing the plan to Art Otis and your great-grandfather became very intrigued by it. His family, all his boys, would never have to worry about money, ever! That homestead up there would never fall to taxes as many were back then.”
“It was a good plan up to the point where Clyde murdered my great-grandfather,” Burl said.
Collins smiled and stepped a little closer to the group inside the tunnel. The lamplight reflected out of the vault and onto his face. Everyone knew there was a silencer on the gun that was pointed at them and knew that the situation was grim.
He smiled with malevolence. “No honor among thieves, gentlemen. There is no honor among thieves.”
“So what’s your plan, Collins? What do you want?” Mansfield asked.
Tiny had his backpack on his back and was fully aware of how its contents could be beneficial, but had no idea how to use it without taking a bullet himself. He had to wait. Burl, too, had the same dilemma. No way could he go for the gun in his pack.
Collins paused, then said solemnly, “Well gentlemen…sadly for you, I can have no witnesses. Dead men tell no tales!” He smiled without showing any hesitancy.
John Hopes spoke up, pleading. “Collins, these three are just boys. You can’t do this. You are a lawman. You know the odds of getting caught are high. All this gold can’t help you before a judge.”
“Oh yes, I know the odds. The odds are terrible unless you have a plan. But cleverness runs in my family and just as my great-grandfather Clyde Franklin made a good plan and got away with it, so have I.” He took a break and contemplated his plan. “Have you ever been to Costa Rica, gentlemen? Beautiful beaches, great food and immunity from deportation if you know the right officials, los federales, and if you have the right form of payment. Gold is universally accepted, you know. I have a source, an old friend, who will process it and make a sweet little deposit into a new foreign account that’s all set up. He will take a small commission, of course.” He grinned again. “So what’s stopping me? I have no family left. I’m divorced, my only son is somewhere in California, a punk who never calls or comes home. The warm sun will do me good.” He paused again. “Let’s get this over with, gentlemen. I have a boat to load.”
Burl Otis had a thought. It was desperation but it’s all th
ey had left. He was standing by the opening to the vault. About three feet inside the vault was the Peacemaker which he hoped had at least one unspent bullet left in it. The cartridge would be over a hundred years old. He had a clear shot, if Hopes would shift just a little to the left. His move would have to be swift and smooth. He remembered that the grip to the gun was facing out, which was perfect. He just had to get Hopes out of the way.
The grimness of the situation was now on every face. They all knew that Collins had lost his mind. They knew his intentions were serious. He would take the life of everyone in that tunnel and, within an hour, be on his way out of town, state and country, never to return. They knew also that he would never get away with it. He would be captured before he reached the state line. But that couldn’t save them. There would be seven more lives lost to this gold, including three young boys.
Josh’s attention was then diverted down to his phone. The screen was face down but he could tell it was lit and he was sure he heard the buzzing of a voice from the small speaker. Could it be? He needed to give some information to whoever was on the other end of the line. Fast!
Josh thought quickly.
“What happened to you, Collins? He asked loudly. “You used to be a good guy in this town. You used to look out for people in Red Creek and now look; we are standing on the sandbar in front of the trestle right behind my house and you have a gun pointed at us. You want to kill us and take the gold? You will never get away with it.” Message delivered.
Eddie looked at Josh as if he were crazy. What was that?
Burl saw Hopes swaying just a little to shift his feet to a different rock. There was room now. There was about four feet between Hopes and Mansfield and Otis was an expert shot. Just ask the cougar.
Collins lifted his weapon up and first took aim at Mansfield who was standing to the left inside the tunnel.
At that second Burl Otis made his move. Swift as a cat he threw himself toward the opening of the vault, his arm reaching inside and making a perfect grab on the pistol grip. Out of the holster it came and in a continuous motion he whirred around with the Colt and snapped his aim toward Collins. Collins’ eyes caught Otis and he reacted.
River Rocks: A West Virginia Adventure Novel Page 27
