The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Spared?” Joe’s eyebrows rose.

  “Yes, he didn’t want them harmed. There’s nine there. These are the ones that I was told. The date next to Robbie’s name,” John pointed, “is when he changed his mind about Robbie. All others, he showed a fondness. Not even my wife is on that list. He used to tell me she had a ‘buy’.”

  “So you went with each person and broke it down.”

  “Yes. I put down why, as far as I know, that he wanted them spared. Cole, for example, does really good with the farming and . . .they played darts and so forth. You’ll read about it.”

  Joe looked at the top sheet. “Andrea?”

  “Yes, I had a field day with her. Sorry, I know she’s your wife, but did you know George really liked her? I mean, liked her as in ‘relationship’ liked. I don’t know if anything ever became of that, but he really liked her.”

  “I . . . I uh didn’t know that.” Quickly Joe’s mind went to Henry’s theory on why Andrea was a suspect. Joe thought it was ridiculous when Henry said George loved Andrea. Joe also saw Henry’s name on John’s list too. It wouldn’t be all that lame brain of an idea if Henry was indeed working for George, because George liking Andrea would be knowledge to Henry. Joe canceled his thoughts and wandering mind, saving it all for later. He flipped through the sheets. “There’s not a work up sheet on Robbie.”

  “That’s because Robbie was switched too late in the game. I only included him on the top sheet because George wanted him, not because he liked him, but because he wanted to make Robbie into a CME. Or to use a ‘Frank’ word, SUT. I told you this before. But . . . it got me thinking.”

  Joe lowered the sheets he looked at.

  “This cannot go any further from this room, just on the outside chance I’m correct.”

  “Why is it?”

  “He originally wanted Frank. If George had the opportunity to get him, he would. Why else wasn’t Frank shot immediately. I mean Frank’s good., but he’s not good enough to escape sixty, seventy men all aiming at him.”

  “That was my thought when it all went down, but then Ellen comes in.” Joe held out his hand.

  “How did they get Frank the last time? They knocked him out. If he’s sick and still injured he’s going down a lot easier. Ellen fought but Ellen lost. The Society brought her back to make us think . . . to make us believe that they killed Frank.”

  “So going on Robbie’s theory that Ellen wouldn’t be as bad as she was if Frank was around to protect her?”

  “Exactly, that’s why this can’t leave the room. I know George. If he even thinks we think Frank is alive, he’ll make it harder for us to find him. Otherwise, he’ll get cocky, he’ll get lazy, and he’ll screw up. He always does. If you know, you play into his hands. But if we act like we don’t suspect, George is like a little kid with a secret. It will gnaw at him that he knows something you don’t and he’ll leave clues. I’d stake anything on that.”

  Joe dropped the folder and leaned back in his chair with his ‘Joe’ thinking look on his face. He rubbed his chin, his eyes going from John to the folder. He realized, if John was right, even if it was a remote possibility, Joe had to give deep thought to everything he said. If George did have Frank, then the person working for him in Beginnings knows. Any inkling that Joe had of Frank’s being alive, Joe would have to keep from that person. In order to do so, Joe’s whole plan of thinking and actions would probably have to change.

  ^^^^

  Bowman, North Dakota

  A cup of coffee on one hand, a cigarette in the other, Hal rocked back and forth in his chair and called out at the knock on his door. “Come in!”

  Sgt. Ryder entered first with a half-smile on his face. He held the door open for Gary.

  Hal stood up when Gary walked in. “Please sit down.

  Gary had a whining look to his face.

  “What? What’s wrong?” Hal asked.

  Gary shook his head. “I’m really tired. I’ve been in meetings with you before sir.”

  Quickly Hal looked at Sgt. Ryder who snickered. Firmly, Hal walked up to Gary. “We need to discuss what you saw.”

  “I told you.”

  Sounding so much like his father, Hal spoke with that hint of annoyance. “Yes, I know you told me and you’ll tell me again.” He reached back to his desk, grabbing a pen and paper.

  “Oh God,” Gary said.

  “What now?” Hal asked.

  “I was warned if you grab paper.”

  Again Sgt. Ryder snickered.

  Hal gave a closed mouth look to Sgt. Ryder. “I’m glad you’re finding so much amusement out of this. Now Gary, did you see the Beginnings man get shot.”

  “Yes.”

  “You said five or six times?”

  “Yes.”

  “Now think back, where did the shots come from? Did they come from behind, the side, or directly in front of him?”

  “Um . . .” Gary paused.

  “Think, which way did the blood shoot?”

  “Out.”

  Hal grumbled.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so tired. Can I rest and then answer the questions?”

  “No.” Hal wrote down. “Which way?”

  “They hit him from the front.”

  “Good boy.” Hal smiled. “See, this is easy. Next question, where did they hit him?”

  “At the Anderson farm.”

  Hal lifted his eyes to Sgt. Ryder then ran his hands down his face. “I know this, but where on his body did they hit him?”

  “All over.” Gary jumped at Hal’s grunt. “I don’t know. Um . . . the leg.”

  “Thigh, knee, or calf?”

  “Thigh.” Gary closed his eyes. “Definitely thigh.”

  “Where else was he hit?”

  “His arm.” Gary saw Hal ready to ask and he held up his hands. “I don’t remember right or left but I do know it was in the upper portion and they hit him in both shoulders.”

  “High?”

  “Yes.”

  “How are you remembering all this?” Hal asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe I’m not. It happened so fast.” Gary rubbed his eyes. “Can I go to sleep now?”

  “No.” Hal leaned on his desk. “This is very important. Did the man take any head shots?”

  “No.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “All right, did he take any shots what so ever in the torso area,” Hal indicated to his own chest, “other than the shoulder wounds?”

  “Yes, he was hit in the stomach. That was the first hit he took.”

  “Good then you should remember this. Where in the stomach, center, to the side, high low, what?”

  “Uh . . .” Gary rubbed his eyes again. “Side, I think. Lower. I’m not sure.”

  “Good.”

  Sgt. Ryder was somewhat confused. “Sir, can I ask why all this is important?”

  “Yes.” Hal nodded. “Taking bodies, both ours and theirs, is something The Society hasn’t done. You, Sgt. Ryder told me this man made Mad Max look like a puppy.”

  Gary raised his hand. “Who’s Mad Max?”

  Hal tossed a waving hand at him and continued. “If this man is as you say he is, then he should be able to take a lot. You said he was a big man, didn’t you?”

  “About six three.”

  “See, he’s about . . .” Hal looked again in shock. “He’s that big?”

  “Yep, he’s not a thin man but not heavy either. Military build. Seen it a million times, probably was a career man in the military.” Sgt. Ryder saw the open mouth look on Hal’s face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Um…nothing.” Hal shook his head. “O.K. my point,” Hal hesitated. “My point . . . what was my . . . oh, yes. This is a big man, twenty, twenty-five soldiers can easily shoot him down and kill him, but they didn’t. They hit him in fleshy areas, non-threatening wounds, enough to take him down but not out. They took him so they were concerned with him. The woman was shot in evasive areas. This tel
ls me the society wanted them both. I think . . .” Hal placed down the notes. “I think they got half of what they sought.”

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Joe was glad, when he walked into Ellen’s room, that those he requested to be there were present. He closed Ellen’s hospital room door, flashed a brief ‘Joe’ smile, and walked in. Holding his folder, he kissed Ellen then faced Robbie, Dean, and Henry. “Glad you boys could all be here. I hope you brought your suspect notebooks. I want to have a brief meeting, just to give you some things to think about. We’ll get back on track with Motive and Means as soon as we get our thoughts back together.”

  “Dad, why are we doing this right now?” Robbie asked.

  “Although we have ignored this for a few days, the problem still exist. It’s still here and we have to find it, despite what is going on in our personal lives.”

  Henry clenched his teeth and spoke through them, “But Joe, what about . . .” He twitched his head toward Ellen.

  “O.K.” Joe gave a half chuckle. “I guess you can say this is my own therapy for Ellen. She’d love it and . . . never once has she been able to attend a meeting without getting her two cents in or interrupting. So let’s just say, I’m hoping...” Joe noticed Dean was more occupied with Ellen than anything. “Dean? Are you gonna be able to be with us on this today?”

  “Yes, sorry. Go on.” Dean’s hand rested on Ellen’s, his other held a pen and his notebook rested on his crossed legs.

  “All right.” Joe raised the folder. “I have here information given to me by John Matoose. Seems Benedict Arnold now believes someone else is working for George. He thinks whoever it is let George know where Frank and Ellen were, just like we had all thought. But . . . John has provided us with something today, a list of people in Beginnings George considers special. Special by staying unmarked and taken if there’s an invasion. People he wanted for his own. George was fond of these people.” Joe opened the folder. “John wrote up reports on why George liked each of these people, or at least what John knew about it.”

  Dean held up his pen. “Give us the list.”

  Joe took a breath and waited until they were ready. “I’m not giving any details, just names right now. You guys can read this shit if you want. Ready? All right. . . . An obvious one is Dean.” Joe stopped when he heard Henry tsk. “What is it, Henry?”

  “Why is Dean always so special? That doesn’t seem fair, Joe. Not that I’m jealous, but everyone likes Dean.”

  “Is that so?” Joe said with sarcasm. “Well don’t feel bad Henry just because our brilliant scientist is on George’s favorite person in Beginnings list, because . . . so are you.”

  “Me!” Henry nearly shrieked. “I don’t know why that would be, Joe. Not me. Why would George like me? Oh my God, Joe.”

  Joe looked at Robbie as Robbie laughed. “Think it’s funny?”

  “Yeah.” Robbie grinned.

  “Good, because you too are on that list.”

  Henry immediately pointed to Robbie. “Ha-Ha. See, I knew it.”

  Joe saw it coming with the look on Robbie’s face. “Boys, don’t. Now that we established the three of you are liked by George, may I get to the other six? Thank you . . . Next is Jason, Cole . . .” Joe closed his eyes. “What Henry?”

  “Why is Cole on the list? He’s a pervert you know, Joe.”

  Joe winced. “Cole is on the list for agriculture and he and George used to play darts. They drank and Cole hung out at his house a lot.”

  Henry looked shocked. “I didn’t know anyone liked Cole enough to hang out with him that much. Is that why I’m on the list Joe, because I played darts with him?”

  “Henry, I don’t . . .”

  “I bet it is. That seems so wrong,” Henry rambled. “He probably just wants to save me because he needs someone to massacre . . .”

  “Henry!” Joe shouted his name. At that instant all eyes looked at Ellen, then back to Joe. “Henry just shush. Now back to . . .”

  “Dad,” Robbie interrupted, “why am I on the list?”

  “Robert, we’re only discussing names right now.”

  “Come on tell me. I bet it’s my skills.”

  Henry made a loud sound of disgust. “You would think it’s because of that.”

  Joe bobbed his head back and forth. “Well, Henry, it is.”

  Henry whined, “Oh that isn’t fair. Robbie’s on the list because of his skills. Dean because of his brains and I’m on the list because of darts.”

  “Henry,” Joe snapped, “I never said you were on the list because of darts. You did. Now will you shut up?”

  “O.K.” Henry held up his hand. “Will you just . . .”

  “No,” Joe answered, “I’ll tell you when we discuss you as a suspect. Next . . . Andrea . . .” Joe saw Henry’s mouth open. “Just so Henry can feel important, Andrea is on the list because…” Joe hated to say it, “Henry was partially right. George had a thing for Andrea.”

  “Oh yes!” Henry shouted then giggled.

  “Continuing . . . Johnny is on the list.”

  Dean raised his eyes and calmly spoke. “We all know why he’s there.”

  Joe looked in question at Dean. “Why?”

  “Easy.” Dean wrote as he spoke. “Johnny is the only Slagel that George actually liked, I mean really liked. Maybe it has to do with the fact that he knew Johnny as a kid. I’m just surprised George doesn’t have Denny on the list. Those two always hung out.”

  Henry had all answers. “You know why, don’t you? He probably doesn’t know that Denny is alive again. I mean he wasn’t in Beginnings when . . .” Henry’s speech slowed he saw the weird glances. “When . . . whoops, sorry, time machine thing. Forget I said anything and scratch it if you’re taking notes.”

  Joe looked at Henry. “You done?” He returned to his list. “Now this one I want to know why she’s one the list.” Joe flipped through looking for John’s notes. When he saw them, Joe laughed heartedly.

  Robbie watched. Robbie waited. Then Robbie got impatient. “Dad!”

  “Hey!” Joe pointed. “Don’t take that tone with me. All right, Josephine is on the favorite persons list. At first I thought it was for her baking, but I read . . .” Joe laughed. “Sorry. It seems George has a fondness for Josephine because they had, well, slept together.”

  All three, Robbie Dean and Henry, loudly grunted with an ‘EW” Then they went silent and looked at Ellen for a response.

  Joe snapped his fingers. “Shit, I thought that would get her attention. finally, the last person on the list is someone none of us even thought of. It’s . . .”

  “Josephine can be such the slut,” Henry interrupted with his thoughts out loud. “Can’t she? I mean I heard of at least ten men in the past year that she has engaged in some sort of sexual activity with. Usually it’s not it’s not physical it’s more or . . .”

  “Do we need to hear this?” Joe asked with attitude. “No. for crying out loud, it isn’t Josephine’s actions that we should be questioning, it’s the men who are taking advantage of the old woman.”

  “True,” Henry stated. “That’s probably why most of them are with her only or . . .”

  “Henry,” Joe yelled, “enough! Now, before I have a stroke,” Joe rubbed his forehead, “the last suspect is someone none of us guessed, yet after reading John’s notes, we should have. I want all of us to take some time and give it our best thoughts, scenarios, motives and opportunities because it’s there with this one.” Joe raised his eyebrows. “Reverend Bob.”

  Dean, Robbie, and Henry all looked stunned at what Joe said, until Joe passed around John’s notes on Reverend Bob. The stunned looks turned to thinking ones and Joe knew he fed their minds. He wanted them to take more time than just another day to think about it. To Joe, it needed deep thought and the Reverend Bob discussion would wait for a few more days.

  ^^^^

  Bowman, North Dakota

  It had been a restaurant at one time, probably t
he place where most people in Bowman went to get their breakfast after Sunday service. Now it was cleared out and used as an officers’ Mess Hall, but seeing that Hal was the only officer--that’s the way he preferred it--corporals and up ate there as well.

  Hal took the head of the table and usually the bulk of the conversation. He sat down in his usual spot, Sgt. Ryder at his right. Hal made a face at his food. Every night at dinner he regretted making Craig one of the cooks in Bowman. Hal knew Craig burned the corn on purpose or at least saved it for him and his portion of meat was always the smallest. Hal viewed everyone’s plate and how much they had. He placed his fork in the small slice of meat, lifting it. He turned his head and looked at Craig who manned the mess line. Craig wiggled his fingers and smiled. Hal grunted and dropped his fork.

  “You let him upset you,” Sgt. Ryder said. “That’s why he does it.”

  “I can’t help it.” Hal tried to remain in control. “It’s probably deep seeded.”

  Sgt. Ryder laughed. “What?”

  “It goes back to my little brother. He would irritate me every chance he got.” Hal began to slice his meat into little pieces, hoping he could at least trick his mind into thinking he had more.

  “Perhaps it’s because you are always so serious, not that it’s a bad thing.”

  “I’m not serious all the time. I laugh and I say funny things.” Hal ate. “Someone has to be serious. I guess I deemed myself the serious one. I had one brother who was quiet and did his own thing, a little brother who never took anything serious, and a big brother who wanted to be serious but just wasn’t smart enough to figure out how to do it correctly.”

  Sgt. Ryder laughed. “I guess you do say funny things.”

  “That wasn’t meant to be funny.” Hal took a bite of his food. “Besides, when I was younger, I used to write all the time. I wrote funny stories. I thought they were funny but I’m not sure now.”

  “I’m sure they were.”

  “You’re pacifying me.”

  “Yes I am.”