Pointing his cigar at Bart, McDonald said, “Bart, you have two days, then I’m going to find Baker myself, rangers or not. You find Baker for me pronto! He should be easy to spot. Baker is running with a looker by the name of Bonnie Wilkerson. I want her, too…and I will throw in an extra five hundred for her. Now point me to the closest motel around here!”
“There is a motel south of here on Hwy 45,” Bart said pointing west from the square towards the highway.
“We will be there, Sheriff. Send Smith to see me and remember…two days,” McDonald stated with a threatening tone.
The Buick circled the square and headed south. Bart watched the car until it passed Ed’s shop. His eyes stopped where Ed stood by a car with the hood up. Driving the police car to the garage Bart got out and raised the hood. This encounter had shot his nerves. He stood with his head down blowing hard. His face was masked in worry.
“Man, what’s wrong with you?” Ed asked.
“Ed, the car that just drove by is big trouble. The man in the back seat owned the trucks we hijacked. His name is McDonald. He and Judd were business associates. Unfortunately, I know him from a few years back. He knows Baker sold the trucks to Gino LaSalle who is another gangster from a rival gang in Chicago. If McDonald finds out we were in on the heist, we will be history. He is looking for Baker and if he gets him, he gets us!” Bart related.
Ed cleared his throat and said, “Calm down a little, Bart! You are a nervous wreck. He gets us only if he gets Baker alive.”
“McDonald tracked Baker here…he knows all about the rangers and said the ranger’s suspected Baker of the graveyard murder. How could he know all that? We got to do something, or we will be caught up in this,” Bart said nervously.
“Settle down Bart…you look like you are guilty of something. Now remember, there is still a small fortune in that remaining truck and we know where it is,” Ed said.
“A lot of good it will do us. We don’t know how to move that kind of merchandise,” Bart stated.
“If we could like happen up on it and give it to McDonald, we might get a reward,” Ed stated.
“We might get killed if they even remotely suspect we are working with Baker,” Bart said.
“Harlan or Judd would have known what to do with that truck,” Ed said.
“Yeah, they knew how to handle things like this. Wait a minute! Judd Smith is back. You're right! He knows how to handle merchandise like that. McDonald wants me to round up Judd Smith. Why do you suppose he wants Judd Smith?” Bart asked.
Ed swallowed hard and wiped his hands on a rag. “I don’t know but I have all my traveling items in the old van ready to go. Just in case things go haywire, I’m ready to travel,” Ed said.
“I’ll do the same. If I have to disappear, I will just walk away and make my way to the van,” Bart said.
“You think Judd would be willing to help us?” Ed asked.
“I don’t know, but I don’t trust anyone anymore. I’m not willing to tell Judd we stole the trucks! He might roll over on us to McDonald for a reward,” Bart said.
Walking back to the motel room the next morning Smitty carried a Houston newspaper. The front page disclosed the Mob bust that had rocked Chicago. “Mac, you want to read about what happened to the trucks?” Smitty asked.
McDonald’s hand shook as he held the coffee cup and read the headlines on the front page. Between clenched teeth he said, “What I wouldn’t give to get my hands around the neck of that double-crossing Baker. I’ll kill the Banker and Baker if it’s the last thing I ever do. I had a fortune invested in those trucks.”
“Boss, there is still one truck that is not accounted for. Baker must still have it hid out somewhere,” said Smitty.
“I always did Willy right. He had no call to cheat me. Have I ever treated you boys anyway but right, huh, Artie? What have I ever done to Willy to deserve this kind of treatment?” McDonald asked.
“You didn’t do nothing, Boss. You was always square with Willy,” Artie said.
Smitty sat at the table giving the details of the bust. He said, “Listen to this, Boss! The feds say this stuff had a street value of close to half a million dollars…It says that LaSalle faces a list of charges that carry thirty years or more.”
“Gee whiz, Boss! I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes,” Artie said.
“You can’t trust anybody these days,” McDonald said.
“Listen to this! One of the trucks had blood in the driver’s seat and in the sleeper; there were bullet holes in the cab! Looks like Hawkins got in a lucky shot,” Smitty said.
McDonald read and re-read the paper. Finally, he crumpled it up and threw it at the garbage can. “The good sheriff better get some results soon…Smitty go back to Huntsville and hang around, maybe you can spot Willy or Bonnie. Maybe our boy is hurt! If he is, I will put him out of his misery!” McDonald said.
The gangsters looked at each other when a knock came on the door. Smitty opened the door and grinned at the tall lanky man that looked as rural as any farmer in Texas.
“What you say, Tall Man?” Smitty said in his deep voice.
The two shook hands and from behind Smitty, McDonald said, “Judd Smith, come in, come in…It’s been a long time,” McDonald said.
C57 - The Genesis
Tugging softly against its mooring, The Genesis sat in a small Caribbean port taking on supplies. Jesse Rash sat thumbing through a stack of papers from the states. His interest had become fixated on the articles in the Houston paper. “Winfred, I had no idea you would go to such great lengths.” Mumbling under his breath he thought, “Willy, why don’t you just let the past die? This is not a thing I can help you with. The banker…that was one thing. Nothing you can do will ever clear your troubled mind of what you have caused.”
ααααααα
Sitting in his cell in the Huntsville State Prison, Ronald Joseph “Beaver” Watson laughed out loud. The Houston paper lay scattered at his feet. “Hey, Booker!” Beaver called to the aged guard as he passed his cell. “Did you see the paper this morning?”
“Yes, and I didn’t see anything humorous,” Booker responded.
Turning the paper toward the cell bars, Beaver proudly displayed the front page. “What’s so funny about that? They are doing something about your kind in Chicago! I just hope they don’t send them here,” Booker stated.
“Booker, if you only knew…say have you heard from our friend Baker?” Watson asked.
“No!” the old guard answered as he walked down the hall with a mop bucket. “Hope he took my advice. I hope you will do the same! You will be leaving in a couple of days, but I don’t think you’ll be away long. I hope I’m retired before Baker ever darkens this place again.”
“I won’t be back, Boss. Unless it’s on visiting day. You’ve seen the last of me. I would like to see Willy, though.” Looking out the cell window into the courtyard, Watson mentally went over his past years of incarceration. ‘Yes,’ he mumbled mostly to himself. ‘You’ve seen the last of me.’
C58 - An Old Acquaintance
Smitty figured his appearance in the small town of Huntsville would not be too noticeable. The town was full of reporters from all over Texas. Sitting in the diner, he watched as people passed back and forth across the square. The diner seemed to be the best place to observe the activity on the square. Reading the newspaper, he drank his third cup of coffee. Paying little attention to what was in the paper, he occasionally glanced up from the paper to scan the street. Even though it was early, cars and trucks maneuvered for a parking spot. An old truck passed, moved around the square and parked across the street at the courthouse. A beautiful young woman got out of the truck and Smitty cast an approving glance her way. Just as he was about to change pages of the Houston paper, the passenger side door opened, and a black-haired beauty stepped out of the truck. Smitty was stunned. He knew that head even though she was on the other side of the truck. Abruptly he got up and paid his tab. If the women came into the diner, he
would be trapped, and she would see him. Crossing the street, the two stepped up on the sidewalk in front of the diner. Walking back to the phone in the hall he stood and fumbled with some change in his pocket. Glancing out the window he saw the two women pass the front window. ‘That was close,’ he thought. This was an interesting twist. Bonnie was apparently going to have a baby.
Bonnie and Annie left the clinic and headed for the local stores to pick up the items they had purchased. “Let’s have a soda before we head home,” Annie said.
Walking across the square they headed for the candy store chatting happily. Down the block Smitty watched the two enter the store. He had located Bonnie. Standing by his car he surveyed the street, contemplating what he would do next. There was the answer... across the street he spied Bart coming out of the sheriff’s office. Moving down the street Smitty intersected the sheriff and said, “The woman McDonald is looking for just went in that store. She will recognize me if she sees me. You follow her and let me know where she goes. I will be back in a couple of hours with the boss. Meet us at the rest stop south of town. She is a beauty with black hair, you can’t miss her.” With that he got back in his car and headed out of town.
Judd Smith walked across the city square where Bart stood next to his car and said, “Hello, Bart. It has been a while.”
“Yes, it has, Judd. You up and joined back in the army? I hear you got a few medals while you were in the war. How did you get back so soon?” Bart asked.
“I got shot a couple of times. Next thing I knew I was on a slow boat home. Looks like this town has gone to hell since I left. How did you get elected sheriff?” Judd inquired.
Bart studied the man for a moment and said, “Things have been happening since you left, Judd. It would be nice if we could get the old shine business going again.” Bart was thinking fast. ‘Judd was a cold fish. This could be his opportunity to get the only witness, Baker, that could link him with the stolen trucks taken care of.’ “Judd, you didn’t mention that you had a nephew killed recently. Does that bother you?”
“To tell you the truth, Bart, I couldn’t stand the jerk or my brother. They were both losers and couldn’t control their liquor. Actually, they were both an embarrassment to me and my brother’s wife,” Judd said.
“The Texas Rangers are down here snooping around. They are not telling me anything. I left you a message. Did you see McDonald?” Bart said.
“I did! I was real surprised to see McDonald down here. He wants me to find a man and woman that gave him some grief. After I help clean up his mess, he wants to do some business like the old days. Is Ed and the kid Taylor still hanging around here? I might be in need of a car or two and a shine driver!” Judd said.
“I haven’t seen the kid lately. Things went to pot after Harlan died. Ed is still running the garage. I think we need to get together and talk. The man you are after and his wife bought the Waters old place. He is a big man, black hair and wears a grey hat,” Bart said.
“McDonald is also looking for a truck loaded with contraband. Do you know where that may be?” Judd asked.
“I don’t know, but there are a lot of vacant farms around this country. A big rig wouldn’t be hard to stash. I know where Baker is, and he is worth a lot of money, let’s say dead, and it needs to be done quickly,” Bart stated.
Judd laughed and said, “I haven’t been home a week and already been offered big money for a fellow McDonald wants alive and you want dead. Things are looking up!”
“Tell McDonald there was no way you could take him alive. McDonald will still pay you and you get a thousand from me,” Bart said.
“It’s always cleaner that way,” Judd observed. “I need a new rifle.”
“Drive over behind Ed’s garage in about an hour and I will bring you what you need. I have been eyeing it myself. It’s in the jail arms room; I will just remove it from the books,” Bart stated.
A while later Bart stood in the old barn behind his house. It had been a fine barn at one time. Now it was beginning to lean to one side from rotting posts and neglect. A cold shiver went through him and a demon from his past fluttered around the dark barn. He swallowed hard as he eyed a rusty old shovel leaning against the back wall. His eyes moved to the old feed manger under which he had buried the rifle. A few minutes of digging in the soft dirt and he uncovered a rusty old pipe. The oily rags he had stuffed in the end had long since rotted. Looking around cautiously, Bart swallowed hard and slid the rifle case from the pipe. The hinges on the case had rusted off. With shaky hands he lifted the lid. Thanks to the dry earth in the barn, the inside of the waterproof case was just as he had seen it last. The rifle was a work of art. It was a J.B. Waller Rifle, specially made in Oklahoma! Less than fifty existed and every one handmade by the best rifle machinist of the time. His old man had owned it for fifteen years and when he died Bart had made sure he got the rifle. Circling behind Ed’s garage where Judd sat, he took the rifle out of his trunk and slid it behind the seat of Judd’s old truck looking around nervously.
“What are you so nervous about, Bart? Everyone in the state of Texas has a deer rifle in their truck,” Judd said.
“Judd, this situation is getting critical and if you put this guy down it will clear a lot of problems up for me. Like I said. It’s worth a thousand if you do it right,” Bart said.
“Bart, what have you gotten yourself into…this time?” Judd grinned.
“Never mind that, Judd. Just take care of the problem. There isn’t much time,” Bart said.
C59 - A New Life
Seeing a customer drive up to the service station, Billy ran and asked, “Yyyou want a fffill up, Mister?”
“Yes, and check under the hood. It sure is a hot one today,” the man behind the wheel said.
“Yyyes Sssir, the sssummerrrs are sure hot herrre in Texas,” Billy said.
“What’s the weather like in Chicago this time of year?” Billy lifted his head from under the hood to see two Texas Rangers had stationed themselves at each side of the car just in case he decided to run. “I dddon’t knnnow whwhwhat yyyouuu mmmean, Mmmister,” Billy asked.
“Let me introduce myself and this young fellow here. We are Texas Rangers,” Lightfoot stated. “This is Ranger Mike Walker. Is that Alice sitting behind the desk? We need to talk to the both of you.”
“Yyyeesss,” Billy replied, somewhat dismayed. He was used to being abused at the hands of the Chicago Police and didn’t see why it would be any different here in Texas. The three went into the station and the rangers introduced themselves to Alice. Sitting in the station Billy said, “Rrrranger, wwwe hhhave nnnothing wwwe cccan tttell yyyou. Wwwilly is lllike a brbrbrother to us.”
“Why did you mention Willy? We haven’t mentioned his name,” Chief Lightfoot stated.
Billy lowered his gaze to the floor and said nothing more.
“Listen both of you, I don’t know what Baker is mixed up in. We have two murders we are investigating and you two might hold the key,” Lightfoot said.
“We don’t know anything about any murders; and we don’t believe Willy could do such a thing,” Alice said.
“Tell us why you checked in the motel in Houston under his name?” Getting no response, Lightfoot continued, “What was he up to during that time?” Billy gave no response to either question. They both sat with their heads down.
“We believe Baker was working for a mobster in Chicago…Is he still working for him?” Lightfoot said.
“We don’t know anything about no mob guy! Willy is just our friend,” Alice said.
“When the truth comes out, you both will be implicated with Baker in what he is doing,” the Chief stated.
“We would still be on the streets of Chicago if it was not for him. He is a good man and he has kept his business to himself,” Alice said.
Mike spoke up and asked, “If you truly believe that he is a good man, help us get to the bottom of this. Why would he set you up in Houston posing as himself?”
�
�Ranger, we truly don’t know,” Alice stated honestly.
“Let me tell you why he did it,” said Lightfoot. “He wanted to throw us off his track. To keep us from spoiling whatever he had planned the night you were in Houston. He says he plans to start a trucking company. Did he tell you anything about that?” Lightfoot asked.
Alice looked up at the two rangers and said, “A long time ago, Billy and I was living on the streets of Chicago. One night a couple of men found us hiding in an alley where we had been sleeping. They beat Billy almost to death and were about to hurt me when a man passed the alley and saw what was happening. That man was Willy Baker. He stopped and looked at Billy lying on the cold street and me half naked. The ruffians told him if he didn’t leave, they would kill him. He stepped into the alley and beat them both up. He took us to a mission down the street and gave us his room. From that time on he kept giving us a helping hand. I believe he would start a trucking business. He loves to keep things moving. Yes, that would be something he would do. A few days ago, we were in Chicago, one day away from being evicted from our apartment. We were hungry and hadn’t eaten all day. The cycle had started again for us and we had given up hope. But all the while Willy had this place for us, and we didn’t even know. Willy knew it was Billy’s dream to work on cars in a service station.” Wiping her eyes, she looked around and said, “If he should have to go to prison for whatever reason, I pray I can take his place. I would gladly spend the rest of my life in prison, if I could do it for Willy.” Alice took a deep breath and continued, “What I will tell you is a mobster by the name of McDonald is looking for Willy and Bonnie. I don’t know why, but he will kill them both if he finds them. Before we left Chicago, we were visited by a detective that is on McDonald’s payroll. He sent word to McDonald that Willy was here in Texas.’
“What is the name of that detective?” Mike asked.
“His name is Hadley,” she said.
Doing Time In Texas, Book 2 Page 23
