by W L Ripley
Jake lifted the shot glass. “Take a drink, Alex.”
Alex picked up the shot glass and threw it back and slammed the shot glass down hard enough Jake was surprised it didn’t break. Alex said, “Well. What is it?”
“Did you kill Gage? Or have it done.”
“No.”
“Okay, but you’d say that regardless. Do you know who did?”
“No.”
“I have something else and I don’t want you to overreact until I verify it.”
“Well, say it. What’re you doing to me?”
Jake sipped at his beer, set it down, leaned forward, his arms on the table and said, “I tell you this, you tell no one, especially your wife.”
Alex thought about it then nodded his head. “All right. You have my word.”
“I think you have a sister, believe I can prove it, and Pam knows about her. So did your Dad.”
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Jake decided it was time to turn over Fat Boy Haller, let him plead his case.
Maybe stir the pot a little before going out to get him. Pam knows Haller’s location. How long before she turns him to daddy? Or, if she busted a cap on Vernon, would Sheriff Daddy have Haller ‘disappeared’?
Jake called Pam, told her to meet him in the football stadium parking lot. A bit dramatic but hoped the location would draw her. Pam saw herself as the homecoming queen who never turned in her tiara.
She arrived in her Cadillac, top up, the same vehicle he’d seen at the Mitchell lake place, where she’d set up Haller. They got out of their vehicles. Pam started to move close to him but Jake, leaning against the Lincoln, held up a hand to stop her.
“I had a talk with your husband. You didn’t shoot him straight about the night you showed up at my place. You told him we met somewhere else but now he knows the truth.”
Feigning hurt, Pam said, “I was afraid how he would react. Alex can be – ”
“You’ve never been afraid of Alex or anyone else in your life. I understand why you would change the story but that’s a problem for me.”
“I care for you,” she said, dropping down a notch below ‘love’. “And that’s the truth. You see it another way. Don’t you realize we could be together and have everything? I have money put away. We’d have a life and you’d never have to work again.”
“I like working.”
“So work. We can leave here. Go to Texas and build a life together. Leave this place behind. I’m tired and bored with it.”
Leading her on was distasteful, even dishonorable but if she was the killer? He said, “Can I think about it?”
She hesitated before answering, considering him, her eyes hooded, thinking about what he said. Then she smiled. Not a smile like ‘for joy, he loves me’ more like hedging on her response. Be careful with this one. Keep in mind Pam was a very insightful and cautious woman. A woman who may have killed a man and shot at him.
She said, “Of course you can. How long?”
“I’m leaving in tomorrow. I’ll give you an answer before then.”
“What about little Harper?”
“She won’t leave here. We both know that. Right now,” he said, changing the subject to get her in the place he wanted her. “I found Fat Boy Haller and I’m going to go pick him up and turn him in. Your Dad won’t have to worry about him after that.”
Her eyes shifted. “Why not just tell Dad and let him handle it.”
“Not in his jurisdiction and I want to do it. I want to talk to Haller. He may know who killed Gage and that’s my main objective.”
Let her think about that. Maybe force a reaction.
As he drove away, he watched Pam punch numbers in her cell phone.
Better hurry Jake.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Jake set land speed records driving to the lake cabin. He called Haller on a number he had and told him that Pam may call and not to answer the phone and definitely do not do anything until he heard from Jake. He knew it was a possibility Pam would try to beat him there. She could also call Haller and tell him to leave the cabin because Jake was coming to turn him in.
The other possibility, a strong one, was that Pam would call Doc and tell him I knew where Haller was.
If she did, that would affirm a hidden agenda, even that she was framing Haller. If Doc showed up that would release the flying monkeys.
Jake found Haller at the cabin, packing up Gage’s Dodge SUV.
“I gotta get outta here,” Haller said.
“In a stolen vehicle? How far you think you’ll get? Use your head. I’m still your only hope. Where’s Tommy?”
“Took off. Said he was going ape shit sitting around. I’m the same. Let me go. You wouldn’t tell anybody I’m runnin’, wouldja?”
“The very second you start the vehicle. Give me the keys.”
Haller looked at the Dodge thinking about it. “Pam said she’d make sure I didn’t get convicted of the murder.”
“You took her call. After everything I told you,” Jake said. “And that idiot, Tommy, called his brother. Maybe Pam can clear you but will hold it over your head for the rest of your life. You can stay out of jail, not because she says so. I can clear you of everything.”
“So, what do we do?”
“I’ve got to take you in.”
A panicked look. “You said that wouldn’t work.”
“I said wait until you heard from me. I’ve been working on it since you saw me, and I can prove you didn’t shoot Vernon.”
Jake told him about the shot trajectory.
“Pam?” Haller said.
“Unless you got someone better.”
“I trusted her.”
“You’re not the first to make that mistake,” Jake said.
“You give me to Doc he’s going to make sure I get blamed instead of Pam.”
“I’m not going to turn you to Doc. I’m going to turn you over to the Highway Patrol. Watch me do it. Give me the key.”
Haller handed him the keys to the SUV and Jake called the number Trooper Ridley had given him. Ridley’s reaction was not the one hoped for.
“You’ve got Haller,” said Ridley. “Now you want us to come and get him, help you out, right?”
“Sheriff Kellogg could be burning up the asphalt to get here. He does that, Haller won’t be able to testify. Haller will kill him.”
“You may not believe this, but we actually have things to do besides run your errands. You need to think things through before you launch another one of your Jake Morgan, Texas Ranger, exploits.”
“Just get here.”
“Soon as I can,” said Ridley.
Jake put down his cell phone and said, “The highway patrol will be here, and they’ll take you into protective custody.”
“That what you think?” Haller said, looking past Jake. Jake could hear the crunch of gravel under tires. Haller pointed at the sheriff’s vehicle rolling down the road.
Pam had called Doc.
Show time.
Watching the men get out of the Paradise County Sheriff’s SUV, Jake told Haller to get in the Lincoln; he’d take care of this.
“Sure, you will,” Haller said, unconvinced. “Give me a gun.”
Jake shook his head. “Do what I say. The highway patrol is on the way.” But would they get there in time?
Doc Kellogg got out of his sheriff’s unit. Steve Barb and Robby Warner were with him. Barb and Warner were armed. Jake could see weapons on hips. No doubt what was happening here. Wrong move, Doc.
“Well,” Jake said. “What a nice surprise. The whole gang’s here. Just getting ready to bring Haller in to you.”
“We’ll take him,” said Kellogg. “You will turn him over now.”
“No, Doc, don’t believe I will. He willingly surrendered himself to my custody. He wants to tell his side of the story to the State Troopers. This is not your county. Appears we’re on equal footing for a change. “That’s how this is going to play out. I’m handing him to the state boys and you
’re going to allow it. Otherwise, you’re complicit.”
Barb and Steve walked towards Jake and Jake put up a hand like a crossing guard saying, “Keep back. Need to discuss the ground rules with the Sheriff. Why’re you guys with him anyway? Don’t see a badge.”
“I deputized these men to assist me.”
“Interesting choice. Recruiting from the bottom of the gene pool.”
“Give him up, Morgan,” said Kellogg.
“Don’t think so,” Jake said. “Way I figure, I get to decide how this goes.”
“Get closer so I can hear you better,” said Kellogg, taking a step. “Getting older.”
Jake holding up a hand, again. “You can hear me fine. Keep your distance.”
Barb moved a hand to his sidearm.
Jake pulled his weapon and said, “I see a weapon clear I’ll kill that man, then the other two. Don’t doubt it.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” The sheriff recognizing the change in Morgan’s demeanor and voice. “You’re threatening law enforcement officers? Believe I’m going to have to place you under arrest.”
“Good luck with that. Wonder how you knew Haller was here? Bet I can guess who told you. No accounting a father’s love. Barb, you and Warner are going down for killing Gage. I can prove it.”
Nobody moving. Quiet in the air. Warner and Barb edgy. Doc considering his options.
“That fat sonuvabitch Haller,” said Barb. “I should – ”
“Shut up, Steve,” said Kellogg. “Morgan, put your gun away and give us Haller. You walk away clean and that’ll be the end of it. You have no choice.”
“Believe I do. Fact you brought the idiots tells me Haller was right.” Jake waved his weapon in the direction of Barb and Warner. “You boys get on the ground, face in the dirt.”
Barb and Warner hesitated, confused by this turn of events. This wasn’t the way Kellogg told them it would go. Kellogg shook his head and said, to Jake, “By the time the state boys get here it will look like Haller killed you and then he was killed trying to escape.”
As Jake suspected.
“What if I don’t die?” Jake’s eyes fixed, cold now.
Sheriff Kellogg touched the brim of his hat, moving his free hand closer to his sidearm. Trying to be sneaky.
Jake pointed his weapon at Kellogg’s face. “Don’t do that, Doc.”
Kellogg’s hand stopped, then said, “You think you’re so damned smart. But this time, you’ve gone too far. Steve, go get Haller,” said Kellogg.
“Barb” Jake said. “You touch that car door, I’ll shoot you.”
“You’d shoot me in the back?”
“Walk backwards then and I won’t.”
“Dammit, Steve,” said Kellogg. “Go get him. He’s not going to shoot.”
Barb’s mouth working now. Unsure. “You go get him, Doc, you think he won’t.”
“There’s three of us,” said Robby Warner.
“You ever shoot anybody, Robby? Somebody looking at you? Not an easy thing to do. You’d better sit this one out.” Still watching Kellogg. “Keep your hand away from your sidearm, Doc. Doesn’t matter what happens you lose today, don’t add to it.”
Barb trying to work up the nerve, his pale freckles reddening, going for defiant now. “Handled guns all my life, motherfucker.”
“Rabbits don’t carry guns. I will for damned sure kill you. Won’t even be my first. You? You may hit me, you may not. I won’t miss. I believe you killed my best friend. How do you think I feel about that? You touch your weapon and it’ll be your last day. That what you want?”
“I don’t want to go to jail.” Worked up now, chest heaving. Getting ready.
“You’re scared thinking about it. Affects your aim.”
“Who’s going to believe you?” said Kellogg. “I’m the sheriff in pursuit of a fugitive. You were assisting the flight of a fugitive.”
Jake’s eyes were flat. “Trying to convince yourself this will work? It won’t.”
Impasse. Nothing else to do but go for all of it.
“Get on the ground,” Jake said, “Face down, hands laced behind your neck.”
“If we don’t?”
Calmly, enunciating every word, Jake saying now, “Do exactly as I say when I say it, or I will kill every man does not.”
Barb twitchy now, looking at Kellogg, Kellogg fixed on Jake. Was it going to happen?
Warner was shaken, holding his arms out in front of him. He tossed his weapon. “No, I’m out.” He got down on his knees and lay down, his hands behind his neck.
“Last chance,” Jake said, to Kellogg and Barb. “Two fingers, left hand, toss your weapons and kiss the planet.”
Barb’s mouth working, chewing his lip. Barb was almost vibrating with anticipation. It was going to happen. Sometimes you just knew.
“You got three seconds. One. Two...
Barb bellowed, cleared his weapon. Jake shot him twice in the chest. Barb never got off a shot. Jake quickly swung the SIG Sauer in Doc’s direction who had his hand on his holster.
“What’s it gonna be, Doc? Up to you.”
Kellogg dropped his head, removed his sidearm with two fingers, and dropped it in the dirt.
“Step away,” Jake said.
Doc did so, haltingly, his head shaking. Jake walked towards Doc, keeping the SIG Sauer levelled. He picked up Doc’s pistol, walked over and relieved Robby Warner of his weapon.
“You killed Steve,” said Warner.
“Probably,” Jake said, kneeling to check Barb’s vitals. Barb was still breathing but it was liquid and heavy. “He dealt it.”
Jake cuffed Warner, checked Barb and then cuffed Kellogg using the sheriff’s own bracelets. Jake called for an ambulance and then called the Highway Patrol dispatch. The dispatcher said there was a unit already en route.
Ridley was coming.
“She’s my daughter,” said Kellogg, looking for redemption. Had to be a hard thing. “Anyone would’ve done the same.”
“Better Pam hadn’t called you. All you would’ve had was an obstruction charge and maybe not even that.”
It was as if the life had drained out of him. “I didn’t want this. I had to do it. You have to understand. I had no choice.”
“I know,” Jake said, nodding. “Doesn’t make it right, Doc.”
Chapter Sixty
Fred Ridley and another trooper showed and took Doc and Warner into custody. An ambulance came with them for Barb.
“You’ll have to come with us, make a statement,” said Ridley. “You ever go out and not shoot people?”
Jake thanked them, following them to troop HQ and called Cal Bannister to explain the situation.
“Damn, son. What do you need from our end?”
“Give a heads-up to Buddy, Deputy Bailey or anyone trustworthy at the sheriff’s department and tell them to keep it on the QT. Kellogg is in custody but I don’t want Pam to know about any of this until I talk to her.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. I’ll be tied up with the patrol for some time and need radio silence for as long as possible.”
“All right. Buddy may be the best choice to clue in Bailey since she trusts him. What do you have in mind?”
“Tie Pam to Vernon’s homicide.”
“That’s a tough one. The only thing you have is the bullet trajectory.”
“Maybe I’ll get a confession.”
“And maybe I’ll run for governor. You’re working without a net. I think you like it that way.”
It was early evening before the patrol investigator, a sharp guy in a suit named Reynolds, released Jake. It helped that both Fat Boy Haller and Robby Warner confirmed Jake’s report.
Leaving troop HQ Jake checked with Cal again and asked if anything had leaked yet.
“Pretty quiet here,” Cal said. “So far, so good.”
That done Jake called Pam Kellogg Mitchell.
“Yes, Jake,” Pam said, answering the phone call.
“I’ve made my decision. About us,” Jake said. “Listen, the Highway Patrol has Haller and your dad is with him at Troop A.” Not really a lie but not totally true. “Something’s come up. Concerns you.” Letting it hang in the air.
“What?”
“Well, Haller made accusations against you to the highway patrol. I don’t think they believe him but he’s saying you framed him, and they will have to follow up. We need to put our heads together and come up with a plan. Meet me at the football stadium again.”
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
“Thirty minutes.”
“Okay.”
He could almost hear the spinning reel sing its happy song.
Jake met Pam once again at the high school football stadium parking lot. They got out of their cars, slipping a compact voice recorder Cal gave him into an inner part of his jacket. He walked Pam to the far end of the West bleachers. Pam was carrying a large handbag. Jake noticed the sagging weight in the bag.
“I believe,” Jake said. “We can start with you handing me the handgun in your bag.”
She shook her head, exasperated. “It never stops with you, does it?”
“At least put the bag out of reach.”
She hesitated before setting the bag on a low bleacher seat. “You said you had information about Noah trying to blame me for something.”
Noting she hadn’t mentioned her father. She either didn’t know the truth or believed Jake’s scenario.
“First, let’s talk about our future.”
Pam crossed her arms and screwed up the corner of her mouth. “I’m listening.”
Jake had been formulating his monologue on the drive. Pam was sharp and was not going to fall for an obvious trap. She was here and either she had affection for him, or she wanted to know what was being said; Jake didn’t know.
“I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you,” Jake said. “You’re right, I was hurt by the way you dumped me years ago. It stung more than I cared to admit.” This was tougher to do than he thought. He wasn’t an actor, and her standing there in front of him he still felt the tug of their conflicted memories and the allure that was uniquely Pam Kellogg.