by D. Sallen
“Know where we’ll find him?”
“No, but he works for Fritz Deutsch. He oughta know.”
Back at Q-1 where some of the troops had gathered, Kline said, “Hey how about that? Our fearless leader may be a suspect. His Jeep, maybe his gun. Wonder what he had against Donkin?”
“Knock off the bullshit, Kline.” T/Sgt Patton said. “Don’t go starting any dumb ass rumors. Now, if he’d shot one of you goof offs, I could understand that.”
“Hey, don’t you be givin’ the chief any ideas, Sarge. Of course, maybe I’d rather be shot…than dig any more useless holes.”
“If you think that was tough, Kline, you’ve never used a posthole digger…neater holes, but harder work…particularly when you get deep with one.”
Through with his interview, Clint went to the hotel desk to borrow the telephone. When he finally contacted Lt. Pearsall, he explained the Jeep and Donkin situation. “I figure I ought to let you know. I’ve no idea what kind of channels the locals have for notifying you. Surely some one from Air Force will want to look into his murder, if not about my stolen Jeep.”
“Oh yeah,” Lt. Pearsall said. “I’ll buzz the Office of Special Investigations and Air Div Commander. So that’s what happened to Donkin. We put him on a bus to join you.”
“Lord knows I can use some bodies, but what skills did that Private have?”
Pearsall hesitated. “Well…we expected you could use some muscle.”
“Don’t tell me…somebody’s problem child. Why not send him to the boondocks?”
“Yeah…Air Div kinda forced us to take him. He wanted out of the Air Force and it was too soon to court-martial him again.”
“He sure got out the hard way.”
“True, but now he’s one problem you don’t have.”
“Small blessings. What’s the latest word on some more supplies?”
“Good news on gas. You can get it from Fort Peck, and they even have some fifty-five gallon drums you can cart it away in. Oh yeah, next time we can get a plane down there, Colonel Jenner has arranged for a courier to bring you some payroll cash.”
“Hey, that’s the best news yet. Any idea when?”
“No. We have to beg, borrow, steal and pray to break loose an aircraft for our purposes.”
“Cash reminds me. Considering recent events, seems like we ought to have some weapons. Now that my rifle is missing, the only gun we got, that I know of, is Lance Werner’s twenty-two target pistol. How about some forty-fives for the NCOs at least?”
“I can only look into that. I have no idea.”
Having overheard some of Clint’s telephone conversation set Dorris Gilman to thinking. She was vaguely upset about Clint’s involvement with a possible shooting. But how could he really be connected to it if someone stole his gun? But it was his Jeep and an airman killed. What if he had some unknown reason to shoot that man? What if that airman was involved in Clint’s past somehow? What if he knew something despicable about Clint? Something that made Clint think it was necessary to kill him…to shut his mouth?
These thoughts tumbled around in Dorris’ mind until she felt sick. Sighing and wringing a handkerchief, she felt overcome with depression. Lorena came in from the cafe and saw her Mother’s pained look. “What’s the matter, Mom? You don’t look so good.”
“Oh, I’m just down in the dumps. It’ll go away.”
“I bet I know. Are you worried about Sergeant Greybull too?”
“Oh no.” Very perceptive of her daughter. “Why should I be? Are you too?”
“I was at first. Then I got to thinking about how well we know him, and what a fine man he is. He couldn’t have shot another airman. He doesn’t say much. But I believe he’s proud of his ‘troops’ as he calls them.”
Dorris felt so much better she stood and hugged her daughter. “You’ve sure got a cool head on your shoulders, Lorena. I was worried, but you’ve cheered me up.”
When Radecker’s news about the Black body reached Fritz at his desk, he had fits. “Jesus Christ, Basil, are you crazy, killing someone, a negra airman at that?”
“Hey, what you talkin’ about? I ain’t killed no one. A negra airman? I ain’t seen one. Maybe I would kill one if I seen ‘im. But I didn’t. What’s goin’ on here?”
“Sheriff found a dead negra airman in Greybull’s Jeep. An’ you don’t know anything about it?”
“Hell no. Wasn’t anyone in that Jeep when I left it. An’ I din’t see anyone else around.”
“Damn.” Fritz stood up and pointed a finger at Tree. “You better not be shittin’ me. An’ I’ll tell you something else. You better cook up a good story. The county mounties, and maybe the FBI are going to be all over your ass. Over all our asses. I damn sure didn’t want anything like this goin’ on.”
“Wellll…the body ain’t my fault.”
I’m beginning to wonder if Tree isn’t more of a problem than a help. “Yeah, well if I was you, I’d think about camping out of the way for a while. Relieve Sid and Boykin out on the herd. Can’t find you, they can’t ask you anything,”
Good thing I saw that negra drive off with the Jeep. Shit, thought sure as hell they’d pin it on Greybull. Basil hid Clint’ rifle under his bunk. Now how can I get it to the state police, so they know it’s Greybull’s…without connecting it to me?
After lunch, Clint told the troops about payroll and gas at Ft. Peck. “They’ve got fifty-five gallon barrels we can store the gas in. The immediate problem as I see it, is moving those containers and getting the gas out of them.”
Elsas said, “Surely they have at least a hand pump to do that. We may have to leave them on the truck until we can get a fork lift. There’s no easy way to manhandle a full fifty-five gallon drum.”
“Okay, here’s what we’ll do this afternoon. Sergeant Patton, I’d like you to stay here in case the telephone or electricity people show up. Airman Jewel, you stay here and get our supply records in order. The rest of us will take the deuce and the carry-all to Fort P.”
Kline said, “How about we check out the WAC barracks while we’re there”
“You probably can’t get near their quarters,” Clint said, “but if we got any extra time we’ll see if they have a on-limits day room.”
“Rats. If there’s girls about, I want to go too.” Jewel’s complaint caught everyone by surprise. His apple cheeked face flushed red.
Kline said, “Hey baby face. What would you do if we found some? You know what to do with a girl? You sure it’s not a boy you want?”
“You sorry shit head!” Jewel jumped up and pushed Kline over in his chair. “I’ll take care of a girl better than you will…any day of the week.”
Clint shoved his way between the two airman. He pushed Jewel away from Kline who struggled to get up. “Knock off the horse shit, you two. Any more of this stuff and you’ll be doing some guard duty with a sack of sand on your back. Any more horseplay in this restaurant and you’re going to be eating C-rations at Q-1. That clear, everybody?” After Clint stared at each man, they all mumbled a positive. “Kline, your kidding got out of hand. Jewel, you’re still staying here. You got work to do.”
At Fort Peck, Elsas, Priebe and Kline went straight to the salvage yard with the carryall. Clint and the rest drove to the fuel depot in the deuce. Along with ten barrels, the Army supplied a hand pump to the airmen. “That thing’s a lot of work, but I don’t know how else you can get gas out of the fifty-fives without spilling a lot of it,” the supply supervisor said.
“We’ll make it work,” Clint said. “Until we get a fork lift, the full barrels will have to stay on the deuce. Ties up a vehicle. We’ll figure out a better way later.”
On the way back to the fuel depot, Clint dropped off Werner, Alcocke and Hooper near the WAC area. “Lance, go straight to the orderly room an
d make sure they have a unrestricted dayroom, or some other place men can meet the girls. I’ll be back here to pick you up not later than sixteen hundred.”
“Got you, Chief. Only legal fraternization.”
Loaded with fuel, Clint drove the deuce back to the salvage area. Priebe sat in the cab of the deuce with the Jeep engine in the bed. Kline sat in the passenger’s seat. Elsas was talking to the yard NCO. “So, what’s going on, Priebe,” Clint asked.
“We’re all set to haul ass with this vehicle. Elsas is getting some word on that fire engine.”
Seeing the other three airmen missing from Clint’s deuce, Kline hollered, “Don’t tell me those other jokers are at the WAC barracks.”
“Don’t sweat it, Kline,” Clint said. “Elsas will be picking them up again at sixteen hundred. That’s in only twenty-five minutes.”
The carryall riders arrived last back at Q-1. Kline pounced on them as soon as they entered the door. “Hey, I want to know how you lucky stiffs made out with the WACs?”
“Me too,” Jewel piped in. “Except you guys don’t look too happy.”
Lance threw his cap down on a desk. “No, we’re not too happy. Just inside the orderly room, a WAC E-6 jumped up from her desk and shooed us right back out the door. Since she followed us, I asked if they had an on-limits recreation area.”
“Not in this area…strictly off-limits to males.” Stood in the door looking like a tank. A bad tempered tank. “You can meet the girls at the service club, or in town, but not here.”
“The way she said, ‘the girls,’ I wondered if she didn’t include herself. We ended up standing around in the sun waiting for our ride.”
Jewel said, “Didn’t you see any other females around there?”
“Naw…probably most were still on duty,” Lance said.
Smiling, Kline said, “Sarge, if you were a real leader, you’da tried to date the tank. Sacrifice yourself to get an in for the rest of us.”
“You can go piss up a rope, Kline,” Lance said with a smile.
Sergeant Patton had some good news. “We got electricity in, and Monday we get phones. The state police have released your Jeep, Clint. The bad news is you have to go to their Glasgow headquarters to get it.”
“I can do that tomorrow. I’m taking Mrs. Gilman to dance over there. One of you can ride along and drive the Jeep back.”
“Oh, so now it’s Mrs. Gilman…not ‘Dorris, baby?’” Lance asked. His remark caused laughing and snickering among the troops.
Saturday morning, Fritz sauntered into Radecker’s Office. “So what’s going on with that negra’s murder.”
“Not much. I hear they went over Greybull pretty hard. His missing rifle could be the murder weapon, but he musta gave a pretty good account of his activities. Didn’t arrest him. I don’t believe they’re pushing too hard…dead nigra, stranger, no one around here knows. A lotta trouble for nothing.”
“I wouldn’t care if they hauled that Greybull outa here though. How they doing with their construction?”
“Don’t have anything up that I know about. Did show up last evening with another deuce…a Jeep engine mounted in the bed. Airman in Chet’s said it’s for spaying white wash on the impact targets.”
“Shit. Rate they’re going, I won’t have to worry about movin’ any steers for a long time. Maybe never.”
“Well, Greybull seems to be settling right in. Airman said he’s taking Dorris Gilman to a dance in Glasgow tonight.”
“That sonovabitch. I heard the preacher’s brother was sweet on her. So do you think Greybull’s cutting her out of the herd?”
“Hell, I don’t know, and don’t care. She’s a sweet lady. Surprised someone else hadn’t lassoed her before now. She’s been a widow for five years or so.”
“Somehow I don’t like the idea of Greybull being the one.”
“One dance doesn’t make a wedding. Actually…after Maybelle left, I was kinda surprised you weren’t after Dorris.”
Fritz’s face burned. He tried to control his ragged breathing. “Yeah, well she’s a fine lady, but why trade for sugar when you’re after honey.” He walked out.
Radecker thought to himself: Dumb bastard. He’s so hooked on Marie-Elena’s pussy, he don’t have good sense anymore.
In the ladies quarters, Lorena and Dorris looked over the dresses in the latter’s closet. Dorris pulled a white dress off a hanger and held it in front of her before her mirror. “What do you think?”
“You know that’s a very pretty frock…when you wear it to church. I think you need something a little more modern.”
“You mean shorter, don’t you?”
“Sure. You’ve got great legs, Mom. Sergeant Greybull has seen you around here in several of these. So you can’t wear just an every day dress to a dance.” They went through this routine with the rest of Dorris’ ward robe. Lorena had an objection of one sort or another about all of them. Exasperated, Dorris took one covered with a paper bag from the very back of the closet. “I didn’t think you’d ever get to that one. When have you ever worn it?”
“A long time ago. Probably won’t fit anymore.”
“You won’t know if you don’t unwrap it.”
Reluctantly, Dorris pulled an ice-blue linen frock from the bag. She held it in front of her.
Lorena swept her hand down the fabric. “It looks sexy…it feels sexy. That’s more like it. Try it on.”
“You’ll have to zip me up.” Dorris stepped into the lower part of the frock from the rear, and slipped her arms through the sleeveless front. Lorena zipped her up from the small of her back to the turtle neck.
“Oh my. This is more like it. Turn around.” Her Mother did. “Oh, and there’s a little belt for it. Really sets off your waist. Hangs just below your knees.” Lorena paused and scrutinized her mother again. “And look how nice it fits tight across your chest.”
Dorris blushed, not from Lorena’s remark itself, but it triggered a memory of how much Royce Munson used to enjoy her breasts…and she enjoyed him enjoying her breasts. The memory caused a tingle through her body. Then she felt annoyed that the thought of that skunk would cause her to feel excited. Oh my gosh. If I’m feeling sexy just from a bad memory, I’d better be careful tonight.
Clint’s preparations were less elaborate. After a long hot shower he dressed in clean underwear, including a v-neck t-shirt, comfortable dress slacks, a button-up sport shirt, and a sports coat. He topped it off wearing a western bolo tie with a carved jade talisman. He rubbed the jade for good luck.
When Clint returned to the café area, those troops who’d already used up their credit with Chet, sat around drinking coffee. “Hey guys, I need a volunteer for some extra duty tonight. Anyone willing?”
The airmen looked at each other and shrugged. Finally, Corporal (no one was used to calling him Airman Second Class yet,) Jewel said, “Since I didn’t go to Fort Peck today, going into Glasgow seems like a break. I’ll volunteer.”
I didn’t think about that, went through Kline’s mind. All of them had been told, from day one in the Air Force, to never volunteer for anything. Rats. Baby face boy gets to go.
“Thanks, Jewel. We’ll be leaving in my truck soon after supper.”
Dorris was no where in sight when the troops came back to eat. Lorena and the woman who helped with the cleaning waited table. Kline asked, “Where’s your Mom tonight, Lorena?”
“She’s busy doing other things.”
“Oh? Would that be getting dolled up for our fearless leader?”
“She doesn’t have to get dolled up. She’s pretty all the time.”
“I’ll bet she’s even prettier tonight. We can’t wait to see her.”
“Don’t you smart-alecks be giving her a hard time.”
“Who us? Tease a pretty lady? Nevah
hoppen.”
“Hah. I’ve heard you clowns kid each other, and every one else. Sometimes you’re not as smart…or funny as you think you are.”
“That’s not fair. We’re not allowed to tease you. What else is there to do in this dreadful backwater of a small creek?”
“Oh stop it. There’s worse places than West Layover.” Lorena flounced back to the kitchen. Clint had remained a silent observer. As long as they kept it clean, he saw no harm with their talking to, chiding, Lorena. They knew better than to say anything suggestive to her. He noticed that Jewel was wearing clean neat civvies. Clint was a little surprised that he wasn’t wearing his blue uniform.
When every one finished eating, Clint walked back to the hotel and knocked on the door to the women’s quarters. Dorris opened it and stood back. Clint’s face bloomed into a huge smile. “I didn’t know I was dating Misses Montana.”
“Does that mean I pass inspection?”
“Boy, do you ever. I knew you were pretty, but in that dress you are enchanting.”
“Oh, you sweet talking devil. You’ll turn my head…don’t stop.”
Clint extended his arm. “Cmon. I want to show you off to the assembled troops.”
She laughed. “Oh my, am I to be paraded like a war trophy?”
“Maybe I should have come armed. I might have to fight off the entire jealous force.”
Laughing together, they marched into the dinning room. The assembled airmen wolf-whistled in unison. Clint hollered, “Down, boys, down, This prize is mine.”
Watching from the kitchen, Lorena clapped and rushed out to kiss her mother good bye. “And be sure you have her back before nine!”
All the airmen groaned and threw napkins at the girl. “Don’t be a spoilsport, Lorena.”
Clint waved goodbye and motioned for Jewel to follow them out to his truck. Earlier he’d borrowed two large towels from Lorena to put on the bench seat. Clint handed Dorris up to the center and reluctantly told Jewel to climb in beside her. Clint getting into the driver’s seat wedged three relatively slender people together. The rough county short cut Clint took to reach U.S. 2 shook the three of them up like pickles trapped in a roller coaster ride. Once on the paved main road he glanced at his passengers to see how they’d fared. Grim faced Dorris said nothing. What disturbed Clint was Jewel pressed so tight against her. As tight as we’re packed, I guess there’s no help for it. Dorris thought differently.