The Grey Man: -Vignettes-

by JL Curtis

  “Umm, not exactly… I’ll tell you after I get a shower.”

  Lying in bed after they’d made love, Aaron poked Jesse. “Okay, now give with the story!”

  Jesse rolled into Aaron’s arms and proceeded to tell him what had happened. Aaron vacillated between laughter and horror and what they’d pulled off, and fear when he found out they’d played the trick on the gunner. “Oh damn, y’all are gonna get me killed, the gunner does not take stuff like that lying down.”

  Jesse poked him back. “Hey, if you’d been here on time, this wouldn’t have happened because we’d have been occupied this morning and I wouldn’t have gone in with Matt, so this is actually your fault!”

  Poking turned into wrestling, which lead to a natural conclusion until Jesse started snickering then laughing, causing Aaron to stop what he was doing. “What? What’s so funny?”

  Jesse said, “Oh don’t stop, I’m just thinking about Eileen, my old roommate, and thin apartment walls.”

  “Huh?” Aaron said.

  “Well, let’s just say Eileen was rather vocal, to put it mildly. Actually it sounded like a cat fight with all the yowling and screaming when she was getting laid. I used to just turn the TV up loud so I didn’t have to listen to it, and one day the neighbor actually asked why we were letting the cats fight at night. I didn’t have the heart to tell her we didn’t have any cats…”

  Aaron rolled over and started laughing, which totally destroyed their mood for maybe a minute.

  Matt came in at 6 PM and yelled through the door, “Y’all want to go to dinner?”

  Aaron looked at Jesse who nodded. “Sure, thirty minutes?”

  “That will work,” Matt said. “I told Felicia I’d pick her up at seven-thirty.”

  A half hour later they met in the living room, and Matt caught a glimpse of Jesse’s badge on her belt. “You carrying?”

  Jesse nodded, “Of course, under Federal Law HR 218 I’m allowed to carry anywhere in the US. I’m not about to be unarmed this close to the border, especially not with the amount of crap with the cartels going on out here. And frankly, both Papa and I are worried about being targeted for killing since our names were put out there by that asshole US Attorney and the media. Thankfully, y’all didn’t get named on the TV broadcast, but I still think y’all should pursue getting carry permits out here.”

  Matt and Aaron both shrugged, and seemed to blow it off, which kicked Jesse into high gear. “No, both of you listen to me! This isn’t a game or a joke, these people play for keeps. There have been over thirty thousand murders in Mexico tied directly to the cartels, and probably two to three hundred in the States, but no one but LEOs are seeing the big picture because DHS and DOJ are hiding that info. There have been hits in Phoenix, McAllen, San Diego and of course Brian Terry and other Border Patrol folks.”

  Poking Aaron in the chest she continued, “You don’t want to lose, and I’m betting if you went to your lawyer, or JAG or whatever the hell he’s called, he could help! So do it!”

  Matt and Aaron mumbled assent and somewhat mollified, Jesse stomped out the door to the trucks. Matt decided to take his, that way he didn’t have to try to scrunch up in the back, and also didn’t have to try to give Aaron directions to Felicia’s house.

  Picking up Felicia promptly at 7:30 PM, a discussion ensued as to where to eat, and Felicia finally convinced them to try a new, to her, Mexican restaurant she’d heard about from one of her co-workers.

  They finally found it on a side street in Carlsbad. Both Matt and Aaron were a little worried about the condition of the neighborhood, but Felicia seemed perfectly comfortable and chatted merrily with Jesse about home and Angelina and how the kids were doing. The food turned out to be excellent, and Matt and Aaron finally relaxed a little bit, even though the two of them and Jesse were the only non-Hispanics in the place.

  Jesse and Felicia decided to go to the ladies room, since there was a bit of a drive back to Escondido. Unbeknownst to them, four Guatemalan ’cowboys’ had come in and begun harassing the female waitresses; as Jesse and Felicia exited the rest room, one of the cowboys pulled one of the waitresses down the hall, but stopped when he saw Felicia and Jesse.

  Letting go of the waitress, who quickly scrambled back toward the dining area, he yelled, “Amigos, I found two pretty putas back here, and one of them is a gringo!”

  Looking between the two of them, he advanced slowly while another cowboy stepped in behind him. Felicia told him in Spanish they were not putas and their men were waiting in the dining room, but the cowboy just laughed and grabbed at Jesse.

  She used a judo move to put him on the ground and control him with the wrist. He yelped, which caused his partner to rush Jesse as he pulled a knife. Jesse maintained control of the cowboy and drew her Python, which stopped the second cowboy cold, but as Felicia attempted to move out of the way, he grabbed her and put his knife to her throat.

  It was a classic standoff until Jesse saw Matt and Aaron filling the hallway. She spit at the cowboy in Spanish that it was a mistake to bring a knife to a gunfight, and she was going to shoot him between the eyes, which caused him to crouch behind Felicia and gave Matt the opportunity to come over his back, grab his wrist and twist him away from Felicia. Matt squeezed the wrist until the cowboy let go of the knife, then continued to squeeze until there was a crack and the cowboy screamed in pain as his wrist bones were broken.

  Jesse took the opportunity to put the first cowboy on the ground his stomach and told Aaron to get her cuffs out of her purse. She handcuffed the first cowboy and went over to the second one, now slumped against the wall and cradling his wrist. She pulled the Python back out and tapped him none too gently between the eyes. When he looked up, all he saw was the end of the barrel and loaded cylinders while Jesse told him quietly in Spanish what she would do to him if she or Felicia ever saw him again. The cowboy’s bladder let go at that point, much to everyone’s disgust.

  The owner yelled down the hall that the police were on the way, as sirens were heard in the distance. Matt had his arm around Felicia and Aaron had turned and was facing the dining area, his Benchmade knife in hand and partially hidden behind his leg. Over his shoulder he said, “Looks like the other two split, and we’ve got a lot of interested observers out here, but nobody’s making a move to help.”

  A couple of minutes later, two Carlsbad PD officers came through the door, and Aaron yelled, “Hey guys, back here!”

  The older officer led, and when Matt and Aaron moved aside, whistled. “Well, what do we have here? And whose handcuffs are those?”

  Jesse had her credentials in her hand, and proffered them saying, “Mine, and I’d like them back please; I don’t have any spares with me.”

  The younger officer looked at them in disgust. “You better not be carrying a weapon. That’s illegal since you’re not a California certified law enforcement. And what gave you the right to handcuff him, and who broke this one’s wrist?”

  Jesse started to reply, but Matt over rode her. “I broke this asshole’s wrist because he had a knife to this lady’s neck. Should I have let him cut her throat?”

  His tone backed the young officer up, and he put his hand on his sidearm, until the older officer said, “Alright, everybody calm down. Miss Cronin, you want to walk me through what went down?”

  Jesse gave him a rundown on the events as they occurred, while the officer sent the younger one to interview the owner, wait staff and patrons who were willing to talk.

  The older officer did a quick search of the two and came up with four packets of cocaine. He turned to her and said, “Looks like you got us some drug runners, and it’s too bad the other two got away, they probably had drugs in the car.”

  Jesse shook her head, “Dammit, I do not need anymore drug runners causing me problems, why do you say they are drug runners?”

  The officer looked at her, “Well, the hats… Some of the gangs use tennis shoes as identifiers, but the Guats seem to like fancy cowboy hats like
these, and it’s usually the first thing they buy with their money. And they usually get a packet or two of coke as a bonus.”

  The officer turned to Felicia corroborated Jesse’s description of the events, and when the officer flashed his light on her neck, saw a thin line of blood. He nodded and radioed for an ambulance and a backup to meet the perp at the hospital to arrest him after treatment. He pulled out a pocket camera and photographed the scene, including Felicia’s bloody neck before allowing her to clean up. He also noted the round abrasion on the second cowboy’s forehead and asked, “What made that?”

  Jesse pulled her jacket aside, and showed the holstered Python. The officer whistled again, saying, “Glad you didn’t shoot him, I’d have hated to take that pistol for evidence!”

  The officers asked the four of them to fill out witness statements, and they were ushered to a table near the kitchen. As they were filling out the statements, the owner came over with water and more iced tea, and presented each of them with flan, compliments of the house. They were finally allowed to leave after a detective had finally showed up and looked at the pictures, read their statements and listened to the description of events. He assured them their information would be held in strict confidence, since these two would be deported immediately for the illegal drugs.

  Jesse got the older officer off to the side, asking, “Hey, what is it with your partner and his comment about my carrying? Under HR 218, I’m allowed and that is federal, not a state thing.”

  The officer said, “He’s a newbie, and here lately it seems all the California training is pushing limiting guns for everybody. Hell, in some jurisdictions in this damn state, they’re trying to prevent local cops from carrying off duty! Don’t worry about him. I’ll jack his ass up in private.”

  Jesse finally got her cuffs back, and she and Felicia visited the ladies room once again, but this time Matt and Aaron were standing in the hallway when they came out.

  It was after midnight when they finally dropped Felicia off, and she and Matt stood in an embrace for minutes at her front door before Matt finally came back to the truck. Finally back at the apartment, Aaron and Jesse crawled into bed, and Jesse started shaking. Aaron put his arms around her and held her, “Adrenalin dump?”

  “Yeah, not as bad as at the Tait place, but damn…”

  “Hey, nothing wrong that,” Aaron said. “I did it after every mission, especially when we were in the shit. I used to shake like a raccoon shitting peach pits.”

  Jesse laughed at that mental picture and snuggled closer. Soon, they were both asleep. And hour later Jesse woke up out a horrific nightmare about the two she’d killed in Texas, sweating and crying. She and Aaron stayed awake for almost two hours while he talked to her and comforted her. He also reminded her she had not shot anybody last night, so she wasn’t a crazy woman and he wasn’t worried about her shooting him in her sleep. They finally got back to sleep about four in the morning, but Jesse was still having mood swings all day. Aaron cued Matt and they just let Jesse sort out herself without their interference.

  ***

  Three days before Christmas, after flying out of Los Angles at Jesse’s insistence, they landed at Midland, to be met by Francisco rather than the old man. Francisco loaded the bags in the back of the Suburban and flipped the keys to Jesse. “You drive. I hate this pig dog of a truck!”

  Jesse caught the keys, laughing. “Francisco you’re just spoiled, you like your little truck and Juanita’s car, and anything bigger makes you nervous, unless it’s the tractor, then you’re in hog heaven. And where is Papa by the way? He forget and go on patrol today?”

  Francisco hung his head. “No, Senora. He’s down in Laredo with Bucky and some of the new patrol officers to try to stem the Christmas rush on drugs. You know they like him to come down and teach the new kids, he’s got a sixth sense, I swear he can…”

  Francisco stopped and walked to the back door, getting in behind Jesse he continued, “He promises to be home tonight, and said you will know where to put everybody. Juanita wanted to know what you want for supper and gave me a shopping list if you want some of that strange California food.”

  Matt and Aaron both laughed at that, earning a sharp glance from Jesse. “I figured we’d eat what Juanita is cooking, and I don’t think she’s ever asked me that.”

  “She said that wasn’t for you, but for your guests.”

  That got everybody laughing and they proceeded home with Matt and Aaron telling stories about Pendleton and their respective jobs, and Francisco filling them in on the goings on at home since Jesse had been gone.

  When they got home, the old man was there, and they once again detailed the incident in California for him. Even after he pressed on the issue, Jesse and Matt both assured him there was no possibility the Carlsbad PD had given out their names to anyone connected with the incident.

  Christmas Eve passed quietly, with Jesse and Juanita going out at the last minute when they realized they were out of pie crusts for the Christmas pies. Aaron took that opportunity to go talk to the old man, knocking on the door to the office, he said, “Mr. Cronin, er, John can I talk to you for a minute?”

  The old man turned around. “Sure, come on in Aaron. What’s on your mind?”

  Aaron stammered, “S-s-sir I’d like to ask your permission to ask Jesse to… Well to marry me.”

  The old man leaned forward. “Aaron, are you serious about this? Given all that’s happened and y’all being separated like you are?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve been thinking about it for the last three months, and when Jesse went down in the back, I thought she’d been shot and killed and I thought my heart was gonna stop. I didn’t want things to end that way, and I realized how much I really missed her and love her since I left for Pendleton.”

  The old man leaned back. “Well, I only see one problem, Aaron.”

  Looking crestfallen Aaron said, “What is that sir?”

  The old man banged his hands down on the arms of the chair, causing Aaron to jump, “That damn Ford you’re driving. You cannot be a member of this family and drive one of them! Anyway, the one you have to convince is Jesse, not me!”

  Aaron just stared at the old man for a minute, then smiled ear to ear. “If that is the only issue, I can fix that next week sir! I’m hoping to ask Jesse tomorrow if that is okay with you.”

  “Aaron, I don’t care when you ask her, that is between you and her.”

  Aaron stuck out his hand and he and the old man shook hands, and Aaron floated out of the room. A half hour later, Francisco walked in with the feed and vet bills, and the old man said, “You owe me twenty, he asked me today, and he’s going to pop the question to Jesse tomorrow.”

  Francisco smiling ear to ear dug a $20 out of his jeans. “Gladly will I pay you, John. Juanita and all the women will be very happy with this, and they will start planning the wedding as soon as Juanita tells them!”

  Christmas morning dawned clear and cold, and snowflakes started dusting down about 7 AM. In honor of Christmas, the decision had been made to delay breakfast until 7:30 AM and let everybody sleep in, but everyone started gathering in the living room about 7:15 AM. The old man was up, dressed and a cup of coffee in hand, along with Juanita and Francisco when Jesse finally came out of her room in sweat pants and a sweat shirt. Matt came in fully dressed and finally Aaron came through the back door, followed by Toby.

  Presents were handed out with everybody oohing and aahing over the various gifts. The old man gave Matt, Aaron, and Toby CRKT M-16 knives, and Toby especially was ecstatic over the gift. Francisco got a new pocket watch, and Juanita a new set of kitchen knives for their house. Jesse got a new pair of Ostrich Lucchese boots in Havana leather color, and the old man got a new gun belt and holster from Rowe’s Leather for his barbecue 1911. Matt and Aaron exchanged gifts, and both laughed when they realized they’d bought each other the same thing, spare magazines for their Glocks. Aaron had given Jesse a pair of filigreed earrings, but he surprised her by
kneeling in all the wrapping paper, and holding out a small box, “Jesse, I love you. Will you marry me?”

  Jesse put both hands to her face, and started crying. Aaron’s face fell, and he started to get up when Jesse grabbed him and pulled him to her, “Yes, yes, yes!” Then she pushed him away and ran crying from the room.

  All the men looked on in amazement, as Juanita got up and went to Jesse. Aaron looked around. “What in the hell?”

  The old man just shook his head. “Women…”

  In chorus, all the other men said, “Amen.”

  During and after breakfast, Matt was nervous as a cat on a tin roof, until his phone rang. It was Felicia inviting him to her family’s house. After the old man drew him a map and loaned him the Suburban, he was all smiles. Taking another package from his room, he bolted out the door.

  Jesse alternated between sitting with Aaron and whispered conversations with Juanita, along with phone calls for the rest of the day. Toby disappeared into the bunk house right after breakfast, and didn’t show back up until dinner. Matt was nowhere to be seen, so they ate without him. Toby shyly handed both Jesse and Aaron gifts wrapped in the left over paper from the morning, and said something to the old man in Degar, which he translated.

  “These are good luck charms Toby carved for you on this day. In his culture, you would now be married, so this is to him, your wedding present.” Aaron shook hands with Toby and thanked him, and Jesse gave him a hug and a kiss, making Toby blush.

  Bucky came by late Christmas afternoon and dropped off a bottle of 18-year-old Macallan Scotch for the old man. As they sat in the office he quietly said, “So far it doesn’t look like any of the cartel folks made the connection between you and Jesse and the four runners you took out. Ironically, the initial reports may actually have helped on that because of the quote innocent unquote statement. They all think it was because of the Chicago end, but Jose is back on their target list, because of the presser he did. We haven’t chased this all the way to ground yet, but it looks like this was one of the Zeta offshoot channels that is trying to expand itself. Right now, all of the info we’ve got says the cartels are containing their killings within their chains south of the border, but I’d still be careful if I were y’all.”