Bonner Incident

by Thomas A. Watson

  When he had King saddled, Joshua climbed on and headed back to the cabin, twelve miles away. He stayed on the logging road till he reached the highway. After he crossed, he continued on. now moving carefully cross country. The snow line was around five thousand feet and he was barely under it.

  Two miles from the cabin, the radio chatter caught his attention. “Unit 24, Officer Morgan hasn’t reported in. Need you to check last location.”

  At that time, Sonya and William were sitting in Ralph Butler’s, their lawyer’s office in Priest River with the sheriff, Buck. After Ralph had heard the story, he’d called Buck over. When Sonya was finished, Buck was just staring at her with an open mouth. “Why in the hell, didn’t Joshua just come to me?” Buck finally said.

  “Dad said you couldn’t fight the feds,” William said.

  “Holy shit,” Buck said pulling out his cellphone and dialed the station. “Susan, I need you to send some deputies out and bring in some people for questioning,” Buck said and gave her Ben and the rest of the crews’ names. “Now, you make sure to tell each one this is voluntary, but I need to know what happened because the feds are involved.”

  As Buck talked, Sonya looked over at Ralph. “What do you think is going to happen to Joshua?”

  “Sonya, he should’ve turned himself in and let the courts handle this.”

  “Jesus Ralph, they threatened to kill me and William,” Sonya said. “You just expect him to sit in a cell with a threat like that? They told him they were taking everything. He’s doing what he thinks is right.”

  Glancing at Buck, Ralph held up his hand. “Sonya, that was the lawyer talking,” Ralph said in a low voice. “I started making calls after talking to Joshua yesterday and someone wants him shut down bad. It’s impossible to not have a violation of some kind with all the rules now, but they usually only enforce the big ones, not the nitpicky. Talking to you as a friend, Joshua did the right thing. He needs to lay low and let us get a handle on this.”

  Buck hung up his phone and looked at Sonya. “Sonya, I’m telling you right now, if it happened the way Joshua told you, I’m whoopin’ somebody’s ass.”

  “Buck,” William said in a low voice. “Dad said they are going to run over you.”

  “We’ll see son,” Buck said getting up and looking at Ralph. “Your firm going to represent his crew?”

  “Yep,” Ralph nodded. “I only have two partners, so you can only talk to three at a time.”

  “Fine by me,” Buck said turning to Sonya. “Sonya, you and William are staying at my house tonight. I sent a patrol car over to your place.”

  “Buck, you may want to notify Stanley,” Ralph said getting up.

  Putting his cellphone in his pocket, Buck nodded. “I already notified the county prosecutor.”

  “Buck, I have to ask, did the feds approach you to go to Joshua’s site?” Ralph asked.

  Letting out a long sigh, Buck nodded. “Yeah, but Ralph, they are going after him for stump violations and shit,” he said, then looked at William. “You’re not going to believe this, but they filed federal child labor charges because William was at the site. I told them to fuck off and handle it in court. Wish I would’ve just gone up there now.”

  Just then, Buck’s radio went off. “This is unit eleven for the sheriff.”

  “This is the sheriff,” Buck said grabbing his radio.

  “Sheriff, I just left the logging site, but the only things there are two log trailers and a shit load of logs.”

  Buck looked at Sonya as he pressed the talk switch. “Eleven, are you sure? Did you look over the entire area?”

  “Sheriff, I walked the landing, but it’s going to take some time for me to search this valley. Hell, I have to get four miles away just to get radio signal back. Unit four is still up there looking.”

  “Sonya, did Joshua say anything about moving the bodies?” Buck asked.

  “Sonya, don’t answer that,” Ralph said looking at Buck. “You’ve heard her story Buck.”

  “God damn it Ralph! If he tampered with the scene, it’s really hard to call it ‘justifiable homicide’.”

  “Ralph,” Sonya said, looking at him with a nod. “Buck, Joshua said he left those bodies and was leaving. He told his crew to leave them where they lay.”

  Giving a sigh of relief, Buck was about to use the radio when it went off again. “Unit eleven to Sheriff, we have a state trooper here that is heading up to the site.”

  “They know now,” Buck said pressing the mic. “Unit eleven, let him pass.”

  “Uh, sheriff, he’s in a patrol car. I almost got stuck in my 4x4.”

  “If he wants to go up it’s on him, but tell him we aren’t coming to get his ass if he gets stuck.”

  “Buck,” William said in a low voice and Ralph looked at him with a hard stare. “They don’t park the trucks by the landing.”

  “You know where?” Buck asked.

  “Buck, he’s a kid,” Ralph said. Buck just looked at Ralph with a sigh and Ralph nodded at William.

  “About two hundred yards to the west, near the trees where those two streams meet,” William said.

  Nodding at William and Ralph, Buck pressed the mic. “Eleven, go back to the site and look two hundred yards to the west where the two streams meet.”

  “Copy, state is going to wait here beside the highway,” Eleven called back.

  Dropping his hand off the radio, Buck looked at Ralph. “Ralph, he’s my friend too. Hell, we go fishing all the time together. If it happened like Joshua said, I’ll stand beside him no matter what, but if he murdered them, I have to do my duty.”

  “Do you hear yourself Buck?” Sonya snapped. “This is Joshua you’re talking about. He’s done nothing but help. Last year when your deputy’s house burnt down, Joshua pulled his crew up there, cleaned the area, and helped him build a new one in two weeks. Did he charge anyone for that?”

  Throwing up his hands, Buck took a step back. “Sonya, I can’t see Joshua being a murderer, but I’m the law and have to be impartial. Joshua would understand.”

  “So if it happened like Joshua said, you’re not going to arrest him?” she asked.

  “Nope, that will be for the county prosecutor to decide and the grand jury.”

  “Afraid not Buck,” Ralph said making both turn to him. “This is a federal case. They are in charge.”

  “In my jurisdiction,” Buck snapped.

  “The Patriot Act supersedes your jurisdiction. Federal law enforcement can operate independently in the sovereign US.”

  “State law says otherwise,” Buck said. “They must notify and have state law enforcement with them.”

  “That is a courtesy Buck. Federal law says they don’t have to. Then you have to realize, this is taking part on federal land. They are over you.”

  “Bullshit,” Buck yelled. “I’m the elected official here, not some pencil pusher from Washington.”

  “Buck, you need to talk to Stanley and make sure you don’t cross boundaries because in this, Joshua was right, they will get you,” Ralph said calmly.

  Buck yanked out his phone, almost punching the screen to call the station. “Debbie, call the prosecutor’s office and tell Stanley to meet me in my office in one hour,” Buck almost yelled into the phone. “I don’t care what the fuck he’s doing! You tell Stanley to get his ass to my office in one hour!”

  “Buck, you need to calm down,” Sonya said reaching over and patting his arm. “You’ve had one heart attack, you don’t need another.”

  Taking a deep breath, Buck let it out slowly then looked at Sonya. “Let me drop you off at the house, then I’m heading to the station.”

  Ralph picked up his phone punching numbers, “I’ll get my partners and meet you there.”

  Chapter Five

  It was five in the morning and Buck jolted awake as the SUV bounced over a rock. They’d found the bodies right where William said they parked the trucks. A crime scene had been set up and his investigator was out there,
along with the state police investigator. He notified the FBI and Homeland and found out they had a command center set up in Coeur d’Alene, but would be moving it soon.

  “You alright sheriff?” his deputy asked.

  “I’m fine Cory. Just tired.”

  “Sir, Mr. Anderson would never shoot someone unless he felt threatened.”

  “I know Cory, but we are the law and must wait for the facts,” Buck said. “They get the relay set up yet?”

  “Yes sir, about an hour ago,” Cory said as Buck pulled out his cellphone.

  Tapping the screen as he yawned, he pulled the phone to his ear. “Hey Buck,” a man answered.

  “Hey Duane, so what has my investigator found out?”

  “Three males shot between the eyes,” Duane said. “Have to say, not only are you talking excellent marksmanship but damn, you would have to be fast.”

  “I’m almost there, I have the statements so meet me,” Buck said and hung up before Duane answered. He had sat in on all eight interviews and read all eight statements and unless the crime scene said otherwise, Joshua was innocent. It was self-defense. There were only small variations from each person in each statement, but each one read the same. Buck knew the guys would lean toward Joshua, but it was near impossible to get eight almost identical stories.

  Ralph had let him question the men after the statements; Buck had done that enough to know they were telling the truth. He also knew they were lying about what happened to the equipment that was supposed to be at the site. But that equipment wasn’t reported stolen, and as far as he was concerned, not his business.

  Topping the rise, he saw the area lit up like a football field with the portable tower lights. “Glad he didn’t move them,” Buck mumbled, remembering the Claude Dallas incident in the eighties as Cory drove them over to the other SUVs and trucks.

  “What sheriff?” Cory asked parking.

  “Nothing, Cory,” Buck said getting out and Duane was walking over.

  “Hey Buck,” he said handing Buck his notebook. “Looks like a coyote came down, but only chewed on one. Other than that, the scene was pristine.”

  Buck took his notebook and handed over a manila folder. “These are the eyewitness statements. Do a quick read and tell me what you think.” Nodding, Duane opened the folder and moved over to get under one of the massive work lights.

  Opening the notebook, Buck moved over to the crime scene to see three covered corpses. “Someone uncover them please,” he said as he started reading Duane’s notes.

  “And you are?” a man asked in as snotty voice as he walked up.

  “Sheriff Harper. Now you go uncover the fucking bodies before I arrest you,” Buck said without looking up.

  “I’m Special Investigator Brad Johnson with the state police, you will not address me like that.”

  “Someone arrest this cocksucker for interfering with the sheriff and uncover those bodies!” Buck yelled, but still didn’t stop reading.

  Brad turned to see three deputies walking toward him and pulling out handcuffs. “I’m a senior investigator with the state police, you can’t do this.”

  With a headache that could kill a buffalo, Buck finally looked up at Brad. “I’m the big dick, act cocky with me again and I promise, you will see the inside of my jail. Now, go uncover those bodies.”

  Ducking under the crime scene tape, Brad ran over to remove the sheets as Cory walked over to the sheriff with his handcuffs out. “Sir, you still want me to detain him?”

  “Not yet, but if he acts like an ass again, you can haul his ass in,” Buck said reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose hard, silently begging for his headache to ease up.

  “You alright sheriff?” Cory asked putting his handcuffs away.

  “Headache,” Buck said. “Will you see if anyone has some ibuprofen?”

  Cory laughed, “I have some in my rig sir, and some coffee, if you’re interested.”

  Buck looked up at the young deputy and forced a grin. “Thank you Cory. That would be great.”

  As Cory left, Buck read through the notes then flipped to the drawings. Looking at the bodies, he ducked under the tape and moved closer. The two feds were sprawled out. One had his gun in his hand and the others’ guns were right beside them on the ground. He looked over at Wayne with a grimace and noticed his gun was beside him and saw where the coyote had chewed on his left hand.

  Looking up, he saw the blue cover of a thick bound stack of papers he knew was a forestry sale contract. He had lived here all his life and had even worked on logging crews when he was younger. “He shot three men who had guns out? Damn, that’s fast,” Buck mumbled. “Maybe I need to do some old west shoots and some three gun.”

  Cory came over with some pills and a cup of coffee and Buck fought the urge to promote him on the spot. Swallowing the pills with a sip of coffee, Buck nodded at Cory. “Thank you.” Grinning, Cory ducked under the crime scene tape, leaving the sheriff.

  It was just after six when Duane came over and found Buck walking around the bodies. Feeling much better, Buck looked up as Duane ducked under the tape. “Well, what do you think?” Buck asked.

  “The scene is consistent with the statements,” Duane said. “Every one of the eyewitness statements said Joshua threw the contract to Wayne like a distraction as the three drew down on him, then pulled his gun out of his truck and shot them.”

  “Yeah, but I found out we can’t present it to the grand jury. The feds have the case,” Buck said looking at the guns near the two men and one still holding his. “Sonya told me what Joshua had told her, and she never said they had their guns out.”

  “Buck, that’s second hand information. We have eight who said they were here and we have the evidence on the ground. Only one set of boot prints were near the body and they’re Carhartt’s. The same boots Joshua wears and they look to be his size. I know, Alex is on his crew and is my cousin. I’ve visited him a few times on other jobs when they were close,” Duane said.

  “Joshua is damn lucky he got them before they shot him,” Buck said closing Duane’s notebook.

  “Buck,” Duane said lowering his voice. “In the feds truck, I found their documentation of the violations and they are shit. I found one of the ‘Green zone’ infractions and it’s a skidder tire track. It’s over forty feet from the stream.”

  “I know,” Buck said looking around and saw the huge pile of stacked logs at the landing. “Ben told me and gave me pictures of the unmarked trees that were cut down, and even I know they were safety tree cuts. You’d be hard pressed to find someone around here who didn’t know what a widow maker tree was.”

  “I also found Wayne’s field notebook in his SUV. He was at a meeting outlining the takedown. Holy shit, you wouldn’t believe the shit he wrote down,” Duane said glancing around to make sure that nobody could hear.

  Buck scoffed. “Oh yes I would, Wayne hated Joshua like it was almost holy. That boy wasn’t right in the head. That’s why he doesn’t work for any department around here and got hired on by the state. They didn’t know him.”

  “Buck, I know that, but you should see the shit Wayne wrote. He’s the one who demanded that CPS be brought in to take William away. They are serving warrants to do that at nine a.m. today.”

  “I have a car at Joshua’s house and some deputies photographing it. Unlike this scene, that one is not on federal land and the county prosecutor has already filed to block them from disturbing that scene.”

  “Buck, they are the feds,” Duane said in a lower voice.

  “Doesn’t matter. The house is in Sonya’s name, along with the three acres it sits on. Oh, I’ll share what we find, but they are barred from the house.”

  “What about the shop? It’s just on the other side of the land,” Duane asked seeing the state investigator coming.

  Shaking his head, Buck sighed. “Stanley couldn’t get the judge to block that, it’s in Joshua’s name.”

  “Buck, if they take everything in the shop
, even if Joshua can get out of this, he’s done,” Duane said looking over at the landing. “Hell, someone already took his heavy equipment.”

  “Not our concern. Stanley said it hasn’t been reported stolen, so we can’t look for it,” Buck grinned looking over at Duane. “Besides, the shop is empty. Don’t know how and Sonya refused to file a report, so it’s not stolen.”

  Duane grinned as Brad walked up. “So sheriff, any leads on the murder?” Brad asked. “I heard you have eyewitnesses.”

  “Oh, I do,” Buck said and pointed at the three bodies. “There are your murders, the man who committed self-defense took off, in case they sent more.”

  Brad stepped back gasping. “These were brother law enforcement officers.”

  “Not mine,” Buck said narrowing his eyes.

  Turning around, Brad pointed at Wayne’s body. “He was an Idaho State Trooper, not some federal officer.”

  “Brad, Wayne Morgan was not right in the head. He hated Joshua Anderson because Joshua’s dad fired his dad because he was a drunk that almost killed two men on one of his logging sites. Everyone that knows Wayne, knows that for a fact. Hell, I’ve filed two reprimands to his captain about harassing Joshua because Joshua wouldn’t. Joshua felt sorry for Wayne because his dad was a no good drunk,” Buck said putting his hands on his hips.

  “Well, a jury will just have to decide that, won’t they?” Brad said lifting his chin and walking away.

  Watching Brad walk away, Buck felt really old, even though he wasn’t much older than Joshua. As Brad ducked under the crime scene tape, Cory ran toward them and jumped it. He skidded to a halt panting. “Sheriff,” he barked out loudly and Buck motioned with his hand for Cory to lower his voice. “Sheriff, the feds are on their way and should be here in half an hour,” he said in a low voice. “Dispatch said they wanted all crime scene data and for everyone to leave the scene alone.”

  “Thank you Cory,” Buck said motioning him away and turned to Duane. “Duane, I want you to get all your evidence and haul ass to the station and make copies, understand?”