by P. Thompson
After two days in the hospital, I was finally home. Tonight was Halloween and I had not one stick of candy. Well not until Max showed up with bags of candy. The weather was better, but still pretty cold by the time the Trick or Treater started showing up. Max had got a pirates costume at the shop and it had a talking bird that sat on his shoulder. So each time he opened the door it would squawk and say “Throw them overboard.” I sat in a wheelchair by the door to watch the kids and let Max have his fun.
By morning I was ready for work. As bad as it hurt I wasn’t letting anyone know. Loraine came and got me so no one would be the wiser, plus I couldn’t drive. Scott Mallard was there working on replacing the glass in the front door when we arrived.
“Hey Scott, how are you?” I asked.
“The question is, ‘how are you?’ and what are you doing out and about so early?”
“I’m good; you can’t keep this girl down for long.” Loraine wheeled me into the office and to the conference room.
“Thanks Loraine, I can take it from here.” She nodded and left me working on the murder board and murder book. I worked for about an hour before Bo brought me coffee with a sly grin.
“What’s up with the grin?” I asked him.
“Not a thing, just knowing you’re here that’s all.”
“Fill me in on Saturday night. Sheriff didn’t say much; just that the kids are dead and there was a shootout.”
“Well, there’s a lot of truck and cars with bullet hole in them. Bubba was upset that he didn’t have his blaster on him at the time. Can you imagine? Sheriff turned his truck to the side to take the blunt of the fire and over the bed of the truck returned fire. Tony and Mick showed up with shotguns and the rest of law enforcement that was on duty and some that wasn’t, showed up and boxed them in. The sheriff got on the bullhorn for them to give up, but they just kept on firing. There was nothing left to do but to stop the madness. The truck they had was stolen from a farmer named Clyde Homer out west of town. Hope he’s got insurance is all I can say. Max’s truck maybe considered a total, will have to wait and see what insurance says. Mick and Tony were out of the fire zone so their vehicle didn’t suffer any damage. Two patrol cars have no windshields and the radiators are shot to pieces. Insurance will patch them up for sure. What I would like to know where they got all the firepower from. Not so much who gave it to them, we pretty much know that, but who the supplier was that supplied Raymond and Diego.” Bo was telling me all this as Bubba walked in.
“That would be my question too.” Bubba said.
“How about that dude that we arrested maybe eight years ago? I guess that was before you guys came on board. It was Steve and I who got him out in Little Creek Township. I can’t think of his name off hand. He gave us no trouble just walked right out with his hands in the air. We found nothing in his cabin in the way of guns or ammo, but his truck was loaded down with them. Some were stolen some brand new. He got five years for procession of stolen guns and selling them, he’s been out a long time. Tanner Mays, that was his name. Look him up and see where he’s at now. I’d bet he’s out at his little cabin.”
Bubba stuck his head around the door and shouted to Loraine to look this dude up for us. Didn’t take her a minute and she was back with a whole file on him. Things going back before even Steve and I arrested him, and right up to date. We took turns reading it and making comment on it before the sheriff came through the door wanting to know what I was doing there for starters and what we were up to?
“Sheriff, do you remember Tanner Mays the gun runner Steve and I arrested eight maybe nine years ago? We’re thinking maybe he has something to do with all the guns that these kids have of Raymond and Diego’s. We’re just going over his file now, but there’s nothing new in here, not even a traffic ticket. He must be back out at his cabin; we need to go have a look.”
“You need to be at home and yes Bo and Bubba will make the trip out there. Take Janet Evens, I’ve moved her up to first shift so she should be good to go. Just so you have back up and she gets some experience.”
With that the three of them left the room leaving me alone to do little more than think.
Max came in and with his head cocked to one side said, “When you weren’t at home I guessed you’d be here. Anything new happening?”
“I may have figured out where the guns are coming from. Before your time Steve and I arrested one Tanner Mays for gun running. He’s been out a few years now, but you never know what he might be up to. Anyway, Bo and Bubba have gone out to his cabin to have a look around. Did your guys get anything off of the truck those kids where driving?”
“Nothing to write home about. Most everything in there was Clyde’s stuff. As far as I know there’s been no ID on those kids turn up yet. We’ve got Mexico checking their records, such as they are, and if they find the time to even look and see if they are in their system.”
“What do you say we go by The Table tonight and see what Ralph’s got cookin’?” I asked Max.
“Sounds good to me. Hey, was there any trouble this Halloween in town?”
“Oh some kids papered some yards and soaped some of the town’s windows, but nothing harmful, no drunks, I think it was too cold for them to be out so maybe they partied at home.”
“Okay got to go, have a lot to do today. See you about five?”
“Sounds about right. I’ll let you know if I go home early.”
He gave me a kiss, a long and loving one then tossed my hair a bit and left.
******
Bo, Bubba and Janet arrived in the Little Creek Township and went looking for Tanner Mays’ cabin. Jenny had given them directions on a piece of paper and they were pretty easy to follow. As they got close Janet left her patrol car and joined Bo and Bubba in the truck. As they got out putting on the vest and body cams Janet said, “I smell smoke, like a fire place, someone’s burning wood up ahead. There’s only two people living on the road and Tanner’s is the first place. The other two are farther on down the road.”
“Got your radio?” Bo asked Janet.
“Yep.”
“Good, we need to go quietly so turn your volume down to almost nothing.”
As they rounded the curve in the dirt road they could see the cabin. Out front was an old pickup truck.
“Call Jenny and ask her what kind of truck Tanner was driving back in the day.”
Janet backed up a bit and pulled out her cellphone. When Jenny answered she asked, “We’re here at the cabin, there’s an old pick-up truck out front and smoke coming from the cabin. Bo wants to know what kind of truck did Tanner drive back when you arrested him.”
“It was some old GMC pick-up truck, rusty red the best I remember. Is that what you’re seeing out there?”
“It’s rusty red, but not sure the make from this distance. I’ll let you know when we get closer.”
Janet came back to Bo and Bubba and said, “Jenny says it was a GMC truck and it was rusty red in color. Can you see the make from here?”
“Bubba go get my binoculars out of the truck for me.” Bo asked.
“Don’t need no binoculars, I can see just fine and that’s a GMC. You need glasses Bo?”
“Smart ass, I wasn’t needed them for the truck, but for the window in the cabin. There’s a shadow going back and forth ever so often like someone is pacing the floor.”
Bubba left and went back to the truck and returned with the binoculars. Bo lifted them to his eyes and waited a minutes.
“Whoever is pacing is a male. He’s not very tall guessing by the height of the windows. Is there any way to circle around in this wooded area and get to the back of the house?”
“No, too many brambles to contend with. We’d be cut up something awful.” Bubba told him.
“Okay then, cover me and I’m going to just walk up there knock on the door. I’ll tell him my truck broke down, see if I can use his phone.”
“That’s not a smart idea, Bo. Take the truck, its good cover. If he shoots at you you’ll ha
ve something to get out of there in. It’s my truck, so if it get a bullet hole or two, no big deal.”
“Okay, still have my back and stay low, both of you.”
Bo went back to the truck and started it up. It roared to life and Bo put it in gear and made for the cabin. He didn’t get half way up the drive when Bubba yelled, “Gun!”
A blast came out of the window of the cabin just missing the truck. Bo threw the truck in reverse and slammed on the gas. There was a yell from the cabin,
“That’s a warning shot, the next one will find you. This is private property, keep out!”
Back around the curve in the road Bubba says, “See, if you had been walking up the drive you could be dead right now.”
“Do you want me to call for back up?” Janet asked.
“Not yet. Do you have that mega phone you use to carry around?”
“Back seat behind the passenger side just let the back of the seat down and there’s storage back there. While you’re there, bring the Blaster out with you. Just in case.” Bubba said.
After retrieving the mega phone from the truck, Bo got close as he dared and flipped on the speaker. “This is Bedford County Sheriff Department. We need to talk to you. Put down the gun and come out with your hands up.”
The answer to that was another shotgun blast up the driveway.
“Now do you want backup?” Janet asked again.
“I think that would be wise, but first call the sheriff and see how he wants us to handle this.” Bo told her.
“Also tell him I have my Blaster with me.” Bubba said, with a grin on his face.
So Janet called the sheriff and told him the situation and about the Blaster being on scene.
“Oh God no! Tell him to keep that thing locked up I’m on my way.”
Janet passed the word along to both Bo and Bubba.
It took the sheriff about a half an hour to get to the scene and that was with his foot in the carbonator. He found the three of them sitting in the bed of the truck waiting on him.
“Did you put that Blaster up like I said?” It was the first words out of his mouth.
The Blaster had taken out many a bad guy in its day. Taken down walls and opened doors. It was Bubba’s secret weapon. High-powered air with missile like rockets had done the job so many times.
“Yes boss, all tucked away just waiting to be used.” Bubba said back to him.
“Let try to talk this guy out first then if all else fails a little warning shot could be called for.” The sheriff told Bubba.
Sheriff Jeff grabbed the mega phone and hit the on button. “This is Sheriff Jeff Turner of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department...” The blast from the shotgun was loud and clear. It didn’t matter if you were the sheriff or not he wasn’t coming out for no one.
“Well, looks like he’s not interested in talking or coming out, so let start by returning fire after the next blast.
“Tanner Mays come out with your hand up and lay your weapon on the ground.”
The next blast was closer to the curve in the road, not just up the drive.
“Return fire while I try to get on the other side of the driveway.” Bo said.
Bubba stepped around the curve and let loose with a barrage of gunfire and Bo scrambled across the drive to safety on the other side. There he had a better view of the front of the cabin and could see the side of it. After the gunfire was over Bubba pulled back around the curve and hunkered down to wait.
A small blast from something like a Fourth of July fireworks exploded right on the road at the end of the drive leaving a hole the size of a wash tub.
Bubba looked at the sheriff who gave him the nod and Bubba was digging in his truck for ammo and the Blaster.
“Wahoo now the fun begins.” As he was priming his weapon and getting it loaded.
“What do you want me to take out first, the truck or the front door?”
“Let’s just give him a warning shot, say in his drive way close to the truck or the cabin. See if that scares him enough to come out.”
Bubba belly crawled into position and laid the Blaster on a nice size rock. Getting the right angle was important as in times past he just let it do its thing. Also it depended on how much powder he used as to how great the blast. He aimed for the driveway and it left a hole big enough to be a swimming pool, well almost.
“Tanner Mays, come out with your hand up and your weapon on the ground.” The sheriff repeated his last call.
Again a rocket like firework was shot from the cabin, only this time there was more powder to it and it went farther and left a bigger hole.
“You know, I think someone has been trying to make another Blaster. What do you say sheriff, can I take out the door now?”
“Try for the truck first, if that doesn’t get his attention the door is all yours.”
Bubba reloaded the Blaster and got back into position to fire again when there was a whistling sound that made him pick up and move on the double. The blast hit the driveway by the road not far from where Bubba had been, leaving another hole. The holes were getting bigger with each blast.
“He’s putting more powder in each shot. Cover me and let me get on the other side with Bo. Better coverage and a better look at my target.
Bo began to fire and sheriff along with Janet put another barrage of bullets toward the cabin as Bubba ran across the drive to the other side.
“Oh yeah, this is a much better angle and far more coverage. I’m about to take out that truck, stuff your fingers in your ears.” With that he let loose and the truck jumped into the air and came down smoking and then on fire. The sheriff tried again for Tanner Mays to come out and was hailed with another blast of his fireworks.
“Bubba take out the door!” Sheriff told him. “I’m tired of playing around now.”
Bubba reloaded and primed the Blaster then let it go. It did a bit more that take the door. It took the whole front wall and left Tanner standing where the window had once been.
“Too much powder I guess.” Bubba said sheepishly.
“Tanner Mays throw down you weapon and walk up your drive way.”
To which Tanner, with burnt eye brows and singed clothing, walked up the driveway without his weapon.
The sheriff met him half way and placed him under arrest. They place him in Janet’s patrol car and went to have a look at Tanner Mays’ house. They never went inside just stood at the front of it looking in.
“Bo, call for a search warrant. This is far as we go for now.”
******
Back at the office, I was waiting for the guys and Janet to get back and pacing the floor in my wheel chair. Loraine was about to put the brakes on my chair when up the walk we saw them coming. Talking and laughing giving each other the high fives. I was totally jealous. I missed out on all the fun, as it were. I got to see no action and was cooped up in this chair and in this office while everyone was on scene taking down a man I was the one who found. As they came through the door each gave me a hug and congrats on finding the gunrunner.
“Now we just have to get him in the box and see if he’ll cough up Raymond and Diego.” The sheriff said. “Bo, you start on him and if you can’t get his attention I’ll send in Bubba.”
“Bubba, will you carry me home? I’m tired and I need my pain meds.”
“Sure darlin’, I’ll get your coat and be right back.”
“Loraine, keep me updated on how this is going. I just can’t sit here any longer.”
“Sure, not a problem, go get some rest and I’ll check on you later.”
Bubba got me home and in the house, chair and all. He looked concerned as he put me on the couch.
“I’m okay just tired and need my meds. I hate being out of the loop especially when you got to use the Blaster and I wasn’t there to watch.”
“I think Janet caught it on her phone, I’ll have her send you it when I get back. It was wild!”
“Thanks, I really would like that.”
; “Do you need anything before I go” Bubba asked.
“Yes, my meds are on the table and a bottle of water would help.” Bubba got the things I needed and then gave me a kiss and left. I picked up the phone and called Max, but there was no answer so I sent him a text that I was at home.
I fell asleep right away with Ming curled up next to me and the TV on hoping to catch up on some news when it came on. The next thing I knew Max came through the door and woke me.
“Hey how are you feeling? They said Bubba took you home early.”
“I was tired and the excitement of them finding Tanner Mays and I missed out on all the fun just made me that much more tired. Anyway I needed my meds so Ming and I had a nice nap.”
“Let’s go eat and you’ll feel better.”
******
Sophie made me a new drink she’s working on for winter. She needs to keep working on it too. Ralph and Sammy made a special little get well cake and put a candle in it. Betty fused over me like an old mother hen so I was feeling better by the time we left. More like me than I had been earlier.
I had left my cellphone at home so I didn’t get any calls while we ate. This sometimes is a good thing, but not tonight. I really wanted to stay on top of what was going on. As Max wheeled me through the door I saw the light blinking on my home phone and knew if it was active my cell might be also. There were three messages and as I read through them I had to smile. They had broken Tanner. He cut a deal if he told them what he knew they wouldn’t get him for assault on the cops who came to arrest him, just the gun running, once again. The next one was from Bubba, and they had searched the cabin or what was left of it, and found guns and ammo stacked in the back room. There were all kinds of weapons and all kinds of different ammo. They had to call in the TBI on the weapons and the TBI guys and gals were going to New Orleans and meet up with Lonnie’s guys on the drugs coming in. Bubba said he was keeping Roy in the loop and hoped Roy would do the same on his end. The last on was from Loraine telling me about the same thing as the other two messages only she asked how I was doing and Cindy needed an update from me on how I was doing. I was to call her tonight before she went off duty.