As the Eagle Flies

by J. D. Oliver

  “Yes, we did. Mary Jane and Iris do not want to go back to LA, they would like to go with us. Did you get the Mules alright?”

  “Yes, they’re at the fair grounds, uh, there is someone else I’d like to introduce you guys to.” I opened the door, Dog came into the room and sat looking at everybody. He gave a small bark, Iris and Alita were in the other bedroom, they came running. All four of them were gushing all over him.

  “What’s his name?” Iris asked. “I haven’t given him one. How would you and Alita like to pick one together? You two talk it over and come to one mind, then tell us what it will be.”

  They and Dog went into the other bedroom. I said, “Well then, what about your rental car, can you turn it in here?”

  “I think they have a rental office at the Hotel in Mammoth. I can turn it in there.” Mary Jane said.

  “Good, that’s on our way. We have enough room in our truck for everyone and their luggage. It’s almost lunch time, we have enough lunch in our cooler that we forgot about, I’ll go get the cooler and we can eat lunch right here.” I said. I went to do just that. When I got back, the women were in the hot tub. I took some lunch into the children and the dog.

  “Are you going to join us Honey?” Faith said. I looked at them. “I will if I can leave my shorts on.” I said.

  “I guess so, it’s usually not done, but for you we’ll make an exception.” Faith said.

  I skinned out of my clothes and made sure I kept Faith between Mary Jane and me. As I settled into the water, I noticed that both Faith and Mary Jane were equally endowed, as they endowments were floating on top of the water.

  I said, “This really doesn’t bother you two, being naked in front of me?”

  “No, of course not. Like I told you, we both think a little differently than you. We were raised that way.” Faith said.

  “Alright, I won’t mention it again. Mary Jane, you said that your husband was killed, how did that happen?”

  “He was one of a team who was investigating a porn film outfit, that was somehow connected to the price fixing in the oil industry. He was killed from ambush by a single rifle shot, they never did find out who did it. But I think I know who was behind it.” Mary Jane said.

  I looked at Faith, she made a sharp intake of her breath. Mary Jane said, “What? Did that ring a bell or something?”

  “Yes,” I said, “have you ever heard of a man named Dipper Tick?”

  It was her turn to be surprised, “Yes, how did you know about him?”

  “It was him that was behind Clay getting shot and spending six months in a coma. Plus we had run ins with him in New Mexico. Clay could of killed him just a week or so ago. Instead he just broke his arm and severed some tendons in his right arm with his knife. We just heard he made bail while waiting for trial.”

  “Damn, I was sure he was behind me getting shot, also.” Mary Jane said, with great agitation, she stood up and stepping out she started pacing around the room. “Where is he? I would enjoy killing him slowly.”

  I jerked my head toward Mary Jane, signaling Faith, Faith stood up and grabbed a towel and put it around Mary Jane’s shoulders. I said, “That doesn’t help much, it’s her bottom I was talking about.” Faith stuck her tongue out at me, and took the towel from Mary Jane’s shoulder. Then she gave me a look that said, how do you like that now?

  Crap, I couldn’t win for losing. I stood up. What I didn’t know was those new silk boxer shorts that Faith had bought me, were clingers. I got up and went and got me a beer from the fridge. I turned to look at them, they were both staring at me. “What?” I said.

  “Those white silk boxers, leave nothing to the imagination, you might just as well take them off.” Faith said.

  I looked down, I bent and took them off and threw them at my wife, they landed on her head. Then I ran for the bathroom. I heard them laughing like mad. I got in the shower, just to cool off.

  When I came out of the bathroom, they were both dressed, Mary Jane said, “We’re sorry for teasing you, are you mad at us?”

  “No, of course not. I’m just not used to your openness. Don’t worry about me, I’ll get used to it. I love my wife very much and would never cheat on her.” I said.

  “And you had better not, or you will get shot somewhere else, a lot lower.” Faith said. I finished getting dressed. I showed Mary Jane my knife, she had never seen one like it. I told her about the Tinker. She said, “I wonder if he was a Gypsy?”

  “I don’t know, could have been. He was dressed funny. He sure knew his business. Say, does Iris have knives also?”

  “Yes, of course. I taught her a long time ago. She’s pretty good.” Mary Jane said.

  “Faith just gave Alita her first ones, they’re in her diaper bag.”

  “I wondered why she always kept it closed, she’s going to be a good one.” Mary Jane said.

  “One what?” I asked.

  “A Gypsy, of course.”

  “Oh, I thought you meant like an assassin.” I said.

  “We can all do that, but that isn’t what we are.” Faith said.

  I went to the cooler and got some sandwiches out, then to the fridge and got three beers out and opened them. We three sat around the table and ate lunch. The kids and the dog came out and joined us.

  “Have you seen any of the park yet?” I asked Mary Jane.

  “No, we just got here this morning we didn’t even get a room yet.”

  “Well now you don’t need to, you can stay with us.” Faith said, then turning to me she said, “And as far as the Park goes, I’ve only seen it from the Cooke City gate to here. Can we go in the Park this afternoon?”

  “Yeah, of course we can. We have to turn in Mary Jane’s car at Mammoth anyway. It won’t hurt us to play tourist for awhile.” I said.

  We all trooped out to the truck, Mary Jane got in the back seat with Alita in her car seat in the middle of the back seat and Iris on the other side. Dog got in the front seat between Faith and I. I said to the kids in the back, “have you thought of a name for the dog yet?”

  “No,” Iris said, “we want it to be a good one, not just a run of the mill name like Rover or something.”

  “Alright, you both keep thinking. He answers to Dog, in the meantime.”

  Mary Jane spoke up, “Oh, we almost forgot, my car, we have to take it to Mammoth. It’s setting in the upper parking lot by the Café.” I started the truck and pulled into the other lot. Mary Jane got out with her keys in her hand. She was about to open the door, when I yelled at her- “Stop! Don’t touch the car!” She stopped in mid-stride.

  I got out and went around the truck, the hood on her car wasn’t quite closed all of the way. I told Mary Jane to get back in the truck and said to Faith, “Pull the truck away from here.” “What are you doing?” Faith said.

  “The hood’s not closed all of the way, either someone swiped the battery or something else is going on. Just in case, pull over there a ways.” She did so….

  I opened the hood, slowly. The first place I looked was the battery. There was a wire running from the positive post down under the firewall and disappeared under the car. And it wasn’t original equipment on this model. I got down and looked under the car. Sure enough, there was a home made explosive device strapped to the frame. It had another wire going up through the body under the dash. I bet it was hooked to the ignition switch. I stood back up and disconnected the wire from the battery.

  I stood there thinking, that hood being cracked open like that was a mistake only an amateur would make. Now if I was doing it, that’s what I would do, leave a glaring clue, so a dummy would think he had it disarmed. In this case, whoever did this thought I was the dummy. They weren’t necessarily after Mary Jane, they were after me.

  They must be watching right now, they knew I would spot it. And when I thought it was disarmed and got in the car, maybe just opening the door would set it off? I didn’t know for sure. I wasn’t a demolition expert.

  I took out my cell p
hone and called the Brand Inspector, I bet he would know if there was a bomb expert around here. Turned out a friend of his had just got back from Iraq. He had spent his time over there defusing road side bombs. He was here in ten minutes.

  He said as he stepped out of his jeep. “Having a problem are we?”

  “Yeah, somewhat. Someone either wants Mary Jane dead or me dead, I think it was me.” He looked everything over.

  “Yep, it was set to kill whoever thought they had it disarmed.” He jerked a few wires loose here and there, then slid under the edge of the car and took the bomb out. He laid it on the hood and took the outside wrapping off, “Wow! C-4, this is really uptown stuff. They were professionals alright.”

  “Yeah, I suspected as much. How much do I owe you for saving my life?”

  “Nothing, I suppose I had better tell the FBI about this, maybe even Home Land Security. Are you staying here at the Motel?”

  “Yeah, do you think we can turn this car in to the rental agency?”

  “Nope, I wouldn’t even touch it; anymore than we have. They’ll probably go over it with a fine tooth comb. I’ll call them for you, what’s your name?”

  “Clay Bronson, the woman who rented this car is Mary Jane Hunter, from LA. We’re all staying in room 204. But we’re going to the Park this afternoon, we’ll be back before dark.” He shook my hand and said, “My names Pete Frank, I was raised around here, see you when you get back.”

  I got back in the truck and told the women, “Looks like we’ll probably have to stay not only tonight, but maybe longer. Pete Frank, the guy who dismantled the bomb, said he’d have to call the FBI. So let’s just play the tourist and enjoy ourselves, Okay?”

  Mary Jane looked over her shoulder at Pete, “He’s cute, did he say whether he’s married or not?”

  “Nope, he didn’t. But he said he would see us when we got back. If you can contain yourself that long.” I said. She looked at me and stuck her tongue at me. Then she added, “I want to thank you Clay for saving our lives. We could have been killed if you hadn’t noticed that hood.”

  “Oh, they weren’t after you per se, they were after me, I’m pretty sure it was Dipper Tick.”

  “What makes you think he doesn’t want me dead too?” Mary Jane said.

  “Why? You’re not working that case anymore, but he has a score to settle with me. No, I’m pretty sure you would have been just collateral damage. He left that hood cracked on purpose, he knew I would see it.”

  We had been driving while we were talking, I pulled up to the entrance gate and showed them the annual pass that I had purchased at the North East gate. They waved us on thru. We stopped at the General Store at Mammoth and got some ice cream cones. Then drove up the hill toward Norris. At Mammoth there must have been 50 or 60 head of Elk grazing on the lawns. Alita said, “Can we ride them like Horses?”

  “No sweetheart, we can’t.” Faith said, “They are wild, not tame like horses.”

  “Not even if we asked them?” Alita said.

  “No, not even then. Why don’t you count the number of Bison and Elk that you see along the road?

  “Alright Daddy, how many are there?” Alita said.

  “Well, I don’t know for sure, but I will after you count them.” I said. We spent the rest of the day just sight seeing. This was the first time either one of the women had been to the park. Of course I spent a lot of time here as a kid.

  When we got back to the Motel, guess who was waiting for us? That’s right Harry Silver, my personal FBI agent. They were still processing the rental car when we pulled up. Pete Frank was still there.

  I got out of the pickup, “Well Harry, how did you get here so fast?”

  “They have a small airport here, I brought a helicopter. Who do you think did this?” He said.

  “Well, the car belongs to Mary Jane Hunter, turns out she has had run-ins with our old friend Dipper Tick, but I suppose Pete here has told you how I think it was a trap for me. And if it didn’t get me, at least it would get Mary Jane. Mary Jane had come over and was listening. Harry looked at her and said, “Is that right Miss?”

  “Yes, pretty much. If it wasn’t for Clay being very observant, me and my daughter would be part of the scenery around here.”

  “Harry has any of your agents asked around, did anybody see who messed with this car?” I asked.

  “Yes, of course. Turns out a couple of guys were seen, one of them had his right arm in a sling. I have an APB out on Dipper. Even if he was just here and didn’t do anything, he has violated his bail, he was supposed to stay away from you.”

  “Well, I’ve always given a rattler an opportunity to pull in his fangs and run. But I guess next time, I won’t.” I said.

  “I didn’t hear that. It seems the older I get, the less I hear.” Harry said.

  All of this time Pete Frank and Mary Jane had been giving sideways glances at each other. “Well,” I said, “it’s supper time. Do you want to join us for dinner, Harry?”

  “No, I’ve got some calls to make, maybe later.” He said. I turned to Pete, “Well Pete, I guess that leaves you, I owe you the biggest steak that you can hold. How about it?”

  “Sure, I would be glad to.” He said, talking to me but looking at Mary Jane. She smiled at him. That made him beam. They both walked into the restaurant, together. Faith was standing there with Alita on her hip, and Iris holding her hand on the other side. I took Alita. Iris looked up at Faith and said, “Mom forgot me.”

  “No she didn’t, she knew you was with us, don’t worry.” Faith said, as she still held Iris’ hand as they walked in the Café, in front of Alita and I.

  They found a table for us that would seat six. I made sure that Mary Jane and Pete didn’t set beside each other. They both gave me a dirty look. Why did I do that? Maybe because Mary Jane did walk off without thinking about Iris? Or maybe just because I was ornery at times. Faith had told me that at times I had a mean streak. I didn’t think I did, but just maybe I do.

  Faith kicked me under the table. She jerked her head toward Mary Jane. I knew what she meant. “Okay, okay. Trade seats with me Pete. It seems my wife wants to let you set beside Mary Jane. She thinks I’m some kind of big meanie, or something.”

  Iris cleared her throat and said, “I don’t think you are, Uncle Clay, I think you’re nice.” Then she looked at her mother….

  Mary Jane looked at Pete, then said, “I don’t know what everybody is so upset about. Yes, I was, or am, interested in Pete. As I can see that he is in me. We seem to be attracted to each other. But we’re not going to fall all over each other. I have a Master’s Degree, and I think I’m smart enough to control my feelings.”

  “Being smart, Mother, has nothing to do with feelings. Anyway that was what you told me last year.” Iris said. Mary Jane looked down at her hands, than sideways at Pete, then she said, “Yes Dear, I did tell you that, and you’re right. Sometimes the smartest people are quite dumb. Thank you, for bringing me down to the ground.”

  “Look Mary Jane, there is nothing wrong in love at first sight, that was how Faith and I fell in love. She was sound asleep in bed when I first seen her. I knew right away that this was the one. I was just being a jerk.” I said.

  Pete took Mary Jane’s hand, “I felt the same the second I seen you, but I know we have to get to know each other. And also Iris and I need to get acquainted. I live here, but you don’t. Are you going home, or what are your plans?”

  Mary Jane looked at Faith and I. Faith spoke up, “They are going with us, to the Big Horn Basin. Are you working here, or what?” She said to Pete.

  “No, I just got back last month, I’ve sort of been just hanging loose, spending my mustering out money.” Pete said.

  “Then you’re completely out of the service?” I said.

  “Yep, footloose and fancy free, that’s me.”

  “Well then, perhaps you would like a job? I know that Dipper Tick won’t stop till one of us is dead, you might come in pretty handy.” />
  “Sure, what would I be doing?”

  “Can you ride? Do you know cattle? Can you fix fence? How are you with a hammer and saw? In other words are you a hand?” I said.

  “Yes, I’m pretty handy, I’d do most anything to stay close to Mary Jane and Iris.”

  “Okay then, you’re hired. The first thing I want you to do is, after supper, go over to the fair grounds and check on the mules, make sure they have feed and water. Okay?”

  “Sure, no problem. When do you plan on leaving for home?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but hopefully tomorrow or the next day, can you get your affairs in order that quick?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but I’ll try.” Pete said. While talking to me, but looking at Mary Jane.

  We got our food and the conversation lapsed, first things first, you know. We were just finishing up when Harry Silver came in. He wanted to talk to me. I paid our bill and left a generous tip, after all it’s no easy task waiting on a table of six people. Pete left to check on the mules, said he would see us in the morning. The women went to our room. Harry and I, went outside, where we could talk without anyone hearing.

  “Clay, we finished up on the car, like I told you. But I also wanted to let you know that I did a quick background check on Pete Frank and Mary Jane Hunter. And before you split a gut, it’s just routine in a national security case, like any bomb related cases are anymore. But anyway, Pete checks out alright, so far he is what he says he is. As to Mary Jane, she also is. But have you ever heard of the Carmel Foundation?”

  “Yeah, I think I have. It’s some kind of a philanthropist organization, they give scholarships and stuff don’t they?”

  “Yes, and a lot more. Their net worth is probably more than the U.S. Government. They have bases all over the world on every continent. They are top secret conclaves. The founder of them is one ‘Wolf Hunter’. That’s his name, plus maybe his vocation. He’s in his late eighties now. His wife’s maiden name was Carmel. She was a Sinti Gypsy. They met in Germany at the end of world war two. The rumor is that they found Hitler’s hidden wealth. That’s just the rumor, no one has ever known for sure. But I’m getting away from my point. Mary Jane Hunter, is a Great Grand Daughter to them. Now I’m going to tell you one more thing, I’m not prying it just came up on the research on Mary Jane. Your wife, she is a cousin to Mary Jane. Did you know that?”