San Rafael Jacked

by Tom Ellis

  “Burns! Find those little girls!” Hadfield yelled into the radio.

  Andy clicked his mic button again, unaware the child riding behind him broke the antenna a second before while she was grasping his belt for a better hold.

  Burns and his passengers had ridden for another quarter hour before he slowed Don Cameron to a walk and begin scanning for markers. He noticed Jazz run ahead and then saw the shapes of cattle. Burns reined in and stopped. There was enough moonlight in the distance that he could see the cattle spilling out into the service road from a gate Russell and Cruz forgot to close.

  Andy heard the dog barking and knew he was pushing the cattle into a group. Once the cattle were on the road, Burns would have to turn them north. And do this in the dark with the assistance of one border collie a stud cow horse and night vision goggles. With two kids and a mountain lion cub along for the ride. The smaller child cried herself to sleep and was resting against his chest. Burns loosely held her.

  The child riding behind him punched Andy between the shoulder blades and demanded, “agua!”

  Burns removed a water bottle from a horn bag and handed it over his shoulder to the girl.

  “Gracious vaquero.” She said.

  “You’re welcome Cat Brat.” He replied and heard a soft giggle.

  Part of the cattle had started north on the service road. Jazz ran south and turned the rest of them. Burns tried his radio and could not raise anyone. He reached into his shirt pocket and brought out the cell phone. No signal.

  She will be pissed off now, He thought, putting the phone up. He remembered the encrypted satellite phone in his saddle bags. He removed it and called Jolene’s phone. She didn’t answer; he left a message. He relaxed in the saddle, held on to the small child and let the dog and horse move the cattle.

  “Damnit! I can’t raise Burns on the radio or his cell phone!” Jolene said to Russell who was standing in the RV with her watching the confusion at Rocking H Bar.

  “We heard his coming out clicks. Maybe his radio went out and cell phone service down there is spotty. Those idiots at the Rocking H Bar sure as hell aren’t following him.”

  “I’m still worried about Burns.” She said.

  The sound of automatic fire got both Ashton Bradford and Numb Nuts out of bed. Half-dressed they ran out of the ranch house. And hit the ground when a burst of gunfire came from the bunk house. There was barely anything to deflect the AK47 rounds fired from inside the darkened building. The bullets chewed through the uninsulated walls and into the night. Rounds ricocheted off the concrete floor; their destination, to whom it may concern. There were screams and prayers in both Farsi and Spanish. In a sixteen by twenty-foot building with no lights, nine scared undisciplined men with automatic weapons and six pissed off rattlesnakes was a combination for disaster.

  Numb Nuts drew his Glock and began firing from where he lay. The thug emptied the pistol into the walls of the bunkhouse. He missed the structure ten times. Six rounds got inside, and two hit his cohorts. One fell on top of a snake and was bit five times. With Numb Nuts out of ammo, the only thing he and Bradford could do was hug the dirt.

  Ron Kroll was addled and his mind foggy. He knew someone hit him and that was it. Conscious enough to realize bullets were flying around above him, he huddled behind a blacksmith's forge, and an anvil mounted on a huge log base. Porn Dude was still out cold.

  The gunfire subsided when the ammo ran out. Only moans and occasional screams sounded from the bunkhouse. Bradford came into the workshop and found a confused Kroll, still trying to get his head straight. Porn Dude was another matter. He was still out, naked from the waist down with his flaccid member laying across a cattle prod between his legs. The dead woman and Kroll with a rapidly swelling forehead left little doubt in Bradford’s mind as to what happen. More shooting started and Bradford carefully looked out of the shop. Apparently, Numb Nuts had found another magazine for his pistol and was blazing away at the bunkhouse.

  “CEASE FIRE YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!” Bradford yelled.

  Numb Nuts sheepishly complied.

  While he was a crook with little regard for anything other than money, Bradford remembered his FBI training. Using a flashlight, he studied the bunkhouse closely before approaching and spotted the two by four securing the door. During a careful walk around of the building, he spotted the breaker box with the thrown switch. Bradford turned it back on. Amazingly one light was not shot out.

  Kroll walked unsteadily from the shop. He’d found a lantern.

  “Hey Kroll, see if there is a rope in that shop. We need to open the bunkhouse door.” Bradford said.

  After a few minutes of looking while struggling with dizziness and foggy vision, Kroll found a rope. He figured out what Bradford wanted and after several tries were able to loop the rope around the two by four. Ron heard the buzzing snakes inside the building as well as more moans and screams. He moved to a corner stretching the rope behind him. On Bradford’s signal Ron jerked the rope, flipping the two by four out of the brackets. The door opened because of the weight of five men leaning against it. Their bodies fell to the ground. One rattler slithered around the bodies. Numb Nuts opened fire on the snake causing Bradford and Kroll to dive to the ground behind the bunkhouse. Numb Nuts ran out of ammo again. And the snake kept going.

  Bradford dispatched Numb Nuts into the ranch house with instructions to bring the double barrel shotgun that leaned in a corner. And a box of shells for it.

  It took Numb Nuts three trips to get the right shells for the first shotgun he found. With birdshot loaded in both barrels Bradford figured he couldn’t much more damage. The injured that were mobile climbed into the bunks away from the rattlers. Bradford dispatched the snakes. He told Numb Nuts to load the men that were still alive in the back of the farm truck. Then drive to Nogales and dump them in front of the ER. Numb Nuts got lost and two hours later shoved the bodies off the truck in the parking lot of the Sierra Vista hospital.

  Lanterns and electric lights lit up the area around the casita. Estella and Miguel were working an improvised chow line to feed all the women. Two buses with social workers that arrived before dark sat nearby. These people milled about talking to the women as did Russell and Cruz. Hadfield was beside herself worried about Burns, who wasn’t back and was still not answering his phone. Carson Bell showed unexpected an hour before. TR rode in on horseback thirty minutes later.

  “Carson,” Russell said. “We have learned that these women paid money or have promised to pay fees out of wages earned for their transportation to the US and promised jobs. What these people don’t know is a life enslaved in prostitution awaited them. We know that Deputy Hillman knew about it, and we felt we needed to get them out before their transport showed up. We could not rely on the feds to react quick enough to save them. So Andy Burns came up with a plan, and we pulled it off.”

  “So I have a bunch of illegals on my ranch, and my hands are feeding them. And you have buses and vans ready to move them out at first light.”

  “The vans are from organizations that deal with battered and exploited women. I’m not going to speak to the legality of this.” Russell answered.

  “I’m glad you did it.” Carson Bell said. “TR is pissed off about not being included. But I understand why you didn’t invite him to the party. I wouldn’t have either. That little blond FBI woman would have him spilling the beans in a heartbeat. TR did tell me his FBI girlfriend and her helpers are staking out the service road from my driveway. They were out there last night and are there right now. I expect they were too far away to know what is going on.”

  “That is good to know,” Russell said, not letting on they already knew.

  “We know we got out all the women except one. And there are two missing children. Burns is probably looking for them. But we can’t raise him on our radios, and he is not answering the phone. We have at least an hour to first light. Cruz and I are going looking then.”

  “Butter Billy and Bonita showed
me how to work these night vision goggles,” TR said as he walked up to Russell and Bell. “I’m going to ride the service road all the way to the southeast section gate on the Rocking H Bar. It I haven’t spotted Burns by then, I’ll follow the ranch road back toward the Rocking H Bar headquarters. Cruz says Burns has marked trails with something that shows up in these goggles. And I’m not going to tell Havelee either. At least let me help find Andy.”

  Russell looked at Cruz and Carson Bell, Jolene had joined them and heard what TR said.

  “OK, TR you ride south on the east service road. We will take one of the ATV’s and ride west on the north road until we get close to the west service road. We will turn back before we get to the FBI’s stakeout. We will leave one ATV here for Jolene and Butter Billy to use. They will be our backup. Let’s ride,” Russell said.

  TR nodded and went to where his gray gelding waited. He swung into the saddle and trotted down the ranch road into the darkness. Cruz and Russell followed in the ATV.

  “Those men will find Andy.” Carson Bell said to Jolene.

  “I know Carson and if anybody can take of themselves out here. It is Andy Burns. But damn it, I’m worried about him.”

  “Cell phones work fairly well up here on the north end of the valley. They don’t work as well in the south. I would tell you to keep calling. If he has those kids and that other woman with him, he is going to be slowed down. Anybody that could do what he’s done so far can certainly get back here.”

  “I hope so.”

  Cruz and Russell could travel faster than TR. They were on their way back to the casita when TR came up on the first cattle in the herd. He moved off the road and let them pass watching the animals. In a few minutes, he got a glimpse of a dog working. He figured it was Jazz. TR begin moving south along the side of the northbound herd until he spotted a horse and rider.

  The child riding behind him was turning into an impatient pest. Burns had given her an energy bar he carried in his saddle horn bag. The younger child remained asleep nestled against his chest. He reached into his shirt pocket and removed his cell phone. He saw two bars and sent a text.

  In route with cattle. Hav 2 girls 1 cat. 1 female dead at Ranch

  Jolene was eating a delicious egg dish Estella prepared when her phone buzzed. She read the text.

  “He’s OK! He has the girls!”

  A few minutes later Russell and Cruz returned to the casita and learned the news. Buddy went over and spoke a social worker everyone referred to as Pastor Jimmy.

  “We’ve heard from our missing man. He has the little girls. But the missing woman is dead. I don’t know when he will get here; he’s on horseback. We will get the girls to you later.”

  “Praise the Lord those children are safe.” Pastor Jimmy said. “I have learned the missing woman is the youngest child’s mother. Lupe is the girl's name. The older child is an orphan the smugglers picked up in Mexico. Her name is Larcena, and she is Native American. They don’t know which tribe. Both girls speak Spanish well; I don’t know about English. We need to load up and get moving soon. I want to be on the pavement heading toward Nogales before the first Border Patrol units start moving.”

  “We’ll take care of the kids. Thank you for your help Pastor.”

  “It is a blessing to help. Please convey my thanks to the gentleman that organized this effort. There is a special place in heaven for men like him.”

  “I will do Pastor.”

  TR moved his horse beside Burns and Don Cameron as they followed the cattle.

  “Looks like you have passengers.”

  “Cat Brat that’s TR go ride with him. He probably has a meal or two in his saddle bags.” Burns said moving Don Cameron closer to TR’s horse.

  The girl gave the long-tailed kitten to Burns and reached over to TR. She grasped his extended hand and easily swung over to his horse. Once she was behind TR, Burns handed him the cat.

  “Burns this is a mountain lion cub,” TR said as he examined the furry creature with the long tail.

  “It can’t be very old. The mother is dead, and Cat Brat rescued it. I rescued her and it from a coyote. I should have let the coyote have them both.”

  This remark resulted in the child sticking her tongue out at Burns. She rummaged through TR’s saddle bags until she found a couple of wrapped sandwiches. Which she proceeded to devour, like the coyote planned to do to her kitten. Burns watched this and to the kid's credit, she put the sandwich wrappings back in the saddlebags.

  “Hope you don’t get hungry or you have more sandwiches to eat. I would have stopped at McDonalds and fed her, but there is not one around here.”

  TR laughed and handed the kitten back to the little girl.

  “I hope she doesn’t get sick off yesterday’s sandwiches.” He said.

  “She speaks Spanish and something that sounds like Indian to me. She knows more English than she lets on. All the one I’m holding does is cry and sleep. I have a feeling her mother is dead back in the Rocking H Bar’s workshop. I think the one you have was turned loose in the desert for being a brat.”

  TR laughed again. “The rest of them made it back OK. They will have left by the time we get there. Burns, I understand why you didn’t include me. I would have been glad to help. And this secret stays with me.”

  Andy nodded ascent.

  “What has the cattle got to do with your plan.”

  “Nothing. I think my Half Breed Apache forgot to close the gate behind him or left it open so his relatives could rustle the cattle. I’m thinking the pasture nearest the casita is as good of a place as any for them.”

  “I’ve been thinking about driving them up there myself. Until the dude with the rifle chased me off the other day. And that certainly is a serious looking rifle you got hung across your back. Did you use it on any of those assholes?”

  “Not yet.”

  TR’s horse picked up the pace to head off a couple of steers that moved away from the group. Burns was amazed to see how well the little girl stayed on behind TR as the horse worked. Don Cameron picked that moment to move after two more that went off to the right. Burns grabbed the saddle horn to steady himself.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Havelee Harris’ team of agents finished another night sitting in the San Rafael Valley waiting for a vehicle that didn’t show. The weary team trudged into their respective rooms and proceeded to crash. Desmond and M&M were dead to the world. Ivalou Vargas sleep fitfully worried about Kroll. He had not answered any coded Penelope messages, and Vargas personal cell phone did not ring. Havelee slept soundly for three hours. The motel phone ring woke her. It took a moment for her to realize it was a phone call.

  “Hold for Tucson SAC Lane.” An impersonal voice announced when Harris answered. Havelee tried to get fully awake before the grating sarcastic sounding voice of Adele Lane came on the line.

  “Agent Harris you will immediately detach two of your agents for duty with Tucson PD Street Gang Task Force. I have made several attempts to contact you via your issued cell phone. It is a policy violation to have that phone out of service.”

  Havelee hesitated a moment before replying.

  “Harris I expect an answer for you.”

  “Excuse me, ma’am; I was with my team on an overnight stakeout.”

  “That is not my problem. I have ordered you to send me two of your agents. They need to report forthwith to the Tucson Field Office for a briefing.”

  “Ma’am, no disrespect intended, but my team doesn’t work for you.”

  “Harris, your team is deployed in my area of responsibility. And I assure you that it will not be in your best interest to go over my head to Headquarters. Seven street gang members got shot last night; Tucson PD suspects this was the work of a drug cartel headed by individual known as El Jefe. Your people are working near the US border on some top-secret investigation. Whatever knowledge your agents have gained will be useful to this task force. Now wake up and get your people in route. And before you start
calling Washington, I’m going to warn you once again not to buck me on this. My authorization comes from the Assistant Director.”

  Havelee listened as the phone clicked off. She walked into the kitchen area of the extended stay motel room and started the coffee pot. Mentally she calculated the time in Washington and feasibility of calling Ransom Carter this early. The only thing she was sure of at the moment was watched pots never boil.

  Reluctantly, after a downing a half a cup of coffee, Havelee called Desmond Taylor and Michael Morris, M&M. Twenty minutes later looking none the worse for the wear, the two agents were knocking on her door. Havelee though ill of how quickly men could get ready as she opened the door.

  “We’ll do what we can to help,” Desmond said after hearing the orders to report ASAP to the field office.

  “Lane strikes again,” M&M said.

  “I will follow up with DC and try to get you guys back soon. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will do much good. Lane has a point. While she doesn’t know the target of our investigation, we are working the border. Good luck with it and keep me in the loop as much as possible.”

  Later in the morning Havelee was able to get in touch with Ransom Carter.

  “Agent Harris,’ The Special Assistant to the Director began. ‘I have an email regarding the temporary re-assignment of your two agents. I’ve spoken with the Director, and we concur that SAC Lane and Tucson PD have priority. You, on the other hand, are in more of a watch and wait mode. As you said, the human trafficking pickup didn’t happen as expected and Kroll hasn’t checked in. He has gone off the reservation so to speak in the past. The Director and I believe Kroll has done something like that now. For the time being Ron Kroll is on his own out there. You and Agent Vargas continue surveillance of the ranch where Kroll is thought to be. If that rancher Bell will let the two of you move on to his place, you are authorized to do so. You need to be aware that if there is any escalation of violence gang violence in Tucson, you and Vargas will be recalled to assist in that investigation.”