“God,…Take care of Willy. He has been awful good to Alice and me. Please Lord, don’t let him get caught because he will end up back in prison and he needs to be free. Help him find peace in his soul from the devil that torments him. If you have a place in Heaven for me, give it to Willy. I want him to have it.”
The morning brought a change of bus for Billy and Alice, but they were too happy to be weary. The future had promise for the first time in their lives. A new joy flooded their souls as they changed busses in St. Louis. Miles later her knitting was hanging over the bus window to protect them from the rising sun as the bus headed south once again.
Billy dozed and awakened, watching the girl of his life sleep in the next seat. The sunlight gave her red hair an orange glow as the rays passed through the fabric. “Alice, Alice, wakkke up and rrread me the letter again and tell me wwwhat we are sssupposed to dddo in Houston!” Billy pleaded.
Alice opened the letter again and looked at the picture of Bonnie included in the letter. “Her picture is so beautiful, I don’t think I want you carrying it in your billfold,” Alice said to Billy smiling.
“You gggoing to rrread me thththat llletter or not?” Billy asked.
“Willy wants you to check in the motel beside the bus station and register as Willy Baker. I’m to stay out of sight so the clerk thinks you are traveling alone. We are to stay there for three days then take the bus north. It makes a stop at the service station. Mister Jackson will be looking for us when we get off the bus.”
“Billy, what do you think Willy is up to?” Alice asked.
“I don’t knnnow but, WWWilly nnnever was a very tttalkative mmman,” Billy said.
C45 - Time to Move
“Jerald, I think I’ll head for the river; I need a few days off. Keep an eye on the jail. These walls are closing in on me. If anyone asks for me, just tell them I’ve gone fishing,” Bart said.
“Sheriff, folks get mighty riled up when they can’t get hold of you,” Jerald replied.
“The patrol car is parked out back if you need it. The keys are in my desk,” Bart said.
“Sheriff, I’m too old to be arresting people. My job is cleaning the courthouse and the jail. I’m a janitor not your deputy,” Jerald said.
Irritated Bart said, “Okay, for goodness sakes, Deputy Jones will be back on duty tomorrow. Nothing is going to happen. Just answer the phone!”
Bart hated the sheriff job. It was too confining, and he wasn’t used to being responsible for anything. He would have quit this job long ago if it had not been for Ed. After today things should change for the better. Leaving the sheriff’s office, Bart crossed the square and headed down the back alley that passed behind Ed’s garage. Bart walked down behind an old abandoned feed warehouse where Ed and Thomas waited in one of Ed’s old cars.
Throwing his bag in the backseat and crawling in, Bart settled in the seat with a sigh.
“Get me out of this town, before I explode! If I get one more phone call from some old bat about a cat, dog or kid, I will lose it!” Bart exclaimed.
“Better get out of that sheriff’s uniform before we get too far down the road,” Ed said looking back over the front seat.
Removing the uniform Bart slipped into a pair of blue jeans and cotton shirt before slipping his boots back on. He wiped the dust from them with the uniform shirt and threw it on the floor.
“Where is the hardware, Bart?” Ed asked.
Reaching in his bag Bart handed a heavy handgun to Ed. “How about this one, Ed?” Bart boasted.
Thomas’ eyes opened wide and he said, “Do you think that is necessary? Willy doesn’t want us to use guns!”
“Thomas, do you really want to steal from the mob without a gun?” Handing Ed another small gun over the seat Bart said, “Here, Ed, stick this in your boot.” Handing Thomas the same setup, he said. “You do the same and don’t start whining or I will shoot you. I’ve had a hard day and it won’t take much to make me mad. If you don’t want to use the gun have it handy if I need it.”
“The ranger came in my shop today. His car was missing. I held him up as long as I could. I believe he was after Baker. Baker must have swapped the wires around on the boy ranger’s sparkplugs. I have to give it to Baker; he covers all his bases. He is a smooth character,” Ed said.
“If they are following Baker, they suspect him of something. Now that bothers me,” Bart said.
“I believe he can pull this off if anyone can, but the money still sticks in my craw. Five thousand dollars is not much money for all the chances we are taking. He agreed to five grand awful easily,” Bart said.
“That just shows you how much he is really making off this deal. Don’t worry about that, he will decide to give us a bigger split before it’s over,” Ed said. Looking in the rearview mirror he gave Bart a wink.
“We don’t need to be in a hurry. We have an hour before we can reach him by phone,” Ed said.
“Have you been watching your back side in case we are followed?” Bart asked.
Looking in the rearview mirror, Ed said, “I haven’t seen anyone behind us since we left Huntsville.”
“Pull up that dirt road and let’s watch the highway for a few minutes.” Ed drove his old car up the dirt road and parked so they could watch the main road. Behind him Bart pulled a carton of shells out of his carpet bag. “Put a handful of bullets in your pockets, Boys! Compliments of the Huntsville Police Department. I would dearly hate to run out of lead!” Bart chuckled.
“Thomas, come around here and drive. It will give you something to do besides worry,” Ed said.
Thomas had truly missed his calling. He had been the best driver Judd Smith had ever used. Behind the wheel he was in control and fearless and many a night he had made Bart grab the dashboard as he drove into a curve with a heavily loaded car. Blocking out the conversation around him, he drove on and his mind wandered. One way or the other this was his last walk over the line. Lately his conscience was nagging him. He knew his granny had been right about the drinking and friends he had chosen. Thomas smiled to himself. He could just see Granny looking out the window never getting tired of seeing new scenery of places she had never seen before. Together they could visit his mother and find out who his father was. Years ago, she had come by once to see him. All he could remember about her was running down the street after her when she left. Now he had a plan. She would be proud of him now. He had something to look ahead to. This was the last time he would ever associate with these two.
With a new determination he rolled down the driver’s side window and let the wind and miles go by. He had a plan and no one else must know until he had left Huntsville. I will make it up to Granny for all the misery I have caused her. I would let her see this great country from a high picture window and a comfortable chair. This time I would follow through, with Willy’s help.
ααααααα
“You better come out of there; I am not leaving until we talk,” Annie said standing on the porch surrounded by the dogs. “Bonnie come out here and talk to me! I can’t stand this any longer! I have been worried to death about you!”
All the curtains had been drawn and the house had been dark for several days. Her attempts to get Bonnie to talk to her had been in vain. Annie pleaded, “This is the last time I will try and get you out on my own. I’m going to get Silas to come knock down the door! Come out now or else!” There was movement in the house and a curtain moved from the side of the door.
“Bonnie, I’m not leaving until this matter is settled. Ellis Cooper tells me you have not answered the door when he came to check on the stock. Susie looks worried. Have you been taking care of her and the pups?” Slowly the door opened to reveal a haggard Bonnie standing with her face partially obscured by the door. Pushing her way in the house, Annie confronted Bonnie face to face.
“Okay, so you are not perfect. I accept you just like you are. Bonnie, I know Willy didn’t have anything to do with the murder of my father. I don’t believe Cage thi
nks he did either, but he has a record and is the most logical suspect. I will make us some coffee and we will sit on the porch,” Annie stated.
“There is something you don’t know, Annie,” she said leaning against the door. Annie turned and waited to hear the rest.
“Well, what is it?” Annie asked.
“I’m going to have a baby,” Bonnie replied softly.
“That’s wonderful, Bonnie! The first thing we got to do is get you on a regular diet and go see Doctor Mueller. You look like you haven’t eaten in days! Now you will have to think of the baby from now on,” Annie said.
“Oh, Annie, I’m so sorry I’m not the person you thought I was! I have lived a terrible life and you don’t want me as your neighbor and friend,” Bonnie sobbed.
Annie encouraged Bonnie by saying, “Bonnie, I don’t care about your past. You are my best friend and I don’t want to hear all the sordid details of your misspent youth. We have a baby to take care of and besides, I haven’t had breakfast! Get dressed and let’s go to the diner in town for breakfast…we can go see the doctor while we are there!”
“Girl, you really need to get rid of some of the puppies! They are all over the place! Every day I step in a new pile,” Annie said. The two stood looking at each other then broke into laughter. Crying and laughing together they looked through the screen door at the group of puppies assembled there.
Annie continued, “Cage is on his way out here to talk to you. He will be here shortly then we will go to town. Now get yourself cleaned up and I will see what your new ranch foreman has planned for today!”
“Annie, look!” Bonnie said. Strung out across the field a line of kids of all sizes and colors headed for the swimming hole. The dogs had seen the parade and were racing across the field to join the children. Silas drove up in his truck with Ellis and Hank Conners. Getting out of the truck the three leaned on the fender watching the children.
“Now isn’t that a sight to behold!” Bonnie exclaimed. As they stood watching the children and dogs, the state car pulled up in the driveway and Cage and Lightfoot stepped from the car.
Bonnie wiped her eyes and looked at the two rangers and said, “There is nothing I can tell you. He travels a lot and I know nothing of what he does. I know he would never hurt anyone.”
“Bonnie, I think he carries a gun and that is enough to send him back to prison because he is an ex-con,” Cage said.
ααααααα
Thomas pulled the old sedan into a service station on Highway 45. Stepping from the car Bart looked around.
“Stay put and keep the engine running,” Ed said. Checking his watch, he walked over to a phone booth and waited for the phone to ring. Hearing footsteps behind him he turned to see Willy walking up behind him.
“You are right on time! Let’s go!” Willy said.
“Where did you come from? I don’t see any car,” Thomas said, as the two climbed into the old car.
“The panel truck is about a mile down the road. We will swap vehicles there,” Willy said. A few minutes later they switched vehicles. Thomas drove through the day never relinquishing the wheel; content to drive and not be part of the conversation around him.
“How much further is this place?” Ed asked from the back seat.
“Not far now. A mile on the left is where we turn off the main highway. There will be a canal that runs by the old farm where the trucks are kept.
A few minutes later Thomas said, “The road is coming up, and there is a truck coming out.”
Willy said, “Keep driving straight; let him get on the main road.” Looking out the back window of the panel truck, Willy added, ‘That must be one of the trucks. It appears we are too late…I had figured they would not move for a couple of days more.”
“Well, you figured wrong! Thomas, turn this thing around and stop that truck,” Ed snarled.
“Keep driving and do as I say! That truck has a shooter and a driver! It’s doubtful we would get anything but a dose of lead and maybe dead to boot. Thomas, he is out of sight. You can turn around and go back. If we work fast, we may be able to get the other two trucks tonight. They will move the trucks out at different times and by different routes. The farm is about eight miles up this road,” Willy said.
A mile later Willy directed Thomas to pull the panel truck up a dead-end road that ended at the canal, where he eased into a secluded place behind a clump of brush and small trees. Thomas shut the engine off and sat still staring through the windshield with a tight grip on the steering wheel. It was obvious he was ready to break and run.
“Everyone, just relax! We have several hours to kill before we can start for the farm,” Willy said. The four men got out of the van and opened the doors. Ed leaned against the rear fender and lit a cigarette; his jaws clinched tight. “We should have been here yesterday, and we would not have missed that truck,” he said.
“Relax, Ed,” Willy said with a grin. “We might get it yet. You forget I know where it’s going.”
Pushing a big finger in Willy’s chest, Ed said, “I still say you blew it!”
“Well, things don’t always work out as you expect and that’s why you always have a backup plan. Besides, you lose some and you win some. You get paid the same if we lose the truck or not. So, what’s the beef?” Willy said flippantly.
The two men faced each other. Their faces were only inches apart when Willy pushed the hat back on his head and smiled. It was evident to all that Willy was not intimidated and that infuriated Ed all the more. Moving away from Willy, he seethed with anger.
Bart knew the brutal mentality of Ed. There certainly would be trouble between the two. “Calm down, Ed! We have a job to do and you both need to be in one piece!” Bart said.
The wind was still and hot. The evening dragged by slowly in the summer heat. They sat quietly in the grove of trees by the canal and waited sullenly.
Willy walked away from the group to avoid any more confrontation. He had secretly dreaded this day; his life with Bonnie had changed his perspective and living recklessly held no excitement. In the summer heat, he thought of Bonnie at home. By this time, they would have finished the housework which he enjoyed helping her with and would be sitting in the front porch swing. He had grown to enjoy the quiet and transparent times they shared together. Rolling the wedding band around his finger he realized this was one thing in his life he had done right. He suddenly felt very empty. The crunch of a boot on gravel brought him out of his private thoughts. Showing his displeasure at this intrusion he asked, “What do you want, Thomas?”
“Willy, I have been thinking…I mean something is really bothering me. You don’t need me since one of the trucks has already left. You know I don’t care about the money. Let me stay here. I will wait until you pass in the trucks and then follow you out in the old car.”
Running his fingers through his hair, Willy looked at the pitiful boy and said, “Thomas, why do you ask me to help you, when I am orchestrating the biggest heist ever pulled in the State of Texas?” Nodding at the other two sitting at a distance he added, “Those two will not let you walk away from this.”
Ringing his hands nervously, Thomas shook his head slowly from side to side and said, “No, I guess not but they will listen to you.”
“Taylor, how did you get tied up with those two anyway? Didn’t you realize they were dangerous men and feed on people like you?” Willy asked.
Thomas raised his head, looked at Willy and said, “No one my age in Huntsville wanted anything to do with me. For as long as I can remember no one would associate with me. I fought every day and always lost.”
Feeling guilty, Willy said, “Thomas…I know their kind. You don’t know it, but I have a plan that includes you. I will make sure nothing happens to you.”
“Mr. Baker, I don’t intend to ever do anything like this again. I have a plan if you will help me get out of this safely…I’m going to leave Huntsville and start driving trucks,” Thomas explained.
“That’s a
good plan, Thomas! I will see you get through this, but you are old enough to be responsible…so try helping yourself. Leaving Huntsville would be the best thing you could do. Now tell me are they armed?” Willy asked.
“Yes,” was all the answer Thomas gave.
“Okay, listen to what I am about to tell you.” The two talked for half an hour in the hot sun. Thomas had very little to say and was more in amazement than anything.
Across the clearing Ed fanned himself with his hat. “What do you think those two are cooking up over there?” he asked.
Bart was leaning against a small sapling watching Thomas and Willy through half closed eyes and said, “I don’t like the looks of that either. I sure would like to know what they just talked about.”
“The weasel and fox are getting suspicious. Thomas walk away and let me think for a while,” Willy said. A dull pain shot across his forehead as he watched Thomas walk away along the canal. Thomas had reached out to him again and he gave him assurances he hoped he could bring to fruition. Memories flooded his soul and panic set in. He needed a place to hide; the headache would leave him weak and vulnerable. Walking away he found a secluded place under the low branches of a Willow tree. Crawling in among the branches Willy leaned against the tree and closed his eyes. Sweat coursed down his temples as the pain intensified. In a few minutes, he slept from the exhaustion.
“You know, Ed, we missed a lot of money when we lost that truck,” Bart said.
“Just another score to settle with Baker when this is over with,” Ed replied.
“Sometimes I catch Baker looking at me awful strange and it gives me the creeps,” Bart said. The two watched Thomas walking along the canal.
“We will have to deal with that fool, too,” Ed said. Finally, the sun started to go down and with it a cool breeze began to blow.
Doing Time In Texas, Book 2 Page 17