ααααααα
Change for the Better………It was almost dark when Annie pulled up to the mailboxes along highway 30. It was a hot day. She reached in the mailbox and removed the mail. Easing the old truck forward she opened the mailbox belonging to Bonnie. Reaching in she pulled out a heavy letter. A cool wind had begun to blow. Bonnie sat on the other side of the car with her head against the open window seal. A cool breeze passed through the passenger window. Her eyes were closed. She didn’t see the surprise on Annie’s face as she looked at the return address on Bonnie’s letter. The long silence from the other side of the pickup made Bonnie open her eyes and look over at Annie.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“It’s a letter from your mother,” Annie said anxiously.
For the next few minutes Bonnie wiped the tears from her eyes while trying to read the letter. “They’re coming to Texas, and I have a brother I didn’t even know I had. Mother was pregnant when I was giving her such a hard time,” Bonnie said. By the time they stopped in the front of Bonnie’s house she had finished the letter. Fear that she would be rejected turned to hope as she read the letter. Her family had fallen on hard times and she could now actually do something good to help them.
“Bonnie, you are seeing God’s timing at work. Your family needs you as much as you need them,” Annie said. Excitedly they chattered as they stepped from the old truck.
“We can fix up the cabin in the woods for Willy and me. They can move in this house…Dad can run the farm. Annie, this thing with Willy…what do you think they will say?” Bonnie asked.
“I don’t know but they have had a lot of adversity in their life. I guess they can handle this situation. They may even be a help to you; besides, we don’t know what he is up to,” Annie replied.
“Maybe this will make him decide to stop what he is doing; I mean, with a good family like mine and the baby?” Bonnie said looking at Annie with hope in her eyes.
“I don’t know about Willy but all we can do is take one day at a time and trust God to work things out,” Annie said.
“Maybe they should not come yet,” Bonnie said.
“Don’t start crawfishing now, Bonnie! It’s too late! Besides, yesterday you were on the bottom of the world and today you are on top. I think God is taking a look at your new family and shaping it up,” Annie said reflectively.
ααααααα
Changing the Past…Thomas jerked forward and gave out a gasp as the bullet passed just above Willy’s knees and hit the door panel on the passenger side of the truck. Realizing what had happened Willy grabbed the wheel and placed his foot on top of the gas pedal.
“Willy, I’m hit! Lord, I have been shot!” Thomas screamed.
“Hold on, Thomas! When we get out of sight, I will take over,” Willy yelled trying to stay calm.
Thomas lifted his left hand from his side; a mask of terror covered his face as he saw the blood on his fingers. The road was deserted. Willy helped Thomas move to the passenger side of the cab. Looking in the sleeper he found a sheet which he tore into strips and wrapped around Thomas’ middle. Thomas was numb. The pain had not started.
“Don’t panic! When we get back to the panel truck, I will get you to the doctor! This should never have happened. Ed shot away the prop that was holding the door shut. I’m sorry, Thomas! I will get you to a doctor as soon as possible,” Willy said pleadingly.
“They won’t let you Willy…I’m a liability now, they aim to kill us. I heard them talking. That’s the way they think. I’m real scared, Willy! Don’t let me die! Please don’t let me die!” Thomas began to sob softly.
Trying to stay calm, Willy tried to compose himself by sounding more confident than he really was by saying, “Thomas don’t panic…just stay calm…I promise I will get you to a doctor. This was not supposed to have happened!”
“I have some things to tell you, Willy. I know things I don’t want on my conscience when I die,” Thomas stated.
“You are not going to die. I’ll get you to the doctor just hang on. I’ll drive this rig straight to the next town,” Willy said.
Crying, Thomas looked at the sheet that was wrapped around him saying, “Lord, I’m bleeding like a stuck hog…can’t you help me? Willy, please, you must stop this bleeding!”
Willy replied as truthfully as he could, “I can’t do anymore…the closest town is twenty miles away. I will get you there as fast as I can, just hold on, Thomas! Just hold on!”
Thomas stopped crying and grabbed Willy’s collar and said, “I need to tell you about Bart and Judd Smith and the rotten thing they have done. I guess I’m guilty too because I was too scared to say anything. I don’t want to take this with me to my grave, so listen. I’m afraid I will go to hell. I’ve been praying for forgiveness for a long time, but it still robs me of sleep and drives me nearly crazy at night…I need to tell you.”
“Thomas, be quiet and let me drive this rig! We need to get you to a doctor… so just be quiet and still.” Thomas’ voice was quiet and relaxed, and he put his hand on the shifter to stop Willy from shifting into gear.
“Willy, do you think God can forgive me for all I have done?” Thomas asked pleadingly.
“Boy! Why do you ask me something like that? I don’t know anything about that! Thomas…I don’t know God. My brother did. He was always telling me God would forgive me if I wanted it. I just never saw the God my brother did. Let me drive this truck and get you to a doctor!” Willy responded.
“It’s too late and you know it,” Thomas said bluntly.
Willy let the truck roll to a stop and his trembling hand slid from the gear shift and took Thomas’ bloody hand. Willy’s voice shook as he spoke again, “My brother told me once God saved a thief on the cross right next to his own cross while they were both dying. The thief just asked Jesus for forgiveness! He couldn’t do anything to correct all the things he had done in his life, but he got forgiveness.”
Thomas said weakly, “I can’t change what I’ve done either, Willy, and I’m asking for forgiveness.” Willy pulled the sheet tightly around Thomas’ waist, not able to look in the boy’s face. Thomas tried to continue, “Willy, I want you to tell my granny I asked for forgiveness before I died. She will want to know…promise you will do that for me? I would not have been here if Ed hadn’t blackmailed me into driving!”
“You are not going to die, I will get you to a doctor just hang on,” Willy said.
“No, Willy, it’s too late! Help me lay down. It’s beginning to hurt,” Thomas stated.
Willy lifted Thomas into the sleeper and wrapped a towel around his waist. He was horrified to see all the blood Thomas had lost.
“Now you need to listen to me. It’s about the ranger,” Thomas said.
Willy’s head jerked up and he said, “Go on, I’m listening.”
“I was in the car the night that the gangster and Bart killed him,” Thomas admitted.
“You saw Bart kill the ranger?” Willy inquired.
“No, I was laying on the back seat. I wasn’t driving so I got drunk. We were bringing a load of shine into Texas for Judd. He told Bart to let me drive but Bart wanted to show the mob guy he was just as capable behind the wheel as me. We were running hard and came up on the ranger so fast we couldn’t slow down. Bart just blew by him. The red light came on and he ran us down. If I had been driving, he never would have caught us; that Ford was fast. I know, because I helped modify the car and engine,” Thomas groaned. He tried to move then settled back down and said, “The ranger was careless. On top of that, there was a mob guy from Chicago in the front seat. It was his liquor and he wanted to see Harlan’s operation.”
“What was his name Thomas…tell me his name?” Willy begged.
“He was a mobster from Chicago his name was…Mac something,” Thomas replied.
“Think, Thomas! Think! What was his name?” Willy kept asking.
Thomas relayed the incident, “McDonald, that was it and he was a cold character
. When Bart was getting out of the car this McDonald looked at Bart and said, 'kill him!'”
“All this time I never suspected McDonald. I thought it had to be LaSalle. Now I know after all these years it was McDonald behind it,” Willy said.
Thomas continued, “The ranger made a mistake and turned away. That’s when McDonald shot him. He picked up the rifle and shot him through the back window of the shine car. Then he got out and shot him again. I was laying in the back seat and the barrel of the gun was right over my head. I can’t forget the flash; it drives me crazy at night. When he got back in the car, he was cursing the ranger. Bart had taken his wallet and badge. I still see that blinding flash at night, and I hear him laugh. They would have killed me if they had not thought I was passed out. I never let on that I knew, and my drinking got worse after that.” Thomas began to cough and there was blood in his mouth.
Willy asked, “What did he do with the wallet and badge?”
“Bart’s father had a few beehives and there were several hives in his back yard. Bart parked the old car in the back yard among the beehives. His old man was dead and there was no one to attend to the bees. Bart let the air out of the tires and busted the windshield, so it would look like it had been there a long time. It didn’t take long for the grass to grow up around the car. The badge and wallet are hid in the trunk of the car. The beehives still guard the old car. The nightmares drive me crazy at night. Looks like my sins have caught up with me,” Thomas sobbed.
“What about Judd Smith?” Willy asked.
“Judd killed two mobsters that were going to kill me for a load of shine I was hauling. I always feared LaSalle would find out who was driving the shine car and come after me,” Thomas said.
Willy put a pillow under Thomas’ head as blood trickled out the side of his mouth. Willy wiped it with a corner of a towel.
“I guess I will never meet my mother and father. Would you pray with me, Willy?” Thomas asked.
Unable to bring himself to call upon the Almighty, Willy exclaimed, “I don’t know how to pray! Thomas, didn’t your grandmother teach you how to pray?” he asked.
Weaker still, Thomas said, “Granny and I prayed each night before I went to bed…when I was a boy.” Thomas closed his eyes and began to pray for forgiveness. His prayers began to get weaker and weaker and he looked at peace. Thomas frailly pleaded, “Willy, don’t forget your promise. Talk to Granny and tell her I will see her in heaven, and we will be together forever. Tell her I’m sorry I caused her so much grief.”
“I promise, Thomas. I promise,” Willy said.
Thomas turned his head away from Willy and his grip began to weaken. Slowly his face took on an ashen hue and his eyes became sightless. Something seemed to leave Thomas as he died, and a cold shudder passed through Willy realizing Thomas was dead. In death he looked so different. It was as if his body was a suit that Thomas had taken off and laid aside. Willy covered Thomas’ face quickly. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes as he began fighting back a dullness and the beginning of a bad headache. He understood about the nightmares that had driven Thomas for he was tormented by his own nightmares.
Thomas had revealed the forces that tormented his young mind. In the sleeper Willy wrapped Thomas’ limp body binding the blanket securely with cords he found in the truck. With towels from the sleeper, he cleaned the seats as best he could. Getting behind the wheel Willy clenched his teeth and started the big rig down the road again. He drove on until he saw the taillights of the other truck.
Pulling up behind the other truck, he jumped down from the cab and was greeted by Bart.
“We thought you had been caught,” Bart said. Seeing the look on Willy’s face he knew that something was wrong. “What happened? Where is Thomas?”
“In the sleeper,” Willy said.
“What’s he doing in the sleeper?” Ed asked stepping around the back of the first truck.
“He’s dead,” was all the reply Willy gave as he hit Ed with a blow that sent him back against a small tree. Coming off the ground with a growl Ed lunged. Side stepping him, Willy sent him on past with little or no effort. Again, Ed hit the ground and rolled over. This time he was not so quick to get up.
“You want to tell us what this is all about?” Bart asked stepping between the two. Pointing at Ed, Willy said, “Because of that fool, Thomas is dead. He shot away the prop that was holding the door closed and we took all the lead they could sling at us!”
“Thomas is dead?” Bart looked at Willy with a blank look.
“He was shot in the left side and the bullet cut through him and out the front. He bled to death in just a few minutes,” Willy related.
“Did he say anything to you before he died?” Bart asked.
“No, he just wanted me to talk to his grandmother,” Willy stated flatly.
“You can’t do that! He has to be done away with,” Ed said.
Willy turned and faced Ed saying, “You get in the front rig and out of my sight! You’ve turned a simple job into a disaster. The only reason you are alive now is because I need you. Cross me again and I will correct my mistake. Do what you are told and nothing more.”
“How was I to know my bullet would knock the prop away from the door?” Ed asked.
“If I didn’t need you to drive this truck you would be laying by Thomas for all the problems you created. You cross me again it won’t matter…now I’m going to take care of Thomas’ body and you two are going to drive the trucks. You take the trucks to the woods where I told you and stay put. I will be late with this so don’t get impatient and do something stupid. You better hope no one saw you leave Huntsville with Thomas, because when he comes up missing it is going to stir up a new hornet’s nest. You two get the body out of the rig and into the back of the panel truck,” Willy said.
Opening the rear doors of the truck, Willy removed the spare tire and rear seat and threw them into the canal.
“What are you doing this for? What are you going to do with him?” Bart asked. It didn’t seem to bother either man that the body they were carrying was someone they had known for years. A few minutes later Willy stood watching the trucks head down the highway with instructions to follow their routes back to Huntsville. Looking at his watch he knew he had no time to waste. This would be a busy night and he had to get this done. Taking off his coat he removed the gun and threw it in the canal. Taking an extra blanket he had removed from the truck, he covered the lifeless form and headed up the highway. He knew most of the towns he had passed through on his trips through this area and had always familiarized himself with the areas he passed through. Stopping at a phone booth on the outskirts of a town of some size, he looked in the yellow pages for an address he needed. This town was bigger than most along the route back to Huntsville and in the phone book he found what he was looking for. Parking the panel truck by a school bus that sat in the rear of the only funeral home in town he walked to the rear door. There was no one on the streets this time of the morning. Even the local police had gone to bed. It took only a minute for him to pick the lock and slip inside. A row of caskets was lined along the wall and he quickly selected one. Sliding it onto a casket dolly, he rolled it to the rear of the panel van. Hurrying back in the funeral home he left five hundred dollars on the office desk. By the back door he picked up two small gravestones used to mark graves and quickly locked the back door. The whole affair took only a few minutes and checking his watch he drove out of town. It was going to be close; but he must get the trucks in the barn before daylight. Before dawn Willy drove into a grove of trees behind the cemetery and unloaded the casket. He had only about an hour before daylight, so he quickly put Thomas in the casket and covered it with brush. Down the road both trucks were waiting when Willy’s headlight picked up both men walking back and forth chain smoking and talking nervously.
“Bart, here he comes! Just remember, if anyone saw us with Thomas when we left yesterday, we will be a suspect in his murder,” Ed stated.
�
�I know that, and no one has ever seen us with Baker. He is in the clear and I bet he has an alibi for tonight. No one would believe we were not involved in Thomas’ death if he is found. I hope he hid him good,” Bart replied.
Willy pulled up by the trucks and without saying a word he motioned the men to follow him to the barn. It wasn’t long until the trucks were in the barn and the three men were on their way to town.
“What did you do with the body?” Bart asked.
“He has been taken care of. Don’t ask me again,” Willy stated. Sitting on the floor in the back of the panel van, Bart put his uniform on while Ed dressed in his work shirt and pants.
Willy drove the men to an isolated spot behind the old farmhouse. Bart quickly got in his car and drove to town. Coming into Huntsville from another direction, Willy continued to Ed’s garage and parked the truck up close to the rear of the garage out of sight of the town.
“Ed, take this truck apart and get rid of it. Make sure there is not enough of it around by tomorrow to be identified.” Willy instructed. He put his bloody clothes in the stove. Ed added all his trash and some kerosene to make the fire burn quicker. While the clothes burned Willy washed and shaved in the small restroom at the back of Ed’s garage. Checking his watch, he took a small suitcase and a Greyhound bus ticket stub from his billfold and stepped out into the night. Crossing the square, he made his way to a small building by the terminal and waited for the north bound bus to arrive from Houston. On time this day for a change the bus circled the square and pulled into the station. A few weary soles ventured off the bus to use the restrooms before heading north again. Blending in with the crowd Willy approached the ticket counter.
“Excuse me! Is there a taxi I can get this time of the morning?” he asked.
Doing Time In Texas, Book 2 Page 19