Doing Time In Texas, Book 3

by James E Ferrell

  “Sheriff, I’m going to get McDonald. He’s not going to be very happy about you thumping Baker,” Smitty said.

  Irritated Bart responded, “I didn’t know this fellow had gotten in contact with McDonald…how was I to know? McDonald said to find him and stop him so…I did. You go get your boss and I will meet you on the main road out west of here. I will lead you to some back woods where we can hide the cars and walk to the barn, unnoticed.”

  Getting back in the patrol car Bart smiled to himself and sighed. With Baker dead he was in the clear. He decided it was time to have a talk with Ed. Ed’s garage door was open, so Bart drove the police car inside. Getting out he raised the hood and waited while a customer paid Ed for some work and drove off.

  “You got a problem, Sheriff?” Ed asked.

  “We had big problems, but it looks like Judd has solved one big problem for us today.”!” Bart said.

  “How much did it cost us?” Ed said.

  “You owe me a thousand dollars. I gave him two grand to do the job,” Bart said.

  “What? I would have done it for the pure enjoyment,” Ed said.

  “You’re not that good of a shot, Ed. Just be glad that it is done,” Bart grumbled.

  “What about the woman?” Ed questioned.

  “She don’t know anything. I say we let the mob take care of her if they want her,” Bart replied.

  ααααααα

  As he sat in his office in Austin, Texas, Captain Eastman re-read the article. The intercom crackled, “Captain, Gary Burkett from FBI headquarters in Chicago on line one.”

  The two men exchanged greetings for a few minutes then Agent Burkett asked, “What’s on your mind, Captain? I’m sure you didn’t call me to discuss the weather.”

  “You made headlines in the Houston paper. I want to know about the bust you made,” Captain Eastman responded.

  Agent Burkett replied, “Well, it was something that only happens once in a life time. We were tipped that the trucks were coming in. The information included everything down to the license plate on the trucks. My agents picked them up outside of Memphis and followed them all the way to Chicago. We had every agent in the country on the road that weekend. What’s your interest in this, Captain?”

  “We’ve been investigating some homicides here in Texas. The trail may lead to you. Who tipped you off on the trucks?” Eastman asked.

  “Captain, you know I can’t tell you my informant’s name. I will tell you we were successful, because we didn’t get the local law enforcement involved,” Burkett said.

  “I can understand that. We traced a phone call back to Chicago and got the local police involved. The suspect we traced the number on may be in danger. A precinct detective relayed the information we gave to a gangster. We now believe some Chicago mobsters are here looking for him. I know you need to protect your source. Let me tell you the situation down here and you can evaluate what information you can give me,” Eastman said.

  “That sounds fair enough,” Gary Burkett said.

  Captain Eastman began to enlighten FBI Agent Burkett by saying, “Five years ago a man who I will name later went to prison here in Texas. He spent three years in prison. Lucky for him the men he assaulted didn’t die or he would still be in prison. While he was in prison, the only person he had any association with was a small-time crook named Beaver Watson who is from Chicago. Watson had mob connections. Our man was a model prisoner and the day he left prison he got on a bus for Chicago.8 I believe Beaver Watson filled our suspect in on street information and contacts in Chicago. The day our suspect showed back up in Huntsville, Texas, there were two murders there. I am beginning to believe that was just coincidence. He had indicated he might be going in the trucking business. Your trucks had come from Memphis and possibly farther south. They were loaded with contraband brought into this country by ship.”

  “How is your suspect tied to the murder you mentioned?” Burkett asked.

  Eastman replied, “We have no proof at the moment and frankly he doesn’t seem like the type to murder anyone. His time served was because of violence, though. We suspect he is into something illegal with three other individuals but can’t tie them to him. What we do know is the mob from Chicago has a contract out on him. The detective that gave the mob his location received ten thousand dollars for the information.”

  “Sounds like they want him bad,” Burkett said.

  “I believe our man called you and gave you the information on the trucks. I have three rangers that are privy to the information I just shared with you and no one else,” Eastman added.

  There was a silence on the phone for a minute then Burkett said, “Okay, I will tell you how we came about busting these guys. I would like to tell you it was brilliant detective work on my part, but it was nothing of the sort. A year ago, I got a phone call. The caller didn’t identify himself. He said he could deliver a bust to me in the future and was making contact. He had checked me out and knew all about me and my family. He said the reason he checked me out was to determine if I was a crooked cop or not. He actually knew me pretty well and had decided he could trust me. Then he asked me to just forget the phone call and tell no one until he called back. He told me if he suspected that I was not on the up and up he would give the information to someone else. I dismissed the call as a prank. However, I started carrying my side arm just in case. I had a desk job at that time and rarely carried my gun.”

  There was silence over the phone for a minute as Burkett collected his thoughts. He then continued, “A few days ago the caller called back from Memphis, Tennessee. He asked if I remembered the call. When I acknowledged that I did, he told me not to get local cops involved in any way. He even told me which of my own men not to get involved. He gave me details of the trucks. He had even painted a big white X on the top of the trucks. We picked them up from the air and followed them in to Chicago. He never gave me his name and never asked for money…this was a vendetta. I got another call yesterday concerning another truck that might be headed our way. It was the same setup, but different crime family. If we get this one, he will have put the lead crime figures in Chicago and a variety of public officials behind bars. I don’t know who he is, but I would give him a medal if it wouldn’t get him killed. The way this is shaking out now, we have three judges, Chicago’s finest politicians and a union leader in jail. Maybe we can get the rest with the next truck load. I fully intend to do all I can to protect him. He has more brass than anyone I have ever seen, or he has a death wish.”

  Daniel pondered what Agent Burkett had relayed to him. He then said, “Gary, you have our full cooperation with this. I hope we both solve a problem or two. Can you tell me if the truck came from down here?” Daniel asked. There was a long silence on the phone, so he added, “If they did come from Texas it is our man, but I need all you have to protect him.”

  “Captain, you have to understand, I have no idea who you are. Even if you are on the up and up, I don’t want to jeopardize my investigation or the life of this man. But on the other hand, he is probably in a lot of danger. The truck is coming from north of Houston,” Burkett said.

  “That’s our man! He has signed his own death warrant,” Eastman said. “Do you suppose he stole the trucks from one crook and is selling them to the other?”

  “Sounds like the only possible explanation,” Burkett said.

  “The blood in the cab of the truck. What do you make of that?” Eastman asked.

  “I can tell you this, Captain; someone died…No one can lose that much blood and live,” Burkett replied.

  “One of our suspects seems to have disappeared. Maybe he didn’t leave town, maybe he left this world. Now that possibly adds another murder to my list,” Eastman stated sadly.

  C3 - Too Much at Stake

  Bonnie sat at the stop sign drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. She didn’t like leaving with the situation being what it was. The dogs were enjoying the ride standing in the back seat; one large head out each s
ide window. Bonnie sat for a minute. Maybe there was an alternate place she could go without leaving her ranch. She could go to Annie’s, but Cage was always there. The cabin in the woods would be the perfect place to hide away. She would go there and be on her own place. She should have thought of the cabin before she left. Willy would have thought it to be a perfect hideaway. The thought of not being able to care for the animals made the decision for her. In an instant she turned the car around and headed back to the ranch.

  “McDonald, this country is crawling with Texas Rangers,” Bart said leanedleaning against the front fender of his police car lighting a smoke. “Follow me and I will get us off the road. We can walk around to the back of the barn. Let’s make this business quick. This road has been busy today.” Bart got in his car and led the caravan of cars off the old dirt road into a small meadow. The meadow was shielded from the road by a forest of pines. “We can walk from here,” he said. After making sure the cars were concealed, Bart led the men through the woods until they came to the side of the barn. By the time they reached the barn he had smoked three cigarettes. McDonald and Smitty noticed how nervous he was and grinned at each other. Arriving at the barn the men entered by a side entrance.

  Willy lay sprawled on the earthen floor of the barn; his chest and head covered with blood. He had gone in and out of consciousness and at the moment he looked to be dead. Bart stepped up to him with his hand on his gun. Taking one look he assumed Willy to be dead and went over to inspect the truck as if it was new to him. Walking around to the other side of the truck he looked through the cracks on the house side. “No one seems to be around. Let’s get this over with and burn the place down,” Bart said.

  McDonald stood over Willy with pure hate in his eyes. “I wish you were alive so I could kill you again,” he said.

  “Mac, the load is intact. We need to get this truck on the road,” Smitty said.

  “That’s right, McDonald! Get the truck out of here before someone shows up!” Bart repeated.

  McDonald responded, “Relax, Sheriff! You are entirely too nervous. Paddy, you and Artie get the truck on the road and don’t let this truck out of your sight.! You lose this truck just go ahead and shoot yourself and save me the trouble. We will catch up with you in a few hours.”

  Two men swung the door open and the truck ambled out of the barn and down the gravel road. “One of McDonald’s men said, “Hey, Boss, this guy is breathing,! I don’t think he is dead yet!”

  Bart breached a shell in his rifle; however, before he could bring his gun around, the voice of McDonald stopped him.saying, “Back off, Sheriff! I will take care of this.”

  In the doorway someone said, “Quiet,! I hear a car coming!”

  “Close those doors quick,” Bart said. They stood looking through a crack as a car pulled up in front of the house. Bonnie got out and let the dogs run. Walking over to the wall McDonald looked through the crack. “Well! Well! If it’s not Bonnie and she is pregnant!” McDonald said under his breath.

  Bonnie walked in the front of the house. She would go in the house and get a few things and head for the cabin in the woods. Most of her belongings had already been moved in anticipation of her family’s arrival.

  “Smitty, go up there and bring her back down here. I want her to watch when I pump another slug into her husband.” Looking down at the comatose figure McDonald said, “Hold on Willy. I want to shoot you. Don’t die and steal the pleasure away from me.”

  Bart paced the floor and watched McDonald. “Kill them both and let’s get out of here before someone else shows up,” Bart suggested pleadingly.

  “Take it easy, Bart.! What are you worried about? You are the law around here !” McDonald snarled.

  Moving to the other side of the barn Bart sat on a bale of hay away from the mob men. His nerves were shot, and he wanted to run.

  Bonnie didn’t want to leave dirty dishes in the sink and decided to clean up the kitchen before she left. Putting on an apron she stood at the kitchen window. She loved to look across the pasture when she was washing the dishes. Suddenly Smitty’s face was in the window only inches from hers and the fright was overwhelming. Letting out a piercing scream she turned to run.

  Smitty yelled, “You can run, but we have Willy!” That stopped Bonnie cold. Turning she took her apron off and laid it across a kitchen chair.

  “Is he alright?” she asked.

  “You might as well come out to the barn and say your goodbyes,” Smitty said unapologetically. Motioning to her with his pistol the two left the house. Pushing her along in front of him they entered the barn. Her countenance fell when she saw Willy laying on the dirt floor in a pool of blood. Paying McDonald no mind she hurried over and sat down by Willy. Putting his head in her lap she saw that he was alive. A glimmer of hope flooded her soul as she realized he was still breathing.

  “Tie her up and gag her, Smitty. One of you get her car and drive it in here,” McDonald ordered.

  ααααααα

  Hell's Burning…“I’m leaving for Huntsville now. I will be there as soon as I can get there,” Eastman said. “I want you to find the Bakers and bring them to the courthouse. They are in grave danger! Don’t let them out of your sight! Has anyone seen the chief?”

  “Not since this morning,” Cage said into the receiver.

  “Well find him!” Eastman ordered.

  As Cage hung up the phone it began to ring again. “Cage, this is Lightfoot. I was watching the Baker ranch and an 18-wheeler just left. We need the highway patrol to stop it! I believe there is contraband on it!”

  “Chief, let the truck alone. I just got off the phone with the captain. He said not to follow or intercept the truck,” Cruise stated.

  “How did you know about the truck?” Lightfoot asked.

  “Never mind just! Just get out to the Baker’s and put them under house arrest until Mike and I show up. They are in big time danger!” Cruise replied.

  “I’m in their house right now. I snuck in to use their telephone when I saw the truck leaving the barn,” Chief Lightfoot stated.

  “Jeez…Lightfoot you are in the Baker’s house using their phone?” Cage questioned.

  “Yes, Tenderfoot! This is the only phone around. Their car is not here so I guess they are gone. The doors to the barn swung open and then closed after the truck left. I think there are still people in the barn. I’m going to scout around like an Injun and see if I can see who is in there. Oops, I got to go! Here comes the mail man.”

  Cage was confused and said, “What?…the mailman?…wait, Lightfoot! The captain said…” It was too late. Lightfoot had hung up the phone.Laying on the dirt floor Willy began to re-gain consciousness. The pain was dull, and breathing was hard. He tried to focus his eyes; slowly he began to remember being shot as he had opened the doors. He heard voices but they seemed far away. Moving his head to the right he saw a pair of shiny boots. A rifle barrel hung loosely down beside the boots. The dream had come true. Slowly he tried to clear his foggy brain. Voices came to him in his dream He couldn’t move his body but turning his head he saw the wheels of Bonnie’s car. Looking under the car he gasped as his eyes met hers. Laboring for each breath he tried to form words with bloody lips. Bonnie lay bound and gagged on the dirt floor of the barn watching him. Her body shook as tears and fear welled up in her eyes. The sight of her laying on the floor looking at him helped clear his mind. 'Lord, what have I done now? I have killed the only person I have ever loved! All my manipulation has cost Bonnie her life!’ he thought as he lost consciousness again.

  “McDonald, if you take them out of here you will surely be stopped. This country is crawling with Texas Rangers!” Bart said.

  From behind McDonald a voice said, “Boss, we got another problem. There are people up at the house again." Walking around the car McDonald looked through the crack in the wall. A U.S. postal truck had pulled up to the house and a woman and man got out. It wasn’t long until a boy stepped out and began to explore the yard.

&
nbsp; “Hey, Boss, is the post office delivering people now?” McDonald sighed and said, “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

  Bart looked around the barn and up in the loft. He said, “McDonald, this place is half full of hay! Let’s light it off and get out of here!”

  McDonald walked back to Willy and looked down at the unconscious figure and said, “Smitty, you and Bart light it off before the kid comes sniffing around the barn. Everybody else head back to the cars now!”

  A line of men left the barn through the side door making their way back through the woods where the cars were located. Bart and Smitty piled bales of hay against the doors and walls to make sure the barn went up quickly. Bart quickly lit bales of hay around the barn. He knew how quick barn fires could go up, and how the local farmers would rush to stop the spread of a big fire. “Smitty, we need to get out of here fast! The fire will attract every farmer from miles around!” he said.

  Willy regained consciousness and lay watching Bonnie struggling to get free. Fear and despair were in her eyes. Just like in his dreams, there was no hope of getting loose. He tried to roll over, but it was no use. He was too weak. Once the fires were lit, Bart waited at the side door for Smitty to exit. Just before he left, he turned and looked back at Willy. Their eyes locked and Willy knew those were the eyes in his dream. This time the eyes were real, and he saw no mercy in those dull grey eyes. Almost before they could get out of the barn, fire was rising on all four walls. McDonald and his men ran down the trail to get as much distance from the barn as they could.

  “Boss, that is one big barn! The fire will be seen for miles! We need to get out of here!” one of McDonald’s men said.

  McDonald replied, “As soon as Smitty and Bart get here we leave!” In a few moments, the two men came running down the trail. “Okay, Gentlemen! Let’s get out of Texas. Bart, you will receive a nice surprise in the mail. I think you and I need to rekindle a working relationship when this blows over.” McDonald’s men loaded into the car and headed for the main highway.