by Darrel Bird
interesting day.”
“Thank you very much Mr. Goodman.”
“Call me Walt.”
“Goodnight Walt.”
The next morning he cranked up the Bronco, and headed out to the reservation. When he got to the main road, Akule was sitting by the entrance in his patrol car. When he left the road Akule waved him over to the turnout.
“What can I do for you Dan?”
“I have a feeling heads are going to roll soon, and any Indian you arrest goes through me.”
“Dan, the murders are a federal case because the people were killed on Indian land and the bodies were dumped on a Montana state road. Technically that makes it my jurisdiction.”
“That technicality could be argued by a judge, and you know it.”
“So, if I do something you don’t like argue it out in court! Dan, I’m not after a single Indian unless he shot those surveyors, and I doubt if the worst of the worst you have out here would have done that, but lets just say they did; they’re mine, if that be the case. They, or whoever will spend their life in a federal pen, and never see the light of day. You can take that to the bank. Now my hip bothers me, and I’m not feeling you, so would that be all?” Dan Akule walked back to his car, got in and slammed the door.
“Oh, and don’t try to muddy up my case with your dog soldier justice!” Gordon called after him, and Akule spun off.
“BIA shmuck!” Gordon mumbled as he cranked the Bronco, and drove on. He found Gale Lone Elks place about a mile down a dirt road. He pulled up to the neat skirted mobile home, and as soon as the truck stopped the door opened, and Satch tore across the yard to greet him. The dogged jumped all over him, wagging his tail happily. The dog finally reared up, putting his paws on Gordons chest, “I don’t kiss dogs Satch, and you know that.”
“Aw give him a kiss Gordon!” Gale laughed. “He’s done nothing but stay in the house and whine.”
He pulled the dogs paws off his chest, and the dog dropped to the ground, “I sure appreciate you taking care of him for me. I owe you big Gale.”
“It was my honor Gordon, how is your hip?”
“The doc gave me the good stuff, so it’s not too bad, I can deal with it.”
He barely heard his cell phone buzzing in the front seat of the car, and he opened the door and picked it off the seat, “I have been trying to get hold of you.” It was the sheriff.
“Sorry sheriff, I forgot to set the thing to ring, and Dan Akule pulled me over to try and lean on me.”
“I can imagine how that went.”
“Whats up sheriff? I’m interviewing a suspect here.” He looked at Gale and grinned.
“The Billings PD arrested a couple ex-cons suspected of a robbery, the cons gave their alibi as being in the White Peak area, and the time of their alibi jives with the time of the murders on the res. The cons just might have surrounded themselves.”
“Will the Billings PD cooperate with you Bob?”
“The chief of police down there and I have been friends for over twenty years, what do you need done?”
“See if he will let us pick them up, and bring them down here to your jail a few days, get them away from their own home turf, and maybe we can soften them up.”
“Can do, I’ll call the chief, and have Pack go down to pick them up.”
“Thanks Bob, I’d better get back to my suspect.”
“Tell your suspect the next time she is in town to visit with me and the wife a spell.”
“Uhuh.”
“That the sheriff?”
“Yeah, he said tell you to visit.”
“Come on in the house Gordon, I have a fresh pot of coffee on.”
“Now that’s the best news I’ve had all day.”
The dog followed the two into the house. Gordon looked around at the sparse living room.
“I don’t have time to decorate much; I practically live in the field. Although now that my job has ended as soon as I mail in the reports I’m thinking of resting up here for a while. The sheriff’s wife Julie Slater is a great decorator and we women could have some fun shopping.”
“Would you consider a date or two? Say a movie in town, and then dinner?”
“I don’t know Gordon, women want relationships, not a one or two night stand in for a Chicago cop.”
“What if I were to tell you I having been thinking of returning more to my roots. Maybe staying on in White Peak?”
“Do you think you could ever do that Gordon?”
“Yes, I think I can.”
“Do you want to kiss me Gordon?”
“I would like that very much Gale, but I don’t want to be toyed with.”
“Whose toying?”
The next morning he kissed her at the door, “I’ve got to go.” He kissed her again, “I’ve gotta go”, and he kissed her the second time.
“Go.”
He kissed her yet again, “Bye. Come on Satch, and get in the truck, did you get an eyeful? Get in there!”
She waved to him again as he backed the truck to the road. As he drove toward White Peak he whistled, and the dog stared at him from the passenger seat, “What’er you lookin’ at? You don’t think a girl could like me? What do dogs know about love?”
When he walked into the sheriffs office, the sheriff was standing at the counter shuffling papers, “Did you camp on the res last night? Dance around the fire, and howl at the moon?”
“None of your business Bob, when are the two cons expected?”
“About one this after noon if Pack didn’t dally, we have a nice comfy cell waiting for them, do you want to be the first one to question them?”
“Yeah I believe I will, and the rules are, if they don’t get here by twelve it’s too late to feed them until the following morning.”
“I believe I sent a memo out to that effect last week, come to think of it, I’m glad you reminded me.”
“When cons don’t get their food, all that’s left is to talk and sleep. We’ll wait until first thing in the morning to interview them.”
The following morning at nine Pack brought one of he convicts in shackles and sat him down in a chair in front of Gordon’s desk. Gordon shuffled papers and wrote for about ten minutes, “I’m hungry, they never fed us yesterday.”
“And you’ll eat as soon as you answer some questions.” Gordon put down his pin and stared at the man.
“What did you say your name was?”
“Its Paul Linn, but I didn’t say.”
“Oh.” He said absently, and picked up his pin, “Paul Linn.” He said as he wrote slowly, “Is that with one n or two?”
“Its two dammit, I want to know when I get to eat? I’m starving my ass off!”
“Now Paul, here is the situation,” He picked up his pin and aimed it at the guys head as if he was about to throw a dart,”Your partner has spoken with us earlier and of course he’s already eating, he had ham and eggs with waffles, and lots of maple syrup, but we have to check with you, you see that Paul?”
“Ok.” The man said sullenly.
“You see Paul; we know you shot the surveyors, because we have written statements from both of you that you were out here at the time. I know you didn’t commit those robberies they are trying to pin on you. I Know how it is to have something pinned on you that you didn’t do, because, as you can see, I’m an Indian, so I know what it is to get the shaft.”
“We know you and Robert were up against it for money, a man has to have something to eat or starve. Ain’t that right Paul?
“Damn straight it is sheriff.”
“FBI, but that’s beside the point old boy. We know you had to kill those two to get something to eat, but it ain’t just right for you too rot in jail, starving the way you are, and the man who hired you goes free. I saw him eating a big steak smothered with onions last night down at the restaurant laughing it up with a whore, and here you sit Paul. It just ain’t right. He gets a steak and a blow, and you sit here starving.”
“It ain’t righ
t, I know that.” The man had tears in his eyes.
“Well, you see Paul, the feds are prepared to give you leniency, but you have to give the mans name who hired you, say it out right, as it were, otherwise our hands are tied.”
“If I say it I get le..le..?”
“Leniency Paul. Plus a plate of ham and eggs of course.”
“Lowell Hampton.”
“The BIA agent here in town?”
“Yeah, he paid us three hundred a piece to shoot them.”
“Did you know he stole three million when you got three hundred Paul?” The man kicked at the chains on the chair savagely.
“Write it out Paul, just like you told me.” He shoved the pad across to the man.
After Pack came to pick up his prisoner and take him back to his cell, Gordon walked into the sheriffs office and laid the confession on his desk. The sheriff read it, “Lowell Hampton? They killed them for three hundred a piece. Do we arrest him now?”
“Let me do the honors Bob, while you get the other one in here, and show him the confession. He’ll be ready to talk his head off. Can you let Pack come with me? If he runs, I can’t catch him.”
“Yeah, hey Pack! Go with Gordon here to scarf up Lowell Hampton will you?”
“Sure thing Bob, you ready Masterson?”
“Lets go.”
He followed the slim deputy out the door. He walked in ahead of Pack, and walked up to the counter in the BIA office, “Lowell Hampton, you are under arrest for murder, and fraud!”
Hampton stared at them for a spit second, then ran for the back door, “Go gett’im Pack, sickem boy!”
Pack was over the counter like a shot, and caught Hampton before he reached the end of the hall, knocking him into the water fountain. He cuffed him, and dragged him back to where Gordon was standing.
“You’re a real sprinter Pack, thanks for doing my leg work.”
“Anytime Gordon, let me get this mutt up to my jail. Uh Oh!”
“What?” Gordon asked.
“Its after twelve! We can’t feed until tomorrow morning. New rules. After I get him locked up, I think I’ll take a nap.”
“You just do that very thing Pack.” Gordon clapped him on the shoulder.
A week later he sent Rupert an E-mail that read,
Dear Rupert,
I am putting in for my early retirement, thank you for the years of trust. I have met a woman and I intend to be married in three weeks. Will be staying on in White Peak and starting a drug rehab center. By the way could you get in touch with Congressman Wade Simmons and tell him I will be looking into the BIA affairs in Billings Montana over the next several months?
Your servant,
Gordon Masterson
The end