Murder in the Palouse

by Frank Spellman

The downward climb was not that easy and hard on the ankles because both sisters had to walk over or around broken fragments of basalt protruding from the outcropping. When L. finally reached flat surface below she darted over to what she thought might be an outhouse … it was an outhouse but she had no idea anyone was using it until one of the kittens stepped outside and let go with a long stream of tobacco juice. And that is when she saw L. who had no place to hide. L. waited to see what the girl was going to do but when she pulled a long knife from a sheath she had belted to her back, L. did not hesitate and threw her hand ax right at her hitting her between the eyes and instantly mortifying the tobacco chewing bitch. By the time the girl fell dead to the ground K. Lovey came up alongside her sister and said, “You had no choice sis, she would have gone after you with that long blade.”

  Composing herself and looking all around them to make sure they were alone L. said, “What the fuck do we do with the bitch’s body?”

  The truth be told if they had known about the Compound’s back pond and its very hungry inhabitants getting rid of the body would have been no problem.

  Out of sight is out of existence in the pond, Jose, Paco and Maria.

  “Not a problem sis … remember what Sue said Patch did with the body of that asshole that raped her … he threw his ass down the hole in the outhouse. Let’s pick her up and dump her … they will never find her in that shithole.”

  And that is what they did and when they heard her body splash in the mess below the toilet box seat they figured she was in the perfect place.

  And she was. W.W. later wondered where she had gone off to but did not seem to be too worried because without a vehicle out in the desert, she would probably perish in quick fashion. He was thinking about this while taking a dump in the shithouse.

  It is important that all turds RIP, Jose, Paco and Maria.

  ********

  When they returned to the SUV the Lovey sisters were winded and somewhat out of sorts. Dr. Nelly gave them the once over and pronounced them okay. K. Lovey explained to Nelly, Hell and Two Green Eyes what had occurred down below at the outhouse. Hell said self-defense is self-defense and she also told them that the next time they go on the hunt she was going with them … Two Green Eyes agreed heartily with her lover’s comments.

  Nelly contacted Sue and the rest of the Curmudgeons about what had occurred in the Compound and Patch instructed her to load up and head back to the motel and they would all meet there and discuss their further options.

  ********

  Back at the motel conference room the Lovey sisters explained to the others the incident at the Compound outhouse. Sue pointed out that those in the Compound would be looking for the victim and that it would probably put them on guard. With regard to L. Lovey taking down the woman and the two sisters depositing her remains in the shithouse Sue and the rest of the Curmudgeons had no problem with all that. Additionally, the only real law enforcement person included with them was Detective Jane Sharp, on loan to the Curmudgeons during their pursuit of the serial killers, and she documented a statement from both L. and K. and she also informed her immediate supervisor via text message and received an acknowledgement of receipt of the account and the reply seemed to bless all. In her text reply Sharp’s supervisor only stated, “Keep me informed … thanks … and be safe, my love.”

  ********

  “So what’s our next move?” Bessie Mae asked while the Curmudgeons were eating lunch in the motel conference room.

  “Well, who ever is in charge of that mess in the Compound is going to be concerned about their missing member and will probably actively look for her … and again they will now be on guard,” Patch said.

  “I will never ever forget that woman … not only were her eyes full of hate, her face filthy and spattered with tobacco juice, her hair worse than a rag-a-muffin, skinny as a rail, in tattered clothing, stunk to high heaven but when she whipped out that long-bladed knife I knew she only had one thing on her deranged mind,” L. Lovey said.

  There was a moment of silence and only the chink and clatter of dishes being removed from the table and stacked in the sink could be heard.

  “Well, we need to set up a surveillance coverage of that site where you ran into that woman. We will almost have to be invisible to observe what is going on down there … to find out what if anything they are up to,” Hell said.

  “Right … going to be difficult to observe them … they will see us and we may end up in a fire fight with people who may be the killer perps or not,” Nelly said.

  Again, a moment of silence—silent reflection by all, actually.

  “We need an eye in the sky,” Sue said.

  They all turned their attention to the Sue standing at the end of the table.

  “I think I need to go up to Spokane and purchase a drone with camera with a couple of receivers so we can fly it above the Compound and view what is going on there … that will also allow us to saddle up if need be to follow them if they leave the compound in force … and we should be able to see if they are armed.”

  “Won’t a drone be visible to the perps below?” Bessie Mae asked.

  “Yes, if they look up and spot it … me and dad went through a scenario like this in the Okanogan wilderness north of here … almost near the Canadian border,” Sue said.

  They all glanced down the table to the other end where Patch was sitting chomping on a cucumber. Then they shifted their focus back to Sue who said, “Remember when you spotted that drone above the trees there, dad?” Sue asked.

  Again, all shifted their heads and toward Patch who smiled and said, “ I remember it like yesterday … it was not a speeding bullet, plane or locomotive but instead looked like a bird to me. The question is when are you going to get the drone?”

  ********

  Sue and Bessie Mae had spent almost two hours in J&J Electronics & Hobby Shop looking over several types and models of drones. They finally settled on a drone with a 2K Camera with brushless motor 5G WIFI live Video, RC Quadcopter for advanced, GPS Return, with two 40-minute-long flight time lithium batteries; they bought two of the drones and 6 extra batteries. When they returned to motel they assembled both drones and Nelly was given one to paint in camouflage colors while the rest of the Curmudgeons were out back behind the motel taking turns learning to fly the other drone and observing the view on the video monitor mounted to the remote control handheld operating station.

  It only took a couple of turns at the controls for the Curmudgeons to have operation of the drone down to a science, so to speak (remember we are talking about genius level, athletic women).

  How about Patch? Did he take his turn.

  Nope … he told them that his gnarled hands and fingers would allow him to pull the trigger on his shortened 12-gauge shotgun and that was all he needed to do … in his opinion.

  “Okay, you gals seem to have that drone operation stuff down to a science … we need to meet in the conference room and discuss our plan,” Patch said.

  ********

  An hour later they were assembled in the motel conference room munching on burnt bottom peanut butter cookies and washing it all down with apple juice or Salty Dogs.

  “This is going to be a very dangerous operation … if the people … and remember right now we are not certain of how many people and if they are the perps we are looking for … so, again if the people inside that compound are our perps this could be a very dangerous operation by us,” Patch said.

  His words hung there between them, closing out everything else. They fully understood there was a time for joking, having fun, playing poker and loving each other and Patch but there was also a time to be serious—deadly serious.

  This was one of those times.

  Right on, Jose, Paco and Maria.

  Normally Patch could tuck all the loose strands of any emotion he might have behind a mask of impassivity but whatever he was thinking was rushed to his face as he said, “I am going to be in the middle of this one … I can f
eel the undercurrents of great danger ahead.”

  Anyone at that moment looking in on the Curmudgeons would not have discovered any confusion or a running of blood to their cheeks as they absorbed the reality of Patch’s words. The fact is the Curmudgeons are trained killers—for the right fucking reason.

  You got that right, hombre.

  ********

  Standing in front of the conference room sink she took a deep breath. “You know I murdered that girl at the compound outhouse,” L. Lovey said as calmly as she could. “I am a murderer.”

  “Nope, you are a hero … ten times over … what were you to do, let that slimeball bitch cut you to threads?” Patch opened the cupboard looking for the saltshaker. “You know where all the fixings’ are for a Salty Dog?”

  ********

  They had their plan … Patch suggested it and the Curmudgeons approved by a show of one hand and the taking of a burnt bottom peanut butter cookie with the other.

  “Ok, load up the SUVs with the ammo and weapons and plenty of water and cookies. This is going to take time and patience … basically our drone stakeout, Sue said.”

  The plan they had fashioned was simple enough. The lead SUV would park off the road high above the Compound. Team 1 with Sue, Bessie Mae, Sharp and Crockett would launch their newly camouflaged drone for 30 minutes and then Team 2 with Patch, Brown Eyes, Mustang Sally, and JoAnn parked along the ridge approximately 100 feet from the lead SUV they would launch the other drone for a 30-minute run. This would give each team surveillance and the ability to change out batteries and then launch again when the other needed charging. Sue is the designated pilot of the first drone and JoAnn is the pilot of the second. The other team members were designated to use binoculars to watch the compound from various locations along the ridge above the Compound.

  The third vehicle stopped at a horse ranch they had passed on the road. Patch wanted the Lovey sisters to rent two of the horses and gear and to ride about near the Compound as if they were just out for a joy ride, so to speak. Patch told them to hang cameras from their necks to make it appear they were tourists—but he also told them to take their throwing axes and Glock-17s locked and loaded. After dropping off the Loveys and ensuring they were able to rent a couple of horses, Hell, Two Green Eyes and Nelly were to drive by the other two SUVs and stop down the road about ¼ of a mile and then to make their way by foot down the slope to the outhouse area and wait for instructions.

  All three teams had multiple walkie-talkies to ensure that at least one device would be operable when needed.

  Patch, Brown Eyes, and Mustang Sally crouched down in between the two vehicles. Patch was somewhat surprised when he noticed Brown Eyes and Mustang Sally wearing Camo MAGA hats. Patch and Sue possess the same hats in their rooms in Seattle but they are solid red and not camo.

  Patch armed with his 12-gauge shotgun loaded with triple-ought buckshot knew that his weapon was worthless at the distance they were presently positioned at. He made sure that Brown Eyes and Mustang Sally both crack shots were armed with the scope-mounted 30-06s loaded with 150, 180 and 220 grain rounds in that sequence…150 for speed, 180 for knockdown and 220 for the sure kill. There was no room for error.

  Is there ever?

  No way, Jose, Paco and Maria.

  Anyway, Sue kneeing on hardpan with Crockett to her left and Bessie Mae to her right launched drone 1 from a location down slope; she needed to ensure she kept the drone within operational range. The good news was the drone could fly high and still send back video that was sharp and easy to discern. JoAnn was also down slope but separated from Sue by 100 yards had the second drone ready to fly … Sue was to tell her by radio when to launch #2. Bessie Mae followed the flight of drone #1 as Sue and Crockett view its flight on video display on the operator’s console.

  Meanwhile, the Lovey sisters were about a mile or so from the compound. It was hot with no wind, just still smothering air. They had brought extra water and that was a good thing. But they were more worried about the horses than themselves so they loped along close to the Snake River and paused now and then to let the horses drink.

  Hell, Two Green Eyes and Nelly climbed down to the pre-historic floor of the old water channel that now formed a slight downward trending landscape toward the Snake River. They positioned themselves about 200 feet from one of the two large Compound buildings. They had good cover thanks to sagebrush and scrub and a few scattered broken boulders. Their line of sight toward the nearest large building and the other large building was unobstructed. It was 0930 and they were locked and loaded—ready.

  ********

  Inside the Compound assembly hall, the kittens were standing at attention while W.W. ranted and raved about their missing kitten. “That shithead should be fodder for our fishies in the fucking pond … either she ran off and is now feeding rattlesnakes or some asshole kidnapped her. So, we are going to have to move fast with our frying of Little Goose Dam. That bitch may be spilling the beans on all of us and we must be prepared to take on the assholes if they decide to come after us.”

  “Yada, Yada, Yada.”

  “Furthermore, we need to go on the rampage and kill anyone and everyone we run into.”

  “Yada, Yada, Yada.”

  “Are you fucking ready to take on the fucking world?

  “Yada, Yada, Yada.”

  ********

  “Sue, did you hear that?” Crockett asked when she heard the yelling of repeated words she could not make out from the largest building in front of them.

  “Yeah, sounds like a bunch of girls screaming,” Sue answered.

  “Well, that is no surprise,” Bessie Mae said chuckling to herself.

  “What, you think all girls scream and yell?” asked Crockett.

  “All young girls, yes,” Bessie Mae squirmed out from sitting on a sharp rock.

  “What you think Sue?”

  Sure raised her head, looking directly at Bessie Mae. “Well, glad none of us are that silly,” Sue answered as she noticed that 30 minutes were almost up and it was time to radio JoAnn to launch drone #2.

  “Radio JoAnn to launch,” Sue told Crockett.

  “Ok.”

  ********

  W.W. Williams was giving final instructions to his kittens. “Okay, I want all you bitches to shine today and not only roast Little Goose Dam but also to kill a whole bunch of fucking shitters … a whole fucking bunch.”

  “Yada, Yada, Yada.”

  “Okay … I want to use 4 vans…load the explosives in the blue one and it will follow us when we go tonight … darkness will help us out.” W.W. pointed to of the best looking kittens in his family (and that was hard to determine because they all defined ugly) and said, “Also, I want you two bitches to dress up and make yourself pretty for the Dam guards and if you have to air start the bastards to distract them fine … otherwise waste them.”

  “Yada, Yada, Yada.”

  “We will leave here at 2000 this evening…the sun will not set for another 30 minutes after that but we need some daylight to get down that fucked up road safely. For now … load the fucking vans.”

  ********

  By 1700 that afternoon the Curmudgeons were out of charged batteries, feeling blanched from the heat and the only movement in the compound that they observed was a number of women loading 4 different vans.

  Loading up what?

  Good question.

  Even with the drone hovering and sending back live video they could not be certain … appeared to be rifles … maybe … wrapped in blankets and some unmarked boxes. Impossible to tell exactly what was what.

  After there was no movement out of the Compound and at 1730 Patch radioed all to saddle up and head for motel. They needed to rest and cool off and eat and drink something. Besides, they needed to recharge the batteries. An hour earlier he had told the Lovey sisters to take the horses back to the corral and tell the owners that they would need to rent two more horses a 2000 that evening.

  Soaking wet from sweat
and tired, the Curmudgeons, with the exception of Patch, Mustang Sally, Brown Eyes and JoAnn, loaded up and headed for the motel.

  Patch decided to stay in case the people in the Compound decided to leave during the night. Mustang Sally, Brown Eyes and JoAnn refused to leave Patch. They were sweating and definitely uncomfortable lying on the hardpan slope 50 feet above the Compound outhouse but they had plenty of water and granola bars. Also, they all felt certain that the Compound inhabitants would be leaving soon.

  They were correct.

  ********

  At 2100 that evening with the sun on the other side of Cascade Mountains to the west W.W. ordered his kittens to proceed with their plan. The plan was simple enough. They would drive over to Little Goose Dam where the first van carrying two dressed up kittens would approach the entrance to the Dam and distract the guards by stating that they were lost and needed direction on how to get to Pullman. While speaking with the guard or guards the kittens were instructed to make it clear that they would service him or them. Meanwhile, when the guard was off-guard and wasted, the kittens were to signal by flashing a flashlight beam up toward the road to alert the others that it was safe to drive down and into the Dam entrance area. Once inside the Dam area they were to spread out in groups with one group attaching explosives to and near the spillway area, another group is assigned to do the locks, and the last group is to do the fish ladder.

  Note:What W.W. did not understand is that 25 sticks of aged and deteriorating TNT is not enough to bring down the Little Goose Dam. But you know when you are more looney than a Looney Bird, who the fuck cares?

  So, W.W. told the Kittens to make sure their weapons (mostly double action 38-caliber pistols) were locked and loaded and to board the vans and get ready for death and destruction.

  ********

  Meanwhile, the Lovey sisters arrived at the corral and instead of returning their rides and heading back to the motel they did not do that.

  What did they do?

  They did what all smart women do … whatever the fuck they want to do.

  Do you blame them?