A Pair of Second Chances (Ben Jensen Series Book 1) (7 page)

Nothing changed that next day. Good luck or bad, he drove his small herd into the park above Lodgepole creek an hour or two before sunset. He'd pushed easy, allowing the herd to graze their way along, as much as possible, and still get where he needed to go. The colts were still young enough though that even with that days easy drive, those youngsters would be tired and not wanting to move much. That would go a long way toward holding their Mommas close.

Ben pitched his tipi on the uphill side of the park, to act as a small deterrent to the horses trying to go back up. He hobbled and belled his pack horses, along with the lead mare of the herd and built a small fire to boil some coffee before sitting, back to a log, chewing jerky for supper while the coffee brewed.

Sitting there, watching the shadows of the advancing sunset, he wished once again, as he often had, that he'd been born a century earlier. He seemed, as many cowboys thought of themselves, born out of season. His dreams and values, his basic personality seemingly tailor made for that earlier time; and out of place in this one.

But, just like all those other cowboys, there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Just Cowboy up and do the best he could. It seemed that too often, no matter how hard he pushed, his best just wouldn't fit what the world demanded of him. There were times he found himself wishing those lowlanders would just blow themselves all to hell.

But at this moment, here in the high country that inflated his soul, he couldn't sustain such dark thoughts. Here in the mountains he loved, all he could do was to be at peace, if only for this short time, hidden from the world that had treated him so harshly.

Soon after dawn broke he'd be on the trail, moving those last few miles of rough mountain trail, down past Lodgepole Creek Campground. Then, on to the ranch, and back to that "other" world.

Ben spent his evening, sitting against the log, chewing jerky, sipping coffee... and watching the wispy tendrils of smoke rise from a campfire in the campground far below and drift off down the valley.

Later that evening looking at the glow down in the valley below; "Now there's a lowlander pilgrim if I ever saw one" he thought to himself. "That campfire must be big enough for two suppers from the glow it's throwin' off!"

Chapter
6

They'd made good time that first day, making it all the way to Mitchell, South Dakota a couple of hours after dark. She hadn't any experience driving cross country but still thought they'd done well. What with the stop of over an hour at the Walmart in Sioux City she thought they were lucky to be as far as they were. She'd needed to buy them each several sets of clothes and other necessities she found it impossible to leave with.

In addition, she'd bought a tent, sleeping bags, cook stove and ice chest, along with several other bits and pieces of camping gear recommended by a paunchy, balding, clerk, who seemed to think her eyes were in the middle of her chest. These were the things they needed to execute her idea of simply disappearing. She wanted her and her son to fall off the face of the earth.

Then, of course, there were the multiple stops when Timmy had to pee. All in all, she felt good about the day. For the first time, she felt a sensation of growing safety. They had a chance.

She pulled the car in under the portico of a Best Western Motel on the west side of town. Leaving the sleeping Timmy to his dreams in his car seat, she went inside to book a room for the night. She was glad when the clerk didn't ask for any ID... just the cash for the room. The fewer places she had to leave any traces the better.

Five minutes later, she and her son were safely secluded in their room. The door was bolted and chained. The TV was tuned, with the volume louder than necessary, to some child's show she found on the cable; and she stood under the spray of a shower as hot as she could stand it. The sound of her sobbing, from releasing the fear she'd held bottled up inside her all day, now hidden from her son by the noise of the running water and the too loud TV.

In the morning they'd continue their journey, north and west, bound for the imagined freedom and security, of Montana. But for now, she'd savor this peaceful night with her son. It was the first night, in many, that neither of them would have to fear a beating, or worse.

When she came out of the bathroom from her shower, she looked in the small phone book she found on the nightstand between the two beds. "How'd you like to have Pizza for supper Mr. Tim?" she asked her son.

"Pizza? can we Momma? It's like Christmas! Chocolate milk and Pizza all in one day! Hooray!" the boy laughed.

Without thinking, Amanda Blake reached into her purse for her phone, powered it up and dialed the number to the local pizza delivery store. The clerk that answered assured her it wasn't too late for a delivery. When he asked for her name to put on the order, she froze for a second before quickly stuttering into the phone, "uh... Su... Susan... Susan Crandall. I'm in room 204 at the Round Up Best Western Motel. "

The clerk told her their supper would be delivered in less then 30 minutes or it was free, and hung up. She glanced at her watch and said to Timmy; "Well, if your pizza isn't here by 8:30... he just said it's Free!"

Amanda punched the power button again, and then sitting there looking at it as it shut down, started laughing. "Terrified of a pizza delivery boy! It's too much!" she thought to herself...

"What are you laughing at Momma?" Timmy wanted to know... "Oh, it's nothing" his mother replied; "Your pizza is on the way", and then she grabbed the boy, tickling his sides as they rolled around on the bed, laughing. It struck her that it was the first time she could really remember laughing, so easily, with her son. She thought; "I like this. Oh God, I truly, like this."

Amanda had to grab her boy and hug him close, to keep him from seeing her tears. Damn! She loved that little boy like she'd never loved anything in her life. Somehow, she told herself again, she had to get him and keep him, free of the misery they'd run from.

"I love you so much Timmy, I love you so much!" She told him as she hugged him tight.

"Momma! You're scrunching me, I can't breathe!"

"Well, I'll let you go then! So you can breathe and eat more pizza, you grubby little monster!" and mother and son rolled around on the bed, laughing once again.

Mother and son ate pizza, drank soda and watched the television into the night, falling asleep, with the boy wrapped peacefully in his mother's arms.

They slept through the noisy return of the salesman occupying the next room, returning from the bar across the street at midnight, with his wife-for-a-night.

They slept through the sirens of the fire engine racing past headed for the wreck up on the highway at two in the morning.

They slept as the black Yukon pulled away from the warehouse in a rundown industrial area of central Chicago.

Chapter
7

Mirza returned in less than an hour and took up his place around the table. Weapons were now distributed to all the men, the bar closed and the doors locked.

They all sat quiet, drinking coffee now, waiting on the return of Zlatko and Juka. They seldom spoke. A somber, solemn mood hung over the room.

Twice a cell phone rang and hurried conversations were whispered, advising anxious wives why they hadn't yet returned home. Telling them to lock the doors and let no one in until they got there.

It was several hours before the two scouts came to the bar and knocked. Jadranko rose to verify it was them, and let them in.

It was Zlatko who made their report; "We waited for the dispatcher to get off from his shift at five. He stopped at a liquor store on his way home. When he came out and was walking back to his car we diverted him into an alley to have a conversation. As soon as we asked about Sadik, he changed. He acted very scared. I asked him why he was so scared and he tried to deny it. But the look on his face was plain."

"I told him I didn't have time to argue with him and that if he couldn't answer my questions I had no need for him any longer. I took out my knife and pushed his head back with the point under his chin. The man is a coward and started talking so fast I couldn't understand, so I told him to shut up."

"Finally, I told him to speak slowly, my English is not good, and he started again."

"The dispatcher told us; Some men came to the garage just before lunch. They asked me about a fare that was picked up at the Heartwood Terrace Condo building late last night. I told them I didn't know, I wasn't on then. They asked which driver had made the pickup. I said I didn't know, but I could look. They threw down a hundred dollar bill and told me to look. I saw in the log, that Sadik you're asking about, made that pickup... I told them that. They wanted to talk to him, I told them he was off then but he'd be back in his cab around four thirty."

"I asked him again... What men?" Zlatko said. "He looked scared and told me; if I tell you that they will kill me."

"I told him; Lucky you... you have a choice... Die later, maybe, for telling... or die now, for sure, for not telling! and I jabbed my knife under his chin again... hard. I drew blood." a grim smile creased Zlatko's face. "He is a coward." Zlatco turned his head and spit with contempt on the floor; "He talked."

"I don't know their names... they're Jamaican I know. I just told them what the log said... Sadik picked up two people... a woman and a boy at... the Heartwood Terrace Condo building. The log didn't say where he took them... he didn't call that in like he is supposed to... I swear!"

"I told him his story was taking too long and I was getting impatient. He told me they handed him an address on a piece of paper. Told him to send Sadik to that address for a fare, as soon as he came on... and to keep his mouth shut... or he would regret his mistake. The man was shaking, they scared him badly. He thinks they'll kill him for talking."

"Well" Raif responded. "Sadik hasn't shown up anywhere, so let's find him."

Zlatco, you and Juka go back out. Talk to every contact you know. Find what ever "Jamaican" outfits you can... where they are... who they are... Understand?"

"Yes..."

"Mirza, you ride with them." Raif interupted; "You are area security. Zlatco and Juka, you carry light, Mirza, you carry heavy. All of you take radios. You know what you're doing... go do it."

Mirza looked to Zlatco and spoke. "Pull your car around back. We can gear up there." The three men walked out without another word. Zlatco and Juka out the front, Mirza going to Raif's car in the back lot.

Inside, Raif sat at the table... holding a mug of coffee in his hands... eyes focused on a point in the center of the table. Milan and Jadranko sat with their own thoughts. After several silent minutes Raif spoke.

"We can not begin this, whatever "this" is... with the families in the open. Our homes are known to those who know us. They must be moved, now. We can not operate freely if we must worry about the safety of our women and children."

"I will wait here. Milan, you and Jadranko go, go now. Give everyone the orders. Take pistols for each wife, and..." he looked at Jadranko and continued; "one for your son, as well as a shotgun. He's only turned 18, but he's old enough Jadranko, he has to be. Tell him this is his mission. He is to take everyone to that camp in Ohio we chose for a rally point. Tell them to take the campers and we will come there for them, when this is done."

"Milan. Tell them to travel carefully. Watch their speed, and take no risks. Call us, tell Risto to call my phone when they get there. Remind them to keep all weapons out of sight. Do, Nothing, to attract attention... and Milan; We may not be able to stay here, we may not be able to keep working here... rent three storage units, pay a couple months. Park the trucks there. If we must move permanently we can come and get those trucks... We can be plumbers anywhere... yes?"

Milan had gotten to his feet and moved toward the back door with Jadranko. He just looked back at Raif and nodded.

"... and Milan, ask Tatjana to back Risto. He's just a boy, but time he walked like a man. The others will make it easier for him, with Tatjana backing him. She'll know what to do."

Both Milan and Jadranko laughed at that. Milan spoke; "I fear no man Raif... but... if it would keep me out of trouble with Tatjana... I would walk barefoot through a fire! You married a... terror of a woman Raif!"

"I know, that's why I said 'ask', not 'tell' " Raif smiled; "... but... she let's me pretend to wear the pants, you know?" Raif retorted, with his hands raised palms up. Then with a flip of his hand, he said; "Go now!" The two men continued on out the back door to complete their instructions.

Raif Bukvik sat in the empty bar alone, drinking his coffee... staring at the cell phone laying on the table top, and seeing into the past.

Visions of fire, the screaming of incoming artillery shells, shouting voices, faces filled with terror, screaming and wailing women, the oppressive weight of a great sadness filled his thoughts.