Renewing Lost Love (19 page)

He winds his way along the country roads to
the backside of the ranches and turns up the old logging road. It
is not long before he runs into the concrete barriers the Drake
Security team erected to prevent vehicles from traveling up the old
logging road to the back side of the Rocking J and Rock Springs
Ranches. Damn! Well, he’ll just hike in. A way onto the property
has got to be further down the road or they wouldn’t have it
blocked.

******

The Drake Security team watches James Bixby
as he slowly makes his way up the old logging road. The snow is
deep and progress is slow. Rage churns through Pinky’s veins as he
watches the man. He is breathing heavily and flexing his fists at
his sides. He wants nothing more than to get his hands around
Bixby’s neck and squeeze the life right out of him. He has never
hated anyone so much in his life. Visions of his lifeless son’s
body are flashing across his mind and fueling his anger.

Scoot has been watching Pinky and is getting
concerned by his body language. He looks over at him and says,
“Easy Pinky. If you can’t keep those emotions under control I’m
going to have to restrict you to quarters.”

Pinky cuts his eyes over at his friend and
boss and says, “You wouldn’t dare!”

Standing up straight Scoot looks him in the
eye and says, “Don’t push me! You’re in no shape right now to be
involved in any operation concerning Bixby. I can always send you
out of town on another job. Now, get yourself under control! I will
not let you jeopardize the other guy’s lives because you can’t
control yourself!”

Pinky takes a deep calming breath giving
Scoot a curt nod. He admits to himself that Scoot is right. He
needs to calm down. Jasmine and Timmy’s lives may depend on
him.

They watch Bixby all afternoon as he slowly
makes his way through the deep snow up the logging road to the very
back of the Rock Springs Ranch. He spends a few minutes looking up
at the razor wire across the top of the ten foot fence. Then he
then pulls a pair of wire cutters out of his backpack and begins to
cut the wire mumbling to himself and grinning like a Cheshire
cat.

Just as he has the hole in the fence large
enough to slide through he is completely surprised when he is
attacked from behind by a huge grey wolf. The wolf knocks him to
the ground and goes for his throat. Bixby throws up his arm as he
screams like a frightened child. Fighting with all of his strength
they roll from side to side in the snow. Finally, he manages to
pull a big ugly knife from the scabbard at his side and plunges it
into the wolf jerking it downward disemboweling the beast. As the
wolf falls lifelessly to his side Bixby lies back in the snow
breathing heavily, blood from his wounds staining the snow.

The Drake Security team watches silently,
entranced by the scene before them. Finally, Bear says, “I would be
willing to bet that wolf was rabid. Look at the area around his
jaws, they are white with foam “

Stump says, “You are probably right. Wolves
usually steer clear of populated areas. He was either very hungry
or rabid.”

Scoot says, “The area has been plenty of wild
game. He shouldn’t have been hungry.”

Pinky says, “If Bixby leaves the area, let’s
get the animal tested. I would like to know if he’s been
exposed.”

Scoot says, “That’s a good idea. We want to
know what we are dealing with.”

After a few minutes Bixby sits up in the snow
and wraps a cloth around the deep lacerations on his arm. He is
mumbling but not loud enough for the team to understand what he is
saying. When he has managed to stem the flow of blood, he glances
over the pasture toward the house then turns back down the logging
road toward his truck mumbling to himself.

Barry calls their veterinarian, Dr. Franklin,
who promises to pick up the wolf and have it tested for rabies. It
will take about a week to get the report. In the meantime, the
security service repairs the fence that Bixby had been cutting when
attacked.

******

James Bixby is angry and discouraged. Why is
it that something always interferes just about the time he almost
reaches his goal? Damn! Now he has to find somebody to sew up these
cuts or he’s going to bleed to death.

His only choice at this point is to return to
the compound on Flathead Lake and hope they will let him stay with
them for a few days. At least maybe they will sew up his cuts. It
is only a day’s drive to the compound. With luck he can be back
here before the end of the week. That is, if he doesn’t lose too
much blood. Now that he knows the lay of the land, he’ll be able to
make quick work of taking out those mercenaries when he
returns.

Three days after Bixby’s encounter with the
wolf, the entire extended family and Samantha Wells from the Rock
Springs Ranch travels into Cody Wyoming to watch Timothy Ronald
Westbrook Thompson become Timothy Ronald Westbrook Thompson
Williams as the adoption is finalized.

Pinky is so happy when the judge announces
the final adoption order and Timmy legally becomes his son. Tears
stream down his face as he holds Timmy in his arms and answers the
judge’s questions. Timmy says, “Mr. Pinky, why are you crying?
You’re not sad, are you?”

Smiling warmly, Pinky responds, “No, Timmy,
I’m not sad. In fact I am the happiest man in the world today
because you are now legally my son. I love you Sport.”

Timmy grabs him around the neck and squeezes
as hard as he can, “I’m happy too Mr. Pinky because I love you
lots. You are the best Daddy in the whole world!”

Keith pulls Jasmine to his side and with
Timmy still in his arms he kisses her warmly, “Now, we just need to
make Miss Jasmine your official Mommie. What do you think?”

Timmy says, “Yes! When can we?”

He looks deeply into her eyes, “As soon as
she says she’s ready.”

Blushing Jasmine says, “I’ll be ready as soon
as all of this stuff with James Bixby is finished.”

After the ceremony everyone returns to the
ranch for a family celebration of Timmy’s favorite, oatmeal cookies
and homemade vanilla ice cream.

******

The group had just returned to the Rock
Springs Ranch when Scoot’s cell phone rings and he steps into the
study then answers, “Scoot.”

“Mr. Drake, this is Tom Dawson with Texas
Safe Search. So far we have uncovered the remains of twelve humans
up here. This morning we found a baby. Have the mother and father
submitted DNA to the FBI database?”

Scoot says, “The father’s DNA is already in
the database. I’ll make sure the mother’s gets added within the
next couple of days. Thanks for calling Mr. Dawson.”

“Good, I’m sure if they find a match, the FBI
will be contacting him. We’ve still got about ten acres to search
before we cover all of the ground up here. This has been very
stressful for my team. We have never found this many different
remains in such a small area except from a natural disaster. It is
downright sickening to know this many people were murdered
here.”

“You’re right. Thank you for helping us,”
replies Scoot.

Scoot signals Pinky to come into the study
where he tells him the search team found a baby’s remains. He asks
him to get Jasmine’s DNA and send it to the FBI lab to have it
added to the database. Tears in his eyes, Pinky nods and returns to
the party where he scoops Timmy into his arms and squeezes him
tight and says, “I love you Sport.”

******

Late that same afternoon Barry’s cell phone
rings, “Farrady.”

“Mr. Farrady, this is Dr. Franklin. We got
the results back on the rabies test on that wolf. It was rabid.
Anybody that came into contact with it or the man’s blood that was
attacked needs to take the series of shots.”

“Thank you for your help Dr. Franklin. We
thought it probably was rabid. I’ll let everyone know,” replies
Barry.

After he disconnects with Dr. Franklin he
heads over to the Drake Security office where he finds Scoot and
Pinky huddled over the computer. When he walks in the office he
says, “Hey guys, Dr. Franklin called. The wolf was rabid. Have
either of you heard anything about where Bixby went when he left
here? Everyone that came into contact with him will need to take
the shots.”

Pinky says, “Richard Dean called a couple of
days ago to let me know they believe Bixby went to the compound on
Flathead Lake. I’ll call him and let him know they need to check
and make sure and let those folks know of the danger.”

Pinky dials Richard Dean’s number, “Mr. Dean,
this is Pinky Williams. We got the test results back and the wolf
that attacked Bixby was rabid. You need to let the folks at the
Flathead Lake compound know so they can get the shots if they came
into contact with any of Bixby’s blood or bodily fluids.”

“I’ll send someone up to the compound today
and I’ll let you know if Bixby is still at that location. I know
those folks will be grateful to you for letting them know. Thanks
for calling Mr. Williams,” answers Richard Dean.

A few hours later Pinky’s cell phone rings,
“Pinky.”

“Mr. Williams, it’s Richard Dean. Bixby has
already left the compound. In fact he only stayed with them for two
nights. The folks up at the compound were thankful you sent word
about the rabies. They are going to get the shots right away. They
said to tell you, they owe you guys a favor and if Bixby shows up
again, they will call.”

“Thanks, Mr. Dean. I appreciate all your
help,” replies Pinky.

******

James Bixby is relaxing on the sofa at the
vacant cabin where he spent so much time a few months ago. He still
can’t believe he was so lucky as to run across this place. He is
glad the guys at the Flathead Lake compound welcomed him and sewed
him up, but he had no desire to stay at that compound when he knew
this place was so close. He must be getting soft because he likes
having indoor plumbing and a hot shower.

******

Bear walks in the office, “I think Bixby’s
back at my cabin. The security service just called to let me know
it was broken into again. Pinky, would you check the cameras for
me?”

He brings up the cameras and find Bixby
asleep on the sofa. Pinky says, “I’ll call Richard Dean. I don’t
know what he’s going to want to do this time.”

After a conversation with Richard Dean, Pinky
tells the guys the FBI is going to pick him up. They are sending a
team up to the cabin and should arrest him sometime this
afternoon.

The Drake Security team monitors the cameras
at Bear’s cabin all evening and watches as the FBI approaches the
house. Then, they see the moment Bixby realizes they are outside
and watch as he sneaks out the back door and into the woods
escaping again.

Pinky says, “Damn! I am beginning to lose all
faith in the guys at the FBI. How could they let him slip away
again? Now we don’t know where he’s going!”

Scoot says, “Keep that recording. They need
to use it in their training to show what not to do!”

The FBI impounded the truck and left Bixby on
foot again. When Richard Dean calls Pinky he says, “Mr. Williams, I
am embarrassed to tell you that Bixby got away again.”

Pinky says, “Yeah, we watched. It was not the
Bureau’s most stellar moment. We have it on tape. I’ll send it to
you so you can see for yourself what happened.”

Richard Dean says, “Yes, please send it. We
need to see for ourselves how this guy manages to elude us. Maybe
we can learn from it.”

******

A couple of weeks later Pinky is busy at the
computer helping Scoot design a security system for a client when
Jasmine comes walking in the office. She asks, “Have you guys seen
Timmy?”

Pinky’s heart speeds up and he says, “No, he
hasn’t been up here. Where was he when you last saw him?”

Jasmine answers, “He was sitting at the
kitchen table eating oatmeal cookies and doing his homework. When I
went back in to get him to take his bath he was gone.”

Pinky’s heart is beating heavily and he asks,
“Did you check the pool?”

She replies, “Yes, that is the first thing I
thought of. He wasn’t at the pool. Besides he’s a pretty good
swimmer now. Eric and Damian aren’t in the house either. Do you
know where they are Scoot?”

Scoot shakes his head, “No, I haven’t seen
them this afternoon. I’ll call Skye and see if they are at the
house.”

Pinky asks, “What was Timmy talking about
after school today? Maybe we can get an idea about what was on his
mind.”

Frustrated Jasmine says, “You know how he is
... his mind jumps from one subject to another so fast I can’t keep
up with him. He talked about school, and a TV show he saw last
night, and he wanted to know where oatmeal comes from.”

Scoot says, “Skye said Eric and Damian are at
my house but Timmy is not with them. They don’t know where he might
be. When they left the house he was in the kitchen eating
cookies.”

Pinky says, “Well, we need to start looking.
It’s going to be dark soon. I’ll take the barn, Scoot would you
mind looking around the outside of the house. It we don’t find him
I’ll fire up the helicopter and sweep the area.”

They all head down the stairs and see Bud
Wilkes coming out of the barn. Pinky hollers at him, “Bud, have you
seen Timmy?”

Bud says, “I was just coming to get you. His
pony is missing from the barn.”

Pinky says, “Damn!”

Scoot says, “You go saddle up, I’ll get in
the helicopter and locate him for you.”

Just as Bud and Pinky lead their horses out
of the barn, Pinky’s cell phone rings, “Pinky.”

“Pinky, his pony is in the back pasture, over
by where the wolf attacked Bixby. I don’t see Timmy. I called Barry
to check the surveillance video to see if he can see anything.”

Pinky’s heart is pounding with dread now. He
and Bud are riding as fast as they can across the pasture toward
where Scoot saw Timmy’s pony. No one has seen Bixby for weeks, what
if he got Timmy? Please God, keep him safe!