As the Eagle Flies. J. D. Oliver

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СКАЧАТЬ in her. I sure could get used to this family stuff. Charles sat his coffee cup down and said,

      “I suppose you’re right, this world sure has changed. There was a time when we didn’t even have to lock our houses much less worry about someone stealing our pocketbooks.”

      “Yes,” I said, “the only thing that remains constant is change itself, much like the weather I suppose. But I wouldn’t mind change so much, if it wasn’t always for the worse.”

      “Sweetheart,” Faith said, “don’t be negative, some changes have been for the better; you know like health care, haven’t they?”

      “Yeah, I guess, if health care was available to everyone on an equal footing, but of course it’s not.” I said.

      Faith quickly changed the subject, “So Edith, how long do you and Charles plan on staying down here?”

      “We planned on going back next week; but now that this has happened. We might leave quicker.” Edith said, looking at Charles.

      “Yes, we’ve been here for a week already and there are some things that I have to take care of at home. Even though my Grandson runs the place now, I’m still in charge. I think we’ll leave the day after tomorrow.”

      With that the party sort of broke up. As we were leaving the dinning room, I said to Charles. “Charles, I want to emphasize the seriousness of things now. With Crude Oil selling at over a hundred dollars a barrel, there isn’t anything some of these oil people wouldn’t do to get your mineral rights, even murder.”

      He stopped, I could see that he was mulling it over, “You really think so? They would stoop that low?”

      “Yes, they started a war to get oil, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill us small potatoes.” I said. “Just watch your back, okay?”

      He nodded, they went to their room and we went to ours. We put Alita down and she went right to sleep. Rosie’s eyes were drooping also, her head had no more than hit the pillow and she was out.

      Faith and I weren’t too far behind them. Faith was asleep long before I was. I kept running things over in my mind. You know worry is nothing more than a circle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a point of fear. I always knew that, but trying to get your mind to stop doing that is another thing.

      I must of went to sleep, because the next thing I knew I awoke from a bad dream. I couldn’t remember all of it, something about getting shot. I lay there for awhile. I didn’t want to wake Faith up, she needed her sleep. I looked at the bedside clock; one thirty. The bar would still be open, I decided to go get me a night cap.

      Faith and I always slept naked, I was hugging her, I slowly disentangled myself, she stirred and muttered, but didn’t wake up. I picked up my clothes and dressed in the common room.

      I was right; the bar was still open. There were about nine of ten people still there. I went to the bar and ordered a blackberry brandy. I always notice things, when I came in I seen two people that I knew; those pickpockets Blackie and his wife, I never did get their last names. They had seen me when I walked in. They were in deep conversation, glancing my way every once in awhile.

      Damn, I had forgot my gun. Here I told Charles to watch his back and I leave my gun in the room. I turned my back to the room and watched them in the bar mirror. There was a heavy glass ash tray on the bar, I was sort of playing with it, idly, more sub-consciously than not.

      The bartender called for last drinks before closing. Most of the people got up and left, those two didn’t. The bartender poured me another shot of brandy. I held the shot glass in my left hand. I seen that Blackie and his wife were walking toward me. She was reaching in her purse for something, I let them come.

      She came up on my left, Blackie on my right, her hand was still in her purse. I felt the barrel of a pistol as she held it against my ribs. Now you see that is a mistake a lot of criminals make; they always have to grandstand. She should of just shot me right away. Instead she started to speak, “You son of a bitch,” she said.

      That was all the further she got, with my left elbow I pushed the gun to the side as I turned to smash her in the face with that heavy glass ash tray that I held in my right hand. I caught her right on the bridge of the nose. Her gun went off, just grazing my ribs, the shot wasn’t a complete waste, it got Blackie right in the heart.

      She lay there on the floor, out like a light, making a ghastly breathing noise through her smashed nose, the pistol still gripped in her hand. Blackie wasn’t doing anything; he was stone cold dead.

      The bartender looked like he was in shock, I said to him. “Would you please call 911, I think she needs a paramedic. And I would also like one, that shot seemed to of perforated my hide a little bit.”

      They got there post haste. Of course the cops came at the same time, I showed them my new I.D., they acted some impressed. The medics wanted to take me to the hospital, I said, “No, just sew me up right here.” Before they were done, Cort showed up.

      “I’m sorry Clay, I should of warned you, that they made bail.” Cort said. Then, “Are you alright?”

      “Yeah, I think so. That bitch tried her best to put me under. Her mistake was that she just wanted to palaver awhile before she did it. Remember that Cort; if you want to kill somebody don’t stop to talk about it.”

      The medic finished with the stitches, “does that hurt?” He said.

      “No, not since you shot it with Novocain. Is there anything special I should be doing with it?”

      “Just don’t get it wet. And you had better let a doctor see it on the morrow. I’ll put a bandage on it. I wouldn’t be doing any setups, if I were you.” He said. I turned to Cort,

      “How about it, do you need me any longer?”

      “No, I don’t think so, the bartender gave me the particulars. And there was also a surveillance camera. When you going home? There sure seems to be a high body count when you’re around.” He laughed, then added, “I was just kidding, I’ll be by after lunch tomorrow. I have a little more info on that Dipper Tick. See you then, go on, go the bed.”

      I used my magnetic key on the door, looked like every one was still asleep, the clock said that it was three. Faith was still asleep, I undressed and got in, cuddling up close. She was on the right side of the bed, my wound was on my left side, so I could lie on my right side. It wasn’t long till I fell asleep, with no dreams.

      I was woke by Faith screaming, “What the hell, where did all of the blood come from?” She was setting up in bed looking at me. She had thrown the covers back, “There’s blood all over you and the bed.”

      Her screaming brought Rosie on the run, she was carrying Alita. All three of them were staring at me. “Take it easy, I’m okay. I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went down to the bar for a nightcap.” I looked at Rosie, “Rosie, your old foster father is dead, and your foster mother has a broken nose.”

      Faith said, “Turn over, let me see your side.” I did so, “What happened, it’s still bleeding.”

      I told them the whole story. Faith said, “Come on, get in the bathroom, let me take that bandage off and see if I can’t put a cork in that leak.” I got up and walked to the bathroom, with blood running down my side. Faith yanked the bandage off, “That’s СКАЧАТЬ