I slipped out of bed to go outside to exercise some more and was joined by Wanda, Jan, and Angie. While we were in a stretch, Brandy came out and followed Wanda with her movements. By the time I stood to end the form, Brandy was enjoying the movements. I promised myself I would find some oriental music to go with our exercises.
Breakfast was as usual, but I added some fried potatoes this morning for a change. Soon we were all ready for work. I stayed behind to see the contractor and make sure everything was going all right. He said he was satisfied with the progress and was expecting to be done in two weeks.
I noticed he was setting poles out from the garage and asked him about it. He said, "These are to hold up the porch. The whole end of the two bedrooms and living room will be glass and will also have doors to the porch. There will be a nice patio to sit on in the evenings."
That was going to be an expensive apartment.
The work day wasn't anything special. I did get a call from Kansas City. The chief was retiring and the successor, the ACE, had been chosen. I would need to visit with them Wednesday. Wanda called the air park and made the arrangements.
An hour later, the office in Minneapolis said they had a problem with the judge's chambers. They had discovered some kind of listening devices in the office, as well as in the clerk's office. I asked them to have the Bureau check them and to call me.
John called to ask me to go up to the Dakotas to check on the small office up there. The Chief had been sick and there seemed to be some problem among the deputies. I told John, "That's the third problem in the last half hour. Send me the file so I can review it as I chase around." I discussed the possible listening devices in Minnesota and he said to make sure I followed up.
I asked Wanda to reserve the plane for tomorrow morning as I would try to fly up to South Dakota first, before going back down to Kansas City. From there I would go to Minneapolis.
John from the air park called me about an hour later. "Could you leave tonight and drop off one of our guys up in Chicago? You can stay over there or fly on to Sioux Falls, or is it Rapid City?"
"Sioux Falls, John. Okay, I was thinking of having someone fly me on this one since I have work to do, but I guess I can do it."
"We don't have anyone to fly you right now as the boss is getting ready to go on his sailing adventure. Like he says, we always need pilots."
"I'll go get some clothes packed and be out at there in about two hours. We'll leave as soon as I can get there."
I asked Wanda to get everything together so I could bring it with me via my laptop. She said she had the Dakota stuff ready and would get the Kansas City change ready when I got there.
I was home quickly and packed some extra jeans and boots in case I had to go out. I even threw my vest in my gym bag with the extra magazines.
On the way to the air park, I remembered Brandy. "Hi Babe, I have to do some traveling. I'll be in Chicago, then Sioux Falls, but talk to Wanda. She'll know where I am. I'll call your cell phone this evening to say hi."
"You don't give a girl much notice, do you? I can't go along, but I'll be thinking of you. Be safe and call me."
I stopped at a Subway to get a couple of sandwiches and some bottles of water and lemonade.
At the air park John came out with his arm in a sling. "What's with the arm, John?"
"That's why we're short. I fell off a fueling ladder and broke my arm. I'm out for a while, so we are really short. I wish you had your commercial and the Lear school behind you so you could take some of these charters. You're helping anyway by getting this guy up to Chicago."
"John," I said. "I'm going to be gone most of the week with this airplane, is that all right?"
"It's yours, use it all you want. We've got your plane reserved all week anyway. Use the fuel card in the pouch and make sure you have anything looked at that needs it."
I let the guy on the airplane and he sat in the back and buckled up while I did the inspection. This was the first time I had flown the 200 without someone to read the checklist for me so this was a new experience for me. I made up my mind to just be methodical and do things one at a time.
We were off quickly climbing to twenty-two thousand. There was nothing between me and the executive airport I was landing at so it was a boring flight. I watched the instruments for anything unusual, but everything stayed normal.
I was in Chicago early enough that I decided to go on to Sioux Falls. When I checked the weather before filing, I found out there was a line of thunderstorms passing through for the next couple of hours. No problem, I paid the parking fees after refueling and found a nearby room.
I was able to get my files downloaded and was able to use the hotel printer to make up a couple of files. After a decent supper, I called Brandy and found that she was at home with Wanda. She said she felt good there and wanted to be around when I called.
After the call, I walked next door to a little bar for a beer. There were some pool tables, so I shot around a little before a guy challenged me. He was good, very good. When he wanted to go play a best of seven at nine-ball for fifty, I said, "I'm sorry, guy, I can barely shoot and you are very good. If you need the table, you can have it, but I don't gamble."
He stayed for a couple more games but soon left. I figured I could go to bed early and get to Sioux Falls early in the morning.
I set the alarm for four o'clock and dozed off quickly.
I was in the air by five-thirty and parked at Sioux Falls near seven thirty. I rented a car with a GPS and drove to the station. They didn't have a night guy, so I went to a little restaurant down the block for breakfast. At eight thirty, the clerk showed up, but no ACE. The clerk said, "I'll call him to make sure he's coming in."
"You don't have a morning briefing?"
"Not since Martin got sick. The deputies call in for assignments and that's it."
"Do me a favor, Ma'am. Call everyone that is not on critical duty and have them come in right now. Make sure you advise the ACE he is to be here within a half hour."
She said, "We only have four deputies in addition to what is supposed to be the working ACE and the working Chief."
"That's okay; I want to talk to all of them as soon as possible. I understand your Chief is in the hospital in Chicago right now."
The clerk advised, "He had chemo last week and will be coming home later this week. He probably can't come to work for at least two weeks."
Twenty minutes later all four deputies were in the station. I had a brief conversation with each of them and none would say anything about the ACE or any problems. They were all long time deputies with allegiance to the sick Chief.
I sent them all back to their tasks and waited for the ACE. After an hour, I asked the clerk for his phone number. I called him using my cell phone. When he answered, I said, "You now have fifteen minutes to be at the station. If you are not, you will not have a job and be in possession of what I would consider stolen property. Fifteen minutes, period."
I hung up and was called back immediately. "I can't get there in fifteen minutes."
I responded, "Then you don't have a job. I asked you to come in over an hour ago."
The man whined, "I was finishing what I was doing. I usually don't come in unless they need me."
"Too bad. You're paid to be here to give a briefing and go over your deputies' activities. You're not here, so you can't do that. Consider yourself terminated."
When I hung up, the clerk said, "Oh brother, that's the Sheriff's kid you just fired. You better be ready for some heavy fireworks."
"This is a federal office. We work with local law enforcement, but other than that, we have no relationship."
"The locals are pretty tight around here. The Sheriff owns this city and the area."
I said, "I guess the ACE should have thought of that when he decided he didn't need to come in."
About ten minutes passed and a very large man in a cowboy hat and uniform came in. Two more men wearing the same uniform followed him. The man said boisterously, "Where's the asshole that thinks he can fire my boy? I have pull with the Marshal. I want to talk to him."
I stood and walked up to him offering my hand, "I'm Charles Johnson, Senior U.S. Deputy Marshal, and you are?"
"By God, I'm the God damn Sheriff of this here county and the law as far as you can see. I'm telling you no one fires my son."
"I just did for not being here to do his job. His responsibility is to run this office and station in the absence of the Station Chief who is sick right now. The service does not pay people to work on their personal property during normal duty hours. I'm sure you pay your deputies not to work."
"What do you mean pay deputies not to work?"
"You are suggesting I pay your son not to work. If that were a good thing then you would pay your men not to work."
"But, he's my son."
"You're on the job, Sheriff. Why isn't he?"
He looked at me and stood by the door with his cell phone. "Get your ass in here this minute. If you bust your butt, you might keep your job, but the man has a point. You ain't doin' what you're supposed to. Now move it and get here and beg."
He came over to me and said, "I'm not sure why I thought it was okay for him to try to run this office from his place, but I couldn't do that. Um, if you can, see if you can salvage him."
"Can you use him as a deputy?"
"Yeah, but I can't pay him what you do."
"I'll talk to him but I don't think he will be the Assistant Chief any longer. This office has a mission and it is not being completed. It's my job to make sure it is."
When the Sheriff left, the clerk said, "I've never seen anyone talk to that man like that. He took it too. He even admitted his kid was wrong. When the guys hear that, they will be happy."
"Which one of the deputies is the strongest? Who has done the most training?"
"That's easy, Thomas Crowfoot. He's done every training seminar and video we have. He also is one of the best investigators. He's always where he's supposed to be."
"Call him in again, I need to talk to him."
Thomas Crowfoot came in the station about twenty minutes later. He said, "I'm about to catch the idiot that keeps vandalizing Judge Powers' office. I hope this is important."
"Let me go with you and let's catch your vandal. We can talk while we wait."
We waited a long while, but I did have the chance to offer him the Assistant Station Chief's job. He said, "I'm an Indian, do you want to do that?"
"Are you planning on going on the warpath soon or doing something stupid like that?"
He laughed, "No, and I don't even drink. I've always been afraid of what they say about booze and Indians. I want the job, so if you have the guts to give me the job, I'll take it."
An hour later, we caught the man responsible for the graffiti in the Judge's office. He was a disgruntled person convicted many years ago for stealing a federal vehicle. The judge said he would get plenty of time to think about his misdeeds for the next few years.
Back at the station, the Assistant Station Chief was there waiting. I had him sit and offered him a choice. "You can work here, and I mean be a hard working deputy, or you can be unemployed until your dad hires you."
"I'm promoting deputy Crowfoot to Assistant Station Chief. He will be your superior and you will answer to him. Can you do that, or would you rather be a sheriff's deputy?"
He didn't even hesitate, "I want to be a deputy marshal. I'll work hard and be here every day. Please give me the opportunity."
I turned to Thomas and said, "This man will not be given any special privileges. I'm canceling any vacation due him, and he will have to accrue any new vacation from this point forward. Please, teach him to be a good deputy."
Thomas nodded and said, "The Judge is on the move this afternoon. I think you should go with him today. He'll be done by six, so you should be home for supper."
The man took a deep breath and said to me, "Thank you. I'll do a good job."
Thomas then said, "This is a working office and I do have a couple of items to check on. Thanks for the promotion. This means a lot."
When Thomas left, the clerk said, "Will you sign these assignment sheets so I can update the files?"
I signed them and gave her my cell. "Call me tomorrow after the briefing. Let me know that everything is getting done. I'll be back."
The clerk said, "You're leaving? You come in," she snapped her finger, "just like that you make a bunch of changes, and you're gone?"
"I have to do a Station Chief change in K.C. tomorrow, and then Minneapolis has a problem I need to look into."
"Do you always fix things so fast?"
I had to laugh, "No, most take a lot more messing around to take care of business."
"How do you drive that much or catch airplanes to meet your schedule?"
"This time I'm flying myself. Some times I use a charter, it just depends."
In wonder, she said, "You can fly, you can really fly airplanes?"
I nodded.
"I want that. I want to learn how to fly. They have a school out at the airport and I want to sign up for it. Do you think I could fly?"
"Sure, all you have to do is study and take your lessons. They are not cheap, but are worth it. Good luck, I hope you do take lessons."
I left the station and drove to the airport. The 200 had drawn an audience. The S&S airplane had dozens of cartoons all over it and you have to look at it carefully to find them all.
I began the preflight inspection while several men were still looking at the airplane. The ramp guy said that the plane had been getting attention since I landed in the morning. I had the fuel truck come to top off the tanks, then asked the lookers to move away as I did need to leave.
If I was lucky, I might get the station change done this afternoon instead of in the morning. While I was queued up behind some commercial planes, I called the Kansas City office. The Chief was agreeable if I got there before four, as they were having a party this evening. I told him I had another problem that needed to be taken care, so he said he would have the new man at the office and have his clerk get everything ready.
The office was actually in Overland Park where there was a small airport that should be perfect, as they had full services. I changed my flight plan and headed there.
The taxi pulled into the station at three fifty-five, good timing. I had met the retiring Chief before, so we enjoyed chatting as we went through all of the procedures. The new man being promoted into the position was a D.C. Marshal. Hopefully, it was a good choice. He seemed to be a likeable fellow.
At six-thirty, everyone from the station was headed toward the party, and I was on my way back to the airport. The plane had been refueled so in just twenty minutes, the plane was fired up and ready. I keyed in the information to get me to Minneapolis and found that I had to land at the main airport. This was a busy place, so I would need some assistance with parking the airplane.
While on the way up there, I was wondering what I would find out about what cases the judges had been presiding over. It was a serious incident if we found someone was trying to influence a trial.
I was parked in a government slot near the private terminal, with the assurance that the plane would be refueled while I was on the ground. I asked the ground personnel to have a mechanic to look at the forward gear as it sounded funny and felt funny when I landed. I called S&S charters to advise them of the problem and they said they would check with the mechanic later.
There was a hotel near the station, so I passed on renting a car and just went to the hotel. The restaurant was still open, so I ordered a drink and a good meal. While waiting, I called Brandy to tell her where I was. She couldn't believe that I had started out in Chicago, gone to Sioux Falls, down to Kansas City, and was now in Minneapolis.
"I did start way before breakfast today. I knew I needed to get here, so I pushed everyone a lot."
I promised to get enough rest when she said, "I may have to take a leave from the employment office so I can take care of you. I think you need a keeper when you're traveling around like that. I could do that."
Wanda assured me everything was peaceful at the office. She reminded me that I should write up my reports for Sioux Falls and Kansas City while they were fresh in my mind.
When I asked if she was all right with Brandy hanging out while I was gone, she said quietly, as if she didn't want anyone else to hear, "I'm very happy to have Brandy's company. She is very experienced with ladies, considering she has lived with the other four for so long. She is a very nice playmate. Don't rush home, we're doing fine."
I only said, "I didn't know."
"Now you do. Enjoy, or would that be, let me enjoy."
After supper, I took a tall glass of scotch up to the room to drink while I made up my reports. I transmitted them to Wanda then went downstairs to fax the station change reports, along with the retirement set. Now there was a copy with Wanda in the event something happened to the originals.
As soon as I was done, I lay back on the bed and watched TV.
Primary editing by Pepere
Proofing by Sagacious