Steve (Tuesday)
Mercy and I were in the restaurant early, having coffee, when a couple of salt and pepper guys came in. I stood and both came toward me with their hands stuck out to shake. They sat with us and were brought coffee.
Bud Anderson, said, "I've been working on this case for a year and thought we had most of it put to bed. There must be more to it, as you've turned up a significant group here in Nevada."
Jim said, "Chuck split me off as his backup a while back to work with Bud, and I do have to say that we have been busy continuously. I miss Tampa, but the activity is fun."
We discussed what had occurred to date and why I had discussed the situation with Chuck. Bud asked, "If the Bureau has already photographed these guys, their facial recognition program should have picked them out by now. Do you guys have any prints from them yet?"
I looked at Mercy and said, "Let's skip breakfast and get over to the shop. We can use Bud's kit and dust the four trucks real quick and get prints that way. It will give us time to clean up the powder used for dusting."
After calling up to Tiny and telling him we were heading to the shop early, the four of us drove two cars to the shop. I opened the shop and discovered the four trucks pulled into the loading bays. Bud and Jim quickly began going over the trucks. They gave Mercy and me some spray cleaner and paper towels to follow and clean after them.
We were already done with the four trucks when Jorge came in. I told Jorge that Bud and Jim were friends of ours from Tampa and were visiting. He said, "I finished loading the trucks last night and left them inside. The deliveries are not as heavy today, so the men will be happier. They shouldn't be so surly this morning."
The four of us went up front to see if the Bureau car was parked in the lot across the street. It was, and so was the white van down the street. The van must have just arrived, as it wasn't there when we drove up. I called the FBI agent and asked, "How are the batteries holding up on the GPS units?"
He replied, "Good, still over seventy percent. I heard from my boss that a couple of deputies are in town to check out the men we're tracking. I think we can use all the help we can get on this one. I wanted to call the DEA, but the Special Agent in Charge wants to wait as he thinks this might relate to some other cases we've been working."
I told him, "The van is back this morning. Are you going to take any action today?"
"I can't give you any details," the agent said, "But we are making progress in our investigation. We're watching the van, of course, and we've found another vehicle watching your premises. We will be watching it as well."
It was times like this I wanted to just lock the doors and send everyone home. This was getting to be like Sue's first clothing plant, too many angles, and too many bad guys. Being so far from home gave me a bad feeling.
Mercy came up beside me and said, "Don't worry, Steve. There are a lot of men watching out for us. Let's go have some coffee. Mary brought some rolls in this morning, and I know I'm hungry."
Tiny, Ruth, Abe, and the sales and tech guys came in. Tiny said, "This one is about put to bed. Ruth, Abe, and I want to run up to Reno this morning and see how that plant is doing. There is a guy up there that I think will become the manager, so I want to get up there right away."
I told Tiny, "Good idea, don't act as if you know anything about the delivery guy problem. That has to be kept confidential."
Abe and Tiny looked at each other and Abe said, "Seems like you've been through all this before, doesn't it? We just need to make sure the building up there is on schedule. Oh yeah, Ryan might be in this afternoon with the guy who might be a good leader for this unit."
Tiny and Abe took off with their rental car, while Mercy and I sat in the former owner's office, looking out over the street. The office had windows looking to the front and side where the delivery trucks were now parked. We watched as the four delivery men parked their cars and walked toward the building. It was funny to watch them as they were walking side by side, four wide, as if it was the gunfight at the OK Corral. They were all in regular shirts and pants, so I could see they didn't appear to have guns, but they looked as if they were a united front. I told Mercy, "You watch up here. I want to see what kind of interaction they have with Jorge today."
By the time I reached the warehouse area, the men were already heading for their trucks. No chit chat, no arguments, no nothing this morning. I asked Jorge, "So how were they this morning?"
He said, "Quiet. They looked at the orders and deliveries and looked at each other and left. They're doing what they do every morning. They stand out there talking a few minutes then one of them uses his cell phone and they leave. If they were to hustle, they could be done by noon. They won't though, and will come in about three-thirty or four."
I went upstairs to watch as the delivery trucks left, but they all headed in the same direction, with the white van following. I noticed a Ford SUV pull out from a gas station at the corner following the van. When I called the agent, he asked, "Did you see the black SUV pull out and follow the van? That's the other vehicle I told you about. We have the delivery trucks in a cluster about six blocks down. It looks like the van is joining them. Gotta go, the boss is calling us in on them."
Damn, I wish I could watch, but knew better than to get in the way. I looked around for Bud and Jim, but they were missing too. Mercy and I were still looking out the window when we saw the black Ford SUV coming our way fast. The truck pulled into our parking lot and the two front doors opened with two guys jumping out. One had what looked like a small automatic rifle in his hand.
I yelled, "Mercy, stay down, get Mary and stay down." I ran for the steps and just as the two men burst through the door, I was rattling down the stairs with my Glock in hand. As the guy with the rifle swung toward me, I put two rounds into his body. The man went down but his partner had his hand leveling at me with a pistol.
Bang, bang.
Shots were fired from behind me and the guy fell forward still holding his gun. I looked to see Mercy still holding the automatic I had given her. She was watching the two men that were down.
I ran to the men and kicked their weapons away from them and knelt to check pulses. The man Mercy had shot was dead. The one I had shot was still breathing, but was bleeding from two rounds to the chest.
Mercy was standing beside me, looking outside, and said, "One of our delivery trucks just pulled up outside. The driver is coming in and looks like he has a gun. Get down and get to the side, Steve."
We both hugged the wall and when the man stepped through the door, I yelled, "Drop the gun, you don't have a chance. There's nothing you can do. Drop the gun."
The man looked confused and waved the gun toward where he thought my voice was coming. That's when I noticed the hammer wasn't even back on his older forty-five and he didn't really look capable of doing anything. I said again, "Drop the gun and live. There are cops all around. Drop it."
The man looked at his pistol, then threw it at the far wall. As soon as the gun left his hand, he was crumpling. You could see blood seeping from his back.
Two plain cars slid to a stop in our front parking area next to the delivery truck. Men came racing from the car through the door with guns drawn.
I yelled, "If you are a cop or FBI, show your ID."
Both men stopped looking for me and produced their wallets with their badges and ID.
Looking around, I could see faces looking through the door windows that went into the warehouse. I directed Mercy, "Tell those people to stay clear of here and get someone to call for an ambulance."
One of the FBI guys said, "We've got some on the way down the street. These three got away from us down there. We did capture two men that we can question. Those two deputy Marshals are deadly. They didn't leave anyone alive in the area they were in."
Mercy came up to me and tucked her Glock into her waistband while I put mine back into my holster. We were standing there when the original agent pulled in and came into the showroom. He said, "Sorry about letting these guys get away from us. We were concentrating on the van and the delivery trucks when these two took off. The delivery driver was hit, but got into his truck and came back here."
Mercy went upstairs to settle Mary down and I told the agents in front I was going to settle my people down in the back.
When I had them all together, I tried to explain there had been some kind of criminal activity going on from our delivery vans and the FBI had intercepted them. They all should avoid the front of the store for right now, but it would be appreciated if they continued with what they were supposed to be doing.
I did get Jorge off to the side, "Your deliveries aren't going to get done today. See if you can call any of the men you think will be good drivers for us. I have to tell you that you need to make sure they are legal. I mean legal Social Security cards, addresses, and licenses. No guys hoping for help with a green card this time. When I hear we can go get the trucks, I'll come get you and we'll get them back here."
A white van with FBI markings was out front and men were photographing the dead guy, while paramedics were working at the other two. While they were working on them, the guy I had shot died. The paramedic said that he had bled out internally.
Man, I thought all of this crazy shit was long gone. It had been a lot of years since I went through this. That made me think that I sure am lucky to have Mercy around. That was good shooting, and just in time.
I went upstairs and found Mercy beginning to come down from her adrenaline high. She said she wasn't shaking, but was a little nervous and still scared. I gave her some hugs that seemed to settle her down and told her to see if she could call Chuck to tell him.
The FBI wanted our sidearms, but I objected saying, "If we give up our guns, we will be unprotected."
One agent said, "That's our job, we are here to protect you."
I pointed at the corpses and said, "Just like you were here to protect us from these guys."
Bud and Jim were back and Bud said to the investigators, "I'll vouch for Mr. and Mrs. Sharp. Check their Florida carry permits and take statements, but they should be allowed to retain their weapons."
Mercy had to come down with her purse to show her permit and I showed them mine. They inspected our guns and took down the serial numbers while they took statements. It was during this time that Chuck walked in the door. He was smiling and said, "Never fear, Chuck is here."
Mercy burst out laughing and said, "You're just a little late for this one, Chuck. At least you didn't get shot this time."
Chuck huddled with Bud and Jim then came over to us. He said to Mercy, "Okay, Annie Oakley, so you're protecting the old man on the mainland now?"
Mercy said, "It happened so fast that I had to do something, Chuck. Steve was still holding his gun on the first guy with that machine gun looking thing, and the other guy was raising his gun at Steve. I had to, I had to protect Steve."
Chuck nodded and said, "That's the way it happens, too fast to do anything but act on instinct. Thank goodness you did, Mercy. I'm glad to keep my friend around." With that, Chuck hugged me with a spare arm then pulled Mercy into him to hug her at the same time. I felt Chuck's true feelings for us then. He was genuinely happy we had been spared.
Bud came over and said, "We need to work the two men still alive fast before word of this gets up the ranks. We need to work fast, Chuck. Come with us and let's get some quick answers."
Chuck turned to Mercy and me and said, "I'm going with these two derelicts and do some investigating. I know where you're staying and will talk to you later. Oh, a, you might want to stay alert, and maybe even buy some ammo to replace what you've used."
As the adrenaline rush wears off, besides being tired, you are also hungry. Mercy said to me, "Can you take me somewhere and feed me? I'm starved. Find out if they are done with us for right now. I had Mary order a dozen pizzas to feed the men out back. I want more than pizza though, and we need to find a gun shop like Chuck said."
I informed everyone I was leaving for a half-hour or so. I did ask an agent where I could find a gun shop. He said, "There's a sporting goods store down on the right. They sell all kinds of ammo. Show your permit and they will sell to you."
We stopped at the sporting goods store first and bought a box of .45 and box of forty caliber hollow point rounds. Mercy found and bought an extra magazine for her gun too. In the car, Mercy dropped her magazine on her Glock 27 and reloaded it. She also loaded her new magazine and put it into her purse. When we were both once again fully loaded, I asked her, "What made you bring your gun. You never carry a pistol with all our kids around all the time."
Mercy said, "I had a bad feeling about this trip, and when you wouldn't get Chuck to come with you, I decided to come and be your protector. You know our family watches out for our own. This is just another time when the Sharp family acts together."
As I drove, I asked Mercy, "Are you okay? That was a pretty bad scene. Are you okay with what happened?"
She smiled at me and said, "Us women are tougher than you think, Steve. There's nothing I won't do to protect my family. What happened, happened, and was necessary. I feel bad a man died, but I don't feel bad that it was my hand that did it. He would have hurt my family and I won't let that happen."
"If you feel you need to talk to someone about it, make sure you do. Having to do something like that is a shock."
Mercy said, "It's no different than when we're on the boat, Steve. We women protect our family, period. Now feed me."
We ate lunch at a barbecue stand, augmenting the sandwiches with large hot peppers, while we ate at outside tables. Back at the shop, the investigators and crime scene people were cleaning up the floor. One said to us, "You know you two really did some damage with those hollow points. Those guys didn't have a chance. It's a good thing that guy didn't get to use that Uzi. That thing sprays rounds everywhere. He had a ninety round magazine, so he could have done a lot of damage."
I said, "We were lucky. They were not. The driver looks like he'll live, but he's now tied to some dead people, so he's worse off. Thank you for cleaning up for us."
When everyone had left, Mercy said dryly, "Um, I thought the FBI was going to be around to protect us? Maybe we need to call Jan and see if she wants to come out here too?"
I pointed across the street to show Mercy the original agent's car parked over there. She said, "He doesn't need to sit over there. He can be in here in the air conditioning."
"Go see how Mary is, and I'll check with Jorge to see what's up with the trucks." Mercy headed upstairs and I went out back. People were working, so the excitement was over and people weren't scared or apprehensive of what had happened.
Jorge was drinking a Coke and eating a piece of pizza when I approached his desk. He said between mouthfuls, "They released the trucks, so I took some of our men and we picked them up. I sent two men out to make the deliveries we had. They should be able to do them all if they hustle. I have some guys coming in to interview this afternoon. Ruth left me with some piss cups and dipsticks to test them. I also have a website to check their driver's license. Hopefully, we can be good to go in the morning. We have a good delivery day tomorrow again. We have our first welding equipment to deliver too."
A flatbed trailer was backing up to our dock door at that moment. The driver got down and handed Jorge his papers. Jorge said excitedly, "We're getting two forklifts, a couple of compressors, and two big generators. Wow, this is great. We'll have equipment to sell."
I left Jorge and his men to unload the truck and went inside to call home.
Kathy answered, "Hey, Steve, what's this I hear you and Mercy had a war at the Las Vegas store? I'm sure glad she went with you. Sue's disgusted we all weren't there to do it together. She seems to think we're invincible as a family."
"We are, Kathy, but there weren't many bad guys, so it only took Mercy and me. You guys haven't told me you've been going to the range. Mercy was deadly today, literally."
Kathy said, "We've all been going weekly. We've been taking all of Chuck's women with us too. They are getting pretty good. Brandy and Lisa both have a good eye and shoot really well. All of them, even the mothers to be, can protect themselves. We all thought it would be good if they are going to be sailing. We've had them shoot shotguns and they are learning to shoot your AR15."
"My goodness, Kathy, with everyone trained, we won't have to worry about anyone messing with us, will we?"
Juanita got on another phone and said, "The big boats are too big for just a few of us to cover, so it's good to have five or six or seven more defenders. I like that we will have trained people."
To change the subject, I asked, "How are all of the kids? I sure do miss them."
Kathy said softly, "They miss their dad too, but they are fine. When will you guys be home? Tiny called and said that the Reno store is just about done. He didn't know about your problem in Vegas then, but he probably does now."
"I'm not sure about the timing, but be assured we will be out of here as soon as we can. Ryan is coming with a potential manager in a little while, so after he gets here, I can make a decision. It will be one more night though, that I know."
Juanita said, "Come home, Esposo, we all miss you and Mercy. We're too used to being a group. Chuck and his ladies are becoming like that too. I think they are almost done moving, so they will be permanently out here by Friday."
"That's good to know. I like having Chuck around. As a matter of fact, he's here now to help investigate this mess. I've got to go now, I'm sure Mercy will call again."
Mercy told me, "I think all of the evil is gone from here. Chuck seems to think so too. I'm glad we have seen the evil go away and know this will be a good place. There is work to heal this store, but you've already started."
Tiny called and asked, "What the hell is happening? Just about the time someone from that store called up here to tell us there was a gun battle in the lobby there, this place erupts. The FBI captured our delivery drivers and a drug supply truck. Our drivers were delivering to dealers while they delivered our products. The warehouse manager is already interviewing drivers. Ruth found a supply house to get her drug test supplies and won't even interview people before they test. She's tough. The man who should be our manager is well thought of by everyone here, and has the background for our company. He said that he knew all about S&S from trade magazines long before we even talked to his boss about buying the dealerships the first time. He already has "Is it Perfect?" signs over all the doorways, your type of guy."
"That's great, Tiny," I said. "Ryan has the man he thinks is right for this location, and this place is just about done. The only thing left to do yet is all the floors and they will be done this weekend."
Tiny said, "Abe said that the local guy has already taken his recommendation and has a compressor and a generator torn down and is rebuilding them. The new forklifts and the other products were just delivered, so I think this location is on its way. The sales and tech types up here have been here all week and have the new customer sales ladies working the phones and are already generating orders. So far so good. How about picking us up on the way home so we don't have to drive back down there? We'll stay here and you can pick us up in the morning."
I laughed, "Was that a hint? I'll talk to Ryan and Chuck. If they don't need us, we'll be out of here. I'll call you if you need to meet us at the airport."
Mercy had heard most of the conversation and said, "Chuck's on his way back now, and he thinks his men are going to make a big bust somewhere."
"Mercy, did he tell you this or are you listening to him?"
Mercy blushed, telling me the answer. She defended herself saying, "If he didn't want me to know what was going on, he would have cloaked his mind. He's wide open right now, so it must be okay for me to know."
"Just don't go where you aren't supposed to be, please." I hugged her, but I knew she would still be in Chuck's head all the time.
Mercy said, "Lisa told me that her momma got a clean bill of health from the doctor. He told her that she was losing weight because she wasn't as stressed as she used to be. Isn't it wonderful? Lisa can have her family with her just like Sue does, and I do some of the time. You know, Steve, I'm having a hard time separating our family from Chuck's. We're all running together. When kids begin coming, it's going to be even more difficult. Isn't it exciting?"
I sure did have a strange family. I guess it was going to be even stranger, and an even bigger family. I liked the idea of more kids and looked forward to watching the little ones grow and learn.
Ryan and the new man went through the shop with me, looking at all of the changes we had made and introduced him to everyone. The new man, Bob Mendal, was from the St. Louis store. Ryan had been grooming him to take over a store for some time and this was his big opportunity. Bob said, "If someone will clean out my apartment for me, I'll just stay here. I can transfer everything else up here. I want to begin making this an S&S shop as fast as possible. We have to get some welders in here and one of our trucks. We'll have to get salesmen out beating the bushes for more contacts. I can help with that too."
I loved the enthusiasm. I told Ryan, "It's yours to call my friend. I'm going back in the morning, and I know Michele will be waiting for you too. When is she expecting?"
Ryan grinned, "Any day, any minute, anytime, Steve. She says she doesn't feel funny or anything, but I do want to get home."
"Get Bob settled, have someone ship his personal stuff out and rent him an apartment. Get him a truck or car and let him take over. If you're comfortable, I am."
Ryan said, "I think I have him ready. If you're not leaving until tomorrow, I'm leaving now. I want to get home. Somehow, I think the time is near."
Mercy was grinning and said, "You better hurry then, I think you're right about the time being near."
That sent Ryan into motion and he was saying goodbye to everyone as he went out the door. Bob said to me, "Thank you Mr. Sharp, er, a, Steve. I know you like people to call you by your first name. I appreciate the opportunity. This is a great chance to prove something to myself."
"Tell you what, Bob, have Mary coordinate getting the stuff from your apartment shipped here. She can help you find an apartment too, but meanwhile, I'll get you a room at our hotel. I would like you to eat with us this evening to have a chance to talk, so anytime you're ready, we can leave."
My cell went off, "Steve, Ryan here. I'm sorry but I forgot to give Bob his bag. I'll leave it at the private aircraft operations desk. Michelle called and said she was feeling funny. She's at your house with Kathy, Juanita, and Sue. I'm out of here in fifteen, so I'll talk to you later."
I laughed and told Bob about Ryan. He said, "If my wife, if I had a wife, were about to have a baby, I would be nuts too. It is really exciting."
Mercy was bobbing her head. She said, "It's just as exciting to the mother. I love being a mom."
We said goodnight to the staff and went to the airport, then back to the hotel. While I was at the desk, getting Bob a room, I noticed the desk clerk looking through apartment ads. I asked, "Where would be a good place to find an apartment near here, sort of toward the highway?"
The little girl said, "I think this one." She pointed at an ad. "The prices are right and I know this place is nice. No trouble and quiet. My roommate and I have to move because our place is being torn down for a condo or something. Do you need an apartment?"
I pointed to Bob next to me and said, "No, but Bob here, does. He's moving here."
The girl's attitude became predatory and she smiled brightly at Bob. She said, "My roommate and I are both single and would love to have someone to help us with our suntan lotion. I'm getting off at six and we are going to the apartment complex to look. Do you want to come with us? We might be able to make a package deal?"
Bob began to say, "I'm going to eat..."
Mercy elbowed him, and said to the young lady, whose name tag said Mindy, "Mindy, Bob would love to go with you. We can talk to him later. Come on, Bob, wash up from the day and you can meet Mindy down here at six."
Bob was looking back and forth between Mindy and Mercy confused. I said, "Don't worry, Bob, women will do that to you all the time. Enjoy."
On the way up in the elevator, Mercy said, "She's cute and is really interested in you, Bob. You'll have a good time with her and her roommate. You'll find a good apartment while meeting some nice young ladies at the same time."
Bob looked at me and said, "Are women that easy to meet? Maybe I've just been missing it when they tell me they are available. I almost blew her off because we were going to eat together."
"She looks like she'd be more fun to go with than Mercy and me. You'll probably get hooked into taking them to dinner anyway. If not, call me to see if we've eaten yet, and if we haven't, come eat with us and I'll buy."
Bob was bobbing his head, "Great idea. Meet women and eat with the boss all in the same night."
Mercy and I cleaned up a little and went down to the bar. We had just sat down when Chuck, Bud, and Jim showed up. Chuck said, "This was a great day. Bud put together a couple of more pieces to our puzzle and I was able to give the Bureau some guaranteed leads on solving one of their bigger problems around here and up in Reno. The DEA is salivating to take over the case, but now, even the Secret Service is involved due to some counterfeiting. This is a good one, Steve."
Chuck looked at Mercy and said, "You were digging around all day, weren't you? That's fine for today. You know this is really a good day for the Marshal's Service. We have just about completed one of the most complicated investigations they've ever had. We've been lucky to have found the answers, but it has also been dangerous to discover some of the traffic. Bud and Jim have been very diligent in tracking. Both of them are real bloodhounds."
We had some drinks, and at about seven, Bob called to ask if we had eaten. Since we had not, he was on his way to eat with us with his new friends.
When Bob came in, he was accompanied by Mindy and two other very nice looking girls, one white, one black. Bob began introducing the girls. He said, "Mindy, Judy, and Rhonda, this is Mr. Steve Sharp and Mrs. Mercy Sharp. I don't know these other gentlemen, but if they are friends with Steve, they are good people."
I was standing and introduced Chuck Johnson, Bud Anderson, and Jim Blake saying, "Please have a seat and order a drink before we eat. How was the apartment complex, Bob? Something of interest?"
Bob said, "It's perfect for me, but then, I don't need much. The girls are going to rent an apartment right next door to me. Isn't that great? Our apartments are just above the pool, so we will almost be able to jump off the walkway into the pool."
Mindy said, "Not that close. It is nice though, and it will be nice to know my next door neighbor. All three of us girls will be good neighbors." Mindy looked at Bud and Jim, "Do you guys live here too, or are you just visiting?"
Bud said, "Afraid I'm just visiting."
Jim said, "I think I'm transferring here. With neighbors like you three, I wonder if there is another apartment nearby for me."
Mercy and Chuck were watching the interaction of the group intently, so I knew they were using whatever power they had to try to understand what was going on.
We ate and drank, joking and laughing throughout the meal. Everyone was in a great mood, and by the time the meal was over, it was getting late. I said goodnight to everyone and said I would see them in the morning. I did mention to Chuck that we would be leaving in the morning.
In the room, Mercy said, "That was intense, that guy Jim mentally hooked up with that little dark girl the moment they met. I can't tell which one is in heat the most. I hope Chuck isn't going to try to get him away from Vegas very fast."
I asked, "So what about Bob; is Mindy good for him?"
Mercy said, "Who knows, they like each other, but neither one is interested in something permanent right now. Bob is still surprised he doesn't see girl opportunities. He's young and he'll find the right one, but it doesn't hurt to have friends like Mindy. She's a good person."
We went to bed and enjoyed some serious loving before falling asleep.
Breakfast with Chuck, Bud, and Jim was fun. Chuck and Bud were teasing Jim as he was looking tired from lack of sleep. He kept saying, "This is so unexpected. I think I've met someone I really like. How am I going to stay in touch with her, doing what we do?"
Chuck had a suggestion, "How about you stay in the Vegas office a week or so and clean up all of the investigation notes on these men here. Bud can go up to Reno with us and work on those men. By the time he's done, you should have come to some kind of understanding with the young lady about your work that requires you to travel extensively. It does seem as if this one problem is just about wrapped up, so it might be that the Vegas office could use another deputy. If you want that, ask."
Jim was just staring at Chuck and finally said, "Thanks, Chuck. You've been my best friend for a good while now and have put me with Bud, another great friend now. I'll have to really think hard about getting out of special investigations. But this girl is something. I've never met anyone that has rung my bell like she has. You know we weren't all lust last night. We ended up talking until after three. We actually fell asleep on her couch, fully clothed, and slept in each other's arms until I woke up at five thirty. How's that for a sort of first date."
Mercy patted Jim's hand and told him, "Just tell her what you feel and be honest with her. She might be more than you think and want you to remain on special investigations. You know some women understand their men have responsibilities."
Bud was grinning, "You're such a dreamer, Jim. You're always talking about finding that one and only, as if she's going to come out of a cloud of smoke and whisk you off your feet. I hope this is the one so you don't have to keep wondering when she will come."
Chuck asked, "Do you mind taking Bud to Reno with you? I have to check with the new Chicago regional Deputy in Charge. He's been busy lately re-arranging people, and I want to go over his personnel changes."
Mercy, Bud, and I put our bags into the rental car and followed the new manager to the store. It seemed as if none of the crazy stuff from yesterday was going to have any residual affects. Even Jorge was ready with his new drivers this morning. He confided with us that it was easy to find as many drivers as we wanted. "There are many people out of work locally. These new men will also contribute inside the building when they are done delivering. This has been a good change."
Bud, Mercy, and I went to the airport, checked out with operations, and flew up to Reno. We picked up a rental car and Bud drove to the Reno Marshal's office, while Mercy and I drove to our new store in the southern part of the city.
Tiny and Abe were busy with the sales and tech people. Abe took a few minutes and told me, "The delivery men were all arrested yesterday, along with several other people that were caught in the mass arrest they had at a nearby park. These people all worked for some group out of Las Vegas who have suppliers in south Nevada along the Arizona and California borders. The FBI and the DEA were here with dogs, but didn't find anything. They will be a while checking out all their leads."
Tiny declared this location ready for the weekend floor painting and to be an official S&S location. The place did clean up nice and was impressive. The employees seemed to be busy and were excited to be a part of the S&S family.
Tiny, Ruth, and Abe were ready to go home so we went back to the airport, made sure the Citation was fueled and ready. We had to make one stop and decided Columbia, Missouri, would be good. Sue and I used to stop there on the way to see Dewey, since they had less expensive fuel. They still did, and were still as friendly as they had been.
Back at home, Mercy and I were lovingly greeted by Sue, Kathy, and Juanita. The ladies were all over Mercy for having been my protector when the incident took place. There wasn't much talk about it, and nothing was mentioned when Chuck's ladies showed up.
Brandy announced that they were ready to move completely and all the ladies were hoping Chuck would be back for their Friday, tomorrow evening, open house.
That night, after having played and talked with all of my children, the ladies had me neglect Mercy while I enjoyed their many fine attributes. They collectively made Mercy feel very good about coming home.
As I drifted off to sleep, I was pleased to be the king in this castle.
Primary editing by Pepere
Proofing by Sagacious
Additional Helicopter Knowledge by Rotorhead
Last one through — Deenara2000