Day Ten - Wednesday
I woke at six starved for some reason. I made coffee then made a half-cup raw instant rice that would be close to a cup cooked. While that was setting the required five minutes, I started some bacon and while that was cooking, I chopped up a pile of green onions. I had a piece of left over steak that I cut into tiny pieces sprinkled some soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. When the bacon was done, the rice was ready so I dumped the onions into the frying pan then the rice on top. I liberally peppered the rice and onions.
I poured a cup of coffee and sipped some of it then flipped over the rice and onions to let it coke on the other side. I added the meat and sauce then stirred it all up. I sipped some more of my coffee then added about a half cup of fake eggs and stirred the concoction till the eggs were well mixed in and firm.
Dumping the whole pan onto a plate with a fork and refilling my coffee cup, I was going outside to enjoy my breakfast. I opened the door to go out to the patio and almost dropped the plate. There was a guy sitting in one of my lawn chairs. He was wearing slacks and casual shirt so he wasn't going to be related to the group from last night.
He looked up at me as I asked coming through the screen door, "who are you and what do you want?" I watched him closely making sure he didn't make any quick moves.
"My name is Steven Cap. I'm a newspaper reporter to see if I can get some insight on what happened here last night. Are you Steve Sharp?"
"How would you know a Steve Sharp?" I asked.
"The police report at the sheriff's office. Every news agency in town was covering a gang war with multiple shootings over in Town and Country and didn't find out about what happened out here till after all the police were gone. Are you Steve Sharp?"
"Tell you what. I'm going to eat my breakfast while it's hot. Let me get you some coffee so you can drink it and ask me questions while I eat. Keep the questions simple so I can eat okay. What do you want in your coffee?"
The reporter said black, so I got him a mug of my fresh coffee then came out with my own plate and coffee and started eating.
He asked me a bunch of questions that were basically confirming what had been on the police report. I was almost done eating when my cell phone started ringing.
I went inside to answer, it was Charlie, "Hap wants you to call him, take down his number."
"Charlie, you gotta call him back and tell him that if he really needs to talk to me to call back. Right now I'm talking to a newspaper reporter out on the patio. Just tell him to call me and tell me whatever it is he needs. Tell him I'll just answer him with short answers that's all."
Back out on the patio I had shoveled the last of my breakfast into my mouth when my cell phone rang again. I had brought it out with me and wasn't surprised it was Hap that was calling. "Steve, I would prefer you didn't mention where you got the gun okay?"
"Got it," I said.
"Figured you wouldn't but I wanted to be sure," Hap said. "You're going to be popular for a day or two for popping six guys. You are one lucky son-of-a-bitch. You didn't even get a scratch."
"Yeah I know, but the assholes shot my TV," I complained. I heard Hap laughing really loud as he cut the connection.
"So who is this other person, this Shawna who helped you with these guys," the reporter asked.
"You know what," I said. "I can't tell you that unless she says it's okay. I'll be glad to answer your questions but only how they concern me."
"Would you describe what happened in your own words?" This time he took out a small recorder and set it on the table.
"You know, I'm comfortable giving out just so much information. Why don't you use what you have and write your story? I'll give you some background information on me then you should leave. I'm ex-military. I was injured in the Desert Storm and was released from service. I've been working for oil companies working up in Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma and down in Belize. Right now I'm on vacation. Okay?"
"You going to give the TV guys more than what you gave me?" The reporter asked.
"Nope. If you want to stick around and intervene for me, which would be nice. That way you'd know you have an exclusive."
Before the guy could answer, Martin and Glenda came walking onto the patio and sat in the two unoccupied chairs at the table. I said good morning to each of them by name then went in and poured them cups of coffee. When I came back out to get my cup for a refill, I asked the reporter if he wanted more. He shook is head no then gathered his stuff and walked over to his car.
When I finished telling my neighbors what that was all about, Martin said I might want to check out inside the shed as he had heard several rounds hitting it the night before. I was telling him about the TV when I opened the shed door. Gas fumes came wafting out. There was a large puddle under the bike and the front tire was flat.
Martin helped me get the bike out of the garage then he went to his place and got a hose then washed out the floor in the shed. There were some tools on the floor along with a big hole in my tool chest.
We looked at the outside of the shed and counted eleven holes. Sure glad those guys couldn't shoot straight.
We heard Charlie's bike start up then leave. A minute later, Shawna came walking over wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. As soon as she sat, I told her that her name was Nancy if the reporter came over. I also told her not to volunteer how the fight happened until we talked to a lawyer.
She nodded and asked for coffee. I got her some and took the reporter's cup inside to put into the sink. This was going to be a coffee day so I made another pot.
Just as I was bringing "Nancy" her coffee, two vans pulled up behind Charlie's truck and mine. One was a channel eight TV truck and the other was a Verizon installation truck. The Verizon guy got to us first saying that he was going to work my order early as he was in the area and had already connected the line to the feed to my trailer.
He asked to go inside, tested a jack in the living room, in my messy bedroom and at the kitchen sink where there was still a phone hanging on the wall next to the counter. The installer told me the new telephone number giving me a little booklet then showed me how to forward the phone to my cell phone. I offered him a cup of coffee but he said he had a busy day ahead of him.
Just as he walked away, an overly enthusiastic young lady gushing into a microphone walked on to the patio stuck the microphone in my face and asked me what had happened the night before. A cameraman was recording all of this so I knew I had to be nice.
"Did you have a chance to read the police report? I think everything is there," I said.
You could visibly see her face cloud up. She was facing me with her back to the camera. She actually reached and unbuttoned another button of her already revealing blouse giving me a pouting look.
"It really would be better if you used the police report. You should probably find out the names of the people involved."
"It wasn't you that shot those men?" she asked.
"I didn't say that. All I said was that you should find out more before you come into the field. Now I'm going to go back and enjoy my morning coffee with my friends while you leave, okay?"
You could tell that she was used to getting her way. She gave me a big frown then stomped back to the van. The newspaper reporter walked up to me and stuck out his hand "thanks, you did exactly what you said you were going to do. I'm going to use that in my story. It'll make great copy. Can you point to where the truck with the bad guys was?"
I pointed and he went over to investigate the spots on the old gray asphalt. He stop there and looked back over to us on the patio, made a couple of notes then went to his car and drove off.
I asked Martin if he had a lawyer. I said Shawna and I probably should talk to one before we tell anyone else besides the sheriff what happened. Martin agreed then said that we couldn't go right away because Abe and Alice were coming over to look at the damage.
That reminded me so I went in to get the pamphlet and contract for my insurance. I used the kitchen wall phone to call the insurance company. I told them what had happened and asked if an adjuster could come out. We made an appointment for later in the morning.
When I came out, Kathy had joined the group. I went back inside and got her a cup of coffee but just brought the whole pot out to refill everyone. I took the empty pot back in and made another pot.
Kathy said the kids had almost been too excited to go to school when they saw the TV truck. I told Kathy about sending the little girl away without telling her anything.
Shawna said she was going to take their pickup home so I would have more room for all the cars that seemed to be appearing. She took it home then came right back to be met by Abe and Alice driving up.
Alice came over and gave me a hug then gave Shawna a big hug telling us both how happy she was we didn't get hurt. Abe walked up looking proud of himself, "I told you, you would need some protection. I didn't think it would be that soon, but I did tell you."
"You sure did Abe and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," I said sincerely.
"The news said that there was two of you shooting back at those guys. Who was the other guy, Charlie or you Martin?" Abe asked.
"Neither one. Charlie said he couldn't hit a door if he was next to it but told me before everything happened that Shawna had experience with a piece. I gave her the 9 mil and used my big .44 magnum."
Abe looked up, "Where'd you get that, Charlie?"
"Same place Charlie got his. I went back to the gun dealer and bought some shells and shot up a box learning how to shoot it. Glad I did. Came in handy."
"Jesus, you hit someone with that thing? Was there anything left?" Abe asked.
"That fucker hit three of them by him self then we both hit the last two at the same time. That automatic shoots really straight. I should have knocked them all down by myself but got to excited to shoot straight. I used up all my rounds but Steve still had one left." Shawna exaggerated.
Abe exclaimed, "damn, five for five? I wouldn't want go up against you that's for sure."
"For the record, I think Shawna got two on her own because the one hit I had was through the tailgate where the round took the guys leg off," I said trying to set them straight.
Martin finally said something, "I'm sure glad Steve and Shawna were here, I was scared shitless. I got my piece and Glenda and I hunkered down in the bathroom hoping a stray round wouldn't come in."
"Let me look at the damage here and we'll see what we can do," Abe said getting up.
While I pointed out what I had found so far, I told him about the adjuster coming and the TV pointing to tiny hole where probably a 9-millimeter round went through the wall. We looked for more holes outside then went in to show the hole by the TV and we finally found the hole in the opposite wall where the bullet that broke the window ended up.
Out at the shed, Abe whistled at all of the holes there. He looked inside and saw the big hole in my new toolbox and laughed, "looks like you broke in your new tool box. Now it has some character.
We sat back down and said, "nothing much. It can all be fixed cheap. I brought a piece of glass over to fix the window, I'll use your tools in a minute and get it good as new.
"Wait for the adjuster, he might pay you," I said then added, "just like I'm going to pay you to look over and maybe fix a few motors. I have a big mobile compressor and two big mobile generators that I know nothing about. You might know how to start them at least."
"What kind are they?" Abe asked.
"All three are Onan. They look decent and I know Onan is a good brand. All the oil companies use them."
Abe looked at Alice and grinned. She grinned back and laughed.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
Alice spoke up, "Abe retired from Onan after working for them for thirty five years. He was the head mechanic almost that entire time."
"That's good news," I said looking at Abe, "would you mind working on that big stuff? I could use your help."
"If we didn't have to wait for the adjuster, we would go now," Abe said.
We kept drinking coffee and making trips into the bathroom to unload. Someone had made my bed for me on one of their trips back there. I needed a keeper.
About eleven the adjuster showed up and spoke with me then Abe a few minutes. When I asked if I was covered he smiled and said that since it was a national war, everything was covered. He made notes and a drawing of where all the holes were then went inside where I pointed out the two holes in the wall and the hole in the back of the TV.
He said the TV looked new. When I told him I had only watched it one night, he chuckled about being lucky to have insurance. He asked if I still had the receipt. I did and gave it to him.
Out at the shop he stopped and asked it the bike had been inside and I said yes as that's why the hose was there as there was now a hole in the gas tank as well as in my brand new tire. I pointed out the big hole in my brand new toolbox too.
"I don't know whether the bike is covered or whether the tool box is covered but your policy includes contents so they might be. Let me take pictures of everything then when I get back to the office I'll find out. You still have the receipt for the tire," he was looking at the hole in the gas tank when he said I was going to need a new oil tank and battery too.
Battery acid was dripping down onto the frame and the rear brake hydraulic line. I told him the battery was on the same receipt and if he wanted to find out the price of a tank, I could call the bike shop.
I was getting mad all over again. My bike was going to be screwed up for a while.
The adjuster figured for a little bit then asked how the check should be made out. I told him to make out a check to Abe for everything but the TV and to give me a check for the TV.
He wrote out the checks explaining that when we cashed them the company would consider the claim settled. I thanked him profusely for being so prompt then asked him who would be a good agent to see as I had some other business insurance to buy. We went to his car where he gave me a card saying for me to give his mom a call, "she's just about the best agent around. She'll take care of you.
Abe was happy and immediately started putting the window in. Martin told him to go look at those motors and he would fix the window. I gave Martin my extra key and said we probably wouldn't be too long. I told Abe to drive his truck as Shawna and I had to go somewhere else afterward.
At the storage building, Abe was ecstatic. We pushed the two big diesel generators and the big compressor outside. Martin checked over them a few minutes then lifted a hatch and cranked the diesel engine. Martin let that one run while he went over to the second one. He went through the same routine then started it right up too. The last thing to test was the compressor. When he attempted to start it, it wouldn't turn over. Martin felt like it was probably the battery but would find out later.
He shut the two big generators down then I showed him the other motors that had been given to me. He glowed saying he would enjoy fixing them up for me. All you need is a bench in here I had the tools. I took Martin to the back of the shed and showed him the big tool chest I had. He looked at all the tools and the several special tools in the big drawers at the bottom of the roll around chest and just kept nodding and smiling.
"How about going out and finding a bench that would work in here. These places are set up as workshop storage buildings so if we want, I still have the one next to this that we could use for a workshop. I'll bet we could find a lot of small motors for you to mess with if you wanted. If we need more tools, you can use some of yours or we'll just go buy them. What do you think?"
"I can do that. How about we use the other storage area for a shop and this one for storage. I'll bring a big fan down here so there is some circulation. It gets pretty hot here in the summer."
"Abe," I said shaking his hand, "you didn't even ask me how much I was going to pay you."
"Who cares, I should pay you for giving me something to do."
Alice added, "I should pay you too, for getting him from under foot."
"Here's a hundred. Buy a good bench and have them deliver it."
I went back to my pickup and found a set of extra keys and the lock I had taken off the other storage building and gave them to Abe, "let's push the tool chest into the other side for you now in case you want to mess with anything. While you're at it, get a hand truck to haul stuff back and forth."
We accomplished the task then locked up as Abe needed to take Alice back home then he could get started on his adventure. I gave him another hundred in case he needed it then we all left.
We drove to the lawyer's office and were able to speak with him about the TV interviews. He said we might not want to be to vocal in case one of the other family members wanted to sue us. I had not thought of that and wondered whether the insurance company helped with that. I asked him about setting up a business and corporation. He said he could do that too and took down the information.
When he asked what I wanted to name the company, I was stumped. I almost said, "Wicked Wanda's Wonderful Welding" but thought better of it. That's what we used to call ourselves up in Alaska. There was a big babe who was a damn good welder up there. Her only problem was she couldn't hold her liquor or keep her panties on. She was always at the doctor getting a shot for something she picked up.
I told the lawyer we would work on it but in the interim to just name it Sharp Welding.
Shawna and I left and headed to the gun shop. There I asked the gunsmith if you could replace the eight-inch barrel on a Colt .44 magnum and whether that would affect the gun very much. He said that was an easy conversion and that if someone could shoot it with an eight-inch barrel, they could shoot it with a four-inch. He said two or three inches would be too small.
Next I asked him for a rifle. Something like I had been used to in the service. He took down an AR-15 that looked used. It had a really expensive scope on it that was probably a hindrance for most uses. I told him it was a nice piece but I couldn't see ever needing a scope. If that thing had military sights, I'd take it. He brought down another AR-15, brand new and said he'd have it changed in a minute.
I asked him if he had another 9 mil like I had just bought and he brought out one. I told him I'd take that too. I asked for a box of shells and two shooting noise canceling earmuffs. Shawna and I went back to the range and were competing to see how many rounds we could each put into a head. We both put all our rounds in the head but her shots were grouped really tight.
When we went back into the shop, the AR was finished and the gunsmith was almost done putting the scope on the new rifle.
I was looking over the rifle when I noticed the auto selector had been removed indicating this was an ex military weapon. He saw me fingering the hole where the selector went and opened a drawer and handed me an envelope. I knew what was in there.
With a smile he asked me what else I needed. I asked for clips for the AR and two boxes of shells and also to give me another two high capacity clips for the automatic and three boxes of shells. As a last thought, I asked if he knew of any classes where a lady could learn how to shoot. He said if she was nice looking, to bring her by and that he would devote all the attention she needed to learn how to defend herself. He winked at Shawna and she stuck out her chest.
I mentioned our competition we just had on the range and told him she was probably a better shot than he was. When I said that he answered cockily "you mean she might be as good as that babe that shot up that bunch of heathens with the Steve guy?"
He suddenly looked stunned and looked at me. I just pointed at Shawna and he said, "Holy shit! That was you?"
Shawna just smiled and said, "a girl's got to do what girl's got to do."
"So who's all this stuff for?" he asked.
"The automatic is my gift to this lady for saving my ass. The AR is for the next time that some asshole decides to use me for target practice. I don't miss with a rifle, ever. With something like this, I can take out six like those guys in about thirty seconds. Uncle Sam taught me well."
"I do need a couple of cleaning kits. Two for the automatics, one for the 380 you sold me, two for .44 mags and one for the AR."
He brought out a standard kit then added the required brushes for the pistol. Then he brought me a military kit for the AR saying, "you know how to use this."
When he figured everything up, it didn't seem like enough. I kind of looked at him funny until he said, "the AR's a gift. Enjoy it and hopefully you'll never need it. The rest is at your special discount. It's good to know someone and especially you lady that will shoot when they need two. That's why I'm in business, not for all those nambie pambies that want to brag to their buddies about their bad ass gun."
Shawna and I thanked him saying we would bring in her big pistol to get a new barrel. She even gave him a kiss on the cheek as we left carrying more protection.
On the way home, I finally asked Shawna why she wasn't working today. She said, "Charlie thought it might be good for me not to be around the shop in case my name came out in the news. So far yours is all anyone has heard and that there was another person shooting too and it might have been a female. I could be fine."
We stopped at the storage building to see if Abe had scored a bench. He was there, trying to wrestle a used commercial workbench off the back of the truck. He also had the used hand truck, a used bench grinder and a new multi-use vice. We got the bench out of the truck while Abe told me he had gone to a place that he had seen that was going out of business. He said that used stuff worked as well and as good as new and he handed me back seventy bucks. He had made a good deal.
I told him I would go by Home Depot and pick up a couple of shop lights for better lighting. He was happy because he had not thought of it. Next I took him over to the big truck and pulled back the cover. He was impressed saying, "guess you are in business now. I thought you were on vacation?"
"I was Abe. You know, shit happens. When I went to the welding shop to buy a good hood, gloves and a smock so I could do a job for Charlie's boss, I saw the flier for Simpson Welding bankruptcy auction. I couldn't pass up a couple of new pieces of equipment for the price it went for then the whole thing snowballed. Nobody was really bidding against me so I ended up being given a ton of equipment plus almost stealing the rest. The truck was such a bargain, I couldn't pass it up so I guess I've gone into business for my vacation. And now I'm going to be going into business with my landlord. What do you think about that?"
"I'm so excited I could wet my pants. I need something to do really bad. This will be fun cause I can just work when I want. By the way, I ordered some factory paint so we make these units look like new. I also bought a battery with your money and the compressor started right up. All they need is some tuning, some new tires and paint and they will look like new. They will bring a fortune."
"Guess we better start looking for buyers for this stuff so we can get our money out of them," I said thinking that anything we got would be like pure profit. "Let's go home. It's been a big day and I don't know about you but I could use a beer."
"I already called Alice and told her I would be home soon. I told her to have everything off but the lights cause I was too excited to eat anything but her."
Shawna and I broke up listening to my seventy-year-old new business partner.
On the way home we went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of chicken breasts and a box of wings along with some veggies, hot sauce, more barbecue sauce, more charcoal and more beer, lots more beer. Good thing I had a pickup. We stopped at the bike shop to tell Charlie what was for supper. Shawna decided to stay there and ride back with Charlie saying that would be one way to make sure he came home early.
At home I started the charcoal right away then took a quick shower. While I was in the shower I heard someone at the door. I yelled I would be right there then had second thoughts about that, as the door was open. I stepped out of the shower leaving it running and went to the nightstand for my 380, jacked a round in it then peaked out the door. An ugly slob was in the living room coming down the hall looking down at the floor trying to be quiet. I would have just hit him but he had what looked like a Mac-10 in this hand. Instead of waiting for him to come in the bedroom I shot him in the knee. He screamed and went down dropping the Mac-10. I kicked the gun away then put the .380 against his temple.
"Move, crawl, drag yourself, do what ever you have to do but get out of my trailer, right now. If you don't hurry I'm going to just finish you right here and burn the fucking trailer down, now get."
He climbed up the wall to a standing position then sort of hopped through the living room until he got to the door. I told him to get out on the patio and sit on a chair until the cops got there. I could hear sirens already.
I was almost yelling, "you son-of-a-bitch, you've ruined my supper now. I'm hungry and you have really messed the evening up. I am really pissed. Maybe I'll just shoot you now."
Instead I backhanded him hard enough to knock him out of the chair. I bent down with the barrel of the gun in his eye and asked him, "how many more of you low life's are there. Am I going to have to kill all of you?"
I thought about it a second then hit him again, "tell me, how many more are there."
He looked fearfully at me then mumbled he was the last one except Jeff but Jeff was in jail.
The same deputy from the previous night showed up followed by a couple more cars one occupied by the lead deputy from last night. When the deputy came up I dropped the clip and jacked the shell out of the chamber turned the gun around and handed it to him.
I explained that I had shot him in the hallway after hearing him at the door while I was taking a shower. I told the deputy there was a Mac-10 lying in the hallway that the guy had.
The lead deputy came up and said, "why don't you go put some clothes on and come back out here."
He looked at the guy still laying on the ground, "Henry, I was looking for you before you could do something like this. You're lucky this guy didn't just put one between your eyes. Your brother and cousins know he can do it don't they. What a waste."
I only had on a towel that I had grabbed when I came out of the shower so I put on a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and my flip-flops then went back out. The Mac-10 was gone.
Henry was giving them a tussle not wanting to be cuffed. A paramedic had just pulled up and that distracted a deputy for the second it took Henry to pull his hand free and grab for the deputy's Glock. I saw Henry's move and yelled then kicked him as hard as I could in the head with the heel of my foot. We all froze. The sound of Henry's neck snapping was audible to everyone there. Henry lay on my patio with the deputy's gun in his hand.
A paramedic came over to check Henry but knew before he got there that it was over. The lead deputy said for no one to touch anything till the coroner got there, as they needed proof and witnesses that Henry had tried to break loose and potentially kill a deputy.
I looked around and saw most of the neighborhood there gawking, even DeDe and Star. They all must have all seen what I did. Kathy's kids were there with big eyes and I frowned at Kathy motioning for her to take her kids home. She did. About that time, Charlie and Shawna came home then they both ran over to find out what had happened. Martin told them the story.
When I kicked Henry, I tore the skin between my toes where my flip-flop fit. The paramedic put some salve on it and told me to put more on every day till it healed. There wasn't anything else the medics could do so they packed up and left. About the time their van was pulling out, a TV news van was pulling in. I told the deputy that this was private property and that I wanted them gone. The deputy went and told the news people. You could hear them cussing from the patio. Several of the onlookers followed the news truck and I'm sure gave the news people everything they would need.
The lead deputy came up to me and asked. "You have an arsenal or what?"
I answered honestly, "that was my last pistol. Hope you get one of them back to me pretty soon. It's not safe around here without protection."
"Why didn't you just kill that guy inside instead of letting my deputy embarrass himself like that."
"I had some crazy thought that I was doing someone a favor somewhere not killing him. I figured he could learn to be a productive citizen."
"Not that one. That whole bunch was trouble. They were all crazy. You heard about Jeff didn't you?"
"What about Jeff," I asked.
"He tried to escape from the transport van and was killed when he jumped out of the van. A semi ran over him. A few more tax payer dollars saved."
I motioned for the lead guy saying, "go take care of your man. He's got the shakes. It happens when you come close to being killed. The adrenaline messes up your stomach sometimes."
"You sound like you know the feeling," the lead guy said.
"It takes a couple of firefights before you get used to it. After that, you're just cold."
"You've been there, that's for sure." Leaving to check on the deputy who was behind the shed, barfing.
The coroner finally got there and took pictures, pronounced Henry dead loaded him and took off. The officer's gun was lying on the table so I watched it till the two deputies came back. I told him to holster his piece then went inside and got a Coke for the scared deputy.
No one took my statement. The fact that I killed Henry while he was trying to kill a deputy overshadowed everything else. I wondered how they were going to explain the Mac-10.
Everyone but Martin, Glenda, Charlie and Shawna left. I went inside and brought out two beers each. We all chugged one then started on the second.
Charlie said he had ordered pizza and that it should be here any minute. We were all hungry.
We ate three large pizzas down to the paper boxes and consumed a lot more beer. When eleven o'clock came, I said we all needed to get to bed. We all went in. I remembered the stuff in the pickup so I went back out and brought all the stuff in. I took the automatic, the extra clips and the shells over to Charlie and Shawna's. I was about to knock when I heard Shawna's unmistakable almost screaming through an orgasm. I decided to just keep the stuff till tomorrow.
I was asleep instantly.