LITMIR.BIZ

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Fe.”

      After some more small talk, Frank went back to his table. I was always somewhat of an introvert; not too good at small talk. Now Faith was just the opposite; an extrovert, at times you couldn’t shut her up, that was fine though, I loved to hear her talk.

      After we had ordered, I said, “Charles, do you know what they were after in your billfold?”

      “Why, money, I suppose.” He said.

      “No, they were after your SS Card and the copy of your birth certificate that you always carry with you.”

      “How in the world did you know what I carry in my wallet?”

      “I’m a special investigator for the State of New Mexico, the police knew, I guess the pickpockets most of told them. They also said that they wanted to get in your safe deposit box. What do you have in there that they might be interested in?”

      “Nothing much, keepsake jewelry, a few mementos from our past, that’s all.” Charles said.

      “Those mementos, could you elaborate on them?” I said.

      “Sure, some of my medal’s from the war, and a copy of a deed, on a Spanish Land Grant that my Great Grandfather gave to me. He sold the Ranch, but the deed isn’t completely worthless, he kept the mineral rights.”

      “Ah, the mineral rights, worth more now than the land that covers them. That was what they were after. Where is this old ranch located?” Faith asked.

      “It was over close to the Brazos Mountains, close to the Chama River Valley. But I believe part of it is in the ‘Edward Sargent State Wildlife Area.’ You can’t drill for oil in there. Unless of course someone changes the rules.” Charles said.

      “Well the way their ignoring the constitution now, I’m sure some crooked politician can overcome that.” Faith said.

      Our food came and food being the more important; our conversation lapsed. Rosie had ordered steak and lobster, she had said that she never had lobster before, so I had told her to order what she wanted. Of course her eyes were bigger than her stomach. Which I knew would be the case, that’s why I had only ordered a small steak, I ended up eating what she couldn’t. I didn’t like to waste food.

      As we were drinking our after dinner coffee, I said to Charles, “I would suggest you not carry those documents with you, I don’t know how they found out that you did carry them in your billfold, but I wouldn’t do it anymore.”

      Rosie was feeding Alita a small dish of vanilla pudding for dessert, of course she got more of it on her, than 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

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