Chapter 12: The Catfish Fry

Keith Boyd-
Fred Boyd his brother.
Alice Boyd his sister in law.
Nephew John 15
Niece Gabby 13
Jo Anne Wall old girl friend
Windy Wall her ex husband.
Lewis and Ellie Keith’s in laws.
Sarah Marsh retro hippie
General Briggs rd
Doris owner of the consignment shop.
Jo Anne Joyner Wall : Keith’s first girlfriend. Three girls 16 13 10

oldest daughter ginger
Mr Jessup buyer of Keith’s scooter.
Rebecca Avondale deacon and keith’s client.
Marsha stylist to Rebecca
Gulfcrest hotel/casino
Elanor, Mark and Simon family being stalked
Sylvia Amos sheriff’s detective.
Willow goth chick. Computer nerd
Abdi arab family victim of arson.
Ginger Moss Willow’s mother
Mr Serpico client in motel.
Liam Amos hunter.
Jasper Amos Liam’s son
Jerry Geyser first separated man to stay in cabin/tent.
Lou Anne Mason justice dept
Jill one of the federal cops.

Within twenty minutes the Ambulance came and went. Six sheriff’s deputies came and didn’t go. Fortunately the DOJ agents were there to tell the story for me. I was happy to let them tell the tale of the three dead bodies and one peon in critical condition.

The DOJ agents had been in contact with Lou Anne or someone else who told them to shut down the Sheriff’s investigation. As far as they were concerned they were on vacation. The were planning on trying their hand at boar hunting which explained all the firepower.

My story was I heard the firefight and joined to protect my clients. It was as simple as that. I stuck to that story even when the three of us went down to talk to the detectives. On of who I got, you guessed it, The detective was Sylvia Amos, the one who Marcy the Deacon’s daughter sued for me.

“Well we meet again Detective Amos. By the way are you any kin to Jasper Amos? I never thought to ask him.” I asked.

“I ask the questions here,” she said.

“Then I guess I need a lawyer. Unless you want to call someone else in to interview me. We kind of have a history,” I suggested.

“You don’t get to make that call,” she said.

“I want to call my lawyer,” I said with a terribly wise ass smile. When she handed me her cell phone, I just looked at it. “Sorry, I don’t know her number. I haven’t had to call her since the country settled my suit. If you give me my wallet, I can look up her dad’s number and have him call for me.”

“I think I’ll just book you, and hold you over night,” she said.

“Good idea, I’m sure Marcy wont find anything wrong with that plan,” I said again.

“You know you want to wave your right to counsel. Then show me how much smarter than me you are.” she said.

“I’m not smarter than you. I just have nothing to say. The three people in the camper can tell you everything. After all they are brother in arms, so to speak,” With that I crossed my arms and stopped talking. “I really would like a radio.”

“Just stay where you are,” she said leaving the room. I know enough to keep my mouth shut even in an empty room. I put my head on the table and soon fell asleep. It wasn’t hard, I had been awake a long time.

“Wakie, Wakie,” the female voice said from the interview room door. “Time to go home. I’m sure you have something to do. If not you can come with me back to DC,” The very attractive Lou Ann Morris said.

I looked up and noted that Detective Amos was standing behind her. I stood with the taste of death in my mouth. Okay I don’t know what death tastes like, but last night catfish flakes in cold mac and cheese had to be close.

I smile and without a word followed her out of the room. The sun was also shining as I limped down the steps of the court house. “I’m going to have to go home. My stump is painful at the moment.” I said to Lou Anne.

“You are going to need a ride. Agent Gentry left me his car,” she said. “You just stand pat and I’ll bring it around.”

“You don’t have to do this,” I said.

“I know that,” was her only answer.

When we arrived back at my home, I noticed the trailer looked empty. “So when are you going to haul it away?” I asked.

“Within a couple of days. I will be sure you get paid for the whole year,” she said.

“Good that was our contract,” I said with a smile.

“Yes it was. Are you going to invite me in?”she asked.

“Trust me you wouldn’t enjoy it,” I said.

“Trust me you would,” she replied.

Her cell phone rang at the worst possible moment. “What is it Jake?” she asked angrily. All right three hours we are wheels up from the Jackson airport.”

“I told you,” I said.

“Well I did enjoy the part that came before the pilot called,” She replied.

Rather than try to pickup where we left off. I gave her a few friendly kisses while she dressed. When she left she asked “How tied are you to this place?”

“Very tied,” I replied.

“Well I tried,” she said. “If I had one more hour I could have convinced you.” She walked to her car, then drove away without saying goodbye.

I watched her drive away as Hondo walked over to me. I thought it was to console me until I realized he hadn’t had his breakfast. I stumbled back inside the house using my one crutch. I managed to fry us both an egg. He got kibble from my brother’s factory with his. I had some heavily spiced loose sausage from Jasper Amos with mine. The sausage reminded me I never did find out if Sylvia was any kin to Jasper. It was a question for another day, I thought.

I went to sleep early that night and I even stayed asleep for a long time. Well eight hours was the longest I had continuously slept since I returned to Gatehouse. When I woke it was only because I hadn’t wet a bed since I was two years old. I made it to the shower.

Since I had plenty of water and the water heater would supply all the hot water I needed, I took a quick shower afterward. The weather wasn’t warm enough to sit on the deck in shorts, but in jeans I would be fine. So once the coffee, Hondo’s egg and kibble breakfast, and my fried egg sandwich was ready I went onto the deck. I was a fashion icon in my grease stained blue jeans, my orange hoodie, my steel left leg. At least the leg had a layer of insulation between the metal and my stump.

Drinking the coffee and eating my sandwich was a real treat after having so recently survived a firefight. I thought a lot about Lou Anne’s hasty departure. I had to smile at one of the thoughts I had. It wasn’t very likely, but maybe she was toying with me. I know, it was a totally male thing to think. I couldn’t rest until I knew.

Since the start up problems with the safe trailer, I had programed her cell number into my phone. Since I assumed she was too busy to talk, I sent her a text message.

‘Did I pass the test?’

After more coffee I got her reply, ‘What test,’

‘The ‘Will he be an ass after coitus interuptus?’ test?’ I asked.

‘You are so weird’ was her text reply.

I dropped it right there and went on with my day. My day was centered on waiting for the movers to come for the trailer. They didn’t come at all. I didn’t get a thing done, not that I had anything pressing. Hondo and I spent the day bonding. He followed me around while I straightened the Circus Tent shop. I even took a very stiff push broom to the floor.

Hondo was beside me while I cleaned the shop, because that is where the thirty gallon trash can with his kibble was stored. Also the large freezer, where I kept the frozen catfish heads. Not to mention the refrigerator where other goodies were kept, until I moved tiny amounts into the dorm refrigerator inside the gatehouse.

The sun had set, so I didn’t expect the movers to arrive so late. I went inside the house to cook for Hondo and myself. Mine was Mac and cheese with a little ground pork and Mexican style salsa. Hondo’s was kibble an a large spoon full of the Mexican delight.

He came inside to eat and lay about for a few minute to make sure that he had it all. Then her returned to the great out of doors. When I checked I found an Email from Lou Anne in my account.

“Dear sir

You are invited to bid on a 2015 forty foot Jayco travel trailer. As is and where it sits. The item can be seen by making an appointment with the campground manager. It is in need of some repairs. Sold as is condition. Bids to start at five thousand dollars. This is a government surplus action. It is open for thirty days and all bids are final.

I looked up the retail sales price and it was 15K. It was hard to pass up the chance for a deal like the one Lou Anne was offering me, so I made the bid. I also knew it was time to go back to my life, such as it was.

I needed to take the boat and go catfishing. I had frozen bait so I spent some of the morning thawing it in the sunshine. While I waited, I checked for any news of the firefight at my campground. The news services I could access were totally silent on the subject.

I got the Kayak into the river by 3PM. I had two dozen limb hooks to bait. Since I was sure they had either been cleaned out or the bait was completely unappetizing. I hadn’t been to check them for three days. I brought enough bait for all of them.

I was right. I did have one cat on the line. Since he had been in the water, he had been chewed on by his cannibal friends. I removed him wearing my mechanics gloves, then I tossed him onto the bank for the land scavengers to eat.

After making twenty four fresh sets I paddled the canoe back to the public access. Once I got out of the Kayak, I went for the trailer. I backed it into the water, then I maneuvered the Kayak onto the trailer. I was pulling it up the boat ramp by hand. It was moving a foot or two at a time when a teenager came down the ramp and gave me a hand. I was a little miffed that I appeared to need help, when I didn’t really. Still I thanked him a little more than I needed to thank him.

When I got home I sprayed my metal leg with a very, very light coat of WD40. Then I wiped it off. I knew that it wasn’t necessary, but I did it anyway. It was 6PM by then and time to cook and eat dinner. The rest of the day and even the night were repeats of other days and nights. My life was boring as hell, even when I managed to squeeze something new into it.

The spring Boar hunting season was over, so I had very little to look forward to. I had no customers for the campground or any reservations. That is until Marcy, the Deacon’s daughter, called.

“I’m wanting to rough it a little like it was back in our church camp. The camp was in the Poconos,” she said. “Dad is always talking about your place, so have you got room for me.’

“There is always have room for you,” I said.

“Can I bring a guest,” She asked.

“Of course, bring your own boat, I only have a Kayak for one,” I said.

“I’ll tie it on the roof. You wont tell dad will you? He thinks I’m coming alone,” she said.

“What happens in Gatehouse plantation stays there,” I said. “It’s a long drive from Philly?”

“Oh I live in Grenada now. Dad built me a real house on the same road as him. He feels I need taking care of.” she said.

“Well we can talk about that when you get here. That is if you want to.” I said. She broke the connection after confirming she would arrive on Friday after office hours.

The days dragged by and they were even longer because I still couldn’t sleep without being totally exhausted. I had learned during my rehab that I could lay in bed and not sleep or find something to do on the Internet until I fell asleep.

The doctors tried to keep me on sleeping pills, but I rebelled. Since I managed to function on a few hours sleep, they let me go my own way. So I had about four hours sleep each night until Friday evening came around.

I saw the older pickup truck pull down the private farm road. The truck pulled into the campground. When it stopped two woman got out. They walked toward my gate.

“The thirty something woman I recognized as Marcy shouted, “Hello inside.”

I walked out. I even kept my leg on for them. “My god Marcy you have lost weight. You look fantastic,” I said.

“Thanks, meet my personal trainer and friend Ashley. I call her Ash.” she said. Touching her shoulder in a way that told me all I needed to know.

“Hello Ash, welcome to Gatehouse plantation,” I said with a laugh. “Come on I’ll set up either cabin you want. It will only take a minute.” I removed a tiny Tactical flashlight from my baggy cargo jeans.”

The two girls followed me back across the road and into the campground. “So which one? They are the same but you have to pick.”

“How about this one,” Marcy said pointing to the one furthermost from the road and from the travel trailer. “Good choice but you have the place to yourself. The toilet and the shower are inside those cabanas. I used to call them tents until a friend said cabana gave the place more class. They have a heater. You just turn it on if you need more heat. They are on a timer so if you forget to turn them off don’t worry. If you dont finish in fifteen minutes just turn the switch again.

If you want to cook feel free to use the kitchenette. The gas tank is full you pay just for what you use. The friends and family rate is fifteen dollars a night.” I explained.

“So you are giving me a discount?” she asked.

“Of course you give me a discount,” I said.

“Only for the arrests you have me call about. I have never really done anything for you except sue the sheriff,” she said. “that was it’s own reward.”