Redemption
Copyright© 2017 by MysteryWriter
Chapter 9
cabin tents rented for$25a day summer.$30a night winter rate
trailer rentals:larger$75mid size$60small$50
John Boyd28yrs old
Gabby Boyd25yrs old.
Alice Boyd current owner of the Gatehouse
Edwardo world famous catfish chef(according to mom)
Joy and Jen wait staff for Alice Boyd’s catering
Jasper Amos hunter, guide, knife make
Sylvia Amos sheriff’s detective lieutenant
deputy Angie Davenport
Marion DavenportAngie’s mom
Clyde Summers suicide victim
Edward Gaines suicide victim while serving time with John
Max Bork Gabby’s fancy man
Willow computer geek
Tom Jasper’s cousin and half ass builder
Martin cameraman
Vanessa producer
Walter Pickering Vanessa’s boss
Lamar the mechanic and junkyard owner
Everette mom’s new bf
Greta a camera person for cctv
After my shower in the community shower stall, I felt clean, but not really clean.It was like showering in prison.Expecting someone to come into the shower with you.It was not a place you wanted to linger.I did my thing as best I could with the liquid soap, then got the hell out of the shower cabinet.
I dressed in clean clothes outside the stall, but still in the slightly heated cabin tent designated men’s room.It wasn’t a terrible experience, even if I did shower with a knife laying on the edge of the cabinet.I know that was crazy, but it made it possible for me to go into the shower cabinet at all.
I retrieved the knife before leaving the cabin/tent, then slipped it into the pocket of my vest beforeI headed to the blacked out trailer.Even though Ididn’t take long to shower, Vanessa had returned with the coffee.I sat with my coffee in a Styrofoam cup and made faces as I drank it.After the conference Istill had to clean the mornings catch.The first thingon my list after that wasto buy a coffee maker.I still had my coffee cup thermos, but I didn’t have the cup I used to reheat coffee in the microwave.That meant buying the maker and the cup to use when reheating day old coffee.
The lawyer Interrupted my thought process with, “I’m Lucille Manson, ” the very unattractive woman in her fifties said.Being a man I noticed her looks before paying any attention to her spiel.She was tall for an older woman.She was at least five foot eight inches.She appeared to be in good shape and dominated the room.She had a good presence for a law dog.
”As I was saying.We feel badly about the loss of your home, ” she said.
“Just a minute before we get off on the wrong foot.My home wasn’t lost.One of your employees in a fit of rage against you, set fire to it, ” I said angrily.
Manson looked at Walter Pickering before she continued.”Allegedly.”
“Save that bullshit for the courtroom, or I’ll walk out of here and call my lawyer, ” I said.
”I think this meeting should be postponed until you do that, ” Manson began.
”Fair enough, ” I said standing to leave.
”Wait a minute, ” Pickering said.”We just want to save you some time and money.We want you to rebuild you place just like before.We also would like to pay for the materials and contractor to do the work.In exchange we will film the work, and you will not mention our employee.”
“Fuck you.You are paid up through Sunday.I want you out of here Monday afternoon period, ” I said angrily.”See you in court in about a year.By the way my law dog is a friend, so good luck on making it expensive for me to fileasuit against you.”
I walked back to the tiny trailer.I decided that I needed to make a decision soon about my living space going forward.I wasn’t going to rush into anything though.I also was not going to rebuild the Gatehouse.It was gone forever.I planned to get a place of my own.
I dressed to be warm while I worked on the fish.Those clothes just happened to be my older clothes.The new clothes were going to be worn soon enough.I saw the forlorn lookingMetro waiting for me to made some decisions.I didn’t even consider working on it.I went to work on the catch from the night before.It took me almost two hours to get the fish cleaned and in the freezer.
It was3PM before I made it to Walmart in Greenville again.I picked up my coffee maker, three of the plastic cups, I used as coffee pots for the microwave, a pound of Maxwell House French Roast coffee and a computer monitor.The old HP monitor weighed like thirty pounds.I needed something lighter.I could also use the new monitor with a laptop, if I went that way once I got settled in.
When I got home, I added the coffee potto the kitchen counterand switched out the monitors.The old one I put in the rear of the truck for the dumpster dump.That of course reminded meit was time to carry the days of trash to the dump.I also fixed myself a sandwich for dinner.Along with it, I had a glass of ice tea mix and two of those mini donuts with the chocolate glaze that tasted like wax.The donuts also got a liberal amount of peanut butteron top.The sun was going down when I settled in for the night.
I made a note on my computer’s planner to call Marcy the next day.I wanted her to send Pickering a note to tell him she was on the case.I just loved playing hard ball with the soft assholes of this world.Marcy, I knew from experience loved it as muchas I did.She also loved my Uncle Kieth, and had spent more than one night in Gatehouse.She might have had a fondness for itas well.
It was cramped in the Titan Trailer, but I managed to sleep well.The heater kept it warm and the blanket’s, I had provided for the guests, made it even more comfortable.A sleeping bag was another item for my list offuturenonessential purchases.
When I awoke at6AM, there was no thought of a shower before I started work.The best time for a shower was when I returned from my trip up river.I loaded trash from the cabins and theoutside cans.I had two cabin/tent guests decide they had more than enough boar hunting.That made three of the five cabins emptied.There was a lot of trash, but not an impossible amount.When I went to work on that pile of crap that once had been the Gatehouse.It was more trash to deal with than just one man, with single pickup truck could handle in one day.
For one thing the dumpster dump wasn’t an option.That volume and type of trash had to go directly to the landfill.Sure, sometimes I would sneak things into the dumpster dump, but not on the volume necessary for that job.The dump also had closed circuit TV so they could identify cheats.
Since there was nothing I could do, I took another look at theMetro.I test drove it and found the heater worked just fine.Hell it had a heater, a defroster, and a radio, what more could a man want? I asked myself.I called my mom and explained that I needed a chair pillow like the one she had on her sofa but bigger.As usual my mother knew just who to call.
”Give me the dimensions and I’ll arrange it, ” she said.
”You are a life saver, ” I said to her.”Tell me how much and I’ll give you the money.”
“Just bring me a dozen catfish fillets on Sunday.when you come to dinner, ” she demanded.”We are having barbecued pork butt.”
“Of course, ” I said.It meant I had to drop everything to go see her, but it was well worth the trouble.All mothers are good cooks, but my mom was a great one.It is why she got into the catering business in the first place.
”So no catering for Christmas?” I asked.
”It’s all on Saturday.We are going to work all day Saturday, ” she said.
”Do you need any help?” I asked.
”If you are asking sure.We are going to be in the Sunday school building at the2nd Baptist Church.Starting at10AM.It’s a lunch for the homeless.Then we are feeding catfish sandwiches to the workers at three different’gifts for the needy’ sites, ” she said.
”Are you being paid for any of it?” I asked.
”Not in money, you do good John, and good things happen, ” mom said.
”I’m going to take your word for it.” I said.”I need to call Marcy about suing the TV company for the fire.They are responsible I think.”
When Ifinally got around to calling Marcy, she agreed with me.”Their product liability insurer will have to pick up the tab, ” she said.
She got Pickering’s contact information from me before she shut me down.She sounded extremely busy.She was doing well, or she was with Ash somewhere cool.
I had a couple of days until the weekend, so I went back to the routine.The daily routine now includeda trip to one of the stores within an easy drive.I purchased food, clothing.and household items.On one of thetrips Thursday at noon, I purchased three cans of mat black spray primer.Two cans of brown enamel, and one can of a bright green enamel paint.
I collected three days worth of newspapers that week, then cut them up to cover the glass and some of the chrome on the Metro.I got the taping done on Thursday and began the painting on Friday.The good thing about a camo paint job, is that it is almost impossible to screw up.
Saturday the paint job got to cure while I cooked for the events mom was contracted to do.I tried to feel good about donating my services, but I had a lot of things that needed doing around the campground.
It was a pleasure to work with Edwardo.He and I hardly spoke at all.I think we read each other’s minds.By the time we finished the third gig, I was dead on my feet.
I still had to go back to the campground and empty the trash cans.I just wanted to sit in front of the tiny TV with a glass of iced tea.I had the campground’s WIFI connection up and running finally.The old computer gave me a fit until the Linux disk arrive in the mailonFriday.It took about an hour to make It work after I set up the new operating system.It did require me to rush out and buy a gizmo to use with the WIFI.Before I left for the day long gig, I checked to make sure it was still working.Fortunately for me it was, so I had that to look forward to when I arrived home.
I managed to get the cans empty and to the dump before I stopped to check my messages.One of them was from Sylvia.She informed me the crime scene processing was over.
“You can clean up your shit, ” her message said.
I knew I needed to run up river to check my limb hook lines.I decided to run it first thingin the morningno matter how cold it was after I emptied the trash.I played around on line until I was exhausted, then I fell into the bed and pulled the blankets over me.
I heard cars coming and going all night.I expected there would be plenty for Joy and Jen to do the next day.The sleep I got was in about two hours stretches until4AM.At that time the people who were leaving all seemed to have gone.I woke at seven which wasn’t all that early, but for the weather it was plenty early.
I had a pullover nylon puffy parkawhich was plenty warm for our part of the world.I doubted that it would be warm enough for mountain climbing in the Rockies.I managed to get through the trash detail before my hands froze.When it came to dealing with catfish and large fish hooks, I had a feeling the ski gloves were going to be a problem.They were supposed to turn water, but I found they were just water resistant which is a far cry from water proof.
Cry might be the operative word after an hour with wet hands when the temperature is close to freezing.I had to be pretty sure there was a fish or a hook without bait before I pulled up the line.Uncle Keith had bought the classic kayak.It had previsions for the use of a poncho to help keep water from washing over the sides.The point was, I got home ninety percent dry.The other ten percent gave me a hell of a chill.
When I arrived home, I put the fish into the refrigerator until I could get warmed up.I had to get to the trailer and turn the heat up.I sat close to the heater until I stopped shivering.It took fifteen or twenty minutesbefore I was in my normal state.Shortly thereafterthe phone rang.
”Hello, ” I said.I had no idea who was calling.
”Mr.Boyd, this is Lucille Manson.I wonder if we could talk about the lawsuityour lawyer is preparing to file.I would like to reach a settlement without going to court.It would be the best thing for all of us, ” she said.
”Sorry, it’s the Christmas season.Why don’t we discuss this after the first of the year.In the meantime Marcy can speak for me, ” I said.
”Frankly Mr.Boyd she is a little out of her league going up against the Country Channel, ” Manson said.
”Frankly Miss Manson, Marcy is working on a contingency basis.So I’ll let her do her thing, ” I said.
”You could clear more money to just settle with us before the suit is filed, ” she said sounding a little desperate.It wasn’t a good ploy.
”Well it isn’t all about the money.The Gatehouse was important to my family.So I’m going to let Marcy settle it, ” I said.
”I’m sorry you feel that way, ” she said and hung up.
”That was rude, ” I said to a dial tone.
I managed to go back into the chilly airagain. That time it wasto start loading junk from the fire into my pickup truck.I raked the junk into a pile, then shoveled it into the truck bed.Now and then something seemed to magically appear.One of the things was the crossbow I had purchased at the craft show, buthad never used.It had been hanging on the rear wall.It must have been blown clear of the fire somehow.It smelled of smoke, so it was probably charred or scorched, but it was still solid.
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