Chapter 14

Waking up early, I put on my sweats and went for a run, sensing my way in the pre-dawn light. Returning to my room, I showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. The cook, whom I found out was Beth, was cooking breakfast. A Phoenix newspaper was on the table, so I read it, waiting for everyone to arrive. In the national news section, there was an article about five Asian men found dead in a Los Angeles suburb restaurant. The paper reported that a contractor showed up Thursday morning to remodel the restaurant and found the five men in the kitchen walk-in freezer.

Paula walked in, followed by Hank, so I set the newspaper aside, and we ate breakfast. Paula asked how my online ground flight school was going, and I told her I had finished it. She said good because Brad Davidson, a local FAA-certified instructor, is coming for your first lesson this morning at 9 a.m. We finished breakfast and then heard a scream outside.

We went outside and heard the scream again, and Hank told me to follow him. We went to his house, got two rifles, and drove the mule to the backside of the bluff. Thirty feet up the trail to the bluff, a man was lying on the ground, caught in two of the bobcat traps we set. I followed Hank, and he checked the man’s pulse and said he was dead. The man had no ID but had a backpack on and a sniper rifle by his side.

Hank cut off the man’s backpack with a knife, and I grabbed his sniper rifle. We returned to the ranch house and reported what we found to Paula. She said, let’s leave him there today so it doesn’t screw the luncheon. Several influential women are coming today so that the sniper could have targeted one of them. Paula said let’s meet after the party, go through his things, and decide what to do with him.

The caters arrived, followed by my flight instructor, Brad Davidson, so our meeting broke up. Brad learned I completed my ground school and gave me the FAA written test. After grading my test, we went to the plane for a preflight inspection. Then Brad called in our flight information, and we took off. For the next two hours, I was tested on my knowledge of the plane’s gauges and controls, and we performed several touch-and-goes on an abandoned airstrip. We landed at a small airport, got fuel, and ate lunch. Brad gave me a certificate for passing the FAA test and my flight log.

When we landed back at the ranch, Paula’s party was over. The caters were cleaning up, and Brad helped me fill out my fight log, then talked to Paul alone. When he left, she smiled and said I impressed Brad with my flight knowledge and skills. After the caters left, Hank and I stacked the tables and chairs for the rental company to pick up.

Then Paula, Hank, and I sat down and discussed what to do with the sniper. Paula didn’t want to call the police because the press would pick up the story. There would be endless questions and conspiracy theories. Hank said why not leave him there and let the wildlife take care of the body. I agreed but added we should find his car and move it away from the ranch. It’s probably a rental, and they will look for it when it’s overdue.

Paula and I took the Jeep, and Hank drove the pickup truck to the main road. We went left, and Hank turned right and searched for the car. Hank found it a half mile from the ranch entrance, parked off the road. The keys were in the ignition, and the rental paperwork was in the glove box with his wallet. According to the driver’s license and rental paperwork, the sniper’s name was Tom Brown, but it was obviously fake. The wallet, license, and credit cards were brand new, and there was nothing else in the wallet.

Paula asked me to drive the rental towards Phoenix, and she would follow me. She asked Hank to remove the bobcat traps, and we’d meet back at the ranch. We parked the car at an outlet mall ten miles away. I wiped down everything I touched, and we returned to the ranch. After dinner, we searched Tom Brown’s backpack, and Paula found a photo. She said it was Gale Simmons, and she was sitting at my table for lunch.

I told Paula to be careful how she proceeds. It could have been planned to confuse the investigation and put the attention on you, not them. Paula said shit, and I need to think about how to tell Gale without it getting out to the media. Her husband, Daniel Simmons, is an Arizona State Senator, and her family owns the Arizona Republic newspaper. I told her to do it in person and soon. If it was her husband who hired the sniper, he already knows. Hank said Tom Brown would be gone after tonight, so there would be nothing here to find.

After dinner, we said goodnight and went our separate ways. I went to my bedroom and practiced telekinesis, then sensed the area. A pack of wolves or coyotes was feasting on Tom Brown. Paula was on the phone with Gale, asking her to meet early tomorrow morning about the campaign. Nothing else was happening, so I went to bed and fell asleep. I felt a calming feeling radiating through my body. Work continued to be done internally, and I felt it from my head to my feet. Then, I went into a deep, relaxing sleep.

My dream started, and I was in the office of Senator Daniel Simmon. He was pissed and on the phone with Lou, asking what happened this afternoon. Lou said I didn’t know and couldn’t contact my man. Daniel said shit, it was a perfect opportunity, and your man screwed up. What about the 100k deposit? Lou said it’s non-refundable, as you know. Daniel slammed the phone down and started drinking his sorrows away. Daniel said I’m screwed with no money to pay the loan, and they aren’t the type of people you cross. My dream ended when Daniel passed out drunk.

Waking up early, I put on my sweats and went for a run, sensing my way in the pre-dawn light. Returning to my room, I showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Paula was there with Gale, drinking coffee. Paula introduced me, said they were discussing Gale’s problem, and wondered if I had any ideas.

I asked Gale who has the money in your marriage. She said I do, and I told her that it was simple. Cut off his access to the bank accounts and cancel his credit cards. Leave him a note saying you are going to help Paula with her campaign. Turn off your phone and call him from a burner every few days. Make up excuses for the phone and credit cards and let him sweat. Call your friends and family and tell them you’re having marriage problems and must get away. He had to borrow the money for your demise, and they will want their money back. Your problem should solve itself in a couple of weeks.

I left to pack and heard Gale ask Paula where she had been hiding me. Chase would have been a hit at the garden party. They laughed, and Paula said I wanted attention on me, not a bunch of horney women drooling over him. We met at a Platinum Club meeting at USC, and don’t even think of trying to steal him from me. I returned to the kitchen with my bags, and their conversation stopped. Gale said I needed to go and prepare for my extended absence. Paula said we’re attending a Gala next weekend, and you’re invited. You could send Daniel photos that would piss him off. Gale said I might do that and left.

After saying goodbye to Hank, we took off, and I flew the plane to the LA basin. Then, Paula took over the controls. On the way home, Paula reminded me to have my tux dry-cleaned for the gala on Saturday night. She stopped a block from my house, hugged and kissed me, thanking me for my help. Paula dropped me off at home and said she would call later in the week with the gala details.

I walked into the kitchen and said howdy, can a cowboy get some lunch and Grandmother and Mom laughed. I hugged and kissed them and then took my bags to my room. Returning to the kitchen, I could hear them giggling, and we sat down for lunch. Grandmother asked me to tell them about my trip. I told them about touring the ranch, passing my FFA fight test, and setting up the garden party. I left out the sniper and the events around it.

Then I told them about the gala on Saturday and that I needed to get my Tux and shirt dry-cleaned. They were happy to hear I was going to a gala and wasn’t going out of town again. Mom said they decided to join the community center’s bridge club and water aerobics class. I asked if I could come and watch and was told NO.

After lunch, I went hiking up the hill to my rock, stripped, and meditated. When I reached my meditative state, I went deeper and was in Danial’s car at the gas station. None of his credit cards worked, and Gale didn’t answer her phone. He had enough cash to put in $20 and drove home, cussing Gale out. Arriving home, Daniel tried to log into the bank website and was denied access, and then he found Gale’s note.