Poverty Hill
Copyright© 2026 by Asa Strong
Chapter 21
The next morning, I was woken up by the telephone a ringin’.
Lisa managed to snake out of bed and answer it afore I could get my head together. I could hear her a talkin’ in the kitchen, but couldn’t quite make out what she were a sayin’.
A few minutes later she came back into the bedroom. “Amos, get up. The judge and sheriff want to see us now.”
I managed to clear my head enough to answer, “So, we’re just supposed to jump whenever they call?”
Lisa laughed, “Well then, you can be the one to tell the judge no. I sure ain’t going to do it.”
I laughed; the judge weren’t someone to fool with.
“Give me a minute to wake up and get my head together, will yah.”
“Sure, I’ll put some coffee on.”
An hour later we were sittin’ in the sheriff’s office, a waitin’ on the judge.”
“You been watching the news?” Dave said, as Lisa and I took a seat in his office.
“Nope, we been kind a out of touch. We took a party back into the mountains for some kind of scientific survey.”
The judge came burstin’ into the room afore Dave could answer. “Amos, Lisa, you guys read today’s Denver Post.”
I chuckled, “Not if’n I could help it!”
The judge shook his head, and then handed me today’s paper.
Right there in big letters, on the front page: “FBI Conducts Major Drug Busts throughout the Midwest and West!”
I looked back up at the judge, “Looks like someone’s been a mite busy.”
He nodded his head, “Read on, cowboy.”
Lisa and I sat there and read the article. From readin’ between the lines, it looked like the FBI had taken the information Marshall had given them to heart. It looked like us uncoverin’ Marshall, for the snake he were, paid dividends. They’d raided locations in Ft. Worth, Oklahoma City, Denver and Kansas City. They’d recovered millions in cocaine and quite a bit of money too.
Accordin’ to a quote from the regional FBI director, it had put a major dent in the cocaine distribution in the West and Midwest. Thankfully, there were no mention of Lisa and me at all.
Lisa looked at Dave and the judge and then said, “Looks like what Marshall had was some good information.”
The judge nodded and then took a seat next to Dave’s desk. He cleared his throat and then said, “I talked to Steve early this morning. They arrested forty-eight people and have warrants out for another thirty or so.”
Lisa then spoke up, “So, Amos and I should be in the clear now.”
The judge looked at me, but didn’t answer.
“Nope,” I said, “if’n anythin’ pro’lly just the opposite. But I’m bettin’ that this Ascentia character don’t have much of an organization left in place around here right now. But, he ain’t ‘bout to give up none. Sooner or later, we’ll have to deal with him again.”
We jawed for a few more minutes and then Dave asked, “Amos, can you and Lisa give us a hand for the next few days?”
“Doin’ what?”
“The town’s got this ‘Winter Festival’ going on, and it’s been getting a bit crazy. The State Cops usually give us a hand, but for some reason they’re short handed. I’d appreciate it if you could help here in town the next few days.”
Lisa piped up, “I thought I was on suspension?”
The judge gave Dave a sharp look, and nodded his head.
Dave cleared his throat, and then said, “Well, given the circumstances, I’ve removed that from your records.”
Then, after another look from the judge, he said, “I’ve also restored your pay and benefits also-retroactively.”
He then grinned, looked at the judge and then back at Lisa, “Seems the legal people in this town didn’t think it should be there.”
I looked at Dave and then said, “I ain’t wearin’ no sheriff shirt.”
Everyone laughed and then the judge said, “Amos, just pin your badge somewhere so it can be seen.”
What time you want us on duty,” Lisa asked.
Dave answered, “Six this evening until the bars close.”
Lisa and I went back to my place, took care of the stock, and spent the rest of the day puttin’ tack away. By six, we were back in the sheriff’s office.
Dave wanted us to wander through the north side of Main Street, with orders to just keep things half way civilized. Lisa and I’d put our MP7s back in my hidey-hole. I had my pistol, and Lisa must a been happy with that big 44 mag; she had it strapped to her hip.
The town was packed with people. I was a wonderin’ where they all were a stayin’. Lisa reminded me of all the condos located on the east end of town. I’d never paid much attention to that part of town, as I didn’t have any business there to speak of.
Things were going purty well until about eleven. Lisa got a call on her radio that there were problems at the Boomerang Restaurant. I’d been in the place before. It was one of them upscale Bar/Restaurants.
When we entered the buildin’, it weren’t hard to see where the problem lay. Two guys, who looked like they might be roughnecks, workin’ in the gas fields west of town, were backed into a corner. Facin’ them were five or six ski dudes all decked out in fancy cowboy duds.
I motioned Lisa to move off to the side of the dudes while I went over and pushed my way through them.
One of ‘em pushed me as I tried to worm my way to the front. I gave him a sharp jab with my elbow. That seemed to get his attention. I made my way between them and the two in the corner.
“OK,” I asked, “Y’all want to tell me what’s goin’ on?”
The one that looked like he might be the leader of the bunch of dudes answered, “These two been botherin’ our girls.”
He then nodded his head to a three girls, sittin’ at the next table. The girls looked frightened but were lookin’ more at the crowd of dudes than at the two guys in the corner.
“Is that so,” I answered him back.
I turned to the girls and asked, “These two been botherin’ you?”
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