Chapter 18

Sheriff's cruisers were patrolling and collecting verifications of the deaths. Barbara was constantly busy on the phone and radio. The sheriff came onto the scene but was politely told that his men were helping but not taking over by Mossy. He said, "We appreciate help but if you try to take over, I will have you arrested or shot if you resist. It won't look good on TV."

The sheriff decided that discretion was the better part of valor. He wasn't stunningly gorgeous like Dollars is and the media already loved her. In the next half hour, she made another appearance telling the reporters that, with help from the Sheriff's Department and State Troopers, patrolling of the town was under control. She read the names of the dead and wounded since their families had been notified. The last three on her list for the department were the wounded, Officer Ray Jones, Sergeant Hiram Moss, and Corporal Millicent Ingram. Her arm was in a sling now.

She came back inside and sat down on my lap. Ellen was present and sitting close to Mossy. Teresa was sitting with Jorgie who still had his AR on the prisoners.

The sheriff went to Mossy and said, "Sergeant, you are the most senior officer remaining. What do you need to patrol the town?"

"We have always tried to have two cars out per shift. We had planned four for New Year's Eve but I think it will be quiet this year. If do that, we can field a third."

"Two wounded people shouldn't be patrolling."

"We could do two cars from here if we needed them. Cents and her Nickel would take one. I would ride with Jorgeson in the other. They can stop any trouble. We won't have any from our townspeople. I'm more concerned about outsiders coming to town."

The Sheriff nodded grimly. "We will rearrange our cars to cover until you can get more officers. Jenson thought highly of you both and I see why. Call me if you need me. We're here." They shook hands and he left. As he was leaving, the reporters caught him and he told them that the Notasulga police department had matters well in hand. He said that he and his department were glad to help out.

At lunch, Elmer's called and asked how many lunches to prepare. Barbara asked Dollars if the prisoners were to be included in her total. Dollars nodded. The food was brought in shortly thereafter. The manager came with it. He said, "There will be no charge. Thank you for what you do." There was plenty for everyone. Later that afternoon, the national news reported that Director Jones of the CIA had shot himself. Other reports indicated that the Alabama Attorney General was assembling an investigatory team. Late that afternoon, a group purporting to be from the United States attorney's office tried to take the prisoners.

Dollars challenged their right to even talk to her prisoners. They were ordered to present credentials just to get inside. Only two were allowed inside. The rest were told to get in their vehicles and wait. The news people were going ape but following every move.

Dollars went outside and announced that persons purporting to be from the US attorney's office were wanting to take custody of her prisoners. She further announced that federal officers would not be allowed to invade Notasulga again nor remove her prisoners without a proper order that they had verified. She gave a list of names of the individuals who had come according to their credentials. She said that they were attempting to verify identities and would probably arrest all of them as being without right or authority. That was what Barbara was telling people in Montgomery by telephone. The news people were loving it.

The Alabama Attorney General's Office quickly issued a statement that no one from any federal jurisdiction had contacted them and that the people being held were not being held on federal but on state charges. The two men allowed inside tried to bully Dollars when she returned. They stood in front of her with their backs to me and then actually threatened her. I pulled my Glock and pulled back the slide cocking it loudly. I held it to one's head while Mossy had the other one covered. Dollars frisked them. We then put them in a cell beside our original prisoners.

Barbara received a call from someone saying they were with the US attorney's office. Barbara explained that two of the people purporting to be from their office had been arrested for making terroristic threats under Alabama law. She suggested that the US Attorney herself should come down. She said that if she brought an armed mob, they would be resisted and the survivors would be prosecuted under Alabama law.

She hung up and was laughing a bit. Mossy sent Dollars out with me as her backup to the cars of people waiting. She went to them while I made a show of readying my AR and pointing it at them. She said, "The two men who went in are under arrest under Alabama law. I am ordering you to leave the premises immediately or face arrest. Any attempt at resistance will be met with force. Six citizens came up beside her and the chambering of shells in twelve gauge shotguns was heard. The feds decided to leave. Dollars went to each man and thanked him. She said, "I think it's over but if you're close, I won't mind even though I have my fiancé here." I shook hands with them, too.

Dead bodies of our police and their families were being collected along with those of the attackers. It became quiet We received a call from the Alabama AG's office that they were objecting to an attempt by the US Attorney's Office to get an order from a federal judge.

We later found that someone in the Alabama AG's office was smart. They objected to the request stating that no federal issue was involved unless, of course, the US Attorney's Office was claiming that federal officers had invaded an innocent Alabama town wounding and murdering citizens and police personnel alike without any warrant or stated reason. The US Attorney's Office person refused to claim any of our prisoners. That quote was later used in the news conference by the Alabama AG's Office when the judge refused to grant the request and order.

We all spent Tuesday night at the station. We took turns in the morning going to our homes and cleaning up. Jorgie and I made sure one of us was present and alert at all times. Mossy did the same with Dollars and himself. Lee County was sending a judge over for an impromptu bond hearing. He arrived at ten and had a court reporter with him. He allowed the reporters to attend and listen. He ordered a cash bond of one million dollars for each of the federal attorneys and refused to grant bond for the other prisoners. George admitted to me that they were probably safer in jail rather than on the street dodging assassins.

By a stroke of "luck," the judge was well-known and was a tough bird in his own right. Later in the day, he entertained an individual from the US Attorney's Office in their attempt to waive the bond or have it reduced drastically. The person made a mistake because the judge recharacterized the argument by stating that an attorney with the US Attorney's Office knowingly threatened a police officer who that day had seen most of her force murdered by purported federal agents who the US Attorney's Office was unwilling to admit were federal agents. He ordered the young man to write and file an ethics complaint against the two who had been arrested. He also refused to change the amount or character of the bond.