Chapter 27

Present – Liz and Bernie – At Leadville airport

When we exit the C130 which brought us to the Leadville airport, I turn my phone back on and notice fifteen missed calls. I check the name on the caller ID and blurt, "Shit!"

Bernie asks, "What's wrong Liz?"

I answer, "The cat must be out of the bag because I have fifteen missed phone calls from Jens."

I take a deep breath to get ready to call her back when my phone rings and scares the heck out of me. I look at the display and yes it's Jens so I try to be nonchalant as I answer, "Well, I sure didn't expect to hear from the newlyweds so soon. How are you doing Jens?"

Jens says, "Liz, stop trying to distract me - you know why I've called. What in the fricken-fracken heck happened to the cabin?"

I waffle by answering her question with a question, "Jens, how in the hell did you find out? I thought you two were going to be locked up in your room for the next two weeks?"

Jens replies, "We were following the plan but decided to have a nice dinner in the restaurant. An older couple came up to us, congratulated us on the wedding and then dropped the fricken-fracken bombshell about the cabin. Liz, stop stalling and tell me what happened."

I take a deep breath and answer, "Jens, we just arrived at the Leadville airport. The cabin is still an active crime scene and Samantha should be arriving there any moment. From what Sheriff Jim told us the cabin is a total loss and it looks like Zarika and Yasmeen set the fire in retaliation for me forgetting to invite them to the wedding."

Jens sputters, "Those ... those ... those two little miscreants! They have been nothing but a pain in my rear ever since they arrived. And don't blame yourself for not inviting them. I didn't want them at my wedding because I knew they would do something terrible. Please tell me the tunnels survived?"

I'm happy I can give her some good news, "Yes Jens, Gretchen checked the tunnels and said they're fine. Now how is your honeymoon, is it all you expected?"

I can imagine a very dreamy look on Jens face as she answers, "Liz, it's so wonderful I don't have any words to explain how I feel."

My phone beeps to indicate I have another incoming call so I say, "Jens, the network is calling so I need to take this call. You two continue to have a great time and we will take care of the situation with the cabin."

I answer the phone and the station manager says, "Liz, it's about time you answered your phone."

I reply, "Yeah, we were on the flight back to Leadville so I had my phone turned off. I turned it back on as we left the plane. What's going on?"

He answers, "Well, we wanted your approval before we ran the story Samantha did about Megan and Evelyn Donaldson being killed at the wedding. But we couldn't wait any longer so we ran the story."

I swore, "Son of a bitch! Samantha wasn't supposed to do that story because Jens doesn't know about Evelyn yet. How long ago did you run it?"

The manager apologizes and says, "Liz I'm sorry about this, Samantha assured us you approved of the story. We aired it about ten minutes ago."

I do some quick thinking and reply, "Don't worry about it, I think I can still take care of things."

I end the conversation, call Jens back and she answers, "Geez, can't I get any peace on my honeymoon!"

I lie through my teeth, "Sorry about this Jens, but I just thought of a question for Ben, could you put him on the phone?"

Jens giggles and says, "Sure, but he's taking a nap 'cause my old man is all tuckered from doing – well someeeeething."

It takes a couple of minutes but Ben finally comes on the phone. I say, "Ben, you need to mask your emotions and just listen. Samantha did an unapproved report on Megan and Evelyn's death at the wedding and the station just broadcast it ten minutes ago. You have to figure out some way to keep Jens from watching the television until after your honeymoon is over."

Ben sleepily answers, "Liz, I don't think that will be a problem, she didn't want to leave the room for dinner until I forced her to."

After deciding we just might survive this fiasco, I ask Ben, "Good, let me talk to Jens again."

Jens comes back on and I tease, "Jens, what are you doing to him, he sounds half dead?"

Jens raspberries into the phone and answers, "Nothing that you, Bernie and everyone else haven't been doing for years and hey I have to make up for lost time. And now that Ben's awake again..."

The phone goes dead - I guess Jens hung up. I begin to laugh, Bernie gives me a questioning look so I reply, "Jens has already worn Ben out."

Bernie laughs but comments, "So Sam did a report on Megan and Evelyn?"

I angrily answer, "The little bitch sure did! Even though I told her not to, she convinced the station to broadcast it."

Bernie asks, "So what are you going to do about it?"

I answer, "She went too far this time so I'm going to fire her."

Present – Samantha – in Leadville.

I timed it perfectly and my report on Megan and Evelyn was broadcast before the station could contact Liz. They did blank out some of the more graphic video of Megan's corpse. Bill moved the bodies from inside the coolers into a truck and left. I went to the sleeping areas, checked on Stacy and verified she was sleeping soundly.

I look at the cameramen and say, "Well, let's take one of the vans Bill offered us and get to the cabin."

John says, "The gear's already loaded so we're ready to roll."

We climb into the van and head toward the cabin.

My phone rings, I look at the caller ID and see it's Liz so I warn the guys, "I think the shit is going to hit the fan, it's Liz."

I answer the phone and Liz yells, "Samantha what the hell did you do?"

I smugly answer, "Liz, I did the job you hired me for."

Liz explodes, "I ordered you to not do that story until Jens and Ben were back from their honeymoon and you chose to disobey me. Samantha, you're fired and I will make sure you never work in the business again."

I laugh and answer, "Liz, you can't fire me because I quit and I already have a better job offer."

It gives me huge pleasure to hang up the phone on her.

I tell my cameramen, "Well, it looks like we're working for Stacy, do you guys have any problems with that?"

They both answer, "Not really."

We reach the cabin, pull in and begin to set up the equipment when the Sheriff comes over and I can't believe what he says...

Present – Jack, Masha and the children – On the C 130

I look down at my daughter in wonder because she's already beautiful and by the time she's a teenager we're going to have trouble. In some ways I wish she was another boy since with a boy you only have to worry about his hardware. However, with a girl you have to worry about every boy in the world's hardware. That's okay because when (if) I decide to let her date, they are going to have to meet me first and I will put the fear of me and God in them. I can see it now: I will be in my BDUs doing dry fire practice with my rifle when they come over - if that doesn't scare them enough, I will show them a few of my targets.