Chapter 2

My internal farmer's alarm went off just before five so I got up, put my clothes on, then used the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I didn't feel like waking the kids, so I went downstairs and put some coffee on before going out to the barn to feed the steers. We didn't milk any longer because Dad said it was cheaper to buy milk at the store. I don't know how that could be, but it probably had to do with pasteurizing the milk now.

I carried a bucket of cracked corn and a bucket of ground shells to the chicken house. I refilled their water trough and gathered the eggs. One of the hens was setting on eggs, and I had let her be so we could have more chicken dinners.

The Trooper on duty got out and stretched and I stopped to talk to him on the way back to the house. I told him we would be having breakfast soon and he was invited. He came in to have some fresh coffee with me.

The day had begun inside as all three girls were working in the kitchen to fix breakfast. Chet and Jeff were talking about plowing the late wheat fields under, but wanted me to take some soil samples to the Farm Bureau for testing to see what minerals the fields might need first. We did a good job of rotating crops, but that alone doesn't work sometimes. We only had one field in hay at a time, and that was enough for the stock we had. We saved enough corn, oats, and soybeans to give the animals some grain during the winter and before we butchered them. I would need to watch the auctions and try to pick up a young steer for our future freezer stock.

I told the boys, "Go ahead and just run the disk over the wheat fields we were replanting in winter wheat so the stubble will retain the snow if there is a blow. Any weeds or volunteer crops that would come up before spring corn planting will be tilled under before spring planting. We still wanted to plant winter wheat as that was always a way to get two crops from the same field. We already have the seed for wheat, so we'll plant the winter wheat fields the third week in September. We'll do it the same way this coming year and get a crop of soybeans that we'll pick late. It's tough to get even 90 day corn to mature right when we follow winter wheat. The soybeans will give the ground a nitrogen boost."

The Trooper said, "You kids sound like a bunch of farmers talking about their plans."

Chet took offense, and told the Trooper, "We are farmers. Our family has been farmers since they moved here after the Revolutionary War. We've fed ourselves, our stock, our neighbors, the town, and whoever else bought our grains for almost two hundred and thirty years. Kenny is the farmer now, but Jeff and I will be farmers too after we go to college to learn even more of how to make a farm work. My sisters will be farmers' wives. Monique may not be because she wants to be an actress on Broadway. I hope she makes it. Make no mistake, Mr. Trooper, we are farmers."

I winked at the Trooper so that he didn't feel bad about being dressed down by a sixteen year old. The boys hitched equipment to tractors and were on their way to the fields when breakfast was finished and it was time to work. I loaded a chain saw, oil, gas, a heavy chain, and some ropes into the pickup and headed to the place on the county road to get to the valley field.

I waded through the undergrowth to get to the valley meadow, and then backtracked to make sure it was the best way to get there. Josey was in the big truck with Monique and June at the road where the pickup was when I got there. I was startled and asked, "Who's watching the house?"

Josey said, "The Trooper said he would make sure the house stayed where it should and no foreigners would get by him."

I told Josey that I was going to cut the brush and a couple of small trees down to clear a road to the big meadow like Grandpa said I should do. She wanted to help, but I told her, "Go home and be there in case the Child and Family case worker shows up. Send Monique to get me and call John Smith if they come."

I started the chain saw and began clearing brush from side to side to clear a path at least fifteen feet wide. I was physically able to drag the bigger trees out of the way if I cut them into smaller pieces. I was just about done when June came running for me, "Hurry, come home, someone shot the Trooper. Josey is watching around the house as best she can but hurry. She called the Sheriff's office and paramedics." I told her to drive the pickup because it would be easier for her to reach the pedals while I handled the big truck. It was funny how the girls felt comfortable driving the monster truck and didn't choose Mom's Suburban.

We had never been a cell phone family, but I wish we had them right now. I blasted my way to the house and found Josey outside trying to help the Trooper who had been shot in the shoulder above his vest. This was the man from this morning and I asked Josey, has he been able to call for help?"

"No, Kenny, he's been unconscious since he's been hit."

I used the man's radio microphone and keyed the mike. "This is unit 4146 stationed at the Schultz farm. The Trooper has been shot and we need paramedics and help. Please help us."

A voice came over the radio and asked, "How can I be sure you are telling me the truth?"

I told the voice, "The Trooper's name is Denaldo and he has some extra pins under his badge. Please send someone. I'm holding a compress on his wound."

"Someone will be there in a few minutes."

We heard a general broadcast over the radio for any Troopers in this area to converge on the farm. We also heard the alert sent to the paramedics to send an ambulance to our farm. I made sure the girls were all down within the car and not exposed. I considered running for the house to get my .22 magnum rifle, but knew I would be exposed, so I pulled the Trooper's Glock and looked it over. I checked to see if there was a round in the chamber and there wasn't, so I slid a round in and kept a constant swivel head to make sure no one would come up on me. With the two girls with me, and Jeff in the house with his rifle, I figured we might be able to spot trouble before it got here.

Crack, crack, crack, bang, crack, crack.

That had to be Jeff's .22 going off. I couldn't leave the girls, and I didn't want to leave the Trooper, but I said, "Hold this compress tight against the Trooper's chest, Monique. If someone gets close, Josey, let them get real close, then shoot them. All you have to do with this gun is aim and shoot. I have to make sure Jeff is okay."

Josey took the Trooper's gun and began constantly looking around to make sure that no one was sneaking up on them. I ran for the back door to the house and ran through the kitchen, picking up my .22 magnum rifle with the thirty-round magazine on the way. I hollered, "Where are you, Jeff?"

"I'm by the front door. Whoever that asshole is shot me in the arm. It's just a graze and I have the bleeding stopped, but I'm not sure I hit him. He can't get out from behind the old dog house, so he has to still be there. Use your magnum and shoot through the doghouse to see if the guy moves."

I already had a round in the chamber, so I figured on splintering the old dog house. None of the dogs liked it, so there was no loss. It only meant that we would have to clean up what Mom had been asking us to do for the last year. Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack. A guy yelled from being hit and got up to run. Crack, crack, crack, and the man fell forward on his face. Little Jeff had downed the guy. This was really fucked up. I checked on Jeff's arm and then ran out to check the man who was down but he was gone. One of the .22 rounds had entered his head and departed through his eye. Another round had cut his carotid artery and he instantly bled out.

I heard the sirens and told Jeffy to get out to the parking area so the paramedics could check him out.

The first up the lane was a Sheriff's car. Not good.

The good news was that two Trooper cars were right behind him.

The Deputy jumped out of his car and drew his gun, running at us. Jeffy and I held our hands up but the Deputy kept right on coming, telling us he was going to finish this right now. Jeffy and I ducked as the man shot at us several times and kept running. He said, "Now you will die the way you should have before," when he stood over us.

A Trooper was right behind him and told him to drop his weapon. The guy said, "Fuck you" and brought his weapon up. Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang. Josey was holding the downed Trooper's weapon at the man as he folded and dropped over. The Trooper had fired his weapon as well. Five in the front and one in the back did the trick. Poor Monique was holding the compress on the Trooper and crying at the same time. Jeff was so scared that he was shaking. June was down behind the seat of the cruiser, while Josey still didn't want to put the gun down. I reached for the gun and took it from her. I slid it into the Trooper's holster and sat back on the ground. This had to be some kind of bad dream from hell.

The county ambulance came racing up the lane with another Sheriff's car right behind it. I waved the paramedics to the Trooper and told him what we had done and told him about Jeff's wound.

The Sheriff ran up on everyone, puffing with his gun in his hand. Now I'm going to arrest you for shooting a Deputy, Kenny. You'll get the needle for this one. Uncle Seth came from nowhere and said, "See, you should have let me take over when I gave you the chance."

The Sheriff yelled, "Are you trying to get away, to escape?" The guy was yelling while raising his weapon. One of the Troopers hollered, "Don't do that. The man is innocent. He was protecting his family. He wasn't the one who shot your Deputy."

The Sheriff swung around with his pistol pointing at the Trooper who had hollered, and yelled, "Don't tell me how to do my job. This asshole is trying to escape."

Bang. The Sheriff looked up to see who had shot him and one of the paramedics was holding the wounded Trooper's weapon, making sure his shot had been effective. The Trooper who had been threatened said, "Thanks, I thought he was going to shoot."

Uncle Seth was backing away when the last Trooper who came told him to stand still and to put his hands behind his head. "What's the matter with you? I haven't done anything wrong. You can't arrest or hold me for doing nothing. I'm here to help these kids."

The Trooper who had been shot began coming out of it, and sat up with bandages to stop the bleeding. He looked at all us kids, and said, "I'm sorry, Kids. I let my guard down. Who would believe that you kids could be under such an attack. How many were there?"

I told the man, "I don't know, but there is a dead one in front of the house behind the old dog house.

A Trooper took off to look at the guy in front of the house and came back to tell us, "Believe it or not, that is or was another Deputy. He's even in uniform. What in the hell is going on with these people?"

The paramedics worked on Jeff and he came away with a big Band-aid and a tetanus shot. He came up to me, bumped hips with me, and said, "I'm the kid brother who gets shot."

I asked him, "Why were you up here at the house? Were you done with that field?"

"All done, Chet wanted to use the small tractor, so I got big Bess and was able to do my smaller field really fast. I'm sure glad I did too."

The last Trooper on site told us, "You kids go inside and be calm for a few minutes. I've called some people from the Department of Law Enforcement to come out here and to bring the State's Attorney. They should be here in about twenty minutes."

Uncle Seth was still yelling that there was nothing that could be put against him and to let him go. I walked over to him, and asked, "Why are you so bent on getting this land? This was Grandpa's until he put it in my name because Dad was working it."

Seth was about to explode and yelled, "What do you mean he put it in your name? This farm is worth millions and millions."

"Well, he did, Uncle Seth, so why were you trying to get this so hard that you would involve the Sheriff and his Deputies?"

"You're just like your dad and don't know how to get the money out of this place. The Sheriff should have never run your dad off the road, but he was messing up the deal. You don't know how to get the money out of this place, and I was trying to help you and the kids by offering them a home. You're smart; you can get a job anywhere you want."

I would have shot my uncle if I had gun at that instant. A Trooper behind me said, "I heard everything the man said. He's admitted to being a part of a conspiracy to get rid of your parents. This whole thing gets more depressing by the minute. Go inside and maybe this guy would like to try to escape."

Chet came driving up on the smaller tractor with the disk on the rear. He put the disk in the machine shed and then filled the tractor with fuel, checked the oil, greased the points on the lift and the front steering, and shut the big machine shed doors, making sure he kept an eye on all the activity.

I waved at him to come to me, and we walked to the house while I explained what all had gone on.

The Coroner's van came into the parking area, and one of the men I began to recognize got out, and said, "I don't even need the GPS to find this place anymore." People were taking pictures of everything. This was really bad. I walked to the house and went to sit at the kitchen table with my siblings. We sat where we always sat at the sides of the table with Josey and I across from each other next to Dad's place, with Chet and Monique in the middle, and June and Jeff across from each other next to where Mom sat at the other end. I heard the coffee pot gurgle tell me there was fresh coffee, so I got up and poured myself a mug. I asked, "Anyone want coffee?"

Monique said, "There is a black raspberry pie if anyone wants a piece. There is also plenty of milk."

June got up to help cut the pie and pour the milk. Josey smiled at me as we drank our coffee. She said, "You know that we're going to make it, aren't we? Look at us, sitting here just like always, knowing that we will take care of each other. I feel better about school starting now. I think all the craziness is over.

I looked up at the clock over the stove and said, "It's time for evening chores. I'll run do the beef and come back for the chickens if you guys want to stay in. It's not like we have a lot of chores right now."

Chet and Jeff got up with me, and we went toward the barn. There was still a lot of activity in our parking area. We did the barn chores, and we didn't have to collect eggs because June had run out and gathered the evening's eggs. Josey told the boys, "Take your showers and clean up," when we were all back inside. "Don't leave the bathroom in a mess either. You need to shave the fuzz off your face before Church Sunday, Chet. You girls go get cleaned up so you are ready for bed later. Don't put PJs on yet because we still have a lot of people here."

Josey and I washed the dishes and discussed what we might feed the kids for supper later. She told me, "How about we bake a couple of those pizzas. We have some soda pop we can put in glasses with ice. That'll be something they'll like since it's been such a crazy day.

The kitchen was straight and clean after I swept the floor and Josey used a wet mop to get any stains off. The two of us looked at each other and began laughing when we finished. My little sister said, "Just like always, only now we're always going to be the last ones out of the kitchen. It's kind of nice to be in here with you as always."

We hugged, and I heard her sigh as I said, "We're going to be fine. Now pre-heat the oven and I'll get those pizzas out of the freezer."

A State Trooper came to the door and knocked. The main door was open, but the porch door was closed. I opened it for him to come in. He didn't step in, but asked, "The State's Attorney is here. Can he come in to meet you kids?"

"Sure, get him. The boys are cleaning up after a day in the fields. We usually try to clean up a little before supper."

The State's Attorney came in and accepted a cup of coffee, along with the Trooper. The man saw our pizzas still in the boxes on top of the stove and asked, "Do you always eat this early?"

Josey said, "We usually finish the chores about five, clean up, and eat about five thirty. We will have homework to do when school starts. We always have a snack in the afternoon and then another before we go to bed."

The attorney said, "I guess we messed up your afternoon snack."

Josey said, "No Sir, we had some blackberry pie with milk or coffee. It was really good."

The man asked, "You made it?"

"Sure, it's easy. I bake a pie almost every day. We all like pie. A cake is good too, but pie is our favorite. One of us girls bake cookies a couple of times a week too. We do like our snacks."

The attorney sipped his coffee, and asked, "So do you kids think you can take care of yourselves? You're all old enough to be responsible, and you do have a brother who's eighteen who is responsible for you. You won't have your uncle to fall back on because he's going to go to jail for at least ten years pretty soon. I want your permission to exhume your parents' bodies to do another autopsy. It may be that there could be more charges. I would think you'd like to have your parents' names cleared of being drunk when they crashed. Can we do that?"

I looked at Josey, and she nodded. "Do it and let us know the results. Any of their friends will all tell you that they've never seen Dad drink. Some people were pushing us to have them cremated, but we have a family plot and wanted them to be where we could visit their graves."

Josey came over to me and asked, "We should talk to Aunt Kate. She may need help if Uncle Seth is in jail. I'll call her tomorrow to see how she is."