Chapter 47

It may have been late spring in Fort Lauderdale but it’s still winter in Wyoming ... and not late winter. Winter.

This year wasn’t as bad as last winter ... last winter was a disaster. Governmentally wise, last year ranked right up there with the Blizzards of 1949... 18 monster “Grey Wall of Snow” storms in 27 days.

It was 83 degrees when we left Fort Lauderdale, 80 in Jacksonville, 56 in Columbia, and minus 14 in Sheridan ... with a gentle snow ... not more than a quarter inch accumulation an hour.

For sure ... I wasn’t going gold dredging ... probably not until June.

But I could visit the neighbors and brag about the weather in Florida ... rubbing it in ... gently though.

The trailer had Guatemalans, but the house had Spaniards ... not Hispanics ... Spanish ... from Spain. And, No ... I didn’t know where Annalise Cordoba was. I didn’t bring her back on the airplane. They did ask.

Then came the bad news ... El Patrón, 96 years old from Madrid Spain, died on the sidewalk in front of the Big Horn State Bank ... massive and fatal coronary.

“It is doubtful that he knew ... it was that quick,” said Maria de la Natividad Valero y Asensio, an honest niece ... really. It was she who was renting the new house.

Very stand-offish was Maria ... and older, perhaps 35. No visible husband, but that was not unusual. She had an income and paid on time. I assumed her husband was working away from home. Time will tell.

“Where is he buried?”

“Spain.”

I was not invited in ... and I didn’t mind. She did step out on the deck ... that was new ... and quietly mentioned that El Patrón had had an alarmed security system ... a extremely modern and sensitive security system ... installed on my cabin and the Avocado garage. She passed me a paper with the codes and instructions on changing the codes.

“Thank you ... Coffee in the morning?”

“No, señorita. We are very private people.”

“So be it,” I said. “Should you have need, do not hesitate to call.”

Well ... this as going to be boring, I thought. Ah well, John and Helen across the road.

They were on vacation ... there was a Mexican family house sitting. They weren’t friendly either.

I went home, cleaned my already spotless house and was instantly bored.

The bus stopped next door. Less than five minutes later a duskily beautiful teenaged girl unlocked the door, reset the codes and squeaked when she saw me a sitting in the dining room.

“Who are you?”

“I might ask the same,” I said.

“Sally de la Natividad Valero y Asensio. And you?”

Her English was not a second language ... her Spanish was. She spoke politely ... probably her mother’s influence ... but she was an American teenager through and through.

“Karen Post. I own the place.”

“Heck ... there goes my job.”

“I doubt it. Keep doing what you do, I need to go to town.”

“But ... you’ve already done my job.”

“I suppose,” I said. “Would you care to go to town?”

“Oh, God. Yes.”

It was still snowing ... picking up a little and getting breezy. The Jeep had a better heater so we took that.

Soldier Creek was freshly plowed. I was a trifle shell shocked... 83 two days ago, 56 the over night low in Columbia and 29 and falling here. Snow plows, shoveling, coal fire ... I need to adapt. I was in four wheel high range anyway. I must have been driving slow because I was passed by a Subaru Brat ... and I couldn’t catch it.

Hmmm. I need me one of those.

Right at Fifth and Main and a short drive to the Two Bit.

DING

“Hi, John.”

“‘Lo Karen ... hi Sally,” John said.

“Mr. Quarterman.”

“Hello, Miss Post.” Funny ... he didn’t speak to Sally.

“John ... I need an outfit.”

“Karen?” John said, “What ... where?”

“Stuck behind Crime Scene tape. I didn’t want to wait, so I flew home. Bobby is still down in Fort Lauderdale.”

John was suddenly Business. “I have a 60 watt tweed Fender Bassman, two new JBL 12 inch speakers. Great lead amp. It’s a little worn but plays good.”

I nodded ... he set it on my side of the counter.

“What else?”

“Ampeg B-18, new 6L6GC’s. New Eminence speaker. I have the original Ampeg speaker but it needs re-coning.”

“Sure.”

“A Sunn twin 18’s single stack. It’s in the basement.”

Senior said, “Karen, buy that sucker. It shakes the whole hotel when Jonny plays through it.”