Chapter 65

“Mona, how did it go?”

“Sheriff Jones is on his way north, up the levee from Stewart with five vehicles and ten men. The FBI Field Agents are on their way here as we speak, in two helicopters.

“I told them about the island with the airstrip, and where it is - north of Stewart. They’re following the river along the Mississippi side - on their way down and we need to park these three vehicles on top of the levee, with the lights running so they can spot us.”

Shirl said, “Damn. I was so afraid some of that bunch would either come here, or come past the Montague Farm while you were there.”

“You forget, I had Rondo with me.”

Shirl said, “And I had Josey here with me.”

Mona told me, “Josey, I need to see what else you have, before the Sheriff Jones and the FBI arrive.”

“I have yet to look at all three pages, but I did see the last page as it flipped over when I picked it up. From that one glance, this looked like some sort of pay-sheet, or ledger entry sheet. You may know more about it when you look at it.

“Turn to the third page first. There may be other names on this list, that will affect you, but there is one man on that island right now, whose name I saw on this list.”

“OH-LORD-NO! Let me see that.”

I placed the mimeographed page in the hood of the deputy’s car and held it as we gathered around.

Shirl was the first to point and speak, “When Josey said there was a man on the island now - whose name is one the list - my first thought was him.”

Mona said, “Here’s another one ... DAMN - and here’s another one who’s not here with us.

“Turn back to the first page Josey. I see the numbers beside each name and I have to assume, those numbers can only mean one thing.”

“SHIT – I would have bet his name would be on this list,” Mona said, pointing to Gregg Glass’ name which had a line through it.

I pointed to the list, “There’s Harry Himmes’ name with a line through it, too. I would bet one of those suitcases full of money over there, that my Uncle Ralph’s name is on there, as well as both Garcia’s names. All those who went down in the plane crash are listed here with a line through their names. They have been scratched off the list... I wonder now, was it really engine trouble.”

“Good point, and we may ask the FAA to re-open that investigation, just to be sure.”

I knew there was something I was missing, then it hit me. “Look at the bottom of the second page again - see if Jason Skelley’s name is crossed out.”

Mona told me, “OH DAMN JOSEY - You are onto something big here. There’s his name, and the line was drawn through it, after this was mimeographed. Someone is still in charge and I’m not sure any one of those on the island is smart enough to run an outfit as large and complicated as this one is turning out to be.”

Rondo yelled, “HERE THEY COME.”

I looked up to see him pointing toward the island. There were two boats just now coming out of the canal. I grabbed my binoculars when Rondo handed them to me.

“They’re using wide boards as oars and they’re headed south with the current, but it looks like they maybe trying to angle back toward this side of the river...

...”Put a hole in the front of that lead boat, Rondo.”

Mona yelled, “DON’T SHOOT ANY OF THEM!”

“He won’t, watch this.”

Rondo laid the rifle barrel on top of Mona’s car. I had my binoculars zeroed in on the lead boat when he pulled the trigger.

There was a hole the size of a quarter in the aluminum hull, right at water-level.

“Look at the front of the boat, just at the water-level. You’ll see the hole,” I said passing my binoculars to Mona.

As she looked, she said, “They’re paddling faster now.”

I saw two boats coming upriver, right toward those two headed south.

“Swing your binoculars to the south. I think the cavalry may have arrived.”

“YES! My deputies are standing in the boats with their hands up. Maybe this will be over soon and we can start the investigation into all the names on this list.”

I told her, “You better put that list in a safe place until you can make a copy.”

Mona looked around at us, smiling as she folded the three papers and stuffed them down inside her bra.

Rondo told her, “Well - that’s not going to fall out.”

“Rondo, you’ve been hanging around with Josey too much. His snide remarks are rubbing off on you.”

“Yeah - I’ve learned a lot from him since we met.”

Sheriff Brent Jones’ vehicle was leading his caravan north on the levee, and when he parked near where we stood waiting, he hurried over.

“Josey, I see you’re at it again. I’m glad to know you have a badge now. You get around, Son – You-sure-do-get-around...

...”Mona, tell me what we have here, and why your men were headed south in boats?”

“Brent, Josey called me early this morning and asked me to meet him, with at least four deputies. He brought us to that island with the hunting lodge, that he recently bought from Judge Skelley - which Jason Skelley had previously owned.

...”You’re not going to believe the money we discovered in the basement of that lodge. There’s not quite as much as you reported at Wainwright’s Ranch, but close ... We have reason to believe two of my deputies out there, could very well be deeply involved, as members of the drug ring, Wainwright and Jason Skelley were in.”

Sheriff Jones said, “I see my men towing their boats back this way now. Why were they not using the outboard motors?”

Mona told him, “We had reason to suspect two of them were involved, so Rondo and Josey disabled the motors. We loaded these boats with the suitcases and crates you see, and I told my Deputies we would return for the rest of it, and for them to load the boats and stay on the island while we were gone.”

“Tell us which two you’re suspicious of and we’ll separate those two from the others for now.”

“J. W. - Jack Quincy, and Thomas Joe Harvey. Their names are on the list Josey found. I have that list now, and as soon as I can make a copy, I’ll get a copy to you - and the FBI.”

Shirl said, “Speaking of the FBI...” She pointed upriver. We saw the two helicopters in the distance, before we heard them.

With all the vehicles parked on top of the levee and lights flashing, the helicopters swung wide and both set down in front of Mona’s vehicle where we were gathered. By the time they were on the ground and walking toward us, Sheriff Jones’ men were bringing the four deputies from the boats, up the levee toward us.

Mona and Sheriff Jones stepped out to meet the FBI Agents, then turned to motion for us to come over. There were four men plus the pilot in each helicopter and they were all looking at me as I walked over.

“Josey, this is FBI Special Agent, Bill Russel from Memphis ... He wants to meet you.”

He was smiling with his hand out, so I knew it wasn’t going to be too bad.

“Sir, I’m pleased to meet you.”

“I’m proud to meet you Mr. Ruiz. You have made quite a name for yourself in the past month or so.”

“Thank you, Sir - and please call me, Josey ... Believe me, I never set out to get involved in any of this. But my friend Rondo Billy Parker over there, and I just seem to be in the way, when trouble comes galloping down the road.”

“However it happened, Josey - we’re proud to know we have young men like you and Mr. Parker who are familiar with this part of the state and are willing to step up and help law enforcement in our efforts to put a stop to these criminals...

He turned back to Mona and said, “Sheriff Glass, we understand you have some vital information concerning the same group of men we’ve been investigating recently?

“Yes - thanks to Josey and Rondo, again. They called me to meet them early this morning in order to show me what they had found on that island over there.”

He said, “Those two men you turned over to us last week, were also captured by Josey Ruiz and Rondo Billy Parker - on that same island - is that correct?”

She told him, “Yes, and just this morning, we discovered sufficient evidence to show that at least two of my deputies over here, and one deputy who is not here - are involved in this same group. We didn’t learn about the deputies, until after we returned to this side of the river, no more than two hours ago.”

He turned to Sheriff Jones, “Sheriff Jones, would you have your deputies keep all four Collins County Deputies in custody until we can question them? We would like for all of you who can, return to the island with us.”

“Yes Sir. We now have them separated individually. I’ll have my men keep them cuffed and inside a vehicle.”

... Once the helicopters were on the ground at the airstrip, we headed straight for the lodge. I was walking beside Rondo and Shirl, when Special Agent Russell stepped back to walk beside us.

“Josey - would you tell us how you came to own this property?”

“Sure. First of all, my Momma and my Granny are very wealthy, and they’re backing me on these purchases of farmland. When we discovered that the Burns sisters, Anna and Ava - were living on a quarter section of land owned by Jason Skelley, I asked Judge Skelley if he would sell me that land and the house, since it’s located right across the county road from the first farm I bought.

...”Judge Skelley told me that he was never aware that his son owned all this land, then he told me that the deeds showed that he - Judge Skelley - was listed as half owner of all the properties Jason owned at the time of his death. When he started naming them off, I told him I wanted all of them I could afford, since most of the farmland joined my land, or joined the land that Jason owned. In other words, most of my land is now connected to the farm I bought from Mr. Bill Donavan, late last year...

...”When he told me about this island, and described it - I told him I wanted it, before I even saw it. I sure hope there’s no problem with me buying this land from Judge Skelley. He’s very upset about his son being involved with all this mess, and then his death too. He told me he just wanted to be rid of it and he wanted me to have all of it.”

Mr. Russel told me, “I read in Sheriff Glass’ report on Jason Skelley - that you were with Judge Skelley when he discovered his son dead in the apartment, is that correct?”

“Yes Sir. Judge Skelley took it really hard, and I called Mona ... I mean, Sheriff Glass ... and she came to the apartment while I was there. I showed her the cardboard box full of white powder and she told me it was cocaine.”

He said, “This was right after you and Rondo captured the gang members from Mexico, as they held your Grandmother, Ms. Early Lea Ramsey, and her family hostage - is that correct?”

“Yes Sir, but it wasn’t just Rondo and me. We had Granny’s farmhands with us. Rondo did plan it out for us and it worked just like he planned.”

“But it was you - who took three of the men down, before anyone was harmed, isn’t that true?”

“Well, it just happened to be me - we didn’t plan it that way.”

“You called the leader to the front door by speaking Spanish, didn’t you? I remember reading that in the report too.”

“Yes Sir, but though I’m part Mexican, I can only speak enough Spanish to get myself in trouble - if you know what I mean.”

“You spoke well enough that day, to get your family out of trouble, is the way I see that.”

“Yes Sir, I reckon you’re right - but at that time - I wasn’t thinking about myself.”

“I read in Sheriff Glass’ report on the two men you and Rondo captured here, that you used your knowledge of Spanish to call them out. Isn’t that correct?”

“Yes Sir. But I have to tell you this - both times - that day at Granny’s, and that day right here - I was scared the whole time.”

“Heroes - are men just like you - who see and react at the right time, without regard to their own safety. You - Josey Ruiz are a Hero. That’s not just my opinion of you, that’s what the entire staff at the Memphis FBI Field Office thinks of the young Hero from Collins County, Mississippi...

...”I hope when this is over and the dust has settled here in Collins County, you have enough reward money to pay off all your farmland.”

“Thank you Sir. I’m hoping I will too.”

We walked around to the back of the lodge, and took them underneath the building, to show the lift to them. Of course, it was still on the ground and we took them up the lift to the bottom level to show them the setup.

Two of their men were taking pictures of everything...

Two of the suitcases and one of the crates had been broken into, while we were gone, and hundred dollar bills were scattered all over like it was scrap paper.

They wanted to get a count on all the empty suitcases. Agent Russell, and his men - with Rondo and I, started moving the empties out so they could count them.

Toward the rear, we ran upon more suitcases, loaded with cash.

As his men set them out, Rondo and I stacked the loaded suitcases over to the side where Mona, Shirl, and Sheriff Jones counted another twenty suitcases.