Chapter 77

As soon as we were on the ground, Rondo looked at me. “How did your red pickup get here?”

“That has to be your new truck. There’s no 2-way radio antenna on it. If you will, help the women load all their stuff in the back and take it with you. You can install your radio in it while I get some things taken care of here at the office. Call me here, if you need anything.”

Sheila told me, “Josey - they delivered your new Corvette while we were gone. I saw it parked in the hangar.”

“Really? I’ll bring it out so you can use it until they bring your car back.”

When I parked the Vette out front, I went into the office and called Larry Stevens at the John Deere Dealership, to tell him I was back.

“Josey, I’m free for lunch, if you’re free on such short notice.”

“I’ll meet you at the diner at 12:00, if that’s alright with you. I’m sure we won’t be able to talk much about equipment, with all the diners in there, but if you have time, I’d like to visit with you after we eat.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll see you there.”

Sheila told me, “Josey, we need two phones.”

“I agree. Call today and order another line, then ask about two of those phones that will handle both lines, so you can put someone on hold while you answer another call. There will be times, like just now, that you’ll need the phone and I will too.”

“If it’s okay with you, I’m going to pick up Shelly in your Corvette after school.”

“Okay, and be sure to take her through downtown so she can wave at everyone.”

Mr. Foster called and Sheila handed me the phone. “Hello, Mr. Foster. Thanks for delivering the new truck and the red Corvette out here. We’ve already put the truck to work.”

“You’re welcome, Josey. I called to tell you that we have six more of your Jeeps here, and if you still want them delivered to your house, we’ll start taking them out there now.“

“Hey, that’s great. I need you to have two of them brought to the airport, if you will. Oh, and if you can, order me another dozen before they’re all gone.”

“You and I make such a good team - the way we think alike. I ordered another dozen the day you were in here. They will be delivered in less than a week. Along with all the remainder of the first order...”

“If you will, have the next bunch delivered to my house when they come in and the last of them delivered here. I’ll park them in the hangar until I need them.”

“We’ll take care of it for you. My men will deliver the first two right away.”

When I hung up, Sheila asked, “Josey, are you going to drive a Jeep? What about your new truck?”

“Rondo is installing a 2-way radio in his new truck. I’ll drive the Jeep today until he brings my truck back. Then, he can start installing 2-way radios in all the Jeeps as we get them in.

“I thought we could let Shelly drive one of the Jeeps, then you wouldn’t have to take her places.”

“JOSEY! ARE YOU SURE?”

“Yes, she has really impressed me the way she’s changed in just a week or so. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, and even Mom commented on the way she has suddenly taken on a whole new interest in her classes and herself. I told Mom it was because you made a young woman of her. You’re going to laugh when I tell you what Mom’s response to that was.”

“Tell me, you’re laughing already. This has to be good.”

“Mom said she’d give you some pussy, if you could make her change the way Shelly has, since you fucked her.”

“NO SHE DIDN’T!”

“Yes she did - those exact words, and she was serious too. If you ever want some pussy from an older woman who worships you, Mom is fifty-five, but if you see her naked, you would think she’s half that age. I just hope my body looks as good as hers when I reach fifty-five.”

“Damn, I’d hate to fuck your mom - since you, Chuck, your Daddy and - now Shelly, will be working for us this summer. I mean, how would your Mom handle that? How would you handle the fact that I fucked your mom?”

“I’d love to be there with you and Mom - if you would let me help you fuck her. As for Mom, she told you there was still a fire down in the valley - and she told me - she hasn’t had her fire stoked in over six years.”

“But - damn it - how would I ever face your Daddy and your brother?”

“Josey - Dad-Gum-It - Mom isn’t asking you to fuck Daddy or Chuck! She needs you and no one would ever know but the three of us.”

“I’m not saying I will or won’t - BUT - if I do, it will have to be in the living quarters off the office at the apartment complex, where the managers usually live.”

“That would be the perfect place, and if I know my Mom, she will want you to fuck her every way you’ve ever fucked a woman since the first one you fucked.”

“Are you sure you’d want to be there? But then - I don’t think I could fuck her if you weren’t there. I mean, naked with us.”

“You make me want to fuck you right this minute. My pussy is wet, just thinking about you fucking Mom, then fucking me too while Mom helps you.”

“DAMN! We need to stop talking about this shit!”

“Josey, you know you want to fuck Mom and me, at the same time. I bet you didn’t know, Mom wasn’t even wearing a bra the other day when you hugged her.”

“SHEILA! That’s enough!

“Besides, I see Mr. Foster’s men are here with the two Jeeps. Come out with me and we’ll look them over. You need to record the serial numbers on all of them for our records, and take a blank check down to the revenue office with the papers, and get tags on all of them in J Ruiz Planting Company’s name, no matter who drives them, or where we put them in our different businesses.”

She stopped me at the door and put her hand on my wrist, “Josey, you are in for the fucking of your life, when you tell Shelly one of those little Jeeps will be hers to drive.”

“Sheila, it’s not all about fucking and getting pussy. Uh, but come to think of it, maybe one evening late, you and Shelly could meet me down by the river in her Jeep and we could have us a wild ass, naked, fucking - Jeep Party - to celebrate.”

“I’ll tell Shelly to help me plan that party. You’re on, Buster, and you’re not getting off the hook either.”

“The next time I get you on my pole, you’re not getting off my hook either.”

“Thank you, Josey. You know, the more I think about it, I bet Mom would love to get fucked naked, on a blanket, on the bank of the Mississippi River about sundown, with her naked daughter sucking her titties just as your cock bottoms out in her pussy.”

“Plan that fuck-party too, and tell me when. Now, let’s go take a ride down the runway and back. You need to drive this Jeep, so you’ll get more experience in shifting your Corvette.”

We were halfway down the runway when she suddenly slammed on the brakes and looked at me.

“MY CORVETTE? JOSEY DID YOU REALLY BUY THAT RED CORVETTE FOR ME?”

“You’re the best secretary ever, Sheila, and I want my secretary to have the best. Buy the license in your name, but use a company check to pay for all of it. You can charge your gas at the Amoco station and put it on the J Ruiz Planting Company, farm account.”

“I know better than to argue or protest, but I’m so happy right now, I’m about to cry and laugh too. You do remember - I’m still in school, don’t you?”

“Yes, and now you’ll have a really nice set of wheels to show your friends.”

I was a few minutes early when I walked into the diner. I’ve gotten so used to wearing my gun and badge, that I don’t even think about it, until I see twenty or thirty people suddenly turn around at once - looking at me - like-I’m-some-fucking-body.

As I made my way toward the back - everyone I walked past, spoke to me. The ones sitting at the other tables around the diner, waved at me when I looked their way. By the time I was standing next to Val and Adele, I actually felt like I was ten foot tall.

Val reached out to hug me, “Josey, you look so good dressed in your Deputy Sheriff shirt, with your jeans and boots. Put your hat on that peg up there and have a seat. I’ll get your sweet tea.”

“Thanks for the hug, and the nice welcome too, Val.

“Hey, Adele. Come give me a hug too - good looking.

“I’m having lunch with Larry Stevens from John Deere, if you see him come in.”

I was taking a sip of tea when I saw Adele pointing toward me. I’ve only met the man once - when I went out there the first time to talk about the equipment I was going to need. He’s wearing a white shirt similar to mine, with a green John Deere emblem on the left pocket.

I stood when he was still two tables away. “Mr. Stevens, I’m glad we get to meet again and talk about my equipment needs for this year.”

I had my hand out and we shook, as he said, “Josey, please call me Larry. I may be a few years older than you, but I like being informal with my customers.”

“Thanks, Larry. It’s just a habit I picked up from my Aunt Rita, and back when I was in school.”

“Nothing wrong with that. I say - Sir and Mister too - when I’m dealing with a man older than me. I too, learned that early in life.”

Adele came to take our order and I ordered a roast beef plate with mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

“I’ll have one of those too,” Larry told her.

Then he asked me, “Have you seen your new tractors yet? We delivered six of the 730s and three of the 830s early this morning to your house.”

“I haven’t been out there in two days. I was away, and just got back this morning. Are the stalk cutters attached to the 730s?”

“Yes, and we mounted the three five-row middle-busters on your three 830s. Your other tractors will arrive next week and we’ll bring them out.”

“Would you ride out there with me when we finish eating? I’d like for you to show me all about them before we put them in the field.”

“Sure, I’ll be glad too. I’ve never been on the Montague Farm, but I’ve been told it was a showplace a few years ago when Mr. Montague was alive.”

“I’ve hired Kellie and Stella Montague to stay and take care of the horses for me. They’re living in their home now and they love it.”

“I heard you were able to get their money, from old Honas Wainwright. News like that makes the rounds all over farm country. My nieces went to high school with Stella and Kellie for a couple of years. They rode horses with them many times when they were in high school.”

“Where do they live now? I’m sure Kellie and Stella would like to see them again.”

“They’ve just recently moved back to Stewart to open a Farm Bureau Insurance office there. If you haven’t already gotten your home and farm insurance, you should call them and they’ll be glad to help you set it up.

“Sandra is twenty-four and Tammy is twenty-three. They’ve both been working for Farm Bureau for four years and this is their big chance to really move up in the company.

“Their dad is married to my older sister, and he’s the one who works for Tri-County Co-op and seed company, I was telling you about.”

“I was going to ask you about him, too. The day you and I talked on the phone, I was talking back and forth to my Momma and Granny, and they told me that I need to go to the FHA office and consolidate all my farmland with what Granny has in her name, and Momma has in her name. They want me to farm it all and use their labor.”