Chapter 17

Well, of course, I lost my court case. The judge wondered why someone would fight an obviously lost cause. Well, there are reasons, but I was not going to go into them... not with this judge.

I 'time dived' a month into my past, and hired a discrete investigative company at a cost of several thousand dollars, to follow the officer around, and to observe and to shoot independent radar of all the vehicles that particular officer cited.

I then went back to my own time, and received the video evidence that had been collected. It showed a lot of damning evidence, indeed. The officer had claimed in court to have calibrated his radar system on a specific date, yet the video evidence showed to the contrary. At the time he and his cruiser were supposed to be doing the calibration, he was in a Pondarosa Steak House, having a free steak dinner.

We also had him on tape pre-writing several tickets, and wait for a car to come by. Then he would fill in the registration and who would pay the fine. Nice racket if you can get it. Apparently he had been doing this for some time.

I then sent the tape, anonymously, to the State Attorney Generals office in California, another copy to the office of the FBI, and a couple more to high profile television news shows. The furor that resulted was gratifying, to say the least.

"I understand why you did it, but you were taking an unnecessary chance!" Courtney yelled at me, when I told her I was the source for the tape that was being shown on TV.

"I took precautions. I hired them with cash, and what was discovered was something that anyone, ANYONE with a video camera, could have discovered. No, I made damn sure that I was unassailable. You notice my car is only one of a number that is represented in this piece and that all the license numbers are blanked out.

"Look, it is a time honored tradition to screw people with out of state plates, and zap them with hefty fines, but it is time to change that. We are not the state's food source, but they seem to think we are. If I can expose obvious cheating or theft by the system, then I will do it. It's despicable," I said seriously.

"All I am saying is, run these little things by me, first. I might have an idea or a way to get something accomplished in a way you might not think about," Courtney said, and then blew at stray hair that had the audacity to fall from her carefully arranged hair-do. She was so cute when she did that.

It was not surprising when I received a check from the state of California for court costs, and the fine; but they had even included my attorney's fee. Ha! Victory was sweet, and I felt I had accomplished something.

Still, so far, the judge had apparently gotten away with his portion, and I was sure he was involved with it, too. Oh well, one thing at a time.

I concentrated on finding and reconditioning several older cars. I found another Dusenberg, and this one I was going to keep for myself! It was in much better condition. It just needed a new generator, and a couple of other items. I 'time dived' to the past, not as far as the time of the great car, but to when there were still in the junkyards. That's what they were called back then, not the 'politically correct': automotive salvage yards. Shit, but I was getting very annoyed with the constant 'political correctness' police, trying to enforce their own agenda down my throat.

I got the car running like a top. St. Louis, city and county, could see me driving it from time to time. There was no way I was NOT going to drive this beauty. It was an engineering marvel, and I so appreciated the thought and time that had gone into the creation of this masterpiece of 'heaven on wheels'.

Winter of 2001 was nice and cozy with Courtney. She enjoyed the snow. We had several snowball fights, and built a snowman. It stood in our front yard for an amazing amount of time, welcoming all who showed up.

She also had ideas on how to finish one of the rooms I had left unfinished. It was actually a good idea. We worked well together as I fell deeper in love with this girl from England. She was such a joy with her bubbly personality, and her bit of mischievousness, too. She loved playing little jokes on me. It would not surprise me to find out she had contrived some little surprise. So much for that much vaunted 'British reserve'.

We were sipping hot chocolate one evening, watching the snow come down, when she asked a question that gave me pause for thought.

"How come the future you was able to bring through something he had placed in the 'between' for storage, but you can't bring anything through that he placed into storage?"

Now, this was a very good question.

"It has to do with my perception of the time line I am in. I need a connection to the item placed in the 'between'. While my future self had no problems with hauling out what he had placed in the 'between'; I can't do the same, because I have not lived the time he has accumulated, nor did I place the items in the 'between' as of yet. It would be like trying to grasp nothing, for me. My brain has not yet registered the items or lived the time, as my future self did.

"Also, I am not so sure that the this time line is still unaffected by his coming to the past and placing the car, the items it had in it, and this computer at my disposal. The computer has noticed enough of a discrepancy to suggest the possibility of an alternate time line developing because of his actions. This is something we just won't know for sure," I finished musingly.

"Oh, bother. I am sure if you pay attention to what you are doing, you won't hurt us. The problem is getting you to pay attention to the little details. That's where I come in. I will keep you on the right path," Courtney informed me.

Just then, there was a crash and the lights went out. A moment later, the generator kicked in, and we had power again. I sighed.

"Guess I should go out and check, to see the damage. Obviously something took a line down," I said, moving my arm out from under Courtney.

"Do be careful. I would be very angry if you got electrocuted. I have plans for you," Courtney said, and curled up in the place I had just left.

"You're not coming with me?" I asked curiously.

"Are you crazy? It's cold out there! Mother did not raise a fool. It's a man's job to go out and do; it is my job to direct. Go; seek out the damage. Return and give me a report. There's a good chap," Courtney said with a wave of her hand.

I yanked her off the couch, dumped her unceremoniously onto the floor and ran out laughing. She was a nut, but she was my little nut.

The New Year came and went. I was keeping a low profile, but was getting spooked by the government's spying abilities on the general public, which they were granting themselves. It was a recipe for disaster if you asked me.

The security that was instituted at airports was ridiculous. The idea of checking every person to make sure they weren't carrying a bomb or a thermal nuclear device in their pants pocket was ridiculous, to say the least! It also annoyed me in two other ways. It canceled my innocent until proven guilty guarantee that I had in the Constitution, and the Bill of rights. It also insulted the individual being searched.

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