Chapter 10

Day Ten - Wednesday

I woke at six, starved for some reason. I made coffee then made a half-cup raw instant rice that would be close to a cup cooked. While that was setting the required five minutes, I started some bacon and while that was cooking, I chopped up a pile of green onions. I had a piece of left over steak that I cut into tiny pieces and sprinkled them with some soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. When the bacon was done, the rice was ready so I dumped the onions into the frying pan with the rice on top. I liberally peppered the rice and onions.

I poured a cup of coffee and sipped some of it then flipped over the rice and onions to let it cook on the other side. I added the meat and sauce and stirred it all up. I sipped some more of my coffee then added about a half cup of fake eggs and stirred the concoction till the eggs were well mixed in and firm.

Dumping the whole pan onto a plate with a fork and refilling my coffee cup, I was going outside to enjoy my breakfast. I opened the door to go out to the patio and almost dropped the plate. There was a guy sitting in one of my lawn chairs. He was wearing slacks and casual shirt so he wasn't going to be related to the group from last night.

He looked up at me as I asked while coming through the screen door, "Who are you and what do you want?" I watched him closely making sure he didn't make any quick moves.

"My name is Steven Cap. I'm a newspaper reporter to see if I can get some insight on what happened here last night. Are you Steve Sharp?"

"How would you know a Steve Sharp?" I asked.

"The police report at the sheriff's office. Every news agency in town was covering a gang war with multiple shootings over in Town and Country and didn't find out about what happened out here till after all the police were gone. Are you Steve Sharp?"

"Tell you what. I'm going to eat my breakfast while it's hot. Let me get you some coffee so you can drink it and ask me questions while I eat. Keep the questions simple so I can eat okay. What do you want in your coffee?"

The reporter said black, so I got him a mug of my fresh coffee then came out with my plate and coffee and started eating.

He asked me a bunch of questions that were basically confirming what had been on the police report. I was almost done eating when my cell phone started ringing.

I went inside to answer, it was Charlie, "Hap wants you to call him, take down his number."

"Charlie, you gotta call him back and tell him that if he really needs to talk to me to call back. Right now I'm talking to a newspaper reporter out on the patio. Just tell him to call me and tell me whatever it is he needs. Tell him I'll just answer him with short answers that's all."

Back out on the patio I had shoveled the last of my breakfast into my mouth when my cell phone rang again. I had brought it out with me and wasn't surprised it was Hap that was calling. "Steve, I would prefer you didn't mention where you got the gun okay?"

"Got it," I said.

"Figured you wouldn't but I wanted to be sure," Hap said. "You're going to be popular for a day or two for popping six guys. You are one lucky son-of-a-bitch. You didn't even get a scratch."

"Yeah I know, but the assholes shot my TV," I complained. I heard Hap laughing really loud as he cut the connection.

"So who is this other person, this Shawna who helped you with these guys," the reporter asked.

"You know what," I said. "I can't tell you that unless she says it's okay. I'll be glad to answer your questions but only how they concern me."

"Would you describe what happened in your own words?" This time he took out a small recorder and set it on the table.

"You know, I'm comfortable giving out just so much information. Why don't you use what you have and write your story? I'll give you some background information on me then you should leave. I'm ex-military. I was injured in the Desert Storm and was released from service. I've been working for oil companies working up in Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma and down in Belize. Right now I'm on vacation. Okay?"

"You going to give the TV guys more than what you gave me?" The reporter asked.

"Nope. If you want to stick around and intervene for me, which would be nice. That way you'd know you have an exclusive."

Before the guy could answer, Martin and Glenda came walking onto the patio and sat in the two unoccupied chairs at the table. I said good morning to each of them by name then went in and poured them cups of coffee. When I came back out to get my cup for a refill, I asked the reporter if he wanted more. He shook is head no then gathered his stuff and walked over to his car.

When I finished telling my neighbors what that was all about, Martin said I might want to check out inside the shed as he had heard several rounds hitting it the night before. I was telling him about the TV when I opened the shed door. Gas fumes came wafting out. There was a large puddle under the bike and the front tire was flat.

Martin helped me get the bike out of the garage then he went to his place and got a hose to wash off the floor in the shed. There were some tools on the floor along with a big hole in my tool chest.

We looked at the outside of the shed and counted eleven holes. Sure glad those guys couldn't shoot straight.

We heard Charlie's bike start up and leave. A minute later, Shawna came walking over wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. As soon as she sat, I told her that her name was Nancy if the reporter came over. I also told her not to volunteer how the fight happened until we talked to a lawyer.

She nodded and asked for coffee. I got her some and took the reporter's cup inside to put into the sink. This was going to be a coffee day so I made another pot.

Just as I was bringing "Nancy" her coffee, two vans pulled up behind Charlie's truck and mine. One was a channel eight TV truck and the other was a Verizon installation truck. The Verizon guy got to us first saying that he was going to work my order early as he was in the area and had already connected the line to the feed to my trailer.

He asked to go inside, tested a jack in the living room, in my messy bedroom and at the kitchen sink where there was still a phone hanging on the wall next to the counter. The installer told me the new telephone number giving me a little booklet then showed me how to forward the telephone line to my cell phone. I offered him a cup of coffee but he said he had a busy day ahead of him.

Just as he walked away, an overly enthusiastic young lady gushing into a microphone walked on to the patio stuck the microphone in my face and asked me what had happened the night before. A cameraman was recording all of this so I knew I had to be nice.

"Did you have a chance to read the police report? I think everything is there," I said.

You could visibly see her face cloud up. She was facing me with her back to the camera. She actually reached and unbuttoned another button of her already revealing blouse giving me a pouting look.

"It really would be better if you used the police report. You should probably find out the names of the people involved."

"It wasn't you that shot those men?" she asked.

"I didn't say that. All I said was that you should find out more before you come into the field. Now I'm going to go back and enjoy my morning coffee with my friends while you leave, okay?"

You could tell that she was used to getting her way. She gave me a big frown then stomped back to the van. The newspaper reporter walked up to me and stuck out his hand "Thanks, you did exactly what you said you were going to do. I'm going to use that in my story. It'll make great copy. Can you point to where the truck with the bad guys was?"

I pointed and he went over to investigate the spots on the old gray asphalt. He stop there and looked back over to us on the patio, made a couple of notes then went to his car and drove off.

I asked Martin if he had a lawyer. I said Shawna and I probably should talk to one before we tell anyone else besides the sheriff what happened. Martin agreed then said that we couldn't go right away because Abe and Alice were coming over to look at the damage.

That reminded me so I went in to get the pamphlet and contract for my insurance. I used the kitchen wall phone to call the insurance company. I told them what had happened and asked if an adjuster could come out. We made an appointment for later in the morning.

When I came out, Kathy had joined the group. I went back inside and got her a cup of coffee but just brought the whole pot out to refill everyone. I took the empty pot back in and made another pot.

Kathy said the kids had almost been too excited to go to school when they saw the TV truck. I told Kathy about sending the little girl away without telling her anything.

Shawna said she was going to take their pickup home so I would have more room for all the cars that seemed to be appearing. She took it home then came right back to be met by Abe and Alice driving up.

Alice came over and gave me a hug then gave Shawna a big hug telling us both how happy she was we didn't get hurt. Abe walked up looking proud of himself, "I told you, you would need some protection. I didn't think it would be that soon, but I did tell you."

"You sure did Abe and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," I said sincerely.

"The news said that there was two of you shooting back at those guys. Who was the other guy, Charlie or you Martin?" Abe asked.

"Neither one. Charlie said he couldn't hit a door if he was next to it but told me before everything happened that Shawna had experience with a piece. I gave her the 9 mil and used my big .44 magnum."

Abe looked up, "Where'd you get that, from Charlie?"

"Same place Charlie got his. I went back to the gun dealer and bought some shells and shot up a box learning how to shoot it. Glad I did. Came in handy."

"Jesus, you hit someone with that thing? Was there anything left?" Abe asked.

"That fucker hit three of them by himself then we both hit the last two at the same time. That automatic shoots really straight. I should have knocked them all down by myself but got to excited to shoot straight. I used up all my rounds but Steve still had one left." Shawna exaggerated.

Abe exclaimed, "Damn, five for five? I wouldn't want go up against you that's for sure."

"For the record, I think Shawna got two on her own because the one hit I had was through the tailgate where the round took the guys leg off," I said trying to set them straight.

Martin finally said something, "I'm sure glad Steve and Shawna were here, I was scared shitless. I got my piece and Glenda and I hunkered down in the bathroom hoping a stray round wouldn't come in."

"Let me look at the damage here and we'll see what we can do," Abe said getting up.

While I pointed out what I had found so far, I told him about the adjuster coming and the TV pointing to tiny hole where probably a 9-millimeter round went through the wall. We looked for more holes outside then went in to show the hole by the TV and we finally found the hole in the opposite wall where the bullet that broke the window ended up.

Out at the shed, Abe whistled at all of the holes there. He looked inside and saw the big hole in my new toolbox and laughed, "Looks like you broke in your new tool box. Now it has some character. Anything else damaged?"

We sat back down and Abe said, "No big deal. It can all be fixed cheap. I brought a piece of glass over to fix the window, I'll use your tools in a minute and get it good as new.

"Wait for the adjuster, he might pay you," I said then added, "just like I'm going to pay you to look over and maybe fix a few motors. I have a big mobile compressor and two big mobile generators that I know nothing about. You might know how to start them at least."

"What kind are they?" Abe asked.

"All three are Onan. They look decent and I know Onan is a good brand. All the oil companies use them."

Abe looked at Alice and grinned. She grinned back and laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

Alice spoke up, "Abe retired from Onan after working for them for thirty five years. He was the head mechanic almost that entire time."

"That's good news," I said looking at Abe. "Would you mind working on that big stuff? I could use your help."

"If we didn't have to wait for the adjuster, we would go now," Abe said.

We kept drinking coffee and making trips into the bathroom to unload. Someone had made my bed for me on one of their trips back there. I needed a keeper.

About eleven the adjuster showed up and spoke with me and Abe a few minutes. When I asked if I was covered he smiled and said that since it was not a national war, everything was covered. He made notes and a drawing of where all the holes were then went inside where I pointed out the two holes in the wall and the hole in the back of the TV.

He said the TV looked new. When I told him I had only watched it one night, he chuckled about being lucky to have insurance. He asked if I still had the receipt. I did and gave it to him.

Out at the shop he stopped and asked it the bike had been inside and I said yes as that's why the hose was there as there was now a hole in the gas tank as well as in my brand new tire. I pointed out the big hole in my brand new toolbox too.

"I don't know whether the bike is covered or whether the tool box is covered but your policy includes contents so they might be. Let me take pictures of everything then when I get back to the office I'll find out. You still have the receipt for the tire," he was looking at the hole in the gas tank when he said I was going to need a new oil tank and battery too.

Battery acid was dripping down onto the frame and the rear brake hydraulic line. I told him the battery was on the same receipt and if he wanted to find out the price of a tank, I could call the bike shop.

I was getting mad all over again. My bike was going to be screwed up for a while.

The adjuster figured for a little bit then asked how the check should be made out. I told him to make out a check to Abe for everything but the TV and to give me a check for the TV.

He wrote out the checks explaining that when we cashed them the company would consider the claim settled. I thanked him profusely for being so prompt then asked him who would be a good agent to see as I had some other business insurance to buy. We went to his car where he gave me a card saying for me to give his mom a call, "She's just about the best agent around. She'll take care of you.

Abe was happy and immediately started putting the window in. Martin told him to go look at those motors and he would fix the window. I gave Martin my extra key and said we probably wouldn't be too long. I told Abe to drive his truck as Shawna and I had to go somewhere else afterward.

At the storage building, Abe was ecstatic. We pushed the two big diesel generators and the big compressor outside. Abe checked them over a few minutes then lifted a hatch and cranked the diesel engine. Abe let that one run while he went over to the second one. He went through the same routine then started it right up too. The last thing to test was the compressor. When he attempted to start it, it wouldn't turn over. Abe felt like it was probably the battery but would find out later.

He shut the two big generators down and then I showed him the other motors that had been given to me. He glowed saying he would enjoy fixing them up for me. All he needed was a bench and tools. I took Abe to the back of the shed and showed him the big tool chest I had. He looked at all the tools and the several special tools in the big drawers at the bottom of the roll around chest and just kept nodding and smiling.