Chapter 21

I awoke before the sunrise and could not get back to sleep. I left the bed, tossed on some clothes, and sat out on the porch just sorting over these last weeks since the house was destroyed. So much had happened, so fast, that my life felt as though I was in a blender and someone was hitting the pulse button at random intervals. The weight of it all was crushing, but I had lived through periods like this before with the Codex.

The Codex, and my company in California; it seemed like a lifetime ago. Lana was showing a little more each day. I know that was driving Shana and Jana, not that I had any reason to complain about the loving we were sharing. Those were the wonderful relaxing times when the blender was not churning. Oh, and if you have heard about the sexual wants and needs of women and their drives during the second trimester of pregnancy, Lana proved that over and again. And not to be forgotten was Tammy and her wants, needs and desires. She had mellowed, but she did not disappear off my radar.

I put that aside and focused on the legal situation that Harry was in. The more we had discussed it, the more it was clear the attack and the house explosion were linked. Pap and I had been over to Bobby's many times, and I had let loose all the attorneys. Not before I had Bobby tell the Assistant District Attorney, and then the District Attorney, in detailed precise language, exactly where they could place their offer. It was more directed where they could stick it and the Assistant District Attorney had shown up with the Sheriff in tow at the house one day.

Their showing up at the house convinced me that they knew they had no case. It was a blinking contest and the first one to blink loses. After "No!" and "Hell no!" he started to get the idea. When I asked them to leave or I would call the State Police to have them escorted off the property, that finally got their attention. My call to Bobby after they left had me ordering him to set loose all the attorneys and all the investigators. I was that angry now and my anger was going to cost them all.

Bobby, Pap, and I had been talking about our security. My episode with Clem and Bob was an almost fatal disaster for me; the destruction of the house with it being set to kill or maim us was another. Dad came up with a security firm in Virginia. We discussed it in detail and finally made the call to see if I could hire them. First Bobby, then I, had discussed with them all that was happening and what level of security we felt we needed. To their credit they came out to do an in-person interview and to review what was happening firsthand. They agreed to take the assignment. While the price was not cheap, when you're getting former Navy SEALs that are willing to protect you and yours at all costs, it is worth every dollar, and in reality, it is only money. Their professionalism shone through; with the interviews, their insights, and a couple of ringing endorsements by two of the law firms we had on the investigation, it was a no brainer to hire them.

I quickly found a bonus; they were the kings of sorting, sifting and using the intel they got to look in places we had not thought to. The leader came out of the barn one day holding the mason jar of Hap's white lighting. He asked what I knew about it, and I said that was more of Pap's department than mine. One step lead to another, and before you knew it, two days later I was standing on Clem's old place looking at a still. What was interesting was that it was still in use. There were the raw materials of sugar and corn and a fire under it.

Warning sirens were going off since both Clem and Bob, and now Tommy, were dead. I didn't think it was Irene, whom I had met after she moved back to the farm, who was running it. I had Bobby come out and we had a meeting at the house. He brought out all the intelligence we had been gathering from all the investigators that were working for the law firms. It was a week after completing what they called a 'sneak and peek', and using what the investigators had learned, that they started putting pieces of Clem, Bob, and Tommy's life together.

They were moonshiners, and they were part of an extensive network of moonshiners. The house explosion, and for some reason Tommy, were revenge for the deaths of Clem and Bob. It occurred to us that Tommy might have been involved in that attack on me. There was only one way to make certain of that so Pap, I, and the Fearless Leader went back to Bobby's office to watch the video. Bobby and Susan excused themselves while we watched in slow motion the entire attack. We were watching the video when we spotted something. Damned if Tommy wasn't there in a few frames, but he took off as soon as the shooting started. We put everything away and Bobby returned a short time later. It was the pesky evidence exchange that Bobby wanted to keep tucked away from having to give the District Attorney for now.

Given all that was going on, the security team thought it would be better if we moved the hard drive to a bank deposit vault. We burned a couple of DVDs of the video, one went with Bobby, and one was sent off for analysis by the security team. The hard drive was removed and taken to the bank by Susan and Bobby. We debated having our Fearless Leader go with them but thought it might attract more attention. You might notice by now that I am not mentioning his name. I know it and those who dealt with him directly do also. He and his team seem to rub, and have in the past rubbed, some folks in various law enforcement communities and military circles the wrong way. So to save him any added scrutiny he and his team will remain anonymous.

After we had this sorted out, we were left with one problem; we didn't know who exactly the enemy was or how could we stop them from trying another attack on us in the future. Sure, we could beef up security and have escorts, but that only works well for so long. There was only one choice available in the end and that was to take the fight to them.

Fearless Leader brought the team in for a briefing in the bunkhouse. Those men were scary in a determined way. He commanded an intimidating presence and when he began to discuss this with them, I could almost swear they were looking forward to taking the war to them. His ability to dissect the problems, and think of ways to cause the destruction of my enemies, was worth all the money I paid them, and then some. I gained valuable insight into what war might be like, at least from a planning point of view.

The plan was simple, but it needed funding, the cover of darkness, time, and the cooperation of the FBI to work. We had the first three, and if we wrapped it up in a pretty little package, the FBI would certainly be happy to unwrap it and then the problems would likely disappear. We wouldn't know for another month at least, but from the sit reps [situation reports] I was getting, it was progressing nicely. I did ask if I could come along as an observer one night and was politely told "No." I was disappointed, but if the plan resulted in the removal of the threat, I could live with that.

With our security now in place life settled down; and with the quiet Lana remembered all of our possessions that had been stored with the moving company. One day the moving truck appeared and a few days later the goodwill truck was there. Between those days a whirlwind moved through the house as pieces of furniture were moved or exchanged. Some of our stuff ended up at Goodwill, as Hap and Rachel's stuff was deemed superior. Cletus and Connie had moved out of the bunkhouse when the security team took it over. So we ended up with a storage bin out behind the barn. All of Hap and Rachel's boxes that they had stored in the back room were moved in there so Cletus and Connie could have that room.

I heard some noise and saw movement come from the kitchen and went to investigate. It was Mam coming down to begin breakfast for us all. With the team in place we had started a morning brunch, due to all the people that needed to be fed each day.

I walked into the house and Mam looked up at me from the coffeemaker. "Mornin' Son, what's got you up so early?"

"Morning Mam, woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Went and sat outside for a while."

"I've done that before when I had a lot on my mind. Was that way many a morning with Pap in prison all those years ago?"

"I'm sure you did, had to be difficult for you."

"With all that is going on it brings many a those memories back. You're certain that Harry will not go to prison."

I knew she just needed to be reassured, even though I was certain that she, Pap, and Betty Ann kept no secrets that mattered from one another. "They blinked the other day Mam."

"Who blinked?" She asked.

"The District Attorney. They sent the assistant out here when we told them where to stick their offer. There was no reason to do that, unless they felt they needed to because they knew they might be able to salvage a deal instead of losing."

"But doesn't that just make them more resolved to convict him?"

"It might appear that way, but they don't know we have the original video. I'm sure Pap told you and Betty Ann."

"Told me what?" It was Betty Ann coming into the kitchen.

"Morning Betty Ann. I was just about to say that I was sure Pap had told the two of you about us seeing Tommy on the video from the gunfight."

"Yep, I be a tellin' em. Ain't no reason not to. Mornin' Son." It was Pap walking into the kitchen.

The coffee had brewed enough that Mam had poured Pap and I each a cup and put the pot back to let the rest finish. She handed us our cups. "I thought as much Pap."

"So back to our original discussion, Pap said that Tommy is on the video, and that you found moonshiners over on Clem's old place."

"It ain't that we found the still Mam. It be that they still be a usin' it to make shine," Pap said.

"Who is using it Pap?" Betty Ann asked.

"Don't rightly be a knowin'. That's what them boys be a lookin' to find out."

"What boys?" Mam asked.

"Our men Mam, the private investigators I hired with Bobby and the security team." I said, just as we heard footsteps on the porch and a knock at the door. We looked up and the Fearless Leader was there, no doubt looking for his cup of coffee also. We exchanged greetings and Betty Ann came over with his cup of coffee.

"Late night? I asked.

"Productive, but it was early morning before we made it back."

"What did you find?" I asked.

"That this entire county, it seems, cooks moonshine," he said.

"I could be a tellin' ya that," Pap cackled.

"Could you tell us where all the stills are Pap?" He asked.

"Those are close secrets. Men don't even be a sharin' that with their mates."

"I know where they are."

"No one knows where they all are."

"I know where all the ones are from here, West, for twenty-five miles," he retorted.

"How?" Was the question from Mam and Betty Ann.

"They give themselves away at night if you have the right tools." And he took a large gulp of his coffee.

"How?" Was their question again.

"It's their weakness; they need to have a fire going to cook the shine. At night, with the proper equipment and a GPS locater, I can pinpoint them. Then I feed that data into my laptop when I get back, and I have a detailed map of where each of them are."

"What good will knowing that be to you?" Mam asked.

"No good for me, but good for all of you. I think it will end the threat you're experiencing."

"How?" Betty Ann asked.

"How what Betty Ann?"

"How did you find them all so fast and how will it end the threat?"

"We flew a helicopter around the last few evenings. We are using starlight scopes that make the night look like day. What they do is pick out bright spots, like fires under boilers, so they stick out just as if you were standing next to them."

"Don't they hear you in that helicopter and put the fire out?"

"The still keeps the heat, even if they turn the boiler flame off. And we are using a helicopter that is extra quiet."

Betty Ann started, "How can you..." but Pap interrupted her.

"We don't be a askin' those questions about how they be a getting' anythin' they be a usein'." Pap smiled and took a drink of his coffee.

"So how will it stop them from coming after us all?"

"The plans are to get this information to the FBI. They will gather them all up and the problem with them trying to stay out of prison will make you just fade away from their minds."

"How can you be certain?" Mam asked.

"The only thing certain is death and taxes. Let's just say it is an educated assumption on my part, based on years of experience." He finished his coffee and walked over to the pot to refill it. Betty Ann took his cup, filled it and handed it back to him.