Chapter 24

There seemed to be a gleam in the members of the team's expressions and a noticeable spring in their step as we walked down to the barn. Stepping inside we closed the barn door, and after our eyes got accustomed to the change in the light we saw two figures seated on the floor with their hands restrained behind their backs and hoods on their heads. We didn't say anything and walked back outside. Once we had closed the door the questions about whom, what, where, when, and how were answered by the team member we figured had captured them.

Basically it turned out that once we left, these two came snooping out of the woods. They had rifles and were coming up to the house. They were obviously not the man who had been coming around but likely sent by him. They had tried to use the barn for cover and had ducked inside. That was their mistake, or our good fortune, depending on how you viewed it. Once they inside they were easily subdued, while other members of the team kept a watchful eye out to see if these two were just the diversion.

The question on our minds, militarily untrained minds, was how does the team get information out of them? I finally left that up to Fearless Leader. They were the professionals at this so the rest of us left and they went to work.

We didn't hear or see anything for the rest of the afternoon. They joined us just before dinner; as he was walking up Fearless Leader simply held up his hand palm out. The universal sign for not right now.

We ate dinner and afterwards the menfolk were sitting out on the porch. Cletus and Harry had wanted to go to the barn but were told that they could later. We sat there dying to ask questions, trying to act relaxed for the sake of the women who were no doubt in the house wanting to hear everything too.

Why we were doing this as I look back now is beyond me but we did. Finally I said, "Let's go in the house and discuss this with everyone. It's not a secret at this point anyway."

Pap added, "I be a reconin' not."

So we went inside and sat around the kitchen table. Finally Fearless Leader spoke, "Those two are part of the moonshiners crew. They were sent by someone that they are even more afraid of than they are of me."

"Why can't you get them to talk?" Harry asked.

"Since we are on U.S. soil and these are U.S. citizens I can't use all the methods of persuasion that I know."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because there are laws about it and I do not want to be arrested, tried, and sentenced to prison."

"So then the question is..." I was stopped in midsentence.

"We have issues now of timing and disposal."

"Timing and disposal?" Mam asked.

"Yes, since we took them they are going to be missed. The question is what do we do with them and what will that mean for the operation?"

"What are the options and the consequences of each?" Lana asked.

"One, we can let them go. That will tell whomever sent them that you have a dedicated security team here."

"They know that after today anyways right?" I asked.

"Yes, but back to the options."

"Two, we can send them for a joyride."

"What is that?" Harry asked.

"They get put on a ship and end up in a faraway land."

"Is that legal?" Betty Ann asked.

"It's a question of survival," he replied.

"What are the other options?" I asked.

"Nothing I want to discuss in public," he replied.

"What if we backwoods them?" Harry asked.

"What is that?" Fearless Leader asked.

"Drop them out of sight in the middle of the woods with enough supplies to keep them living but them not having any idea where they are."

"That would work but we have a logistics issue of getting them there."

"It's only money right?" I said.

"If that is what you want, yes, it is only money."

"Make it so Number One." Another of my favorite television lines, this one from 'Star Trek - The Next Generation'.

So the boys got a new home out in the woods to cool their heels at. Sometime in the middle of the night they disappeared and by breakfast it was like they had not even been here.

The timetable for the raids on the moonshiners moved up. Once we turned the information over to the Feds it was out of our hands. I did make sure that one of our firms was involved so I could recover my investment; nice of the government to make that available.

That discussion had lasted most of the evening. We included everyone because it affected us all. Harry's suggestion was an unexpected alternative and would leave the moonshiners guessing what had happened.

We were back in the room for the evening, and discussing Tammy, after our initial loving on one another was completed. I got the same response that they used every time the Trips did not want to be on the record as opposing or endorsing. That was the most difficult part of being head of this clan if you didn't consider being shot at as difficult.

So the rooster had us up at the crack of dawn. I was starting to expect it any more, funny how that seemed to be the case. Lana got to the bathroom before me and was in the shower. Hormones being the lusty part of me I joined her for an early morning love fest. Did I tell you how, yeah, I am sure that I did.

Breakfast was as good as ever and I was on the porch with Pap, Cletus, and Harry enjoying another cup of coffee. The base squawked that a car was coming up the drive with a man and a woman in it. The car arrived and out stepped Mom and Dad. The women came out when they heard their voices and next thing it was greetings all around.

The women were back in the house and we men sat down again. Fearless Leader appeared and I introduced him to Dad. We sat around and discussed the current events of the case and what we had discovered. Dad sat back and gave us his infamous, "Interesting," comment.

Sometimes I wonder how he ran the company when everything was interesting. "So Dad, what is going on in South Carolina that you find interesting enough to fly there?" I asked.

"We have had another unsolicited offer to buy the company. Your Mother and I have never entertained a thought about selling it before now. But certain developments have changed our collective thinking."

"So when did Mom say she wanted to move here?"

"As we were flying home," he laughed and the rest of us joined in. Fearless Leader was laughing because we had explained about the shooting and what happened afterwards.

"So what do you plan to do once you sell the business?"

"I have been told we are planning on moving here and building a house."

"When did you lose control Dad?"

"Do you have any yet?"

"That is hitting below the belt Dad. You only have Mom, I have the Trips and Tammy. That is a more demanding and difficult situation and hardly a fair comparison."

"I have been with your mother longer. It takes a greater amount of finesse." We chuckled at that.

"Should I ask Mom if you're going to sell everything and move here?"

"Did you want me to speak to Tammy?"

"You're in a feisty mood, Mom not treating you right? I can have a talk with her since she is here and I am the head of the clan." That got them snickering.