Chapter 46

I slipped out of bed to go outside to exercise some more and was joined by Wanda, Jan, and Angie. While we were in a stretch, Brandy came out and followed Wanda with her movements. By the time I stood to end the form, Brandy was enjoying the movements. I promised myself I would find some oriental music to go with our exercises.

Breakfast was as usual, but I added some fried potatoes this morning for a change. Soon we were all ready for work. I stayed behind to see the contractor and make sure everything was going all right. He said he was satisfied with the progress and was expecting to be done in two weeks.

I noticed he was setting poles out from the garage and asked him about it. He said, "These are to hold up the porch. The whole end of the two bedrooms and living room will be glass and will also have doors to the porch. There will be a nice patio to sit on in the evenings."

That was going to be an expensive apartment.

The work day wasn't anything special. I did get a call from Kansas City. The chief was retiring and the successor, the ACE, had been chosen. I would need to visit with them Wednesday. Wanda called the air park and made the arrangements.

An hour later, the office in Minneapolis said they had a problem with the judge's chambers. They had discovered some kind of listening devices in the office, as well as in the clerk's office. I asked them to have the Bureau check them and to call me.

John called to ask me to go up to the Dakotas to check on the small office up there. The Chief had been sick and there seemed to be some problem among the deputies. I told John, "That's the third problem in the last half hour. Send me the file so I can review it as I chase around." I discussed the possible listening devices in Minnesota and he said to make sure I followed up.

I asked Wanda to reserve the plane for tomorrow morning as I would try to fly up to South Dakota first, before going back down to Kansas City. From there I would go to Minneapolis.

John from the air park called me about an hour later. "Could you leave tonight and drop off one of our guys up in Chicago? You can stay over there or fly on to Sioux Falls, or is it Rapid City?"

"Sioux Falls, John. Okay, I was thinking of having someone fly me on this one since I have work to do, but I guess I can do it."

"We don't have anyone to fly you right now as the boss is getting ready to go on his sailing adventure. Like he says, we always need pilots."

"I'll go get some clothes packed and be out there in about two hours. We'll leave as soon as I can get there."

I asked Wanda to get everything together so I could bring it with me via my laptop. She said she had the Dakota stuff ready and would get the Kansas City change ready when I got there.

I was home quickly and packed some extra jeans and boots in case I had to go out. I even threw my vest in my gym bag with the extra magazines.

On the way to the air park, I remembered Brandy. "Hi Babe, I have to do some traveling. I'll be in Chicago, then Sioux Falls, but talk to Wanda. She'll know where I am. I'll call your cell phone this evening to say hi."

"You don't give a girl much notice, do you? I can't go along, but I'll be thinking of you. Be safe and call me."

I stopped at a Subway to get a couple of sandwiches and some bottles of water and lemonade.

At the air park John came out with his arm in a sling. "What's with the arm, John?"

"That's why we're short. I fell off a fueling ladder and broke my arm. I'm out for a while, so we are really short. I wish you had your commercial and the Lear school behind you so you could take some of these charters. You're helping anyway by getting this guy up to Chicago."

"John," I said. "I'm going to be gone most of the week with this airplane, is that all right?"

"It's yours, use it all you want. We've got your plane reserved all week anyway. Use the fuel card in the pouch and make sure you have anything looked at that needs it."

I let the guy on the airplane and he sat in the back and buckled up while I did the inspection. This was the first time I had flown the 200 without someone to read the checklist for me so this was a new experience for me. I made up my mind to just be methodical and do things one at a time.

We were off quickly climbing to twenty-two thousand. There was nothing between me and the executive airport I was landing at so it was a boring flight. I watched the instruments for anything unusual, but everything stayed normal.

I was in Chicago early enough that I decided to go on to Sioux Falls. When I checked the weather before filing, I found out there was a line of thunderstorms passing through for the next couple of hours. No problem, I paid the parking fees after refueling and found a nearby room.

I was able to get my files downloaded and use the hotel printer to make up a couple of files. After a decent supper, I called Brandy and found that she was at home with Wanda. She said she felt good there and wanted to be around when I called.

After the call, I walked next door to a little bar for a beer. There were some pool tables, so I shot around a little before a guy challenged me. He was good, very good. When he wanted to go play a best of seven at nine-ball for fifty, I said, "I'm sorry, guy, I can barely shoot and you are really good. If you need the table, you can have it, but I don't gamble."

He stayed for a couple more games but soon left. I figured I could go to bed early and get to Sioux Falls early in the morning.

I set the alarm for four o'clock and dozed off quickly.

I was in the air by five-thirty and parked at Sioux Falls near seven thirty. I rented a car with a GPS and drove to the station. They didn't have a night guy, so I went to a little restaurant down the block for breakfast. At eight thirty, the clerk showed up, but no ACE. The clerk said, "I'll call him to make sure he's coming in."

"You don't have a morning briefing?"

"Not since Martin got sick. The deputies call in for assignments and that's it."

"Do me a favor, Ma'am. Call everyone that is not on critical duty and have them come in right now. Make sure you advise the ACE, he is to be here within a half hour."

She said, "We only have four deputies in addition to what is supposed to be the working ACE and the working Chief."

"That's okay; I want to talk to all of them as soon as possible. I understand your Chief is in the hospital in Chicago right now."

The clerk advised, "He had chemo last week and will be coming home later this week. He probably can't come to work for at least two weeks."

Twenty minutes later all four deputies were in the station. I had a brief conversation with each of them and none would say anything about the ACE or any problems. They were all long time deputies with allegiance to the sick Chief.

I sent them all back to their tasks and waited for the ACE. After an hour, I asked the clerk for his phone number. I called him using my cell phone. When he answered, I said, "You now have fifteen minutes to be at the station. If you are not, you will not have a job and be in possession of what I would consider stolen property. Fifteen minutes, period."

I hung up and was called back immediately. "I can't get there in fifteen minutes."

I responded, "Then you don't have a job. I asked you to come in over an hour ago."

The man whined, "I was finishing what I was doing. I usually don't come in unless they need me."

"Too bad. You're paid to be here to give a briefing and go over your deputies' activities. You're not here, so you can't do that. Consider yourself terminated."

When I hung up, the clerk said, "Oh brother, that's the Sheriff's kid you just fired. You better be ready for some heavy fireworks."

"This is a federal office. We work with local law enforcement, but other than that, we have no relationship."

"The locals are pretty tight around here. The Sheriff owns this city and the area."

I said, "I guess the ACE should have thought of that when he decided he didn't need to come in."

About ten minutes passed and a very large man in a cowboy hat and uniform came in. Two more men wearing the same uniform followed him. The man said boisterously, "Where's the asshole that thinks he can fire my boy? I have pull with the Marshal. I want to talk to him."

I stood and walked up to him offering my hand, "I'm Charles Johnson, Senior U.S. Deputy Marshal, and you are?"

"By God, I'm the God damn Sheriff of this here county and the law as far as you can see. I'm telling you no one fires my son."

"I just did for not being here to do his job. His responsibility is to run this office and station in the absence of the Station Chief who is sick right now. The service does not pay people to work on their personal property during normal duty hours. I'm sure you pay your deputies not to work."