Chapter 21: It Behooves Me

As Harley left the house, Billy Joe called to him, "I got the Packard all tuned up. She ticks like a Bulova watch. As soon as I got the engine set in place I kin finish modifying the mounts and have it running great. It is one fine car."

Harley listened to the quietly running Packard in amazement. You are something else Billy, just something else." He motioned for Billy to follow and hurried out to the barn.

As soon as the barn doors were opened Harley grabbed up the block and tackle, a rope contrivance made of wooden pulley wheels with steel shafts. He threw a rope up and over a twelve by twelve ceiling joist and tied one end to the block. He climbed up a ladder nailed to the wall and walked the beam to where the rope dangled. He lifted the heavy block and tackle up into place and tied it off by the suspension hook. He came down the tackle lines hand over hand. On the floor once more, he dragged a heavy two wheeled hand cart out of a storage room and used it to move the engine over to where it could be lifted by the hoist.

The engine was hoisted into the air and the almost completed Dodge was rolled under the dangling engine. Harley slowly, lowered the engine into place and Billy began to work it back and forth until it was seated where it could be bolted to the frame with pieces of tire cut to the proper size to act as mounting pads. Harley left the young mechanic and hurried over to the waiting Packard, stopped and hurried into the house.

"Ida, which would you rather drive, the fastest four door car in the state or the old Model A I let Leroy drive?"

She looked at him in surprise and answered, "Well, Hon, I rather have the little car if Leroy wouldn't mind. I don't know if I could handle anything so big yet."

"Okay, I'll tell Leroy to trade with you." He smiled and left his perplexed wife behind.

"Now what was that all about? I think I'm going to have my own car; but what was it all about, anyway?" She went about clearing the dishes off the table and doing the housework necessary to keep her home clean and presentable for whoever was going to drop by next. Her man was just one surprise after another. She smiled fondly as she thanked her lucky stars she was married to the one and only Harley Duran.

Harley came hurrying into the police station. "Leroy" he said, as he walked in the side entrance from the driveway, "Go over and give Ida the old model A. She wants it." He hurried into his office to search for papers left there the evening before.

Leroy asked, "Uh, Harley, how do I get back here? Do I walk?"

"Nope, You help Billy Joe put the finishing touches on the Dodge that was in parts and you drive it until further notice. Billy says it's the fastest thing in Oklahoma and I believe him. The boy is very sharp. He needs a battery and some gasoline. You take care of it and come back here when you're done.

"Harley, Sir. I have this colored boy out here who wants to see you. He says its important." Ellie stuck her head in the open doorway long enough to deliver her message and duck back out.

"Hell. Send him back." Harley called to the retreating girl.

Leo White entered the office and nodded to Harley. "Mist Harley, what's we supposed to do with all trash we got locked up? And while we are at it, what is my place in all this? I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but there is a whole lot of stuff up in the air an' I don't know just what to do next."

Harley laughed, "Hell, Leo, it must be hard as hell for a big man like you to be so respectful all the time. Stop the fucking Uncle Tom shuffling and sit. We need to talk." Harley pointed at a chair and nodded.

"Yes sir, what is it?" Leo relaxed a bit but still seemed tense and unsure.

"You mind working under a white woman? You already met her, Missus Clanton." He looked at Leo White, unsmiling, waiting for an answer.

"No sir, just so long as I get treated right." His head cocked to one side and he frowned a little as he tried to figure what was happening.

Harley tossed the big man a policeman's badge. "Here, you are now a member of the Woodman police department. Get yourself some khaki pants and shirts. It is going to be the official police uniform in this town I'm going to dig around for the money to buy white narrow brim Stetson hats to complete the look I wish to strive for. You buy your own uniforms and keep yourself looking presentable in public at all times. We will not be just another hayseed hick police department that is the laughing stock of the ones in the big cities. We're going to work and show ourselves to be professionals at all times."

"Am I hearing you right? You don't want no pet coon? You are serious 'bout me being on the po-lice department?" Disbelief showed strongly in his eyes.

"Leo, this morning I saw my daughter cook and serve your son Sammy breakfast. Then she sat down at the table with him and they talked and laughed and enjoyed each others' company. I saw the future. I don't know if I fully approve or not, but, no matter what I feel, it is the future. I know it as sure as I am sitting here talking to you. So I feel we better prepare for future when equality is not just a word, but a reality. We must make not try to rush things, but more or less try to make things better for our children than they are for us."

"You sure you a red neck share cropper? You sound like a fancy talking perfesser, but you fight like a real bad man. But what this got to do with me working for Missus Clanton?"

"Well, you and two of your friends are the jailors. I'm going to put Missus Clanton in as head jailor. To be truthful, you would have the job but the people hereabouts would lynch us both if I tried. As it is, I'm going to catch hell over this. At night, you are to patrol the Sand Bar and keep the peace. I have a hunch you down there with a badge will be enough." Harley smiled at the man.

"What if I got to arrest a white man? What happens then?"

"Well, I guess you arrest him and bring him to the jail and book him in."

"Well, what if he don't want to be arrested?" Leo wanted all the answers.

"Knock him on his ass and then arrest him. Or can't you hit hard enough to knock a white man out?" Harley grinned at him and waited for the explosion to come.

"What you mean, kin I hit hard enough to... ? He stopped in mid sentence, threw back his head and laughed hard. "Oh you got to me there. You really mean it. Kin I hit hard enough to..." he chuckled. "You got you self a pet Nigger, Mist' Harley."

"Good, pick the other two men for jail duty and get busy. Oh yes, you better pay off the others out of this." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a roll of hundreds he had with held from the bank money." I'm pretty generous with money not my own, he told himself silently. He dismissed his latest hire with, " I have to find a few white men to put on the pay roll also." Leo left in a daze.

He grabbed up the telephone on his desk, "Operator," came the by now very familiar voice, "Good morning, Chief, Sheriff, Harley or are you governor by now?"

"Good Morning, Mildred," he laughed into the telephone, "Do you have any in-laws, cousins or distantly related shirt tail relatives looking for work? I need at least ten men in a big hurry."

"Well, Ellie's brother plans to come over and ask for a job. He's a little green around the edges, but he might be a good one. The Carson branch of the family has a couple of men folks looking for a job. They lost their farm to the drought and erosion. They are both family men in their thirties."

"Would you ask them to come in and see me?" Harley decided, perhaps a little nepotism wasn't too bad.

"I sure will, Harley," she answered,

"Thank you," he told her and hung up the phone.

Before he could decide what to do next, Ellie called, "Better get out here Harley. Quick."

He hurried out of his office in time to see five men enter the front door. Without any ado, the lead man said, "We, all five of us is out of a job. We was hired to guard the shine when it was made here and make sure it got delivered. We wasn't a part of any of the other stuff that went on. We was just plain old guards. We need work and I hear you need men who are willing to do the job. We all are married and have kids."

Harley looked at them. They were a tough looking lot. "Well, boys, I'd rather have you with me than against me. You're hired with this understanding, if you steal or abuse your authority you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law." He paused and then added, "After you get out of the hospital. Understood?"

"Shit." one of the five said and walked out.

"Sounds good to me," the spokesman said and the other three nodded their agreement.

"You already got khakis, so you won't need to buy uniforms. Come on back." He turned and led them to his office. He handed each a badge. "Pay is a hundred a month to start, payable on the first and the fifteenth. After ninety days you get a hundred twenty if you're still here. Any questions?" He looked from one to the other." Come back and see Leroy Jones, he's the assistant chief and in charge of who does what."

They all nodded and trooped out. Harley followed as far as the front desk. "Ellie, your brother is coming in to apply for a job. I want him on night patrol for right now. You got two cousins coming in for jobs. Send them out to Milt at the county farm and have him put them where they will do the most good. I'm going over to the Hot Spot for a cup of coffee." He left and walked out the front entrance, headed across the town square. She looked at his retreating back and sighed. She wanted to find a man just like Harley Duran and marry him.

Harley, unaware of Ellie's infatuation, walked slowly across the green expanse and past the statue of some former hero, unaware the statue was actually of a Yankee general destined for a town in Illinois. The New York foundry sent the cast bronze statue by rail. The railroad mislabeled it and the statue ended up in Woodman as part of a shipment of farm equipment. Not knowing what else to do, the station master removed all shipping labels and gave it to the strongly pro southern town where it became the centerpiece of the town square.

Harley ordered a cup of the much-improved coffee and sat silently until the judge came in and sat beside him. "Friend Harley, whatever are we going to do with the money? I feel more than a little insecure with boxes of cash in my spare bedroom."

"Patience, your honor, please be patient. We can dispose of the money when and where it is needed. I am working on a storage place where we can keep it while we four decide what the best approach to its use. The school will take some of it to get started and there are other things to think about. We need a sewage system and street drains. I intend to use convict labor for some, but we are going to need skilled labor. I want to see all these out houses in town done away with. We need a clean water supply and paved streets. We need street lights." He paused.

"I believe you have just spent most of money already," the judge laughed. "You are an amazing man, Harley, amazing. Most men would be seeking to divert cash into their own coffers and you worry about outhouses."

"I have all I need, Judge. Why clutter up my life with things un-needful? I did keep out a couple of packets of cash I shall use around the police station. Let's talk about more important things."

The judge snorted. More important than what is possibly a million dollars in untraceable cash? "Tell me, what is of more import? I'm listening with all attention, focused on your next words."

I feel I should move over to the sheriff's office. I have things started and going well with the police department. I'm not really needed there and I do have a few problems to address out in the county. I intend to take over the office of sheriff. It would behoove me to sit at the sheriff's desk before those idiots try to appoint another crook. I have about run out of patience with those petty thieves." He grinned and added, "There. I was able to use 'behoove' in a sentence. It was my word for the day."

Clyde Mack shook his head in mock surrender. "You win, Harley Duran, you win. I'll tell the county commissioners the sheriff's slot is filled and you are the designated office holder until the elections are held next month.

"We do have another problem I have been skirting. I haven't been near the road house the Beaudines owned since he committed suicide." He smiled grimly and continued, "I have no idea what is going on out there and it would behoove me to find out. There is a bunch of that tribe out loose, doing God knows what. I want to put paid to all the old business from the Beaudines. I think I'll take one man and go see what the lay of the land is tomorrow evening.