Chapter 20: Old Fashioned Christmas

The outbuildings yielded up a complete blacksmith and metalworking shop. "Now that I see it, I can believe those people knew what they were doing."

"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Marie leaned against him. To her there was nothing interesting in front of them, just some complicated looking machines.

The equipment here is enough to completely disassemble a tractor or trailer, place the drugs they wanted to transport inside the hollow spaces and weld it all back together. No wonder they were able to operate under everybody's noses for so long. An eighteen wheeler loaded with beef cows could go anywhere and never be suspected."

"Well, that's all behind us now, we don't have to worry about anything anymore." Marie couldn't understand Jesse's excitement over drug dealers' tools.

"Hon, with what we have here in this shop we can repair anything on the ranch. Hell, we could open a machine shop. And the good thing is, it's all ours."

"Yes, if we can keep it." Marie thought of the impending IRS audit.

"We will. I just thought of a way to explain everything and nobody can prove different." Jesse gave her a smug look. "Let's go home." He guided her out of the outbuilding that contained all the machinery.

Marie climbed on behind Jesse and began to think hard about how to reconcile the vast difference between reported income and expenditures. She hoped Jesse's idea had at least a little merit.

Jesse pulled up in front of the equipment barn and stopped. Marie eased off and half ran to the house while Jesse put the Polaris away. He smiled as he thought of how simple his idea was. For once he felt he was ahead of Marie where business was concerned.

As soon as he came into the house Marie asked, "Okay, what's your great brainstorm?" She cocked her eyebrow and waited.

Jesse made a big show of hanging up his parka and sat to remove his boots. He smiled and told her, "Well, we tell them I spent money I had on hand that I'd rat holed while I was still in the service."

"Oh come on Jesse. Who would believe anything that far out?" She stared down at the floor.

"Well it happens to be the truth, in a way. It's just that I kind of left the money in Kabul before I came back states side."

"Jesse, what do you mean you kind of left money in Kabul?" She began to experience a sinking feeling in her stomach. "How much money did you kind of leave behind in Afghanistan?"

"About forty thousand dollars," He blushed and looked away.

"Oh god give me strength. Jesse, how did you just leave forty thousand dollars in that horrid country?"

Jesse's back stiffened. He turned and stared hard at Marie. "That is not a horrid country and the people are not kill crazy animals. I met a few real nice people over there. There is some beautiful country and except for that bunch of crazy religious nets Afghanistan would be a great place to live."

"Sorry," Marie did not seem apologetic. "Okay they are wonderful people. Let's get back on the subject of forty thousand dollars. Why did you kind of leave forty thousand dollars in Kabul?"

He hesitated, searched for words and let the words out in a tumble. "It was to keep my kids safe."

"Your kids." Marie thought and asked, "How many kids do you have?" She envisioned a pregnant Afghan woman left behind by Jesse as he returned to America.

"There were thirty of them last count. The imam told me there would be more than he could handle by the year after I left. The UNICEF fund dried up and a couple of us tried to help keep the orphanage going."

"Orphanage, orphans, Jesse, right now I don't know whether to kiss you or beat you on the head."

"Well just kiss me and let it go. I never spent any money much while I was over there, just a few beers and soap and stuff. I lived on base and drew my rations and ate on base. I saved almost all my pay and bought the ranch with it. My outfit all helped support the orphanage and that's why I left money behind."

"And, aside from being a good guy, how does that help you here?" Marie lost her uneasy feeling. This time Jesse might have something they could use.

"Well, since I never took a deduction, that money is still officially in my pockets. I can prove I never spent much of anything and so you do your stuff and we'll be able to explain everything away."

He grinned at her and said, "Now let's go into the bedroom and take care of the important stuff."

"Be careful, Jesse. That's two good ideas you had in the same day." Marie decided Jesse was a keeper.

Two hours later Jesse said, "Want to go see what's happening in town?" He had donned warm clothing, gone to the Barn, came back and removed the parka. Then he did it again a few minutes later.

"We better do something," Marie replied. "You are about to drive me crazy."

"Aw, it's this damned wind," Jesse told her as he paced from the kitchen to the toilet and back.

She snorted. "No, it's this damned Jesse. You don't have ten things to do and it's driving you crazy. Billy is almost as good a worker as you. Annie takes care of the chickens and the pigs as if they were her own."

Jesse nodded, "Get dressed and we'll take a look at our little herd. Then we'll head on in and see Saul and Miriam. Better put on your snow mobile suit. We'll be heading out across country. I'll get you some goggles."

Marie hurried to dress warm. As they headed out the door they heard the sound of a helicopter in the distance. They listened to it come closer.

With no sense of urgency, Jesse said, "Get in the house and cover me from in there. This is probably nothing, but I don't want take any chances." Marie nodded and hurried back into the house.

The Bell Ranger came to a rest in their yard. The door swung open and Orville Stroud hopped out. He turned and helped his now under arrest receptionist down to the ground. Two more agents followed. Marie stepped out onto the porch with her rifle in her right hand, She nodded to Stroud and went back inside.

"What's up?" Jesse asked when the four approached him close enough to talk over the noise of the helicopter.

"I can't get over how you seem to almost be psychic, the way you keep plucking answers out of the air before anyone gets a chance to ask the questions.

"You mean her?" Jesse asked in a contemptuous voice as he nodded his head toward the shivering woman. "If no one minds too much, you all go on inside the house and leave her out here with me. I been wanting to talk to her after I met her in Denver."