Chapter 20

I sat until the girl's movie went off and they came out to get me to help tuck them in bed. I made a big production out of it as I always did. I went back to the kitchen and set the coffee pot up for the morning. I remembered my favorite go cup was still in my unit and went to get it. I found it on the floor with a bullet hole through the center of it. To say it was ruined would be an understatement. Now that pissed me of because I had used it for years and it was the only one I had ever found that kept the coffee in it hot longer than an hour. Damn, now I would have to find another one and finding one like this would be impossible since the company had gone bankrupt several years back. Maybe this was why because their products worked as advertised. I dug through the cupboards and found one that Abe must have kept for years because of the wear and tear on it. I washed it out and decided to try it in the morning until I could find another one that I could be happy with.

I figured with the mountain air and climate Mark had gone to bed so I set the alarm and did the same thing myself.

I woke to the beeping of the alarm and for the first time in years I did not want to go to work. I hated the thought of going in today and having to face more of the shit that was coming down. If I had it figured right, I was going to be one of the most hated men in the state when all the prosecutions started. I kicked the coffee pot on and got my shower and shave. I drank a cup sitting on the front porch, watching the sun come up and I knew I was just putting off the inevitable by not going in. I went in and filled the go cup and headed for my unit. I noticed a puddle of something under it and checked to see what it was and I felt the puddle and realized it was oil leaking from somewhere. Damn what a way to start the day. I got down and looked underneath to see if I could find out where it was coming from and couldn't tell. I pulled the hood release and opened the hood and immediately noticed it was leaking from the oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator. I also noticed the grenade that was taped to the brake line off the master cylinder. I looked a little closer and saw that the fishing line had melted from the engine heat. That's why it hadn't gone off when I put it in gear. I didn't touch it because I wanted to preserve any prints that were on it. I checked the other two Jeeps and they were clear and I was relieved that they were only after me. It had to have been done at the motor pool because the line had melted and I had let it sit and run until I finished talking to Shorty on the radio.

Well I was starting to think I would be cleaning house at the motor pool, then remembered the mechanic that had beat a hasty retreat when I had climbed into the unit. He had practically run to the other side of the garage when I started the engine. I think I will have a little talk with the motor pool today. I had a lot of loose ends to tie up and I was determined to do it all so I could have an easy Monday meeting with the reserve and specials Monday. I had an idea that there were going to be a lot of disappointed people come Monday.

I fired the unit up and turned on the radio and it was quiet on all channels. I cruised into the station and saw several unmarked cars already there. I saw Shorty's car and Beau's sitting at the back of the lot. There was a chopper on the pad behind the station and I figured the ATF team had arrived early wanting to start to work. I went in and passed the empty lobby headed for my office. Damn, I had forgot that the prosecutor was there when I kicked the AT team out last night. I had forgotten all about him being here without a car or any food. Now I felt like an ass because he had been working away and not hassling me or my men. Maybe he found the bedroom and crashed there. I hoped he was ok and not mad about the rude treatment he had received from my department. I opened the door and walked into a mess between Shorty and what I took to be the team leader of the ATF team. I went to my desk and dumped the man who was sitting in my chair on the floor. Now that caught everyone's attention and shut them all up.

"All of you sit the hell down and shut up. I am in charge here and if any of you FEDS doubt it I will be glad to wake up the director of Homeland Security and let you talk to him. I am sure he will appreciate the call and thank you for it."

That quieted any more of the loud voices and argument. I asked Shorty what happened to the federal prosecutor and he said a unit had taken him and his gear to a motel and was due to pick him back up at nine this morning. Now that news made me feel better. At least he hadn't been left without any means to sleep or shower.

I sat back and sipped my coffee, knowing from the impatient look on the ATF team leader's chief he wanted to start a conversation but he knew what had already happened to the previous team leader so he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and wait for me to start the conversation.

"Gentleman, this is how it's gonna go. The ATF will do their thing but any moves will be cleared with me. I will have one man from my department representing my department. He is not your errand boy and speaks for me. If this is not satisfactory for you, team leader, then you can take your team and leave right now."

"Sheriff it has been made very clear to me and my men that you are in charge. I don't like it but unlike my predecessor I am not stupid enough to make a splash about it. I have been told you have more experience at this than I ever will, and that you know what we do and how we go about it. This will make it easier for me and my team. I am not here to run the investigation just to get some idea of the enormity of the thefts."

"Team Leader, I am going to make your career and if you play along with me you will be able to name your duty station. That of course is based on the assumption that you play along with my little plan, and not be the pain in the ass that most ATF agents are."

I got a laugh from him and his men over that one. They knew I was once one of their little club and wouldn't be bullied or ordered around.

"Sheriff, my men and I would all like to have us and our families posted to Hawaii. If you can arrange that we will walk over glass for you and your department. Now what do you have in mind?"

I got the sheets that showed the sales and buys that I had printed out, and handed them to him telling him what they would do for his career if he got on them before the kid prosecutor figured out what he had and started acting on it. He was so excited his hand was shaking.

"Sheriff, we will have warrants and get on this within thirty minutes. We are flying back to Reno where we know a federal judge that is friendly. The gun store will have to wait until we get back, if that's ok with you."

"Go for it, Team Leader, and remember where it came from and you owe us a big one. The computer over there has all the files on it so if you take it, then you have to give me a receipt for it to cover my ass."

He grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote on it for several minutes and signed it. He handed it to me and him and his men took the computer and were gone within five minutes. I heard the chopper winding up to leave when the prosecutor came back in looking like death warmed over. He went to the coffee pot poured a cup and sat down at his table. It took him about five minutes to notice the computer was gone. He got a shocked look on his face and turned red asking where the computer had disappeared to. My men all busted up laughing and he just looked confused. I told him the ATF team had taken it to a federal judge about ten minutes ago. His shoulders slumped and he mumbled something and I asked him to repeat himself.

"I spent hours on it yesterday and couldn't get any of the files open or read anything on them. I guess I am a failure as a prosecutor."

I felt sorry for him but the hilarity of the situation hit my funny bone. I busted out laughing and he and my men all looked at me like maybe I had gone over the edge or something. I finally wound down and then explained why I had been laughing so hard.

"Danny cracked that machine in less than five minutes. Why do you think I hired him as the department's computer whiz?"

They all looked at me then at Kit with the surprised look on his face, and they all lost it. The poor prosecutor was looking lost so I explained it to him and he gave me a sheepish grin before laughing at himself. I waited till they all settled down and told them to take a seat.

"I am not worried about the guns right now. Has there been any word from the cadaver team I left at Trent's house?"

"I haven't heard a thing, sheriff. Want me to check with the deputy at the house and see what's going on?"

"Go ahead Kit and see what the progress is and let me know. See if there's anyone on the front desk while you're at it."

He went out and I looked at Shorty and said we have another problem in the department we need to settle this morning. I told him about the grenade and who I thought had put it there. I also told him how I discovered it and that I had an oil leak that we needed to address with the motor pool. I asked him if anyone on the department had experience with fingerprint kits besides me. He said Bob Vale had been to several schools on forensics and had paid for them from his own pocket during his vacation time. I told Shorty he was now a Sergeant and to call him in to work.