Chapter 61

I was still sitting in the chair when Tran brought me another coffee. She gave me one of the most sensual looks I had ever seen from any woman and I watched her as she went back in the cabin. She had to know I was looking at her cute little rear because she seemed to put an extra little wiggle in it as she walked. I took a sip of my coffee and burned my lip. I was still muttering under my breath when Sandra came out and sat down in the lap that Tran had just vacated.

"Grandpa, I have been talking to the girls this morning and they seem to have accepted their dad's death ok. Tran did a good job of explaining it to them when she got the news. They seemed to be more worried about when their Uncle Harry was going to pick them up. They said other than being grouchy, none of those men touched any of them. They made Tran cook for them and the girls both said they told them when their Uncle came to get them they were in big trouble. They said the leader asked several times where you were. When Tran couldn't tell them they had an argument in their language and your name was mentioned several times. I have a suggestion for you that will help them to relax, if you want to listen to it. I know with the wedding and all I am sure your mind is a million miles away."

"Honey, if your suggestion will make me forget all this marriage stuff then for God's sakes tell me. I could use the distraction."

She busted out laughing again before she answered me.

"I think a nice shopping trip for all of us is in order. The girls and I need to get out for a while. Since Jimmy walked here, we need to drop him at his house to pack a bag as I asked him if he could stay a couple days. I really missed him Grandpa and I hope you're not mad 'cause I asked him to stay."

"Sandra, even if he has a big mouth he is always welcome to come here for a few days at a time. As for the shopping trip, I think that's a great idea because as you know, the team is coming next week and I need to buy some steaks and beer. I need to tell Tran about them too because she doesn't know about them coming yet. Honey, are you ok with me getting married this quick? I really haven't had much time to spend with you unless you count our time on the island."

"Grandpa, if you're happy then so am I. I will make one thing clear to you, I will not call her mother so don't expect me to. I like her but nobody can ever replace my mother in any way."

"I would never even think about asking you to do something like that, Sandra. I think she will be like your grandmother more than being like a mother. Hell, just call her Auntie Tran like the girls do. If there is ever any problem of any kind I want you to promise me you will come and talk to me about it. I don't think there will be but I want to be the first to know if there is. I want your promise on this Sandra."

"I promise Grandpa but she is really nice and she loves the girls. I don't think we will ever have any problems. She is one of the few real people I have ever met. She seems to be just what she is, a woman who is in love with my grandpa. I hope both of you are happy together. If you ever need someone to talk to just remember I am also a woman, just a lot younger than most."

I looked at her and got that impish grin that she knew how to use to throw me off track when she knew I was going to say something. I hugged her to me and kissed her soundly. She giggled and got up, asking me if I was ready to spend part of my old age pension. I slapped her on the butt and she went in the door giggling away. Old age pension my foot. I got up and headed in to get another coffee. I didn't get five feet inside the door before I was surrounded by all of them wanting to know if I was ready to go yet. I looked up and Jimmy was leaning against the kitchen doorway with a big grin on his face.

"I'm ready any time you guys are. Big mouth over there has to ride on the roof though," I said as I went back out the door.

They all caught up to me before I got off the porch giving me hell saying Jimmy was family and family didn't ride on any roof. I stopped in my tracks and was run into by at least two of the girls. I turned around and looked at them in a stern manner before saying anything. Sandra had both fists on her hips like she was getting ready to fight or something and the girls were glaring at me. I looked at Tran and she had a small grin on her face she was trying to hide and it got bigger as I looked at her.

"Ok, no roof. He can walk back because I don't think there's room for him in the unit since he's so big."

That did it. They were all giving me hell and I could hear Tran and Jimmy laughing in the background as they were chewing me out like I was in front of a drill sergeant or something. If they were allowed to cuss, I would be getting an ear full. Dina kicked me in the shin she was so mad. When she realized what she had done, she got the most shocked look on her face and covered her mouth with both hands. Then I lost it as I was hopping around on one leg. I kept hearing her say I'm sorry over and over and I laughed harder every time she said it in such a small voice. Tran finally stepped in saying I was kidding them and Jimmy would ride inside with the rest of us. Jimmy was sitting on the ground with his arms wrapped around his ribs he was laughing so hard. Sandra looked at him then at me and gave me hell saying I was mean to talk like that to her brother and her sisters. I finally got calmed down enough to rub my shin when this little voice spoke up from the back of them.

"I'm sorry I kicked you Uncle Harry but that was mean."

I just took her in my arms and hugged her to me and was hugged in turn by the other two. Tran I noticed was smiling and her eyes were moist as she watched me with them. I opened the doors and told everyone to pile in. They all tried to get in at the same time and it took a couple of minutes for them to sort out who was going to sit where. Jimmy sat in the shotgun seat in the front, with Tran next to me while the girls sat in back. I had everyone buckle up and we were off to town. I stopped and backed up to the cabin and went in to set the alarms then we were off again. I asked them where they all wanted to go and they all wanted to go to Wal-Mart except Jimmy. He wanted to go home because he said he had several things he had to do and he would meet us back at the cabin later. I dropped him off at his house and of course we had to stop at Tran's place so she could pack a few more things. We finally pulled into Wal-Mart about two hours later. The girls were having a very lively discussion about what Navy Seals ate when they were off duty. I got that look from Tran at this news and I told her I would explain it all as we shopped.

When we went inside Tran and I both got a cart and I went to the side and down on one knee facing the girls.

"I want all three of you to listen to me because this is serious. I want all of you to stay close to either me or Tran. After the last two days I don't want any of us to take any chances. If someone should touch you or act funny or try to separate any of you I want all of you to start yelling at the top of your lungs and to hell with what anybody thinks. Whatever you do, all three of you stay together and look out for each other. Don't ever get too far away from Tran or me for any reason, ok? I will be in the grocery side and Tran will stay close to you. If there is any problem yell for me and I will hear you, ok?"

"We will Grandpa and we will protect each other always."

I smiled at them and got a kiss from Tran that they thought was cute or something because they all said ahhh at the same time. I stuck my tongue out at them as I headed for the grocery side. I could hear them laughing as they headed in the other direction. I went through the grocery side like a white tornado grabbing steaks and beer and anything else I thought we would need. I had a cart piled high with what I had grabbed and then went in search of them. I was beginning to worry as I walked down the isles looking for them but as I found out the worry was pointless. They were all in the clothing section trying on clothes and generally making a pain of themselves arguing about what they looked good in. Tran was sitting outside the fitting room and I sat down beside her.

"Harry I love them all but I had forgotten what girls and clothes were like. They have been trying to decide on what dresses to wear to our wedding for the last half hour. I know they have tried on at least a hundred outfits and hated them all."

"Hon, why don't you tell them what you will be wearing and then you can all dress alike?"

"Harry I hate to admit it but that does make a lot of sense to me. There is one problem though, I don't know what I'll be wearing because I haven't given it much thought."

"Why don't you all get your heads together and figure something out while they're here, Tran. Then you all will know what to buy while we are in the store. If this stuff here isn't good enough for you then we can go elsewhere to shop."

"Well Harry, we are not having a big church wedding, thank God so I think we can all find something we agree on. Also, that man over there in the green jacket has been watching all of us. I think he's harmless but I wanted to tell you." She got up and called the girls together and I watched the man she had pointed out from the corner of my eye as they went among the dresses talking. He seemed to me to be watching them too closely for just being a shopper. I sat back on the bench with my head back acting like I was bored to death and kept a close eye on him. I then noticed he wasn't alone because he made a motion to another man who was on the other side of the counter. My neck hair immediately went up as I stood up and walked toward the girls. He was moving to intercept me as was the other man. I got to them first because I was closer and told Tran to take them to the dressing rooms, now. She didn't question just told them to come with her to try on the dresses they were holding. Sandra must have caught the sudden tension in her voice because she helped to get them moving. I walked to the side as they went to the rooms. The two I was watching started to move into the room area so I pulled the Glock and held it at my side and waited to see what they were going to do. Tran was standing outside the two rooms the girls were in and the man moved in on her. I stepped up from the side pushing the gun into him. He froze and didn't take another step and his friend froze in place too.

"I don't know who you are but if you move any closer to them I promise you will be breathing from a straw when you do. Tell your friend to back off and then you and I will have a nice polite little chat."

He looked at his friend and used a sideways motion of his head to tell him to go. His friend looked at him then at me for a moment, then left the area. At least he went to the front of the store out of my sight.

"Now who are you and what do you want with my family?"

"I don't know who you are but we want the guns from the cave, and the sheriff has them. We mean no harm to anyone, but we just want our merchandise back."

"You, my friend, are an asshole. If you had bothered doing your homework you would have found out the sheriff was killed in Florida last week, and the BATF took the guns into Federal custody the same day they were found. I have no idea where they took them but I would guess it was to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. If you had checked the local papers, you would have known all of this. I don't know who sent you but next time, tell your boss to do his homework. I am going to let you walk away, but if I ever see your face around my family again I will not hesitate to shoot you on the spot. If you want to talk further, I am in the book under Homeland Security as a Special Investigator. I will be taking the security tapes from the store with me and if you're smart, you will get out of the country before they put a pick up order out on you and your friend. Tell your boss to get on the internet because all the information about all of this is public record that anyone can read."

"I think I will take your advice to heart because it sounds like the truth to me, but my boss has the final decision as you know. May I ask your name comrade?"

"My name is Harry Hanson and I was the lead investigator on the case. That's in the records too."

To my surprise he smiled at me, and walked away heading for the front doors. As I watched he was joined by three others besides the two I had already spotted. I waited till they got out the doors then called the Director and filled him in on what just transpired. He was angry at first but then he said the four had been questioned, and they were in the process of arresting some of the others involved. I told him to send someone for the security tapes here because they had all stopped right in front of the cameras to chat before they left. I gave him an accurate description of the two and then a general description of the others. He asked me if I thought I needed extra eyes, and I told him as of this point I didn't think I did but I would call if anything changed. He thanked me and we ended the conversation. I was standing there with my gun still in my hand and when I realized it I put it away hoping the little drama wasn't witnessed by some busybody. I gave Tran the all clear sign and she called the girls back out and they decided they would all wear yellow summer dresses to the wedding. They all had them picked out and to my surprise they all matched. Then they decided they needed shoes so off to the shoe section we went. I hung back, keeping a close eye out, but nothing else disturbed the day. We ended up spending about three hours in the store and had to get another cart before we were through.