Chapter 13

I don't know how long Sally and I sat and looked at each other, sharing our feelings, but it must have been quite awhile. Finally, she sniffed and kissed me on the cheek and went out of my study. I had just wiped my eyes when the phone rang. It was the FBI on the other end, asking when would be a good time for them to return all of our personal possessions. I told them they could do it anytime but they were going to have to have someone do the filing since I was wounded and was unable to do it. The agent said they were sending along two of their office clerks to handle that and they should be arriving within the hour. When I hung up the phone, I smiled to myself thinking that since they were furnishing the clerks, my grandfathers papers could finally be filed after all these years. He had filing cabinets in the office out in the garage, but for some reason had never got around to putting anything away. I had thought about it several times, but never got into them either.

The phone rang again. This time it was Tiny and Jimmy saying they were on their way out. I had just hung it up when it rang for the third time. Pete was on his cell, telling me they were starting on the fence at the back of the property. I told him to go ahead and to remember what I wanted with the razor wire. He said he had fifteen rolls left from a job that he would use. It wouldn't cost me much since it was surplus and nothing he would ever use on his normal jobs. I thanked him and was hanging up the phone for the third time when I heard Myrna answering the door. Man this place was like a public toilet, everyone wanted in today. It was Bill, and Myrna was giving him hell saying for a change he better keep his big mouth shut unless asked a question. He was protesting and they both were laughing as he came to my office. When he came in, he had a big smile on his face. Myrna was still scowling at him as she went by headed for the kitchen. I was grinning at them as he sat down.

"Ok Jon, I came back because you promised to give me an explanation about what's going on. I was up most of the night wondering why you are taking so many precautions."

"Before I get into that, Bill, I have a more serious matter to discuss with you."

I went on to tell him about Sally's wants and my thoughts about it. He sat there and looked at me for a few minutes then started grinning like an idiot.

"Jon, I filed the papers this morning and I don't think there will be any problems unless her dad comes forward to contest it. Before you go off, Myrna called me first thing and told me to get them filed immediately. Jon, I've had those papers drawn up for about three years, just waiting on the word so I could file them. I have watched you two interact together for years and I knew this day would come sooner or later. I'm just glad I got to live long enough to see it. It will take about sixty days to finalize so now, will you please tell me what's going on?"

I spent the next hour filling him in on my history with the church. I told him about the three year old case concerning a 12 year old girl who had been taken from a foster home by her uncle. It had taken me six months to find her and get her out of a religious group in Texas, where she was being held. While on a layover during the flight home, she was snatched again and no one had any idea who had taken her or where she was. I told him that her uncle, who had been jailed at the same time, had bonded out and also disappeared. I had spent six more months looking for her, but had come up empty. I had recently found out that the church, called The National Free Church, wants the girl's mother back. The "Runt" is connected with a branch of the church located in Maryland and that is where the girl is being held now. I told him that I felt that that was the reason for my case files being stolen. Someone wanted to find out how much I knew. As I finished filling him in, I told him that the case was still haunting me, and that I wouldn't rest until the case was finally solved.

"Now I understand what's going on and if I may, I would like to offer a few suggestions that might help you out on the security end of it. I had a case similar to this about fifteen years ago and I had to make sure the security was almost impossible to break for the client's sake and his family's."

Before he got a chance to speak to me about it, the door bell rang. It was the FBI with all of our files in a large unmarked truck. There were two cars full of people with the truck. I needed to tell them where everything went and called Sarah down to help. Sally came in from somewhere and when she found out that all her stuff was in the truck, she immediately tried to get the agents to dig it out. I finally had to put a stop to it. I left Sarah in charge after telling Sally she would have to wait until her stuff was brought in. I opened the garage and showed the agent in charge where all my grandfather's papers had been before they were taken. He thanked me, saying they would all be re-filed by the end of the day. I moved my truck and Sarah's car away from the garage to give them room to back the truck in and unload. Bill and I went out on the side porch off my study and finished our little talk. We almost got done before Tiny and Jimmy arrived to interrupt us again.

Jimmy was carrying a small briefcase instead of his usual duffel bag. I wondered why he was so light today. I knew I wouldn't have long to wait for an explanation from him because he was very excited.

I had Myrna bring the small card table out to the porch and set it up with coffee and sweet rolls. I almost didn't get any because between the three of them, they were piling their plates high with all the goodies.

"You guys act like you never get fed or something. Look at you, it's like a bunch of animals sat down and someone made the mistake of putting food in front of them."

They all mumbled apologies, but their mouths were so full it came out in a spray of crumbs. Myrna came out with more coffee and I just pointed at them and shrugged. She looked at them a little closer then set the coffee pot down and smacked Tiny along side his head. He got the most shocked look on his face, trying to chew and swallow at the same time so he could speak to defend himself.

"Look at the three of you, acting like hogs at the trough. Tiny you should know better, wait till I have a talk with your wife about your manners. Jimmy, I know you're a bachelor and don't get home made sweet rolls, but I know your mom too, and if I told her how you're acting, she would have a fit. Bill, you old fool, you're supposed to be setting an example for the younger ones, not leading the way. If you all don't start acting like you're not pigs, I promise all of you there will never be another bite to eat for any of you in this house."

I was watching them as she gave them hell and I was hurting from keeping the laughter inside. I thought I had it under control until Myrna looked at me and winked and I lost it. When I finally quit laughing and wiped my eyes, they were all glaring holes through me. I just smiled at them, took a sip of my coffee and a bite of my only roll, while making sure I had my pinky stuck straight out. I very carefully set it back on the saucer and wiped my mouth. It took about a minute before Tiny lost it and the other two joined in the laughter. I smiled at them before talking.

"When are you three stooges going to learn you can't get away with anything as long as Myrna is around? Boys, she doesn't miss a trick."

Tiny quipped back as he was rubbing his head saying; "Yeah and her hand is as hard as a two-by-four."

We all laughed and then Jimmy decided to get down to business.

"Jon, I got three cameras out of the bedrooms yesterday. They all have short range wireless transmitters and wide lenses. There is a computer hidden on the property somewhere that's receiving the signal and recording it. I figure it's in the barn and I want to see if I can find it. While I do that, I have drawn a map and shown the prices for you to put the same kind of camera on your property. You look at it while I see if I can pinpoint the computer's location. The types that I'll install won't be easy to find or pinpoint by normal methods."