Chapter 14

I went into the kitchen and to my surprise, the FBI team leader was coming out of the door with a tray full of sandwiches. He smiled as he passed me, thanking me for feeding his team. I smiled back at him as I sat down at the counter with Sarah and Sally. We had a pleasant meal and Sally was happy about getting her stuff back. Sarah told me that as far as she could tell, all her stuff including her CDs and interviews were all back. She said she had checked our files and could find nothing missing. I didn't say anything, but I was happy because they both were. I asked Myrna if all her stuff had been returned too. She said as far as she could tell it was all there, including her doodling pad.

I waited till the meal was over before telling Sally I wanted to talk to her for a few minutes in my study. I went out of the kitchen, with her following along behind me, and went into the study. We sat down in the same positions we had before. I explained to her what Bill had said about the safe deposit box at the bank. I asked her if she wanted to open it, or if she wanted me or Bill to do it. She immediately said she wanted to open it, but she wanted me to be there with her. I told her I would be glad to accompany her, but it was up to her whether or not she wanted me to see what was inside. I watched the emotions across her face as she thought about it.

"Jon, I think it would be best if you opened it with me. I don't know what we're going to find and that worries me."

"Sally, whatever it is, it's your mother's and now it belongs to you. I have no idea what she had that she would keep in a safe deposit box. Whatever it was or is, it must have meant a lot to her. It might answer the question of who your father is or it might just be papers and other stuff she thought was important. Honey, whatever it is, it's yours."

She came over and hugged me, then headed out to talk to Myrna. I knew this was a shock to her, but I would never lie to her about anything. For some strange reason, I fell asleep sitting in the chair again. This was getting to be habit forming for some reason. I woke up with a pair of lips pressing against my cheek. It was Sally, waking me up to tell me that the FBI was done and I had to sign their paperwork. I hugged her and walked out to the front room where the team leader was waiting on me. I signed all his papers and was thanked for being so courteous to his team. We shook hands with me telling him that he was welcome to stop back anytime.

I asked Sally if she wanted to take a ride with me to check on Pete's progress with the fence. She said yes, so I told her to tell Myrna where we were going and that we would be back shortly. When we got outside, Tiny was just pulling into the driveway. He parked and climbed in the back seat of our truck. I took the long way around, because we all needed time to talk a little among ourselves. Of course, I didn't get a word in edgewise because of the banter back and forth between Sally and Tiny. It always went on when they got together. With everything that had gone on in the last few days, I knew she needed the stress relief so I didn't say a word.

We finally made it around to the back end of the property. I pulled up and stopped next to where Pete's truck was parked alongside the road. We climbed out and walked over to where Pete was standing and yelling at one of his men. When he saw us coming, he turned around and gave Sally a big grin, then smiled at the rest of us.

"Hey, Jon, good to see you again. What, you don't trust me? You know I really don't need a supervisor or a gorilla looking over my shoulder. Now this pretty young lady can come out here and tell me what to do any time."

That got a big laugh from everybody standing around listening. Of course Sally turned red in the face, and the men got another big kick out of that. I didn't say a word because I knew, like any young girl, she was enjoying the attention. Sally and Tiny started talking again in their usual kidding manner, so I turned and started to ask Pete a few questions. That's when I saw the speeding car come around the lower curve headed straight toward Tiny and Sally, who had their backs turned to it. I yelled a warning as I pulled my gun. The car slid to a stop about 30 feet from where Tiny and Sally had been standing. I ran toward the car with my gun pointed at them, telling them not to move. When I got close enough, I could see it was just a couple of kids sitting in the front seat.

"What the hell are you trying to do? At the speed you were going, you were lucky you were able to stop before you hit someone. Also, I could have easily shot both of you while trying to protect everyone standing here. Now I suggest that both of you slow down when you're on these narrow roads."

"Yes Sir! We're sorry, Sir. I promise I will slow down from now on. I'm sorry I scared everyone by driving so fast."

"Son, I remember when I was young and didn't have a brain in my head either. Slow that thing down before you end up wrapped around a tree because you missed a curve in the road. Now take off, and act like you have some sense before I arrest both of you."

I watched as he very carefully and very slowly went around everyone by the road. I hadn't realized I was still holding my gun in my hand until Tiny told me I better put it away before I shot myself. I holstered it and when I turned around, Tiny and Sally both had big grins on their faces. I didn't think it was very funny, and to be truthful, it had scared the hell out of me. My shoulder was throbbing and for the first time I could feel shooting pain in my side. I put my hand down to the bandage on my side and realized I was bleeding again. When I pulled my hand out, Sally saw the blood and screamed, scaring the hell out of me again.

"Jon, are you okay? Have you been shot again? How come you're bleeding?"

"I think when I twisted around to face the car I ripped the stitches loose in my side. It might be a good idea if we go back to the house and let Myrna take a look at it. If I did, she will have to call the doctor to come out to the house to sew me back up again. Tiny, why don't you drive this time so I can keep pressure against the wound?"

He did as I asked and we made short work of getting back to the house. Sally drove me crazy by asking if I was all right every five minutes. When we pulled up in front of the door, she bailed out and went running into the house. Sometimes I wondered about her being wound too tight. Now Myrna, and Sarah if she were downstairs, would be all excited and worried. I kept pressure against it, but I could tell I had done something bad because it was bleeding profusely by this point.

"Jon, I don't know what you did, but you're leaving a blood trail. Maybe I better take you to the hospital and let them look at it for you."

"Tiny, if I know Myrna, the doc is on his way already. Unlike Sally, she doesn't panic that easily. I would be willing to bet that as soon as Sally told her I was bleeding from torn stitches, she called him on the phone. I will probably be even worse off by the time she gives me hell for doing it."

"Better you than me."

I was right on every point. I did catch holy hell, and the doc had already been called. Sally was a nervous wreck, thinking I had somehow been shot again. Myrna finally actually had to grab her by the arms and shake her before she would settle down. She finally quit sobbing. I just held her hand and explained what had happened. She broke down crying from relief and Myrna was smiling at her.