Chapter 79

We sat around and waited a while longer before I finally said it was time to reemerge into the world again. Everyone thought that was funny for some reason. Kat, Sally, and Michelle covered up the furniture again and I handed the sleeping Timmy off to Jubal to carry. When we left the room, I turned the light off, and led everyone back down the corridor. Farley looked at the racks of wine bottles with a wistful expression when we passed through them. I was chuckling at his expression as I headed back to the steps to go to the main house. When we all gathered at the bottom, I held them up before I started up.

"I will go up first and make sure there's no one in the house. Give me ten minutes. Then, if I'm not back on the dot go back to the room where we just were. I am not about to let a bunch of government lackeys into this wine cellar. I am going to call Jerry as soon as I have a signal on my cell. I want to sneak to the front of the house to see if they are on the grounds or not. If they are sitting in their cars outside the gate, I'm gonna tell the guard not to let them in again unless they have a search warrant. We all will have to answer questions, probably for several hours, but it will be on my terms, not theirs."

Everyone was chuckling at me as I went up the steps. I cursed myself for not having one of the little cameras of Jimmy's mounted above the door, but after tomorrow we wouldn't need it. I waited a couple of minutes before pulling my gun. I unlatched the shelf and went out into the dark room. To my surprise, the door between the pantry and kitchen was closed. That made things easier because I was afraid of the light showing when I swung the shelf back. I looked back down the steps, smiling at everyone as I swung the shelf back, hearing the latch click signaling it was once again locked. So far so good, I thought as I went to the door and cracked it open, looking out into the kitchen. It was empty and the only light was the small clock above the door. Looking toward the front of the house, I couldn't see any sign of any lights. I stepped out into the kitchen, listening to the sounds of the house. I had spent hours when I first came to this country, sitting in the dark thinking and listening to the old house. I was as familiar with its creaks as I was with my own body. I stood for a few minutes listening but couldn't hear anything out of place, so I went to the back door and locked it. Then I headed through the hall to the foyer in the dark, not making a sound. I got to the front door and looked out through the curtains at the guard shack and driveway. There were no vehicles parked in the half moon in front of the house and the guard shack was lit up like it normally was. I pulled my cell out and called Jerry. He answered on the second ring and the first thing out of his mouth was the question of whether or not we were all ok. I assured him we were, and that I needed him out here ASAP. He said he was at Jeb's and had been there since late afternoon, waiting for my call. I laughed and he said he was on the way. I thanked him and pushed the button to the guard shack. When the guard came on I was surprised to hear the owner's voice answer it. I identified myself to him and he started asking a bunch of questions and I shut him down.

"Are there any law officers inside the gates?"

"No sir, Mr. Morgan, they are all outside sitting along the road."

"Ok, this is how it's going to go down. My attorney will be here in a few minutes and you will let him in. His name is Jerry. When the officers come running up to the gate, tell them you have been instructed that they are not allowed on the property without a search warrant, by my orders. Don't let them bully you either, just refuse them entrance. Oh, the dog that was injured by the barn, is he ok?"

"Yes sir. He had to have some stitches but he will recover. Thanks for saving Clyde's life, Mr. Morgan. He will be fine, and told me what you did."

"Ok, I will talk to you some more later on. Just remember, no one in but my attorney."

"You got it, Mr. Morgan. They won't get by me unless you say so."

I chuckled and went back to the pantry, letting everyone come up. Kat immediately put coffee on, and she and Michelle started dinner. Farley and Jubal sat down at the table and I told everyone what had transpired. They were all grinning by the time I was finished. I told everyone we would stay in the kitchen for now because the lights couldn't be seen from the front. I had just gotten my first cup of coffee of the day when I saw the headlights flash across the front of the house.

"Well, people, now the circus starts. Remember what we discussed and let me do all the talking."

I went to the front door and opened it, just as Jerry started to knock. I flipped the foyer light on and to my surprise he grabbed me in a bear hug.

"My, God, Jon, is everyone ok? I was out here earlier and saw the carnage. That stupid Fed said your whole family was missing, and that I couldn't come on the property. Believe me when I say he will pay for that one."

I just grinned at him and locked the door, leading him to the kitchen. When he saw everyone sitting around the table, I thought for a moment he was going to break down in tears. Kat and Sally hugged him and I introduced him to the rest of the crowd. He grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down, and almost word for word, he told them what we had already discussed earlier. Kat started laughing and he looked at her in puzzlement until she explained that I had already told all of them the same thing earlier. I was surprised when he laughed and said he had me trained well. I gave him the finger when Timmy wasn't looking and he broke out in laughter. The whole time we sat there, eating and discussing what happened, he never asked once where we had been when everything broke out after the Feds and my back-up had arrived. I did get a chance to ask him about the envelope he had in his safe and he looked at me kinda funny for a moment before he answered.

"Funny you should ask about that, Jon. Myrna called last week and reminded me that I hadn't given it to you. She also had me do a bunch of deed changes and other personal stuff for her. Jon, that woman is eerie the way she had things organized. All of the changes she requested were pre-signed and notarized. All I had to do was transfer them and have them recorded. Jon, I have no idea what's in it because your grandfather swore me to secrecy and paid me ahead of time to handle it when the time came. He said it would be a big surprise to you and Sally both when it was opened."

I started to say something when the intercom buzzed. It was the gate saying that my boss and an FBI agent were here and wanted to come in. He said they didn't have warrants but if I insisted they would get them. I told him to just let those two in and no one else. After he said ok, I looked at everyone and they all had what looked like a grimace on their faces. Jerry was also looking and noticed it.

"Don't worry, they're in my court now so let me handle it."

I went to the front door and let in Sid and Glen. Glen started in with the bluster that all Feds seemed to think was their job. I stopped and looked at him and he sputtered to silence. I turned and they followed me out to the kitchen. When we walked in and Glen saw Jerry, he went off again. This time I just smiled as did Jerry before he interrupted him.