Bonner Incident (20 page)

“Ben, that was stupid. They could just as easily have shot you,” Buck said shaking his head.

Shrugging, “Well, I had twenty or so friends over at the house at the time and you won’t believe it, but they brought their rifles with them,” he said smiling.

“Ben, could you get away from the feds when you leave here?” William asked with a serious face.

Reaching a hand up, Ben stroked his long red goatee and smiled at William. Leaning over and looking down the table at Buck, “Buck, can I get away from someone who’s watching me?” he asked with a grin.

Buck gave a snort. “I have several deputies that can testify to that.”

Ralph reached over stabbing the table with his index finger. “These aren’t deputies, and if you’re caught contacting a fugitive in flight, they will crucify you and there will be little I can do.”

“I’m shocked that you’d even suggest I’d be caught,” Ben said in mock horror still stroking his goatee as William reached over and pulled a sheet of paper off of Ralph’s legal pad and took his pen.

“I’m serious Ben. They are quoting laws that nobody’s heard of and they are enforcing them,” Ralph said. “That’s my advice. But if you do try to contact someone, I suggest you don’t use any person’s phone who knows you.”

“Duh, it was my cellphone I used last night,” Ben chuckled. “I knew they would have it and all the others in the crew.”

“Ben, after hearing that recording, I’m certain they are pulling all communications in around here.”

“Yeah, it’s really easy to do,” William said writing. “They let a computer scan the conversations for keywords and then it will zero in when they pick up one. A friend of mine hacked the program once and he said it was really good.”

“William, you’re sitting in front of a law enforcement officer,” Ralph said in a low voice.

“I said ‘a friend’,” William said still writing.

Sonya reached over, rubbing his head, “You don’t lie well hon,” she smiled with tears in her eyes.

“I’d like to see anyone prove it was me,” William said looking up, laying the pen down and folding the paper in half. He turned to Ben and smiled. “I never thanked you for getting Dad to promote me to foreman Ben,” he said and pushed the folded paper to Ben.

Dropping his hand off his goatee, Ben’s face became serious as he picked up the paper and read it. His eyes got big then looked over the paper at William then back down to the paper. His eyes moved over the paper and his mouth was moving but nothing was coming out, like he was memorizing.

Ben closed his eyes and moved his mouth like he was talking for several seconds then opened his eyes and looked at the paper, reading. Suddenly, he smiled and crumpled the paper up and shoved it in his mouth making William and everyone else gasp in shock. “I didn’t say eat it!” William cried out.

Chewing the paper up and swallowing hard, Ben rubbed his throat as Buck passed him a bottle of water. “Thanks,” Ben said hoarsely and then drained half the bottle.

They all stared at him in shock as Ben looked at William smiling. “I didn’t want anyone to see my thank you letter, seeing as how I got emotional,” he grinned reaching over and ruffling William’s hair. “Besides, who’s going to dig it out now?”

“Dad’s right, you’re crazy,” William laughed.

“Among other things,” Sonya said raising her eyebrows.

“Sonya, don’t,” Ben said raising his hands. “Barbara and Sammy moved in with me three weeks ago.”

Sonya froze and William reached over to pat his arm. “I’m glad,” William said. “Mom didn’t like you whoring around.”

“William,” Sonya said snapping out of her shock. “When did you tell Joshua?” she asked looking at Ben.

“Day before the shit hit the fan,” Ben said. “I think he had other things on his mind, Sonya, so don’t be mad that he didn’t tell you.”

She reached over and patted his hand. “I’m not, but you need to tell me these things.”

“Hello?” Buck said from the end of the table. “Will someone address the reason I asked you here?”

“We will say a prayer that Joshua finds out,” Sonya said slowly turning to Buck and looking at the legal pad William had torn the page from. “You are too smart, dear.”

“What? I’ve seen how you can see what was written on a pad after the page has been torn out,” William said with a grin. “Can we go to the store?”

“Of course,” Sonya said getting up. “Which one?”

“I don’t care, I just want to piss those guys following us off,” William grinned.

Buck picked up the phone, “I’m going to send a deputy with you.”

“Buck, you have one at the house,” Sonya said slinging her purse over her shoulder.

“Right. At your house, where you are not at,” Buck said then spoke into the phone.

“Wow,” William said pointing at the black box beside the windows. “A laser mic disruptor.”

“Huh?” Ralph said standing up.

“It makes it so they can’t use a laser on your windows to hear what’s being said inside,” William explained as Ben and Ralph stood up.

Ralph looked at the box and then at William. “Where do I get one?”

“You can’t as a private citizen, but I’ve got the plans for that one at home.”

Buck stood up and walked over, shaking everyone’s hand. “Please stay safe,” he said looking at Sonya. “If William or you are hurt, Joshua’s not the only one who will deal retribution.”

“We will Buck, but I swear, if they screw with me, they will bite off more than they can chew. Mrs. Anderson is staying at the house with us and she really wants to shoot a fed. She paid some of her friends’ kids to guard her house while she’s at mine and told them to bury anyone they shoot. She told them to plant them in the front flower bed, the ground needs fertilizer.”

William laughed, “Nana brought her double barrel shotgun over and it’s bigger than she is.”

Ben hugged Sonya and William. “I need to go,” he said. “I’m going to do my part on pissing off the feds. I’m on my motorcycle.”

The others watched him walk out and Buck shook his head. “Never in my life would I believe I would be teaming up with Ben.”

“Don’t worry,” William said pulling Sonya to the door. “Dad said he could keep Ben out of trouble, but the only other person that could do it was Gene and he’s going there to tell him about my thank you letter.”

When they’d left, Buck stood alone in his office. “Joshua better instill some fear in his boy,” he said staring at the closed door. “William thinks he’s ten foot tall and bulletproof.”

Chapter Ten

Winding down a small canyon road, Frank slowed as he pulled up to Gene’s shop. Cracking the door of his F250, Frank slowly opened it, knowing a rifle was in Gene’s hands. Even if Frank couldn’t see Gene, Frank knew very well that Gene could see him, and gave Gene time to see who it was. Stepping out slowly, he saw Gene step out of the shop, lowering the barrel of his Winchester 270. “What’s up Gene?” Frank said closing the door of the truck.

“Not much Frank,” Gene said leaning the rifle behind the doorway.

Glancing around the hillsides of the valley that Gene’s house and shop sat in, Frank walked over to the shop as Gene sat down in the doorway. “Me and the rest of the crew was wondering what to do about jobs. With Josh gone and the equipment hidden, we still need to eat.”

“Well, Sonya told me she was going to cover fifty percent of your wages, that plus your rocking chair money, you’ll do well,” Gene said as Frank stopped in front of him.

“Damn it Gene! That’s not what we were worried about. We’re loggers and we want to work not be on the Dole. I haven’t collected unemployment in over a decade. Don’t want to start now, because Sonya can’t keep that up for long,” Frank said scratching his chin and spitting out his chew. “Tell Sonya thanks and we appreciate the offer but we will work and help her and William out, not be a drain on them.”

Watching Frank dig in his pocket, Gene waited until Frank pulled out his can of ‘worm dirt’ and placed a new dip in his lip. Having given up snuff years ago, Gene looked on with a little envy. As Frank closed the can, Gene got up, “Give me that can, I need a dip,” Gene said taking it out of Frank’s hand.

Watching Gene get a dip, Frank was spellbound. Gene sighed, putting the pinch of Copenhagen in his cheek and closing the can, slowly savoring the moment. “Frank, I understand your point. I feel castrated sitting here not working, but Sonya and Will need my help and God knows, Ben’s gonna be a handful. He wants to start a guerilla war on the feds.”

“Yeah, he’s already trying to get me and Kyle to help him,” Frank said spitting a stream on the hard packed ground.

Taking his hat off and running his hand over his head before putting it back on, a habit he had when he was thinking. “There are no jobs around here this time of year. Ours was the only one working,” he said then looked up at Frank. “Tell you what, give me a few days to come up with something that will keep the crew together.

Hearing that from Gene filled Frank with relief. “Okay,” he sighed. “Let us know.”

They continued bullshitting as Gene formulated a plan.

“Well, it’s almost feed time, so’s I’m gonna head for home,” Frank said as he turned and headed for his pickup. “Let me know. Tell Sonya and William that the whole crew is behind Josh and them, and to call if they need something.” Frank settled behind the steering wheel and he started the big Ford up as Gene gave him a nod.

Watching Frank drive off back down the dirt road, Gene grabbed his rifle and headed to the house to get his work phone book and truck keys. He had to make a call that wouldn’t be traced.

Pulling into a pizza parlor in Newport, the only place with a payphone nearby, Gene shut the truck down and looked back down the road. He knew he wasn’t a secret agent, but there wasn’t that much traffic in the panhandle of Idaho and he never saw another vehicle behind him.

Satisfied, he climbed out of the truck and walked over to the payphone, unloading a handful of quarters and setting his phonebook down. Grabbing the phone from the cradle, he dialed a number in Western Washington and a computer voice told him the amount for the first three minutes. Giving a startle, Gene started feeding quarters in the phone. “Damn near can drive there for that,” he mumbled.

When the quarters were in, the line started ringing as Gene looked around and saw a group of kids walk out of the pizza parlor. On the seventh ring, “What do you want?” a raspy voice answered.

“Damn Eddy, you ain’t got any better in all these years,” Gene shouted back at Eddy Shore.

“Who the hell is this?” Eddy snapped back.

“It’s Gene, you grouchy old coot, from Idaho.”

“Shit,” Eddie grumbled. “What the hell is going on with Josh over there? The news is calling him a terrorist, by God. I know better than that. Them fed jay-birds probably had it coming. I know they sure do over here on the ‘wet side’. Damn, I may go and find me some to shoot.”

“Calm down Eddy. I need to talk some sense to you,” Gene sighed. Eddy Shore was a real old time logger. He was an old friend of Joshua’s dad. Eddy was ninety-one and a veteran of the Second World War.

“Since when do you know anything about sense?” Eddy grumbled and shut up.

“Eddy, did you ever transfer the titles to the Madill tower and link belt loader Josh bought from you ten years ago?”

“Hell no,” Eddy chuckled. “Josh said that an old logger always had to keep his equipment or he might have to go to work for some other outfit. Why? Besides, we shook on it and that’s a bond better than any paper.”

“You think you could find a small job for me?” Gene asked lowering his voice as the kids walked past him.

“What?!” Eddy bellowed over the phone and Gene yanked it away from his ear to hear the tirade. “You turnin’ your back on Josh?! Damn your hide, I oughta come over there and kick your butt!”

Bringing the phone back to his ear, “Calm down,” Gene shouted. “This will be to help Josh, but you could get dragged into this.”

“Oh, okay,” Eddy said calmly and Gene heard him spit.

“I want to keep our crew together and working till Josh gets this worked out. There’s just no work here right now.”

“Well, I heard down at Kelly’s that there was a small independent mill looking for a high lead side to do a thirty-acre cedar job near La Push for the Indians. Said none of the locals were available for a small job.”

Taking his hat off, brushing his hair and replacing it as he thought, Gene jumped when the electronic voice said. “Please deposit a dollar fifty for more time.” Shoving quarters in, Gene wondered how they could sleep charging that much.

Six quarters later, Gene spoke. “Could you call the mill and try to get the job in your name?”

“Iffen it will help Josh, I’ll try.”

“Do it now and I’ll call you back in two hours,” Gene said.

“Don’t give a man much time to un-retire, but I understand the hurry up,” Eddie replied and he hung up.

Looking at the phone, “Damn, he’s sure short on formalities,” Gene mumbled. Hanging up the phone, and getting back the few quarters left, Gene grabbed his phone book and headed inside. He sat down and a waitress came over holding out a menu.

“No thank you,” he grinned, “Pineapple and sausage pizza and beer.”

Two hours and a few Millers later, Gene walked across the street to the Gas & Go and bought a roll of Copenhagen. When the clerk went to get his change, “Quarters please,” Gene said, opening the roll and pulling out a can.

Dumping the quarters in his pocket, Gene walked out the door opening the can. “I should shoot the feds myself, getting me riled up enough to start dipping again,” he grunted and shoved a dip in his lip.

Snatching the phone up, he dialed the number and just started shoving quarters into the phone, hoping the little electronic lady inside choked on them. Hearing the phone start ringing, he stopped with the quarters as the ringing stopped for the second time and Eddy shouted, “What took you so long?!”

“I had to buy some chew,” Gene answered spitting.

“Well, Eddy Shore Old Time Logging is back in business, if you want. The mill said I could have the contract,” Eddy explained. “The damn pirates will barely cover wages, but at least I ain’t got no equipment payments and the mill will cover trucking. And the timber is all cut.”

“Good,” Gene sighed. “What shape’s the tower and loader in?”

“Okay, as far as I know. I just store it for Josh. Probably take two weeks to get it up to speed.”

“Tell you what I’m gonna do,” Gene spoke thoughtfully. “Frank and four or five others will be over next week to start repairs. I’ll get them a grub stake of ten to twenty grand to cover cost.” He was sure Sonya would cover his gamble.

“Now, you’ll have to pay their wages and expenses. We need to keep Josh and Sonya out of this to protect his equipment over there. Use the grubstake until the mill starts paying. I’ll see you receive the profits,” Gene finished and yanked the phone away.

“FUCK you AND the horse you rode in on GENE!” Eddy bellowed and Gene swore he felt his hair and beard blow back. “I’m gonna come over there and kick your ass. I don’t want one dadburn dime for this. I respect that young man too much!”

Hearing Eddy take a breath, Gene brought the phone to his mouth. “Easy, old timer.”

“Don’t ‘easy me’. I’m so hopping mad, I may just take that .45 I kept after Iwo Jima and start a war against them tree hugging brush hippies and feds over there,” Eddy growled and spat.

“Don’t do that!” Gene snapped. “That won’t help Josh or his crew.” Not hearing Eddy rant, Gene continued. “Just keep them working and doing what they know best. They’re good men as you know, but they’ll get in trouble if they stay here.”

A grunt sounded over the phone and Gene took that as okay. “Is that hot-blooded Ben coming over? You know, Clallam County jail’s got a cell named in his honor and the county sure could use the bail money. Josh always pays to keep him on the job.”

“I don’t know, Ben’s about to go crazy over this. He’ll most likely stay over here,” Gene sighed really wanting Ben to go. “Tell the county, sorry about lost revenue.”

“Fuck ‘em,” Eddy huffed.

“Eddie, you call Frank and set up the details once you get the contract signed. Be best if you don’t call me till this is over. And Eddie, keep all this on the QT.”

“You don’t worry about that. Tell Josh if you can, I’m behind him one hundred percent,” Eddy said in a cheery voice.

“I will. Frank can catch you up on what went down when he gets….,” Gene stopped as the electronic bitch came on. ‘Please deposit a dollar fifty to continue.’

“Hope you choke woman,” he growled shoving quarters in till the phone came back on.

Hearing Eddy breathing, Gene continued. “When Frank gets there, the phones will be bugged.”

“Fuck ‘em,” Eddy said as he hung up.

“Uh! Bye,” Gene replied hearing the dial tone. “Crusty old coot,” Gene said hanging the phone up.

Gathering his quarters, he stuffed them back in his pocket and opened the door of his F350. He turned the key waiting for the glow plugs to shut off as he thought. “Hopefully Frank and the others will go for this deal,” he mumbled and fired up the engine and headed to Frank’s.

Chapter Eleven

After sleeping for ten hours and spending a day organizing the dugout, Joshua loaded up basic equipment on the horse and mule way before sunrise and set off to get radio reception. Not only the two police radios he took but public radio. He needed to get information about what was going on. The forest and mountains where he was currently located were called ‘a wilderness’ for a reason, and radio reception was impossible.

He headed for Priest Lake, staying on the west side since there was nothing on the upper north side but wilderness; but there were cell and radio relay towers there. They served the state park on the east side of the lake and a few parks on the west.

Taking off his cap, Joshua reached up and rubbed his buzz cut head. The inch-long hair on his head felt funny till he rubbed his clean shaved face. “I look weird,” he mumbled and put his cap back on. Luckily, the only part of him that was weathered were his forearms, his face was just as white as the rest of his body. He had been worried that half his face would be ghost white from his beard, but there was very little difference.

“Momma would be happy,” he said reaching down to pat King and looking back at the mule. He was worried about leaving the mule because if anyone did come near, a mule in a rope corral would be suspicious. If he would’ve left it, he would have to go back just to feed it, so the mule was trailing along.

At noon, he reached the bottom of Upper Priest Lake and the FBI radio started to crackle with weak signals. When he was half way to Priest Lake, he was getting a good signal for both radios and he started to try and decipher what was being said.

Reaching back in the saddle bag, he pulled out the cellphone William had given him. He turned it on to see the screen say hello as the phone powered up. Looking around through the thick forest, he looked up, barely seeing blue sky above him.

Chris had been in the Gulf War and had taught everyone what the government could do. He’d taught everyone how to hide from thermal scopes and drones whether they wanted to learn or not. When Chris got out of the Army, he’d had a serious distrust for the government. At the time, Joshua didn’t understand, but then he started seeing how the government treated its veterans.

‘NNNNN’ rang out as his hand vibrated and Joshua jumped in the saddle. “Jesus!” he cried looking down and realized it was the cellphone vibrating. “Oh fuck,” he said tapping the screen and pulling King to a stop. His mind filled with horrors of his family in danger as he waited for the message to load.

When it came up he saw it was sent yesterday and read,
‘Hey, it’s red goatee. Son said they could trace certain words so can only use plain ones so follow. First from red goatee, your mini me is so smart it’s scary. Second, friend with a star on his chest says neither he nor any like him are after you but the other ones like you met are and they don’t want to bring you in. The bad cowboys will terminate you on sight. Friend with star says adjust your plans accordingly, if you make a mistake it will probably be your last. Don’t hide, evade. The star is standing up for you but he’s fighting the ocean with his bare hands. FYI, star put a man at your house and by the time you get this one of the crew will be there at all times.