THE BLUE STALKER (12 page)

             
“That’s right start with the big boxes.”  Alicia ordered them.

             
As they pulled their carts closer to the boxes Ella walked from the bathroom.

             
“Gentlemen,” she said, “you will be well paid.  It’s too much for us ladies.  We’ve been shopping all weekend.”  Ella said pointing to Alicia, “She has blisters on her feet.”

             
“Ella, I can carry my bag.”  Susan said.

             
“That’s not necessary these young men will take care of everything.”  Ella told her.

             
The young men started stacking the boxes as high as possible and made several trips to the parking garage.  The station wagon was full including the back seat.  All three of them had to set in the front seat.  Good thing Ella had a bench seat.  Susan fastened her seat belt and Alicia tried to buckle her belt. 

             
“It aint gonna buckle.”  Alicia told the ladies.

“Let’s start over.  Susan you unbuckle, now Susan you buckle Alicia.” 

             
Alicia pulled the belt out as far as possible.  Susan pushed until she heard a snap.

             
“There that wasn’t so bad.”  Alicia said as she twisted herself around and breathed out.  Susan twisted and turned squishing Alicia she finally got her belt buckled.  Ella seated herself behind the steering wheel, pulled her belt over her shoulder and lifted her left butt cheek.  She pushed on the belt latch finally she heard a snap.

The ladies cheered and Alicia announced she needed to pee before heading down the road.

             
“What!” Ella screamed.

             
“Just joking.”  Alicia said as she gave out her heehaw laugh.

             
The ladies were packed in for a long drive back to Coopersville.  They sang oldies, told jokes and laughed as they drove down the highway.

             
When they arrived at the store Juan and Ron were waiting at the front steps.

             
“We thought you guys would have a lot to unload so we’ve been sitting around here getting acquainted.”  Juan told Ella as he headed for the car.

Ella and the team unloaded the boxes setting them in the shop. 

             
“Well, everyone thank you for all your help.’  Ella said.

             
“Ella,” Susan said, “I had a great weekend.  It was sure a lot of fun and a lot of work.  I’m glad we all three got to know each other.”

Alicia spoke up.  “I can’t say the same but I can say you are some kinda shopper.  Okay, I had a blast.”  Alicia said with her heehaw laugh.

             
“Can everyone be here tomorrow morning at nine sharp?”  Ella asked.

             
Everyone nodded their head and started toward the front door.  Juan got in his red truck; Alicia threw her baggage in her big sedan and headed out. Ron and Susan started to walk off.  Ron was carrying Susan’s luggage.

             
“Ron, did you and Susan walk here?” Ella asked.

             
“Yes, Ella we don’t have a vehicle but our place is just down the street.” 

             
“Hop in I will drop you off.”  Ella told them.

             
Ron placed Susan’s bag in the back seat. Opened the front passenger helped Susan in and hopped in the back seat with the luggage.  Ella drove down Main Street.  Ron pointed to an old apartment building.  It looked as if it could fall down with a big gust of wind.

             
“That’s were we live, you can drop us here.”  Ella stopped the car.

They piled out of the station wagon, Ron retrieved Susan’s bag and they waved good-by.

             
“You want me to pick you up in the morning?”  Ella asked. 

             
“No, that’s not necessary it will do us good to walk.  Thank you, Ella.” they said in unison.

             
Juan was opening the kitchen door just as Ella drove up the drive. 

             
“I beat you home.” Juan laughed.

             
“Yes, you did but young man you have to study this booklet and get your driver’s license before you drive that truck much.”  Ella told him in a matter of fact tone.

             
“That I will do,” Juan said in agreement.

             
“And Maria also needs to study and get her license.  There will be times she will need to drive such as taking Jose for his doctor’s visits or to the market.”  Ella told him. 

             
“We will study tonight around the fireplace.  Maria is pretty smart and I can learn pretty fast.”  Juan assured Ella.

             
Maria knew Ella had been on the road and would be tired and hungry when she arrived home.  She had a nice Mexican dinner of enchiladas, refried beans and rice prepared.  The aroma from Maria’s cooking lingered throughout the house and out to the breezeway. 

             
“Juan, we must get in the house, dinner is calling us.”  She laughed rubbing her tummy.

             
Soon after dinner Maria and Juan cleaned the kitchen and were off to see Jose.  Ella stopped them and reminded them Juan should not be driving without his driver’s license.

             
“I’ll take you tonight but I want you to study when you get home and tomorrow afternoon I will take you for your test.  Maria if you’re not ready I will take Juan and you can get your license later.”
 
Ella told Maria.

             
“That’s okay Ms. Ella we will both be ready to take the test tomorrow afternoon.”

             
As Ella drove out of the drive she noticed a car a short distance parked down the road.  The car kept his distance but followed them to the hospital.  As she pulled into the hospital parking lot she looked in her rear view mirror to see the blue sedan pass.  Ella knew she was being watched but didn’t know why.

             
Juan and Maria made a game of studying the booklet.  As if they had studied together before.  By the next afternoon they had it down.  Ella took them to the DMV and waited outside on a park bench as they each took the written test.  Both came out with smiles saying they passed the written test with a 100%.

             
“Now, we have to drive for the man.”  Juan told Ella.

Juan went first and came back with a big toothy grin. 

             
“I’m a licensed driver.  Juan said jumping up and down.

             
“I’m nervous Ms. Ella, Maria said.

             
“Now, don’t you worry Maria you’re pretty and they rarely fail the pretty one’s.” Ella laughed.

             
“Go ahead Maria you’ll do fine.”  Juan assured her.

             
As Maria drove out the drive she looked nervous.  Her hands were white from holding so tight to the steering heel.  In a short time she drove back into the designated parking place for the test cars.  She got out of the car and the gentleman handed her a paper.

             
She sheepishly look at us and, yelled “I passed, I  passed, I passed!”

NINE

             
Agent Harris, pushed his chair back rose up from his desk and abruptly walked past Agent Parker’s office.

             
Agent Parker came running out of his office asking, “Where you going?”

             
“I don’t know I just feel like there’s something out there we are missing.  I’m going to drive around town.”

             
“Okay, if I go with you?”  Agent Parker asked.

             
“Not a problem, four eyes are better that two.” Agent Harris laughed.

             
They drove up and down the streets.  As they drove past the house on Fifth Street Agent Harris noticed a couple of window shades were up.

             
“They got passed us last night.”  Agent Harris said in amazement.  “How did that happen?  I’ve had the place staked out for days.  I know we are not perfect but somebody dropped the ball.”  Agent Harris noted.  “Let me know who was on stake out last night.  We may have a turncoat in our agency.”  Agent Harris said.

             
Agent Harris pulled to the curb each stepping out of the car.  Agent Harris walked to the front door. Agent Parker covered the back door.  Agent Harris repeatedly rang the door bell.  The house was quiet.

             
“Something is wrong.”  Agent Harris relayed to Agent Sam.  “We need to get a search warrant before we go busting in here.”

They made their way downtown which was a few blocks to the district attorney’s office and was issued a search warrant.

             
Agent Harris with his team of agents surrounded the house.  Sheriff Brady was informed of the bust; a few of his deputies were there to assist the FBI.  After knocking a few times, Agent Harris ordered his agents to knock down the door.  With a large 6 x 6 beam they literally swung into action.  The agents scurried in as the door f䥄
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ng open.  The house was vacant, totally trashed with food wrappers, soiled clothes, drug paraphernalia, and cigarette butts rubbed out on the carpet and blood stains throughout the house.  Shoes were piled in a closet.  The Coyotes slipped away in the dark of the night. 

             
Agent Harris kept quiet.  He knew someone had informed the Coyote’s of their planned bust but who would the turncoat be?  He didn’t know where the men were taken but he knew they were in danger of being murdered. 

             
“I feel we let the poor Mexican men down.”  Their lives aren’t worth two cents now that they have left the drop-house.  They probably already met a shallow grave in the desert.”
             
             
             
             

             
Agent Harris said shaking his head as he walked off disappointed he let them down.  Why? He thought are they always a step ahead of him.

             
“We need to search the desert on the outskirts of town.  They won’t take them far on the main road in fear of being pulled over.”  Agent Harris gave orders.

             
The agents spread out over a twenty mile radius taking every dirt road they came upon.  Agent Walters and Agent Nader were canvassing the northeast corner as the sun was dropping behind the mountain range.  A couple miles off the main road they took off on a narrow sparsely graveled road which almost immediately turned to packed sand.  The agents noticed tire tracks; they knew a vehicle had recently been over the road.  The desert winds erase tracks soon after they are laid.  With the high winds they had earlier in the day it was obvious the tracks were fresh. 

             
“Payday if we can get to the Mexicans before they are murdered.”  Agent Nader said as he turned down the road. 

             
They radioed Agent Harris and back up were on the way.  They shut the engine off and waited.  Agents soon were placed strategically around the building and the white van.

             
“We need to check the van before we enter the shack.”  Agent Harris said. 

             
With an agent at every opening they jerked the van doors open.  There lay or sat a dozen Mexican men with hands tied and bloody.  Bloody from being tied so tight the ropes were cutting into their wrists.  Their feet were scabbed over from being sliced at the on set of their kidnapping. 

             
“Shhhhhh,” the agents cautioned with forefingers across their lips.  “Can all of you walk?  They asked as they looked around helping each out of their prison.

             
One Mexican man spoke up.  “All but Java.”  Pointing to a young man in the corner.  “His leg is broken.”

             
“We are here to rescue you.  Do you see the men with FBI on their uniform?  Follow them and they will take you to a waiting van.”