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TWO MONTHS LATER SOMEONE ASKED for Jim at the front of the post office. Jim hurried to the front and saw Sam. “What happened to the I’ll-call-you at the end of the month stuff?”
“I’m so sorry. We ran into some problems.”
“You should have called anyway. How long has it been?”
“Too long. I’m sorry. Every week I thought in a few days I would have good news for you. It didn’t happen and the weeks slipped by.”
“Well, tell me what this big problem is.”
“We can’t find the rifles.”
“What do you mean you can’t find the rifles? Aren’t they locked up in some evidence room or something?”
“That’s what we thought. The problem is that the cases were closed and the property went to the next of kin.”
“Do you know who that is?”
“Not really. Our PI pissed off the local police and they can’t seem to locate the chain of evidence logs.”
“Doesn’t the PI understand local protocol?”
“He has a masters degree now! Is there someplace we can talk in private?”
“Sure let’s go outside and use the bench. No one will be there this time of day.”
“When we talked with Kurt about the rifle he mentioned that you came in with Billy Bob Foster.”
“That’s right. So?”
“My occupation forces me to ask. Did you have anything to do with his death?”
“If I said yes, would it help to get Peggy out of jail?”
“I don’t think so. First of all, you’d have no motive to kill him. Would you?”
“What about the fact that he killed Susan?”
“Susan?”
“Yes, Michael’s wife. He tried to blackmail her into having sex with him and she snapped and came at him with a knife. Sam, he shot her four times.”
Sam just couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Are you sure?”
“You need to talk to Nick about it. He knows the whole story. I just know what Billy Bob bragged about doing.”
“Jim, you just don’t know how this news hurts me. You need to know that Michael and I were almost like brothers. When I arrived in ‘Nam, I’d only been a captain two weeks. Michael was the senior warrant officer. We worked together daily. All the other warrant officers had the highest respect for him. If it hadn’t have been for Michael, WOPA (Warrant Officer Protective Association) would have run my flight platoon instead of me. I made a few mistakes initially and Michael took me aside, like a little brother, and explained to me the ramifications of my quick decisions. He made alternative suggestions on how to get the job done using creative leadership. I may have outranked him in the military, but I was the student. He really did the hard work of running my platoon and I reaped the rewards of high reports and medals. So, after what you’ve told me about Susan’s death, if you did shoot Billy Bob I owe you big time. I want you to know I will never ask anything about him again.”
“Michael must have been a wonderful man. I wish I had had the opportunity to have known him.”
“You do know him. His name is Mike. They were like two peas in a pod. Michael asked for my help and I regret I didn’t take the request more seriously. I’m taking your request for help with Peggy very seriously and I will do whatever I can to get her released. I want you to understand it bothers me that if things work out, I will be sacrificing your freedom for Peggy’s. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”
“Be comfortable. What’s that old saying: ‘When you do the crime, be prepared to do the time?’ I am prepared and want to do it. What’s our next step?”
“Truthfully, I’m running out of ideas. But we have got to find those guns.”
“Why don’t you have the PI offer a reward for the rifles? $1,000 for information leading to their whereabouts and $500 for the rifle.”
“You know, that might work. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Basically, Sam, you’re still a cop.”
“Are you going to hold that against me?”
“No way! That’s the only reason I feel we may actually get this mess straightened out. How are you doing for money?”
“We still have a little, but not enough to cover the rewards.”
“I’ll send you another $50,000 by certified mail tomorrow.”
“Good. I’ll put the PI on getting leaflets printed and distributed in both Dexter and Hinesville. This should break the logjam. I’ll give you a call one way or the other in two weeks.”
“Can I depend on that?”
“I promise. Good news or bad.”
“Hopefully it will be good news. You had lunch yet?”
“My treat.”
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