In the interest of keepin' all this together and for those who might have missed it here is a link to the post I did earlier with the introduction and pro log to this story. It kind of introduces the main character and teases you with a little action and familiarizes you with the business of Bail bondsmen and Skip tracers (bounty hunters). https://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/408362-writing-i-may-get-back-into.html
I will keep this going by chapters in this thread so it should be easy to keep it all together. I feel good about it now as I'm into it. One of my favorite writers, Stephen King was once interviewed and the interviewer asked him how he writes. He said that all he has to do is to come up with some characters and a general outline for a beginning and at some point the story kind of takes on a life of it's own and writes itself. You just get pulled a long with it to hit the keys. That is about how it works for me too. I hope y'all enjoy this.
Here a while back I posted the Pro log of a story I'm working on as I try to get back into writing. I been foolin' around with it a little so here's a couple of chapters. Lemme know what you think. And like before I know I can't type but what I want from y'all is your opinion of it as an entertainment. Thanks
Live and Die on the Beach
Chapter 1
It was a dark and stormy night. Yeah, yeah, I know, but it really was. The rain was coming down in sheets and the lightening was flashing and the wind was shaking Toby's beach house like it was a toy doll house. All the houses here were on stilts in case of high tides and sometimes a good storm could give it a good shaking. Just one of the inconveniences one has to put up with for the pleasure of living on the beach.
A sudden clap of thunder was so loud it nearly knocked Toby out of his bed. And to further enrich the experience Bo, Toby's cat, a 34 pound Main coon jumped up on the bed and started licking the gashes on Toby's face. A couple of passes with that sandpaper tongue and it was oozing again. Wonderful.
When Toby noticed that the ceiling fan wasn't running he realized that the power was off. He moved Bo out of the way and got out of bed. Bo was a talker. Whenever something, ANYthing, displeased him he was always quick to complain. And being forcefully pushed out of the way always displeased him. A lot of dogs and cats are frightened of storms but not Bo. He would park his big behind in the front room window and watch the lightening and rough surf, frequently commenting on the scene.
His next door neighbors, Terri and Traci, were in their mid twenties. Not Rhodes scholars but nice and very good neighbors. They were twins and Toby never was quite sure which one he was talking to unless they were together. He looked out the window and noticed that they were both outside with flashlights looking around under the house. Toby put on his slicker suit and grabbed his flashlight and went down stairs and over to help the girls if he could.
Toby asked, "What are y'all doing out in this storm?"
The storm was so loud they had to yell to be heard. Terri said, "Our power is off and we are trying to find the fuse box and get the lights back on."
Toby yelled back, "Your circuit breaker box is in a closet in the master bedroom. There aren't any fuses. This storm has taken out a transformer in the area and all these houses on this street are without power until the power company can fix it. Do you have any candles?"
The girls just looked at each other so Toby said, "Come on, lets go take a look." And he followed them up to their house. They found some utility candles and he set them up in the living room and kitchen and bathroom. They thanked him and told him that they'd be fine until the power came back on. Toby went home to set up some candles of his own.
Bo was not in a good mood. Still unhappy about being pushed out of bed and then being left alone. And somewhere in all this he discovered that his food bowl was empty. Mr Toby had much to answer for. You know how cats are. They are slow to forgive even the slightest offense. But fortunately they have a brief attention span so things usually work themselves out before too long.
Toby's face was hurting so he decided to just stay up and not bother with trying to go back to sleep. He set out a few candles and made a pot of coffee. Stormy times are good times to have a gas stove and an old percolator. The sun would soon be up so he decided to have a little coffee and then take a shower and Give Kip a call to see if there was anything interesting (read profitable) going on. And and later Give Karen a call and see if they could set up plans for dinner that evening.
The hot shower relaxed him and he decided to stretch out on the couch for a few minutes before getting dressed and making his calls. He wrapped a towel around himself and went into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Just as he closed his eyes Bo jumped up on the couch and curled up between Toby's feet, one of his favorite places, apparently willing to let by-gones be by-gones. Which one went to sleep first would be anybody's guess.
Toby and Bo were startled awake by the ringing of the cell phone on the coffee table. The storm had passed but the power was still off and property owners were out picking up debris on the beach and straightening up their deck furniture. In a sleepy and slurred voice, "Hullo." It was his best friend Eldon Tanner. They had known each other since junior high school. Eldon's family had money so he never made too much of an issue of getting a career or anything. He was a big guy, 6'4" and 270 lbs.
He was very athletic and muscular and had played some college football and minor league baseball and had some martial arts training. But about the only thing he did consistently and regularly was work out. He had a gym in his home and spent a lot of time lifting weights and exercising. He had muscles in places where most guys don't even have places.He was a good looking guy, all the more so since he'd let Toby talk him out of his mullet haircut a couple of years ago.
He hated salt water and the beach. It was the biggest difference between him and Toby. Toby was always trying to get Eldon to come spend a weekend with him on the beach. He just say, "No thanks." Then mumble something about all the sand getting in places that it had no business being and change the subject. He had been a Marine recon and small arms instructor. Sometimes Toby would enlist Eldon's help on some of the tougher recovery cases. Eldon was a little on the wild side...a playboy for sure...but he was all business when he was on a case with Toby. He was 100% dependable and in fact has saved Toby's bacon more than once.
"I just called to see how you made out in the storm. We had some wind damage over here in North West Houston. A little minor street flooding but nothing too serious. Soon as it stopped raining the water went down and the streets were passable. My condo lost a few shingles but no broken glass. So, the beach pad still up on it's legs? You and that lazy cat alright?"
"Yeah we're alright. The power is still off and by the was Bo isn't lazy. He's just.....deliberate. You know, Not one to waste energy. The beach is a mess right now. Lots of debris layin' around and the seaweed is beginning to wash up on the beach too. I guess the City will by by this afternoon to start pickin' it up."
"Well I'm glad you and your lazy cat are alright. How'd you make out yesterday?"
Toby gave him the short version and reminded him once more that Bo was not lazy. He had some calls to make and he needed to straighten up his own deck so he rang off and told Eldon he'd call him later.
Toby spent an hour or so picking up around his place and then he called Karen. She inquired as to how his face was doing and he told her it hurt like the dickens. She suggested he come over for a little more TLC. She offered to cook dinner for him and that was all it took. "Do I get to pick what we have for dinner?"
"Of course, like I didn't already know what you'd choose." Karen did the baddest pork loin anywhere and Toby's favorite meal was that with roasted new potatoes and braised asparagus. They talked about the storm some and Karen told him that she's suffered now damage at her home in the Houston Heights area. Didn't even loose power. He told her he was going to call Kip and then work a little more on straightening up from the storm. She told him as they hung up that dinner was at 7:00PM sharp. He assured her that he'd be there with bells on. He meant it too. Karen had little or no patience with tardiness. When she said 7:00PM sharp she meant 7:00PM SHARP.
When Toby put his cell phone back on the coffee table he notice that Bo was sitting in the recliner staring at him. Sometimes you can tell what a cat is thinking by the expression on his face or his body language but not always. This was especially true of Bo. He could be absolutely inscrutable and this was one of those times. About 5 years earlier Toby heard a ruckus on the deck right outside the front door. He looked out the window and saw two cats fighting. One was a regular size tabby of about 12 to 15 pounds or so and the other was a huge Main coon that weighed 34 pounds. His head was huge. Toby couldn't figure out why that smaller cat would stand and fight a monster like that but he was a game little guy, despite the fact that he was gettin' his butt handed to him.
Toby opened the door to shoo them away and the smaller cat took off like his tail was on fire, which it very nearly was. The big guy sat down, gave his right front paw a lick and stared Toby right in the eye. Toby closed the door and forgot about it. Next morning the big guy was still there. His opponent was no doubt a couple of hundred miles away by now but the big guy just sat there where he caught and held Toby's eyes....and began "talking". He finally stood up and walked over to Toby and brushed up against his legs a couple of times and then walked right between them into the house and jumped up in the recliner and curled up and went to sleep.
Toby was impressed with this cat and decided to let him stay. He was still armed on both ends and had all his "equipment" so Toby decided to let him be an inside/outside cat. He could go out when he wanted to and come in when he wanted to. Eventually Toby fixed him a little cat door in the front door to come and go as he please. He'd go and stay out for a couple or 3 days sometimes but when the pickin's on the beach didn't suit him he'd come "home" and spend some time in the house.
Toby had taken him to the vet and was told he was about 3 years old. He was examined and weighed and given a clean bill of health. He was at once fiercely independent and very needy. Sometimes he'd be gone so long that Toby'd wonder if he was coming back. Sometimes he'd sleep on the bed curled up against Toby's legs. He was affectionate when he was "home" but not really much of a lap cat. He was satisfied to be in the same room as Toby and somewhere not too far away from him. Toby was not one to like having an animal jump up in his lap every time he sat down so it all worked out to their mutual satisfaction. Their relationship seemed to be just what they both needed for it to be.
Toby was sitting at the kitchen table eating a cold left over piece of fried trout and sippin' a cold Shiner Bock when his cell phone rang. He looked at the number and saw it was Kip. "Hey Kip, what's up. I was gonna call you later today and see if you had anything for me."
Kip was quiet for a minute and then said, "Hi Toby. Yeah I got one but I'm not gonna pressure you on this one. It's a bad one and is going to be a handful for whoever goes after it. I'd almost rather eat this one than take a chance on getting you hurt...or worse. Do you think your friend Mr. Tanner would be available to help you on it. The money wold be enough for the both of you. But like I said...no pressure. If you don't want it I'll understand and even be somewhat relieved."
"Dang it Kip, stop teasing me and tell me about it. Start with the money."
"Well, The money's good. REALLY good. A million five. 10% of that even split two ways will keep you in fish bait for eternity. I...."
Toby interrupted. "Hold on Kip. You're not talking about Gilbert Mullins....tell me you are NOT talking about Gilbert Mullins. I heard you posted his bond and I couldn't believe it. I'm not the least bit surprised that he skipped but I am shocked that you bonded that guy. What were you thinking?!"
Silence. Then Kip said, "Go ahead rub it in. I guess I deserve it. I knew better. I didn't get where I am in this business by being stupid. I guess I'm now serving my last term as president of the Texas Bail Bondsmen's Association. But done is done and can't be undone. If you want to think it over call me tomorrow morning and let me know what you decide. I'll try to have some information for you if any is available. While you are thinking it over please stay mindful of the fact that he is charged with 3 counts of first degree murder which he is guilty of without any doubt. He's a bad one Toby. Crazy as a bat and smart as a fox. He'd kill you for a stick of gum. They don't call him the Tasmanian Devil for nothing."
"I'll talk to Eldon and see what he thinks. I haven't decided about Karen just yet. If I go after Mullins I don't think it'd be a good idea to tell Karen. At least not until it's over and I can wave that money in her face. I gotta let this eat on me for a bit. I'll call you in the morning.
This was all Toby could think of all during the dinner that Karen fixed for them. It was great but Toby felt awful about not being totally honest and he was also not quite sure he should take this one. Karen sensed his distraction and kept after him but he just explained it away by saying he was tired and his face hurt.
Chapter 2
Eldon was all over it. He loved to go out after bail jumpers with Toby. But he wasn't giving this situation due thought. "Come on Eldon. Think about it carefully. Neither one of us has ever gone after anyone like this. Not even close. This guy ain't no purse snatcher. He hunted down and killed 3 men in a most brutal way. I know you got your kung fu or what ever and your guns but we may be over our heads on this one. We could get bloody....very bloody on this one."
"Not to worry Tobs. Have you ever seen what a 230grain Speer Gold Dot .45 auto will do to the human head? I hear you bro. He ain't no choir boy. He's an East Texas red neck with a long history of crime and prison and he loves to kill people. I remember the case well. It was in the news for weeks. He went to prison over a robbery and attempted homicide of a police officer. His 3 partners got away and he went to the pen for 12 years. When he got out he looked up up one at a time and explained his disappointment in very graphic terms.
"But a guy like that is gonna make mistakes. He's on the run now and he's scared. He has no plan. He has no resources. I know we'll have to be careful but I know we can take this guy. We can get as crazy as we need to, we are already smarter. And you know I'm with you 100 %. I would never let anyhing happen to my little buddy. Karen would have my gizzard for breakfast."
'Well then if you're sure. And speaking of Karen don't you dare breath a word of this to her. I'll tell her I'm goin' on a job but I'm not telling her that you are going with me. She'd know that if I had you along that I was expecting trouble. When it's over she is going to be mad enough at me as it is when she finds out what the job was. I may even lose her. But with this money I can retire and go into another line of work. Get my private eye license or something. I'm supposed to call Kip in the morning and let him know one way or the other. Lets both be thinking about it and I'll call you before I call him."
"Cool beans then Tob. I'm in and mum's the word. Talk to you in the AM.
Toby was very unsettled. Fear and guilt were taking their toll. "I need to go fishing", he mumbled to himself. The storm was over but the surf was still rough and the bull reds and other bottom feeders would be running the sand bars. On a whim he grabbed a surf rod and took a package of frozen mullet out of the bait freezer and headed for the surf. The twins were fooling around on the beach when he got there and they wished him luck. Now that the power was back on and everything was okay they were back to being their usual playful selves. They both gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck and he hit the surf. He baited up with a 5" mullet and cast into the gut between the second and third bars. There are 3 sand bar that run the length of Galveston Island beach front. Typically the fish swim the guts feeding on the drop offs for crabs and other shell fish that are always there.
He was so distracted that he wasn't really paying strict attention to his fishing. Just then he felt a powerful pull on his rod. Something big had just taken the bait. It was pulling line off his reel and seemed unstoppable as it headed out for the open gulf. But Toby was a very experienced surf fisherman. He had good equipment and knew how to handle a big fish. One thing is to have plenty of strong line on your reel and another is to know how to set the reel's drag (resistance to a fish pulling on it) Too tight and the fish might break the line. Too loose and he could spool you (pull all your line off).
He played the fish just right and it began to wear out. When he at last walked it to the beach the twins ran up squealing and giggling and jumping up and down. Traci asked him what he was gonna do with it. He told her it was a black tip shark and that they were very tasty and he was going to clean it and cut it into steaks and one day soon he'd have them over and grill it out on the patio. Have hush puppies and cole slaw and all the trimmin's. This obviously pleased them as they continued to squeal and jump up and down.
Next morning when Toby called, Eldon picked up on the first ring. "So, we all set then?"
Not surprised at Eldon's decision to go or his enthusiasm Toby said, "Yes I s'pose we are. I'm not comfortable with it but I can't think of a good reason to let it go. Are you all set? Got all your toys and brushed up on your Kung Fu?"
Eldon laughed and said not to worry bro. I got my two Colt gold cups my little Sig 380 on my ankle for back up and my Ar-10 if I need to reach out and touch someone and enough magazines and ammo to take over a small country. How 'bout you? You still stickin' with your wheel guns. I've told you before you need to get you a good .45 auto loader."
"I'll just be taking my Smith and Wesson N frame .44 special and a little 5-shot .357mag for back up. I have an AR-15 and I'll bring it if you think it might come in handy."
"AR-15?? That's just a noisy .22. Oh go on and bring it. Might need to shoot a poodle. You need to get the 10 that is a .308. One of them and you're open for bidness!"
Toby ignored Eldon's jabs and said, "Okay then I'll give Kip a call and then I'll call you back and we'll make a plan.
Toby's hand trembled as he dialed Kips number.
I will keep this going by chapters in this thread so it should be easy to keep it all together. I feel good about it now as I'm into it. One of my favorite writers, Stephen King was once interviewed and the interviewer asked him how he writes. He said that all he has to do is to come up with some characters and a general outline for a beginning and at some point the story kind of takes on a life of it's own and writes itself. You just get pulled a long with it to hit the keys. That is about how it works for me too. I hope y'all enjoy this.
Here a while back I posted the Pro log of a story I'm working on as I try to get back into writing. I been foolin' around with it a little so here's a couple of chapters. Lemme know what you think. And like before I know I can't type but what I want from y'all is your opinion of it as an entertainment. Thanks
Live and Die on the Beach
Chapter 1
It was a dark and stormy night. Yeah, yeah, I know, but it really was. The rain was coming down in sheets and the lightening was flashing and the wind was shaking Toby's beach house like it was a toy doll house. All the houses here were on stilts in case of high tides and sometimes a good storm could give it a good shaking. Just one of the inconveniences one has to put up with for the pleasure of living on the beach.
A sudden clap of thunder was so loud it nearly knocked Toby out of his bed. And to further enrich the experience Bo, Toby's cat, a 34 pound Main coon jumped up on the bed and started licking the gashes on Toby's face. A couple of passes with that sandpaper tongue and it was oozing again. Wonderful.
When Toby noticed that the ceiling fan wasn't running he realized that the power was off. He moved Bo out of the way and got out of bed. Bo was a talker. Whenever something, ANYthing, displeased him he was always quick to complain. And being forcefully pushed out of the way always displeased him. A lot of dogs and cats are frightened of storms but not Bo. He would park his big behind in the front room window and watch the lightening and rough surf, frequently commenting on the scene.
His next door neighbors, Terri and Traci, were in their mid twenties. Not Rhodes scholars but nice and very good neighbors. They were twins and Toby never was quite sure which one he was talking to unless they were together. He looked out the window and noticed that they were both outside with flashlights looking around under the house. Toby put on his slicker suit and grabbed his flashlight and went down stairs and over to help the girls if he could.
Toby asked, "What are y'all doing out in this storm?"
The storm was so loud they had to yell to be heard. Terri said, "Our power is off and we are trying to find the fuse box and get the lights back on."
Toby yelled back, "Your circuit breaker box is in a closet in the master bedroom. There aren't any fuses. This storm has taken out a transformer in the area and all these houses on this street are without power until the power company can fix it. Do you have any candles?"
The girls just looked at each other so Toby said, "Come on, lets go take a look." And he followed them up to their house. They found some utility candles and he set them up in the living room and kitchen and bathroom. They thanked him and told him that they'd be fine until the power came back on. Toby went home to set up some candles of his own.
Bo was not in a good mood. Still unhappy about being pushed out of bed and then being left alone. And somewhere in all this he discovered that his food bowl was empty. Mr Toby had much to answer for. You know how cats are. They are slow to forgive even the slightest offense. But fortunately they have a brief attention span so things usually work themselves out before too long.
Toby's face was hurting so he decided to just stay up and not bother with trying to go back to sleep. He set out a few candles and made a pot of coffee. Stormy times are good times to have a gas stove and an old percolator. The sun would soon be up so he decided to have a little coffee and then take a shower and Give Kip a call to see if there was anything interesting (read profitable) going on. And and later Give Karen a call and see if they could set up plans for dinner that evening.
The hot shower relaxed him and he decided to stretch out on the couch for a few minutes before getting dressed and making his calls. He wrapped a towel around himself and went into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Just as he closed his eyes Bo jumped up on the couch and curled up between Toby's feet, one of his favorite places, apparently willing to let by-gones be by-gones. Which one went to sleep first would be anybody's guess.
Toby and Bo were startled awake by the ringing of the cell phone on the coffee table. The storm had passed but the power was still off and property owners were out picking up debris on the beach and straightening up their deck furniture. In a sleepy and slurred voice, "Hullo." It was his best friend Eldon Tanner. They had known each other since junior high school. Eldon's family had money so he never made too much of an issue of getting a career or anything. He was a big guy, 6'4" and 270 lbs.
He was very athletic and muscular and had played some college football and minor league baseball and had some martial arts training. But about the only thing he did consistently and regularly was work out. He had a gym in his home and spent a lot of time lifting weights and exercising. He had muscles in places where most guys don't even have places.He was a good looking guy, all the more so since he'd let Toby talk him out of his mullet haircut a couple of years ago.
He hated salt water and the beach. It was the biggest difference between him and Toby. Toby was always trying to get Eldon to come spend a weekend with him on the beach. He just say, "No thanks." Then mumble something about all the sand getting in places that it had no business being and change the subject. He had been a Marine recon and small arms instructor. Sometimes Toby would enlist Eldon's help on some of the tougher recovery cases. Eldon was a little on the wild side...a playboy for sure...but he was all business when he was on a case with Toby. He was 100% dependable and in fact has saved Toby's bacon more than once.
"I just called to see how you made out in the storm. We had some wind damage over here in North West Houston. A little minor street flooding but nothing too serious. Soon as it stopped raining the water went down and the streets were passable. My condo lost a few shingles but no broken glass. So, the beach pad still up on it's legs? You and that lazy cat alright?"
"Yeah we're alright. The power is still off and by the was Bo isn't lazy. He's just.....deliberate. You know, Not one to waste energy. The beach is a mess right now. Lots of debris layin' around and the seaweed is beginning to wash up on the beach too. I guess the City will by by this afternoon to start pickin' it up."
"Well I'm glad you and your lazy cat are alright. How'd you make out yesterday?"
Toby gave him the short version and reminded him once more that Bo was not lazy. He had some calls to make and he needed to straighten up his own deck so he rang off and told Eldon he'd call him later.
Toby spent an hour or so picking up around his place and then he called Karen. She inquired as to how his face was doing and he told her it hurt like the dickens. She suggested he come over for a little more TLC. She offered to cook dinner for him and that was all it took. "Do I get to pick what we have for dinner?"
"Of course, like I didn't already know what you'd choose." Karen did the baddest pork loin anywhere and Toby's favorite meal was that with roasted new potatoes and braised asparagus. They talked about the storm some and Karen told him that she's suffered now damage at her home in the Houston Heights area. Didn't even loose power. He told her he was going to call Kip and then work a little more on straightening up from the storm. She told him as they hung up that dinner was at 7:00PM sharp. He assured her that he'd be there with bells on. He meant it too. Karen had little or no patience with tardiness. When she said 7:00PM sharp she meant 7:00PM SHARP.
When Toby put his cell phone back on the coffee table he notice that Bo was sitting in the recliner staring at him. Sometimes you can tell what a cat is thinking by the expression on his face or his body language but not always. This was especially true of Bo. He could be absolutely inscrutable and this was one of those times. About 5 years earlier Toby heard a ruckus on the deck right outside the front door. He looked out the window and saw two cats fighting. One was a regular size tabby of about 12 to 15 pounds or so and the other was a huge Main coon that weighed 34 pounds. His head was huge. Toby couldn't figure out why that smaller cat would stand and fight a monster like that but he was a game little guy, despite the fact that he was gettin' his butt handed to him.
Toby opened the door to shoo them away and the smaller cat took off like his tail was on fire, which it very nearly was. The big guy sat down, gave his right front paw a lick and stared Toby right in the eye. Toby closed the door and forgot about it. Next morning the big guy was still there. His opponent was no doubt a couple of hundred miles away by now but the big guy just sat there where he caught and held Toby's eyes....and began "talking". He finally stood up and walked over to Toby and brushed up against his legs a couple of times and then walked right between them into the house and jumped up in the recliner and curled up and went to sleep.
Toby was impressed with this cat and decided to let him stay. He was still armed on both ends and had all his "equipment" so Toby decided to let him be an inside/outside cat. He could go out when he wanted to and come in when he wanted to. Eventually Toby fixed him a little cat door in the front door to come and go as he please. He'd go and stay out for a couple or 3 days sometimes but when the pickin's on the beach didn't suit him he'd come "home" and spend some time in the house.
Toby had taken him to the vet and was told he was about 3 years old. He was examined and weighed and given a clean bill of health. He was at once fiercely independent and very needy. Sometimes he'd be gone so long that Toby'd wonder if he was coming back. Sometimes he'd sleep on the bed curled up against Toby's legs. He was affectionate when he was "home" but not really much of a lap cat. He was satisfied to be in the same room as Toby and somewhere not too far away from him. Toby was not one to like having an animal jump up in his lap every time he sat down so it all worked out to their mutual satisfaction. Their relationship seemed to be just what they both needed for it to be.
Toby was sitting at the kitchen table eating a cold left over piece of fried trout and sippin' a cold Shiner Bock when his cell phone rang. He looked at the number and saw it was Kip. "Hey Kip, what's up. I was gonna call you later today and see if you had anything for me."
Kip was quiet for a minute and then said, "Hi Toby. Yeah I got one but I'm not gonna pressure you on this one. It's a bad one and is going to be a handful for whoever goes after it. I'd almost rather eat this one than take a chance on getting you hurt...or worse. Do you think your friend Mr. Tanner would be available to help you on it. The money wold be enough for the both of you. But like I said...no pressure. If you don't want it I'll understand and even be somewhat relieved."
"Dang it Kip, stop teasing me and tell me about it. Start with the money."
"Well, The money's good. REALLY good. A million five. 10% of that even split two ways will keep you in fish bait for eternity. I...."
Toby interrupted. "Hold on Kip. You're not talking about Gilbert Mullins....tell me you are NOT talking about Gilbert Mullins. I heard you posted his bond and I couldn't believe it. I'm not the least bit surprised that he skipped but I am shocked that you bonded that guy. What were you thinking?!"
Silence. Then Kip said, "Go ahead rub it in. I guess I deserve it. I knew better. I didn't get where I am in this business by being stupid. I guess I'm now serving my last term as president of the Texas Bail Bondsmen's Association. But done is done and can't be undone. If you want to think it over call me tomorrow morning and let me know what you decide. I'll try to have some information for you if any is available. While you are thinking it over please stay mindful of the fact that he is charged with 3 counts of first degree murder which he is guilty of without any doubt. He's a bad one Toby. Crazy as a bat and smart as a fox. He'd kill you for a stick of gum. They don't call him the Tasmanian Devil for nothing."
"I'll talk to Eldon and see what he thinks. I haven't decided about Karen just yet. If I go after Mullins I don't think it'd be a good idea to tell Karen. At least not until it's over and I can wave that money in her face. I gotta let this eat on me for a bit. I'll call you in the morning.
This was all Toby could think of all during the dinner that Karen fixed for them. It was great but Toby felt awful about not being totally honest and he was also not quite sure he should take this one. Karen sensed his distraction and kept after him but he just explained it away by saying he was tired and his face hurt.
Chapter 2
Eldon was all over it. He loved to go out after bail jumpers with Toby. But he wasn't giving this situation due thought. "Come on Eldon. Think about it carefully. Neither one of us has ever gone after anyone like this. Not even close. This guy ain't no purse snatcher. He hunted down and killed 3 men in a most brutal way. I know you got your kung fu or what ever and your guns but we may be over our heads on this one. We could get bloody....very bloody on this one."
"Not to worry Tobs. Have you ever seen what a 230grain Speer Gold Dot .45 auto will do to the human head? I hear you bro. He ain't no choir boy. He's an East Texas red neck with a long history of crime and prison and he loves to kill people. I remember the case well. It was in the news for weeks. He went to prison over a robbery and attempted homicide of a police officer. His 3 partners got away and he went to the pen for 12 years. When he got out he looked up up one at a time and explained his disappointment in very graphic terms.
"But a guy like that is gonna make mistakes. He's on the run now and he's scared. He has no plan. He has no resources. I know we'll have to be careful but I know we can take this guy. We can get as crazy as we need to, we are already smarter. And you know I'm with you 100 %. I would never let anyhing happen to my little buddy. Karen would have my gizzard for breakfast."
'Well then if you're sure. And speaking of Karen don't you dare breath a word of this to her. I'll tell her I'm goin' on a job but I'm not telling her that you are going with me. She'd know that if I had you along that I was expecting trouble. When it's over she is going to be mad enough at me as it is when she finds out what the job was. I may even lose her. But with this money I can retire and go into another line of work. Get my private eye license or something. I'm supposed to call Kip in the morning and let him know one way or the other. Lets both be thinking about it and I'll call you before I call him."
"Cool beans then Tob. I'm in and mum's the word. Talk to you in the AM.
Toby was very unsettled. Fear and guilt were taking their toll. "I need to go fishing", he mumbled to himself. The storm was over but the surf was still rough and the bull reds and other bottom feeders would be running the sand bars. On a whim he grabbed a surf rod and took a package of frozen mullet out of the bait freezer and headed for the surf. The twins were fooling around on the beach when he got there and they wished him luck. Now that the power was back on and everything was okay they were back to being their usual playful selves. They both gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck and he hit the surf. He baited up with a 5" mullet and cast into the gut between the second and third bars. There are 3 sand bar that run the length of Galveston Island beach front. Typically the fish swim the guts feeding on the drop offs for crabs and other shell fish that are always there.
He was so distracted that he wasn't really paying strict attention to his fishing. Just then he felt a powerful pull on his rod. Something big had just taken the bait. It was pulling line off his reel and seemed unstoppable as it headed out for the open gulf. But Toby was a very experienced surf fisherman. He had good equipment and knew how to handle a big fish. One thing is to have plenty of strong line on your reel and another is to know how to set the reel's drag (resistance to a fish pulling on it) Too tight and the fish might break the line. Too loose and he could spool you (pull all your line off).
He played the fish just right and it began to wear out. When he at last walked it to the beach the twins ran up squealing and giggling and jumping up and down. Traci asked him what he was gonna do with it. He told her it was a black tip shark and that they were very tasty and he was going to clean it and cut it into steaks and one day soon he'd have them over and grill it out on the patio. Have hush puppies and cole slaw and all the trimmin's. This obviously pleased them as they continued to squeal and jump up and down.
Next morning when Toby called, Eldon picked up on the first ring. "So, we all set then?"
Not surprised at Eldon's decision to go or his enthusiasm Toby said, "Yes I s'pose we are. I'm not comfortable with it but I can't think of a good reason to let it go. Are you all set? Got all your toys and brushed up on your Kung Fu?"
Eldon laughed and said not to worry bro. I got my two Colt gold cups my little Sig 380 on my ankle for back up and my Ar-10 if I need to reach out and touch someone and enough magazines and ammo to take over a small country. How 'bout you? You still stickin' with your wheel guns. I've told you before you need to get you a good .45 auto loader."
"I'll just be taking my Smith and Wesson N frame .44 special and a little 5-shot .357mag for back up. I have an AR-15 and I'll bring it if you think it might come in handy."
"AR-15?? That's just a noisy .22. Oh go on and bring it. Might need to shoot a poodle. You need to get the 10 that is a .308. One of them and you're open for bidness!"
Toby ignored Eldon's jabs and said, "Okay then I'll give Kip a call and then I'll call you back and we'll make a plan.
Toby's hand trembled as he dialed Kips number.
Last edited:
