A.G.E's Joint

 I stared at the phone for a good minute soaking in the words. Could this get any weirder? A dog barking at a squirrel next to my bench brought me back to reality. "I assume you have some questions?" Williams' voice was sharp. "Only one. Where were you yesterday?" "My place, mostly." A swan took flight across my field of vision, settling in the cold water next to a clump of trees. "Cleaning up the Bartlett file for the lawyers." "No side trips?" "Not up that way." I looked at my shoes. For some reason the cold making my feet numb. "Met one of the lawyers for lunch at Mary Mac's to discuss the final report for Bartlett. That was at 1. I was back about 2:30 and worked until about midnight." "Ok." Williams sighed. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but it was the truth. "I might need to you to come in again. I'll let you know." And he was gone. Somehow,...

  As I pass the gazebo, the swans begins to fuss, the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. I sit down and watch as the birds play in front of a family with a loaf of bread. The most bold of the birds chases a girl up the bank, hoping the something will drop. They were as bad as the bag ladies outside my building. I had to get away from the screen, so I came down to the park. Being cold and a weekday, virtually no one was here. I pull the hood up closer as the wind picked up. Angie said I looked like a bear in the heavy coat. And the thought made me wish I was in San Juan. That I had not chickened out and put up with being the stranger in the strange land. I want empanadas, plantains, and rum. I want her curls in my face and her scent in my nose. Marion County released the Sunset to the insurance company, the arson case had gone cold with Herrington still in the wind. The estate will get paid and that's all the lawyer care about. Their circus, not mine. I met with them yesterday to f...

 The line under the picture of the current Sherriff said "To Serve Man" stood just inside the door. It a twist on the old "To protect and serve" most departments use. I look a little harder while I'm waiting in the security line. He is a clean cut, military looking guy. It makes me wonder what secrets he's keeping. Yeah, I've gotten cynical. I had texted McMillan of my arrival. "Come on in" was the immediate replay. I sigh. I was hoping for a minute in the parking lot to collect my thoughts. I put my gun in the lockbox under the dash and head on in. As I get out of the car, I notice the sign on a post next to my car: "Directions to the Travolta Farm here!", with a box of maps. You would think you were in L.A. or something. I guess this backwater place has to have way to fight the Holiday Blues. I empty the pockets at security. No issues. I didn't think there would be. A couple seconds I see McMillan. He was a dead rin...

  Gray rain was coming down in sheets and coffee is doing nothing for my sour mood. The clock shows 9:30 and I’ve been up since 5 bouncing from site to site. I want to be where it’s ten thousand degrees in the shade. I need a break and turn on the TV and stare at the screen. A preacher in a gray silk suit is blasting the “word.” “Glory, glory Hallelujah! The sun is shining down.” The Suit’s message: “Sinners send tithes to multiply our mission.” You’d think they get off the platitudes and work with the Sinners themselves, like Donna, or Delores, or some guy in prison. Nah. That’s too hard. Pharisees are like that. They forget the why. It’s the other guy’s problem and his money should go to a better home, like me. Send the money in today. It’s been a long time since I darkened a church door. Got tired of the corporate line of “salvation” and Sevilles, playing church for all to see. Modern Pharisees was what Angie had called them. People going through the motions and putting on a sho...

Jerry broke the surface and gave the thumbs up. The boat was ready. In a few minutes he was back on board. Paco, the new guy, scurried on the deck of the barge to get ready for the new cargo. First set. Second set. When he got the third done, Jim pulled the gantry lift handle. The numbers on the hydraulic pressure gauge began to rise. Everyone grabbed for the opposite rail as the tug started listing starboard. It happened fast. Screeching cables echoed against the pines on the opposite shore as the motor belched smoke. It was a glorious morning to be out on the lake, clear skies and somewhat clearer waters. The weather had been calm for days. Long enough to be able to see the tops of the trees ten feet below the surface. Heat bore down on the tug and its crew. It had taken a whole lot longer than planned, but that was neither here or there. With what they knew, The Last Chance should come up in one piece. Pretty lucky for something scuttled with dynamite. His life had always be...