CHAPTER 8
"Come on! Will ya? I want to get in there before the crowd starts rolling in to get one of them back corner tables!" Gable said. He was as jumpy as a jar full of crickets.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Tudor called. "Don't know what your hurry is. People won't even start coming in until closer to 8 and it's only a little before 6." But Gable had someplace to be before 6:45 and it might take him awhile to get there and back. Tudor knew nothing about his little side trip.
"All right, I'm ready." Tudor came out the door and down the steps. "Now, where did you go?" Tudor called out when he didn't see Gable by the cars.
"I'm right here," he heard Gable say from somewhere behind him. He started to turn around as Gable put a bullet into the back of his head with the 9mm. Tudor never knew what hit him and dropped to the ground like a stone. Gable emptied Tudor's pockets and stripped his clothes off, then dragged the dead weight to the passenger side of Judy Moody's Maverick that was parked next to the stolen Buick. Judy was the one floating in Brewer's Pond. Her body would be found by the next fisherman who launched his boat there. He needed Tudor's body for something else. He pushed and shoved until he got him into the passenger seat and fastened the seatbelt. He ran around to the driver's side, started the engine and drove off in the direction of Tuckers Junction.
The dirt road that crossed the railroad tracks was just outside of town and about 3 miles from the cabin as the crow flies. but 8 miles by roadway …bout 15 miles from the Palomino.
Gable drove the car onto the tracks, put it in park and turned off the engine. He had already checked the CSX train schedule and knew it would blow by between 6:30 and 6:45. There was a fairly sharp curve in the tracks a little ways from where he left the car. With all the tree coverage and bushes, the engineer wouldn't see the car until it was too late to stop the train. The police would be called in but when they found the body with a big whole in its skull, they would call the detectives in and Lonnie would have to leave the Palomino.
He pulled the body over into the driver's seat and propped it up as best he could. He took off at a jog staying on the dirt road, not worrying about any footprints he might leave. Once he cut Jamison down to size, it wouldn't matter if they caught him or not. He would have gotten what he wanted and would go down fighting.
He cut across the woods and made it back to the cabin by 6:25. He changed clothes and shoes, made a final check of everything and hurried out to the Buick. He heard the train whistle as he pulled the car back out onto Wildberry Road. Right on time, he thought happily.
Sharon and Barry were up on the stage checking mics and monitors when Lonnie and Elle walked in. The place was pretty well deserted, but that would change.
"Hey, chick!" Sharon called from the stage. "Cute outfit! Is that new? OMG, I'm gonna steal those boots!"
Elle's new cowgirl boots were black leather with square toes and had flowers and vines embroidered on them with silver, red and yellow metallic thread. She had fallen in love with them at the mall and had to have them. Her new dress with her old denim vest and the boots looked great on her.
"Hey there, Sissy,"( her nickname for Sharon), "Got us up and running yet?"
They made their way onto the stage and the girls gave each other a hug. Then Sharon hugged Lonnie and called to Barry, "Look whose here!"
The girls sat down on the edge of the stage to go over the song list for the night and make any adjustments. Elle sang harmony for Barry and Dave during their sets and they would do the same for her. Sharon would get up sometimes and sing harmony for Elle on songs she was fond of. When Elle had started with the band, it was like she had always been part of them. There was no adjusting to be done, she just picked right up and took off.
Lonnie made his way over to Barry, Dave, and Tim who were setting up their instruments and shook hands all around.
"How's it going, Lonnie? Chief Gilespie and Virgil keeping you busy? Hey Elle!"
"Hey there, Honcho." She called him that because he was head honcho of the band.
"You know it," Lonnie laughed. "You wouldn't think there would be so much crime in a small town."
Dave jumped in, "These small towns just seem to draw the criminal element, don't they?"
"They sure do. It's hard to keep a handle on it and I think we got more than our fair share," Lonnie said.
Gus came out of the office with Tammy, the bass player. More hellos were exchanged. He caught Lonnie's attention and motioned him off to the side by pointing with his chin.
Gable cracked the door open and peeked inside.
There she was with another woman sitting on the stage, looking at some papers in her hand. Her mouth was moving and she was tapping her right foot. She must be singing quietly to herself, he thought.
Jamison was standing on stage with his back to the door, so Gable took the opportunity to slip in and grab a table farthest away. He had let his hair grow longer and dyed it a raven black. He was wearing horned rim glasses with plain lenses and let his mustache grow over the last few days. He didn't think Jamison would recognize him.
Mary Grace came over and took his order. A Budweiser from the tap.
More people started coming into the bar and Gable tried to stay back in the shadows as much as possible. He watched Gus pull Lonnie back toward his direction.
Don't come over here! Gable began to panic a little. If Jamison did recognize him, it would be all over.
They stopped to sit down at a table a few feet away. Lonnie turned his way as he pulled his chair out to sit down. He nodded his head at Gable and said, "evenin'".
"Good evening," Gable returned the greeting, trying to disguise his voice as best he could.
Jamison leaned toward the other man and the two began to talk. He couldn't hear what they were saying but did manage to hear Elle's name. He had dodged a bullet. Jamison hadn't recognized him.
Gus said, "Lonnie, Elle is doing great. The crowd has increased more than I ever expected. I was wondering if you would consider letting her add an occasional Friday or Saturday night."
Lonnie tapped his fingers against the table top and looked at Gus.
"It just so happens that I wanted to talk to you about Elle, Gus. I want her to drop the last Tuesday for the time being."
"Oh no, Lonnie! Why?"
"Well, long story short, an old enemy of mine is back in town and until I can locate him to find out what he's doing back here, I would just feel better about things. I can't be with her here on that Tuesday and this is a fair piece from our house. Right now, I'm more concerned with her safety than your turn out."
"Well, I certainly understand that Lonnie, but you know we already watch her like a hawk when you're not here to do it."
Gus would do anything to keep Elle singing there.
"I know and I appreciate that. I really do. But this guy I'm talking about could be dangerous. It's not so much her time here as it is the drive to and from that concerns me," Lonnie said as he sat back in his chair.
"Let me come get her and bring her home then. You know I don't mind to do that one little bit."
But Lonnie just shook his head no. "Thanks, Gus. But this is the way it needs to be for now. Could you just go along and not fight me on it?" "It's Elle we're talking about, Gus. MY wife!"
Lonnie heard sirens in the distance and looked toward the front window. Barry started making some announcements about upcoming events at the Palomino.
"Yeah, ok, ok. How's Elle feel about it?" He asked sounding defeated. He hoped Elle had fought it but knew that Lonnie had already put his foot down.
"I didn't give her a choice, Gus."
"When it's all over, I get her back right?"
Lonnie smiled at the other man and said, "sure nough! And if she wants too, I'll even agree to one Friday or Saturday night a month. But only if she wants too."
Lonnie knew he would have to agree to it if he wanted to make it up to her.
They got up and shook hands. Gus headed over to the bar and Lonnie headed to the door to see where the sirens were headed.
Elle was telling Sharon that Lonnie was making her give up that one Friday for the time being and why, when she heard sirens in the distance. They blew past the Palomino and headed on down the road. She watched Lonnie go to the door and step outside to see where they might be heading.
Even though it was his night off, he couldn't help himself. With his training, finding out where any siren was headed, be it police, fire or ambulance was engrained in him after so many years on the force.
Two of his department's cars and a fire and rescue truck sped by toward Wildberry Road and Tuckers Junction . Lonnie hoped it was just a traffic accident but knew it wasn't when he saw more flashing lights turn onto Tyler Road from the opposite direction.
Elle was already up on stage getting ready when Lonnie came back in. He headed to their table but changed direction halfway there and walked back toward where he had been sitting .
Lonnie thought maybe he should check into that stranger he had spoken to earlier before his talk with Gus.
Gable heard the sirens and said yes, in his head. He was beginning to wonder about the police response time in this town. The poor citizens of Sparta made to wait while those on duty officers finished their coffee and sandwiches or took a whiz.
"Excuse me, sir. I'm Detective Lonnie Jamison with the Sparta PD." Gable looked up into a face he despised. The band starting playing so Lonnie moved in closer so he could talk to the man without yelling.
"Yes, Detective?" Gable spoke in his other voice.
"Well, sir I don't believe I've seen you in our fair city before and I'm afraid I didn't catch you name earlier."
Elle had started to sing something upbeat to get the crowd going. A song called, Pour Me, by Trick Pony. Tudor had been right. The girl was really good. Really, really good.
"That's because I didn't throw it at you, Detective." Gable almost let the fake accent drop, he was so amazed at Elle's voice. Gable gave a pretend chuckle to show he was just kidding.
Lonnie smiled slightly too and said, "Well sir, would you mind throwing it at me now and telling me what business you have in Sparta?"
"Names Wilbur Hayden and I came up from Galveston to look at some property over near Kennard. Someone told me about this young lady and what a great little singer she is. Now if you don't mind I'd like to enjoy the show and my beer without any more questions, thank you." He glared at Lonnie through the glass lenses and pursed his lips like his old grand pappy used to do.
Elle started in on her second song, Two Doors Down. It was a slow tear jerker and a few couples were dancing on the wood dance floor off to the side of the stage. Lonnie looked at the man with a slight frown on his face.
"Just trying to keep our city safe, Mr. Hayden. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Lonnie headed back to the table and sat down to listen to his beautiful wife finish her set. She would look over at him and smile or wink every so often. He was mad at himself for making her give something up she enjoyed doing, but she still had the first Tuesday. He just wanted her to be happy and he wanted to be the one to make her that way. He was selfish when it came to her. He really didn't want to share her with anyone.
About 30 minutes into Elle's set, a waitress walked over to Lonnie and bent close to his ear to tell him he had a phone call. "Thank you, Mary Grace."
"Your welcome, Detective."
Lonnie walked over to the bar and picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Hey Lonnie, it's Peake. We gonna need you to meet Virgil out here on the old dirt road by Tuckers Junction. A car got stalled on the train tracks and we got one dead." They could barely hear each other over the noise on both ends.
"Sounds like a regular police matter to me Peake."
"Well sir, it would be if the dead man hadn't had his brains blown out before the train hit him."
"Alright. Tell Virgil I'll be there in a few minutes."
Here we go! Here we go! Gable was almost giddy. It was working just like he wanted it to.
Lonnie walked over to the edge of the stage and motioned Elle over. She nodded at him and when the instrumental portion of the song started she went over.
"There's been a homicide over at Tuckers Junction. I gotta go but I'll send Peake or Luke to come get you when it's over and run you home. Ok?"
It was time for vocals again so she said ok and bent to kiss him.
Gable watched Lonnie get up and go to the stage and speak to Elle briefly. He had ordered a double whiskey when the waitress had come back around and the glass shattered into a million pieces when Elle leaned forward to kiss her husband.
