Chapter 26
Word of gunfire coming from the wooded area sent the Haywood team in motion. Nobody asked how soon they could get to the location. What would normally be a 43-minute drive would have to be done faster. Ranger called for the road conditions.
Bones replied, "Compact, watch for ice. Turn at the stone-sided cafe on the left." He assumed Ranger had a GPS, but a visual never hurt.
Ranger relayed the information to Bobby, the driver. The SUV jetted forth. The second and third vehicles behind followed.
-0-
After not seeing movement pass the windows, Lula left her car and made her way to the door. Knocking loudly she started yelling, "LeRoy, let me in!"
A few minutes and repeated the pounding. "LeRoy, Jackie, it's Lula, let me in!" A tall black man dressed in boxer shorts opened the door. Lula didn't give him time to speak. Using what she learned about assertive entries as a bounty hunter assistant, she was passed LeRoy before he registered what had happened.
"Where's da boy?" Lula demanded.
"What the hell are you doing here, bitch?" LeRoy asked as he scratched his chest.
"I knowz you are scum, LeRoy but kidnapping a child? Hurting an old man? Dat ain't your style. You use to have compass'n….for a pimp."
"Unh unh, only with my property. Any fucker that gets in my way, gets cut or worse."
"So a small boy was in your way? The old Latino man driving a car was a threat to you?"
LeRoy decided to change his approach. "I did it for youz, LulaBelle. Youz need money and Jackie and I want to get away from here. Go south where it be warmer."
Lula wasn't buying it. "So youz gonna leave me to deal with da law, while you skip?"
"We was trying to help you 'fore we left."
"Dats why I knew nothing about dis? Youz gonna call me and say, 'Hey Lula, we gots money for ya."
"Yo white girlfriend who worked for Vinnie is close to dem Rangerman dudes," LeRoy shot back, waving his hands. "I donna wanna mess wiz dem."
"Yo got shit for brains. 'Course they gonna get involved. Let me see da boy. Make sure our investment is still living."
"He be sleeping in dat room," LeRoy indicated with his chin.
As Lula started towards the room, she heard Jackie calling for LeRoy asking who came to the door. He went towards the second bedroom, Lula stepped into the boy's room. There was a candle and flashlight next to the door on an old dresser. The candle provided just enough light to see the flashlight. Lula flicked on the light and swept the room. On the far wall was a mattress on the floor. A small lump was curled up under a thin blanket. Next to the bed was a bucket that smelled of urine and fecal matter. Shining the light, Lula saw the flex ties and chain holding one little brown arm near the bolt in the wall. Other flex ties bound his legs. Reaching into her oversized bag, she pulled out a knife and cut the flex ties. The boy was awake, watching her with fear. "I'm a friend of your fathers," Lula said.
"You shot my mother," the boy replied.
"I did. I'ze was afraid and not thinking right dat day. Now we have to get you outta here." Lula went over to the window and tried to raise it. Paint, dust, and warped wood were slowing her progress. Using the knife, she cleared the debris holding the window and pulled it up 14 inches. She turned to see the boy without shoes, pants, jacket with only the thread bare blanket wrapped around him. Her heart broke. He had to be freezing. Looking at his feet, she figured they were close to her size. "Put these on," she said as she removed her boots. Then shucking her heavy sweater underneath her jacket, she gave it to the boy. It hung to his knees. Removing the scarf around her neck, she wrapped his head and neck. "Dats all I can spare without LeRoy getting suspicious. You go out the window and run far and fast. I'll give you as much time to escape as I can. Tell yo mama and papa I'm sorry for…everything I dun that hurt you and her."
Cowboy inched his way through the window with Lula pushing his boot-clad feet. He landed on his feet and ran as his oversized shoes would allow. His papa taught him to keep a star overhead as he moved through the woods. He quickly spotted the North Star and ran towards it. Unfortunately, that was in the opposite direction of the road. He also noted the ground. There were patches of snow, not continual cover. He concentrated on running over the bare earth, not the snow, leaving food prints. He was scared, knowing his mama and dad were not coming for him but hoped Hector and Bobby would.
-0-
"Lula, what you doin' here?" Jackie asked with sleep or drugs still evident in her eyes. She was naked but didn't seem to notice. Where Lula was weight enhanced, Jackie was as skinny as a rail.
Lula was sitting on the dirty couch with her feet tucked up under her so her lack of boots wouldn't be noticed. "I came here to protect my investment."
"What investment?"
"Da boy."
Jackie's eye got wide and her hands went to her hips. "You ain't dun notion to be part of no investment. You talk a good talk, but when it come to doin' da work, you slack off, just as yo did when youz a 'ho. LeRoy, he done all the work. I drove the van."
"So who hit the car the boy was in?" Lula shot back. She couldn't let herself get riled up knowing she'd jump to her feet and they notice the missing boots.
"Ask LeRoy, ain't my job."
"Ask me what?" LeRoy said as he entered the room dressed in jeans, boots, and a sweatshirt. He tossed a robe and blanket to the naked Jackie.
Lula had to prolong the discussion giving the boy a chance at an escape. "Who drove the car that hit the Rangeman vehicle?"
"Why yo care?"
"It can't be you since Jackie said she drove the getaway car. So there must be someone else to split the pot." Lula couldn't let the discussion get heated.
"Split the pot," Jackie yelled. "Yo dun nothing, you fat 'ho." Jackie spun towards LeRoy as if she just thought about splitting the pot with the driver that slammed into the Rangeman SUV.
LeRoy was in Jackie's face, "I told ya, he's not part of dis. He's been paid. Dek knows how to do the job without leave a trace and getting himself away quickly. He dun it before."
Lula mentally shook her head. Why did she consider Jackie a friend? She was nothing more than a back-stabbing 'ho. Her friends were Connie and White Girl. Both accepted her, didn't lie to her.
When Lula gets nervous, one of two things happens, either she gets diarrhea or she wants to eat. She began rooting around in her purse.
"What you reaching for?" LeRoy asked as his hand went behind his back.
Lula felt her gun and cell phone, both of which she might need. Finally, she felt the paper crinkle. "Jerky," she said as she pulled out the pouch. It's not like I came wid Cluck in the Bucket."
"Bitch is there a time you ain't eating?" LeRoy said more to himself than Lula. Jackie wasn't much into the conversation. She was slowly drifting off to sleep or so it seemed.
What Lula wanted her pain pills. Her back was aching and she was getting uncomfortable. She couldn't move around or else her bare feet would be seen. Unfortunately, the pills were back home.
"So why yo really here, Lula?"
"Protecting the child. He ain't dun you wrong. We can get our money and make sure he's returned unharmed."
"Yo soft on da boy 'cause he's Tank's?"
"Da boy be conceived and born before I came along. Not much I can do about it. Seeing as I can't bear kids, maybe if I'm part of the rescue, Tank will take me back."
"What about the mama?"
"She's in some hospital in New Mexico hurt real bad. Some say close to death. Tank is with her."
"WHAT?" LeRoy yelled. The sudden sound woke Jackie. "Howz we to get our money if he away?"
"I thought you had that figured out, LeRoy? Maybe you can ask Ranger for the money?"
LeRoy ran to the front window. "Is Ranger's bitch outside? Did you lead her and Ranger here?"
"Hell no! She and I don work together no more. She's off and got herself a fancy job. She don need Lula anymore. Why don you see I need Tank back and returning his son, alive, is the only way I'ze getting him back!" Lula knew Tank had moved on but maybe LeRoy and Jackie didn't.
LeRoy started to pace, mumbling to himself about changing plans, maybe running, but they were broke.
Jackie wasn't asleep but listening. "We don't need no kid. He will serve his purpose and that's all. We be long gone by then."
"Was you planning to tell them about this place so he could be rescued?" Lula asked.
LeRoy shrugged, answering Lula's question without words. He didn't have time for Lula's questions. He needed to think.
"Were you gonna shoot him or just let him freeze to death back there?" Lula was entering Rhino mode.
Jackie answered Lula, "He wouldn't be here long. After we got our money we'd call back and tell them where he be. Now…I don't know who to call?"
Lula reached into her oversized bag and pulled out her phone. "I gots Tank's number," she said as if speaking to an idiot. "He may be in New Mexico but he can start getting the money."
"He'll want to speak to the kid," LeRoy said indicating he was listening to Lula and thinking.
"It's middle of the night here and back der. Da banks ain't open." Lula involuntarily moved, exposing her feet. "Nothin' to do befor' morning."
LeRoy gazed at Lula. "Lula, where are your boots? Yo came in wearing pink boots."
Lula had to scramble. How much time did the boy need to get far enough away? "They got wet from the snow, so I took them off in the boy's room."
LeRoy wasn't buying Lula's story. "Go gets them and bring them out by the fire to dry."
"LeRoy this floor is cold. I donna want to walk back there and back barefoot. I'm all cozy here. Just leave 'em until morning."
LeRoy stared at Lula then started for the boy's room. Shit. She was going to have to pull her weapon. LeRoy's going to be mighty pissed when he realizes the boy is gone.
LeRoy let out a scream, "He's gone! Lula you fucking 'ho, what did you do with him? Did you hide him somewhere?" LeRoy came out with his handgun in hand. Jackie suddenly jumped up and rushed to Lula, "What did you do?" In her rush to get to Lula, she brushed against LeRoy causing his handgun to fire.
The round passed through Jackie into Lula's abdomen, but LeRoy was only looking at Jackie. Lula pulled her handgun out from under the pillow and fired at LeRoy. The first shot only hit his left arm. The second shot hit center mass and LeRoy fell back.
Lula was trapped under Jackie and couldn't push her off. Each time she pushed, it felt like something burned inside of her. The pain was different than being cut up by Benito Ramirez. Jackie was tall, but skinny. Lula could get leverage to move her to get to her purse and phone. Nobody knew where she was.
Ram and Bones parked on the only clear area close to the turnoff back to the farmhouse. They would run/hike through the woods until they could begin their observation. They didn't know where the gunfire originated. This was the only plowed drive along Old Farm Road. Ram was a former SEAL, Bones a former Ranger, both trained in moving quickly and safely through any type of terrain. The night vision equipment helped. About 200 feet from the house, they stopped and observed. A vehicle was parked out front. Heat signature indicated it had recently been running. It looked like Lula's old Firebird. A second vehicle, a dark SUV sat cold. Bones relayed the information to Ranger. "Lula's car here along with SUV. Moving in to observe."
They moved closer to the house and noted three heat signatures, none of which were moving. One was on the floor, two we sitting. Approaching the porch, they quietly walked over to a window. Looking in they saw the three heat signatures were not in usual sleeping positions. One was on the floor, the other two seemed to be sleeping atop one another.
Ram and Bones reported they were going in but gave no more information. The old dry, wood door was no deterrent to 6'4" Ram and 6'2 inch Bones. Inside the room was poorly lit with only the fireplace and an oil lamp. Bones checked LeRoy who was the furthest from the couch, on his back. Bones shook his head no. Ram lifted the dead Jackie off Lula, noting the single gunshot to her back. Lula was covered in blood, probably Jackie's. Lula was gasping for air.
"Lula, it's Ram from Rangeman open your eyes."
Struggling Lula opened her eyes to Ram's blue eyes barely visible in the dark light. Bones had moved over and was cutting away her clothing trying to determine where she had been shot.
"Where's the boy? Where's Cowboy" Ram asked.
"Who?" Lula whispered.
"Where is Tank's son."
"Pushed 'em….window….escape. Find…..him…..for…"
Lula lost consciousness. Bones had already requested an ambulance but it was at least 30 minutes out. Lula's heartbeat was already becoming thready. Ram had been applying pressure, but Bones knew the location was close to where the abdominal aorta and renal aorta intersected. Damage to either would be fatal before medics arrived. Bones rushed out to the truck and got the advanced medical bags. It took precious minutes Lula probably didn't have. Bones ripped open the QuikStop powder pouring it into the bullet wound then attached the saline bag to Lula's arm. It was all they could do without a hospital.
Lula lasted six more minutes before her heart stopped. CPR was unsuccessful. She had bled out. Ram got up and checked the rest of the house. The backroom smelled of the slop bucket. The dirty mattress was partially covered by a worn, thin blanket. The worst was the eye bolt on the wall with short sections of chain. Nearby were several pieces of flexi-ties. Ram tested the window. It partially opened. This must be how Cowboy escaped.
Ranger and the rest of Rangeman arrived with bright lights ablaze. Tank and Ranger arrived simultaneously. "Report" they both bellowed. Ranger forgave his friend for usurping authority.
Bone stood up wiping his hands. "Three adults dead, boy is missing."
By now Ranger was in and assuming control. "Identities?"
"Lula for certain. One looks like LeRoy, Stark Street pimp, but hard to tell in this light. Unknown female. Lula held on for a while but the damage was too great."
Bobby was checking over Lula. "My guess, aorta. Even in an ER chances are slim to none for recovery."
Ram had returned from looking in the boy's room. "Before she passed out she said she pushed Cowboy through the window to escape. The bedroom over there was where he was held. The window opens just over 12 inches. It would have been a tight fit, but he could have done it."
Ranger turned, "Assemble search." Turning back to Bones and Ram, do we know how long?"
"Unknown. It's been twelve minutes since we heard the gunfire."
Tank went over to Lula, bending down behind her, he ran his hand over her hair, "Thank you for trying to save him, Lula girl." He wasn't sure she wasn't part of the plot. Her aiding his escape might indicate she either had misgivings or was trying to right the wrong. There was no time to think about this now. He needed to find Cowboy.
The men were trained to know what was needed for a search and rescue. Since the nearest scent dog was 60 miles away, they would have to use their training. If there were tracks, they would find them. The problem was, they knew Cowboy's clothes were removed during the kidnapping. Was he now barefoot? Bones spoke up, "Lula is not wearing boots. Not only her boots, but she also had only a thin blouse under her jacket. She might have given her boots to Cowboy."
With predawn light and flashlights, they noted the mushy ground held depressions, like boot prints. There was enough light to make night-vision optics useless. Noting the direction of the tracks, Tank said, "He'll go north as long as he sees Polaris. Come light, he'll go to ground and hide."
Ranger looked at Tank with a questioning face. Tank replied, "He and I did a lot of hiking in Germany and ran scenarios. He's had some Ranger training."
-0-
Rain thrashed in her sleep. While not unusual in head trauma cases, the fact that they suddenly came on was discerning. The patient was trying to get out of bed as she called to he son. Nurses were holding her back while calling for sedation. Rain's doctor came in quickly, but stopped and listened. "Uf, Cowb, uf. C-clim umf." The distressed woman was calling.
The doctor stepped back and took out his phone. "Don't sedate her, yet. Let her verbalize." When the phone call went through to Tank, the big guy moaned noting the caller ID. He didn't need more bad news.
"Doctor, is there a problem? Otherwise, this is not a good time." Tank feared for the call concerned the babies.
"Rain is having nightmares. She keeps saying 'Up Cowboy, up. Climb up.' Does that make sense?"
"Hell yes, thank you!" Tank immediately relayed the word to look up. Cowboy may be hiding above their heads. Slowly the men continued, one team on the tracks, the few they could find. One man on each team began high surveillance. The forest was thicker here, a mix of naked deciduous trees and evergreens. The number of possible hiding spots was growing exponentially. Finally, Lester called out. "I see him. Shit. We will need climbing equipment. He would have to pick the tallest tree."
Like a well oiled machine, half the Rangeman ran back to the trucks to assemble rescue equipment and bring emergency medical equipment. Noting Tank and Ranger beside him, Lester pointed up and said, "I have no clue how he got up there."
Tank looked at the location and possible access. "I know how he did it, but we are all too heavy to scramble the way he did." Looking around, he asked, "Where is Hector?"
"Here he comes," someone pointed out. Hector was carrying climbing equipment.
Ranger tipped his chin up silently asking Hector if he could climb up there. Hector walked around examining the possible climb. Smiling he said, "El es un mono." (He is a monkey). "Fue inteligente al atarse al árbol." (He was smart to tie himself to the tree."
Cowboy legs hung either side of a limb, his body was tucked against the trunk. He appeared to be wearing something pink with matching boots. A bright green six-foot scarf held him to the tree trunk. The boy appeared asleep or unconscious with his head against the trunk, his arms hung down with the garment covering his hands. If he were unconscious or in shock, his legs hanging down could be filling with blood, starving his brain for nourishment.
Ranger was looking over the climbing equipment. "We don't have anything his size. We will have to rig a rope harness." Looking at Hector, Ranger asked, "Can you do it?"
Hector nodded.
"Is he asleep or unconscious?" Tank asked Bobby.
"I can't tell from here. If asleep, any sudden sound might cause him to jerk risking that tenuous wrap around the tree. How do you think he got up there?"
Tank pointed to the smaller tree, "I think he used two trees, climbing up this lower one until he could reach the taller one and then scampered up. None of us could go that way, the branches are too thin. We would need climbing gear."
Hector was getting ready to grow a line to a lower branch in the tree Cowboy was hiding. Twirling the rope with the weight attached, it took three attempts to get the rope over the branch and back down. After securing himself, he quickly climbed to the lower branch and secured himself, before continuing the climb while keeping himself securing himself with each new limb. Once opposite the sleeping child, he gently touched the boy noting a slight deflection in his face. Hector signaled down, "Sleeping."
Bobby visibly relaxed. He turned to say something to Tank, but he was missing. Tank was already in a harness climbing the tree. Meanwhile, Hector began to gently wake the boy to avoid scaring him cause him to jerk and lose his balance. He gently called his name and touched his face preparing to grab him if he began to fall. "Cowboy, mi hermano, desperate, wake up." Hector continued to speak softly and the boy came around.
"Hector?"
Looking around the trunk, Hector smiled, "Good morning."
"Wha?"
"I get you down. You hold onto the tree and I'll rope you."
The boy raised his arms and extended them to the trunk. He couldn't wrap them around completely, but he was slightly more secure. The frightened child kept his eyes on Hector fighting tears that threatened to fall.
Once the rope was around and secured, Hector asked, "Can you wiggle your feet?" The boy nodded and started flexing his feet. "Not too fast," Hector cautioned. Looking at the boy, Hector wanted a more secure harness. After securing the chest wrap to the trunk, Hector said, "You are tied to the tree. Can you lift a knee? I want a rope around legs."
The boy asked, "Like a harness?"
"Si, I make one with rope. Go slow lifting knee."
As each knee and thigh came up, Hector carefully wrapped the rope around, threading it up over the chest rope and back down to complete the wrap while not compressing the femoral artery and vein. After adding a loop to the chest harness, Hector waited for Tank who had paused below. Hector could have taken the boy down himself but understood the need for the father to rescue the son. Attaching a carabiner to the loop and a lowering line to the metal device and securing it to the tree trunk, Hector smiled, "Ready to go down."
"I'm scared."
"No, you climb in gym. We support you. Here same. I have you."
Cowboy swallowed his fear and did as told, sling his leg over the branch, hanging by the rope harness. Slowly Hector lowered him about ten feet until Cowboy could see his father waiting on a lower branch. "Dad!"
"You are doing fine, son." Calling up to Hector, "Hold."
As Cowboy's descent stopped, Tank hooked another carabiner onto Cowboy. "I'm going to have to lower us together. Hands around my neck, legs around my waist. The carabiner will hold the rest of you to me. This will be quick."
Nodding slightly, he understood. After all, he jumped out of an airplane strapped to his father. Cowboy held tight as Tank repelled the remaining 35 feet to the ground. Once the boy was on the ground, Tank set him on his feet but noticed the boy was extremely wobbly. Signaling several Rangemen to bring a litter, Tank held his son until he could be put onto the mobile litter. Everyone moved away from the tree so Hector could descend safely.
Bobby did a preliminary exam noting the boy was disoriented, dehydrated, suffering from exposure, and covered in cuts and scratches mainly on his legs. He could be going into shock. Continuing the exam, Bobby noted to the concerned father, "I'm not finding anything broken, once he's secure, I'd like to start a IV. Then we can move."
Tank only nodded. He had been trained in battlefield first aid but knew Bobby's knowledge was light years beyond his. Still, it was his son on the litter and his parental heart was beating double time.
Looking at Cowboy's concerned face, Bobby said softly, "I'm giving you an IV to start rehydrating you. You will feel better in a few moments."
The Rangemen not manning the litter were quick to buff Hector's shoulder. "Good job, man," each said with barely contained emotion. Such a display on Hector was unusual. Hector was momentarily taken aback. Tank walked up to him and wrapped his arms around him, "Thanks, man."
Hector stood, staring at the bright green knit scarf Cowboy had secured himself with to the tree. Lula loved wrapping the bright scarf around her neck saying it reminded her of Spring. The inanimate object could not be questioned. It rendered no secrets. Why was Cowboy wearing her clothes? Did the kidnappers keep him virtually naked since the abduction? Did Lula give him the clothes or did he find them and take them? If given, how did such an act of kindness mesh with her alleged role in the kidnapping? Had everyone, misjudged Lula? Especially him. Most people saw a bold brash, large black woman with a flash temper and a constant need for self-gratification. Was there more to her?
Ranger looked at his best friend as the big man squatted down, keeping eye contact with his son. For a man known for his lack of emotion, the granite façade not only was fractured but also cracked wide open. While tears had not fallen, his eyes were glassy and his breathing uneven. Tank's fears and emotions were not foreign to Ranger. Had he not gone through the same when his own daughter was kidnapped by Scrog? Just as Tank held himself together, even becoming stronger, so too had he gone into the darkness that most men would find abhorrent. Tank questioning the Slayer, crushing one set of testicles, and threatening another's total manhood was incubated in interrogation techniques but taken far beyond any Geneva Convention. The beast did not roar often, but when it did, the Devil himself would shudder. It was the darkness that kept Ranger from forming a relationship with Stephanie. Yet Tank had that same hole and was trying to fill it in. Could he? Did he want to?
Ranger looked at his other men. Trained to be immune to showing emotion, they all were gulping back emotions or giving into them with giant smiles. At least that was the case until they approached the farmhouse. They knew inside were three dead. Everyone knew Lula. She was Bomber's friend and companion for years. Various Rangemen had shared in the zany events that made up the Stephanie & Lula bounty hunting life. Most knew at one time Tank was involved with Lula. If the cards had been dealt differently, Lula would have been a Rangeman wife.
Cowboy had run several miles, deviating around closely growing trees, but always returning north until the sun rose. His course turned northeast forgetting to account for the sun rising in the southeast during the winter. As they neared their destination, emergency lights flashed in the early morning light. Several county sheriff's and state patrol vehicles and an ambulance were vying for the limited parking area already crowded with SUVs.
The men carrying the litter men went directly to the ambulance. As much as Tank wanted to be with his son, he knew Bobby was needed inside with the ambulance EMT. He backed away just as Ranger ordered, "Hal, you and Tank follow." The understood command was Hal would drive.
Nodding at his remaining men, letting them know they did well, Ranger turned back to the farmhouse. He would stay with Lula, giving her some dignity in death. Standing back, watching the officers in their preliminary exam, Ranger was also cataloging what he saw. Lula's body was on the floor in a last ditch effort to save her with CPR. Jackie near by, her pink robe had opened to reveal a naked body. LeRoy was on the floor, face up, between Lula and the bedroom where the boy was kept. Ranger watched as the first law enforcement officers examined the death scene, captive's room, taking pictures and getting preliminary reports from Ram and Bones.
Stepping out onto the front porch, wanted to clear his mind before he had to go back to Trenton to tell Stephanie her friend was dead. Taking out his phone, he called Frank Plum who was still on the job.
"Frank, I know you've been working exceptionally long today and are no doubt ready to get some sleep, but I'm going to ask you for a favor."
"Yes, sir." Frank was old enough to be Ranger's father but respected the chain of command.
"I need you to take Stephanie to the seventh floor, my private quarters. Tank's son was recovered unharmed, but Stephanie's friend, Lula, died. I want to be the one to tell her before word gets back to Trenton. Ella is awake and will bring whatever food you need."
"We will head up there immediately. I will stay with her until you arrive. Does she have access?
Yes, her key fob has the clearance. I don't know what is in the refrigerator. You are welcome to what ever you find or contact Ella by calling #6. I will try to be back in two hours. It's a complicated scene."