car with the flashing lights,
and drove away. Three Sheriff’s vehicles
still kept their quiet vigil in the lot.
The excitement over, I entered the lodge wondering if the
drinks would still be free. Once again,
I discovered the bar empty except for Bev sitting off in a corner reading a
magazine. A lone clerk behind the reception counter brought the total human
population in the large open area to three counting me.
I walked over to Bev. She smiled and rose to meet me.
“You missed all the excitement.”
“I guess I did. What happened?”
“Not too long after you left those two men walked into the
lodge.”
“And?”
“And….” she paused for effect, “two of the hunting group
had just come out of the dining room. One of them looks back into the dining
room and called to a deputy, who I guess was on his
lunch break.”
“What did he say?” I asked.
“Something like, ‘Your two suspects are here.’ The two men
stopped dead in their tracks. They
didn’t say anything.”
“Yeah. They don’t talk much,” I
added.
“The deputy came right
out and told the two to stay where they were. One of the two men asked what was up, and that’s when one of the other men shouted, ‘You murdered our friend!’”
“Ouch!”
“Between that remark and the deputy taking a step toward
them, all hell broke loose.”
“What do you mean?”
She grinned like she was enjoying the memory. “One of the two men bolted out the door.”
“He just took off, like that?”
“Yep. The deputy shouted something and was out the
door after him. Two or three more
deputies came out of nowhere and raced out the door after them. The whole time the other guy stood there
shouting at whoever would listen to let him be, that he hadn’t done anything.”
“Maybe he didn’t, but running like that wasn’t the
smartest thing he could have done.”
“They caught him after a few minutes, and by the time they
had him cuffed and back in here, the lobby was packed with everyone. The deputy in charge finally had to yell at
everyone and send them all back to their rooms.”
“That explains why it looked like a ghost town when I came
in.”
“Yeah, there was quite a crowd here just a few minutes
ago.”
“Do you think he did it?” I asked.
“Could be, but his buddy was sure hollering in his
defense. Apparently, the guy that took
off has some emotional issues. At least
that’s what his buddy kept yelling.”
“Well, hopefully they’ll get to the bottom of it and
things will soon get back to normal for you,” I said.
“Except for the stress this is causing everyone, I kind of
like all the excitement. Most of the
time it’s rather boring around here.”
“I can’t imagine life ever being boring for you, Bev.”
She laughed. “I wish my life was more exciting. How about yours? I bet it’s a lot more
exciting than mine.”
“I doubt it.”
“What do you do, Jim?”
“Mostly nothing. I’m retired from the Air Force.”
“You’re too young to be doing nothing.” She looked at me suspiciously.
At that moment, Detective Bruno and the remaining Bettes came out of a back room. Bettes walked off toward the stairs. He didn’t
look a bit too happy. Bruno looked over
at me, nodded slightly, and walked out of the building.
“Looks like you two are buddies,” Bev said. “You sure you’re not some kind of cop?”
“Would you like me more if I was?” I joked.
“I told you I’ve been with a few cops in the past. Besides, I like you enough.”
She looked up at the door, and I turned my head to see
what caught her eye. Rick walked in and
spotted us.
“Bev, what’s the latest? I just passed that detective and he said things are happening. What does that mean?”
“Let me get this gentleman a beer, and I’ll come talk to
you in your office,” she said. That seemed to satisfy him, and I soon found
myself alone at the bar. I moved down
and drove away. Three Sheriff’s vehicles
still kept their quiet vigil in the lot.
The excitement over, I entered the lodge wondering if the
drinks would still be free. Once again,
I discovered the bar empty except for Bev sitting off in a corner reading a
magazine. A lone clerk behind the reception counter brought the total human
population in the large open area to three counting me.
I walked over to Bev. She smiled and rose to meet me.
“You missed all the excitement.”
“I guess I did. What happened?”
“Not too long after you left those two men walked into the
lodge.”
“And?”
“And….” she paused for effect, “two of the hunting group
had just come out of the dining room. One of them looks back into the dining
room and called to a deputy, who I guess was on his
lunch break.”
“What did he say?” I asked.
“Something like, ‘Your two suspects are here.’ The two men
stopped dead in their tracks. They
didn’t say anything.”
“Yeah. They don’t talk much,” I
added.
“The deputy came right
out and told the two to stay where they were. One of the two men asked what was up, and that’s when one of the other men shouted, ‘You murdered our friend!’”
“Ouch!”
“Between that remark and the deputy taking a step toward
them, all hell broke loose.”
“What do you mean?”
She grinned like she was enjoying the memory. “One of the two men bolted out the door.”
“He just took off, like that?”
“Yep. The deputy shouted something and was out the
door after him. Two or three more
deputies came out of nowhere and raced out the door after them. The whole time the other guy stood there
shouting at whoever would listen to let him be, that he hadn’t done anything.”
“Maybe he didn’t, but running like that wasn’t the
smartest thing he could have done.”
“They caught him after a few minutes, and by the time they
had him cuffed and back in here, the lobby was packed with everyone. The deputy in charge finally had to yell at
everyone and send them all back to their rooms.”
“That explains why it looked like a ghost town when I came
in.”
“Yeah, there was quite a crowd here just a few minutes
ago.”
“Do you think he did it?” I asked.
“Could be, but his buddy was sure hollering in his
defense. Apparently, the guy that took
off has some emotional issues. At least
that’s what his buddy kept yelling.”
“Well, hopefully they’ll get to the bottom of it and
things will soon get back to normal for you,” I said.
“Except for the stress this is causing everyone, I kind of
like all the excitement. Most of the
time it’s rather boring around here.”
“I can’t imagine life ever being boring for you, Bev.”
She laughed. “I wish my life was more exciting. How about yours? I bet it’s a lot more
exciting than mine.”
“I doubt it.”
“What do you do, Jim?”
“Mostly nothing. I’m retired from the Air Force.”
“You’re too young to be doing nothing.” She looked at me suspiciously.
At that moment, Detective Bruno and the remaining Bettes came out of a back room. Bettes walked off toward the stairs. He didn’t
look a bit too happy. Bruno looked over
at me, nodded slightly, and walked out of the building.
“Looks like you two are buddies,” Bev said. “You sure you’re not some kind of cop?”
“Would you like me more if I was?” I joked.
“I told you I’ve been with a few cops in the past. Besides, I like you enough.”
She looked up at the door, and I turned my head to see
what caught her eye. Rick walked in and
spotted us.
“Bev, what’s the latest? I just passed that detective and he said things are happening. What does that mean?”
“Let me get this gentleman a beer, and I’ll come talk to
you in your office,” she said. That seemed to satisfy him, and I soon found
myself alone at the bar. I moved down
Similar Books
