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Authors: Ernest Dempsey
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considered the possibility.
“I’m assuming you’re not trying to sell this, that you just want to know more about its origin.” Sean interrupted his host’s thoughts.
“Oh, absolutely. I would never consider selling such a piece. I desperately want to know more about it.” Coop knew what Sean was asking, even though he hadn’t directly asked. “So, you would need to take it to this lab in Atlanta to find out more?”
Sean nodded. He knew it could potentially be a big deal to let such an heirloom go. “This is the kind of thing I did for several years at IAA, Coop. I salvaged and delivered precious artifacts to various government agencies, private owners, that sort of thing. Your coin will be well cared for. I’ll take a few pictures if that’s okay, and send them to Tommy so they can get a head start on the investigation. Might speed things along somewhat.”
Coop thought for a few more moments before answering. “I love it. And I have no doubts that you will take care of my coin, Mr. Wyatt.”
“Call me Sean.”
“Very well, Sean.” Coop clapped his hands together as if to seal the arrangement. “By all means, take as many pictures as you like.” He turned to Charlie who appeared as though he’d just watched a tornado zip by. “Chuck, are you hungry? I know how much you love a good barbecue. It’s not too late for supper, is it?”
“I could eat,” Charlie responded in a gruff tone.
“Sean? Do you like barbecue?”
“Seeing as we missed supper earlier, that actually sounds amazing. But we might need to get back to Chattanooga,” Sean argued despite the grumbling in his stomach. He wasn’t sure if Charlie wanted to hang around or not.
“Gentlemen, I have extra beds here. We can go have a nice meal, you can get some rest, and then head back early in the morning.” Coop would have made a good salesman. Sean wasn’t sure what the guy did for a living, but if it wasn’t in sales, Coop had missed his calling.
“Sounds good to me if Charlie’s okay with it.”
“Let’s eat,” Charlie said, seeming happy about something for the first time all day.
Their host clapped his hands together again and stood up. “Perfect. Finish taking your pictures, and we will head out to one of my favorite places. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
Thirty minutes later, they were seated at a stereotypical red-and-white checkered tablecloth in a place just south of the city. The smells of a wood fire grill and a smoker filled the entire place. Wooden beams, lattices, and rafters gave the restaurant the sense that its patrons were in a giant log cabin.
Sean chewed through a heavily smoked brisket, while Charlie and Coop tore through some baby back ribs. On the way to the restaurant and before their food had arrived, Sean had learned about Coop’s background.
Browning Cooper had served as a medical officer in Operation Desert Storm during the first war the United States had with Iraq. After his tour of duty, he’d gone back to school to finish a degree in dentistry. Having completed a four-year degree before entering the military, it only took another four years of school and a few more of what he referred to as “red tape years” before he opened his own practice.
Cooper had got a late start on his career because of his time in college and then the military. Sean never asked him his age but he guessed the man to be somewhere in his mid to upper fifties. Coop’s original plan had been to get his degree, go into the military and put in his twenty years, and then retire. Like it happens so often in life, plans change: he met a woman.
She’d turned his world upside down in a good way. Coop had never felt like that for anyone before. They got married, and he went back to school. Everything seemed like it was going perfectly. Just two years after opening his practice, though, things went south. His wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, and she died only a few months
“I’m assuming you’re not trying to sell this, that you just want to know more about its origin.” Sean interrupted his host’s thoughts.
“Oh, absolutely. I would never consider selling such a piece. I desperately want to know more about it.” Coop knew what Sean was asking, even though he hadn’t directly asked. “So, you would need to take it to this lab in Atlanta to find out more?”
Sean nodded. He knew it could potentially be a big deal to let such an heirloom go. “This is the kind of thing I did for several years at IAA, Coop. I salvaged and delivered precious artifacts to various government agencies, private owners, that sort of thing. Your coin will be well cared for. I’ll take a few pictures if that’s okay, and send them to Tommy so they can get a head start on the investigation. Might speed things along somewhat.”
Coop thought for a few more moments before answering. “I love it. And I have no doubts that you will take care of my coin, Mr. Wyatt.”
“Call me Sean.”
“Very well, Sean.” Coop clapped his hands together as if to seal the arrangement. “By all means, take as many pictures as you like.” He turned to Charlie who appeared as though he’d just watched a tornado zip by. “Chuck, are you hungry? I know how much you love a good barbecue. It’s not too late for supper, is it?”
“I could eat,” Charlie responded in a gruff tone.
“Sean? Do you like barbecue?”
“Seeing as we missed supper earlier, that actually sounds amazing. But we might need to get back to Chattanooga,” Sean argued despite the grumbling in his stomach. He wasn’t sure if Charlie wanted to hang around or not.
“Gentlemen, I have extra beds here. We can go have a nice meal, you can get some rest, and then head back early in the morning.” Coop would have made a good salesman. Sean wasn’t sure what the guy did for a living, but if it wasn’t in sales, Coop had missed his calling.
“Sounds good to me if Charlie’s okay with it.”
“Let’s eat,” Charlie said, seeming happy about something for the first time all day.
Their host clapped his hands together again and stood up. “Perfect. Finish taking your pictures, and we will head out to one of my favorite places. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
Thirty minutes later, they were seated at a stereotypical red-and-white checkered tablecloth in a place just south of the city. The smells of a wood fire grill and a smoker filled the entire place. Wooden beams, lattices, and rafters gave the restaurant the sense that its patrons were in a giant log cabin.
Sean chewed through a heavily smoked brisket, while Charlie and Coop tore through some baby back ribs. On the way to the restaurant and before their food had arrived, Sean had learned about Coop’s background.
Browning Cooper had served as a medical officer in Operation Desert Storm during the first war the United States had with Iraq. After his tour of duty, he’d gone back to school to finish a degree in dentistry. Having completed a four-year degree before entering the military, it only took another four years of school and a few more of what he referred to as “red tape years” before he opened his own practice.
Cooper had got a late start on his career because of his time in college and then the military. Sean never asked him his age but he guessed the man to be somewhere in his mid to upper fifties. Coop’s original plan had been to get his degree, go into the military and put in his twenty years, and then retire. Like it happens so often in life, plans change: he met a woman.
She’d turned his world upside down in a good way. Coop had never felt like that for anyone before. They got married, and he went back to school. Everything seemed like it was going perfectly. Just two years after opening his practice, though, things went south. His wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, and she died only a few months
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