Power by Thomas Hollyday

Author:Thomas Hollyday [Hollyday, Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Happy Bird Corporation
Published: 2017-05-07T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

When he returned to River Sunday, he went directly to Doctor Mike’s clinic. In front of her house, Big Ben had parked his truck, still loaded with his garden tractor. Loggerman stood at the door for a moment in the twilight. Inside, he heard Ben’s husky voice. He went inside and found the doctor and Ben talking in the kitchen.

They smiled as Loggerman came in. Ben immediately asked, “Did we get any information they can use in Washington?”

“I don’t know,” Loggerman said. “Did anyone see your boat in the night?”

“Everyone in town knows my boat. It’s hard to say.”

“We have news about his brother, the sheriff,” Doctor Mike said with a grimace. Her face showed tears.

Big Ben motioned to her and said, “I’ll tell it all now he’s here, Doctor Mike.”

He leaned against the counter, his head down. His right hand moved up and down to accent his words as he spoke. “See, I was sitting in the rowboat waiting with the mosquitoes. Pretty soon, I realized I had once been a pretty good policeman. Matter of fact, I would have been named Sheriff if Tinker’s people had not gotten in thick with my brother. Out in the river darkness, I also realized the only reason I was there with you two was Gramps had faith in me. He trusted me. It was the first time anyone in a long time respected me.”

Loggerman said, “You risked a lot waiting for us in the boat. You might have been seen.”

“I was almost hoping they shot me. I ain’t got any pride anymore. Nothing worth saving. See, I’ve been here all my life. When I was a cop I loved getting justice done. In those days we had a nice town. Makes me feel bad to see these Tinker guys in charge. All I can do is keep my head down like my brother wants. He sees his people don’t bother me or my family.”

“Your family?”

He sighed. “Ok, they have a mortgage on my property, too, so I can’t get out, move away.”

Doctor Mike said, “I didn’t know it was so bad. Why did the sheriff take after his own relative?”

Big Ben hesitated. “I decided to come here about the truth. I got to tell you, Doctor Mike. I know about your brother’s death.”

She gasped and put her hand to her forehead. She asked, in a grim voice, “What do you know, Ben?”

“It’s why the Sheriff retired me. I knew too much.”

“He threatened you?”

“He told me he didn’t want to kill me. He said too many family members would ask questions. He talked about my wife and all. He instead retired me. Of course he controlled the pension payments. He went around claiming I was hurt on the job protecting citizens. People thought I was a hero but the real story was he forced me to keep quiet.”

“You were hurt.”

“He made it all up.”

He continued to look at the floor. “I see you and Gramps trying to put these guys down. I can’t sit by no more, not tell what I know.

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