2008-8-11 02:21:00
by Ted Dewey
Henry was gone just ten days when he returned to the Valley of Hope with his pretty bride. Most everyone was there to greet them as they stepped out of the big chopper.
It had been a whirlwind courtship. Three days after he arrived in Prescott they were married. And, of course, the friends at the Western Bar threw them a big party.
Then they had taken a plane to Las Vegas and took in most of the big nightclubs, watched the floor shows and played the slot machines.
Now at last they were in their new home, back in The Valley of Hope. Henry was glad and Julie, who was truly amazed, was delighted with her new adobe house.
The ladies of the place gathered around to get acquainted with the new bride. Henry excused himself, then took off in search at Oran and Rodney. There was something that he must tell them.
Evidently they were expecting him. They were waiting at the office and the door was open. He was greeted with friendly handshakes. Both men offered their congratulations.
"Welcome home." Rodney told him. "We missed you." Oran grinned, "You sure Didn't waste any time. Pull up a chair and sit down."
"I just had to get back." Henry sat down at the table. "There is something that. I must tell you."
Rodney raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What is it Henry? You look mighty serious."
"I am fellows. And I haven't felt right about staying away so long."
"Well, spill it out, Henry." Oran was curious.
"I think we are being invaded."
"What!?"
"The other day when I left here the pilot sort of gave me a guided tour of the scenery around here. I guess one of you told him to do this." Henry paused and pointed with his finger. "Right through there -- the other side of that mountain someone has just put up a big new building."
"What!?" Both Oran and Rodney were now on their feet.
"I also saw an airplane runway. and there was a black and yellow plane parked at one end."
Rodney's eyes were big and round. "Anything else you can tell us?"
"It was a large building and didn't look like a house -- more like a night club. It is in a small grove of trees and only part of the roofing was on it, which was green, about the same color as the trees around it. If it had been finished I would have never spotted the darn thing."
Rodney opened a filing cabinet and drew out a large map He opened it and spread it out on the table. It was an aerial map of this area. In the center of it was a square shaded in a darker color.
Rodney pointed at the paper with a pencil. "This," he said, "is what we have leased from the Indians. It consists of twenty five square miles, five miles in each direction." He leaned over and put a small x in the middle of the square. "Right here is where we are now." He looked up at Henry. "Can you pin point the spot where you saw this building?"
Henry leaned over the map and studied it carefully. Then he took the pencil from Rodney and made a tiny X mark. "About right here. Right in the middle of this small grove of trees."
Both Oran and Rodney nodded their heads. Rodney spoke. "Its on our property, alright, and about two miles straight through that mountain."
Oran agreed. "Everything must came in by air as there are no roads. That explains that black and yellow plane."
There was a strange look on the Rodney's face. Slowly he nodded his head. "I'll bet that it is him alright!"
Henry had a feeling that he knew exactly who he was talking about: Ira Baker, alias Frank Poletti, and Silent Louie.
Thomas nodded. He was thinking the same thing.
Rodney opened the filing cabinet and drew out a stack of folders. He selected one with the name Frank Poletti on the top and put the rest of theme away.
Out of the folder he drew a couple of letters. He looked at one them and laid it aside. "That one," he said, "is a copy of the one I mailed to the office. With it I sent copies of the pictures you drew of the man you called Ira Baker." He paused and picked up the other one, drew out the page and began to read, "From your description and looking at the picture there is no doubt this man is Frank Poletti. He, along with several other underworld characters, have applied for membership in our organization. Of course, they were turned down. We are not building a haven for criminals. Attached below is a list of others that we have refused."
Rodney put the letter back in the folder. "Gentlemen," he said, "we don't know for sure that it is him, but we had better find out."
Thomas nodded, "We had better do just that." He turned to Henry. "We owe you a lot, my friend. Not many people would have spotted that building the way you did."
Henry flushed. "I didn't really see it first. The co-pilot was the first to notice some extra buildings.
Rodney smiled. "Maybe I should take part of the credit. I was the one to tell the pilot to swing over that mountain and let you take a look. I wanted you to see our project from the air. Usually we don't take that route."
"We've had a lucky break," said Thomas, "and we had better do something. Any suggestions?"
Rodney nodded. "The three of us will pack a few things, including our guns, and tell everyone we are going on a little hunting trip. We will go take a look. Okay by you Henry?"
Henry nodded. "Count me in."
-- End Of Chapter Twenty-Three --
Copyright © 2008 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved