Cal.E.'s Korner

C.: Well, D.C. is still taking his finals, so I suppose we’ll continue with his short story…

D.: Hold on, Cal.E. I have something to say.

C.: Oh, I didn’t know you would be available. This must be important.

D.: It is. The Rock-N-Roll lost a Hall-of-Fame drummer on Monday. Frank Beard, the drummer for the band Z.Z. passed on Monday. He was in hospice care, so he wasn’t expected to live any longer than six months; it is probably more of a relief to him and his family.

However, my neighbors and I will miss seeing him driving his golf cart down Pitts Road in the middle of the day to get back and forth to the golf course. I’m sure his family will miss him as well as all Z.Z. Topp fans. Rest in Peace, Frank Beard.

C.: Okay, thank you, D.C., and now, the fifth installment of D.C. Scott’s short story

                                                MURDER OR MERCY?

“El Gordo Gato: The big cat. You were the quickest d-lineman in Houston when you played at East Side, maybe in all of Texas. What brings you to the Payne Ranch, may I ask?”

Gerald’s attempt to placate the large man failed. “What do you want?” Joaquin asked bluntly.

Joel wanted to word his query carefully, so he hesitated for a moment. This did nothing to gain Joaquin’s trust. He believed that people who told the truth didn’t need to think about what they were going to say, and he didn’t trust lawyers, anyway. It had been a lawyer, Joaquin thought, who had ruined his chances to play in the NFL.

“I’m Joel Steadman, and I’m a lawyer who works for the county’s Public Defender’s Office-” Joel began, but Joaquin cut him off.

“I don’t need no lawyer, and certainly not one who works fo’ the government. Now, quit waistin’ my time and…” Joaquin’s voice trailed off as a sheriff’s department car pulled up.

“Joaquin, I need a word.” The deputy was all business, which baffled Joaquin. He was usually very friendly when he stopped by to have a cup of coffee with the Paynes or their hands.

“What’s goin’ on, Don?” Joaquin showed his confusion to Deputy Sheriff Don Wilkerson. Deputy Wilkerson wasn’t anxious to do what he’d been asked to do. He knew Joaquin well, and he knew that the large man had a bad temper. However, Don had been doing his job for twenty-five years, and he was one of the most reliable deputies in the county. It was just bad luck, he told himself; he’d been asked to patrol the area by the Payne Ranch that day, but he knew better. The high sheriff was running for re-election, and he surmised that it would be a good idea to keep his best deputy close to the place where the most interesting case in the county was unfolding. Don Wilkerson may be able to discourage some locals, as well as some reporters from Houston, from sticking their noses where they didn’t belong, was High Sheriff James Robert Thomas’ reasoning. That would help keep the quiet town peaceful and increase the high sheriff’s chances of being re-elected.

“Joaquin, I need to talk to you.” Don had one hand on his pistol, but it was unnecessary. Joaquin was so distraught over the situation that he looked as if he wanted to cry.

“First, a lawyer who came to see Ms. Judith says he needs ta talk ta me, and then you do the same thing. Don, am I in some type o’ trouble that I ain’t aware of? I mean, am I under arrest? Is Sheriff Jim Bob ticked at me for somethin’ I did that I don’ remember ‘cause I’s too drunk ta remember it?”

“No, Joaquin, you aren’t under arrest…yet. You are a person of interest in the matter of the murder of Jim Payne, so don’t leave the county-”

“Murder!! I thought that the d.a.’s office was just tryin’ ta make themselves look decent by scarin’ Ms. Judith. I figured when the election was over, this would all blow over. But, what makes you think that I had anything ta do wit’ Mr. Jim’s death?”

“Well, you did want to be a vet before your grandpa died and you had to come back and run the family ranch. You came to work here, and Mr. Payne asked you to vaccinate his cattle and other livestock because of your background.” Don stopped because Joaquin was getting more and more confused, so he cut to the chase.