Chapter One
The Day After the Day After
October 1919
CHARLIE KELLY STOOD AT the foot of the bed, his
six-foot five-inch frame towered over the person that
lay there. He loved the black-haired beauty who lay asleep, her naked
body entwined in the sheets. She was his wife Susan, who, thirty-six hours
before, had been held captive by two hoodlums wanting revenge for their
business losses to the powerful Kramer Group owned by the Kellys.
Charlie walked around to the bedside, bent down, and kissed
her. “Sweetheart, we need to git on the road. Our home at The Double Bar K
ranch ain't gittin' any closer.”
She rolled over and moaned. “Do we have to?”
“I’m afraid so.”
She climbed out of bed, yawned, and saw that Charlie hadn’t
dressed. “Well, aren’t you the handsome devil I call husband?”
“I better be. I waited for you to wake up to shower and git
ready. Want ta join me?”
“You bet.”
After their shower, and as they packed for their trip home,
Susan said, “Last night, as we sat at our table and shared the bottle of
cabernet, you said something about trouble with the Chicago Outfit. I think it was something like that. What did you mean?”
“Night before last, as the group was plannin’ how we were
goin’ to rescue you from Willard and his goon, I got a phone call from Hank
Thomas, our Landman. He was up at Burbank and had been out at our oil well
site. Someone had shot our oilfield storage
tanks full of holes. It couldn’t have been Willard because he was here in
Cushing holdin’ ya captive. I think it's the Chicago mob tryin' to scare us or
settle a score. Do you remember Zane, our cement quarry manager, sayin' he
learned the other bidder on the quarry auction in Sapulpa was someone from the
Chicago mob? I think we may be lookin' at a new enemy whether we want it or
not.”
“Charlie, I’m scared. What if they come after us the way
Willard did with me two nights ago?”
He patted her shoulder. “That’s why we’re creatin’ a new security
company with Bailey Muldoon as our lead.”
“It can’t happen fast enough to suit me, big guy.”
“I agree. Let’s git outta here.”
***
As they stood under a massive chandelier at the Cushing
Hotel’s impressive mahogany registration desk to settle their bill, Susan
yawned. She laid her head against Charlie’s shoulder as she squeezed his arm.
“I'm hungry. Can we eat here at the hotel before we head out?”
Charlie looked down at her sleepy eyes. “Sure, why don’t you
go into the restaurant and git us a table. I’ll finish here and load our
suitcases in the car. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Okay, Sweetheart.” She stopped at the restaurant entrance
and looked back across the lobby at her cowboy as he talked to the clerk. Her
pulse raced as she marveled at his rugged, hand-some looks and confident demeanor. Then she reluctantly headed into the restaurant.
“Hey, Charlie.”
Charlie turned and saw Bailey Muldoon, the new Kramer Group
Head of Security, and Richard Murphy from the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation
coming out of the elevator.
He walked toward them. “Mornin’ fellas. Hope you were able
to get some rest.” He looked at Bailey. “Are ya headin' out? I guess you’re
goin’ back to Ponca City?”
Although tall himself, Bailey looked up and nodded. “Yes, I
need to go back and finish up some things. And Hank called me. I need to see
the damage he was talking about at the well site. Then, as your new President
of Kramer Security, I'll start putting together some ideas regarding what the
Kramer Group, and of course you and Susan, need to consider as we develop the
new company. Give Susan my best.”
Charlie nodded. “I will and let me know what ya find up in Burbank,” He turned and put his hand on Richard’s
shoulder. “Thanks again for all your help the other night.”
Richard ran his hand through his graying hair, smiled,
and shrugged. “Just happy I could be of service to you and Susan. How is she
this morning? Is she still upstairs?”
Charlie chuckled, “No. She's in the restaurant. She said she
was starvin’. I guess her appetite is still healthy. She'll be fine, but it’ll take some time. Thanks for askin'.”
Richard patted his chest. “I’m glad to hear it. And know
this; you can always call me if you need anything.”
Charlie said, “You bet, Richard. You two travel safe.”
About the Author
E. Joe Brown is an award-winning author of
novels, short stories, and memoirs. His current projects include a series of
historical fiction novels set in his native Oklahoma. Publication of the first
book in the series is scheduled for August 2022. His memoir ‘Mickey and
Me’ about meeting his hero, Mickey Mantle, is now featured in the
National Baseball Hall of Fame. Joe currently serves as President of New
Mexico Westerners, an Advisor to the SWW Board of Directors, and is a member
of Western Writers of America and Military Writers Society of
America.
He supports his love of music and performance through
active membership in the International Western Music Association. He served on
the organization’s board of directors for three years. In 2013, Governor
Susanna Martinez appointed him a New Mexico Music Commissioner.
Veterans
Portrait Project, Military, USAF
Photo Courtesy of
Stacy
Pearsall's
Veterans Portrait Project
Joe concluded his lifetime
military and civil service careers upon retirement on June 30, 2010. An
exciting multi-faceted career of firsts included leading the USAF Range
Instrumentation Team to aid the original NASA Space Shuttle program. His team
helped create the Shuttle Worldwide Network and supported the first six
missions of Space Shuttle Columbia. As the Air Force Flight Test Center
Project Manager, he guided the design, construction, and implementation of the
Benefield Anechoic Facility on Edwards AFB. The facility tests
state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems in a secure environment. His final
assignment was in direct support of the two-star Major General at Edwards AFB
where he advised on strategic planning to assure future readiness to test USAF
and Department of Defense weapons systems.
An alumnus of the
Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Joe continued his
engineering education during both his military and civil service careers. He
completed coursework at the University of Colorado, Georgia Institute of
Technology, George Washington University, University of Tennessee, Chapman
University, and the University of California at Los Angeles. He later
completed a BS in Business Management at Phoenix University and the Executive
MBA program with a Strategic Planning emphasis from Webster University.
Joe
has been married to his wife Linda for over fifty years, and their sons have
given them five beautiful grandchildren.
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