Plane Crash at Buck Creek: Part Eight of the Travis Lee Series

By Tim Tingle

Travis Lee is out of work when his mine closes, but it doesnt take long to find a new job, while he and Joey are gone to Italy.

In the meantime, back home in Alabama, his boys find that trouble can literally fall from the sky, when a drug smugglers plane crashes near their camp.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477296455

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© 2012 Tim Tingle. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/5/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-9644-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-9645-5 (e)

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CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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About the Author

dedication%20page.jpg

This story is for my son, Joseph.

Remember our trip to Italy,

Rome,

Naples.

Florence.

and the train ride to Venice.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to my wife, Nanette, for her editing, and my mother, Lois Tingle, for reading the manuscript.

* 1 *

Things were not going so well in the coal mining industry, as Travis Lee found out on March 3rd, 1999, when he showed up for work. He found that his time card had been removed from the rack, and replaced with a blank pink card. And not just his card, but about three-fourths of the work force at Savage Creek #2 Mine had pink cards as well. Travis had been expecting a lay-off, but to so suddenly see it manifest in the removal of his card, seemed a little cold. But then, what else could he expect from the management of Southern States Energy Company, a company that had always placed profits ahead of its workers? The price of coal had been spiraling downward for over a year, and now it had finally gone so low that it had affected him. An announcement had been taped crookedly to the bulletin board. It stated in bold letters:

If your time card is missing

Please come by the personnel

Office for further instructions.

A. Langston

What the hell does that mean? asked Ted, who was reading the sign over Travis’ shoulder.

Well, Ted, I think it means that we are out of a job. I see your card is missing too.

"Yeah, and my brother’s card too. Is that what that means, that they’re laying us off?

I’m afraid so.

But we just set a new division-wide production record! They said if we broke the old record, that our jobs would be safe!

Just another company lie, Ted. They trick us into producing a stockpile of coal, and then they reward us by laying us off. Standard company procedure. They did the same thing in ’86 and ’92, remember?

That ain’t worth a shit!

Tell me about it! I have five kids.

What do we do now?

We report to Langston’s office, like the sign says, for further instructions. That’s where I’m headed, to find out what this is all about, but I suspect it’s another lay-off.

They had to pass through the bathhouse on the way to Langston’s office, and what they saw there were more long faces. Many were numb with the shock of such unexpected news, though there had been rumors of lay-offs for months. An eager foreman ran up to them with a clip board, and proceeded to check their names off his list.

Let’s see here, Travis Lee, and Ted Stephens. Yeah, both of you son-of-a-bitches are gone! History! Go ahead and clean out your baskets and get the hell out of here!

Mark, the sign said for us to see Langston in Personnel! Travis replied.

Well he’s going to tell you the same thing, so you might as well just get your shit together and…

That was as far as he got, because Ted, a small man, stepped right up and popped him in the mouth with a knuckle sandwich and Mark went down hard. Travis turned to scold Ted for his action. Ted… But when he saw the tears in his eyes, all he could say was, Good shot, Ted!

Ted was understandably upset with Mark. We’ve worked like hell in this hole for twenty years of our lives, and then some stupid jack-ass like you is going to order us off the premises? Get up off the floor and take some more of this, you shit-head!

Stay away from me! I’m suing you, Mr. Stephens! Mark said, as he felt the bleeding gap in his teeth. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer!

Travis replied, Mark, you’ll be picking up more of your teeth off the floor, if you don’t get up and get out of here! The Union bathhouse is supposed to be off limits to you anyway, especially right now.

I’ve got witnesses that he hit me!

Nah! What about it, guys?

All around the room, men were shaking their heads.

It looks like you tripped and hit your mouth on the corner of a bench, Mark. That’s the way everybody here saw it! Right guys?

That’s right! one miner replied.

That’s what I saw! added another.

Mark, we’ve got twenty witnesses, and twenty years of accident reports to prove that you’re a clumsy klutz, but you won’t find one witness that saw Ted hit you!

Mark picked up his clip-board and left with no further comment, holding his bleeding mouth.

Come on, Ted. Let’s go see Langston. We might as well hear it from the horse’s mouth.

But it ain’t fair, Travis! It just ain’t fair!

I know, Ted.

On the way to Langston’s office, they passed other miners who had already been to see Langston. As they passed Red Rosser, he muttered to them, They’re closing down the whole damn place in three months, men!

For good? Travis asked.

Hell yeah for good! That’s what Langston said. They’re only keeping enough men here to finish up the longwall panel, and then pull out the equipment, and then, that’s all she wrote! They’re sealing her up, shafts and all!

Ted broke out in tears. I’ve spent twenty years of my life here!

We all have, Ted.

I’ve sweated, and bled, and took pride in my job, and they’re just going to close it down like this? It ain’t right!

No, it ain’t, Ted.

When they got to Langston’s office, they saw the Local Union president, Pete Furman, and District President, Jack Hammond, both seated behind a table loaded with papers. Langston saw them coming and greeted them.

Travis, Ted, come on in here, men. I hate that we have to do this, but it’s a sign of the times. I mean, what can I say? The economy is bad, and coal prices are at an all time low. Coal mines everywhere are in trouble. We are looking at a total closure of Savage Creek #2 Mine in about three months. Unfortunately, both of you are among the ones being terminated today. Of course, since by law, we are supposed to give you guys a 60 day notice of termination due to total facility closure, we must pay you for those 60 days, so I have your checks right here, along with your regular weekly paycheck. He flipped through the stack of checks and found Stephenson and Lee. As he did so, the Union reps were conspicuously silent at the other table.

What about it, Pete? Jack?

It’s real bad, Travis. Real bad. Pete Furman replied.

What are the chances that we can get recalled to another one of the SSE mines? Ted asked.

Jack Hammond, the District President looked at Pete and shook his head. Not good. There is the real possibility that SSE will have to close all its Alabama mines within two years.

All of them? Travis asked.

Yes all of them.

What about the company’s Colombian mines in South America?

Those will continue to operate. Langston said, looking down at the table.

That statement amazed Travis. What did you say? Say it again, so I can be sure I’m hearing right.

Langston looked up, his eyes meeting Travis’ eyes in a cold way. I said that SSE’s South American mines will continue to operate, and I have been told that it is impossible for Union workers from here to transfer to those mines. Not unless those miners want to take a salaried position.

Travis looked at Hammond.

That’s right, Travis. Pete said. Because they are non-union mines, there is nothing we can do about it. And it’s those very mines that are killing us! As we speak, the port of Mobile is swamped with SSE’s South American coal, headed for markets right here in the southeast!

How can they do that? I thought Mr. Banks assured us that their Colombian coal would not be sold here in the States?

I guess he lied. Langston replied. I’m told that the only way we can cover our existing contracts here in Alabama, is to bring in coal from South America.

In other words, coal that was mined with virtually slave labor?

Yeah, unfortunately for us.

Ted took one look at his severance pay, and burst into tears again. This is the best the company can do, after all the years of my life I have spent here? A measly five thousand dollars? I’ve wasted my youth, and my health at this mine! I’ve worked hard every day, and probably made this company more than five thousand dollars a day! And you’re laying me off, and keeping some of the sorriest workers we’ve got!

I have no doubt that you are one of our best workers, Ted, but you know as well as I do, that the Union says that we have to lay-off according to seniority. All of you men have done a hell of a job, for a lot of years, and working together, we have all made a good living. You have agreed to work for Union wages, and that is what you have been paid. It’s been good, but now it’s run out for all of us. I’m sorry, Ted, but that’s life. And this five thousand dollars is not a gift, but it’s what the contract says that we owe you, because we couldn’t give you a 60 day notice.

We’ve been screwed by the company, that’s what it is! I have got black lung. My wife and kids left me three years ago, because I was never home! I have been working 7 days a week for this company, and now you are telling us that we are out of a job? Here, you can keep your pitiful check!

He wadded up the check and threw it in Langston’s face, then stomped out of the office.

I hate that. Langston said, as he straightened out Ted’s check, and returned it to the payroll stack. But it’s been happening to me all day.

I’m sure he’ll come back for it, once he has cooled off. Travis said.

Yes, I’m sure he will. It rips my heart out every time I have to tell one of you guys that you are out of a job. You know, in three months, I’ll be on the street too. I got my notice yesterday.

Pete responded. You mean as a salaried man, they won’t transfer you to another mine?

Where would they transfer me to? The other mines are in as bad a shape as this one. In two years all of them will be closed! And do you think I want to go to Colombia, after what happened to Travis down there? No thanks! Tomorrow is my off day, and I usually work my off days, but not any more! I’m using them to go pounding the pavement, with resume in hand, looking for another job. And if I find one, I won’t even give SSE a two week notice! I’m getting out while I can!

Yeah, there’s no need to stay on a sinking ship, not if you can find a rowboat. Pete said.

Langston, you need to do something about Mark. When Ted and I came into the bath house, he was gloating about us loosing our jobs. He told us to get our stuff and get out. You’d better do something with him before somebody kills him, somebody like me!

That ass-hole! He knows better than that! You aren’t the first one to complain about him though. I’ll see if I can send him underground. No, I can do better than that. Hold on. He pressed the page button on the intercom, and paged Mark. Hello, Mark Roper! Mark Roper report to the personnel office immediately! He switched the intercom off. No one likes to be told that they are out of work, especially by him! I hope I get to give him the boot before I go. In his case, it will be a pleasure. Where is he now?

Probably somewhere wiping the blood out of his mouth. He accidentally ran into a bench or something as he was leaving the bath house.

A bench, or something, huh? It sounds like he got what he deserved. Travis, you and I have certainly been at odds over company policy for the past twenty years, but here is one thing we can agree on: SSE is just another cold-hearted corporation. To them, we are just numbers on a pay sheet. It doesn’t matter who you are, or how many ‘atta boys’ you get. When they are done with you, they toss you out in the cold!

It was strange, hearing such things coming from the mouth of Langston. For years, he had been the staunchest supporter of SSE policy. Pete Furman added, They treat you like a bottle of fine whiskey, until the whiskey is gone, then you’re just an empty bottle to go out with the trash.

That’s about right, Pete.

Jack Hammond had to put in his two cents worth. They pick you up in a bar and treat you like a sexy super model, until they get you to bed and screw you then they throw you out like a cheap whore! Especially if the wife calls to say she’s on her way home!

Everyone wondered where that analogy came from.

Well, Travis said, I intend to enjoy a few weeks off before I start job looking. I’m already signed up to take my son, Joey to Italy in a couple weeks. No need to look for a job until I get back. This check will help out a lot.

You mean you’re still going on that trip, knowing you are out of a job?

We might as well. The trip is already paid for, and is non-refundable anyway. We might as well go and have a good time. It will probably be the last trip I take for awhile. Besides, I have learned not to worry about the things I can’t control. Usually, if you keep a good attitude in bad times, a door will open somewhere that you didn’t expect. Even loosing your job can be a blessing in disguise, if it leads to something better.

That’s true. Maybe you should tell Ted that.

I will, when I see him.

Well, Travis, before you leave for Italy, be sure to come by the Union Hall and sign up for the panel, in case miners are needed somewhere in the country, they’ll give you a call.

Okay, Pete, I’ll do that, but I’m thinking I want to go into another line of work. Maybe working with wood or anything that doesn’t involve coal mining.

Or you could go to writing full time. Pete said. Ain’t your books doing pretty good?

Yeah, I’ve got two in print now, and yes, they are doing pretty well, but I’m not geared to being a full time writer. I think I write better when I do it as a part-time thing. If it’s my regular job, it won’t be fun anymore.

Who cares if it’s fun, as long as it’s paying the bills?

Writing is a little more subtitle than coal mining, Jack.

I’m sure it is. All I know is, I flunked out of English.

I might spend my time before I go to Italy with writing, but when I get back from Italy, I’ll be looking for a real job.

You might as well. Jack said, Because there ain’t going to be no mines hiring any time soon. Dammit! The same Democrats our Union endorsed in the last election are the same ones pushing for ‘clean energy’, and trying to do away with coal mining! I don’t know if the coal industry will ever recover from this!

Are you kidding me?

Hell no! Jack said. With coal prices this low and cheap coal pouring in from places like Colombia and Venezuela, our coal industry is doomed to die out. Just like the steel industry did in Birmingham. I can’t think of a better time for a career change.

What are you going to do?

I’m old enough to retire on my UMWA pension, but with coal mining dying out, I don’t know where the money for my pension will come from.

So what you’re saying is that my 20 years of working here will all be for nothing, if I’m planning to have a UMWA pension?

And Social Security will run out in a few years too, so we are going to be left with nothing, unless the government steps in.

I wouldn’t hold my breath, Langston said.

Men, that means that all we’ll be left with is our good looks! Pete deadpanned. And you know where that’ll leave us!

All four men laughed.

You’ll be flat broke, Pete!

Jack, you won’t exactly have a pot to piss in!

I won’t be able to die, unless they bury me in a pet cemetery!

None of us exactly ‘male stripper’ material.

A new group of miners arrived at Langston’s office for their checks, so Travis shook hands and left. He exchanged somber looks with his former co-workers, as he headed back through the bath house, to clean out his basket. He considered calling Janice, to give her the bad news, but decided to wait until he got home. He got into a discussion with several men in the bath house, and while he was talking to them, someone ran through the bath house, headed toward the office.

Who was that?

It looked like Ted.

Ted Stephens? Travis asked. Was he carrying anything?

A brown paper bag.

Oh shit! He’s got a gun! Somebody stop him!

He’s already gone!

Travis ran through the double doors connecting the bath house with the lamp house and the offices. He was in the lamp house when he heard the first shots, and then men screaming and yelling. He didn’t count the shots, but he knew there were more than six, which meant that he had more than one gun, or he was reloading. He heard a second set of shots, and miners began running out of the offices.

Run! He’s got a gun! He’s shooting everyone!

Travis’ impulse was to rush in and take the gun from Ted, but his instinct told him to pause in the lamp house. He had learned years ago, to trust his instincts, and ignore his impulses, and in this instance, it probably saved his life. Webster, the Mine Manager, came rushing in from the service hoist demanding to know what was going on.

Don’t go in there, Webster! He’s got a gun!

Who?

Ted Stephens!

Despite the warning, he turned the corner to go to the office, and was immediately stopped by a couple of shots. He grasped at his chest, slumped to the wall, and then onto the floor. Ted dashed out, past Webster, heading for the parking lot. Travis called out to him.

Ted! It’s Travis! Put down the gun!

Ted responded by stopping long enough to squeeze off a couple of rounds at him. The shots hit a couple of light batteries, spraying battery acid all over him. Travis hit the floor, and ducked, to avoid any more shots, but no more came, as Ted had moved on into the bath house. He expected to hear more shots in the bath house, but didn’t. He cautiously followed him, but found that he had already exited to the parking lot. Travis reached the top of the steps in the parking lot, in time to hear another shot ring out. He followed the sound to the back side of the parking lot, where Ted usually parked his old red Toyota truck. He cautiously slipped around the side of the truck, and saw a twitching leg on the asphalt. His worst fear was confirmed. Ted was dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

No Ted! You didn’t have to do this!

* 2 *

After confirming that Ted was dead, Travis returned to Langston’s office to see what damage he had done. It was a gruesome scene. Webster was still lying against the wall bleeding, but still alive and conscious. Several men were there trying to stop the bleeding, so Travis moved on down the hall. Not far away, Mark was lying face-up in the hall, with a bullet hole in his forehead. He still had the clip board in his hand.

Three men were attending a wounded miner in Langston’s doorway, blocking him from getting in. No need to go in there, one of the miners said. They’re all dead. He stepped over the wounded man and entered anyway. He was right. There was no one in here he could help. Langston was slumped back in his chair with a massive head wound. Pete Furman was down behind a table in a pool of his own blood, covered with papers. Jack Hammond was propped upright against the wall, eyes wide open, but was dead too. A red soaked shirt indicated that he had been shot in the heart. Travis leaned over and gently closed Jack’s eyelids. He stepped over the injured man, and wandered back to the bath house in a daze. He sat down on a bench, with his head in his hands. He wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come. Miners were running to and fro, to get first aid kits or stretchers. Some were emotionlessly cleaning out their baskets. Travis thought that might be a good idea for him too, since he had to do it eventually anyway.

It didn’t take long for the police to arrive on the scene. After them, came paramedics to take care of the wounded. Travis and a few other witnesses told what happened, and what they saw then Travis led the police up to the parking lot, where Ted had shot himself. It was a bad situation.

After the questioning, Travis finished cleaning out his baskets, putting all his clothes in a large plastic bag. He went outside and sat down, to run it all over in his mind, to see if there was anything he could have done to prevent what had just happened. It all happened so fast, it was mind-boggling. But he concluded that there was nothing he could have done. It happened so quickly that no one could have anticipated it. Sure, Ted was upset, but he had seen him upset before. This time something snapped, and a normally mild mannered little man had become a murderer. He was sure that even Ted was appalled at what he had done, after the fact, to the point that he couldn’t live with it, so he took his own life. But what a waste all the way around.

The ‘vultures’ were starting to gather out by the front gate, in the form of the news media. The security guards were preventing them from coming through the gate, but that didn’t stop them from trying to interview everyone who came or went from the mine. Three news stations had vans sitting up the road in front of the mine, broadcasting live. He guessed that Janice had heard the news by now, but he went to give her a call anyway, to let her know he was okay.

Instead of Janice, he got Joey, his son.

Is your mother there?

No, Dad. I think that she went to town, her and Rebecca and Calvin.

Have you heard the news?

What news?

The news that they are closing the mine where I work.

No, dad, I haven’t heard that.

Well, it’s true. I’m out of work again. And one of the guys that got laid off with me went off the deep end, and got his gun, and came back shooting everyone he saw. Several guys are dead or wounded. I’m sure it’s on the news by now.

Wow! Sounds like it got kind of scary there!

It was all over in less than two minutes. The shooter killed himself. When your mother gets back, tell her that I am okay, so she won’t worry. I’ll be home later. The police might want to ask me a few more questions.

So you’re out of work? I guess that puts an end to our trip to Italy, huh?

Not at all. I’m still taking you to Italy, just like we planned.

Really? All right!

You’re really looking forward to this trip, aren’t you?

I sure am! But how can we afford it, with you out of work?

The trip itself is already paid for. As for spending money, I just got a big severance paycheck. We’ll go on to Italy just like we planned, and have a good time, and I won’t worry about finding a job until we get back.

Sounds like a good plan to me, dad!

Absolutely! Be sure to tell your mother that I’m okay, and I will be home later. Bye now.

Bye, dad!

Travis noticed that his arm was itching, and then his shoulder, and now his cheek. He rubbed the itches, but they only got worse. He wondered what it could be, until he remembered that Ted had shot at him in the lamp house. It was the battery acid that had splattered on him. He went back to the bath house, dug through his bag of clothes, and laid out a clean set. As he took a shower, he noticed that the areas that were itching were splotched with red. The acid had already eaten away a few layers of outer skin. If he had not taken a shower, it would have been worse.

When he got dressed, he checked back with the investigators, and they said they had no more questions for him. He was free to go.

Free to go, Travis thought. Once I pass through that gate, I will most likely never be back. My mining career is over, and it ended on a pretty sour note. Oh well, when Life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I wish I could have convinced Ted of that!

He threw his bags of clothes into the back of the truck, and fumbled for his ignition key. He took one last look back at the mine, and got in to go. As he left, he drove by Ted’s truck, now sitting alone at the back of the parking lot. He waved at the two shop workers who had been sent there to wash the bloodstains off the asphalt.

He made the mistake of not rolling up his window before he left the parking lot, and there was traffic on the highway when he got there, so he could not pull on out, but had to sit there. He was immediately swamped with news reporters, who shoved microphones in his face.

Can you tell us exactly what happened at the mine this afternoon?

I could, but I’d rather not.

How many were killed?

How many were wounded?

What is the name of the shooter?

Did you actually witness the shooting?

Look, all I know for sure, is that I got a pink slip, saying that I am now unemployed.

The road was clear, so he revved up his engine and pulled away, almost taking a few microphones with him.

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When he got home, he saw Janice’s Blazer in the driveway, and then saw Janice sitting on the porch steps waiting for him. He knew Joey must have told her about the lay-off. She most likely turned on the TV and heard about the shooting. As he got out of the truck, he noticed that she had been crying. She said nothing as he walked up to the porch and sat down on the steps beside her.

Okay, tell me what happened. she said.

I got laid-off again.

You know what I mean! They said on the news that five people were killed, and two wounded in a shoot-out at the mine! Please tell me that you had nothing to do with that!

I had nothing to do with it, honest. But I did see it happen. I told the police what I saw, and that was that.

So tell me about it.

There’s not much to tell. Ted Stephens took the lay-off news badly. He went to his truck and got his gun, and came back shooting. He got Langston, Pete Furman, and Jack Hammond, and another foreman who needed killing. He wounded Webster, the Mine Manager, and Harley Oaks, a motorman on evening shift. But there was no shoot-out. Ted was the only one shooting.

The news said he killed five people.

Well, yeah, he killed himself when he got to the parking lot. That made five. End of story.

That’s awful!

Yeah, it was senseless. It didn’t have to happen, but it happened so fast that I couldn’t do anything to stop him.

So you were right there when it happened? So in other words, you could have been killed just as well?

Well no, I don’t think Ted would have knowingly shot me. We were friends. (He saw no need to worry her, by telling her that Ted had actually tried to shoot him. It was better that she not know some things.)

Ted Stephens? Isn’t that the man that gave us a baby raccoon a few years ago?

No, that was his brother, Roger, but both of them are raccoon hunters. This is really going to tear up Roger. He and Ted were pretty tight.

Roger wasn’t at the mine when it happened?

No, he’s been off injured for the last couple of weeks. He’s probably camping down on the river somewhere. Somebody will have to go down there to fetch him, to tell him the bad news. The bad news about his brother and about being out of work. Though I suspect that the being out of work part won’t even phase him.

Maybe you should be the one to go find him, and tell him about his brother, since you saw it happen.

Yeah, maybe I should. I hate being the bearer of bad news though. But on the other hand, I’m probably the only one that knows where he camps. And he needs to know about this, so he can make arrangements for Ted’s funeral. He’s about the only family Ted has left, since his wife left him. Yeah, I guess you’re right I should go find Roger to let him know. Where are all the kids?

Rebecca drove them to the park. I wanted to be able to talk to you alone, to find out what really happened. But I feel better now that I know that you are okay. And you know what? I am GLAD that you are laid-off! I hope they never open that awful mine again!

I’ve made us a good living there.

Travis, you could have made us a good living in a dozen different professions! Coal mining is one of the most dangerous professions you could have chosen! I’ll be glad to see you do something else for a change!

Who said I’m going to look for another job?

Then how will we pay the bills?

I was kind of hoping that you would go to work, and I could stay home for awhile. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you up to date on all the daily soap operas, and gossip, so you will stay informed! I think I would like to be Mr. Mom for awhile!

You couldn’t handle the pressure, Travis! One week, and you would be pulling out your hair!

You’re probably right. I was joking anyway.

Seriously, what are we going to do?

To pay bills? I’ll get another job, don’t worry about that. But I’m not going to even look for a job, until we get back from Italy.

You and Joey are still going to Italy?

We might as well. The trip is already paid for. Besides, I got this today. He took the severance paycheck, and dropped it in her lap, along with his regular paycheck.

Wow! We’re rich!

It’s just five thousand, but it’ll get us by until I get back.

I should say so!

If you’ll go deposit that in the bank, I’ll go down to the river to find Roger.

I’ll have to hurry. The bank closes in thirty minutes.

* 3 *

The shadows were lengthening as Travis left the pavement and crunched onto the gravel on River Road. There was no need to shift to four-wheel drive yet, but he knew he would need it before he reached Roger’s ‘camp site’, so he went ahead and shifted into it. It was always nice to drive down River Road, though it was a little early for the trees to be budding out. By the end of the month it would be fully into Spring and the new leaves would be coming out, and the dogwoods trees would be blooming, along with a thousand other things, filling the air with a honey sweet fragrance that was unlike any other place on earth. Birds would be singing and building their nests, bees would be everywhere, gathering pollen for their honey. With Travis’ super sensitive nose, he was all the more aware of everything around him. By the end of the month, it would be a sensory overload for him to come down here, but he would do it anyway. Spring would be fully underway by the time they returned from Italy.

After a mile, he turned off River Road, down a badly washed out road with a rusted steel cable across it. The sign that hung on the cable, though riddled with bullet holes, still said, in unmistakable red letters,

PRIVATE PROPERTY - KEEP OUT!

Undaunted, Travis got out and unhooked the cable and let it drop. He got back in the truck and drove across the cable, then got out to re-hook it. He knew where the remote surveillance camera was hidden, so he faced it and waved, so Roger would know it was him. He didn’t want to get shot at twice in the same day.

He drove on crossing a deep, swift flowing creek then climbed a steep, rocky hillside. This was where the four-wheel drive came in handy. He put it in low gear, and crawled up the seemingly impossible grade. At one point, it was so steep that he thought he might actually roll over backwards, but he made it. On top the hill, he came to what appeared to be a roadblock. It was a large burned-out truck frame, which had obviously been burned where it sat, as the rusted steel cords from the burned tires were still in place where they had fallen off the rims. A crude hand painted sign was on the side of the wreck. It said,

IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD TURN AROUND NOW.

It looked like a dead end, but Travis knew it wasn’t. It was actually a very ingenious gate. All he had to do was open it. He got out and walked up to the wreckage.

Very inconspicuously, a tall honeysuckle covered sapling was leaning over the burned out truck, as though it was bent naturally by a storm. But Travis knew it was a very clever disguise to hide the steel cable from casual view. He walked around behind the wreck, and saw the cable extending up into the forks of a massive oak limb, hanging directly over the wreck. It threaded through a pulley, and ran across to another pulley concealed in the woods. Directly below that pulley, and off the side of a sheer rock cliff, the cable connected to a steel frame that was loaded up with rocks, suspended over the cliff below. Atop the cliff was a 50 pound rock, with a rope tied to it. He grabbed the rope and eased the rock down the cliff, and set it on the frame of rocks. It was a very delicate balance. When the 50 pound rock was added to the frame, it slowly caused the frame of rocks to go down, which in turn, caused the wrecked truck to raise up off the ground eight feet, enough to drive under the wreck. He went and drove his truck under the wreck, then went back into the woods and removed the 50 pound rock. This caused the wreck to gently sit back down in its spot, blocking the road. Travis again waved to the hidden camera, and continued on his way. He drove over the top of the hill in time to see the last rays of sunlight smoldering out on the horizon of Bishop Ridge, then he started the steep descent to the hidden hollow below, where Roger’s ‘camp’ was located, on the banks of Naked Creek.

He had told Janice that Roger’s camp was on the Cahaba River, to throw her off. Moonshiners didn’t take kindly to the location of their stills being common knowledge. Naked Creek was clean and clear, and was perfect for making ‘shine’. At the bottom of the hill, Travis followed the creek for about a quarter mile, as the darkness quickly enveloped him. He turned on his headlights to see hazards in the road, and to alert Roger that he was coming.

He came to a clearing that was cluttered with