Into The Shadows
Virgil L. Fuqua
Prologue
On the road again
Cassie was getting tired of driving across country. Not that she was actually driving, for one of her chauffer-bodyguards had been driving steadily for the last five hours. She shifted in her seat, easing the pressure from her hideaway gun in the small of her back.
Betty had only been with her for about six weeks. She had joined Cassie at the mining site in Idaho before Cassie had returned home to Sonora, Texas. Betty and June had been hired because Cassie knew she was going to have to do a lot of driving to get home. After her last attempt to fly on a commercial airline Cassie figured that it would be easier for all involved if she just found a way not to fly for a while.
Betty O’Keefe had retired from the Army. She had been a Master Sergeant in Army Security and Protection. June Smyth had been Betty’s counterpart in the Air Force. While both were more than double Cassie’s age, their years of travel all over the world acting as babysitters and guards for generals’ families had made them very adaptable. They treated Cassie like she was one of those Generals’ older daughters.
Cassie had watched them closely at first and she had found that the two guards loved Big Bertha. They only relaxed while inside of her and parked. Then they felt safe.
This trip to Cassie’s new home to be was nerve racking. If they had not been able to find a place to relax, the job would have been almost impossible.
Chapter 1
Get heavy and do it quick
(* It is unusual, I know, to put a footnote at the beginning of the chapter. But I feel that it will help prevent a break in believability. Virginia is one of the weirder states in the USA. It has over 40 independent cities. These cities are physically located within a county but legally are not in a county. They are directly under the State Government. Weirdness #2 is that these independent cities can have the county seat and courthouse within them. Weirdness #3 is that Sheriffs are not really law enforcement as they are in most states; they are jail and courtroom security and administration. They act as bailiff for the courts and serve papers and summons to appear in court. This leads to weirdness #4 Virginia has County Police for law enforcement outside the cities. So I am throwing the confusion this caused me onto Cassie.)
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Cassie hoped her Dad had been right. The estate in Virginia had been left to her by her Great-great-aunt the day Cassie had been born. Nobody from her family had ever been there. Her father had only found out about it when excess funds from its trust account had flowed into another trust that her Dad now controlled. The other trust had kept the maintenance and upkeep done on this lost estate.
Now that her hidden enemies had attempted to take her out, she needed a place where nobody knew her and this estate would be perfect. Cassie leaned back in her seat and napped.
It had been a long trip, longer then just driving straight to the estate would have been. She had thought to throw off anyone looking for her so they had driven across Pennsylvania into New York then down through New Jersey across Maryland and then into Virginia. The estate was located southwest about two hundred and forty miles from Langley, Virginia. It was just a little ways off I-81 near Roanoke, Virginia. From what she had read from her Dad’s files the back property line was bordered by the Jefferson National Forest. It was isolated and quiet.
They exited I-81 and then turned onto State Highway 311. In no time they pulled off the State Highway onto a long drive way topped with gravel tar. A hundred feet down the driveway a fence with a gate house crossed the road. Betty stopped Big Bertha about 15 yards from the big black gate that blocked the driveway.
Cassie scanned all around them, and then she narrowed her scan to reach out in a complete sweep out to almost three miles. She found nothing of interest. There were no people or domestic animals for over two miles in any direction. Inside the edge of the forest were animals natural to this area.
“It’s clear Betty! June you got the key to the gate?”
“Yes I have, let me out.” With that she crossed over to the passenger side of Bertha and opened the door. She climbed down and walked up to the gate. Her key unlocked a padlock holding a chain around the bars that met at the side of the gate. She wrapped the chain around one bar on the gate and padlocked the chain to it. With a push she rolled the gate open. Standing to the side, she waved Betty through.
Betty drove Bertha and the auto-hauler in past the gate until she was clear so the gate would shut. June pulled the gate back to the locking bar next to the gatehouse.
Cassie, scanning, ‘saw’ that there were locks on the gate and June had used them to hold the gate closed.
June went to Betty’s side and climbed up the outside and waved them forward. Betty drove smoothly and did not jerk or do anything to make June’s position unstable as they proceeded down the driveway.
The final approach to the house was like entering a fairy tale. The drive exited the grove of trees that it passed through and the house and buildings stood framed by a forest behind them.
As the driveway approached the house, it divided on the right side. The left fork of the drive curved into a long circular drive across the front of the house with a covered portico at the front entrance to the house. The right fork ran along the right side of the house then into a large paved area at the rear. It was large enough for at least fifteen Tahoes to be parked between the house and the large barn directly behind the house that had been remodeled into a garage.
Cassie sat upright in her seat and scanned everything. Her mouth dropped open and she gasped.
Bertha came to a complete stop “Cassie? What’s wrong?”
Betty had learned, in the short time she had been with Cassie, that she could see more than just the surface of things. If Cassie was scared, Betty was going no closer. June had noticed that they were frozen on the inside and had dropped to the ground and pulled her weapon.
“Oh my God!” Cassie said quietly under her breath. Her father had told her that she was going to be surprised when she got here. Surprise was a much understated word. She was scanning the complete area of the house and buildings before her. At first she had just wondered how he had done so much in such a limited time. But then she had really narrowed her scan. He had not done this!
The barn that had been remodeled into a garage showed work that was over fifty years old. The two residences on either side of the barn had that veneer of age also. The one on the right had been recently remodeled with up to date technology. That had to be the security room with all those monitors. The power generation room could only be reached by going through the ‘security residency’.
A deep scan found a pair of underground passages from the two residence building that met under the garage then went to the main house. Under the facade of a southern plantation house the inner walls were reinforced concrete. The outside residences were the same with inner walls of reinforced concrete.
The age of the hidden work told her that her father had not done all of it. Here and there, throughout the hidden construction, she could spot modern add-ons like electronic locks, monitoring equipment and power generation equipment. This was not a house; this was a fortress waiting to be manned, a fortress that had been here for ages.
Cassie pulled out her cell phone and pushed the speed dial button for her father.
“Good afternoon Cassie.”
“Dad I am sitting her in front of the estate’s buildings. You did not tell me everything.”
“He-haw, no I did not. What do you think?”
“Did they build this place to stand off the invading hordes of communists?”
“I don’t think so. Most of it is dated back to World War II. I found some documents about leasing it for the duration of the war to the Office of Strategic Services, OSS. I sent some of my best construction inspectors to be sure everything was in shape and working.”
“You got any more surprises for me, Dad?”
“No Cassie, I think it was a training facility. You’ve got gyms, an indoor pool, outside athletic fields. Oh, the armories are not stocked, so that’s going to be up to you.”
“Good bye Dad.”
“Cassie?”
Cassie shook herself out of the daze that she had settled into. She turned her head to Betty. “It’s a fortress Betty. I was just shocked when I saw it fully for the first time.”
“Fortress?”
“Yes, you will see after you go over the place. You should see the thickness of the walls. Oh well, sitting out here is not getting anything done.”
June climbed back onto Bertha and Betty continued the drive up to the estate and around to the rear.
Cassie was scanning the whole place as they drove up the drive way. This place was huge. No, it was gigantic.
From what she had read in her Dad’s file, the main house had 8 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and 5 half baths. There was a library, office, two dining rooms, a breakfast room, a kitchen with a cellar, a pantry room, a laundry, an enclosed solarium on the back and a security room. Three of the bedrooms were reserved for Cassie and her companions.
Betty parked Bertha and the three women used a key that they had been provided to enter the main house. In the kitchen, they found a set of remote garage door openers and instructions on the features that had been installed in the estate.
They walked quickly through the large house. The master bedroom was set up as Cassie’s room, with Betty’s room on one side of her. June’s room was across the hall from Betty’s room. The security room was across the hall from Cassie’s room and next to June.
They checked out the kitchen and pantry and found that Cassie’s Dad had provided a plentiful supply of non-perishable food and a small supply of perishables, such as milk and eggs. They would need to make a trip to town for groceries soon or order some sent to the estate.
After they finished their initial walk-through, Betty drove Bertha to the garage and triggered the remote door opener. They spent the next half hour removing the Tahoe from the auto-hauler and then backed the auto-hauler into its own storage area. The Tahoe and Bertha were parked side-by-side in the garage. When they were through, Betty used a remote she had attached to the keys to lock up the garage and they walked up to the backdoor leading into the kitchen.
All three of them began a more thorough exploration of the house. The team then checked out the security room which had an armory cabinet with no guns. Betty and June looked quickly at each other after examining it.
Cassie noted the look, “What’s up girls?”
“No backup weaponry, we only have our personal weapons.”
“Yeah and not much ammo for them either. We need to stock up.” June added.
“Hold on a minute.” Cassie reached into her jacket pocket and brought out her phone. She pushed a speed dial button and minutes later she had Clint on the phone.
“Clint I’ve got one of those problems that you might help with. No not that kind of problem but close. I am in Virginia and will be for awhile. I need a very reliable firearms dealer that makes house calls.”
“Cassie, there are not many that can do that. But here’s a number, tell them I said ‘suck piss’. Remember ‘suck piss’ and they will be able to take care of your problems. So you are in Virginia?”
“Yes but keep it to yourself, I have got Witsec clearance now.”
“Wheee, playing with the big boys are you? Okay, zip lips and all that.”
“Let me know if you ever need back up. How are my two girls doing?”
“Just fine, they are the ones that brought my attention to the fact that we only have our personal weapons and little ammo for them.”
“Knowing you that will never do; with enemies like you have, get heavy girl and keep heavy.”
“I am doing so now. See you later Clint.”
“You too; sleep safe.”
Cassie hung the call up and immediately called the number Clint had given her.
“Charlottesville Firearms, may I help you?”
“Yes, I have recently moved to the Roanoke area of Virginia and find myself in need of replenishing my ammo, and increasing my supply of home protection. I was advised to call your number and ask for a consultant to bring me some now.”
“Are you asking for home delivery? That is very unusual. Do you have any idea what you will need?”
“Well, some 12 gauge riot guns, a .308 sniper rifle, no make that two snipes and four riot guns. I have one M4 and could use two more of them. Let’s see; four Glock 23s and three Glock 27s both types in .40 caliber. I would like three sets of female body armor and make those the top of the line. I will need a couple of cases of .308 full metal jackets, five cases of .40 caliber, twelve 17 round .40 magazine for the Glocks and five cases of magnum loads 0-0 buck 12 gauges. That will be a good start.”
“Well that is a special order; we need special instructions to fill that. Also for the best female body armor we will need sizing.”
“Betty, June, I need sizes for the armor.”
Betty and June gave Cassie their sizes, including cup size, and Cassie passed them on and then provided hers.
Cassie thought for a minute, “Suck Piss, is that’s what you are waiting for?”
“Yes ma’am that is the instruction I was waiting for. How will you be paying? Where do you want this delivery to be made? How soon do you need it?”
“American Express Unlimited, Blackthorn Estate State Road 311, tomorrow 1:00 PM.”
“One moment, okay we found the location and no problem; a truck will arrive at that time at your location. Thank you for doing business with Charlottesville Firearms.”
Cassie put her phone up and ‘looked’ at the two women who were staring at her.”
“M4?”
“Where do you have an M4?” June asked eagerly.
“In the Tahoe it’s in a case under the passenger seat. That reminds me the magazines are all empty.”
June held her hand palm up toward Betty who dropped a set of keys into them. “I’ll get it; it’s doing us no good setting in the Tahoe.” They spent the next hour filling all the empty magazines they found in the gun case. Cassie had forgotten all the magazines for her Glocks. When they were through they still had two magazines for the Glocks that were empty, and one for the M4.
Cassie once more called the firearm dealer.
“Hi, I put in an order just a little while ago? Yes that’s mine. I need to add to it. I need full metal jacket .223 caliber rounds for the M4s and if possible full magazines for all them plus reloads, thank you.”
“Well, at one o’clock tomorrow afternoon we will have a truck arriving with weapons and ammo. June, we’ll send you to the gate house with the shotgun from the Tahoe. You can let the truck in, lock up and follow the truck. Betty, you will be here with the M4. As soon as the truck stops I will exit the house.”
We’ll have the truck unload at the Security Building but stack everything on the rear drive. Maybe we can have the truck crew take most of the boxes into the Armory and then we can bring the things we need into the house and up stairs to store in our security room.”
“Now we are going to have to be able to monitor that front gate or get another couple of people here. Heck we’re going to need a housekeeper, a cook and some maids also. Let’s think on that and get together to discuss it tomorrow.”
They met the next morning over breakfast. “This has to go; I don’t mind cooking when nothing else can be done but it gets old fast unless you really like to cook. It was just one of the reasons I left home, the expectation that as the only girl it was my job to cook. Not happening here.” June grumbled under her breath.
“Okay that is first on our list, a cook.”
“We need more security personal. This place is absolutely too big for the three of us.” Betty stated flatly.
“Three of us?” June asked with a glance at Cassie.
“I talked to Clint myself last night. Cassie do you want to explain or do you want me to tell?” Betty asked.
“Let’s hear what Clint had to say.” Cassie grinned at her.
“We’ve been kept in the dark and fed shit, just like good little mushrooms June.” Betty waved at Cassie. “I have had my doubts ever since we meet her in Idaho. Especially with how much they were paying us.”
“Yeah, me too! We are, or I am, being paid more than to protect a witness against a major drug cartel leader.”
“Well according to Clint, we don’t have to worry with her on our backs. He said the two of them got ambushed in Idaho by four vehicles and more than eleven men. He took out three of them which he stated was supported by forensic data afterward. But Cassie, our primary, took out all but two of those left and they were intentionally allowed to escape. He’s betting that if we ever go to a range together she will beat both of us.”
“Come on now Betty that’s a sucker bet. You take him up on it?”
“Ten to one he said and he got one hundred thousand dollars on Cassie, and eight bodies in graves.”
“I figured I would check that bet until I knew more.”
She paused and it got very quiet over the breakfast table.
“Who do you work for, Betty, June?” Cassie asked quietly.
“As I remember, and I do remember things of real importance, my contract states that my Primary is one Cassandra Howly Howard, and I am contracted to her directly.” Betty stated.
“Basically the same contract for me also.” June echoed.
“Okay, I have been seconded to Witsec for document support by a Federal Court Order. I am also a Special Deputy US Marshal which gives me some much needed Federal authority to possess firearms.”
“I am also very rich; so rich, in fact, that this estate was left to me over thirteen years ago and my Father just found it earlier this year in all the assets left to me. As such, he felt it was a place that would not be traced back to me for quite some time; safe in other words. We believe that my inheritance is the reason I am being attacked.”
“Have you two any question about my eyesight?”
The both of them slowly shook their heads.
“Well I am blind as a bat, but similar to a bat I don’t need eyesight. I’ve got something called Blind sight, but a thousand times better. Oh, on the range I will be able to shoot one hundred percent. I never miss except on purpose. Using my sight I found a stream of gold over two miles long in the Idaho Mountains. I own twenty five percent of the company mining it at a rate of ten million dollars worth of gold per day.”
“So don’t worry about your pay or benefits. Give me a list of every job we need to fill around the estate. I am going to be starting to college so I need some real fresh faces to go with me. Find them for me and give their names to Clint for background checks. Also, let me know any security upgrades that are needed. We need to be able to monitor that gate house and the gate.”
“Oh I am completely blind to colors. Everything looks grey to me. So don’t expect me to notice any light emitters. I cannot use mirrors; they are completely blank to me as are monitors. One of the reasons I cannot drive is that I cannot see taillights or turn signals or signal lights.
But I can see just as well in the dark as I can in full daylight. I can see through walls, trees, hills or mountains. So I figure I won more than I lost when I went blind.”
Cassie had dressed in her work clothes from Idaho, informal battledress that was no longer used by the American military. While not bad up in Idaho, she had now noticed that in the warmer climates of Texas and Virginia the cloth was beginning to chafe a little where moisture had been retained.
“Oh, I notice that your clothes seem just as good if not better than mine but more comfortable where can I get some like them?”
The conversation and list making went on for another hour or so. Then June took Cassie up to her room to try on a set of her ACU’s. After finding a set that fit Cassie, June then mentioned the fact that Cassie had now lost all her extra pockets and would need to wear a couple of fanny or waist packs. Cassie then pulled her credentials out of a pocket of her old BDUs and hung them over her belt on her left side. June stared at them. “You are really a Deputy US Marshal?”
“Special Deputy US Marshal, which means the government does not pay me but I have all the authorities of a regular Deputy US Marshal within the guideline authorized when deputized. My Dad has a couple of Federal Judges indebted to him so the authorization was pretty broad.”
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“It’s game time! All players should take their position.” Betty’s voice came from the security room. Cassie and June rushed to the security room where June grabbed the shotgun from the Tahoe and a bandoleer of shells for it. Then she rushed downstairs and into the Tahoe.
Cassie heard the engine start and the Tahoe driving away on a speaker in the Security room. Betty stuck a couple of magazines for the M4 in a gear belt that she had strapped on and headed outside also. Cassie then picked up a couple of magazines for her Glocks then looked around for something to carry them in. Another gear belt caught her attention and it had a couple of pouches that appeared to be big enough to hold the magazines.
Grabbing the belt, she put it on and then put the extra magazines in the pouches. She had to move her badge and credentials to the gear belt as it covered the place where she had been wearing them.
She went downstairs and out the back door where she sat down on an old bench against the outside wall of the house. Cassie did a deep scan of the whole estate and the nearby national forest; no unknown humans anywhere. June had just arrived at the front gate and was unlocking it. She had turned the Tahoe to point toward the house. She now stood in the doorway of the gatehouse. Cassie pulled her cell phone out and hit speed dial for Betty.
“Betty, remember and remind me to get some secure communication that is not so awkward to use as these cell phones. June is now in place at the front gate. No intruders within two miles.”
“Check on that secure communication! We do need that.”
“Roger and out.” Cassie then speed dialed June.
“June, just letting you know we are aware of your position and will maintain surveillance of you. So don’t worry about letting us know what you’re doing.”
“Thanks! That makes me feel better knowing I am not the point by myself.”
Cassie put away her phone in one of the pouches she had attached to her gear belt.
She maintained her scan of the area and the road up to the gate. Right at one o’clock a large truck drove slowly down the State Highway toward the road into the estate. A quick scan of the truck showed two men in the driving compartment and three inside the truck body with dozens of crates. All the men were armed.
Cassie quickly dialed June again. “June! Fall back and leave the gate unlocked. There are five well armed men with three hiding in the body of the truck. Get out of sight and I suggest taking the Tahoe with you.”
She did not wait for acknowledgement, but was dialing Betty. “Five armed men with the truck. I told June to pull out but to leave the gate unlocked. Oh, she has pulled the Tahoe into a grove of trees off the drive way. Damn.”
“What’s wrong? Cassie?”
“I should have thought about communications last week! This is a pain. I need to stay back just to keep you two informed on what is happening.”
“Well you are doing a great job so far.”
“Oh, yeah, great job! I gave them everything they needed to take us, our weapons, our ammo situation and our address. Yeah great job alright.”
“Not on you Cassie! Clint gave you them as safe supplier, so it is on him. If you can, you might let him know what’s going down.”
Cassie thought for just a second then dialed Clint in Idaho. “Cassie what’s up?”
“I got a truck with five armed men approaching me on schedule for that arms dealer you gave me. Would they be stupid enough to attempt to hit me?”
“HOLD ON! I will be right back. Click!” He had hung up on her.
The truck had pulled up at the gate and just sat there. Then one man on the passenger side got out and walked over to the gate house outer door and peeked in. Turning to face the truck he shrugged. Then he walked over to the gate and opened it wide. The truck drove in and the man shut the gate behind the truck. He quickly reentered the truck and it started down the drive.
June waited until the truck had circled out of sight before driving the Tahoe out of its hiding place.
She slowly followed the truck down the driveway. Cassie reached for her phone then hesitated. It rang.
“Cassie.” She said.
“Okay Cassie, stay alert! I think I just got this fixed. Leave the phone on so I can hear.” With that Cassie hung her phone off her gear belt on the front. She kept up her scanning so she noticed when the driver answered his cell phone. Then he slammed his brakes on full. She continued to scan them but started a rolling narrative of what was happening for Clint to hear.
An argument broke out inside the truck; the three men in the back were gathered around an open space between the back and the driver’s compartment. Finally the driver handed his cell phone through the opening to one of the men in back. Soon she could ‘see’ him screaming into the phone and then he turned and slammed it down where he stomped it into the floor. He then brought up the gun he was carrying and chambered a round.
“Well Clint, it looks like the man on the scene has decided not to pay attention to the man on the phone. Things are about to get a little noisy out here.”
“Damn! Damn! I’m sorry Cassie. Be careful these are not amateurs like that last bunch we handled.”
“Okay, get some clean up headed our way. Contact Dad for political cover. Got to go.”
Cassie quickly let her two companions know where they stood. “June stay back unless absolutely needed. Use your camera phone to record everything that happens. As soon as you can, afterward, get those pictures to Clint.”
“You sure? I mean these are the contacts he gave you.”
“Well so are you June. Yes I trust him. It’s just that the contact he gave me has got twisted someway. Now stand back and record everything.”
“Betty?”
“Yes, I am still inside the garage.”
“Man Big Bertha. She is not armed, but she is a weapon by herself, so when they stop I want you to open the garage door and drive her out and put her nose at the passenger door. Take no other action unless they start shooting. June is going to hang back and record everything.”
Cassie hung up her cell phone and scanned the area once more. Nothing had changed except that June had closed up on the truck which had continued down the drive and was just pulling around to the back entrance. She stayed seated on the bench waiting for the truck to pull up.
Betty had already started up Bertha and the door of the garage was opening. The driver could see Cassie now and was turning the truck to approach the rear entrance to the house. She waited until the truck stopped and then stood up and walked toward the driver.
Big Bertha gunned out of the garage and then its brakes squealed as it slid to a stop inches from the passenger door of the truck. The two men in the front of the truck turned their heads and stared at the monster MRAP sitting inches away.
Cassie grinned as she noted Betty smiling and waving at the two men in the driving compartment. They all froze. The three men in the back had almost fallen when the truck stopped. The leader screamed at the driver who slowly turned to face into the body of the truck. Cassie could tell that he was saying something to the leader in the back.
Those three rushed the rear door of the truck and kicked it open. Cassie squatted as she pulled her Glock out and aimed under the truck in the general direction of the rear. She kept most of her attention on those in the rear with incidental attention on the front. The two men in the driving compartment had placed their hands above the edge of the window so Betty could see that they had no guns in them. Both had guns but they were in their holsters.
Cassie knew which one was bringing up his gun to shoot at Betty. As the gun started to line up she shot under the truck taking out his left knee cap. He dropped his gun as he fell to the ground screaming. She brought her sight back to the other two and shot all four ankles.
Standing back up, Cassie noted the driver was staring bug eyed at her and was squeezing the rim of the steering wheel tightly. She smiled and nodded at him. Turning, she began to walk to the rear of the truck.
When she rounded the corner, the three screaming men were rolling on the ground. She scanned them closer; none were in danger of bleeding out. No arteries had been hit and none of the bone fragments had come near an artery. Pain yes, lots of pain, but nothing fatal.
Cassie waved at June to come closer. She wanted video of them with their guns still nearby. She turned toward the gate. Two cars with bubble gum light bars on top were pulling up at the gate and checking it out. Then two more pulled up. From its interior, one was a crime scene unit.
“June upload those videos right now. We got the law at the gate. In the rear of the Tahoe, under the floor, is a briefcase. Get it ready to bring to me.”
Cassie pulled out her cell phone and called 9-11, “This is the Blackthorn estate on north State Highway 311. I note that there are four or five Police’s cars entering the property now. I am Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howard on site and we will need ambulances for three wounded suspects. Would you also let the Police officers know that federal law enforcement is already on site? Thank You.”
She pressed the speed dial for a number she had never called before. “United States Marshal Service, Western District of Virginia, Roanoke; how may I direct your call?”
“This is Special US Deputy Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, Northern District of Texas. I’m reporting a shooting involving myself in your district at Blackthorn Estate on State Road 311, Roanoke, Virginia. I have Police cars and ambulances enroute at this time.”
“Please hold I am transferring your call to Chief Supervisory Deputy Holt at this time.”
A few minutes later a voice spoke to her on the phone. “Deputy Howard?”
“Yes, sir, this is Special Deputy Cassandra Howly Howard.”
“I got your record in front of me Deputy Howard. Do you know most Deputy Marshals never have to ever pull or use their firearm in a twenty to thirty year career? You have now been involved in two shooting incidents in less than one year.
I will be coming to the scene myself. Please inform the Officer in Charge that this is a federal crime scene and to hold off on any investigation until I or one of my delegated Marshals arrives.”
“Yes sir, I will do so.”
“Click.”
Cassie took the few free moments that she would have for awhile to call Clint again. ”Cassie are you okay?”
“I think I am in trouble with the local USMS. The Chief Supervisory Deputy is coming himself to investigate.”
“I did not kill anyone this time but I got three wounded here. I took out a kneecap, and four ankles.”
“Normally I would say that was piss poor shooting, but I don’t know the circumstances.”
“Oh, I was shooting under a truck bed and had no time to wait.”
“Well then that sounds like very good shooting; any way to prove that they were about to use force?”
“I had June off at a distance recording on her phone camera. And then she closed in showing them wounded and their weapons lying on the ground next to them.”
“That’s my Cassie; get that documentation off the crime site.”
“She has already uploaded it.”
“Oh, Clint got to go. Looks like the big honchos are showing up.”
“See you later.”
Cassie put her phone away and scanned the area again. A Cadillac Escalade was just passing through the gate and was coming up the driveway with two other Police cars. All three had signs on the side so the Cadillac was most likely the Sheriff himself. All of them were wearing sunglasses.
Cassie walked over to the driver’s side of Big Bertha and Betty cracked the door open so they could talk.
“Looks like the Sheriff and a couple of cars are coming. Then I’ve got the Chief Supervisory Deputy Marshal for this Judicial District on the way. Just hold tight. Betty, see if you can find a pair of sunshades in the drawer under the passenger seat. I think I bought a pair and threw them in there.”
Betty bent over to reach the drawer under the passenger seat. When she opened it, there lay the sunglasses still in the packaging. She picked them up and opened the package. She sat back up and opened the door and handed Cassie the sunglasses.
Cassie gently put the glasses on and looked up at Betty. “Cool, just like a covert operative.” Betty told her.
Turning, Cassie walked back to the rear of the truck. There she waited, as the Sheriff and his Deputies arrived. Cassie stood so that her badge and credentials were clearly visible.
The Sheriff got out of his car from the passenger side. His driver was a Deputy Sheriff. Cassie did a double take. This was no Sheriff or no Sheriff she had ever heard about or seen. He wore a shield, not a star for a badge. She had never heard of any Sheriff that wore a shield. She scanned the other cars; all the law men in them wore shields also. It was times like these that Cassie wished she could see light, as the signs on the side of the cars were basically solid to her and as such unreadable.
Cassie decided to go by the badges, which from the engraving and such she could read. “Roanoke County Police”, the one she had thought was the Sheriff said “Chief of Police”.
Two police officers got out of each of the two cars that had followed the Chief up the drive.
He looked around. He was good! Cassie knew he could describe everything in sight when he was done. He was more than a politician. Betty, in the driver seat of Bertha, had been noted as well as Bertha herself. The wounded on the ground had been seen but simply ignored as being beneath his notice. His eyes focused on the truck. He knew this truck. Cassie really concentrated on him, waiting for him to speak first.
“Who is in charge here?” His voice was smooth and softly spoken. She stood a little straighter, “I am, Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, until Chief Supervisory Deputy Marshal Holt arrives from Roanoke. He told me to tell whoever showed up that this is a Federal Crime Scene.”
With that statement the Police Chief stood up a little straighter himself. “Marshal Holt is coming out here?” His voice was a little louder.
“Yes Sir.”
“Howly, is that your middle name?”
“Yes Sir, Cassandra Howly Howard.”
“This property use to belong to an old lady that was descended from the Howly family. She was a scary old lady, nobody got cross wise of her.”
“Yes I had heard that myself.”
Cassandra tilted her head to the side, and then straightened up. “Marshal Holt is turning in at the gate right now. He will be up here in a few minutes.”
His driver leaned out the window of the Cadillac, “Chief! US Marshal Holt has just arrived at the gate and is headed this way.”
The Chief of Police looked at his driver then at Cassie, “That’s one heck of a security system you got there.” He was examining her closer this time and he still could not see any radio equipment on her.
He turned looking over the whole area and spotted June with her camera still going. Then quickly looked back at Cassie, and she knew what he was thinking. He thought he now knew how she had known the Marshal had arrived. Three black Tahoes drove up the drive and spread out. Cassie sensed ten deputies counting the Chief Supervisory Deputy Marshal Holt.
The chief got out of his Tahoe and approached the Chief of Police. He began to grin and stuck out his hand to be shaken. He appeared to be more of a politician than the Chief. “Chief Buckner, what brings you out to one of our crime scenes?”
“Marshal Holt, I did not know it was yours until I got here. It appears that you got one hell of a female deputy here.”
“Oh, you have already looked around then?”
“Nope, she explained it was Federal so we have not moved since then. But, just use your eyes. She took those three out with five shots and from the front left of the truck.
She waited until that one there rounded the corner of the rear of the truck to shoot the driver of this monster of a truck there. When he brought his gun up to shoot, she fired under the truck and took out his left knee cap.
When he fell he dropped his weapon there. These two were behind him; she could not tell what they were about to do so she took their legs out from beneath them with two ankle shots each, also under the truck.”
“Oh, justifiable then?”
“As the Chief of Police of Roanoke County it is my opinion that this is a completely justifiable shooting. I will present my findings to the District Attorney and I am sure he will see it my way.”
“Of course, he is your son-in-law, but one correction: She is not one of my Deputies.” The Chief of Police turned to look at Cassie closely. Then back at the Deputy US Marshal.
“First she is a Special Deputy US Marshal. She is not assigned to the United State Marshal Service. We were notified as a courtesy when she arrived in our District. I believe she was appointed by the Marshal of the Northern District of Texas.”
They both turned to stare at Cassie. “That is correct Chief; my home is Sonora, Texas in the Northern Judicial District of Texas.”
“This is also not her first shooting, though this one is a little cleaner. About two months ago she was involved in a shooting with thirteen suspects. She killed eight of them. The sheriff there ruled justifiable, and the local county coroner ruled death by justifiable means.
I also found that she had been kidnapped a couple months earlier and when found, one of the kidnappers was dead and the other two were running for the border like the hounds of hell were chasing them. So, I am a little worried when a person with federal authority, but not under any supervisory authority, and with death all over them shows up.”
“Well then, Marshal it looks like you are the one to act.” With that, the Chief of Police and his Officers all stepped away. Cassie did not. They all kept their eyes and ears open.
“Ms. Howard I want your badge and any credentials you may be carrying and also all your weapons.”
Cassie turned and yelled at June, “June bring me my briefcase.”
She then turned to face the Chief, “Did you discuss your trip out here with anyone in your office before coming?”
He just looked at her. “Chief, I would advise you to call your Marshal up and explain what you have just done.”
June walked past the Police Officers and the Deputy US Marshals. Her phone hung from her shirt pocket still recording everything in front of her. Reaching Cassie she turned sideways and braced her leg on the rear of the truck and used it as a desk to open the briefcase up so all could see inside of it.
Cassie reached into the case and pulled out a manila envelope. Opening it, she pulled out a court order and handed it toward the Police Chief.
When the Chief Deputy US Marshal reached for it she pulled it back. “You are not authorized to handle that sir. This is to the Head Law Enforcement Official of the county in which I am standing when I present it. That is Chief Buckner I believe.”
The Chief of Police stepped forward and looked at Cassie then took the folded papers and opened them. He read the first page then each of the ones that followed. He then looked at Chief Holt. “Holt, you should have done like the girl asked and called your boss. This is a court order issued by a federal judge in Texas. It has been endorsed by three Federal Courts of Appeal judges.”
It states that any person attempting to remove the badge or credentials from the said Special Deputy Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, would be in contempt of the said courts and would be arrested and returned to the said court for a hearing to determine the punishment for said persons.”
The US Deputies were all staring in shock at their boss. Cassie said “I gave fair warning.”
“Oh my god!” The Chief of Police had turned pale and was backing away from her, “You, you are one those Howards! And I was worried about you being a Howly!”
Everybody was now staring at the Chief of Police, Cassie also. “You have heard of our family motto?
“Holt, leave this woman alone. Her family is a curse on all their enemies. They don’t even have to do anything. Once they give warning and if you persist then you will die!”
Cassie looked over the heads of all the people standing there.
”Honestare monitus non ubi cura inimici tui moriar” came from her mouth with a roar. She could see him standing on the top of hill with his sword pointed to the heavens.
“I gave fair warning; I will not worry where my enemies will die!”
When she became aware of her surroundings, she noticed a gap between her and all the people around. Even June was staring bug eyed at her. “Chief, I am a client of Witsec with a federal court order never to be without my credentials or badge or weapons. If you truly attempt to remove any of those you will lose your job.”
Facing Chief Buckner she said, “Chief, my mother’s family was Howly. What you just heard was from the Howly’s family genes telling of my father’s family. I am probably one of the richest people you have ever met.” Cassie had kept her voice down so only the Chief Deputy Marshal and Chief of Police could hear her.
“This estate is mine. I will be living here from now on. Please remove the wounded men. The truck contains materials I have ordered. Leave it and the drivers; they did nothing.”
She closed up her briefcase and with a nod to June, “Put it back June.”
Cassie walked over to Bertha. Betty opened the door. “Park it Betty.”
Then Cassie went to the driver’s side of the waiting truck and motioned with a circular motion to roll the window down. The window began a slow sinking movement. “You guys okay in there?”
The driver looked at his helper then back at Cassie. “Yes ma’am I think I need to get to a restroom pretty soon though.”
Cassie laughed out loud. “Well, do you know what all is in the back, it looks like a lot more then I ordered.”
“Yes Miss. The boss man threw a few things extra in and said if you wanted them it would save another trip out here.”
“Who was that idiot in the back?”
“He was the boss’s nephew. He was never any good, and always looking for the easy way.”
“Well he is lucky I only blew his knee cap off. He might have some trouble walking from now on. The last time people came at me I killed eight of them.”
The driver was looking at her badge and credentials now. “Are you really a Deputy US Marshal?”
“Sure, that’s why I need these weapons; they are for me.”
“So let’s get the back emptied out. I want to see what they sent.”
After all the Marshals and Police Officers were gone, it took a couple of hours to empty the truck into the Security Residence. When it was all checked over and the prices for the extra added to the bill, the total was over two hundred thousand dollars. They had a mobile credit card machine that took her American Express Unlimited.
After everybody was gone she put in a call to her lawyers in Washington. They arranged for a top company that supplied domestic help that was vetted by the FBI to supply security cleared domestic help for politician and diplomats. She notified them of their location and the need for domestic help and the qualifications.
Then she called Clint to find more security personal.
Later, they stocked their Arms Lockers with guns and ammo. Most of the magazines were loaded when they arrived so that took little time.
When they tried their vests to be sure they would fit, Cassie’s was a little too loose and Betty’s was too tight.
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My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.
© Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents
Cassie Into The Shadows 