Chapter 11

Coffee was dripping happily and had almost finished. I poured my cup. Sarah came in looking great. I put a mug on the counter and poured her cup. She smiled her thanks and took the cup to the kitchen table. Alice was there grinning as we sat down. She said, “There’s not near as much skin now.”

I grinned, “No, but it’s still nicely packaged.”

Sarah blushed. “I didn’t think when I left my bedroom the first time this morning.”

I grinned. “Please don’t think more often.”

Sarah blushed. She then asked, “What are you going to do about the phone call?”

“I’m not sure what to do though am sure it’s a trap.”

Alice said, “I think we should set one of our own. Sooner or later, we will have to address that group unless they leave the area. They might not do that.”

I smiled. “It sounds like my style of paranoia is wearing off on you, Alice.”

“Perhaps. That’s not all bad. I still think my point is valid. We will probably have to do something some day. I don’t really want a war but maybe we can get them to acknowledge our territory and leave us alone. A good ambush might just get that accomplished.”

Sarah said, “You believe you ran into them before and out ran them?”

Alice said, “Yes, and they weren’t happy. I think we need to teach them a harsh lesson. It appears that force is the only thing they understand. I really believe that Carmelo and his wife are dead. Probably Arnold and Kevin are, too. When Hank and I encountered them, it was a big gang of men. I don’t think women last long with them.”

Sarah looked at her quizzically. Alice retorted, “I may not be experienced but I’m not ignorant. That type of man doesn’t act well when in a group.”

“I understand. That leaves us still needing a plan.”

Alice said, ‘I’ve been down around Lake Jackson and there are some bridges that would make fine ambush points. We just need to go over there and set up one of them. They usually go around with a couple of trucks. I think there’s more but they don’t bunch together to take over others. They can’t use many at a time because then they would really scare people.”

I said, “You’ve thought about this more than I have. I do like your thinking.”

Alice smiled, “Good. We just need to ammo up, find a place, and get ‘em.” She grimaced. “We have to figure that the Ellis family are all goners one way or another. That’s harsh but these are harsh times.”

I said, “We can go when you’re ready, Alice.”

Sarah quickly said, “I’m going with you and I think Bill and Stella will want to contribute. They’ve already had to dodge those guys once.”

Stella and Bill walked into the kitchen. Stella said, “Our ears were burning. What’s up?”

Alice said, “Hank received a call early this morning from the first family we talked to right after we put out the posters. They were unarmed and were not preparing for the future. We did not want them for partners. Anyway, they called saying that the bad guys we have experienced had killed the parents. Hank told the daughter to get away west toward Lake Jackson to throw them off track. Now, we have to decide what to do. I think we should go after them.”

Stella asked, “You didn’t believe the person calling you was free?”

Alice said, “No. I listened in to much of the conversation. She was being coerced. The Ellis family is either dead or under control of the baddies or part of them now. I don’t believe they have a future.”

Stella said, “That’s harsh.”

Alice said, “I agree. This can be a harsh time. There are no cops, doctors, nor any help other than ourselves. We offered them a chance to look to the future. They didn’t take it. Hank told me that we can’t force common sense on anyone.”

Stella chuckled, “From my experience, that usually doesn’t work. What do we need to do for this jaunt?”

I said, “My blood-thirsty niece wants to go after them by setting an ambush. It’s unfortunate but I agree that the Ellis family is gone, one way or another. We just need to figure out some details. It will be better to take them out than wait for them to come after us.”

Alice said, “Because they will come.”

“Alice’s initial idea is to set an ambush at a bridge over the lake. There are a few of them. They will make a good choke point. While the bridges offer no cover, the area before and beyond them is frequently wooded or housed to give us hiding spots. Rifles will be needed to be effective.”

“Hank, do you think still that is doable?”

“Sarah, I think we could at least hurt them badly. If we can get their leaders, we will win. We don’t have to wipe them out. We do have to stop them enough to be reasonably safe.”

Bill said, “A group like that is usually held together by force of will. It’s rarely a democratic group. Get the leaders and the followers dissolve.”

Sarah asked, “Hank, how should we do this?”

“I’m not sure how to answer that. I have no experience in battle tactics. Alice taught me about firearms. That said, I think we need to find a place over there, set up, and then wait for a call. We will have to hurry but do so carefully.”

Alice said, “Let’s mount up. I will go with Sarah in our hot car. The bad guys know it. Hank, take your truck with Bill and Stella. Carry more bullets than you think you will need.”

We loaded up in the vehicles with rifles and all the bullets available. We drove out using our cellphones to talk. I had not yet received a call back.

We wound around trying to avoid running into the gang. We saw no one and found a good place for an ambush. There was a side road that Sarah knew. She could take it and lose the big trucks the gang seemed to favor. Stella and Bill set up together with me in a hidden spot. Stella hadn’t had a chance to learn a weapon nor had Bill so I had little hope that their shooting would assist us much other than making the gang keep their heads down. They were cautioned not to shoot until I did.

We settled in to wait for a call or to see the trucks of the gang. It was a longer wait than I would have thought. I finally got a call.

It was Joyce again. “Hank, I’m at the junction of highways two twelve and thirty-six. I’m going to head down thirty-six toward you now. I think I’m free of them.”

“Good. I’m almost in Jackson off the road you’re about to take. Follow it toward Jackson. I’ll meet you in my sports car.”

“Okay. It’s just me and Arnold. The rest are captured with Marianne.”

“See you soon, Joyce.” I called Sarah on speaker. “This is Hank. I got another call. Joyce is on her way with Arnold, supposedly. She will be on this road with Arnold. I told her that I was almost in Jackson. Let’s get ready. They had two big SUV’s when Alice and I met them. It wouldn’t surprise me to see one but it will have a load of bad guys in it. Joyce may or may not be in it. Get ready.”

Sarah said, “Okay. We’ll be ready.”