CHAPTER 22


   “That is most interesting,” Kent said when he heard the news about the Germans. He had noticed that their aircraft was no longer parked at the edge of the tarmac. After he and Killian had parked the airplane and then walked back to the tower, Kent had also noticed that the Germans did not leave any guards behind either. He found it very curious but, did not show his true feelings on the matter. All that he had to say after that was, “I suggest that we do not look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Lucy was half way done with her bottle of bourbon. She slapped it on the desk and said, “I’ll drink to that.”
Killian snatched the bottle away from her, took a swig of it himself, and then corked the bottle before putting it away. He then told his sister, “today it seems that you will drink to anything.”
Kent ignored the banter and asked about the two missing choppers. Shannon told him, “Mom went to look for Tony and Danni. I think they’re flying the hump.” The child was obviously bored out of her skull and she was not all too happy about being left behind. Kent simply dismissed it as unimportant.
Politely, Kent then turned to Killian and asked, “I wonder if I would be imposing Sheriff. I would have need of a vehicle for a few hours, if that would not be too much trouble.”
For a price it was never any trouble and Kent got the use of an old pick up that normally sat around. It was not exactly Kent’s style but, then again, style was not the point of the exercise. It got him to the San Alamo Bar and Grill, which is all that Kent really cared about. Kent found it ironic that the place did not look all that different from many of the buildings up at Jim Dove’s settlement. The Bar was constructed of logs and, although it had a better roof, the décor was about the only real difference. There was no medieval garb and tapestry here. The place had neon signs and Texas memorabilia plastered everywhere. The few people that were around, also, had considerably more cowboy hats than Jim Dove’s flock.
Kent inquired with a little girl that was tending bar and she pointed him out one of the many back doors. It led him to the side of the building with a few outdoor tables and big smoking grill. Kent had noticed some white smoke that was rising into the air, from that direction, when he first arrived. He found one man as the source of that smoke. A silver haired looking fellow, skinny, and dressed much like everyone else that Kent had seen so far.
The man never gave any indication that he actually knew Kent was standing there watching him spear slabs of beef with a giant two pronged fork. He never turned around at all. He just continued to flip the steaks as his gravely voice mumbled, “been expecting you. Guess you’re a little surprised to see me.”
“Not as much as you might think,” Kent replied. He simply stood his ground and did not retreat nor walk closer to the man. He then added, “I am a little surprised at the messenger. I can only guess at what a man like Dove would charge you for such a service.”
Still watching his steaks, the man replied, “he has his uses, well, when he’s not a pain the ass. I suspect, that’s not what you’re really wanting to ask me though.” When Kent did not say a word, the man went on, “how’s Barbara?”
Now Kent did speak, “why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“I’m busy,” the gruff sounding man replied. Finally the man put down the fork and turned to face Kent. He wiped his hands on a rag and said, “what you really want to know is, why now? That about right?”
“Actually,” Kent told him, “I think my first question would be why you’re even back here at all. Then I might ask how you did it. Since we both very well know that you won’t answer either of those questions, why bother to ask in the first place?”
The man started chuckling as he tossed the rag aside. He was smiling when he said, “Kent Gold. Where the hell did you ever get a name like that from? Sounds a little…”
“Cliché perhaps,” Kent suggested.
“Actually,” the man replied, “I was gonna say stupid. Course, I guess it can’t be any worse than what you’re doing right now. Ain’t it about time you started acting like a grown up again?”
Kent waived the notion off, “I’m done with all of that. You knew that when we parted company.”
Still the man chuckled, “sure we say that. I might have of even thought that a time or two. We both know it ain’t true.”
Kent decided to return the chuckle, “and now which one of us is depending on cliché’s?”
He had a very quick answer for that, “don’t make it any less true.”
“This isn’t the old days,” Kent replied. “Neither of us are exactly young anymore. Whatever you think you’re doing here, I seriously doubt if it would be worth the effort.”
That seemed to touch a nerve. The man was not as easy going as a moment ago, “you have no idea what I’m involved in right now.”
“Given our history,” Kent replied, “I can guess.”
The man went on as if Kent had not even spoken, “you and me both know what they’ve turned this colony in too. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed cause I know you’re not that stupid.”
Kent took the tone in stride and simply replied, “it’s not your sentiment that I’m disagreeing with. It’s just that I am all too familiar with your methods. I don’t see where any good could come of it now.”
“Guess we’re finished then,” the man told him, “ain’t we?”
Kent turned to leave but, then he stopped and looked back over his shoulder. With a polite smile he did ask, “I don’t suppose I’ll have any trouble when I start my vehicle, will I?”
The man laughed in such a way to make it clear he did not find it funny. He simply asked in return, “I don’t know. Was it made here?”
“Why yes it was,” Kent told him.
The man snorted and replied, “you should be just fine then, I reckon.”