Chapter 35

 

Wiley reacted immediately, grabbing his father’s shoulders and shoving him against a pine tree. “Now wait a minute, Daddy. Deacon John and Humpback killed Miss Emma, not Bones. Give me that shotgun and you back off. Now!”

Raymond lowered his head as Wiley took the gun away from him. Buck and Ray squatted beside Malone's inert body, shaking him and patting his face. Wiley joined them.

“He okay?”

Ray nodded. “Except for a few loose teeth.”

With his handkerchief, he wiped blood from Bones Malone's mouth. “You gonna make it? Wiley asked. Malone’s eyes blinked. “Will you tell your story to the proper authorities, just like you told us?”

“No way. The Judge would have me castrated and hung up by the thumbs.”

“I promise that won't happen,” Wiley said. “With your testimony, we'll have enough to put Travis away for twenty years to life.” Everyone's eyes grew large when Wiley pulled a badge from his shirt pocket. “U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Undercover. The ATF has had this group staked out for almost a year now. You cooperate and I'll personally guarantee we'll go easy on you—including the AWOL.”

Wiley took Bones' slight nod as a yes. Producing a cell phone from his pocket, he dialed a number. “Riley. We got what we need. Arrest Travis and start shutting down his operations on the island. I'll explain when I get back to town.”

Bones took a long breath. When he exhaled, he seemed to deflate from loss of stress.

“What about the Mittie Stephens?” Buck asked. “You said you found it. Where is it, if not at Nation's development or on Fitzgerald Island?”

Talk of the Mittie Stephens brought a spark to Malone’s eyes. “You’re practically standing on it.”

Buck waited until Wiley nodded his approval before giving Malone a hand off the ground. They followed him along a path through the canebrake, obvious he had chopped it with a machete as the cut marks on the cane were still visible. Within minutes, they reached the edge of the lake. What they found was like something out of a treasure-hunter’s fantasy. Buck could hardly believe what he saw.

It was the Mittie Stephens, and not just a wooden remnant. The entire old sidewheeler lay before them, complete as the day it left port in New Orleans. Part of the boat was charred from the fire that caused the passengers and crew to scuttle it that fateful night. Many of the original timbers had loosened with age, but it was complete in every way. There was but a single difference.

Cypress trees had grown up through cracks in the boat. Now, giant trees skewered the entire frame, covering it from the sky with their towering limbs. Two smoke stacks, just in front of the tiny building from which the pilot steered the craft, remained in place atop the boat. A lifeboat remained behind one of the side wheels. The name, Mittie Stephens, was still visible. Sight of the ghost ship left Buck with the creepy sensation that he was viewing a maritime graveyard.

“How did you ever find it?” Ray asked.

“I found a few parts and pieces after the war when I was hiding out. I came on the actual wreckage about a year ago, by accident when I was duck hunting. The bird I'd shot dropped into the brake. I cut my way in from the lake, trying to retrieve it.”

Still barely believing his eyes, Buck rapped the old boat with his knuckles.“And the gold?”

“Gone, except for a few scattered coins. Either someone found the Mittie long before me and took the gold, or else there was never any in the first place. It's a significant find, but valuable only in its historic sense.”

***

It was long past midday when Wiley, Raymond and Ray herded Bones Malone into the boat. Cuffed and curtailed, the tall man with snowy-white hair seemed resigned to his fate.

“Mind if I ride with Wiley and Malone?” Buck asked Ray. “I have a few more questions I need answered.”

“Knock yourself out. We’re still not best friends, you know.”

When they’d cleared the maze and entered open water of the lake, Buck said, “I wondered what you were doing out the night you rescued me from Humpback and Deacon John. One thing still puzzles me.”

“Such as?” Wiley asked.

“Why didn't you arrest them then? You knew they were trying to kill me.”

“They're bit players in a bigger show. I couldn't jeopardize the whole operation and I knew you could take care of yourself.”

“Thanks,” Buck said.

“Oh, and because of the diskette you copied at the coroner's office we know that he was in on the collusion. Like Bones said, Miss Emma didn't commit suicide. She had no water in her lungs and she sustained a critical blow to the head from a blunt instrument. The information on the diskette will corroborate his testimony. The coroner changed his report to reflect suicide rather than murder. Nation and Travis had to do some scrambling and pull some strings when Deacon John and Humpback killed Miss Emma. Otherwise, you'd have collected the insurance money and paid off the mortgage.

“And that's why I was the prime suspect in the burning of the marina.”

“Oh yeah, they set you up, all right. We're fairly sure Humpback and Deacon John set the fire, under Travis' orders of course. I would have told you sooner. I couldn't take the risk, and there wasn't a lot we could do with information you obtained illegally. Now, we have reason to obtain a search warrant.”

“And the money Nation used to buy the island?”

“Funneled straight to him from the New Southern Right. He never intended it as part of his development. Deacon John and Humpback were really working for the Judge all the time.”

Wiley slowed the boat to traverse a patch of lily pads. A large frog, green as the pads, contrasted with the white blossoms topping them.

“What'll happen to the Fitzgerald Island?”

“Since it was being used for terrorist activities, the Government will confiscate it. The record will show the bank had no part in the scam. When you get your insurance money, the Government will allow you to reverse the error and pay off the mortgage.” Wiley added, “If you want to, that is.”

“Of course I do. What about Aunt Emma's will? Randy Rummels must be in on this up to his neck.”

“We'll get a search warrant for his files too. I bet we'll find the will there, along with enough info to imprison him or at least get him disbarred.”

They soon reached Deception, the throng of summer tourists oblivious of the ensuing government sting. The Sheriff's squad car was waiting at the dock, Deputy Sam Goodlake behind the wheel, and Sheriff Taylor Wright alongside, Hogg Nation cuffed in the back seat.

“The Sheriff isn't in on the conspiracy?”

Wiley shook his head and grinned. “Travis thought so, but Sheriff Wright was cooperating with us the whole time. He's the one that came to Austin and tipped us off in the first place. He's a good guy.”

Wiley laughed when Buck grunted and said, “You could have fooled me. What'll happen to everyone involved?”

“We're about to break the reign of terror that's plagued this part of Texas since Reconstruction. We'll link Travis to a couple of specific lynchings and church bombings. One thing is certain. He's a goner.”

“You okay, McDivit?” Sheriff Wright asked as Deputy Goodlake cuffed Bones Malone and led him to the squad car.

The Sheriff came close to smiling when he answered, “The best I've felt since arriving in Deception.”

As Wiley accompanied the Sheriff and his prisoners to the jail, he walked away through the throng of milling tourists on the sidewalk, up the bank of the lake toward Lila's shop. He was worried how she would take the news of her Uncle's arrest. She grabbed his hand as he walked through the door.

“I'm fine. I guess you've heard about Judge Travis?”

“Ray just left. He told us what happened.”

“I'm sorry, Lila. I know he's part of your family.”

“Tell you the truth he always frightened the hell out of me. I won't miss him.”

Sara was behind the counter, her arms folded and a cold frown replacing her usual ebullient smile.

“I'm sorry about Hogg Nation,” Buck said. “You were right about him not being a racist.”

“Not your fault. It's just a shame to see his dream for Deception die on the vine.”

“Maybe it won't. According to Wiley, Nation isn't really part of the conspiracy. The Government will likely go easy on him in exchange for his testimony. He'll be back.”

Sara's mood lightened considerably after hearing Buck's pronouncement. “Doesn't matter anyway. I got a new boyfriend now. Mr. Hogg Nation can take care of himself.”