Dig It

She called hospitals and police departments in case he been arrested or hospitalized, but to no avail. By that afternoon, she really began to panic. She called the police to report him missing. They were sympathetic, but seemed to feel it was more of a domestic dispute than an issue for the police.

June called her parents numerous times to see if Cab had stopped in. She called Cab's brothers to find out if they had heard from him. All three were very concerned to learn June couldn't locate him. Four days after Cab disappeared, Senator Will Stevenson knocked on her door.

"I understand your husband, Cabot, has gone missing. I wanted you to know that I've been in contact with the state police and have instructed them to make locating your husband a top priority," asserted Stevenson.

June was surprised and grateful that a state senator would personally take an interest in her situation. She offered him coffee, which he reluctantly refused.

"I've got to get back to the state capital," apologized Stevenson. "I just wanted you to know we're all doing our best. I'm sure he'll return as soon as he can. No man would abandon such a beautiful wife and family."

As soon as Stevenson was gone, June's 16 year old daughter, Kim, came into the kitchen. "That guy's interested in you, Mom. He didn't drive all the way here because he's a great guy. He's a politician. He knows Grandpa donates to candidates that he thinks will be good for his business.

"Dad will come back. I know he will, so don't let that guy get close," warned Kim. "That would really piss Dad off."

"Your dad has to come back in order to be mad about anything," replied June. "I just hope he's okay. I can't believe he's stayed away this long because he's upset with me. Something must be keeping him away, if he isn't hurt, or worse."

The longer Cab's absence lasted, the more strained the family became. Bill Peterson was surprised at how many things were going wrong with his business. Shipments were lost or sent to the wrong destination. Trucks sat idle while others drove hundreds of miles empty.

June became more and more distraught as time dragged on. She feared the worst. She was certain Cab would never desert her and the kids. Something very bad had to have happened.

Senator Stevenson began stopping in more frequently to offer encouragement and his support. June began to look forward to his visits. He was charming, handsome, successful and a very good conversationalist. The only problem with his visits was how much Kim complained about him after he left. She made it very plain that June was still a married woman who had no business socializing with a strange man.

June was more than a little surprised when her father and mother took the time to caution her against becoming too friendly with Stevenson and express support for Cab.

Betty went first. "Cab would never stay away from his family without good reason. You need to be patient and hope for the best. He's a fine man and a wonderful father to your kids. Please don't weaken, especially with Senator Stevenson. I wouldn't want my grandchildren living in the same house as that man."

"Thanks for your support of Cab. I have no intention of becoming romantically involved with anyone, including Senator Stevenson," replied June. "I don't see why you are so set against him, though."

"I've been in business a long time and I've learned to read men," stated Bill Peterson. "Stevenson is all about Stevenson. He thinks he can get to Washington with the backing of a few of the more successful businessmen, including myself.

I've always treated him well since it helps the business, but I'd never want you involved with him in any way.

"Cab always put you and the kids first. He's a bit too timid at times, but he's honest and trustworthy. He understands our business inside and out. Things have gone downhill since he's been gone," admitted Bill. "I'm certain he'll come back if he possibly can. Don't give up on him."

"He always thought you discounted his ideas and suggestions, Dad. Now you're telling me he was good at his job?"

"He was too busy sulking about my rough treatment to notice I almost always implemented his ideas," revealed Bill. "When he did notice and say something, I'd tell him Jenkins or Blanding had suggested the improvements. I thought he'd get pissed and make a stand, but I see now that it was the wrong tact to take with Cab. He just isn't an aggressive take-charge kind of man."

"I don't agree with that appraisal. He was always trying to be respectful to you as his boss and his father-in-law," insisted June. "He's not docile or timid with me and the kids. I would never have married him if I didn't find him to be very manly, in the right way."

"Just keep an eye on Stevenson, Honey. Give Cab a chance to come back to his family," reasoned Betty. "He'll sort out Stevenson when he does. Cab will protect his family if he's able. I pray for him to return."

The months dragged on and Stevenson managed to drop in every few weeks. Once Kim and her parents had pointed it out to her, it was pretty obvious to June that Senator Stevenson had an endgame in mind. He thought he'd replace her husband and gain the approval of her father. It was more of a long range political plan than an effort at romance. It both amused and annoyed June. He was very obvious in his efforts, which June found comical. The annoying part was how dumb he had to be to think he had a chance with her.

It was the day after Thanksgiving that June and Kim heard their housekeeper, Maria, talking to someone on her phone. Both June and Kim spoke some Spanish and the gist of the conversation was fascinating.

Once Maria ended the call, Kim began asking questions. "You seem very happy. Was that good news?"

"Yes! My uncle has escaped from a horrible place. He was held prisoner and forced to dig a tunnel for very bad men. He is now free!"

"Why did he have to dig a tunnel and how could he be held against his will?" asked June.

"Uncle thinks the tunnel will be used to run drugs and people between Mexico and the US. If El Cabrón had not freed them all, he is certain they would have been killed once the tunnel was complete," replied Maria.

"El Cabrón?" repeated June with a chuckle. "That doesn't sound like much of a name for a hero. It sounds like some sort of joke."

"My uncle said it began as a joke, but the real El Cabrón was no joke. He's a tall Anglo who spoke excellent Spanish. He has very rugged, with big muscles, but he was always good to the other men. He helped shield them from punishment at times and even saved a man who was choking to death.

"He was the one who overpowered the guards and drove the big truck through the wall so they all could escape," recounted Maria. "They call him El Cabrón in the most respectful way."

"He sounds like he's a good guy, but the stories are probably exaggerated, as are most tales of heroism," observed June. "I am happy for your uncle. It's hard to believe he was held captive and forced to work in a tunnel."

"Mom! Maybe Maria's uncle saw Dad!" exclaimed Kim. "He could have been held captive, too. If he was and if they all escaped, he should be coming home pretty soon. Maria, can you ask your uncle if he ever saw Dad?"

"He does not have a phone, but I will ask my mother to have him call me the next time he is at her place. He will have dinner with her next Sunday, for certain," promised Maria.

"Wouldn't that be something if Dad was held there and escaped with the others, Mom?" asked Kim excitedly.

"It would be something, but I'm not sure how good it would be. I don't know how well your father would do in some kind of slave labor situation. He's used to office environments, not digging a drug-runner's tunnel," pointed out June. "It would be great if he came back to us, no matter where he's been."

A few days later, Senator Stevenson stopped in again. "I have four tickets to the new Justice League movie. I thought you and the kids might want to go see it. I think it would be good for all of you to get out and have some fun."

"I don't think I want to go," replied Kim sullenly as she considered Stevenson's motives. "Mom, Dan and I can rent a movie on TV."

"I'd like to see the movie!" exclaimed Dan. "My friends are all going this weekend and I'll be able to talk about it with them. It's supposed to be really good."

"If Dan wants to see it so badly, I'll go, too. I can't expect you to keep an eye on him," reasoned June as she saw how much Dan wanted to go.

Kim was annoyed that her mother and Dan were willing to go with Stevenson. Her brother was clueless, but Kim worried that her mother was succumbing to Stevenson's relentless pursuit. She decided she should go, if for no other reason than to keep her mother away from the wolf at her door.

"I changed my mind," declared Kim. "As long as everyone else is going, I'll go, too. Can we stop at the mall and do some shopping while we're in town?"

"That's a great idea. Why don't we ask your parents to join us for dinner at Cantina Jose Luis after the movie?" proposed Stevenson. "It would make a nice family gathering."

Kim bit her tongue and held her retort in check. She knew her grandparents weren't exactly sold on Stevenson, so she decided to go along with the suggestion.

"They would enjoy that," agreed Kim. "I'll call them now."

They had almost an hour between the end of the movie and their dinner reservations. Kim and Dan wanted to walk through the mall and do some Christmas shopping. Cantina Jose Luis was just across the parking lot, so Kim and Dan agreed to meet June and Stevenson there for dinner.

As Kim and Dan were crossing the parking lot, they saw a gang of young toughs standing by an old van.

"Let's walk back to the mall so we can go around those gangbangers," suggested Kim as the group turned their attention to her. "We'd better hurry. I don't like the way they're looking at us."

Kim never noticed the three guys who had been trailing behind her and Dan until she turned to head back to the mall. The three men cut her and Dan off and refused to allow them the opportunity to go around them. The other four thugs soon joined their pals.

"You're one pretty little piece of ass," stated the apparent leader as he stared at Kim's chest and backside. "How about we go to our van and party? We have some coke and ecstasy. It'll be fun."

"I don't think so," stated Kim firmly as she tried to keep her voice from wavering. "We're meeting my mother and she'll be worried if we don't show up."

"She'll be fine," replied the leader as he moved close enough to Kim to press his chest against hers. "I think we'll go party now."

Dan surprised everyone by suddenly hitting the gang's leader in the nose as hard as he could. "Run, Sis! I'll hold them off," was all he managed before another member of the gang slammed his fist into Dan's stomach. When Dan bent over in pain, one of the other guys hit him with a wicked uppercut.

Kim was terrified that Dan was badly hurt and the gangbangers hadn't even begun on her. She began screaming and flailing at the group's leader as he held his nose. The man simply backhanded her, knocking her to the pavement next to her brother.

Suddenly the roar of a motorcycle caught the group's attention. Kim looked up to see a big man in an open leather vest step off the bike and almost casually approach the group. The man's chest glistened with sweat from the hot Arizona sun. Kim couldn't help but think he looked very familiar, but he wore long hair and a beard that covered his face, so she couldn't quite place him.

The man stared at Kim as he kept walking toward the group.

"Stay out of this, man," warned the guy who had just struck Kim. "We'll cut you up."

As he spoke, he reached back to pull a blade from his back pocket. The big man suddenly exploded into action. He slammed a huge fist into the guy's face before he could get his weapon into play, then kicked the guy who had punched Dan so hard in the knee that Kim could hear bones breaking. One of the others slashed at the man with a knife, quickly drawing blood.

The big man grabbed the guy's wrist, gave it a twist and drove it back into his own stomach. The others began to realize they were up against a lot more than they had bargained for when they went after the girl. One more banger dropped to the ground after the big man slammed a fist into his face. That was all the rest needed to convince them to take off. They hurried to put distance between them and the source of their pals' pain. A police cruiser's lights flashed as it pulled off the highway and headed in their direction.

"Kim, are you okay?" asked the man as he gently lifted her and held her like a child. "I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner."

"Dad?" asked Kim in stunned amazement. "Is that really you?"

Before Cab could answer, Kim wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and began rapidly kissing his cheeks and sobbing at the same time.

"I love you so much! I knew you'd come back to us. Did I say I love you?" managed Kim between sobs and kisses.

By this time, Dan was back on his feet. He was smiling around a dark mark on the side of his face. Cab bent over and wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and pulled him close.

"I saw how you stood up for your sister. That took some guts, Dan," stated Cab proudly. "I was too far away to stop those bastards from hitting you, but I got here as fast as I could. Are you badly hurt?"

"I'm okay now, Dad," replied Dan. "What's with all the muscles and the beard? Did you go to a fat farm or something?"

By this time, the police cruiser had come to a stop and two officers approached them with hands on their weapons. The female cop spoke to Kim. "Miss, do you know this man? Has he harmed you? How about the boy?"

"He's our dad! He just saved us from these gangbangers. They attacked us and were going to drag us into that van. They said they had drugs in there," managed Kim in one breath. "You'd better call an ambulance for the guy with the knife in his stomach. He slashed Dad with it. I can feel blood on his chest!"

June and Stevenson had met up with June's parents in front of the restaurant and had been waiting for Kim and Dan to arrive.

June pointed to the mall parking lot. "There they are. They're walking through the parking lot now. See them over there?"

"I see them, but I see some toughs standing by that old van," responded Bill Peterson. "I hope they steer clear of those damn gangbangers,"

As Bill finished speaking, June and the rest saw Kim and Dan turn around only to be accosted by several men who had been walking behind them. The other guys moved in and surrounded June's kids.

June started toward the kids at a trot as fear knotted her stomach. She was glad to note her father was alongside her as she hurried to reach her kids. That was when Dan suddenly punched one of the men and all hell broke loose!

Soon both kids had been struck and were lying on the pavement. June saw a bearded man on a motorcycle roar to a stop near them. June was getting closer, but was still too far away to hear what was being said. Suddenly, the rugged man with the long hair and beard began administering some much needed retribution.

June's heart leapt as she saw the man put several of the toughs on the pavement, where they remained motionless. This was a man! He almost seemed relaxed as he meted out their punishment.

June had slowed down to a fast walk as she got closer. The big man ever so gently lifted Kim off the ground. To June's utter amazement, Kim began hugging and kissing him while he held her in his arms.

June was grateful the man had helped her Kim, but was immediately concerned for her daughter. The stranger was obviously powerful enough to harm Kim. She was showing very poor judgment by hugging and kissing him. The man might demand more than those simple signs of gratitude from a beautiful 16-year-old girl.

June then saw Dan stand and embrace the strange man. That amazed her since Dan had never been one to take to strangers. She approached her kids at the same time the police arrived. June clearly heard Kim declare the bearded man was her dad.

June studied the man as the police asked questions. Kim and Dan had not yet seen her as she stood off to the side. "Jesus, can that be Cab?" asked her father in amazement as he worked to catch his breath.

When Cab had gently placed Kim back on her feet to check the cut on his chest, he was suddenly slammed backward by a hundred and fifteen pounds of fury.

"You bastard! Where have you been? How could you leave us alone so long? Where did you get these muscles? What's with the beard? Kiss me you miserable son of a bitch!"

June had her lips pressed against Cab's as hard as she could. She slid her tongue deep into his mouth and probed relentlessly. Tears ran down her face and soaked into his beard, but she refused to stop kissing him.

"Are you kids okay?" asked Bill as he surveyed his grandkids' injuries.

"Dad saved us!" announced Kim proudly. "I guess Mom's pretty mad at him for disappearing, but he's working on gaining her forgiveness and doing a pretty good job, I'd say."

As Kim finished her observation, June climbed off her husband, but still clung to him tightly. Betty finally reached her side, along with Senator Stevenson.

"Cab! It's sure good to see you! You look a lot different, but real good," proclaimed Stevenson awkwardly. "You must have had a tough time in that slave labor camp, but you came through it fine.

"How did you know Cab was there?" asked someone behind Cab. Curious, Cab turned to find Antonio standing nearby with a video camera.

"I heard about the escape from some of my employees, if you must know, Sanchez. This isn't the time to be sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," replied Stevenson curtly.

As Stevenson responded to Antonio's question, Cab noticed Ramon standing off to the side. Cab decided it was common for Stevenson to have his bodyguard close by.

Cab smiled to himself as he saw the recognition in Ramon's eyes. He had just realized who Cab was. Ramon wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was loyal to Stevenson and that was the main requirement for the job.

Cab hurried over to Ramon, who was trying to determine his next move. Should he stay around to help his boss, or get the hell out before Cab remembered he was the one who helped Miguel keep him prisoner? He made his decision too late.

Can simply punched Ramon in the stomach. He then grabbed him by the throat and bitch slapped him half a dozen times before dragging the man toward the police, who had once again placed their hands on their weapons.

"This man was complicit in my abduction," asserted Cab as he pushed Ramon toward the cops. "I'll be happy to press charges. The gangbangers here work for him. They're the assholes who helped kidnap me. "

"Senator Stevenson, you just indicated you knew Mr. Bronson was in that slave compound in Mexico. Mr. Bronson has just identified your bodyguard as being involved in his unlawful imprisonment. Would you care to comment on Mr. Bronson's accusation?" asked Antonio as he kept his camera pointed at the state senator.

"I don't know anything about that. If Ramon was involved, it was without my knowledge or consent," stated Senator Stevenson in response to the question.

Ramon was stunned at how quickly his boss had tossed him under the bus. "That isn't true. Stevenson told me to make sure Bronson worked in the tunnel. He told me that he wouldn't leave the place alive!"

"Keep your damned mouth shut, you fucking idiot!" yelled Stevenson. "Just let me handle everything."

"Sounds like good advice," stated Cab drily. "You know you can trust the senator to take care of you. He'd go to the ends of the earth to protect you, wouldn't he?"