La Captura - Tevision LA Novella

After visiting someone in the Roswell hospital I was told Connie Morales, Jerome Vargas off and on girlfriend for years, was also in hospital and been there almost a month. There had been an APB Jerome for almost a year for many horrendous crimes in New Mexico and surrounding areas.

After finding what her room number was I went and knocked on the door.

Before being told to come in I heard movement within the room and the turning down of a television novella. When I went in I saw the bathroom door was closed as I continued in and saw Connie was hooked up with IVs, monitors, and drains so I knew it wasn't her moving around the room.

So I moved to the foot of her bed and stood with my back against the wall.

I started introducing myself when she stopped me and said "Harry, you and I have known each other all of our lives. I know you're here to talk to me about Jerome, but I haven't seen him in several months. You know with me being sick, having surgery, and recovering, and him being the germaphobe that he is, he wouldn't be within a mile of here or me."

Hearing a noise inside the bathroom I looked over that way again, while casually putting my hand into the pocket of my jacket. Connie spoke up and said "Wait. Take your hand out your pocket. Mike come out here before this visit goes south."

The door opened and another old friend walked out, Mike Sherman. We both knew him from school, had rode the bus to and from school for years together. He knew that I was a New Mexico State Trooper Detective Simi-retired.

We shook hands before he went and stood bedside with his hand on Connie's shoulder in almost a protective motion. I suddenly remembered that there had always been something between these two. As we talked Connie kept glancing up to the novella playing on TV.

Connie and Mike both picked up on my understanding of the situation. Connie said "So you can see I want him caught as much or more than you do. With him around it's almost impossible to go on with our lives together."

We talked about how to find Jerome and who that he might go to for help. As I was writing down the list of people that I forgotten to check with. Mike mentioned Toby James, a disbarred doctor, who was drunk most of the time, but people still went to him for medical care. In Mexico he could still get anything medically that he asked and paid for.

Suddenly a great plan came together of how once and for all to capture Jerome. The idea was brought to life by novellas, a drunken doctor, and Jerome's medical fears. I asked "Connie. Please tell me exactly why you're been in the hospital for the last month.

Connie said "I've been sick for several months and it was getting worse. Finally they discovered I had pancreatitis and a "Hot" gallbladder. They put me in a hospital to get the pancreatitis under control and then removed my gallbladder, but I had some problems afterwards. Now I'm on the road to recovery and I should be out of the hospital by the end of the week. Why?"

"How would you like to be the star of a true life novella? When the novella closes Jerome will be behind bars and you two are free to do whatever you want to the rest of your lives. But as part of this novella you will have to be thought very badly of and shunned by everyone for a few days or until Jerome was captured. After that you'll be a heroine"

Leaning forward Connie said "What do I have to do and why will I be shunned?" After me explaining my plan Connie said "I want the rights to this novella!"

I know just the women to tell my story of woe that have it spread it all over Roswell and the surrounding area within minutes after I tell them. Before the story breaks you have to have people in place to watch the doctor's house.

For the first time in this discussion Mike spoke up and said "Connie should be moved into one of those isolation suites. Where it should be more comfortable when I stay with her 24/ 7 till this is over. Tomorrow morning the doctors have slated for her to be disconnected from everything. They just wanted to be extra sure that her system was clear of the pancreatitis, so it wouldn't return.

I went out to the nurses' station and asked to talk to Connie's Doctor Hughes and luckily he was there. He and I went in to a conference room and I discussed my plan for capturing Jerome. After minutes of thought he said "I will do it for two reasons.

First - Jerome actions has infected a lot of people in the past with him pimping those sick women.

Second - I want Toby James off the streets. I know of several cases that he botched badly. I think there are cases of people dying because of him.

Luckily for you I'm one of the Board of Directors, and one of the original doctors who opened this hospital, so we can do what you want." Within an hour Connie will be moved, the old room sanitized, and her lab results changed and sealed. One thing though if we have a real case and I need that room for true patient. She's out of there. Agreed? "Stated Doctor Hughes. We shook hands to seal our bargain.

I got on the phone and arranged for 24/7 surveillance of the doctors house and area, which wasn't hard because of the Robles family lived across the street and could see all sides of the house from their porch or living room window and they all hated Jerome.

After being moved Connie called three of her friends and asked them to visit her. They said they would come that night. About 7 o'clock over the intercom into the room they announced they were outside.

Connie reminded them to make sure they put on the gowns, the gloves, the hair nets, and masks. Mike and I retired to the supply room and heard them come in the first door, the activity of them dressing, and finally the inner door opening.

"Que pasa Chica? What's happening Girl? What the hell is all this dress up for? ""Not a bad type of Covid?" they excitedly asked.

Connie said "Slow down and I'll explain to you. Why don't you sit down? But make sure your gowns are closed in the back so you don't contact anything. We heard the rustling of them setting down. Connie continued "You remember that slut Teresa that hung around here for a few weeks? Well, apparently she, The Sick Bitch, gave Jerome the case of testicularosis, which is an STD. That STD left untreated in men causes' cancer, impotence, and the necessity of removing the external genitalia." Peeking out the door I saw she was reading from the paper that we had made to make it more believable.

She continued "Luckily! They have cures for both men and women, but until you've been on the medication for about three weeks you can still pass it sexually. In my case they found it had traveled into my lungs, so simply being around me it could be transported. So since I got it from Jerome, who is a carrier, The Bastard, and he needs immediate treatment. Anyone who comes in contact with him possibly could be exposed to this STD also, because it might have settled in his lungs too."

So that's why the protective gear. I'll be here for about 2 1/2 weeks more till I show free of the STD in my blood work.

Mike and I in the storeroom looked at one another and covered our mouths to stifle our laughter. This novella was going to go viral about five minutes after these women left the hospital room. Their conversations lasted another 20 minutes, but they were constantly looking at the clock. Connie finally said "I loved having you, but I'm getting really, really tired. This STD is really draining me." They quickly said goodbye, with air kisses behind masks, and left the room. We heard them removing isolation gear, and washing their hands for a very long time, before they exited the isolation suite.

Opening the curtains, the three of us looked down at the parking lot in front of the hospital. The three women emerged talking rapidly. After separating they headed towards their cars, with their cell phones planted firmly in their ears and talking animatedly.

The three of us dissolved into laughter, which finally started to calm down, until Mike said" Well babe for now I have you all to myself. Which is been my plan all along!" then we laughed for another five minutes.

After checking in with Connie after setting up a few things with the local trusted New Mexico Trooper I drove to the Robles Auto shop that backed their home, and parked my blazer out back in the middle of the other cars waiting to go into the shop or for parts. I parked it so I get out of there quickly in case of a chase.

When I knocked on the backdoor I was shown into the family kitchen, where the entire family were setting around talking and joking with each other with a salsa playing softly in the background. They all wanted to know what my plans were for catching the "Bastardo" were.

After outlying the slim plan I had came up with after hatching the STD idea plan. They laughed at me and poked holes big enough to dive a hummer thru.

They said "What "WE" going to do was lay a Magnum Road Spikes12 Foot strips at both ends of their street after he drove in. At the four ways out this area cousins and friends would be waiting to deploy more Magnum Road Spikes16 Foot strips in case he escaped here. I stammered that those strips were a highly controlled item. Mama spoke up "I asked Sheriff Hemi, my sister's son for them, and he deputized the family and you, without pay, till the "Bastardo" is in jail.

Oh, here's your badge and you can still collect the bounty on him. We are to arrest him and take him in. He was very ridged that we had to bring him in alive."

We took turns watching the doctor's house till early the second day when a garbage truck pulled up in front of the doc's house. They woke me from where I was laying on an army cot in the den and told me that that service wasn't used in this part of Roswell any more.

Someone jumped out of the cab and run in front door, that must have been cracked open. As he closed the door we saw it was Jerome. As soon as the door closed the garbage truck lumbered off.

We knew that someone would have to come pick him up sometime, because the doc's car had two flat tires setting in his driveway. Darn vandals.

We waited because we wanted to arrest as many of them as we could, but we weren't letting then have any chances to get away. While we sat, waited, and bragged to one another about our pasts exploits. Some of us bragged about what we would like to do to Jerome, but most of them said "Let Mama have as much time as she wanted with him, while protecting her at the first. Maybe him later. Maybe."

I sat and groused about how they had connected the doctor. I had bugged his home phone and cell phones. The only calls he'd had was a telemarketer and someone wanting a hunting wound bandage replaced and looked at.

Damn it. I had forgotten the old school (New Mexican or Southern) CB with a side band he had in his house and he had mounted a tower beside his house for better range. That type of CB was almost unable to be listened to unless you knew the exact sideband width he "lived" on and had CB similarly equipped. We informed all the watchers we had on lookout to watch for vehicles with CB antennas.

With a pair of parabolic microphones we picked up parts of a conversation in the living room. We heard: El Comedor JessyJoe about 3hours there camied gator over. With all of us putting our heads together we thought we knew what their plan was.

JessyJoe was a local crop duster pilot, who dusted fields within a couple hundred miles of Roswell. Flying it would take him about 3 hours to fly close to the Mexican border by El Comedor. Someone with a camouflaged gator, John Deere ATV, would drive him across the border to El Comedor. Where he would be free from extradition, because of his cartel connections.

One of Robles men called another cousin to "fix" JessyJoe's plane, so it wouldn't start without replacing a part. The cousin called back and said he just put the part up on Craigslist for sale from his junk yard.

One of our cells phones rang, which Juan answered quickly. After hanging up Juan told us that one of the lookouts saw JessyJoe's van was coming this way thru alleyways. Several of the people standing around left the house varies ways and spread out thru the shadows of the nearby houses.

A few minutes later a van turned onto the Robles narrow street and pulled up in front of the doc's house and left the engine running, when JessyJoe's himself jumped out leaving the door and ran into the house. He left that door open too. About a minute later he came out carrying two large suit cases, followed by the doctor pulling two roller suit cases, and finally slightly later Jerome carrying a portable safe and a duffle bag came out shutting the door behind him.

Movement all around him alerted him. He dropped everything and slowly spun around. Voices in both English and Spanish yelled "Don't shoot. Don't shoot to kill only to stop him."

At the same time as I did he saw an opening between two houses nearby didn't have anyone standing there? He sprinted to it and thru it. As I ran after him someone grabbed me and said in my ear "let him go he's not getting away."

I heard from between the houses a thung and the sounds of a body hitting the ground. "Mama" I heard in my ear. After releasing me Juan and I walked thru the space and saw what made me and everyone else coming to watch laugh.

Mama standing over Jerome lying on the ground with the rolling pin she had threatened all of us over the years. The back Jerome's head had an elongated bump rising on the back of it.

He must of slide across the hard packed dirt from being hit behind with the rolling pin because when he turned over groaning his forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin had road rash maximums.

Mama, that 75 pound old woman, started doing what looked like a single person dance of "La Cucaracha" or "Cotton Eye Joe". After dancing around him for a few minutes she quit.

She walked up to me and said "I wasn't deputized and I didn't kill him. Just stopped him and myself before someone got too hurt," She turned on her heel and walked away. Clapping and cheers following her.

Sirens targeted on backyard of the house. They came to screaming stops, and police descended on us. Everyone standing there backed up and stated that my plan had worked perfectly. But them Jerome had tried to escape and was stopped by a scared mother working for me.

Jerome was pushed into the sheriffs own car, after he gave me the paperwork taking custody of my prisoner, But before he left he told anybody posting videos anywhere would go directly to jail, but the copies sent to his personal e-mail.

The after action party that lasted till the late in the morning I was drove to pickup our reward. Everyone wanted no part of the reward, except for the fixings and drinks served at the party.

A few days after returning to Bosque Farms an envelope arrived and inside was a social article from The Roswell Daily Record. A freelance writer wrote "I was running down a lead for sports story, when I was talking to the owner of Roswell's trophy shop. I saw a 3 foot Dance trophy which read:

Mrs. Yvonne "Mama" Robles

1st place innovate street dance competition.

11 October 201*

This reporter wasn't able to get more information about the 70 something housewife's winning this award. I can only say I hope I can win a dance competition when I'm in my 70's. Well done "Mama."

I took it over to the copy shop and had it blown up and posted it on our bulletin board.

Connie won an award for the best first entry for a New Mexico Novella for 202*

3 August, 2022

Word Count: 2,908