Montana Summer Ch. 15

He was about to get up when his phone rang. "Sheriff Walker."

"Milt, Phil Rivers here."

Milt smiled. "Howdy Phil."

"Listen, Milt, I ran the name you gave me a few days ago, and nothing came up."

"Well, I guess that's good news." Milt felt a little disappointed. He felt for sure that he had been on to something when he had called Phil.

"I got something else for you," Phil continued. "Does the name Harold Andersen, aka Hank Andersen, Hank Andrews, mean anything to you?"

It only took a split second for the name to register in Milt's mind. "Yeah, he's one of the guys we caught with Indian artifacts from Baxter's a couple of months ago."

"Well, he's dead."

"What?" Milt was caught off guard with the news. "What the hell happened?"

"He was found dead three days ago. At first the local PD thought it was a robbery or a drug deal gone bad. The detective in charge of the case gave me a call. He wasn't totally convinced it was a robbery. The scene was too clean. They found him dead in a stolen car wiped clean of any prints. No shell casings, nothing, just a corpse. He thinks it's a mob hit, and that's why he called me."

Milt doodled on a pad of paper. "His attorney and the woman who was charged at the same time are here in town. I think I'll pay him a visit."

"Sounds like a good idea," Phil replied.

"Let me know if you find anything more out about that murder." Milt chuckled for a minute.

"What's so funny?" Phil asked.

"Nothing really. At least your corpse wasn't found with hundred-year old arrows sticking in it."

"I heard about that. Did you get anywhere with that one?" Phil was curious.

Milt smiled to himself. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you. If you come fishing this spring, I'll tell you after we've had a cocktail or two."

"One of those is it?" Phil laughed. "I think I will take a week off and come fishing in the spring."

"Good!" Milt looked forward to seeing his friend again. "You just let me know when you're coming and I'll take the week off too."

---

Things weren't going the way Vincenzo had envisioned them. He had tried several times to call Kenny on his cell phone, but each time the call went straight to voice mail. Finally, he called the hotel, only to find Kenny had checked out.

His immediate thought had been Norm contacted Kenny. He walked up the hill towards where Norm was working and called out his name. "Norm, may I have a word with you?"

Norm turned and held his hand out. The burner on his stove was at full blast and the mercury was boiling off in the crucible. His voice was muffled through the respirator. "Stay back!"

Vincenzo stood and watched Norm work. Finally, Norm shut the propane burner off. He lifted the crucible with heavily gloved hands and a lump of shiny gold fell out onto the makeshift table.

After removing the respirator, Norm called Vincenzo over and pointed at the table. "That's what ninety-nine percent pure gold looks like."

"Very impressive." Vincenzo was impressed. His opinion of Norm had changed since they had started looking for gold. He may have been an incompetent gambler but he certainly knew what he was doing when it came to mining gold.

"You wanted to see me?" Norm asked.

"Ah, yes. Can I borrow your cell phone for a couple of minutes? Mine has quit working."

"Sure." Norm reached into his coat and handed his phone to Vincenzo.

"I'll bring it right back." Vincenzo turned and made his way back down towards the RV.

There was no doubt in Norm's mind as to what Vincenzo wanted the phone for. He was damned glad he had the foresight to erase the history of the call to Kenny, and to remove Kenny from the phone's address book.

Vincenzo found himself feeling a bit relieved when he could find no evidence on Norm's phone of a phone call to Kenny. He sighed. He was going to have to call Tony and give him the news. It wasn't something he was looking forward to doing. He prided himself in being a man who got things done.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and selected Tony's number. He put the phone to his ear and waited for the answer.

"Vincenzo, good to hear from you."

"I have some bad news, Padron. Kenny and his woman left town this morning."

Vincenzo readied himself for Tony's temper.

To his surprise, Tony remained calm. "I was afraid of that."

"I checked Mr. Campbell's phone, and there is no record of him calling Kenny." Vincenzo was eager to show the reason for Kenny leaving wasn't something from his end.

"No, there was a foul up at this end." Tony stated. "The men who terminated that Hank fellow misunderstood the instructions and did it two days early. I suspect Kenny somehow got word of Hank's demise and decided to leave town." Tony paused for a moment. "Don't worry about Kenny. I'll take care of him from this end now."

Vincenzo nodded and looked up the mountain towards where Norm was working. "And I will take care of Mr. Campbell when we are finished here."

"Good, you do that. I think I will fly out there later this week and take the goods back with me. I feel safer that way."

"I agree." Vincenzo nodded his head. That way there would be no temptation for one or more of the men to try to make off with the gold on the trip back to Denver.

Vincenzo felt a huge sense of relief after completing the call. It felt like a weight lifted from his shoulders. He looked at Norm's cell phone and put it in his pocket. As long as he had it, there was no chance of Norm Campbell making any phone calls.

---

"Well, that's damn disappointing," Milt muttered as he climbed back into his vehicle. He had missed Kenny and his girlfriend by a couple of hours. He knew Kenny couldn't have been physically involved in the murder of the man in Denver. He and his client had been in the DA's office on the day of the murder. There simply wasn't enough time for him to have driven to Missoula, flown to Denver, committed the murder and then flown back to Missoula and driven back here.

He looked at his watch and then pulled his cell phone from his belt and dialed Phil Rivers' number. The call went straight to voice mail. Milt hated leaving messages and waited for the beep. "Phil, it's Milt Walker. I went over to the hotel to speak with Kenny, but he checked out a couple of hours before I got here. Give me a call and let me know if you want us to broadcast an alert and see if we can't bring him in for questioning."

Milt looked at his watch again and decided to go for lunch. "Might as well see what the gossip is for the day."

---

As they headed south, Kenny tried to work out a plan in his head. He wasn't sure if Tony would have a man watching the airport in Missoula or not. Kenny wondered how long it would take Tony to discover they had headed south.

"Is everything okay, Kenny?" Stella asked again.

He looked at her, and shook his head. It was time to tell her the truth. "No. It's not."

Stella nodded and reached over and put her hand on his shoulder. "Okay. Just how bad is it?"

Kenny took a deep breath as he drove. "I think Hank is dead. We were going to be next."

Stella felt an involuntary shiver shake her body for a moment. Once she regained her composure, she looked at Kenny. "What are we going to do?"

Kenny shook his head. "I don't know. I don't think it's safe to go home."

Stella didn't want to say anything about the gold; she had felt all along something was going to go wrong. "What are we going to do after dropping the car off at the airport?"

"I don't know," Kenny replied as he pulled into a truck stop. "All I know right now is I need to take a whiz and fill up with gas."

After using the bathroom, Stella walked back out to the car and got in. She watched as a motor home pulled up on the other side of the pumps. When Kenny got back into the car, he was greeted with a large smile.

"You look pretty happy." Kenny wondered what could have changed her mood in the past five minutes.

Stella nodded. "I think I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"That!" Stella pointed to the motor home fueling up beside them.

Kenny thought she had lost her mind. "A Winnebago, or whatever it is they are called? How the hell is that going to do us any good?"

"Well, you said we can't go home. Staying in a hotel leaves too much of a paper trail. We need somewhere to live. Why not a house on wheels?"

"Hmm." Kenny studied the RV with renewed interest. "You might be on to something there."

Stella showed Kenny a magazine she had picked up from the truck stop. "This might give us some ideas."

As they pulled back onto the highway, Kenny's cell phone began to ring. He picked it up and looked at the display. "Fuck, it's Tony."

He let the phone ring and go to voice mail. Stella looked at Kenny; worry was painted over her face.

"I gotta think for a minute." Kenny's fingers tapped on the steering wheel as he accelerated. He turned and asked Stella. "Do you have a grandmother, a favorite old aunt, someone like that?"

Stella furrowed her eyebrows. She couldn't see where this was going. "I have an aunt in Tennessee. I haven't seen her in years though."

"That'll do." Kenny picked up the cell and dialed Tony's number.

Tony was surprised to see Kenny calling him. "Kenny, how good of you to return my call."

"Yeah, I was gassing up the car and didn't get to the phone in time. What's up"?

"Vincenzo says you left town. Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not. Stella's aunt is in the hospital in Memphis and we're heading out there to see her."

"Oh?" Tony questioned. "I hope it's not something serious."

"Well, we aren't sure. We got a call this morning and the doctors have advised her family to..." Kenny stopped and waited.

"Oh, I see. Well, I won't bother you then. I was hoping to see you. I was planning on flying out to Montana on Friday for a day or two."

"I'm not sure when we will be back. I'll keep in touch and let you know what our plans are." Kenny hoped Tony was buying the story.

"Okay, my friend. You do that."

Kenny sat his phone down and looked at Stella. "We may have bought ourselves a few days. Start flipping through that magazine and look for dealers in Salt Lake."

As Kenny and Stella continued their southward journey, Tony dialed another number on his phone.

"Si, padron." Vincenzo answered his phone.

"Good news, Vincenzo. I spoke with Kenny. It seems like his girlfriend has a family emergency. That's the reason for their sudden departure. I don't think you should do anything with Mr. Campbell until we have Kenny in our hands."

Vincenzo looked up at the mountain where Norm was working with other men. "I will wait for your instructions. Are you still planning on flying out this weekend?"

"Yes, Friday or Saturday. I'll let you know."

---

Milt Walker sat in his SUV, his fingers tapping time with the song on the radio. Sometimes a man learns a lot by just keeping his mouth shut and his ears open. He had sat at the lunch counter at the café and had listened to some of the regulars gossiping back and forth.

The one thing, which had stood out in the conversation, was no one had seen the photographer in close to five days. A trip back to the hotel had confirmed Mr. Nappolinni hadn't checked out of the room, and the room was still paid up for the rest of the week.

The manager said the rooms hadn't been slept in for quite a few nights, but had mentioned Mr. Nappolinni had been in twice to pick up packages which had been sent to the hotel.

His fingers kept tapping as he thought. Something was missing. A piece of the puzzle. On the surface, everything looked legitimate. A little voice in the back of his head kept whispering to him. It was a little voice he had learned to trust during his career in law enforcement.

Milt sighed as he looked at his watch. There was a county commission meeting in ten minutes, and he was expected to attend. He had asked for money to upgrade the police radio system and would have to answer questions as to why he felt an upgrade necessary.

He put Mr. Nappolinni in the back of his mind as he shifted the SUV into gear and headed in the direction of the county building.

---

Ryan was heading out of town, and he waved as he passed Milt Walker. Ryan was feeling on top of the world. The DNA tests had confirmed what he felt in his heart for months. Jessi was coming home for the weekend. A smile crossed his face in anticipation of spending time alone with her.

When his parents came out in the summer, he'd been filled with a feeling of trepidation. It was different now. He was actually looking forward to seeing the both of them. He knew his mother still wasn't happy with his decision to give up the life she had planned for him but that was something she was just going to have to live with. He wondered what they would think when he told them he intended to make Jessi his wife.

Bill was walking out of the barn when Ryan pulled up. He waited for Ryan to get out of his truck. "How was school today?"

"Pretty good," Ryan replied as he gathered his books up. "How was the rest of your day?"

"Good. Your dad called. He and your mom will be here Thursday night."

Ryan nodded. "I'd like to talk to you." Ryan hesitated as he looked in the direction of the house. "Before we go in for supper."

Bill nodded. "Okay, you go put your books up, and I'll meet you in the barn."

Ryan set his books on his kitchen table, which had become his makeshift desk. He took a deep breath and looked into the mirror. He wanted to do the right thing, and he felt what he was about to do was the right thing.

Bill was waiting for him when he came back down the stairs. Ryan looked his uncle in the eye. "I know you've talked to Jessi, and she's told you the results of the test."

Bill nodded. "Yes. She told me."

Ryan summoned his courage. "I want to ask your permission to date Jessi."

Bill studied Ryan's face for a few moments before responding. "What if I say no?"

It wasn't the response Ryan had been expecting. "I uh..." He was lost for words.

"Well, I'm not going to say no. You're both over eighteen, so there's nothing I can really say or do to stop you."

Ryan sighed a breath of relief.

"Ryan, I've always told you I'd be proud to have you as a son-in-law. I can see how happy you make Jessi." Bill shook his head. "At times I feel like I've have had no control, like I was along for the ride. Almost like it was destined to happen."

Ryan felt a shiver pass through his body. "I know how you feel. I can't explain it."

Bill leaned up against the stall. "I'm glad the test came back the way it did. I know your dad's carried a lot of guilt for many years. I think that's the main reason we haven't been as close as we once were."

"Hopefully them coming up here this weekend will help."

Bill let a smile grow on his face. "I think it will."

"How's Aunt Suzanne taking it?"

A small sigh escaped from Bill. He stood and looked out the barn door towards the house. "She's holding up pretty good. She's still not quite over the shock of who Jessi's dad is though."

"What?" Ryan didn't remember Jessi saying anything about knowing who her biological father.

Bill got a funny look on his face. "Didn't Jessi tell you?"

Ryan shook his head. "No, she must have forgotten."

"I don't know." Bill felt a little torn. He didn't think Jessi would have purposely withheld the information from Ryan. He felt Ryan deserved to know the truth. "It's Rob, Becky's dad."

"Holy shit!" Ryan blurted the epithet out before he realized it. His mouth dropped open as he began to understand what it all meant. "That means Jessi and Becky are..."

Bill nodded. "Sisters, well, half-sisters, and that also means Stan is her half-brother, too."

Ryan was stunned. He just stood there staring at his uncle. He wondered how Jessi and Becky had taken the news. "You know how I feel. To me Jessi only has one father, and that's you."

"Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate that." Bill gave Ryan a warm smile and patted him on the shoulder. "How about we go in and see what your aunt has cooked up for supper?"

"I think that's a great idea."

--- It was their fourth morning on the run. Kenny and Stella were putting mile after mile between themselves and Tony. Much to Kenny's surprise, he found he was enjoying himself more than he could remember. Each day seemed to be a new adventure.

They found an RV dealer who had been more than willing to pick them up from the airport. This was their slow season in Utah, so the prospect of making a sale was incentive enough for the salesperson to make the trip to the Salt Lake airport.

Kenny had been skeptical at first. He thought of RV's as a poor man's way of travel. He had visions of cheap wood paneling and psychedelic shag carpeting as the sales representative drove them to the dealership.

They found a large bus-like motor home which was only a couple of years old. The salesman had told them it had only been used once. Medical problems had ended the original owner's dreams of life on the road. Kenny was a man who knew quality and he was amazed at the quality of the furnishings. He was sold on the unit when the salesman pushed the button that operated the slide outs.

When he looked at Stella, no words had been necessary. He knew she loved it. They spent the night in a hotel as Kenny arranged to have his accountant wire the funds to the dealership. By noon the next day, they were headed south on I-15.

They were both surprised at how friendly their fellow RV'ers were. Each night they stopped at a park, and it wouldn't take long before fellow travelers stopped by to strike up a conversation. Kenny learned a lot in those first days about his motor home. He found his fellow RV'ers more than happy to share their knowledge.

"We're going to have to get one of those." Kenny spoke up as they rolled down the interstate.

Stella looked over at Kenny. "What do you mean?"

Kenny pointed to the RV ahead of them towing a car on a dolly. "A car and a trailer to tow it with."

"Oh." Stella set the road atlas down and looked at what Kenny was pointing at.

"Well, that is, if you like doing this?"

"I love doing this. It's like a dream. Every morning we wake up in a new place. Just you and me. What more could a girl want?" Stella looked at Kenny and then down into her lap. "You know that I've fallen in love with you."

Kenny felt his heart pound as he gripped the steering wheel. "I think I was in love with you the first time you kissed me."

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask you this. What about the gold?" Stella wanted to know. She had lain awake at nights worried he intended to go back to Montana.

Kenny shook his head. "I don't want anything more to do with it." There was conviction in his voice. He had thought long and hard about it. Two men had died because of the gold. If not for Norm Campbell's warning, two more people would have likely died.

"What about Mr. Campbell?" There was a touch of concern in Stella's voice.

"He said he could take care of himself. Right now there's not a lot we can do to help him."

Stella found relief in Kenny's words. And he loved her. She felt a warm glow build in her body. It had been a while since someone had told her that, and meant it.

Kenny reached for his cell phone. "I need to call that bastard, Tony." He dialed Tony's number and waited as the phone rang. No one picked up, the call went to voice mail. "Tony, Kenny here. I just wanted to give you an update. We'll be back in Montana on Friday or Saturday. I'll give you a call when we land in Missoula."

He closed his phone and set it on the dash of the RV. He looked at Stella as he drove. "That'll give us a few more days before he realizes we aren't coming back. By then we'll be lost where he can't find us."

"Where are we headed?" Stella picked up the road atlas again.