Home Coming (The Survivalist Book 10) by A. American (best business books of all time .TXT) 📗

“Better go check on this,” I said to Sarge. Even though he was already turning into the market.

A throng of people was gathered into a tight knot. There were shouts and objects being thrown. I looked over at Mario, who was in his usual spot and he smiled and nodded at the crowd. We got out and Sarge and I waded into the crowd, pushing people out of the way. When we got to the center of the mass of people, two men were on the ground. They were both bloodied and bruised from the hail of kicks and punches raining down on them.

Sarge and I tried to pull the people back, shoving, cussing and in a couple of cases, having to punch them in the face. But we just couldn’t get the crowd off the two men. Just when I was thinking of drawing my pistol, a shot rang out. The crowd froze. I looked at Sarge, expecting to see a pistol in his hand. But he had some long-haired bearded man in a headlock and was looking at me. Then two more shots rang out and the crowd began to flee.

I looked back to see Mel holding her pistol above her head. “That’s about enough of that shit!” She shouted. Lee Ann was standing beside her, the H&K at her shoulder as she eyed the crowd with a look that said, make my day. I was stunned.

Sarge’s voice brought me back around. “What in the hell is going on here?” He demanded.

The man he had in the headlock pointed to the two men now cowering on the ground. He managed to choke out, “Them sons of bitches are stealing!”

“From who?” I asked.

“From everybody!” A voice called out as the crowd began to close in again.

I looked at the people, then back at Mel and Lee Ann and said, “You better keep your distance unless you want those ladies to smoke your ass.”

Many of the people in the crowd made a gesture of half raising their hands in submission. Sarge released the man he had ahold of and asked, “Now, just what in the hell is going on here?”

We were finally able to work out what was happening. The two men worked together to shoplift, for lack of a better term. It was an old tactic. One would distract the trader and the other would pocket the goods.

“They been doing it for a long time,” one of the traders shouted. “But we caught their asses today!” Several trade goods were held out as evidence of the crime.

I looked down at them and asked, “Is that true? You two stealing from these folks?”

One of the men sat up. “We only take a little bit. What else are we supposed to do? We need to eat as well.”

“You don’t steal, asshole!” Sarge shouted and the crowd joined in with shouts of approval.

I kicked one in the ass, “Get on your feet.” Then I told Sarge to keep an eye on them.

“Where the hell you going?” He asked,

“To talk to Mario.”

I walked over to Mario, who was laughing as I came up. “Glad you enjoyed the show.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve seen in a long time!”

“Yeah, yeah. So, were they stealing?”

“Yeah they were,” Shelly answered. “They were busted red-handed.”

I looked back at the two men and Mario asked, “What are you going to go with them?”

“I don’t know. We don’t have a jail now. I’ll have to figure something out.”

I walked back over to Sarge. “I don’t know what to do with them. We don’t have a jail.”

“You’re the Sheriff, so you say!” Someone shouted. “You need to do something!”

“And we will!” I shouted back. Looking at Lee Ann, I asked, “You mind hanging around here for a while?”

“Sure.”

“Alright. Let’s take them over there. I’ve got some cuffs. We’ll secure them for now. We’ll run to town and get Mitch and bring him out here to settle this today.”

“Good call,” Sarge said. “Law and order.”

“I’ll stay here too,” Mel said.

“You sure.” I asked.

“Why not? That way, nothing happens to them. Plus, I can talk to Shelly, I haven’t seen her in a long time.”

“Sounds like this is settled,” Sarge said. Then he added, “Leave them your radio, Morgan.”

“Good idea. But just to make sure there isn’t any trouble,” I keyed the mic on my radio. “Hey, Jamie.”

Go ahead.

“I need some people at the market in Altoona for security.”

We’re on our way.

I handed the radio to Mel. “Here. You’ve got some help coming too. Don’t let these people try anything. We’ll be back later.”

“We don’t need the help,” Mel replied, insulted.

“Babe, you always need the help. Just like I needed it from you earlier.”

“Always stack the odds in your favor, Mel,” Sarge added. “You want it to be as unfair, on your side, as you can get it.”

She nodded, “I see your point.”

I leaned in and kissed her, “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“We got this,” Lee Ann offered.

Sarge and I secured the two men to a U-shaped bollard at the gas pumps with two sets of cuffs, chaining the two men together. As I clicked the cuffs closed, I whispered to them, “Now, if you guys are thinking of fucking with those two, understand that they will kill you where you stand, understand? They’re here to protect you from them,” I said and nodded at the still fuming traders discussing what they would like to do to the two men.

Sarge and I left the market and headed towards town. As he pulled out of the parking lot, he looked over and asked, “What the hell happened to your bride? That’s not the same Mel I know.”

“I have no idea,” I answered honestly. “I think the day she spent working at the gym with the wounded from the attack really hit her hard.”

“I knew something was up earlier when she made that statement about having to do more. I knew something had clicked in her.”

“Yeah, I