small town big catch 14

karl nafzigger sat behind a big mahoganey desk in his office in down town pheonix. like the desk he was a big man 6 foot six and 300 pounds. but he wasnt fat. for a man of 55 years he held a good figure to his german frame. accros from him sat a man in denim work clothes, his straw hat in his lap. " they got a care taker out there daily karl. they think the killing was on purpose. but i swear i only shot to warn the old codger. he got killed......" " i know all about that , you should have rode on. on one hand we got to many snoops there but on the other the old man is out of the way." nafzigger was shuffling paper around. " you boys get back out there and finish that survey. i need to figure what the cost of land prep will be.you boys get back up there as soon as possible. i got a whole crew of dirt movers and equipment ready to move in there." "but what about that care taker?" the man asked. " what about him?, get rid of him , pay him off, do what you got to do. i got a hearing on the land trade this week we need to get moveing." nafzigger didnt look up he signaled the meeting was through. the man turned and slowley went out the office door. at the receptionist desk she handed him a envelope. he pushed it between the buttons on his shirt and rested it next to his belly. he went on out to his truck. he had worked for nafzigger a couple of years and had always been well paid for his work. but nafzigger had never told him to eliminate some one. scareing a old mans horse was one thing but eliminateing them was something else.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 13

a hour later the state land commisioner arrived. he had a brief case buldging under his arm. as he came into the room he looked to each person with a open face revealing nothing.he sat the breif case on the desk corner then fell into a arm chair that had been placed there for him. " good day gentelmen, ime glad you could meet with me here." he began "i understand theres some confuson about the old man jakes ranch . ill try to clear it up best i can. you all know who nafzigger is and what he does. well he has petitioned the state land department for a trade on some deeded land he has north of pheonix. its four sections of rock, hills, cactus and mesquite and palo verde. its worthless. he wants the two sections of jakes state land. should the trade take place it would break the ranchinto peices, makeing it worthless.jake was aware of the petition. he was fighting it . then he was killed. accidently or not he was still dead and nafzigger increased his efforts for the trade. we at the state office are charged with keeping the state owned lands in trust and maintaining its value. nafzigger has been plying a state senater to pressure us to make the trade.what i want is for you all to find me some evidence as to nafzigger committing something out of line, illegal would be better. he has a habit of building houseing developments in out of the way areas then selling the houses dirt cheap. you can see what it would do to the community."the commisioner stopped to take a sip of water and draw a long breath. gil sat there in total silence trying to absorb all the man had said. the commisioner looked at him" i would like you to ride the ranch out daily , specially the state land portion. report any activity you find there. as long aas its state grazeing lands they could be trespassing. we could use that if we tie them to nafzigger" " well ime the care taker as it is so i guess it wouldnt be to hard to follow those instructions." gil answered.