SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 22

nafzigger was scared. he had never been shot at, and del s bullit passed within inches of his ear. it scared him enough he wet his pants. that made the big man madder than before. as he roared down through the pasture leaveing del behind he was already formulating another plan of revenge. he had to get del out in the open where he could get a clean shot at him. then he would be on his way to south america. with the cash he carryed and the income from his other propertys he would live well. he could travel the world. he was headed to dels home, he would catch him when he came home. the big man was completly off the rails. as he blew down the asphalt toward dels home place he blew past a county sherrifs car parked on the side of the road. the deputy realised what he saw and called it into dispatch. they inturn sent it out in a general dispatch. the closest car to dels house was jerry. he spun his car and headed toward dels out fit. he knew sharon and mike would be there alone if del wasnt. when jerry rolled into the yard he passed the survey truck going back out. the only thing he noticed was mikes little round face in the window of the truck. when he reached the yard and went to turn around he saw sharon laying prone in the dust of the yard. he screetched to a stop and fell out of the patrol car and ran to her. lifting her head he saw a raw knot on her forhead. her eyes fluttered open " mike! wheres mike?" just then del rolled to astop next to the patrol car and came running up. jerry looked at him" take care of your sister, ime going after nafzigger, he has mike. " in his car jerry called in a all points to watch for nafzigger. explaining he had kidnapped the boy. then he spun his car and left in a rush throwing gravel and dust in rooster tails. del eased sharon to her feet and helped her to the house. the carpenter crew had been gone a while waitting on materiel. nafzigger was in a panic. when he got to dels house the only ones there was sharon and mike. mike was playing in the yard . sharon on seeing nafzigger rushed into the yard to grab mike. but hafzigger grabbed her by the arm " wheres your brother ?" he groweled. he knew where he was but wanted her to think he might not. sharon twisted free and grabbed mike and started to the house. nafzigger hit herwith his balled up fest. she dropped like a pole axed steer. he grabbed mike when he attacked nafziggers shins screaming and kicking. " you can be my bait you little scum " he threew mike in the cab of the truck then jumped in and roared back to the high way. just as he got there he passed a patrol car comming in. he didnt let up but stomped the gas pedal to the floor. mike was screaming and bounceing around the truck cab. nafzigger finaly back handed the child to make him quit. mike didnt cry but sat back on his seat. in just a few minutes jerry pulled with in sight of the truck but didnt get to close. he radioed ahead for a road block but advised everyone of the child in the truck. nafzigger didnt know it but he was running out of road fast.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 21

del and sharon had taken the check for the sale of the calves to the bank. del had plans for that money and the old frame house he lived in with sharon. then he was going to tackle the house at the ranch. he figgured sharon might need some privacy soon the way jerry was in the loop. the first morning the carpenters arrived at the house del showed them the plans he had layed out for the addition to the existing house. the carpenter forman raised a eye brow "why not just rebuild a whole new house? with these plans your not far from it." "lets just say ime attatched to the old house." del smilled. "as you wish , its your nickle."the foreman rolled the plans up and turned to his crew. sharon stood back behind del with a smile creaseing her face"thank you brother. its not every girl gets this kind of attention." del smilled and waved a hand," you earned it , enjoy it. ime going to the ranch see ya this afternoon." nafzigger had called tom, the head of the survey team. the team had dispersed and disapered but tom still hung around where he could be found. nafzigger had him bring the survey truck and pick him up early in the morning at the motel. nafzigger used the excuse of going to the ranch to double check the survey markers. tom was like a sled dog, he did what he was told and didnt question it. he had seen nafzigger in pinches before and he always wiggleed out. this wouldnt be no different.it was still dark when they left town headed out to the ranch. when they arrived tom drove to the spot he and his crew always parked in. it was secluded and hard to see unles you ride right up on it. nafzigger was through with tom, he didnt need him anymore. when tom parked the truck and got out nafzigger walked over to a pile of boulders as if to look down country. when tom walked up nafzigger turned and shot him point blank. a look of shock spread across toms face as he slide to the ground between two big boulders. " dumb hick. when i get del they will think you did it." nafzigger hadnt thought this through at all. he had gone to the other side , leaveing his reasoning behind. nafzigger was stacking big rocks over toms body when he heard the far away growel of a pick up enjine. looking between the boulders down toward the head quarters he saw del s truck roll to a stop in a cloud of dust in front of the barn. it was a good mile down the ridge to where del was parked. nafzigger watched as del unloaded his horse , mounted and set out comming toward him. " right into my lap" nafzigger whispered. as del ddrew close to the boulder pile he couldnt explain it but he felt uneasy. something wasnt right. he reined his horse away from the trail he followed and started around the end of the boulders. suddenly his horses knees buckled and the animal went down just as the sound of the shot echoed. del rolled to the side of the down anumal and was fishing his pistol from his chap pocket. he was cussing under his breath. he brushed the dust from the pistol and slowley looked over the saddle toward the rockes. the fork on his saddle exploded with a bullit hitting it. del ducked behind all was quiet for a moment and del looked again. he saw movement in the boulders, he fired a round through a crack in the rocks and heard a surprised yell. then a few seconds later the engine on a truck fired up and he could hear it roaring away down hill. del slowley got to his feet and walked over to the boulders. at first he found nothing, then he saw the half buried body in the crevas of the rocks. shakeing his head he returned to the dead horse. the animal had fallen in such a way there was no way to pull the saddle off. del took his chaps off and laid them on the dead horse. he took the pistol and stuck it in the waist band of his wranglers. he turned and started down hill toward his truck " well at least its down hill" he said out loud. in the distance the survey truck was raising a dust cloud. del pulled his head between his shoulders and started marching. walking wasnt his long suit.