DELBERT BRIGGS 14

AFTER SWAPPING OUT TWO TIRES ON HIS STOCK TRAILER HE LOADED THE SLASHED ONES IN THE BACK OF HIS TRUCK AND HEADED INTO TOWN. AT THE LOCAL SHERRIFFS OFFICE HE WENT IN AND FILED A COMPLAINT. HE DIDNT REALLY EXPECT THEM TO DO ANYTHING BUT THEY DID TAKE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS AND A WRITTEN REPORT. he really didnt voice his suspitions as to who might be behind it because he had no proof..he was parked infront of the tire shop getting new tires mounted when mason pulled up. " have a little trouble?" mason asked pointing to the two slashed tires. " yep, and you can tell jackson if it happenes again ill be around to see you two. wether you had anything to do with it or not.. is that clear?" delbert grinned at mason whose cherry face fell to a frown. " you cant blame us for that, we were at the bank all morning!" mason blubbered. " how did you know it happened this morning? careful you just told on your self. maybe i need not wait for another incident to take place." delbert straightened up and took a step toward the banker. mason stumbled backwards and almost ran to his car looking back over his shoulder. masons car roared to life and he spun his tires back onto the street, cutting off traffic.. delbert left the tire shop and went down town to the cattlmans bar and lounge. inside he let his eyes adjust to the darkness. then he walked over to the bar and slid onto a bar stool and waved at the bar tender, who brought him a cold mug of beer. there was a half dozen customers lineing the bar and a few at tables in the back. delbert was sipping the cold beer when the bar tender came back with a towel and began wiping the bar top in front of him. " third guy down the bar is bragging about how he is gonna run some guy off a ranch for the bank. thought you might need to know that." delbert held his mug up in front of his face but didnt drink he said "thank you" the drunk down the bar had his mouth in high gear, rattling on about some gunsil who was cheating the bank and how he had been hires to run him off. delbert pointed to the telephone behind the bar, the bar tender handed it to him. after he spoke a few words into the phone he started walking slowley down the bar, the customers on each side of the drunk had moved away, but the drunk didnt notice. when delbert got close he slid onto a bar stool and continued to listen. the drunk finally noticed him and grinned and kept on jabbering. delbert said" let me buy you a fresh drink neighbor" and he slid money accross the bar to pay for it.as he did the drunk slammed his glass down on delberts hand shattering the glass and cutting the back of his hand. before delbert could react the drunk ran out the back door of the bar just as two sherrifs deputys came in the front.delbert was wrapping his hand with a bar towel when the two walked up. he explained what he had heard and discribed the drunk. other bar members chimed in with what they heard. when he unwrapped his hand it was plain it needed stitches. when the law had their statements he went out the door to the emergency room at the hospital. when they had finished sewing it up he realized his ropeing was going to be limited at best. he headed home.