DELBERT BRIGGS 34

delbert was just finishing feeding the stock and was on the way to the house. he knew norma was getting ready to go to town and he hadnt said anymore about it. she was still a little grim and didnt want to talk. just as he stepped up on the porch steps a state pickup followed by a ford fairlane plain white wrapper pulled into the yard. from the truck stepped the brand inspecter. on the passenger side another man dressed in the same uniform. out of the ford car came 4 men with breif cases and stern looks on their faces. each wore a pistol belted high on their hip. delbert gulped a lump in his throat. the two brand inspecters stepped up to delbert" we know norma has been staying here , we need to talk to her" delbert looked the inspecter full in the face." yes, she is inside, we just getting ready to come see you. whos the suits?" delbert pointed to the men at the ford car. " fbi, bank examiners, they need some direction, can we come in?" the inspecter asked. delbert nodded and turned to the door to the house. norma was standing at the screen door listening. fear registered on her face. " these men need to talk to you norma." delbert told her. she pushed the door open and led the way to the kitchen table. she pulled a chair out from the table and collapsed into it. each agent took a chair around the table. delbert and the brand inspecters stood aside by the kitchen sink. "ime agent holcomb, we just need to ask a few questions. " the lead agent said. norma nodded." ill tell you what i know." " holcomb started with her relationship with jackson. then moved on to her prepareing the paper work on the ranch sales. he asked what she had over heard jackson and mason talking about. all the time she was answering questions the agents were takeing notes. finally norma asked" am i in trouble? will i be arrested?" holcomb shook his head" from what your telling me no. have you seen jackson in the last week?" " no, i wouldnt have anything to do with him if i did."norma waas firm. " do you know where he might have gone?"holcomb asked. "what do you mean?" norma answered. " yesterday it was discovered he cleanned out the vault at the bank, and now he has disapeared. we need to find him."holcomb disclosed . delbert stepped up" there was a couple of grease balls here yesterday want ing money we had to threaten them with force in order for them to leave.." the agents looked from one to the other. " we think jackson is running from those guys. he may have gone to mexico or farther south. but those guys dont care who pays them, him or you. they are bad news. we can post a couple agents here to watch for them if they come back." holcomb offered. " we will keep you advised. but if they come back they will need a appetite for shot gun pellets."delbert answered. \after a while the agents stood up and closed their note books they in turn thanked norma as they trooped out the door. when holcomb came to norma he smilled " dont worry about jackson, he wont be back here on his own. but keep a eye out for those two hoodlums" norma smilled and said thank you. delbert steped up and shook holcombs hand." we still got some cow work to do so we wont be around here dureing the day." hocomb waved a hand good by and went to his car. norma , delbert and the inspecters walked down to the corrals to look at the cattle there, delbert explained there was probaly six more head left in the pasture. while talking to the inspecters he noticed norma was relaxed. no longer stiff and hard. the inspecters patted her on the shoulder as they started back to their truck. " keep after them, you will get them call when you got a bunch of lumber around them." when the innspecters left delbert turned to norma and said" see , that wasnt to bad was it?" norma punched him in the shoulder" ill change then lets get them branded up!"