THE OLD TIMER 28

the next morning just at day break, wes and two sherriffs deputys pulled up to lithers front gate. it was chained and padlocked. one of the deputys has a pair of bolt cutters and chopped the padlock from the chainthey pushed the gate open and walked into the yard. it was a mess with machinery parts and old tires scattered they walked on toward a old single wide trailer parked toward the back of the compound. wes carried a shot gun and doing a search. they nered a couple of locked cargo containers. the deputy chopped the locks there. inside was a complet meat processing set up. in the end of one a meat locker stood it was full of wrapped meat.the cuts labeled on the paper.just as they turned to walk back out side a roar came from the dirt bike as it went past the cargo container. as they stepped out side they could just make out the bike and rider roaring down the road. one of the deputys ran for his car the other was on his hand held two way radio calling in the discription of the fugative. wes walked on down to a open aire shed where he found a couple of black hides stretched on wooden frames and drying. each hide had bucks brand. he produced a camera and took pictures of everything he told the deputy everything was to be impounded as evedince. luther had no idea where he was going, he just knew he couldnt stay in the area. he had stuffed pockets with what cash he had and was burning up the road to the east.there was a junction ahead, if he turned north he would surely find more deputys, south it was 45 miles to mexico, that seemed to be the best choice. in town roy was just getting ready to be released from his night in jail. when taken into the police office one of the police men began telling him to stay away from sharon. until they could go in front of a judge. roy spun and slapped the police man" you dont tell me what to do!" two other police men grabbed him and wrestled him to the floor and hand cuffed him. then let him up and hustled him back to his cell. when the closed the door the policeman he slapped said" get used to this area its all your going to see for a while." back at the ranch buck was loading half the steers in his trailer. it would take two triips to haul them to the auction.. on his way back he would stop at the hospital and check on art. everything was up in the air. wes had come by and let him know about what he had found at luthers place. he was going into the hospital to see art. buck breathed a sigh of relief, at least the problems with his cows was exposed and stopped. he wanted to get these steers sold for two reasons.. takeing care of art and buying a ring for cloe. he had never thought of another family but she seemed to fit the bill.