notions of what manner of man you are, based on first impressions.”
“Yes, well in the dream, the strange thing is ... the prosecutor calls for a mistrial and the judge calls for a recess, calling you and the prosecutor into his chambers. You object, citing the law against this private meeting. The judge then calls for briefs from both parties on the question and, an Evidentiary Hearing in forty-eight hours.”
“Damn Brandon, you’ve grown in the law overnight…I am impressed.”
“Yes, but more to the point, I am certain your research team has carefully reviewed all the documents, including the indictment to make certain there is no possibility I am being framed?”
“Good point, and yes we have done the research, but I will do so again to make certain we haven’t missed something and to calm your nerves.”
“Now there is one last thing.” Just as I began to speak, I heard the voice of the manager coming toward his office with the deputy in tow. I knew I could not be found in this office, so I did the most prudent thing…I hung up on Max and slipped out the back door into the rest room, and then I came out around the front entrance.
“Been looking for you Colonel.” Deputy Cover said.
“Sorry, had a meeting in the toilet.”
“Yes, Colonel…... happens, sometimes when you least expect. I see the dog Heinz is back and I understand he darn near forced you to a spot on the river…can you show us, now?”
“Certainly.”
“We’ll take the jeep to save time.”
“Yes, I don’t need the two-mile jog again!” I opened the door, Heinz jumped into the back seat, and I climbed into the front beside Bill Cover. “This dog is a joy. Someone has spent a great deal of time with him and I’d swear he is nearly human.”
“I heard about this dog and know the fellow who owns the bitch.”
“When things quite down, I’d sure like to meet him and get on the puppy list.”
“They won’t be cheap.”
“Perhaps he has a lay-away plan.” We both laughed at the suggestion.
It only took a moment to get to the tree in the water, and as we approached, I could see Cover’s people were already hustling about and there was a diver in the water. A man on top of the trunk had a chain saw and another had an ax.
“He’s down there alright Bill, but caught up in the limbs, wedged in there by the current…have you called the coroner? Better do so and ask him to bring the ambulance.” The diver yelled.
“Yes, I’ll do it on the secure radio.” Cover responded.
I breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to Heinz. “You’re the best there is.” I rubbed behind his ears and he smiled and licked my hand in an appreciative gesture. “I know you stayed out here with your master for two days, guarding the body of Seg, didn’t you?” The dog’s clear dark eyes responded with kindness. “Now I have a greater chore for you, I have got to find a way to get back into the manager’s office to copy my file before it gets locked away…do you have a plan?” I asked as though the big dog could speak.
It took all the men an hour to get the body out of the water and by then the coroner had arrived with the ambulance into which the men loaded Seg’s body. I walked back to the lodge to check out the logistics and discovered my little friend Don had gone for the day. The new clerk on duty was a little woman, looked like a student, whose name was Kiah…she was bright, attentive and seemed eager to help any deserving guest.
“Hello Kiah…such a lovely name, are you native to the area?” I asked pleasantly to break the ice.
“Oh, heavens no, I am an African/American student here to study the culture of the natives.”
“Do you happen to know who is responsible for taking care of Heinz, the dog owned by the guide Seg who had an unfortunate accident?”
“Good question Colonel, now ... Seg has passed, my guess is one of the other guides will take over.” She said with a smile.
“Is it possible for you to confirm this to be the case and while you do so, do you think it will be ok for me to care for the dog?”
“Well it is quite obvious, Heinz is attached to you Colonel…and you have paid for his service and so, let me make a quick call.” She dialed a number from her file, waited for an answer and got the answer machine.
“Colonel, according to the message the man I need to speak with is gone for the weekend, so I’m going out on the limb and say, at least until Monday morning Heinz can stay with you, and of course we know were you will be staying…and oh yes sir, there was an urgent call for you.”
Kiah handed me the call slip and I saw the name, Max Watkins…Urgent call.
“Kiah is there a dedicated line for a collect call to my attorney?”
“The only other line besides the switch board is in the manager’s office…and since you are making a collect call to your attorney, I see no reason why you shouldn’t have some privacy.”
“Thank you Kiah.” I said as I handed her a clean, crisp ten-dollar bill and she smiled as she switched on the light as I picked up the receiver and called Max collect. As I waited for the answer, I scanned the desktop for the familiar file with my name…and there it was.
“Max, I can’t stay on the phone long, but I need to tell you, I am in the manager’s office…there is a file here ... confirms the dirty deed you and I expected… they are trying to frame me for a cash payment from the military…its true and all here. I am going to copy this file now and I will call you from another phone.”
“Brandon, dreams are one thing but this...this is another.”
“Max, would a memorandum from the manager to his boss be sufficient to prove to you this isn’t a pipe dream from some whacko?”
“Don’t get your feelings hurt Brandon.”
“No, Max…it is more than that, it is my entire life and I ask you to hold on the line while I copy this file. I ask you to do so because I fear the young lady would see the light on the phone line go out and think I had finished my call.”
I found the copier and was pleased to see it was ready…just resting. It was a large industrial HP copier with an automatic feeder and collated the copies. I selected two copies and hit the print button. The memorandum was only ten pages so it was finished quickly. I replaced the file on top of the desk as I had found it and went back to the phone to relieve Max.
“Ok Max, I’ve copied the document and I must go, I promise to call you back before the day is over.”
I placed the duplicate copy in my shirt and went out to the lobby. I smiled at Kiah and thanked her for being so kind to me. Heinz was waiting expectantly and we went to the commissary were I purchased several cans of tuna, doggie biscuits, a quart of milk, a six-pack of cold beer and some chips. My new buddy and I headed to my room for an afternoon treat.
In the room I fixed Heinz’s lunch, setting
