Chapter 24 - Moving Dave - 5AM Friday
Beep!Beep Beep!Beep!
"Turn it off, Nana!"
"No, Alex. Time for chores. Kelly isn't here today so you girls also get to take care of the chickens and the eggs."
"No, I wanna sleep."
"Your Gramps is coming with a handful of foot tickles…"
"No! Stop! I gotta go!"
"Too much to drink with your popcorn last night, Alex?"
"Un huh!"
'Scott 121 from Scott 201.'
"Amos already?"
"So it seems."
'121.'
'Go to F7. 201 out.'
'121 out.'
'Scott 121 from Scott 201.'
'121. You're at work early today, Amos.'
'I need your help, Paul.'
'How so?'
'The generator for the sewage pumping station that serves the County building complex died during the night. That means the sanitary sewers there will be backing up in a matter of 24 to 48 hours. The jail is served by that pump so Judge Wilbur Wilson has little choice but to release the prisoners. The smaller things are being done on the prisoners' own recognizance but he's set Dave's bail at $1000 cash or $77 face value in pre-65 silver if you'll take the responsibility of keeping him away from Laura, Sarah and the girls. Not sure how you'll do that to the Judge's satisfaction.'
'Where and when, Amos?"
'The Judge will be at the jail by 8AM. He'll be there until they're all released.'
'I'll gather the money, have a discussion with everyone over breakfast and then at least two of us will be there to get him.'
'Thanks, Paul. Remember F1. 201 out.'
'Roger. 121 out.'
"Where will Daddy go?"
"Kasey, that depends on several things and a number of people which is why we'll be discussing this over breakfast."
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"Alex, you seem unusually clean for having milked Daisy and Delores."
"Daisy isn't usually bad about swatting me with her tail but Delores is. I piled all my hair under the 'dorky' hat but I started talking to Delores before I moved her to the milking stanchion and I kept talking the whole time. It didn't seem to matter what I said as long as I was saying something. I even recited the alphabet backwards!"
"Your voice calmed her or your alphabet bored her to sleep?"
"Doesn't matter, Kase. It worked!"
"You two get the milk put away. We have something more importanat to discuss."
"Daddy getting out of jail."
"How, Paul?"
"Laura, the generator for the sewage pumping station that serves the jail and other County facilities in that area died during the night. Judge Wilson has no option but finding other places for some of the prisoners."
"Why you?"
"I'm sort of family and it seems I've become an unofficial Deputy so Dave is being released into my watchcare. For the moment, I think he could stay at Laura's place as there is food, water, firewood and limited power for lights and a few other things. Sarah, Alex and Kasey will go with Laura when she is able to go home and Dave gets the old cabin out back. When Carla is satisfied that the medications are cleared from Dave's body we'll see about letting him have limited contact with any of you that are willing."
"What about Dave trying to get away in one of Laura's vehicles?"
"We should bring one vehicle here for Laura's convenience later and Sarah should probably go get clothing and other things for Laura for a week or so. While we're there, I can disable the other vehicles - even the tractor."
"What about our vehicles, Paul?"
"Love, just keep the anti-theft systems turned on until we know whether that precaution is needed."
"Who goes to get him?"
"Sarah, I'll have Mike and Allen go with me. Mike's not afraid to use a shotgun if needed and both he and Allen are big enough to be deterrents."
"True. So after the crew gets here?"
"Yes. The clothes Dave brought should still be at Laura's so he'll be covered."
"You're silly, Gramps!"
"No, Alex, just making you smile."
"You're good at that."
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"Work crew. I have a special assignment for Mike and Allen and one for Rob and Matt. Mrs. Williams has a special assignment for some of the others. If you weren't tapped for today's special projects, continue with the list we've been working on."
"Yes, Mr. Williams."
"I need Rose, Alex and Bobby."
"Yes, Mrs. Williams?"
"The old cabin may be needed in a week or so. I'd like you to clean it top to bottom. If any kitchen, bath or bed linens need washing, there are baskets out there and we'll use the ancient Maytag that's on the back porch if there's enough laundry."
"Nana, it doesn't have a cord. How do you wash clothes if you can't plug it in?"
"It uses gasoline, not electricity. I'll show you how to use it if there's more laundry than can be done using the dasher in a bucket to wash things."
"Rob, Matt. George Jeffers will be checking the well at the Children's Home this morning. He needs a couple of helpers. Take my truck as George might need some of the tools in the toolbox. Here's a note for Jason Widrick. If he needs to talk about it, the Sheriff or any of his Deputies can contact me."
"Yes, Mr. Williams."
"Mike and Allen follow me."
"I see you're getting something bigger than your concealed carry weapon, Mr. Williams We should be armed?"
"Yes, Mike. The County must close the jail because of a sewer problem. We're going to get Dave Gentry…"
"He's the one who …"
"He shot Sarah and Laura and he beat Alex and Kasey. He's not been on the prescribed medication that may have triggered those episodes for several days now and he might not be a problem. I'm taking you with me for backup - just in case he is a problem. You're younger and faster than I am."
"Where are we taking him?"
"Laura Gentry's place. There is food, water and firewood there plus the clothes he brought with him from California."
"So a habitable place. Will he try to steal a vehicle and leave?"
"I'll be disabling the vehicles there."
"Taking the keys?"
"That plus removing the rotor from the distributor on the older vehicles and cutting a wire to the engine control computer on the newer ones."
"Something hot-wiring can't bypass."
"Correct."
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"Morning, Paul."
"Morning, Your Honor."
"You're here for Dave?"
"Yes."
"Where will you put him?"
"Laura Gentry is staying with us while she heals from her injuries and the surgery. I'll disable her vehicles and Paul can stay there. There's plenty of work to keep him busy."
"What about when Laura decides she 'must' be back at her place?"
"Sarah and the girls go with her. Dave will stay in the cabin out back of our house."
"What about his contact with them?"
"When Carla is satisfied the last of the prescribed meds are out of his system, we'll arrange chaperoned visits with whomever is willing."
"Good enough. You have paper or silver?"
"Silver. Even brought someone to carry it for me."
"I see that's not all they're carrying. You're expecting trouble from Dave?"
"Just being prepared in case things don't go as I expect."
"About as I expected."
"Touche`, Wilbur."
"Let my clerk count the money and you can sign here."
"Mr. Williams, these silver dollars have nice solid feel to them."
"That they do, Terry."
"He's all yours, Paul. Bailiff, bring up Dave Gentry."
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Paul?"
"Dave, the SUV is out front."
"But why?"
"Later, Dave. We're taking you to Laura's place. You'll have food, water, firewood and chores. Laura will be staying with us until she's ready to go home. Then she, Sarah and the girls will move there and you'll move to the old cabin behind our house. Those conditions - and the problem with the sewer system - got you out on bail. There's much you need to know about the status out here but that's a long conversation for later."
"Yes, sir."
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"He's moved?"
"Yes, Love. Allen drove Laura's SUV here. The other vehicles there are disabled and this ring has all the keys. Be sure to get it to Laura."
"I hear someone taking my name in vain!"
"Hi, Laura. I didn't know if you were up or resting so I didn't knock on your door."
"You're always considerate of others, Paul, but it's OK to wake me so I don't sleep the day away."
"Sorry, but we're under Nurse Carla's orders to not disturb you. Normally, you'd have gotten a couple more days in the hospital but you're safer from all the infectious stuff here than you would have been there."
"You don't have the TV on for the farm news. Is the power still off?"
"It will likely be off for several months out here. We're usually one of the last areas to get power back after a typical storm and this will be the same - just much longer. Amos Thatcher told me the County would be getting enough fuel for the hospital and Emergency Services but not much more than that initially. The national recovery plan is to get power up to pipelines and refineries to get natural gas and vehicle fuel flowing again so there'll be fuel for farming and food delivery. We don't grow food for distribution so we're not high on the recovery list."
"Same as always, which is why Clark and I had you work with us on that small solar system. The little 4.4 cubic foot Kenmore fridge is fine for one or two people and it doesn't discharge the batteries much. With the 800 watts of solar panels, everything is fine if we have sun every third or fourth day. If the clouds last longer than that, running the little gen you and Clark built brings the batteries back to full charge in just a few hours. And I love that the lawnmower engine you used on that little gen is electric start!"
"That was one roadside 'trash' pickup that was definitely worthwhile. When I checked the spark plug in that mower, it was oil-fouled and the gas in the tank was the gas-oil mix for a 2 cycle engine like the string trimmers have. Flushed the gas tank, cleaned the carburetor, put in a new plug and it started immediately. Great price for a Honda engine that already had a V-belt pulley on the crankshaft!"
"I didn't remember what it was, just that it starts easy and doesn't use much gas. Using that gen to charge the batteries when there is no sun only uses a gallon of gas every week or so. It's so much better to have the batteries plus solar plus the little gen than to be relying on a big gen that goes through gallons of gas a week."
"I sat Clark down with a calculator and a pad of paper and had him do the math on how much power the big 28 cubic foot fridge needed and what that translated to in cost for a big generator and gas for that big gen and what it translated to in the amount of solar and batteries needed. Then I had him repeat those calculations for the little fridge. After the third time he did the calculations, he couldn't argue with the results because they were his numbers. $190 for something just a little bigger than a $60 dorm fridge sounds very expensive but it works out to be a great bargain for a very efficient fridge when you're providing all the power - and it's less than the price of two 100 watt solar panels."
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"Sarah?"
"Yes, Mom?"
"I overheard Alex, Kasey and Matt talking about a picnic Sunday. I'm certain that would include Bobby. You OK with them doing that? I expect they'll ask me or your Dad before they ask you."
"Dad would give them the third degree but agree if they were working on one of his projects."
"He already has the project for them. Matt asked about solar power for the CB radios many people out here put in the garage or basement when they got cell phones. Paul wants them to come up with callsigns for the various locations that would be meaningful to the neighbors but not outsiders. He and Doug already have a couple with a 'TV western' theme: Bo Peep's Saloon and the OK Corral."
"'Bo Peep's Saloon'? Sheep and alcohol so that has to be the Smiths. 'OK Corral' has to be the Edwards."
"Easy for the neighbors, not so much if you're from more than 10 miles away. I'm not sure how much the kids have been into 'Gunsmoke'…"
"Alex loves it. I think maybe she wishes she was endowed like Miss Kitty."
"That will come in time. Neither you nor Kasey had much more than plum halves when you were 13."
"True. We've both ended up with more than that but with what Kasey's ballet teacher described as 'classic proportionality' - just enough curves to be unquestionably feminine."
"You mentioned 'Miss Kitty'. Does a 'TV western' theme mean your Dad is Matt Dillon and I'm Miss Kitty?"
"Let's run that by Dad and Matt to see what they think."
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Author's note:
The Kenmore 99783 ($190) is a very efficient small fridge (4.4 cu ft or 113 qt), drawing 55 watts and running 5.4 hours/day (in 78F conditioned space in the summer). That's 297 watt hours which is equal to or less than the daily power used by some of the higher end 12 volt fridges (Engel MT80) that have less capacity (84 qt is $1250.).
Link to fridge
www.sears.com/kenmore-99783-4.4-cu-ft-compact-refrigerator-stainless/p-04699783000P---