Chapter Three
Finally, they got both hands behind his back and the cuffs were put on him. Both men had to manhandle him over to the van. They had to literally pick him up and push him into the seat.
Waylon secured him next to Emma. Then he looked at the older man and said, “I wouldn’t want to sit next to her either, she spits.” He stepped down.
Emma roared in rage and kicked Simon’s leg.
Simon screamed back and kicked her back.
The Sheriff just shook his head. “You two better behave yourselves, you’re worse than children. We wear body cams so do not think you can blame those bruises on us.”
Sophie just stood there watching her sister and her father as they acted out. Her arms were wrapped around her waist and she looked upset but no tears fell down her cheeks. This had been a long time coming and it was really happening now. She looked over at the Sheriff.
He gave her a slight nod.
Jolene reached out and put her arm around her mom. “They have both deserved this for a long time. You know that, right?” she told her mother.
Sophie nodded. “I know, I just can’t believe the day is finally here and I’m still alive to see it.”
Asa frowned and searched her face for a moment. Then he looked over at the Sheriff.
Before he could say anything, the other deputy came back out of the woods. He shook his head and informed him, “I lost the other one. She’s quick and apparently, she didn’t want to get herself caught.”
“That’s ok,” the Sheriff said. “She will get hungry and thirsty sooner or later. I’ll send a tow truck up to haul the RV down off the mountain. You can ride back with the truck.”
“What about me and Patsy? That’s how we got here, you can’t take it.” Raymond growled.
The Sheriff glared at him and said, “I can and I will. You and your cousin are on your own. I suggest you stay out of trouble or you’ll be joining the rest of your family in jail.
” He paused then said, “You have an option here, peacefully turn the keys over to my deputy or don’t.
But if you don’t, then the RV will be impounded.
If you do, follow us back to town and after inspection, you can pay a fine and get it back. ”
Raymond grumbled, “I can’t pay no fine. I ain’t got no money for that.”
The Sheriff shrugged. “Then impound it is.”
“What am I supposed to do for housing then?” Raymond growled.
“Not my problem,” the Sheriff replied. “You should have stayed home and not come here to cause trouble, I guess.”
“You can’t take the vehicle,” Raymond argued.
The Sheriff motioned toward his deputy.
Waylon opened the door and tried to get inside to find the keys.
Raymond grabbed his shoulder and blocked the door. “You ain’t going inside.”
The deputy tried to push him out of the way.
Raymond threw out a fist and caught the deputy by surprise.
The deputy protected himself and threw a punch back.
Raymond took a hit and his eyes rolled back in his head.
The deputy caught him in his arms and carefully laid him out in the dirt.
The Sheriff shook his head and stepped forward with a pair of zip ties.
The deputy went inside the RV and they heard swearing from inside.
A moment later, he came back out with several weapons in his hand.
“Hell Abe, they were loaded for bear. They came with plenty of weapons to choose from to make their case.” He carefully laid each rifle and shotgun on the hood of the squad car.
The Sheriff shook his head and told the deputy, “Load him up with the others. He assaulted you, interfered with an officer and was hiding weapons from the police.”
“And the girl?” the deputy asked.
“We need to get these guys locked up and the RV in impound, we’ll worry about her later.
” The Sheriff looked back at Asa and his boys.
“We’re taking these guys to jail. The girl got away for now but we’ll keep looking for her.
I’m sending for a tow truck to collect the RV.
But you boys better keep your eyes open.
I don’t know this girl but she could be dangerous.
These people came here looking for blood, I’m guessing. ”
Asa nodded at him. “You are guessing right. We’ll keep our eyes open as well, Abe. I appreciate the tow truck coming.”
Sophie and Jolene turned around and went back inside.
Deputy Waylon shut the van door and then got behind the wheel.
The Sheriff watched him drive away then made the call on his mike. He then stayed while already working on his paperwork until the tow truck got there and hooked up the RV.
His deputy searched the RV again and brought out more weapons. He secured them in the trunk.
Finally, the tow truck pulled out of the driveway. The Sheriff and deputy followed him down the mountain.
Asa, Mad Dog and the rest of them finally went back inside.
Miss Amy sat with Sophie and Jolene.
Asa approached the table while shaking his head. “Well, that was enlightening,” he said as he pulled out a chair and sat down. Looking at the two women he asked, “Is that the whole family now or just the first round of lunatics?”
Amy reached out and took Sophie’s hand. “I think that’s all of them.” She shook her head. “This was all so unnecessary. Simon broke away from the rest of the family so long ago I had forgotten he was so broken.”
Sophie scoffed. “My father is anything but broken Amy. He’s just plain nuts.
Unreasonable, selfish, stubborn, and he thinks what he wants makes the world go round.
Everything is always about him and to hell with everyone else.
And he raised Emma to be his shadow. He’s always taught her that she is better than anyone else, while he never gave me the time of day. ”
“And Emma taught Patsy to be even more entitled.” Jolene shook her head. “She’s out there right now plotting how to get her family out of jail. Then they are gonna come back here and cause so much trouble they figure that Amy will give them what they want just to get rid of them.”
Miss Amy shook her head. “Everyone wants the treasure. You can feel the greed pouring out of them. Greed for something that doesn’t even belong to them.”
Sophie squeezed her hand. “You can’t give it to them.
You have to stay strong. I don’t know if it really exists or not, but they will come back and say you want it for yourself.
Dad’s been talking about that damn treasure all my life.
He blamed his own father for not splitting it when he was growing up.
He whined about his father being stubborn and greedy, then he blamed your dad, his own brother.
So, for the last few years he’s been blaming you, talking about you being greedy and living the good life while he’s been without all his life. ”
Jolene shook her head. “He’s been blaming everyone but himself, drinking himself stupid over something that probably isn’t even real.”
Miss Amy stared at them for a long moment then she took a deep breath and quietly admitted, “The treasure is real alright. And that old pirate buried it on this mountain. That was why he kept coming back here.”
Asa stared at her in confusion. “What the hell are you saying, Miss Amy?”
Miss Amy stared at him then she looked around at all their faces. “The treasure is real and it’s still here.” Then she shook her head. “I’m just not sure I want to dig it up but I think we have to now.”