--------Buried Jewels---------
~**Part Three**~
----The Dog Tags----
CHAPTER V
Julie arrived back at the house, when she heard her cell phone ringing. Tresa said she wouldn’t be making it in due to an emergency with her husband’s brother and they would be driving to Abilene Texas to be with him and the rest of the family. They would get together as soon as she possibly could she said to Julie.
Clicking the phone off she looked in the refrigerator , deciding to fix some breakfast, not seeing much there, when her cell rang again. Her father’s attorney, informing her that every thing seemed to be in order, her father having taken care of his affairs, a few months before his death. Julie couldn’t help believing that her dad somehow must have known he didn’t have long to live.
When suddenly, he laughed. Forgive me, Julie, I don‘t know how to say this, but knowing your father as well as I did, I know he was not an eccentric man, and neither a secretive man, he had discussed with me, many aspects of his life, he also mentioned Your brother with me, his wishes to locate him, bringing him back home.
I knew your dad well and knowing him as well as I did, he truly believed your brother is still alive., yet something he failed or rather chose not to elaborate in detail was that he left specific instructions, to give to You, he said, You would know what he was referring to.
When you have the chance, stop by my office today and pick up a package he left here for you… “A package, what type of package, he never mentioned a package to me, the last time he and I talked.” She said.
“ Well dear, there is one here, he had specifically instructed to give to you., and since curiosity seems to have gotten the better of me this morning.“ He stated. “Why is that Mr. Michaels?“ Julie interrupted him. “I have here in front of me, a specific name he left for you on the package., perhaps it is an old habit from his Navy Days?
By any chance does the name “Sinbad V-Alpha-S-W-R- Charlie mean any thing to You? There was silence…“Are you there, Julie?“ For a second, Jim Michaels thought they had been disconnected. “Yes, I am here, I will over in a few minutes.“ Julie stated. “There’s no hurry, the package will be here, whenever you can come in.” Jim stated.
“Thank You Mr. Michaels, but since I need to run to town for a few minutes, picking up a few groceries, I’ll stop in.” “That is fine dear, I will see you soon then.“ Julie clicked her cell phone off.
She heard her heart beat racing within her ears. “Calm down, calm down.” She kept telling herself. Thinking for only a split second, the wheels turning swiftly… Michael!
She was frantic. Her father must have found Michael. She sat down at the kitchen table, trying to remain calm, thinking over a number of Code names she and Michael had used as kids, their dad giving them Code names of his own as well for them to use.
Then she remembered., when she and Michael played Pirates, as kids Michael had always been Sinbad…He had used the name. But the V-Alpha S-W-R-Charlie, she couldn‘t think darn! Hitting the table. She just couldn‘t think…she needed something to drink.
She went back to the refrigerator, looking through the various jars of pickles, salad dressing and mustard, locating a can of sprite. She never knew how her father could drink that stuff, no caffeine, she needed some caffeine.
Checking her appearance in the mirror, she located her purse, locking the door. She spotted Greg in the barn’s door way. She walked toward the barn, telling him she needed to run into town and would be back within the hour.
Later, she would need to sit down when she was more calm to think about the rest of the code name. Driving to Everson’s grocery, she got out going inside. Picking up a few items and some real sodas with lots of caffeine, she left heading for Jim Michaels Law firm.
“Good morning, Julie, they exchanged pleasantries and he walked into his main office, picking up the package from off his desk. “Here is the package Your father left.” Jim stated. “Again I am so sorry for your loss, Frank was one of the best friends I’ve ever had, he and I went a long way back.” Jim said to her, watching her curiously.
He was about to ask her if she had understood the code name her father had left for her, but then he thought, perhaps if she wanted him to know, she would tell him. She arrived back at the farm, carrying the few groceries inside, when Greg seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Offering his help. “Thanks, Greg I appreciate Your help.“ She said, grabbing the thick package off the top of the bags he had taken from her. “ I believe that mare of Your dad’s is ready to foal any day now.“ Greg said.
Following her inside the house, sitting the grocery bags down on the countertop. Julie was busy putting the food in the refrigerator. “Have a seat, Greg.“ Julie said taking notice that he was still standing by the island.
He sat down, taking off his hat. “Is Mark Webb still the vet here in town?” She asked him. “Yeah, I think so but he’s ready to retire, his son has pretty much taken over the business, now.” He said. “Well, we’ll need to get him out here today to take a look at her.” Julie replied.
’Yes, M’am I think it would be a good idea and I needed to let you know I’ll be ordering some more feed for the horses today and will be cutting the hay in the back pasture. “ Greg said.
Julie glanced at him as she put sausage in the old iron skillet her father had refused to throw away, it had belonged to his mother. “Well I am going to fix some breakfast, You might as well stay and we’ll discuss the farm’s operation.” Julie stated.
She noticed Greg seemed a little fidgety; nervous. “Is there something wrong, Greg?” She asked him. “That’s nice of you, M’am, I appreciate it, I am getting a little hungry.” He laughed. “But I wanted to ask You.” He paused. Then, looking up at her from where he was sitting. “ Now, that Your father is gone, are you planning to keep me on here, employed at the ranch?” He asked her.
There was brief silence. Julie always referred to her father’s place as a farm, but far be it from her to dispute Greg Williamson’s definition of a ranch. She sat two plates and glasses down at the countertop. “I’ve been thinking about that Greg, what, You have been employed here for how many years? Twenty-five years ?“
She looked at him. Noticing for the first time, the gray in his hair the few lines around his eyes, she preferred calling them laugh lines and upon his face, giving him a tough, weathered look.
Greg was quite a few years older then herself, farming had been the only job he had known. She made a pot of coffee although she detested the stuff herself, a cowboy just wasn’t a Cowboy without a cup of coffee. Her father would have drank it 24-7 if it had been possible.
Julie filled his plate with both sausage and bacon and gravy, then She laughed noticing his expression upon his face. “The biscuits are almost finished baking.” Greg laughed in return. The look on his face said to her, he was wondering where the heck were the biscuits, gravy isn‘t gravy without them. “No, hurry M‘am but this sure smells good.” He stated. She joined him.
Noticing for the first time; the light in his blue-gray eyes., was that amusement she saw? “ I have decided to keep you on here, if you would like to stay, that is and I will pay you what my Father paid you and I am sure he would have given you a raise so I will do that now, too.“ She stated.
The buzzer went off for the oven. She got up taking an oven mitt, checking the biscuits. They were done. They ate and talked in friendly conversation. “You are a fine cook, M’am, You father said you were.” Greg smiled. Julie smiled in return.
“My Dad enjoyed my cooking, although I had to pass several of his tests first, however.” She laughed. Remembering, when her father asked her the first time if she could cook. And not only could she be qualified as a “Class Act Tracy cook“, if she could make the gravy the way he preferred. Recalling her father laughing when he first tasted her gravy, he had winked, telling her that her Grandmother Anne Marie would have been proud.
“M’am, I would like to remain here at the ranch, then if that is good with you.” Greg stated. They talked for another hour. Greg drinking two more cups of coffee, while Julie stood at the sink, cleaning the dishes, telling him about her days in Santa Fe.
Her wishes of finding her brother. Greg mentioned that her father believed Michael was still alive. Julie thought about telling Greg about her discovery, yet she would have to think about it, maybe telling him another time.
He said he needed to get out to the hayfield, when Julie mentioned lunch would be ready around 1:00pm He stated he really appreciated it and then left putting his Cowboy hat back on his head.
CHAPTER VI
Julie glanced around the kitchen, spotting the large package. She went over to the table and sat down to open it when a knock came at the door.
She glanced at the clock on the wall, it was 10:00am “Sam! Julie exclaimed. When she saw him standing, smiling at the kitchen door. Hugging her uncle. When he walked inside. “Little girl how have you been?“ Sam asked her. When he looked at her, his smile was sad. “I’m doing ok Sam, Missing him a lot.” Julie stated. She tried to hold back the tears, wiping her eyes.
“I know you do, I miss him, too” Sam stated. “How have you been You Old Sea dog, aren’t you ever going to give up the sea?” She asked him, teasing. “Does a bird stop flying South for the Winter?” He laughed. “What was it You wanted to know honey, about the papers you had found last night?” He asked her. “I found a letter that Michael had obviously written and then found various papers You had sent to dad, were you and dad on to something, Sam?” Julie wanted to know.
“You saw, Mike’s identification tags?” Sam asked her. “Yes, I saw the tags, but they are not Michael’s Tags.” Julie said. She looked at him calmly. “What?! what are You saying, Julie?“ Sam asked her. “What makes You think they aren’t his tags?“ Because, I Know that’s why.“ She said. Sam was thoughtful. ‘Well, aren’t you going to tell me how you know they aren’t your brother tags, sweetheart?“
They are not Michael’s Tags, because when Michael was here that last Christmas, I took a knife, grandpa Jedediah’s knife to be exact and carved my initials on the back of them.“ Michael got a little upset with me but then he laughed, telling me not to worry about it, but because our initials are the opposite they wouldn’t know whether he was “MJT Michael James Tracy or “JMT” Julie Marie Tracy.”
“I told him it wasn’t funny, and cried, but he laughed telling me to stop being a sissy, not to worry he’d be back…..and I could carve all over them all I wanted.” Her voice breaking, slightly from the memory.
This is quite a discovery, Julie, did your dad know that?“ Sam asked her. “Apparently he did,” She said nothing more, deciding not to tell him of the package he had left for her. She would tell him later. “I have believed that Mike is still alive, but I only ran into dead ends and when your dad and I went to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, we ran into some complications, I didn’t think we were going to make it out, but finally were able to meet with some contacts there, we were informed to go home, lay low for a while, believing it best that we did for the time being., doing that could get us a lot further if we came back home.
Your dad was planning to meet with another contact when he suffered the last heart attack.” Sam said. “Something is not right with this entire business.” Julie said. ‘We’ve got to do something, Sam” She stated with resolve. “Julie, I never did learn the name of Frank’s Contact.” Sam stated with regret evident in his voice.
Julie and her uncle were talking when Greg knocked on the door, coming inside. She fixed them some lunch, afterward Sam said he needed to go take care of a few things but would be back later that evening. Julie couldn’t get over how her uncle hadn’t changed that much.
Although his hair was as white as snow, he was still the handsome uncle she had always remembered, he and her dad looked a great deal a like, her dad had gray green eyes, at times they had appeared green while Sam’s were blue green, the color of the sea she thought.
She opened the package after Greg informed her the vet had taken a look at the mare and she should foal tonight, Greg stated. Julie informed him she would be there, to let her know. |
