Chapter 41
Dangerous Theft
Jack accelerated after he finished talking to Agent Sanders. He didn’t know for sure, but he had a hunch the dump truck had gone south. The problem they faced, however, was that the thieves had enough of a head start that Jack would have no way of knowing when they got off the main highway. There were intersections every few miles and unless they just got lucky and saw the truck, they could pass the turnoff and never know it.
“Keep your eyes peeled for the dump truck. Hopefully he’ll stop for gas or to get some lunch.”
As they came up to the first intersection they looked both ways for any sign of the dump truck but saw nothing. This went on for over an hour and Jack was beginning to lose his patience.
“This is hopeless,” Jack said in frustration. “We have no idea if they are front of us or if they turned off.”
“Put yourself in their place,” Dolly suggested. “If you were going to steal a load of sand, what would you do with it?”
“Well, it would be for a job most likely. If I didn’t think I was being followed, I’d take it straight to the job site.”
“So, how can we find out what jobs are in progress around this area?”
“The building inspection office in Independence, I suppose.”
“Do you know anyone there? Could you call them?”
“Yeah. I know a girl there, Valerie. She’d look it up for me.”
Jack pulled into a gas station and went inside to use the phone. He emerged a few minutes later with a smile on his face.
“Any luck?” Dolly asked.
“Yeah. There are three jobs in this area going on right now and Don Mason is doing one of them.”
Dolly smiled. “See how smart I am?”
“You are. That’s why I hooked up with you,” he said.
Dolly took his hand and squeezed it as they pulled back onto the highway. “Sorry to be dragging you all over Southern California, Linkh,” Jack said.
“It’s quite alright. I’m rather enjoying riding in your utility PTV.”
“PTV?”
“Personal transport vehicle.”
“Oh, right. We call them cars or trucks.”
Jack slowed at the next intersection and turned East.
“I’m not sure what we’re going to do when we find Mason. He’s not going to admit to taking the sand and we’re not going to be able to convince him a load of sand is dangerous.”
“Well, maybe if you agree not to prosecute him he’ll let you have it back.”
“It’s worth a try.”
Jack turned at the next intersection and they entered an area of new residential construction. Jack gunned it as he recognized the dump truck up ahead. He slammed on his brakes and skidded to a halt in front of it. It was just about ready to dump its load.
Jack and Dolly got out. Jack walked over to Mason and his crew. “I caught you this time, Don. I saw your truck running off with my sand and I have a couple of witnesses.”
Don turned and scowled at Jack. “You’re full of shit, Carpenter. I didn’t steal a damn thing of yours. This load came from my own yard.”
“Listen, you don’t want to unload this sand. It’s been treated with toxic chemicals that will contaminate the entire construction site. The owner won’t be able to sell this house and he’s going to sue you for his loss.”
“You’re so full of crap, Carpenter. Do I look like I just fell out of a cabbage truck?”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “No. More like a garbage truck.”
Mason stiffened. “Get the hell off my job site, Carpenter.”
“I saw you steal the sand too,” Dolly interjected. “I’ll testify against you.”
Mason laughed. “You’re Jack’s bitch. You’d say anything to back him up. Nobody is going to believe you.”
“Listen. If you take the sand back now, I won’t press charges and I won’t tell anyone what happened today.”
Mason considered the offer and then shook his head. “You didn’t see shit ‘cause I didn’t steal your sand.”
Jack sighed. “Well, I’m not going to let you unload this sand. I’m serious about the contamination.”
Mason laughed. “Oh, yeah. Just try to stop me,” he said turning to go toward the truck.
Jack grabbed Mason’s arm trying to restrain him and Mason turned and took a swing at him in response. Jack ducked and the blow missed but two crew members intervened grabbing Jack from behind, pinning his arms, and holding him up for Mason to hit. Mason smacked Jack in the stomach hard and Jack groaned. That’s when Linkh got out of the truck and launched himself into the fray. He pulled the first crewman away from Jack and threw him hard into the dump truck. The man crumpled to the ground. Jack managed to get away from the other crewman by stomping on his foot and then giving him an uppercut with his free fist.
The other four crewmen came at Linkh when they saw their friend tossed into the truck. Linkh smacked the first one aside with the back of his hand and punched the next one in the face with his fist. The other two were all over him, one trying to get him in a choke hold while the other one hit him with relentless punches to his mid-section. Linkh pried off the first man by crushing his hand until he screamed in pain and let go. Then he made short order of the second assailant with a vicious kick to his knee that knocked him off his feet and left him moaning in pain.
As the fight ended Jacked turned to see Mason pointing a shotgun at him. “Okay, the games over. Now get the hell off my property before I blow your head off.”
Jack raised his hands. “Okay, calm down. We’re only talking about a load of sand. It’s not worth dying over.”
“I’m so sick of you Jack. Everyone loves you. You’re so good. I can’t get a damn job because everybody want’s Jackass Carpenter to do their work.”
“Listen. I don’t care about the money. I’ll give you another load of sand. You just can’t use this one.”
Mason released the safety on the shotgun. “I said get off my job site.”
Jack looked over at Dolly and then at Linkh. Linkh sighed deeply, then motioned toward Mason. The shotgun flew out of his hand. Mason looked at his hands in shock and then at the shotgun that had landed twenty feet away. He rushed over to it only to have it move away from him again. “What the hell!” he said glaring at Linkh.
Jack rushed over and grabbed the shotgun. “Okay. Now who’s driving this truck?”
One of the crew members waived his hand tentatively.
“Get in the truck and drive it back to my site. After you’ve dumped it there you can leave and we’ll all forget this every happened. Agreed?” Jack said looking at Mason.
Mason, still in shock, didn’t respond
“Agreed,” Jack pressed.
Mason finally nodded.
“Okay, let’s go,” Jack said motioning to the driver.
The driver got into the cab and Jack got in the passenger seat with the shotgun. As the dump truck took off Dolly and Linkh got back into Jack’s car and followed them. Mason didn’t look happy but no one made a move to follow them.