Corruption in Low Places

It wasn’t until the next morning before another call came in. Jolene buzzed twice and put them on hold. Jeff jerked up the receiver, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “This is Jeff,” he announced in a professional tone of voice. There was a significant pause, and then, “Look Sullivan! You’d better get off McCoy’s back, or you’ll wind up in City Lake with concrete boots on!” Jeff paused slightly, then said very deliberately, “Listen buddy, you don’t scare me, and your whole army of slimeballs don’t scare me! Tell you what. I’ll meet you at City Park Lake tonight at midnight. I’ll be alone. Bring your whole army of yellow bellied, gutless wonders, and we’ll see how damn tough you really are!” He slammed the receiver in his ear. Jeff had really had it. He wanted to have it out with these bullies who picked on women. He told no one what he was going to do, especially his wife. That night, he helped her put the kids to bed after family prayers, and went to his office at the rear of the house to “work.” Martha was asleep when he left by the rear door, at about 10:50 PM. He drove to the Drive-in for a cup of coffee. He asked the waitress for a piece of paper to write on and an envelope. She produced them with a quizzical look on her face. He thanked her and she left. Jeff wrote out a note, which read: “If you had to open this, then please call the police, and give them this note. I went to the Lake at City Park, and if I’ve not come back, it’s because McCoy’s friends have done me in, as they threatened to do on the phone today. Drag the lake for my body, as that’s where they said I was going to wind up. I’m driving my Ford pickup and will park it at the lake.” He put it in the envelope and sealed it. He asked the waitress, “Are you going to be working for the next few hours?” She said she was. He then gave her instructions which were repeated on the envelope. He had written in big letters, “Please open this at 1:00 AM, and then follow the instructions promptly! Thank you!” and he signed his name, even though the waitress knew him. He finished his second cup of coffee and headed for the lake. It was about 11:40 PM, and he wanted to case the area before stopping. It was quiet and deserted. He pulled up to the swimming area and stopped. It suddenly dawned on him that trouble could be a big possibility. He had a plan in case they showed up in overwhelming force. He got out and stripped to his t-shirt. He emptied the pockets of his Levi’s and put the contents in the truck, and locked it. Then he buried the keys in the sandy soil behind the left front tire. He was ready for whatever would come. In fact he was anxious to confront these low-life vermin. Only a coward talks trash like they talked…to a lady…serious people don’t make threats…they just do what they are going to do. He reasoned with himself. He began pacing back and forth on the sandy shoreline. It was about midnight by Jeff’s calculations when a car drove slowly by. The occupants were looking him over very carefully…