The next day arrived, and the sun rose for the second time. It was Saturday, May 18, 1935.
It was ten in the morning, and Marge woke up before the guys, as was the norm.
She did her woman’s job of making breakfast for the troops.
She went inside the living room after going outside, gathering up firewood.
She got a fire going in the fireplace.
Then she went back outside with a small water pitcher she had in her suitcase.
She found the hand pump for the well and found pumped water into the pitcher.
She went back inside and started making coffee, bacon, and scrambled eggs for the guys.
The aroma of her cooking bacon started to fill the air of the house. That smell was all that was needed as a wake-up call for the guys.
One by one, they woke up, got dressed, and headed down to the living room.
Since the house didn’t have running water, none of them took a shower.
But they had water for brushing their teeth.
Clark used toothpaste and his index finger as a brush. This was the first rude awakening Clark had with life on the lamb with outlaws.
Dirk, Marge, and Peter sat on the couch, eating eggs and bacon.
Carl sat on the floor with Jerome while they ate their breakfast.
Clark stood by the doorway to the living room and watched since they only had four plates.
Clark and Marge exchanged discreet glances while Dirk’s eyes weren’t on them.
He was looking forward to spending time alone with this beautiful and intriguing woman.
Marge finished her smaller portion of breakfast. She got up from the couch, walked into the kitchen, and headed over to the sink.
She took a towel and used some water from the pitcher to clean her plate.
She walked back into the living room and over to the fireplace.
She scooped the last of the eggs and bacon from the cooking pans into her plate. She poured coffee into her cup.
“Here’s your breakfast,” she told Clark, handing him the plate and cup.
Clark sat down on the floor and didn’t mind using the same plate, cup, or utensils as what Marge used. He would instead use her stuff than one of the guys.
Dirk, Jerome, Peter, and Carl finished their plates and got up leaving their plates, utensils, and cups on the floor.
“Let’s go to the barn and go over the plan again,” Dirk told his partners.
They all headed out of the front door of the living room.
Marge picked up their plates, cups, and utensils and went back into the kitchen.
She stood at the sink and wiped everything clean.
After Clark ate his breakfast, he got up off the floor and headed into the kitchen.
When he saw Marge at the sink, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her sweet curvy backside. He fought hard from not reaching out and rubbing her hands on her butt cheeks. “Let me help,” he said, then walked over and stood next to Marge.
She was surprised that a man offered to help with the breakfast dishes.
She couldn’t refuse his offer.
Back in Austin, Wallace left the motor court and walked back to the University of Austin.
He walked through the entrance of the college and headed back to the Physics department building.
After he went through the front doors and down the hallways, he entered the dean’s office.
Once he got inside the office, he saw Agnes sitting behind her desk typing a letter on a Royal manual typewriter. He recalled those days long ago when that was the main typewriter he used in college for his reports. I love computers. He said quietly in his head while he listened to the sound of the typewriter keys.
Agnes looked up from her work and stopped typing. “May I help you?” She forgot about her meeting with him yesterday.
“I had an appointment at ten with Doctor Evans. I’m Doctor Burns.”
Agnes looked at her appointment book. “Ah, yes. One second, please,” she said, then got up from behind her desk.
“Please follow me, Doctor Burns,” she said then walked away from her desk and headed to the door.
She left the office and went out into the hallway.
She walked to Dr. Burns office. She knocked then opened the door. “Your ten o’clock appointment is here,” she said into the office.
“Send him in,” replied Dr. Evans.
Agnes motioned for Wallace to go inside the office.
Wallace entered the small office of Dr. Evans and closed the door.
“How may I help you?” asked Dr. Evans while he got up from behind his desk and walked over to Wallace.
Wallace was at a loss of words the second he saw Dr. Evans. He had seen a few black and white pictures of him, so seeing him in person was so strange. “I’m Doctor Wallace Burns. I’m a physics professor from Ohio.”
“Ah, well, what brings you here to Austin?”
Wallace was again at a loss of words, and all those greetings he practiced were now forgotten. “I’m looking for employment as a physic professor. I was wondering if you had an opening,” replied Wallace without thinking.
“Employment,” said Dr. Evans while he walked back to his desk. “Please have a seat,” he said while he sat back in his chair.
Wallace sat in the chair in the front of Dr. Evans desk.
“You said you teach at the University of Ohio?”
“Yes, sir.”
Dr. Evans got up from behind his desk. “Let’s take a walk over to administration,” he said while he walked over to Wallace.
Wallace and Dr. Evans left his office and walked down the hallways.
They left the building and headed to the Administration building.
Employment wasn’t what Wallace had in mind, but that would help give him plenty of time to chat with Dr. Evans.
Back at the farmhouse hideout, Clark finished helping Marge clean the plates, utensils, and coffee cups. He helped Marge pack them in her suitcase that was over by the other side of the kitchen.
“How come you don’t have any change of clothes?” she asked him while she closed her suitcase.
“I wanted to travel light.”
“Well, after a few more jobs, I’ll have to take you shopping for some snazzy clothes,” said Marge, then winked at him.
“We’ll make it a date.”
“I hope so,” she replied with a warm smile and eyes that made Clark wondered if she had something else in mind.
“Jake, go make sure the cars are in good working order for later today,” the voice of Dirk came from the entrance to the kitchen
Clark got a little startled thinking that Dirk caught him flirting. He turned around. “Yes sir,” he said while Dirk walked over to him with the keys to his Cadillac and the stolen Ford.
Dirk went back into the living room to go over their heist plans one more time with his guys.
Clark headed to the side door of the kitchen and went outside.
Marge grabbed her suitcase and walked out of the kitchen.
Out in the barn, Clark opened up the hood of the Cadillac and glanced around the engine. He checked for any spark plugs that might be cracked. He looked over all the wires for any bare spots. Everything seemed in perfect shape, so he closed the hood.
He got behind the wheel and started the engine. She purred like a kitten, and he was satisfied. He turned off the engine and got out of the car.
He then opened up the hood of the Ford and looked inside. He checked out the spark plugs and wires.
Everything looked in order, so he got behind the wheel and started up the engine. She sounded good, so he turned off the engine and closed the hood.
Clark walked out of the barn and headed back to the house.
“Cars are in perfect running order,” he told Dirk the second he arrived in the living room.
“Good, we’ll leave around two. So everybody relaxed for a couple of hours,” Dirk said then sat down.
He closed his eyes and ran the heist plan over and over and over in his head.
Hours had passed, and it was now two in the afternoon.
“It’s time,” said Dirk while he walked into the living room where everybody lounged around.
Peter, Carl, and Jerome got up off the floor and stretched.
Jerome cracked his knuckles, which was a habit he did every time they left for a heist.
They walked with Dirk and went out the front door.
Once they got outside, Dirk, Carl, Jerome, and Peter walked off and went inside the barn.
Once inside the barn, Dirk got in the front passenger side of the Ford with Carl behind the wheel. Jerome and Peter sat in the backseat. Dirk decided not to take the Thompson machine guns on this job believing their Colt 45s would suffice.
Carl started up the Ford and drove out of the barn.
Clark and Marge stood by the front door of the house and watched while Carl drove the Ford down the dirt driveway.
They continued to watch while the Ford turned left from the driveway and drove off down the road. It was out of sight.
“Well, we might as well relax since we have an hour,” said Marge looking at Clark.
Clark had the urge to take her in his arms and start kissing her. He refrained and played it cool.
“Yeah, we might as well relax.”
Marge and Clark walked over and sat down on the couch. It was quiet between them.
Back in the Ford, it was also quiet while Carl drove down the road.
“Are you still sure we can trust this Jake guy?” Jerome asked Dirk.
“I’m sure. Marge has orders to shoot if he tries to contact the cops,” Dirk replied and felt he could trust his newest member.
“I sure hope so,” replied Jerome still having his doubts.
Carl and Peter nodded in agreement with Jerome.
It remained quiet in the car while Carl continued their trek down the road.
They all practiced their tasks in their head over and over again.
Back at the farmhouse hideout, Marge and Clark were getting to know each other.
“So on that night in September thirty-two, I met Dirk at the Jazzy Land club in Memphis. He fell instantly in love with me. I hated my job as a waitress. My manager stiffed me for pay then he always wanted to stiff me in his office.
If you know what I mean.
But I needed what little money I did earn. So after Dirk saw the manager slap me for refusing to go in his office for some unwanted fun.
Dirk stepped in to rescue me and beat the crap out of him. He took me by the hand and said I was going away with him,” said Marge smiling, remembering that day.
Clark pretended this was the first time he heard that story, but recalled reading it in Dudley’s book. Hearing it from Marge made him realize the book stated that truth.
“Did you know what Dirk did for a living while he took you away from that club?”
“I suspected he did something illegal. Then he told me that he robs banks, gas stations, and whatnot.
He said he would make sure I would be out of sight of the cops. That’s why he bought that Cadillac. He thought the cops would believe we are a wealthy couple and wouldn’t bother us. It had worked for the past two years.”
Clark again pretended this was the first time he heard that piece of history. But this time it was cool since he heard it from the actual individual’s own mouth.
Back at the University of Texas, Wallace was done with his application for employment for the second time.
Dr. Evans decided to give Wallace an extended tour of the entire campus and the Physics department. They were in the middle of this long tour, and Dr. Evans wanted to make sure Wallace was, in fact, a professor of physics.
Down in San Antonio, Carl drove down Houston Street and rolled past the Frost Brothers department store.
He kept on driving through the streets of Houston get familiar with their escape route.
Back at the farmhouse hideout, Clark and Marge continued their chat.
“So, what brought you to this neck of the woods for a job?” asked Marge then she lit up a cigarette.
Clark paused for a few seconds for a viable explanation, as stating he wanted to be at the exact spot where the Cadillac broke wouldn’t be the correct answer. “I heard of a job opening at that Cadillac dealer in Austin. But then the thought of slaving for someone making shit pay wasn’t something I wanted to do the second I spotted Dirk. This is the life for me. Living on the edge, making lots of money the easy way.”
Marge looked at Clark while she smoked her cigarette. She exhaled. “I agree,” she said then took another drag on her cigarette.
Clark felt relieved that she bought his line of bullshit.
Marge glanced down at her watch. “We better hit the road,” she said then she dropped her cigarette to the floor and smashed it with her high heel shoe.
She got up off the couch.
Clark got off the couch then placed his Fedora hat on his head. He cocked it to look like a tough guy.
Clark and Marge left the house and rushed off to the barn with all the suitcases in hand.
After they placed the suitcases in the trunk of the Cadillac, they got inside.
Clark drove out of the barn.
He drove down the driveway then turned on the road.
Clark really felt like a 1930s outlaw while he drove away. His eyes widened while he remembered Dudley’s book and how today’s heist would be a first for the Dirk Beaumont gang.
He was excited about being part of this historical event.
It was a quiet drive since Clark started to get a tad nervous. Would he screw up and park at the wrong location?
Would the cops come shooting?
Would he have to shoot at the cops? Would he get shot?
He felt relieved when he remembered how history recorded today’s event. He just hoped the history books and the Internet got it correct.
He got a little nervous.
After a few minutes, he thought about one of his favorite songs to calm his nerves. He started whistling Moonlight Serenade.
Marge glanced over at Clark and smiled. “That’s a lovely tune. Who did that one?”
“It’s called Moonlight Serenade,” replied Clark then he cringed knowing that that song wouldn’t be released until 1939.
“Never heard of it.”
Clark glanced over at Marge and decided to take advantage of this situation.
“It’s a tune I came up with last month.”
“It’s pretty. Give me some more.”
Clark started over and whistled out the whole song while they drove down the road.
Marge loved it and eventually started to whistle along with Clark.
Carl finished driving around, getting familiar with their escape route.
He drove the Ford back down Houston Street in San Antonio.
He parked by the front entrance of the four-story Frost Brothers department store.
“Come back fifteen minutes after closing,” said Dirk then he got out along with Jerome and Peter.
Carl drove off down the street while Dirk, Jerome, and Peter played it calm, walking into the front entrance of the store.
Carl turned right down another street while the others entered in the store.
The street level of the Frost Brothers department store was busy this Saturday.
Dirk nodded at Jerome and Peter.
They nodded back, and the three went off in three different directions on the street level. They all kept their Fedora hats on their heads.
Peter headed off to the Man’s World area.
Jerome headed off to the Candy area.
Dirk headed off to the Fashion Jewelry area. While he looked at the jewelry in the glass cases, he eyed the Mezzanine level with particular interest.
Back in Garden Ridge, Clark drove the Cadillac down the main street without raising a suspicious eye. Maybe a few glances of that ritzy Cadillac but no suspicious eyes.
“Let’s fill up the tank,” said Marge when she saw a Phillips 66 gas station up ahead.
Clark nodded then he pulled into the station.
He stopped at the two pumps.
A young kid rushed out of the small office.
While he ran over to Clark’s door, he admired the front end of the Cadillac.
“Fill her up,” said Clark.
“Yes sir,” replied the kid, then he rushed over to the pump and removed the nozzle.
While the kid pumped gas into the tank, Marge decided to do some roleplaying.
She scooted over next to Clark.
When the kid looked in their direction, she gave Clark a kiss on his lips.
The kid looked away to give them some privacy.
After the tank was filled, Clark and Marge drove away from the station without raising an eyebrow of suspicion.
Down around the corner of the Frost Brothers department store, Carl parked the Ford in the parking lot of a closed service garage.
He turned off the engine and waited while he smoked a cigarette. He figured people would think that Ford was at the garage for repairs. It was a perfect cover as far as he was concerned.
Back inside the Frost Brothers department store, Dirk, Peter, and Peter continued walking around the store by themselves, acting as potential customers.
None of the sales clerks were suspicious of the guys since Dirk Beaumont had never robbed a department store in his criminal career.
Dirk headed over to the Gift Shop on the street level.
Peter headed up to the second floor to the check out the Children’s Shop.
Jerome headed up to the third floor to check out the Coat Shop.
Up at the University of Texas in Austin, Wallace and Dr. Evans finished his job interview tour. It was a long one, and Dr. Evans ran him through the wringer.
“Well, you certainly know your physics,” said Dr. Evans while he and Wallace walked to the front doors.
“Thank you,” replied Wallace, not knowing what to expect next.
Dr. Evans stopped at the front doors and looked at Wallace. He hesitated for a few seconds. “We could use a professor to teach our introduction to physics course. Would you be interested?”
“I would love that,” he said with a smile.
“Good, I know