Chapter 32
Wednesday arrived, and everybody performed his or her regular morning routines.
Over in the James home, James was in his security uniform, while Cindy was in her dental assistant uniform.
She prepared some French toast for breakfast this morning.
James looked excited while he munched down on some French toast. This was his favorite breakfast and was a little surprised she made it during a workweek.
A little while later, James was backing his Impala down his driveway.
He turned his car to the left and slowly drove toward Bernard's house.
While he drove past Bernard's house, he glanced over at it with a smirk.
"You're going down," he said while he drove past his driveway.
He sped up his car and drove off down Montvale Street.
While James was on his way to the mall, back in Bernard's kitchen, he and Wendy ate some fried eggs and drink coffee at the table.
Bernard looked a little mad with himself. "I can't believe we fell asleep and forgot about the cemetery," he said.
"We should have set an alarm clock."
"I don't own one," Bernard replied, then took a drink of coffee.
Wendy thought about things for a second. "I guess we'll have to backtrack into town late tonight and get it."
Bernard thought about her comment for a few seconds. "I didn't want to do that, but we don't have a choice. We need that stash. Jack's cousin is waiting."
They continued eating their breakfast and remained quiet while they individually thought about today's plan.
Across from Bernard's home, Agnes was back at her usual position at her living room window peeking out her curtains.
"Where are the FBI and police?" she asked and looked concerned. "How come they haven't arrested Hud and Ester?" she talked to herself while still peeking out the curtains.
Agnes looked a little mad while she glanced at Bernard's house.
She got up from her chair and walked out of her living room, still a little fearful that Hud might get her sooner or later.
Up in the FBI field office in Springfield, it was a beehive of activity with the agents and phone ringing off their hooks.
In a small office, FBI Kenny Williams, now sixty-six years old sat at his desk looking at some fingerprint cards.
Agent Nichols entered the office with the four prints that Marvin sent through the computer yesterday.
"Hey Kenny, I have something that might be of interest before you retire next week," Agent Nichols said while he walked up to Kenny's desk.
"What's that?"
Agent Nichols handed him the prints. "I would have given these to you yesterday, but you took the day off."
"I had some business to take care of for my retirement," Agent Williams said while he took the prints from Agent Nichols.
"You might like these," Agent Nichols said with a bit of a smile.
"Prints? I've been looking at prints for the past forty-some years," Agent Williams said and did not look impressed.
"These might be the prints from Hud Hudson and Ester Walker. A detective friend of mine down in Gibsland believe they might be alive and down there," Agent Nichols said.
Agent Williams rolled his eyes. "I've been through this before so many times in the past. Another false theory," he replied, then set the prints down on his desk.
"My buddy also said that a photo was found that showed Hud Hudson and Ester Walker naked," said Agent Nichols then he waited to see if that sparked any interest.
Agent Williams looked at Agent Nichols and looked a little curious. "Did you say a photo? One where Ester and Hud are cuddling naked in bed?"
"That's what my buddy down in Gibsland claims to have in his possession. He said it shows them cuddling naked in a bed," Agent Nichols replied.
"One of The Hudsters, Jack Jenner, talked about such a photo while in prison before he got the chair. It was never found," Agent Williams said then he looked down at the prints Marvin sent. "Hud and Ester are believed to be in Gibsland?"
"What if those prints confirm it's really them," Agent Nichols replied.
"I'll get on this right away," Agent Williams said and looked extremely interested.
Agent Nichols walked away and headed to the door.
Agent Williams got up from his desk, and he headed to an area where old fingerprints were archived. He knew they had some on file from The Hudsters criminal ventures back in Illinois during the 1930s.
Back in Bernard's home, he was dressed in his black suit, with that stolen Penny's white shirt, black tie, and Fedora hat. He looked like a 1930s gangster.
Wendy was dressed in a black dress and had her violin case in hand.
Bernard looked at Wendy when he placed a hand on the kitchen door handle. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said with his best Humphrey Bogart impression then winked at Wendy.
"You're my Bogart," she replied, then gave him a kiss on the lips.
"Let's go get some easy cash," he said then opened the door for Wendy.
She smiled while she stepped into the garage.
Bernard stepped into the garage
Bernard closed the door then rushed over and opened the driver's door of the Hudson for Wendy.
She got inside the car and slid to the middle of the front seat.
Bernard got inside and closed the door.
Wendy looked at the other door as something felt strange about the car.
Bernard stuck his key in the ignition. Then his eyes lit up and looked over at Wendy. "I know the perfect car to steal."
"Mustang? Camaro? Corvette?"
"No, the neighbors sixty-eight Impala. It's probably parked at the mall. That way, the cops will think he robbed the bank," he said with a smirk.
Wendy thought about his suggestion for a few seconds. "That would work. We could leave some of the loot on the floorboard to help nail him," she said.
"Now your thinking sweetheart," Bernard replied with another attempt to imitate Bogart.
Wendy looked back at the passenger door. "The car seems to lean to the right a little."
Bernard saw the hood leaning to the right while he turned the ignition key. The car would not start. Bernard tied again.
The car would not start. He looked mad while he tried again. It would not start.
He grabbed the door handle and slammed the door open.
He rushed out and rushed over to the hood.
Wendy got out of from the passenger door.
Bernard opened up the hood and looked into the engine compartment. He saw that three spark wires had been sliced. He was furious. "Damn it!" he yelled out while he slammed the hood down.
"We have another problem. Both tires on this side of the car are flat," Wendy said and hated to bring on more bad news.
Bernard rushed over and saw the flat tire on the right front.
He rushed back to the right rear of the car and saw the flat tire there.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" he cursed out while he kicked his rear tire.
Bernard stormed off. His Fedora flew off his head while he stormed off to the kitchen door.
Something caught Wendy's attention on the floor by the rear of the car. She saw that fingerprint tape on the floor. Wendy walked over and picked it up. She looked it over and saw a fingerprint on it. "This ain't good. Ain't good at all," she said then walked over and picked up Bernard's hat.
She walked off and headed to the kitchen door.
Inside his kitchen, Bernard had his Jack Daniels bottle opened and took a large swig.
Wendy entered and did not look happy with presenting Bernard with some more bad news.
She walked over to Bernard. "Ah, I found this on the floor by the rear of the car," she said while she held up the fingerprint tape.
Bernard grabbed the tape out of Wendy's fingers. He looked at it. "Damn it!"
Wendy could see his veins protruding from his neck and knew he was about to blow.
She remained quiet.
Over at the Gibsland Mall, James strutted around the upper concourse, thinking he's the man and puffed out his chest.
Back at Bernard' home, he and Wendy sat at the table. He calmed down after gulping down some more Jack Daniels.
"What are we going to do?" she asked.
Bernard thought for a few seconds. "First I'll have to get the car fixed. Then I think that we need to use my snoopy neighbor and his wife for the job."
"Hostages?" she asked.
"We need to make it look like they were part of our gang that robbed the bank. Then maybe frame him for killing his wife," he said, then took another drink of whiskey.
Wendy smiled over his plan.
Bernard got up and headed to the phone.
Thirty minutes had passed, and Bernard had his spare tire on the rear. The front tire was still flat, but the front end was hooked up to a tow truck.
The tow truck driver walked over to Bernard and Wendy, in casual clothes, and stood in the garage.
"Mister Sanders, we'll give you a call as soon as the mechanic puts on some new tires and installs new spark plugs wires," the two truck driver said.
"Can they drive my car back here? That's my only transportation."
"That won't be a problem," the tow truck driver replied then headed to the cab of his truck and got inside.
Bernard and Wendy watched while his Hudson was towed out of his driveway.
Bernard glanced over at James' home with fire in his eyes while the tow truck drove off down Montvale Street. "It had to be that fucking neighbor next store. I wonder what else he has on me?"
Bernard and Wendy went inside the garage and did not notice Agnes, who spied on them from her living room window.
Bernard closed his garage door and was so furious that it looked like steam could come out of his ears any second.