Chapter 13
Tuesday morning arrived.
Linus woke up at six in his motor courtroom.
He took a shower then got dressed back in his black suit with a black Fedora hat.
He stood by the mirror in the room and practiced what he was going to say. He went over it again and again for five minutes.
He felt confident it would go down without a hitch, so he left his room.
He got in his Rambler, started it up, backed up, and drove through the parking lot. He stopped his car. “Crap,” he said, as he forgot something.
He backed his car up and parked by the motor court office.
He got out of his Rambler and left the engine running while he went into the office.
“I need directions,” he said while he rushed up to the counter.
“Where do you need to go?”
“Your police station. I have official business there and left my directions up at my office in Boston.”
“That’s easy. Make a left out of here. Head down that street and turn right on Broadview. Head down Broadview then turn left on Third. The station is down off third,” said the clerk.
“Left out of here. Right on Broadview. Left on Third. Got it,” said Linus, then he rushed out of the office and got back in his Rambler.
He drove away and made a left turn on Route 12 out in front.
Back at the police station, Henry walked out and headed over to his squad car. He looked like he was on a vital mission.
He got in his car, started up the engine the drove through the lot.
He made a right turn on Third and drove away.
Back inside the police station, Officer Peabody munched on his third glazed donut while he read The Telegraph newspaper. He saw the article about Kent being charged with the murder Angie Abbott and his mug shot. He grabbed the newspaper and got up from his desk.
He headed off to the jail cell hallway.
Kent sat on his bunk, staring at the concrete wall again. He realized that today was Tuesday, and it was the day he was supposed to be back on the Greyhound bus heading north to Boston. He started counting the concrete blocks in the wall to kill some time and to keep occupied.
“You’re in The Telegraph,” said Officer Peabody when he walked up to the cell bars.
Kent got off the bunk and walked over to the cell bars where Officer Peabody held up the newspaper. He saw his mug shot by the article.
“You’re famous,” said Officer Peabody then walked away chucking.
“You’re famous,” said Kent in a fake southern accent mocking Officer Peabody while he returned to his bunk. “Officer Donut,” he said while sitting back down on his bunk.
He returned to counting the concrete blocks on the opposite wall once he sat down.
Back on the streets, Linus followed the clerk’s directions and was driving down Broadview.
Henry turned his car off Third and headed down Broadview at the same time Linus made a turn onto Third.
Linus drove down Third, and it wasn’t long before he made a left turn into the entrance of the police station.
He parked his car then turned off the engine.
He sat there and practiced his lines a few more time. He took a deep breath to calm down his nerves. “I sure hope I don’t end up in jail down here,” he said while he opened up his car door having a little shadow of a doubt.
He got out, closed the door, and headed to the front entrance of the station.
Meanwhile, Henry drove his squad car down Route 12 heading toward the Air Force base.
Back at the police station, Linus stood at the counter.
Officer Lester Peabody walked up to the counter. “May I help you, sir?”
Linus looked at the portly police officer that had donut crumbs on his shirt and glazed sugar all circling his mouth and decorating his shin. He refrained from laughing. “Yes, officer,” said Linus while he reached in his right pocket of his suit jacket. “I’m Agent Bond, Linus Bond with the FBI up in Boston. We heard that you have a Kent Hollister locked up down here.”
Officer Peabody’s eyes lit up with excitement, as he’s always wanted to meet a real FBI Agent. “Yes, sir. He’s wanted for the murder of a teenage girl.”
“Well, I have orders from my FBI office that I’m to extradite Mister Hollister back to Boston immediately. He escaped from federal prison up there last week. We’ve been looking all over the country for him.”
“Federal prison, ah, what for?”
“He was heavily involved with the Boson mob. Hiding money for them and then he schemed some off the top. And if I don’t get him back up there, the mob will come down here searching for him.”
“The mob? You mean the real Mafia?”
“Yes I do Officer Peabody, and you know that they don’t mind shooting first then asking questions if you live. So it would be safer for your quiet town if I get sneak him back up to Boston and back to his Federal prison cell.”
“Whoa.”
Linus realized he got lucky with an easy prey.
“But what about his trial down here for murder?”
Linus thought for a few seconds. “I think the FBI can secretly bring him back down here for that trial.”
“Okay, let me get the proper paperwork,” said Officer Peabody, and he looked the counter and found a release form. He grabbed one and handed it to Linus.
“Fill this out this form,” he said while he also handed him a pen.
Linus started to fill out the form.
Meanwhile, Henry drove his squad car down the dirt road that led to Meyers’ cabin.
He parked near the clearing, shut off the engine then got out. He scanned the area over and smiled when he saw what he wanted to locate.
He headed over to those two bushes.
Back at the police station, Linus finished filling out that release form.
Officer Peabody glanced over the form. “This looks to be in proper order,” he said then placed the form in the “In” box for filing.
“I’ll go get your prisoner,” said Officer Peabody, and he walked away.
Kent sat in his cell, and he started to wish he would soon be executed. He couldn’t take being locked up on this small cell much longer.
“You’re being released,” said Officer Peabody when he walked up to Kent’s cell bars.
“What? Released? How?” said Kent while he bolted off his bunk and over to the jail cell door. He thought that maybe they found his movie camera in those bushes.
“An FBI Agent’s here to take you back to Federal prison in Massachewsits.”
“Mass a what?” said Kent trying not to laugh, as this was the only funny moment since his arrest.
“Massachewsits, you know Boston.”
“Federal prison in Massachewsits?” said Kent mocking Officer Peabody.
“Yes, we didn’t know you escaped from one,” said Officer Peabody while he unlocked the door.
“Neither did I,” Kent said under his breath.
“Did you say something?”
“I didn’t know I was in Federal prison.”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I know the Boston mob is after you,” said Officer Peabody while he unlocked Kent’s cell door.
“The Boston mob is after me?” Kent mouthed the words and was not totally confused with what’s going on while he stood in the cell door doorway.
“Let’s go,” said Officer Peabody and he grabbed Kent by his bicep and escorted him down the hallway and into the office area.
Kent’s eyes widened the second he walked out with Officer Peabody and saw an older man in a black suit and Fedora hat standing at the front counter. He thought that he was in deep yogurt and that the FBI really came down here to take him away. But he couldn’t figure out how they learned about him and why he was being confused for a Federal inmate.
“Here’s your man, Mister FBI,” said Officer Peabody, as he already forgot Linus’ name.
Linus took his Fedora hat off his head.
Kent looked at the FBI Agent and didn’t recognize that it was Linus.
“Thank you, Officer Peabody,” said Linus. “I’ll take this piece of trash back to Boston and then back to his cell in Federal Prison in Massachusetts.” “I’ll also make sure I’ll tell Mister Hoover how cooperative you were down here, Officer Peabody.”
Officer Peabody looked proud while Kent walked around the counter.
“You know the drill Mister Hollister,” said Linus while he removed a pair of handcuffs from his left suit pocket.
Kent placed his hands behind his back and Linus handcuffed. But there was something about this FBI Agent that felt very familiar.
“Thank you again, Officer Peabody. You’re a top-notch police officer,” said Linus. “Let’s get you back home, Mister Hollister,” he said then opened up the front door.
Linus and Kent left the station.
Kent started to get nervous, as he couldn’t figure out how the FBI suddenly wanted him and thought he was an escaped Federal prisoner.
Once they got outside, they remained quiet while Linus escorted Kent to his Rambler.
Kent saw that Rambler, and it looked extremely familiar. Where have I seen this car? Then it dawned on him. He saw one just like this back at old Linus’ farm in Cambridge. It was under the tarp in the barn in nineteen eighty and then not under a tarp in fifty-seven. He looked at that FBI Agent.
Linus winked at Kent.
It dawned on Kent that this FBI Agent was his old pal Linus. He came to rescue him. He was so relieved.
Officer Peabody stepped outside, as he was curious and wanted to watch an FBI Agent in work. In fact, he always wanted to be a G-Man, but the FBI still refused his application. He thought that maybe now he had a chance with Agent Bond’s recommendation.
Linus opened up the front passenger door of the Rambler and set Kent in the front seat and closed the door.
He rushed around and opened up the driver’s door.
His eyes widened in fear when he saw Officer Peabody standing by the front of the Rambler. “That doesn’t look like an FBI car,” said Officer Peabody, who looked a little confused.
Linus felt caught and tried to think of a believable response. “Of course it’s not an FBI car. I have to safely sneak him back to Boston, so a real FBI car would stick out like a sore thumb. So, this is my disguised undercover car.”
Officer Peabody thought about Linus’ response and walked around to the rear of the Rambler. He saw the Massachusetts tag. “Right. Makes sense to me,” he said, walking over to Linus.
“A G-Man has to be sneaky,” said Linus. “Very sneaky.”
“Right, very sneaky, got it.”
“Consider that your first lesson on being an FBI Agent or G-Man as we say up in Boston.”
Officer Peabody smiled and was proud. “My first lesson, as a G-Man,” he quietly said and felt proud and puffed out his chest.
“Well officer, I better get my prisoner on the road.”
“Yes sir,” Officer Peabody said and saluted Linus.
Linus bit his lip so he wouldn’t bust out laughing. He returned a salute then got behind the wheel of the Rambler and closed the door.
He started up his Rambler and watched while Officer Peabody walked away and headed to the front door of the station.
“Now, that officer definitely isn’t the fastest bullet in that police department,” said Linus.
Kent chuckled. “They also need an exercise program in that department.”
“I know.”
Kent cringed in a little pain from the handcuffs. “I hope you brought the keys for these things.”
“Of course,” said Linus reaching in his left suit pocket. He removed a small key and looked to make sure Officer Peabody wasn’t around. He saw him standing by the front door. So he unlocked and removed the handcuffs off Kent’s wrists.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” said Kent. “I didn’t recognize you at first until I saw this Rambler.”
“I had to change my look. So, what happened?” said Linus while he backed the Rambler out of the parking space.
“Well, I was filming Grant strangling Angie Abbott. I couldn’t let her die, so I yelled for him to stop and ran over to them.”
Linus glanced over at Kent. “I told you not to change the event for that girl. She’s supposed to die. Now looked what happened,” said Linus while he drove out of the parking lot and made a right turn onto Third.
“I know. You did say that. But I couldn’t help it. I accidentally met her on Thursday and Friday, and she was such a sweet girl,” said Kent.
“Well, she’s still dead, so at least that didn’t change,” said Linus.
“I know, but now they think I killed Angie. It was from Grant. He managed to frame me for her murder instead of my daddy.”
“I know. You’re in the history books back in eighty.” “So how did he frame you?”
“I ran up to Angie and Grant, and he punched me hard in my forehead. I passed out. When I woke up, Angie was on the ground near me. Clothes ripped off and naked and dead. And Grant was long gone. Then one of the Warner Robins cop cars showed up. And since I was standing by her naked body, they automatically assumed I killed her.”
“Yeah, the history books did state that. Also, you had your trial on the same dates as your dad.
“And nineteen sixty?”
“The history books also showed you were executed on that same day in nineteen sixty instead of your dad. That’s why I had to come back and attempt to get you out of his mess.”
“I’m so happy you did.”
Linus looked curious. “But if you filmed it. You did film it?”
“I did.”
“So where’s the film?”
“The film cartridges are still out my Meyers’ cabin in some bushes. Nobody believed me.”
“Too bad.”
Kent’s eye lit up. “Why don’t we go back to Meyers’ cabin, back to those bushes and get those film cartridges. They’ll prove I’m innocent and Grant Bowers is guilty.”
“We can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Well I lied about being an FBI Agent, and it would be better off if we get twenty-one years away from here.”
Kent’s eyes widened in a little fear. “Shit!”
“What now?”
“They have my driver’s license,” said Kent.
“Well, we can’t go back for that now. We don’t have a choice. We have to head back to nineteen eighty. We don’t have a choice.”
It remained quiet in the Rambler while Linus made the left turn onto Route 12.
Linus’ eyes lit up. “We go back to nineteen eighty, use the time machine to go back in time just before you came back here and stop the trip.”
Kent thought about his suggestion for a few seconds. “But my dad will still be executed.”
“I know, but just think, there’s no statute of limitations of murder. Someone could still come after you in nineteen eighty. You’ll look the same as you do now and someone might say you had plastic surgery as a disguise. Remember they have your driver’s license and address and a nineteen eighties date.”
Kent thought about his proposal for a few seconds. “I guess you’re right. We need to reverse this whole episode. It’s the only way,” he said and sounded disappointed, but then he was glad he got the opportunity to see his daddy again. At the same age, he remembered as a kid. He smiled at that thought.
Linus’ eyes lit up with an idea. “Unless when we get to Macon, we call a reporter from the local newspaper. Tell him about the film camera and tell him that if he gets it developed, it will show the real killer of Angie. It will show Grant killing her,” he said, and the more he thought about it, the more he liked that plan.
“That might work.”
“Then they won’t be looking for you as being an escaped murderer and arrest Grant,” said Linus.
“Let’s do it. That’s my only hope.”
Linus smiled over his plan while he drove down Route 12.
Meanwhile, back at Meyers’ cabin, Henry searched through those bushes and smiled the second he spotted the case for a Bell and Howell movie camera stuffed at the bottom of the bushes. He also spotted the used film cartridge.
He checked out inside of the bushes and found a Bell and Howell movie camera nestled on some branches. “He was telling the truth,” said while he picked up the film cartridge and the Bell and Howell movie camera and case. He put the camera back in the case.
He walked back to his squad car, got behind the wheel, and started up the engine. He turned his car around and drove back down the dirt road.
He turned on Route 12 and headed back into town.
Detective Chambers arrived at the station to start his work shift.
“How’s our piece of shit, prisoner?” he said while he walked up to the coffee pot.
“Why he off with that FBI agent,” said Officer Peabody while Detective Chambers poured a cup of coffee.
“What the fuck did you say?” said Detective Peabody while he continued to pour his first cup of coffee.
“An FBI Agent from Boston came here this morning.”
“FBI Agent, what FBI Agent?”
“An FBI Agent from Boston. He said Kent Hollister was an escaped Federal prisoner. He said the Boston Mafia also wanted Kent. If he didn’t take him back to Federal prison in Massachewsits, the Boston Mafia would come down here to get him. And they’ll be shooting first then asking questions if we live.”
“What fucking FBI Agent?” yelled out Detective Chambers and kept pouring coffee into his cup and didn’t realize it was overflowing.
“I forgot his name, but it’s on the release form,” said Officer Peabody and pointed to the “In” box on the counter.
“Shit!” yelled out Detective Peabody the second he realized he had coffee all over the counter and started to rain over the edge of the table. He put the coffee pot back and ran over to the counter.
He grabbed the release form out of the “In” box and ran over to his desk. “Did you ever for a second think that this might be fake?” he said while sitting down at his desk.
“Ah, no, he’s not fake. His Rambler had a Massachewsits tag.”
Detective Chambers wanted to correct Lester on the correct way to say Massachusetts but figured it would be a waste of his time. “Rambler, what the fuck do you by mean, Rambler?”
“His car was a green Rambler. Fifty-one model, I believe,” said Officer Peabody.
“Green Rambler. Now, why the fuck would an FBI Agent be driving a green fucking Rambler?” said Detective Chambers in a raised voice.
Officer Peabody started to get nervous and sweat. “He said because using an FBI car would stick out like a sore thumb. You know, so the Boston Mafia won’t see them,” Officer Peabody said quietly.
“What did you say?”
“He said because using an FBI car would stick out like a sore thumb. You know so the Boston Mafia won’t see them,” Officer Peabody said a little louder.
Detective Chambers gave Officer Peabody a look like he wanted to kill him. He started reading the form while Officer Peabody began to shake, knowing he screwed up.
“Only the Chief’s allowed to authorize this, and he’s still fishing over in South Carolina.” Detective Chambers said while he picked up the phone and dialed the “zero” number.
“Operator.”
“Yes, I need the number for the FBI office up in Boston,” he said into the phone and had a pen and paper ready.
“That number is area code six, one, seven, five, five, five, eight, eight, seven, six,” said the female operator from the phone. Detective Chambers jotted down that number. “Thanks,” he said and disconnected that call and dialed the number she gave him.
“Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston field office, Agent Williamson. How may I help you?” said Agent Williamson from the phone.
“Yes, Agent Williamson. I’m Detective Chambers from the Warner Robin police department down in Georgia.”
“How may I help you, Detective Chambers?”
“Well, we have a situation down here. We had a murder suspect in custody. Then a man showed up claiming to be an FBI Agent from Boston this morning and said he had to take our suspect back up to Boston. He said the guy escaped from Federal prison in Massachusetts. I would like to verify this.”
“What’s the agent’s name?”
“Linus Bond.”
“And the name of your murder suspect?”
“Kent Hollister.”
“Let me check with my superiors. That agent’s name doesn’t sound familiar, but I don’t know them all. I’ll call you right back.”
“No Agent Williamson. I need to know right away as my suspect is considered an escapee and on the run as far as I’m concerned.”
“Understand, I’ll put you on hold.”
Detective Chambers waited.
Meanwhile, Henry didn’t drive back to the police station. Instead, he drove over to Clint’s Camera store.
“Hey Clint,” said Henry when he entered the store and saw old Clint behind the counter.
“Henry, what brings you here?”
“I need your help in a big way.”
“What kind of help?”
“I need this movie film developed right away,” he said, putting the used film cartridge on the counter. “And there’s another one inside this camera,” he said, putting the Bell and Howell camera case on the counter.
Clint opened up the case and removed the Bell and Howell camera. He looked the camera over, and something about it felt odd. “This is really strange.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, I know all the Bell and Howell products like the back of my hand. This model doesn’t exist.”
“Doesn’t exist? What do you mean it doesn’t exist?”
“They don’t make a model like this,” he said while he figured out how to open up the camera and removed the film cartridges. He looked at both of them. “These cartridges are also not what I’ve seen before.”
“Enough of that, I really need the film in those cartridges developed immediately.”
“Why?”
“It’s part of that murder case. You know, the Air Force teenager dependent killed Saturday night down by Meyers’ cabin.”
“You don’t say. Evidence?”
“Correct.”
“I can take it up to Macon. They should be able to have it ready tomorrow. Might charge double for express, express service,” said Clint.
“We’ll pay for it.”
“Okay, I’ll close up shop and take it up there right away.”
“Thanks, Clint. This is very important to the case.”
“Don’t worry. I’m always here to help out,” said Clint.
While Clint started closing up, Henry left the shop.
He got back inside his squad car and drove back to the station.
Back at the station, Detective Chambers was still at his desk being on hold with the FBI.
“Detective Chambers,” said Agent Williamson after he got back on the phone.
“I checked with my superiors. They made a few calls, and we don’t have an agent by the name of Linus Bond. He’s a fake. And also, we don’t have a Federal prison here in Massachusetts. And that Kent Hollister doesn’t appear to be an inmate of our Federal prison system. Someone bullshitted your department, Detective. They pulled a fast one. A swift one,” said Agent Williamson with a hint in his vo