Death on the Greasy Grass Read Online Free PDF Page A

the yellow ribbon in the action.”
    â€œAnd the rifle was in your possession the whole time?”
    â€œWhole time?”
    â€œEven when you went to the port-a-potty?”
    Tess straightened up and a smile crossed his face. “No, it wasn’t. I left it there when I got the two-minute warning and ran to the blue house.”
    â€œI saw you run for the port-a-potty,” Manny said. “There were people around your tent.”
    Tess nodded. “People come to these events ’cause they love history. They love it when I fold a little history into the events. Some background on cavalry equipment. Weaponry. Stuff like that. Anyway, I finished in the crapper just in time for the reenactment to begin. Everyone had cleared out—probably sitting in the bleachers. Even the safety man was gone.”
    â€œSafety man?” Willie asked. “As in the man that checked your rifle?”
    Tess nodded. “The second safety check of the day.”
    Manny scooted his chair closer to Tess. “Like Gettysburg, multiple safety checks?”
    â€œJust like Gettysburg.” Tess shook his head. “Making sure no accident happens. But it did somehow.”
    â€œTell me about this second safety man.” Manny took a notebook from Stumper, not to actually take notes, but to appear to be taking notes. It’s what people expected an interviewer to do.
    Tess looked at the ceiling before dropping his head and nodding to Willie. “Tall guy, like him. But not nearly as heavy. And sloppy, too.”
    â€œHow so?”
    â€œWore an old T-shirt that looked like he served last night’s dinner on it.”
    â€œIndian?”
    Tess nodded. “But don’t ask me what kind. They all look alike.” Tess looked to all three men in the room and slid his chair back from the table. But there would be no escaping his stupidity. “Sorry, but you guys know what I mean?”
    Manny waved it away. “What did the second safety man do?”
    â€œWell he checked my rifle, of course.”
    â€œDid you watch him?”
    Tess laughed nervously. “What’s to check. He opens the rifle’s action and checks that there’s a dummy chambered. Then sticks the yellow ribbon back in the gun.”
    â€œDid you watch him?” Willie asked. He leaned over the table, and Tess backed up as he craned his neck up.
    â€œI went in my tent for a moment while he did that.”
    â€œTo take a nip?” Manny asked.
    Tess’s hand automatically went to his back pocket. “You know they don’t allow booze at the reenactment.”
    Manny shook his head. “I don’t care about that. Could you give a description to a police sketch artist?”
    Tess rubbed his eyes. “Wouldn’t do any good. All I know is he was an Indian.”
    Manny had stood and started for the door when Tess stopped him. “What happens to me now?”
    Manny looked to Stumper and Willie. “Somebody that looks Indian will come get you soon. Just sit tight.”
    Tess leaned on the table and once again cradled his head in his hands as he rocked back and forth. “Nothing like this ever happens at Gettysburg.”

C HAPTER 5

    Manny squirmed in the seat as he tried to stretch out his legs. “I offered to sit back there,” Willie said. “I don’t feel sorry for you.”
    Manny leaned over and rested his arms on the seat back. “If I can’t fit back here, just think what it’d be like for you.” He tapped Stumper on the shoulder. “How far is it to Lodge Grass?”
    â€œTwenty minutes,” he said as he turned onto I90. Stumper retrieved his can of Copenhagen from his back pocket and stuffed his lip. He had started putting it back when Willie reached over and snatched the can. He started filling his own lower lip, and Manny scowled at him. But just for a moment. Willie was fighting his other addiction, alcohol, and Manny could overlook