Blood Bath

Chapter 12

Coach Talbert let the team off easy. After running a few plays they watched a video of the Pewamo-Westphalia Pirates, the team they will face Saturday. The Loons were surprised to see how powerful the Pirates were. Coach talked about their size and speed, and a few weeks ago they saw several short videos, but watching the Pirates in action again was an eye opener and a reminder of how hard it will be to beat them.

"Don't worry about how good they are," Talbert said, "Just remember how good you are when you're at the top of your game. We will be the regional champions if we play our best game, which I trust you will."

As Colton drove home it snowed and by the time he arrived, there was a good quarter inch on the roads. He was glad he didn't have to do his route tonight. As he opened the back door of the house, he could hear a video game upstairs, the television in the family room, and soft rock music coming from the kitchen. It was a welcoming sound that defied the stillness of the falling snow outside.

"How are the roads?" his dad asked as Colton hung up his coat.

"Snow covered, but not too bad. I'm just glad I can stay home tonight."

The family talked weather, sports and news around the table, and after dinner Colton excused himself to work in his room.

Colton emailed Seth a list of his newspaper customers on The Point and an idea for a flyer they could mail to each.

Colton took out the information Deputy Ned Wooddell gave him earlier. The file was on Bill Smittwell, the Bad Axe man who claims to have kidnapped Tony's grandmother. There was no information in the file regarding the grandmother, so Colton called Tony.

Tony gave him his grandmothers telephone number and address. He said his father had tried to call many times and could not reach her. Mr. Smittwell warned his father that if he testified against him in court, his friends would kill the old woman in Mexico.

"Are you going to help us?" Tony asked.

"Yes. I'll make calls and see what I can find out," Colton replied. He wasn't sure what he could do to help, but he felt obligated to help the boy.

Colton dialed the number Tony gave him and received a recording advising that the number was no longer in service. He considered the situation and did a search on the internet. It only took a few minutes to locate the number for the Police Chief of the small town where she lived.

Colton sat down and prepared himself for the call. Attempting to speak in Spanish he reached the Police Chief and told him about the situation with Tony's father and grandmother. The Policeman knew the elderly woman and the Lopez family.

"I have been trying to reach Mr. Lopez about his mother," the Chief stated. "We had to take her to the hospital a few weeks ago, and since there are no family members here she's being taken care of by the church. She's OK, but she cannot live alone, so we closed her home up and moved her into a home for the elderly."

Colton asked why she didn't call her son, and the Chief explained that she had a stroke and is suffering from a mild form of dementia. "I don't think she remembers he is in America. She keeps asking for him, but she talks about him like he never left home. She is being taken care of, but it is a sad situation."

Colton told the Police Chief that he would inform Mr. Lopez of the situation. He also told him about what had happened to the Lopez family here in Michigan.

"Ben Smittwell is a terrible man," the Police Chief said. "He better not come around here or I will put him in jail for a long time. I put many of his cohorts in jail already. They prey on the poor and promise them riches in America. Then they take all their money and often they don't even take them to America. There are many bodies between Mexico and America. Lost souls left to die along the dusty road. We feared Mr. Lopez and his family were among the dead. I hope you can help put that evil man behind bars."