Chapter 13

There's A New Marshal In Town

The next day, two bulldozers crossed over the ford. A grader was making its way up the trail from their home site. Truck after truck followed with construction materials. Another couple of trucks carried the hammers and forge for a full sized mill. Behind the mill equipment was prefab housing being carried on flatbed trailers.

Late that afternoon, a black four wheel drive Tahoe pulled up at the mine site. A big man in a medium price navy colored suit got out and looked around. Big men don't attract much attention where the norm is big working men. What attracted attention were the federal license plates on the Tahoe.

Cassie had spotted the Tahoe when it crossed over the ford. She exited Big Bertha just as the man exited his Tahoe. His eyes focused on her as she climbed down out of the driving compartment. Then she recognized him. He had been the US Marshal in charge of her escort to Grand Rapids. He tugged his cowboy hat as he greeted her.

"Ms. Howard, how nice meeting you again."

She laughed, "I seriously doubt that. I'm really sorry I don't believe it but I never got your name."

"Cliff Martin, Assistant Supervisor, Deputy US Marshal, for the Northern District of Texas, Federal Court."

"Now that's a mouthful Marshal Cliff."

"What can I do to help you out?"

"Well Ms. Howard, I need to see the following people, Tiny Blocker, Sam Wesley, Clint Wilson, Harry Truck, Miguel Rodriguez, and Cassandra Howly Howard."

"Well I think that's Tiny coming up behind you in the Super cab. I think Sam is in the home site which you must have come right past to get here. Harry and Miguel I probably know by their nicknames. Clint is around. He's always around. And here I am."

"Durn! I was hoping to take care of all of this with one stop."

Tiny's truck pulled up alongside the Marshal's Tahoe. As he got out, Cassie spotted Wesley getting out on the other side. He, of course, would be next to impossible to miss.

Cassie pulled her CB out and pressed the send button, "Clint, need you at Bertha."

"On my way Cassie." came right back on her CB.

"Anybody know Harry Truck or Miguel Rodriguez, they are needed at Bertha in five minutes if they can't make it let me know where they are."

It turned out that all of them were at the mine site and soon were gathered in front of Bertha.

Cassie said "OK everyone, this is Deputy US Marshal Cliff Martin. He has some business to attend to. Cliff?"

"Okay, all of you raise you right hand and repeat after me so I can swear you in as Special Deputy US Marshals."

The Marshal started and stopped every few words for the others to say their parts.

"I, your name, do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United State against all enemies foreign or domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will, well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter."

"That I, your name, will faithfully serve as a Special Deputy United State Marshal enforcing the laws of the United States of America and the orders of my superiors in the United States Marshal Service."

They all stood there for a minute with differing expressions on their face.

Marshal Cliff went to his Tahoe and took a briefcase out and then used the hood of the vehicle as a desk. Opening the case, he called each of their names out loud. As they approached him he handed them a leather case. Cassie opened hers and there was a badge with an identification card. The card simply had two seals; the Justice Department and the US Marshal Service. The USMS had a photo and a signature line with her name under it.

"Please sign your identification now. Cassie's Dad made sure you have the badges, leather cases and made sure we got identification cards made up for each of you. Normally Special Deputies get a letter welcoming them to the US Marshal Service and that's all. The letter with these explains why you are a Special Deputy and the limits of your service."

"Your cards are signed by the Director of the USMS and the Marshal of the District appointing you. Either one can rescind your appointment at their whim. The Director and US Marshals serve for only four years or longer if no replacement has been appointed to take their place. These appointments elapse when theirs do. In this case the Marshal of the Northern District of Texas has been there for twelve years."

"So now listen: these are you orders, you are on Federal Land. That makes you the primary law enforcement here. Rangers are responsible for most law enforcement in wilderness areas, but in general you out rank them. That means that poachers and pollution of the land and water is theirs. If any other crime occurs, then you may find you are the primary law officers. If there are any murders, robberies, assaults, drugs or any other normal criminal action you are constrained by your oath to enforce the law especially as I am telling you to."

"If the Rangers need help they can call on you. I will inform the local Chief Ranger about you. If any other Marshals ask why you are appointed from Texas, it's because that is your home state."

They were all milling around showing the credentials to each other. "One more thing, none of you are trained to be police, so if you do get involved with a real crime, call the US Marshal's Office in Boise and ask for help."

"These appointments are primarily to enable you to carry concealed weapons anywhere in the United State no matter what the state law says."

"If you enter any Federal property, show your ID; any crime scene, show your ID; any questionable place or event, show your ID."

"One of the most important thing you must remember: any questions, show your ID!"

"Cassie, come here."

Cassie pulled herself free from Tiny and approached Marshal Cliff. "Yes?"

He reached into his briefcase and took a thick manila envelope out and handed it to her. "These are why I was late getting here this afternoon. These are Concealed Handgun Licenses from Texas. I went by the Attorney General's office in Boise and had them endorsed. Idaho CHL is recognized in Texas so they recognize Texas' here, but having the AG endorse them makes them just as good as Idaho's. You can issue them to the ones you want. There were three of your crew that Texas could not give permits to legally. And Cassie you can't even give them any guns, rifles or shotguns as that would be violation of Federal law. They are ex-felons and you are a Special Deputy US Marshal."

"Now, can you show me what is so special up here in Idaho?"

"Sure come with me." She walked over to Bertha and pointed at one of three wooden boxes under her.

"Pull any of those boxes out."

"Let me do that for you Marshal." Wesley stepped past Cliff and reached down pulling out one of the wooden boxes. It was obvious from his action that the boxes were heavy.

Cliff looked into the box and saw raggedy pieces of brassy looking metal. He looked back at Cassie and raised a brow.

"That metal is worth about three million dollars at a refinery. We've got four boxes the same size. That around twelve million dollars. You see why I wanted some gun permits."

He stood there a minute his eyes going back and forth from Cassie to the gold. "You need some professional security Cassie."

Cassie smiled and looked past him over his shoulder. Cliff turned to see one of the new Deputy Marshals.

"This is Clint, he's our professional and he's in charge of getting our security upgraded.

"Clint."

"Marshal, is Cassie waving her gold around again?"

"I was just telling her she needed some professional help."

"We are getting there. I liked to freak out when I first met her; she dumped a million dollars worth of gold right in front of me."

After talking some more and catching supper with the crew, Cliff finally pulled out. He had to make two stops, first to visit the Chief Ranger for the area and then at the US Marshal's office for the District of Idaho.

That night there were fully furnished dormitories set up with restrooms and baths. They now had a community kitchen with a real cook. The mill was going up on the mill claim, and would be in action in two days. Tiny showed up with a fully certified mill operator two days later. When Cassie gave him the gold she had been holding he almost fainted.

A week later Cassie forced herself to take a break. She, Bertha, and Teddy went to town in Bonners Ferry.

Her excuse was she wanted some ice cream. The reality was that if her sat-phone rang one more time or someone asked where to put the new extracted gold as all the boxes under Bertha were full, she would take the phone and begin milling ore with it.

The first thing she did, though, was go by the medical center to say goodbye to John Boy. He was catching a bus to Spokane to catch an airplane at the international airport there. His injuries were going to keep him incapacitated for the rest of the summer so he might as well go home to recuperate and visit with his family. He had learned a lot this summer and knew that Tiny would sign off on his internship with a good grade. He even came out with a lot more money than anybody could have expected. He was a charter member of the Employee Association. He was smart enough to stay a member also. By the time he graduated from college he would have a great nest egg to start life with and no more need for student loans.

The town of Bonners Ferry was on the route to the Alaska Highway which made it a target of summer tourists. It also had a local Casino which drew more traditional tourists. Bertha attracted a lot of attention as Ted drove carefully, looking for a place downtown to park.

"Ted over there near those building is a large parking lot. Find a place where you cannot be blocked in. I'd hate for you to have to drive over a car or two."

With those instructions, he pulled into the lot, maneuvering Bertha so he had her parked nose out.

Cassie had come prepared. She opened her brand new briefcase and removed three signs: one went on each of the door windows and one in front of the driver seat front window.

Official Vehicle of

Special Deputy

U.S. Marshal

Cassandra Howard

Do Not Touch

She had Ted help her place them on the windows.

"That should remove any questions of 'What the hell' don't you think?"

"Egh, maybe, if they don't see you and find out you are that Marshal."

"Yeah, Cassie you just don't look like a US Marshal."

"Oh, let me see."

Cassie reached into her pants pocket and pulled her credential case out and folded it open and hung it on the left front of her belt. She then took a clip holster from the briefcase and connected it to her right side belt.

"Think this will make me look more like a Marshal?"

"Only if you don't pull your cane out."

"Done, let see if we can find some ice cream in this Podunk of a town. I never thought I would say it. But Sonora is a big city compared to this place."

They began their walk around the downtown area. The breeze of the river kept the temperature mild, though every so often a mosquito tried to introduce itself. They found a drive-in restaurant with indoor seating and entered.

"Ted, what is on the menu?" Cassie asked low voice.

"Sorry Cassie it's very similar to a Dairy Queen menu, hamburgers and fries and the dairy products you would expect."

A waitress walked over to them. "What will it be?"

"I will take a cheeseburger basket, ketchup instead of mustard, a Root Beer in a mug and then afterward I'll finish it with a strawberry sundae." Ted was staring at her.

"Eh, I'll have the same."

After the waitress had left Ted said, "I thought you were only getting some ice cream?"

"I was until I sat down. Smell that? That is the smell of a great hamburger cooking."

The conversation became routine after that.

When Cassie was about half-way through her sundae she overheard a conversation from the booth in the corner.

"Jack, there's nothing here for a person who don't want to farm, or work for a government department. Have you seen the extension courses from U of I? 'How to can at home?' It's asinine. I don't want to can at home; I want to earn enough money to go to a decent store and buy my canned goods."

"Julie it's not that bad."
"Oh, Jack you're right, it ten times worse than that."

"I'm going to see if I can move to Boise and stay with my aunt and get a job and go to the University there. I hear that Hewlett-Packard will train you for entry level positions."