Chapter 27 of The Assassin From Malaga, A Cripes B. Expressionist Crime Noir Novel

    The minivan pulled up next to a nondescript mid '80s sedan that had a faded Atheist Against Abortion bumper sticker applied to the rear bumper. The decal was old and weathered and was probably put there 4 or 5 owners ago.

   From the passenger side of the van a man short for his weight opened the door and then gingerly stepped out onto the asphalt, as if he was dealing with Plantar Fasciitis or some such malady. 

   He walked gingerly toward a large roll-off dumpster where two men were standing next to a chair. In the chair sat a man who looked to be at least twenty years older than everyone else present in the lot at the rear of the large warehouse.

   The driver of the minivan, who looked to be the youngest of the group, followed his passenger, deliberately slowing his pace as to ensure he could not overtake him.

   The short, heavy-set man walked delicately up to the man seated in the chair. The man in the chair looked up as he approached but made no movements of his own, primarily because he had been secured to the chair with ropes that were wrapped around all of his limbs.

   The short, heavy-set man looked down at the older man in the chair and asked, "Have you decided to tell us what we want to know Mr. DeCamps? From the look of your face I would say Mr. Marcora and Mr. Uchida have certainly made it clear we will stop at nothing to get that information."

   The man bound to the chair closed his eyes momentarily before answering. "You can torture me all you want Kachmazov, there is is no way in hell I'm telling you anything."

   "Torture you, Mr. DeCamps? These two gentlemen have but administered a beating. That is not torture, let me assure you of that".

    The short heavy-set man turned toward the man who had driven him to the site. "Daniel, did you bring my case with you?"

    "Yes, Mr Kachmazov, here it is". The Short, heavy-set man took the small black case from Daniel and unzipped it along three sides, then flipped it open. Sitting in a pre-cut foam block lay a small handgun, a SIG Sauer P365 9mm. 

    Kachmazov looked at the gun, then turned his head to look back at the seated Mr. DeCamps. He cleared his throat after a few moments of silence and said. "Torture...is a filthy business Mr. DeCamps, it's despicable, really. Undignified for all involved - the tortured as well as the torturer."

   The seated man spit angrily onto the hot asphalt of the parking lot. "Screw you, do your worst. I'm not go...". The shot rang out before Mr. Decamps could finish his statement.

   The four men watched in silence as Mr. Decamps now-lifeless body slumped over in the chair.

   "Wow Catch, what the hell did you shoot him for? Mr. Pospisil is going to be pissed we didn't get the info."

    "Well, DeCamps wasn't going to talk - men of his generation never do, they are a different breed. It would be a waste of our time and energy to try to make him. Mr. Pospisil understands that. We need to grab a younger member of the cabal, someone like Daniel here - his generation cracks if you breath heavy on 'em - no offense, Daniel.

   "No offense taken sir."

    "Good. Al, you and Zubie get DeCamps into the back of the van and take him to the crematorium. Jade will be there for at least another hour - she'll bake him and give you the ashes to take to Mr. Pospisil. Make sure you take him DeCamps wallet and all his jewelry too - Mr Pospisil is a stickler for that. Daniel and I will take the sedan, have to make a few more stops. We'll meet up with you at Pops place around 7:00, see if he has anything else for us to do tonight".

    Al handed Daniel the keys to the nondescript mid '80s sedan and took the keys to the minivan from him. Zubie quietly joined him and they both lifted the chair holding the deceased Mr. DeCamps and carried it over to the rear of the minivan. 

   Daniel walked over to the rear of the sedan and popped the trunk. Inside were two half gallon rectangular metal cans of mineral spirits. He walked over to the spot where Mr. DeCamps had been sitting with one of the cans, opened it and poured a small stream of the contents onto the asphalt where Mr DeCamps blood had pooled.  

   Kachmazov smiled as Daniel performed this task and thought to himself that he had taught the kid well - he watched patiently as the kid followed the trail of small blood drops to the back of the minivan and poured a little of the mineral spirits on each and everyone of them. 

The Echo of Passionate Joy off the Steep Canyon Walls of Impending Sorrow

                                    Doesn't get any better than this

                                         Doesn't get any better than this

                                         Doesn't get any better than this

                                         How could it get any better than this

                   And I can't take it anymore

                                        Can't understand why it should be this way

                                        Feelin' overrated and underappreciated

                                        In the same long drawn out minute

                                        By the same long drawn out people

                  Can't stop wishing for more

                                       Will it get any better than this

                                       Can it get any better than this

                                       Could it get any better than this 

                                       Should it get any better than this

                 Have to stop wishing for more

                                       Fingerprints all over the bedroom window

                                       From the one that was trying to get in 

                                       Or do they belong to the one trying to get out

                                       Too late for regrets maybe hope for absolution

                   But I can't take it anymore

                                       Does it get any better than this

                                       Does it get any better than this 

                                       Does it get any better than this 

                                       Why won't it get any better than this 

                  See If I can take it anymore

                                        Oh how I miss my peace of mind

                                       ¿Cómo perdí mi paz mental?

                                       L'ai-je jamais vraiment eu ?  

                                       Ar tas jausmas buvo tik melancholiškas sapnas

                   How can I take it anymore

 

When It's Hot Hot, Call The Cool Cool

 

   Saw this sign in Denison, Iowa. Apparently, the fire department there will fill the pool you put up in the backyard a lot quicker than you could using your backyard tap.

   Probably a lot cheaper, too. 

Decoratin' & Celebratin' The 4th Of July

Recall The Regime

        Faces distorted to give these people a little privacy, even though they were publicly protesting.

   Encountered a couple of HOA protesters at the entrance to a fairly high-end Suburb in south Denver recently, and by high-end Suburb I mean it's a place I couldn't afford to buy a house.

   HOA's can be a pain in the patookas, what with the various (and sometimes incredibly arbitrary) restrictions against such everyday, mundane activities such as washing your car or changing your oil in your driveway, using a clothesline to dry your clothes, painting your house with an unapproved shade of grey, or mowing your lawn without a shirt on.

   Those are all real things that people I know who live in HOA regulated communities have told me they have been penalized by their HOAs with steep fines for doing.  

    Which is why I do not live in an HOA controlled community. The city I live in already has a boatload of ordinances in place regarding what is and is not allowed / acceptable in every neighborhood, so why would anyone want to move into a subdivision that is being run by narcissistic control freaks who want even more regulations?

   Seriously, if anyone in my neighborhood doesn't like the shade of empire yellow that I painted my house, they are free to not ever look at it - never, ever.

Ordinary Ordway, Part 6

   This post about the little southeastern Colorado town of Ordway has been receiving a bit of attention, and along with that attention have come a few questions. 

   The question I will answer today is, "What businesses exit in Ordway now?"

   Quite a few actually. Here are a few pics of what I'm fairly sure are businesses that are in operation, but I'm not about to state I'm 100% certain of that.

              The Hotel Ordway - been around since 1901, still providing lodging for weary travelers

                         First National Bank - even has drive up window service (around the back)

                         Touch of Grace Salon - ready to primp you when you need primping

                                     Joan's House of Beauty - another Ordway primping station 

                     Thaxton's Market - has an ATM and Western Union services as well as foodstuffs 

           The west side of the Thaxton's Market reveals it is also the home of  Thaxton's Liquors

                                  Ordway boasts a two bay car & truck wash, with vacuums

                      Next to the car wash is Prairie Auto Service and a CarQuest auto parts store

      Ordway Building Supply - might be the largest business in the town, occupies several buildings

            Not sure what the purple building is all about, but the building to the right is OBS retail

                                            Of course there is a cannabis dispensary

                     There is a restaurant named Restaurant, but I'm not 100% sure it's operational

             There is a bar & grill called the Columbine Saloon, but again, not sure if it's operational

                 The Family Dollar is open and sells groceries as well as just about everything else

                                 Transportation services available for those that need 'em

       There's a lot on this corner - Sinclair station, mobile home park, and JR's restaurant and grocery

               Just past JR's there is also the MPH RV park - full hook-ups available for RV enthusiast

              Heck, there's even new construction going on - don't know what for but it's fairly big

                                Not sure if this business is still open, but I do like the paint job

    There are more businesses in Ordway - a lawyer or two, couple of accounting and real estate places, a self storage facility, and I believe at least one coffee shop and a pizza joint. 

   Possibly even a food truck. 

Ordinary Ordway, Part 5

    I was asked if Ordway had any parks or public services other than the schools and Crowley County services I posted on Part 3 of this series.

   The answer is yes, and for your viewing pleasure here they are.

 One of the first places you see when you enter the town proper - Edward C. Chavez Veteran's Park

      The park is fairly large and boasts fountains that children (and adults I suppose) can play in

                          This is either the Town Hall or the Chamber of Commerce...or both

                                 A repurposed church is now the Senior Citizens Center

                                  Smack dab in the middle of the town is Conestoga park. 

         Conestoga park is about twice the size of Chavez Veteran's Park, with a lot more trees

                    This small cabin is situated near Conestoga park...but I have no idea why

             There is a small solar farm...the town gets plenty of sunshine, so it's probably a good idea

     This is the Crowley County Nursing Center which I imagine is the same as a convalescent home

                            The Ordway Community Garden could use a bit more...garden

                                              Ordway has nice, modern U.S. Post Office

            The Town's recycling center - must be fairly old as the phone numbers are only 7 digits

                         The Crowley County courthouse and the Department of Human Services

 The Crowley County Justice Center is located in the old court house...which literally looks like a house

This small building is home to the companies that control the reservoirs and the canals

This old parked diesel locomotive is apparently a local landmark