Death With Distinction

Robert G. Taylor ))2 2 l t { o o r e D ri ve Texarkana, Texas 755A3

SYNOPSIS

DSATB'v\iITT{DTSTTNCTION A s t r a n g e cl l sa p p e a ra n e e on a long Labor Day weekend takes o n pecullar

susplolons.

The vletlm

ls thought to bc on a drunken sprec

or a l o n g bl n cl e r fro m l o ve g one umong. thtokens

the plot

Then, the fear

b e sa u se o f the ilepr essing dlvor oe

of sulcld,e

pr oceeillngs be-

a o n r l n g a a ad cl e clfa cto ro T h e l n vo l ve d . a p p e a ra n cos of nafla

bosses settllng

old soor es on

ln n o c e n t r e l -a tl ve s a n d frl e n d ,s add a new d.lmenslon to the no9ug gp e r g n d i s pe o u l a tl o n s. the nillve vlctln

T h e oonaeotlon of the or ganlzed, or lm e to

has a foreboillng relatlon

of the soolal ellte

to

the underworl-d. f oroeg, T h e i l ea d b o d y i s fi n a l L y three dlfferent spsceo

dlsoover ed ln a vaoant fteltl

se a re h p a rtl e s

wher c

hacl pr evlousLy oaavassed that

T h e co rp sa sh o w ccl n o slgn of nutl} atlon

or foul

opetr

play la

ha v l n g b e e n n o ve d to th e sta ged, ar ea as a m otor oyole acelilent" T h e e o mp l e x n o tl ve resolve na t l o n a l

l s too br oad. to oonvlct

ls glven in the olues. polloy

Thls true-Ilfe

o f n e ve r a n n ounolng a vlotlm tg

lmnedlate nenbers of tbe fanllY.

anyone per son. @ a s er e s u l t e i l nam e pr lor

T he

ln the

to aotl fy l ng

Robert G. Tayier 3)"2 l{oore Drive Texarkana, Texas 7550)

DEATH ffITII $ISTIT{CTIOI{

Labor Day Lgb5 was not as usual, even in the early mornlng Texas Thls partlcular

searing sun.

h o t n o o r n l n gw o u ) . d b r i n g a n e v e n h o t t e r clouds gatherlng overheadlln Dallas

afternoon becauso of no shelterlng County.

This heat wave was the hottest

bralns into

a simneriag stew,

the blood. pressure.

ln memory, enough to bake ycur

The least bit

of eroltenent

tach year, tboughr was always much the sane as the

o n e b e f o r e u n l e ss so ra ee ve n t happeneclto get you a lI e n o u g h t o bri n g A s t r oke

o n a fa ta l

o f l u o k,

hot- and' - bother ed

heatstr oke'

h o w e ver , had br ought a far olly of fr lend' s fr on

deep East Texas to Dallas town or Blg D as the locals Job opportunity was the calllng dltlon

to the close clrcle

the nollltary typical

would. raise

oarcl.

Donald Morgan was the latest

of new arrivals.

h a d s p o i l e d D o n a L df o r

A few brief

tbese sultry

afl-

years away in

long Dog Days of a

Texas sumner that was supposed to end offlclally

c a l e n d a r c l a t e , b u t n e v e r c [ ! d .f o r

called the clty.

on this

vary

saveral more hot weekends' Donald oould

clays of hi s y outh' no t h e r p r e n e n b e rl n g th e ro ng old Lazy Texas sLLnmer time a sunmer oould bo' Y e t D o n a I c Lc o u l d n e v e r f o r g e t J u s t h o w b r a n d i n g h o t seastono r[€ cou]'d especlalry with hls recent arrival ln Dalllcf hottest wher e his m l l l tar y n o t h e L p t hl n kl n g a b o u t th e seenlngly far away Ger nany of the memor ies abou t the l ong Donald was full t c u r o f d . uty h a d se n t h l n .

2

TAYr.oH/ oge'r,i fun

bi-cycIe hikes that were nothing ln conparison

o l d . - w o r I d D a n u b eR l v e r

t o t h e h u m i d D a l l a s T u rtl e on scorcnlng days like

C r eek Dr ive neand.er ings whlch he now o fton took

thls,

to enJoy the canopy of shaiiy trees from this

lntense heat. Shade trees,

however, dld not llne the streets

velopect sectlon of North DaIIas Forty as Donald called ln t h t s

part

to ailjust to thls

hot lnvlgoratlng

lTo r g a n G o o d w l n fre q u e n tl y

It

takes yankees flve

Teras cllmate or so hls slster

o o nmented.fr on her voclfer ous

ho u s e o f k n ow l e i l g e fro m fl l e s

open pralrie ln

Ile vr as slowly bec om l ng

pavecl wlde str eet.

accllrnated back to hls natlve Teran habltat.

the

Donatd was swealter l ng

o f to w n kn o w n a s Nor th Par k tr ( all.

t he o p e n s l ra ce s o f th e re ce n tly

newly de-

out ln thls

years

Jaekle

r eaillng ani l s tor e

as seor etar y to the head of State Far m In-

s u r a n c e H e a cl q u a rte rs l a D a Il a s. Thls dlstlnctlve

Daltas hot Labor Day mornlng breeze, however, fel-t

go o d .t o y o u n g D o n a L d l rd o rg a n , fanlllar

and lntense.

He par keil hle H ar l ey -

Da v l d s o n m oto ro ycl e n e a r th e phone booth at the oor ner Seven- E1ev en s tor e fl nanwj- t h t n s l g h t o f th e o l d C a ru th nanslon, a lucky synbol to br ing hl m clal

Buocess as weII, ,rI donrt really

nalls

l n n y o o ffl n

museilDonald'' neeil another pack of Lucky Strlkes

clggy-butts,

a s th e o L d. adage goes, but then why not for

llfe

or l s too

lnsld'e the snall conshort not to enJoyro nuttereil Donalil as he sauntered' Lazy J'angul c l v e n l e n o e s t o re th a t w a s o n e of the few places oPen on thls to Do n a l d p l u n ke i l cl o wnhls r usty quar ter that was far too m uc h holtday, on a pay for the mere oonvenl€nce of being able to purohase olgarettes long hoLlday wben the regular stores legally

all

had to be closeil'

[BIue ]aws are a patn in the royal back si'te, glvtng these Sevenare at least a llttle T l e v e n t r a l a c e so p e n h O U r S t O b u y e m e r g e n c y l t e n s

/ Ogarit

taylor

t o u c h o f E u r o l r e a n c l a s s t o t h e D a l l a s s c e n e r " s i g h e d D o n a l d ^I t t l o r g a nw i t h a homesick vocal tone to the sklnny attenilant. cellophane red tab fron t he f l r s t

the pack.

Donalil exlted,

off

down the Laz y v ac ant m ov ed.

b a c k to w a rcl th e a p a rtment comPler r r her e he had Just r ecentl y

street

The btg tall

the bod.er lng back lot

n e o n sl g n fro n

the

The shiny Harley-Davidson started on

D onald lvlor gan blasteil

kl ck a s a l w a ys.

pulling

of the Fr iendly

a u t o c l e a l e r sh l p o n L o o p L Z seemed.to keep a fam lllar wh o l e n e i g h b o rh o o d .. A se cu re feellng

pr evalled

watchful

C hev r ol et

ey e on the

thr ough the heated. al r

of

t h e h o t p a Ye me n t. g n l y sh l n n e ri n g Morgan had just

s t o o d h t s g r o u n d .t o l i g h t

away down the qulet toolt muehnotlcel groups,

h e a t w a ves ln tha hot Texas alr

stre e t

o n thls

r enalnod. wh er e D onal d

one last cigarette

before blazlng

hazy tonely Labor Day of L965 .

he was always golng places alone after

N o one

being ln crowded

to get a''aeyf or some clown tlme,

'rl{e ls a loner slnoe hls dlvoroe recently G e r n a n b r l d e o f h ts;

n y l l ttl e

br other

was flnal-lzed from that

ls slm ply not the same happy - go-

I u c k y k l d I h e l p e d ra l se rtr renar ked Jaokie lvlor ganGood.win, anr lous l y

c hang-

in g h a n d . s to h o l d th e te l e trl hone with the long cor d. "y o u ra l se a l h tm ri g h t

o t r ear edl hln well

s t s t e i l trrT a ryJa o q u e l yn Bufftngton- Taylor

saIrtr

g e t o v e r th l s

wi l l

h a v e b e e n tru e -Io ve w e i l G T rs l n t h e f l r s t

It

hls d.lscharge, to leave her famlly.

g o n e w ro ng after - al1

slnoe many fr a' fileln

place Just to get passager here for

know Donald has lt

pulllng

?fD onal i l

to her best fr 1end.

i l e e p h u rt soon enough; hls Oer m an wife r efuseil to c one

to Anerica with hlm after

We all

as m other would oor r eotl y

l n hlm to sur vlve

nust

br lcl c s

onl y

the good Llfe.

the bad tlm esr r f conti nued ttl ar y E

n e rvo u sl y o n th e p h ona wlr eg oom lng fr om tbe wall- nook c onnec tl on'

tlYouknowhlnwellasanyonea}iveslneewehavellvednertcloorto

Ta y l o r

/ n m fi t

eaoh other all

our livesr'r

Jackle wlth deep concern building

replied

in

her voice having a shakY edge. tfgur close family lives

y o u a r e d e e p l y w o rrl e d a b o u t Donalilf s fr ane should aII

go vlslt

bln tbts rlay

,No, not yet at least.

at hls new apartmentr?r suggested Mary B a get-together.

M y b r o t h e r w a n t s t o b e l n c l . e p e n d e n t ,n o t m o t h " " " J . f nust respeot that wlsh

and smothereil to cleath, even by hls blg slster. of hlsrn

mouthlng her or r n wor ds.

s i g h e d Ja ckl e re l u n tantly

' r H o w eve r, D o n a l d d o e s n eeil eheoklng on while should not be left A lovlng

state.

alone for

D onal c l

in the doldr ums .

long perlods of tlne wlth hls fraglle

a l w a y s s t a y s c l o s e b y , n a d d e d l v f a r yB f u l l

fanlly

If

m eans w e

of m lnd, then by all

of gulle plottlng

htnt

emphatically with a llttle

now.

are too interwoven not to help-cut

mental of free

advlc e. o l , o v e o a n b e co n e a cu rse, moment. wlt h

lts

though, when used to pr y lnto

We shoulcl know from growlng up ln small-town, b u sy-b o d y g o ssl p e rsr il

laughecl tr ackle wlth

eve r y pr l v ate

bossy Terarkana

a ser les

of s hor t

nervous coughs. n Bu t D o n a l d w l l l hls blg sister [4ary B

n e ve r oonslder us a our se or a pr oblen.

too nuch ever to resent honest concern for

whl],e she brusheit her halrwlth

n l l o n e stl y,

f d o n o t kn o w what to do.

wa n t i n g t o ch e ck-o u t my l n tu l tlve even lf

tt

the henna rlnse

feellngs

does nean prylng lnto ny brotherts

J a c l < l e l n a te n se b u rst o f l ovlng n r h e n r g o o h e ck l t safe than sorry.

longril consoleil

out of her eyes.

f am er tr enely that

He l ov es

wor r led .

Ius t

sonethlng ls not qul te

r l ght

pre-clous;lrivaeyrH declarecl

conceTr le

a l L out for

your own Peaee of nlnd.

trust casually drop by hlS place.

pleasure drlve to see the local- slghts,

Better

to be

say you are on a

n e r e l y c t ' r o p p i n gb y , | f

Donald' !s

5

Taylor / onatn there and does protest

too much that you are indeed being a nosey busy-

bodyr?i plotteit trfary B

with her usual helpful

style.

rtYou convlnoeil rn.€r Talkecl ne lnto going.

call

you baok later,

I have eased my worried mind.rtfpromlsed Jackle with

tfary B, after

some

already showing ln her tense voice.

rellef

n G o o d l u o k o n fl n d l n g for

T wlll

thls

friend., hanglng-up the phone

declslon by her llfe-long

poslttve

of enco ur agem ent

ls wellr fr cooed ltilar y fult

a II

ree elver . trThe frleniis drl v e

l h ry

a n i l R ober t also itecldeit to take a

was the aln ln the fl r s t

t h e m s e l -ve s h o w th e tu rn

w i t h a o o m m o nh t s t o r y ,

up together

bonded, Ilke

o n e o f th elr

ha d a l m o s t n a rrl e d mlnute ttff

ge t a g o o d Jo b .

Terarkana.

gr ow n

baby slttlng

car e of D onal d. as or nephe w .

long befor e aar r ying'

R ober t

Jao k l e bl or gan

own set of old cr ony ohuns, but a l as t

Blg Dallas was the not-so-dlstant

T h e l n p e rso nal. lar ge city

Terarkana young peolDle wlth rel,atives

Da I I a s .

They hacl al l

spat tr ad r esutted. ln a r ebouniled es c ape

o r w e cl d .l n gJttte rs

from the fanll-ler

genui ne

one blg haPpy ertendecl

He w a s n u o h th o u g h t Of l.lke a younger br other

a n c l M a r y h a cl b e e n h l g h sch o o l fr lends

n AI l

by fr lends.

l v ta ry h a d h e l p e d o ften ln the dally

a chlld.

Their

of events wer e comlng along.

o o n c e r n w a s mo re th a n me re td.le cur ioslty

blg ctty

p1aoe.

outlng would be ercuse enough to casually then drop by, to see

A lelsure

f an l l - y .

m or ni n

l ate

Ou t to th e near by Nor tb Par k lttlall aor oss the fr eew ay

t h e m se l ve s.

f ro r n D o n a l d l ,rl o rg a n tg n e w a p a r tnent actually

f or

shor t

aptly

place to of

called Blg D wa s ful L

who helped. thern learn

the trrays of

llfe" o u r T e ra i ka n a frl e n ds We a re a l l

ar e har e llke

a eolony of expatr l ots

n e vrco mer sher e to seek our for tunes

ln

in the bl g bad'

who w er e fam 'ous E x c e ;rt fo r yo u , R o b e r t, wlth your gr eat- gr and' par ents Oaltas Countyr tt ) - aughedlr lar y as she adJ us ted' pl o n e e r l _ e a d e rs l n fro n tl e r

c ity .

TayI or / D!.ATH soae

store sale ln town.

new blg furnlture

',your youngest brother s e e n i st h a t

her brotherr s ad for

alring

the radlo diaL to get another statlon

T. Buff -qales wlII

lt

ad sale;

ls havlng another huge furniture

never run out of places to promote business

in Dallasrn chuckled Robert gooit naturedly' n T o n Po y,th e f. gets tlred Ma r y B

sho$man ' H e nev er

of naking outrageous TV advertisenrent appesrancesr' agreeel

w l t h a fl rn

b l tl n g

, y o u k no w a s w e l l the center of attention pro f o s s l o n a l l y

w l th

G o d I s R e a I n a tl o n a l IT'spots

ls a tr ue

su p er sales pr onotor ,

B u ff

arl

o f her lower 11p'

a s I tbat

your br other

enJoys bel ng

Tor unyr eally

appeared

ln the publlo eye ever slnce be flrst J'

th e trfi e nof Ter as vocal gr oulD that h L t.

for

for my is Just a natur al

T' Adam s s ang

star r lng

l n gl am or ous

o v e r t h e A n e r l c a n S o u t h w e s t r e g l o n r r t c o m m e n t e dR o b e r t n o n c h a n t l : aver since nar r y l ng U Il s s

n T o m myl s a ccu sto n e d to glanor ous publlcr ty Eastern Alrllnes

beauty queen Jeannle Cooperril admitted lfary'

, r A n i l Je a n n l e r s b ro th e r

ls the v' r r lter wyatt cooper who happe ns to be

t h e h u s b a n d to th e ve ry fa mo ug Glor ia

l s sl n p l y

trylng

Thus, Tom m yenJ oy s aLl

oontinued. Robert !0atter-of -factly.

the fame wlth rnfamous llnerrghtr" *t { y b ro th e r

Vander bllt.

to } lve

up to the fane tbat

our d'ear

befor e she moved to D al l ae, au n t l e h a s a l w a ys e n Jo ye d b a c k !n fer ar kana lrtary B happlly. Barrylng her a rlch rnan even for Big Drt summed-up n An c l sp e a kl n g o f yo u r n otor lous Auntie r d' td you cal- l har about the a s k e c lR o b e r t w l t h a n e a g e r c o n c e r n f o r D o n a l d ts s t r a n g e c t l s a P p e a r a n c e ? r t edge to hls volce. 'rye', of course, I called. Aunt llettie a n g u l s h o v er D o n a l d r s w o n d e rlng off telrrng

a so u r.

N e ttre K ri n e wlr r

K1lne, alertlng

by hlnself then ter l

ln hls state winkle

her to the of nl nd'

not

her husband' w ho c an

7

Taylor / DEATH help us wlth advice later

we need aay addltlonal

if

asslstance fornlng

a

s e a r c h p a r tyrtr i n f o rme d Ma ry lvith d,eep conceltlo rrMr. Wlnkler ls sttlt

a t h l s J a m s r sg . E d w a r d s B e a u t y S u p p l y o f f i e e ? " golng.

lnterrogated Robert, keeplng the c onversatlon llghtly "By all

neans, Wlnkie is always there worklng Iate

m a k i n g m o r e mo n e y th a n h e ca n ever spend. a m o n e y - n al re r e ve n fo r t io n w l t h do l l a r

th l s

r lch

ma rks a l n o st

'rlfoney ls what lt

showlng ln her br lght

big bucks keep the wheels of lndustry

lnten s e adni r a-

par t of to w n.

greased around Blg D,

for Caruth Haven.

hours,

eyes.

ln thls

of to llve

aII

has a knack f'l or bei ng

He r eally

townr r mar velled illar y wltb

ta ke s plenty

we are aLmost at the erlt

till

T he

O h , L d a r yB ,

Do you want me to stop at

that nearby Seven-Sleven to get you a Dr. Pepper to help qulnce the thlrst of thls

e r tre me l y h o t n o rn l n g?' r lnqulr ed

ttYes, but f wlll

ru n i n s lde

Yo u t a k e t o o l o n g b y ta tkl n g

nyself

Rober t with a nod of the head. to get tbe Dr . Pepper , th ank y ou.

to ever yone,"

laughed ltdar y B

as s he eager l y

Junped out the stoBped. Chevy fmpal.a. F r o n t h e w l n d .o w o n R o b er tr s side, tower ed the stately Ca r u t h n a n sl o n tb a t

sto o d l fl rmly

secur e on the far

old c ol unnec l

slde of the fr eew aJ r .

tvlattle Caruth Byrd owneclmost of the development belng done on the old plantation

lanil.

Ju st a cro ss fr om the btg house wlth yet a hundr ec l ac r es

o f l a w a b o rd e rl n g th e e xl D re s swaywas the new Nor th Par k shopplng m aII. wh o l e a r e a w a s fu l l

o f h u g e lur ur y

apar tment compler bulldiags.

o u t c l o o r s l g n s a d ,ve rtl se i l th e posh sur r ound.ings. wi t h a n a d ve rtl se n e n t

fo r

a fur nltur e

voice proclalmed.that T. Buff hlmself iio v i n f o r

all

soda PoF.

A loud pl tc hed

you shoppers to come on

a l o o k w l th a b tg h oudy fr onr the good fotks

ln a flash with her bottled

T he l ar ge

The auto r adio bl ar ed. ar r ay

sales pr omotlon. lnvltes

T he

her e.

[dar y r etur ned'

8

Taylor / oeRrH

around by the large constructlon

pu l l

slte

on the way to Donaldfs apartment.

She ls standlng beslde her car near all

0h, there is Jackie. bushes.

at the frontage road by clrcling

avoid the f,Iashing stop llght

"Letrs

She seens to be wlthout Harry.

those tall

Joi-n her prcntol

We had better

o v e r r t ' d e ma n d e dl.rfa ry w l th deep concer oo 'rJaok1c, are you all

wide for [{ary to exlt, nYes, Fobert,

right?f? asked Robert as the car docr was opened

runnlng to hug her llfe-long

friend.

I am very weLl now that I have looked aII

around tho

ap a r t m e n t co mp l o r fo r D o n a l d.. His l{ ar ley- Davidson ls gone; he m us t s ur el y be out for

a l o n g ri d e

to so rt

out hls wor r led

thoughtsr ft lnfor ne d

swallowlng deep).yto keep from showlng a stralned force rrYrlherels llarry,

your better

anazement that he was not rlebt n Vf e l l , H a rry l s sight thls

qulokly

lnqulred

there wlth her frlend

o ve r yo nder ln nlddle

He wtll

soneplace.

half?t

get heatstroke lf

o v e n - ba kl n g su n rtt crp l a l ned

Jackle

J ac k l e

to her volce. l,Iary f ull

of

lackie.

of thts vacant fleld

out of

he stays here much longier ln

polntlng

towar d tbe far

s l de of

the old fleld. t r l w l Ll I ats surc,

lf

g o Jo l n l l a rry

Fe could use som e he1p,

o n l y mo ra l su ppor tr n salcl Rober t hur r ied.ly,

n Y o u d .o th a t. can return

l n the open spaoe.

fro n

l 'Ie g i rl s

wlLl

safely

stay ln the car untll

"0h, do telI

y ou fel l ow s

sco u tl n g o u t the whoLe placer n offer ed. M ar y qulok Ly .

r W h a t e ve r yo u e a g r" ro spondeil Rober t taklng the hiat to joln lacklers

alm ost anx l ous Ly .

to hur r y

onw ar d.

h u s b a n c lH a r r Y " Harry that we nust go on back hone soon.

sages mlght be coming lnr"

Telephone D€s-

suggestetl Jackie wlth an almost detached concern

a b o u t t h e lmn e d .i a te se a ro h l n g thls

ar ea.

T h e t w o yo u n g me n , R o b er t and Har r y, met !n the center

of the v ac ant

9

/ UqATH

Taylor

Each had ar r j- ved ln the nlddle,

ot i i a b a n d . on e dC. a ru th co rn fte ld.

center of the stalced-cut constructlon

slte from illfferent

d'ead

angles of the

s lo p l n g

terraln.

r an zlg- zagged. thr ough the open lani l .

A

careful

look lnto the depths took nearly an hour }onger to complete.

A

Deell gullles

dominated the mldsectlon of the open land..

d.esolate knoll

storms had 1ong ago erodecl the once rlch top soil

washer raln

t h a t h a d b e o o r n er a v l n e g . sun.

No one else was outside ln thls

there any foot

Neitherams

No tralL

the sanclysoi1.

wa y s l n c e t h e l a st d e v o l i l o f r e ce n t Pr e s b y t e r i a n

b l g ra l n

l rn p rl n ts

H o sp l ta l

prlnts

into clltches

heat of the day

of another porson lately

tmlklng

traoks of a motoroyoLe across the wlcte

rldlng

open space was evldent. No vlslble

thls

01al gulley

marks of humanevldence passlng thls

c ould be cietected..

o f any klnil.

The huge ciusty g ul l - ey w as

This futur e

w a s mer e vacant Iand thls

buildlng

slte

for

clay'

Donalcl oould be hldden som ewhor e out l n

r f H a r r y, d o yo u th l n k

th at

l a r g e va ca n t fl e l cl ? n

concer n of w hat the q u ested. Rober t wlth d.r ead.ecl

a n s w e r m l g ht b c. n y e s , th a t ve ry th o u g b t dlcl cr oss ny mlnd as well. l e n g th a n d br eath of tbls

wa L k e d t h e fu II f e a r e c l f l n d ln g worsel sltuatlon her Ilfe

a n a ccl d e n t

tr act

of hllly

scr ub la nd.

I

soenc of the m otor cycle wlth a hur t D onal d, or

r Just dlcl not want Jackle to be the flrst here.

I have al r eai l y

She would never forget

a personal tragecly.

or regret

r cane alone for

one to disoover a nasty seeing for

that reason.

the rest

of

M a d ' eh e r w a l t

atthecurbbacktbere,nelpressed,Harryfrownlngaworrledman|slookon hls

sweaty face. nThat was a good.ldea.

Do you think foul

play ls posslble ln this

hls nose at the s t r a n g e d l s a p p e a r a n c e o f D o n a I d ? ' t a s k e d .R o b e r t t w i t e h l n g m e r e t h o u g b t.

IO

Taylor / n:,amt n s o n n e th i n g ve ry stra n g e has lnd.eeil happened f or sur e beoause D onaId. a n yw h e re wlthout

wo u l d n e v e r tra ve l a worry-wart

sh e l s a b o u t h l m.

f i n a l l ze i t

re c e n t

flr st

He kno w s w hat

tr ackle.

telllng

Donald has been unduly ilepr essed ov er the

H e mlght get har nedl la a mlshap, for h e i s

cl l vo ro e .

accident prone when soverly worrled.

ln

cvcn feareil sulciile

I at flrst

t hts c a s e r ' r co n fl d ,e d , H a rry al- m ost whisper lng thr ough his teeth,

nak l ng

s u r e n o t t o b e o ve rh e a rd . rtDonald. woulcl have to be terribly s h a me fo r h l m.

self-ruln

I k now hin nuch too well as a good Chr i s tl an

no t t o d . o a cl e e clth a t w o u l i l hur t in a m t l l t o n

all

yca rs to u p se t hls har tlshell

Baptlst

o r i s-:a w a5rwlth

t h e y o u t b d.l re cto r,

boy

r elatives ,

nev er

par ents wlth that

hor r i c l

hls deeply r ellgious

Ilave you lnqulred. at the churoh to see if

nenory!

no

clepressett to oonnlt hara-klri,

for

he ls on an erranil

som e of his Sunilay School budi ti es ?i l

q u crl e d S o b e rt.

further

n y e s , I a l re a d .y sto p p e cl by the Eplscopal Bducatlonal HaIl wher e D onal i l o f t o n a t t e n its se rvl o e s rvL th m e, v t h e r e a b o u t s o f n y b ro th e r-1 n -Iaw; how worrledl slck I onr'repllecl n I o e r ta l n l y to Donalil.

I agk ever ycne, not a soul knew the and. all

offer eil

to help sear ch s eel ng

Harry Goodwln full- of erasperatlon.

p ra y a n d h ope that nothlng per manently bad has happenec l

H e a l w a ys rn i n cl s hls own buslness.

Never bother s other f ol k s t

to make enemles Llke so oany red.necks clo f or their

fun-ancl-ganes arounil

t h e s o p a r t srn o o n o e n tcd ' R o b er t thoughtfully' r r T r u l y, I X rra y th e sa me anit as nuch. s la i s t e r

d .o e s e rl st

of o u r c o n ve rsa tl o n later

l n th l s

pecullar

Yet,

sltuatlon.

I clo know sonethl ng Do not nentlon thi s

to Ja ckre, nor to Mar y B, who wlr l

anyway to trackle llke

ter r

ever y thl ng

they always do share a1l upsetting

overthephone,.requesteclHarrymostforcefully.

c l r i ft

thouglrte

1I

/ DEAfH

Taylor

ItReIy on me, Harry, to ease tho aBprehensions. quletly

keep our unhappy spouses paclfled, go h o r a e , t o g e t o u t o f th l s

Mun ls the word to

free of ad.dedsttess.

baker tr s ugges ted.

sun befor e our br alns

blazlng

We shoulil

Ro b e r t t h o ug h tfu l l y. The two worrlcdl nen wallcecl at a slow paoe back towarcl their

a rn s a r o u n d th e l r

mu c h [ r o r e th a n a ].1 th e l r

snlle

o b s cur e fear s eouldl ever er pr ess.

that

s al i l

Not ev en thc

cl o u b ts coulil be conpletel- y aver tedl ln the baok of the oonver satlon

C a s u a L l l g h t-h e a rte d

mlncl.

The husbandt eac h put thc l r

s lghetl wlth a big cnlgnatlo

h e l p n a te ,

s u p p r e s s e t l frl g b tfu l

walted.

w l ve s anr lously

w h e re th e l r

au t o n o b i l e s

parkecl

of the moment ooulcl not hl de a

nagglng fearo r0ome oor glrls, now for

heail baok to the house" Nothlng ls here rlght

letrs

us to secrtr recocunencledHarry wlth a hollor

the ears to take shelter

into

laugh.

Everyone got home ernpty

frono the hot sun, to retrrn

of any breaklng news.

handeil

' S e e yo u l a te r. Ieast blt

D o o a l L when you bear anything"

o f l n fo rn a tl o n .

Let ne know thc about nothl ng

you Just want to talk

Phone lf

m u o h a t a 1 ,1 rF o ffe re cl }fa ry wtth synpathy. nMary, vrr€rshoulcl all around. enpty flelds

Ilnger thls

wlnil that

relarlng

untlL

at hone for

our nlnils

a whlle.

get blown-out

No neecl to

of proportlon

by

has alroacty turned, qltr halr-closupslcle clor,vnancl lnslcle out.

UT u s tn o t s ta y tn th l s for

try

boillng

sun to get fr led

t h e g n ats to e a t u s o u t her er '

to a or lspy

noon day l unc h

obser vod' Rober t as he guqncil the engi ne

t o g e t a 1 t re vve d . u P to l e a ve. nI am yours to oomrnaodrttsn1led fulary weakly slamrnlng the auto door ancl plaolng her enpty soaia pop bottle re s a l e

}ater

on the floorboarcl

a t th e sa fe w a y deposlt center

( fr ugal

und'er her seat for

Mar y ofton gather ei l

L2

/ neafH

faylor

b y th e dozen at bus stops to r eileem for

d. i s c a r i t e d . p o p b o ttl e s Mary was stlngy

fund had not spollecl ln to

TIer tr ust

b e yo n cl w o rC l s.

s lve s p e n c il n g , n o t Ja d e d N e l m an- tr { ar custaste

for

o w n pl a ce fo r

a q u i ck lunch of cold. outs.

he a i l e d s o u th o n N o rth C e n tra L Fr pr essway, kiakcd lnto

oyerdlrive, a real

gas saver.

Each goi - ng tow ar d

ldar y anil Rober t then

Thelr oustom or cler ed. fm pal a a blg black Cadlillac

Suddenll

I lmo u s i n e pa sse d th e n o n th e nar r ow entr y r amp, hogglng the r oad .. ohauffeured

Il n o u sl n e

d ,e tl b e rately

on the r anp J,eadlng downtow tr o

' r T h a t b l g b l a ck S OB o f a llnouslne y e l p cd l fa ry l n sn a rl l n g

"Y e a h , th a t

ls r eally

ln a wlld

T l s a n a fla

super fas t

aggr avatlon at a]- nost belng r un dow n.

b l g b ta o k l l naouslne ls a pr lvlledged

neck of the woodg.

car fr on

char aoted l n thl s

the Deep El.Iun eastslde

Y o u re ro cn b e r se e l n g a Ll tbose well- dlr essedl nen ln that

ga n g .

o f t c m r n g e t l n to

th e l r

chleftaln

not elpectlng

sa mc o rg a n lr eil cr lne

Ilcutenants

s tr eet

sle az y ar ea

L l n o when we wer € passlng thr ough yester d.ay , dontt

y o u ? n q u e s te d , R o b e rt a g g l ta te tl, *t r { o s t Il ke l y

T hs

the gutter

for cecl, Rober t alm ost lnto

o r e l s e a n a co l d e n t w o u l cl h a v e r esulted

hurry!

ex c €s -

Ter as gal) .

thls

T h e y o u n g co u p l e s d ,ro ve alr vayfr om the open flelds. t he i r

show aoney ;

an answcr .

buslness that

from here to Texarkana.

br lngs r acke teer l ng

Thls lclentlole car almost

ran us d.own near Aone Salvage Yardl back ln our dear olil East Texas hometoran.

I o ou l cl n o ve r fo rg e t

that llcense

pa l n t e i t a n d re -n u mb e re d l b e fo re selllng

tag.

Stolen useil oar s ar c r e-

or o s s e c l p a th s b e f o re , re me mber , dlor n ln naf la oapltal $ p t a s h D a y e n co u n te r l a st

tl n e

W e hav e al s o

to seventeen states.

Galveston on our

along the Seawall r estaur ant

r oltr noney

la u n d , e r l n g b u sl n e sse s a n d ca slnos out over the water fr ontr n Ro b e r t g r t ml y co n ce rn e d , a s they oontlnued' dr lvlng The heat of the noon d'ay stressful

lnfor nedl

honewar d-

monrents passed slowly

for

the hour ' y o u n g o o u p l e s w h o te l e p h o n e d each other ever y hour on n e w d e v e l o p e cl .. T h e sa a e o l d thlng

the N othl ng

of no wor il about Donald.ts belng l oc atei l .

I3

/ DEATH

Taylor

l l ke

T h e r n y s t e r y l n te n si fl e a l

the long hot weekend.bor e on.

c o n c l a v e l n D a l l a s h a d b e e n alar ted ln f o r m a t l o n for

h a d n o t ye t b e e n r elated

g o o d r e a so n .

of wild ooncerns stlll

feel

Justlfted

back to the Texar kana klnfol k s ,

wlthout

e n cl e d " . E ver yone usually

we e k e n i l o f f lcl a l l y

a n d a l l " h u n g -o ve r w a s the pclloe

t lr e t l ,

to f lle

a r e l l o rt

n f h e la te st

fo r

a n l ssl n g

belng lost until

ad.v!- ce. Jackle and, Har r y ,

Harry that

be n d , e r , a b l g b l n g e o r w l l d

nor e than Zf- hour s.

toot

they thought Donal-cl ls on a long

becausc of the d.lvor ce pr oblen.

lX , u n r e q u lte d . Io ve se e tss to be the m ottve for that the macho pollceman mentallty I h a v e a l r e a i l y ta L ke d to E a rr j

ha p p e n e r l 1 n th l s

whlle

d o w n o n u s a l l rtf

wants to asslgn to thts

klnd of casc.

statecl Rober t s l r npl y .

K l -l ne ls the oae who r esponded the m ost odi l of aL1 nevts. Nettle

T h e n, she told

p e cu l l a r

Kllne

got ver y qul et

ne not to be sur pr lsed

lf

as a

the w or s t Ses m s

ca se wlth Donaldf e str ange dlsappear anc €.

s h e k n o w s s o n e th l n g w l th o u t prenonltlon

Oons equent

nost donestlo pr obl ens

on ny CB ln the tr uokr n

o f w a y to thls

m o u s e w h e n I to td l h e r.

.Tackie ancl Har r y dr ov e

to the pr essing tur n of events that

po o r D o n a l d , h a d l a l a s b e cn ml sslng for

n Bu t n y A u n t N e ttl e

s tati on

per sono

l ro n c re si gnatlon

frThe oops aLso told

nonetbe-

tn person to f ll-e a mlsslng personf s reportrF

statlon

an n o u n o e i l M a ry w l th

ln a l o w k e y so rt

to tho r nain pollce

a fte rn o o n d .evelopments ar e that

d . o w nt o t h e p o l l c e

the long

to wor k, ver y l ate,

r etur ns

that after noon

h a c l d.rl vcn i to w n to w n l a ter

Anc [

The pollce dld not

proof.

tangible

alarn of any person really

for

T he d.r eadful

sltuatlon,

to wor r y her par ents with her ow n doubts

Ja ckl e re fused

futl

Iess,

to the omnlsus

fhe T er ar k ana

actually

knowlng why.

sh e a n d f wer e talklng l a me n te d l l l ar y iitstor ting

that

I Just got the fr eak l s h

scmething bad ls c onl ng

her wor r iecl face.

n y o u al w a ys g e t b a d . vl ves when things d.o not go your way fas t

enough,

rI

Taylor

/ DEATH

Ifary.

D o n rt g e t a l l

trylng

not to show hls alarmlng fears.

u p se t o ver your wildhalr

"Robert, the polloe need to get actlve

p ro g r e s s s ta rte d . fo r

o f Dallas County.

G r u c l g e s g e t n a d e th l s

You sur ely

get gg progross

lf

we harass the wrong people.

Let weII enough alone wlth

w a y.

can get s om e

ur geil M ar y poutlng her ll ps "

o u r sa tl s faotlon,a

'fVIecoulil vCIry wclI

case soon as possible"

on thls

slnce one of your r el- atlves N or v el l

Yo u s h o u l d b e a b l e to g e t so ne favor s Wl n n l f o r d , wa s o n ce sh e ri ff

war ned . R ober t

tntuitloor t

the power s that

be,

lf ia r yr ' t r e s p o n d e d , R o b e rt o u rtIy . t t W e L l , e xcu se me fo r

holy terror

medlately to thls

J u g t l l ke

I d ,o n rtl e va ryth l n g

y o u o a n d o rl g b t

that

Just fell

out of the hear se on the

we are all

sufferlng

r espons e l n-

throughrtf Justlfled

u sl n g h e r d ramatlc style.

n A n c t yo u th l n k mlnuts.

l

I stmply want soae ktnd of posltlve

wa y t o s t o p a fu n e ra L ,

Ma r y i n n o o e n tty

tl vlng.

I know you uant lnstant

thl s

satlsfaction

else abouf, your ever y wtr lm. The o nl y thl ng

n o ry l s to attend

chqrches are boldlng a prayer vtgll

the speclal

for

pr ayer ser vlce"

Donaldts beneflt

fw o

of a safe returnr"

suggesteil Robert testlly. T h e de vo u t co u B l e s n e t at the near est servLoe.

uh l l e hls

T b l s B a p tl st

famlly wer e ther e,

se rvice was long,

b e s e ech l n g th e L o rd . to dellver

l o v e c t on e s.

aII

lnvolved

thlr d

gene r ati on

wlth hol' dlng hand's

Donald hom e safe and sound to al l

T h e n , a se cond pr ayer ser vlce vr as held at the E pl s c opal

Church where Harry attead.ect. party

the evenln g pr ay er

Mo st o f th e frl e n d .s fr on Texar kana attencleCl. Befr lencl ec l as s o-

la t e s a n d r e l -a tL ve s o f l l a rryts Da I I a s l t e s .

ohur ch for

t o t h e se o o n cl g a tb e rl n g

Do n a l - d a l w a ys e n Jo ye cl so cl a l

A ten mlnute d.rlve took most of the first place thls functlons'

tlne

ln the Eclucatlon C enter that

Thls ser vlce was shor t'

thepglntasSsupportgroupfortheworrleclcouples.

s w eet to

L5

/ DEAfH

faylor

nThe services

e u l o g y th a n a pr ayer ser vice for

t {o r e o f a f u n e ra l I os t

a w a k e f o r a d . e a dm a n o S t r a n g e a n d e e r l e .

s e e m e dm o r e l l k e

of thl s

effeot

fr om the chllling

l o v e d t o n e rw re n a rke d . l rfar y sbutter lng

of a l ong

a safe r etur n

numblng experlence. ttyep, lt

a m enor lal ser vice for

w a s mu cb .n o re l lke

of hls

Robert full

they know somethlng we tlonrtr'agreecl

one as tf

i l epar ted

a dear ly

own

nuLllgrubs. f t T w o pra ye rfu l

se rvi ce s close together wer e alr nost m or e than f c oul i l ln

b e a r t o s 6 e Ja ckl e e n d u re th e pubtte gr lef r " noted Mar y str etchlng a n e x h a u s t e d l ma n n e r fu l l "

o f r ellef

nI am so g]-adthe last

that the day was end' lng.

servioe was short,

slmple to the point.

no t t a k e t w o o o mp l o te l y l o n g d.r awn- out r ltuals. p o o l e k n o w s h o w to re a cl a crowil of gr levlng

CouLd

At least Father Gay l and

fol- ksr n oolnmenteilRober t r e-

Iteved. to be back hone. n E a o h se rvi ce w a s d l ffe rent; conoern for

th e sa n € sl tu a tl o n,

two dlffer ent r lght

ln er pr os s l ng

wor Lds apar t

her c ln Dallas no less.

be awarc way preachers aot weII enougtr slnce qy ol-ilest brother A Iso r D y o o u sl n R ever enil Doctor BIIIy

ml n l s t e r ,

Eu r o p e t o r e a ch l a rg e g ro u p s of people.

to brlng

wo n d e r s f o r

l o ya l

Donald safely fo l L o w e rsri l

. T h e go o d l L o rd ce rta tn l y le t

me tell

yo u .

h l g h h e a v e ns. htgh fornal

T h e fl rst

T h e l a st

s houl d

Ra]ph ls a

Har gis founded R ad'1otr 'r ee

They bave the ear of Go d and the

keys to the eternal klngdon, glvlng us an lnslde tract ventlon

f

baok to us,

to dlvlne

The Lordl really

lnter-

works mkac,ulous

utter ed M ar y ln a r ote tone' got the message both tim es,

f am sur e today '

ser vlco was loud enough to get the w or d to tbe

o n e was r ever eatly

quiet

enough to sult

the m os t

grln' serlous as a Judge Goilr'reJolcecl Fobert with a

, f T h e p ra ye r se rvl ce a ctually

r emlnded ne of an old' - fashloned '

'fl es t

r6

Taylor / UEAra to p ra y for

Te x a s c h u r c h n e e tl n g

r ellef

fr onn a long d r ought on

of no r aln

tbe clesert farnland near the ranch my roother gets oll Re n e m b e r t h e ch u rch w e a tte n ded. when we llved

royalltles

regularlyn

near Lubbock?tt r het or l c al l y

quested Mary ln a noble tone. rrl)o I ever.

The prayers called

I e ve r e xper ienoed tll

wa s t h e w o rst th l n g

thls

of sanil"

Bet boggeil d.ounrshut,

the human eye woulil nud ov6r,

That sanilstorm

wor r isom e plight

so bacl as a b]lndlng

Do n a 1 d . A tcrn a cl o l s n o t h a lf

farm soll

up a wlndl fuII

l n th e a L r,tr l a u g h ecl Rober t attempting

ov er

sanclstor m. Sc ens that fron

all

the blowing

to br lng r oir tb to the

g ra v e m o o d . o A h , I a n n o t i n th e n o oil to be olr eer eil up by wltty

obser va tl ons .

L e t r s g o t o b e i l , f o rg e t tb e whole wlile wor lil f or a change tonlghtr " g e s t e c l M a r y w i th a tw l n kl e n s w e e te r sl u o b e r aI I

the rest

o f th l n e

and nlne ls batter

tn th e w o rL i l to nlghtr w

' r W e n e e d . to g e t p h ysl ca t llvlng

n l g h tn a re .

v ol c e .

o f ur genoy to her denr :r e eyes anil lllting

I

af ter

for

daiLy allnents

oharns on Mary.

suoh a long har angue of thls

dl ay t s

Just clontt under stand why bad thlngs respondedMary falllng

to godly peopLc lllre uer'nodestly

than

cooeil Rober t uslng hls Shake s poar ean

pentaneter cadenoc reaillng tone whloh workect lts

heLllsh

s ug-

happen

full- of exhaustlon

onto the bedlo The nlght h ir n s e l f .

passeil into

nornlng wlth no nore news fron Donald. lrforgan

D a rru no f a n o th e r d a y br ought mor e of the sane oLd aaxleti es

Da I I a s c o u pl e s fro o T e xa rka n a. of t h e l r tenslty

was belng put to the tes t

Thls new nor nlng was Just as heated wl th

s h a re cl e n d u ra n o s. a n d h o t te n p e ra tu re s

, r l c e i l co ffe e

llhelr fr tenitshlp

to the

l n-

as the pr evlous ones hail been.

!s e xa ctl y what hlts

the spot on a nor nlng tlke

tb1s ,'?

y a w n e d M a r y w l th sl e e p y e ye s vshlle r ubblng her faceo , , I i e r e f s yo u r fa vo rl te

china cup with lt{ ar y B enposseil on lt,

by thelr l,ovellnegs,o sighed.Robert with a f irn smile, restored nhvgieal to relleve

the tenslons of the i[ay"

!{y Sw eet getti-ag

L7

/ DHATII

Taylor

nYou...

you have alread.y gotten clressed, been outside while

s o u n d a sl -e o p ? t' q u e stl o necl lfar y wlth

stlll

n f n d e od , a l l

obvlous sur pr lse. qutetly

d re sse i l a n cl ever ythlng

I went bac k to

ear ly.

t h e $ e v e n - s l e ve n co n ve n l e n ce stor e wher e Donald was last that

t h e s kl n a y a tte n d a n t

Da v l d . i s o n .

T h e o l e rk

h e w o u l d , r l de

d .fd r emember aeour ately

s6en, ) -ear ned

a young r nan on a H ar l ey -

d e scri bed Donald oompletely to a T as a guy w tr o s ai al

a ml l e fo r

a L ucky Str lke

clggy- buttr "

softly

stated. R ober t

a n d p ro u d o f h l n se l f.

g rl n n l n g

L { a r y o o u l ,cl h a rd l y tgrn of events.

her fr lencl Jackle,

w a l t to oall

The ellgbtest

t h e fa ml l l a r

d .o I evei bave some good newg.

Rober t has J us t

tb e ste p s th a t Donald took to the Seven- fiIeven.

u s e d h l s t on g w tn d e i l skl l l

gettlng

of a pr ogr es s r epor t

fact

te l e p h o n e number .

' r I a c l c l e , o h Ja o kl e ,

wh o l a s t

the l ates t

M ar y anx!ousLy, eager l ,y ,

wo u l i l b e a p p re e l a te d b y a IJ. ooncer ned. fr lends.

re t r a c e c l a l l

to tell

Keeplng a secret was never an easy thlng to do, especlally

no t h l n g n u st b e b e l .d b a ck to day.

dla l e d

f was

Yes , R ober t

fr on the sk l nny c l er k

to } ear n mor e lnfor natlon

s a w D o n a }d b u yl n g a pack of Luckysr r eager ly announcedlM ar y at to dellver

brandl new facts.that

Robertrs pal-aver pald off . The pollce

r r N o n e e i l to ke cp tra o kl e on the phone ver y loag. t o c o n t a c t h e r a g a tn r"

u rg e d Rober t softly

whtsper lng

nay neec l

ln llar yr s ear that

wag free. ' r G o o d b ye fo r n o w , Ja ckle ilear . ne f or anythlng at allrff , r T h e ne w s th a t shown up on hls a n o t h e r l o ok.

pressed tfary eincerely.

w e h a ve s tlll

own.

Ine. You c l o c al l

Rober t ls calltng

does not Look good.

Donald has not y at

Harry even went back to the vacant

T h e n , h e w a l ked. aII

over that

lot

to take

place Just ln case he c l l d not

s p o t s o n e cl u e w h e n w e w e re alL out ther e at noon.

Ilar r y also w al k ed fr on

x"8

/ ur;.gfg

Tay lor

t h e S e v e n - E l e ve n b a ck to th e atr r ar tment, to look for d . r o p p e t l o n th e stre e t

su ch a s finillng

throrrvn down by Dona1il.

rettes

Ha r r y t h l e

mo rn l n g e a rl y,

som ething pe r haps

the package of Luoky Str lke s

c l ga-

That whole illscarcled. pack was found by

th e only ar tlfact

possibly

bel"onglng to D onal c l r n

in f o r r a e d R o b e rt w l th a so n b er tone to hts volce and a gr av€ look on hi s s a d .f a c e . ' r H o p e l s a L I w e h a ve l n flnd.lng Donald. ln Dallas works wlth the FBI,

The nisslng

per sonf s bur eau

Thls d,oesnot seemyet to be a federal cass.

No t h l n g c a n b e cl o n e a cco rd l n g to the latest ne w s w i r e c o n n e ctl o n s a t th e pollce

statlon.

lnfo

that lftnkle

got fr om hi s

W lnkle or r unsa cbaln of s m aLl

t o w n n e w s p s B e r s a n d .o a n g l e a n a f e w f a c t s a t a t l n e w l t h o u t

belng unethlcal,

reporteil Robert itutlfully. "By the way, Nettle b ru n c h .

f h e n , sta y fo r

strength

up

d u rl n g th l s

Kline wants us to come to her house for L u n ch.

late

She ls wor r ledl about tr s, not keepl ng our

o rd ,ealr tt lnfor nec!. M ar y on the nove to ge t her

o a r k e y s f or th e cl rl ve f o u r blocks to her auntt s house and then d .r l v e to see Jackla. t r I t l a l t r.P . fit

when lnvlteit

to kllt for

style

We b e tte r

slnple

th l n g s.

flucey,

wls e l y

b a s ed o n p ro to co l

Kllnet s.

clr essed up pr oper ,

You know her elegant

[d u st also dr lve the sky- blue Cadlllac

to be

fro m past spur of the m oment or sasual l nv l tatl ons

Kllner s houso"

rVerllyr ln il e e d y .

to dlne at Nettle

all

put on the dog oompletelyrr cautloned Robert emphatlcally,

really

at Nettie

g e t ohanged.lnto flner y,

gou speak the truth.

Al w a ys co rre ct

c on d "u c t o r an y fo rn a l l tl e s

A woril to the wlse ls sufficLent...

n o t to hur r y headlong lnto a t Auntie Nettle

br eaohlng r ule s

of

Kllnef s place wlth my hanr n-

s c a r u n w a y srt a sse n te d Ma ry sim m er lng d.ownfr om her scur r ylng

sty l e.

yag

Taylor

19

/ D&ATTT

I'Drive the truek, the 0pel statlon any snall

your cLassic Doilge, to park out front.

Maybe to ln

wagon or the Peugeot as }iuropean vehlcles can squeeze lnto

s p a ce l n D a l l a g rn tJoked. I' r far yB snlcker lng

ln Jestlng fun about her

aunt Nettlef g proprlety" Nettle house styled

Kllne

B u ffl n g to n

dwel1"lng that

m a g a z l n e o T h e p l ctu re sq u e

had been f eatured a bod.ewas bullt

wa s o n e s t e p u B r,rn rdl n a sp l ral a ro h l t e c t u r a l

flrst

GARDENS ffiTTSk"EO'ME$AN0 onwhloh eac h r oofl t

on a hllloek

ter r ain.

T he

lr yboLeplace was one elegance ml ngl ed. w l th

graceo Nettle

KIlne was always oalled by her ilouble

nane because she hacl narrlecl, so aany tlmes ln Texarkana that

ooulil remenber exactly

for Nettle

h a vl ng ohlldr en

Aunt Nettle

ln the best of all

o f t h e b e a uti fu l t f A u n t N e ttl e

llved

Kllne

to enJoy.

(Nettlet s nother

posslble worlds.

p e o p l e a ccor dlng to the posh wtr lr l

She was one

of her Jet- set

u se d to be poor as a ohur ch mouse her self

s h e m a r r l e c l e l e ve n tl me s to dlffer ent herself

Kllne

by each nan r ,vtr ooshe outll v ec l ) .

ha d " n a r r i e d . n l n e tl me s, Kllne

She keeps all

c o u n t f r o m Wl n kl e r sr'r tl tte re d

no one

l-ast weildecl surnane to use ln any

whlch current

address to her, eleven narrlages total

for

ln

ar ound the sloplng

swlr l

a tmo sp h e re o f the

sophistlcatecl lelsure

i n a dol l

Luopkln Bemy Melton W lnkler llved

r loh nen to get all

this

l l fe. befor e

gr eat

l unr r y

her property in a separate named ac-

lfar y wlth a gtddy str eak to her n er v ous nes s

as s h e p a r k e d a t th e cu rb l n fr ont

of her auntr s hom e, clr lvlng the other

mo T e s p o r t y C a d l l }a o a o l o re cl stee]. gr .ay to natch her olothlng. t r K n o ck, kn o ck, w h o t s th er ela t h e h e a v y ou tsi i l e d ,o o r fro n tl ng n t h e b i g b a d w o l f,

b e tter

squealed a volce

on the other

s i d.e of

the slanted lar m . known as the Phantom Klller

f e x a r k a n a r r t b a rke d R o b e rt w l th a dellber atb la r r g h l n g s ud d .e n l y a t h l s frl voIlty.

booger m an fr onn

noocl of ser ious qulet fun w hl l e

20

/ DEAfi{

Taylor

mGet your ornery bad self Au n t N e t t i e

Kllne

'rYou klds

lnslde here thls very mlnuterr caekleil

rlght

w l th a w l l cl eyecl ].ook of concer n on her star tled

nust really

be down ln the clwnps to d.reilge up that d e a dly stuff

chlldhood daysril further

qulpped Nettle

Donaldts strange cllsappearanceo It E s p e o l a L l y fo r u s n a tl ve

KIlne more anxlous).y. the connecttng odd .l tl es of

about all all

has a vaguel.yfamlllar

of hls

rlng

to lt.

Texar kana Ar k- la- Te x

so u ls fr om notor lous

a d r n i t t e d R o b e rt w l th a sl u n p l ng

old

fr om your Iong past but ten der

Te x a r k a n a Ph a n to n K l l L e r

f l n c l e e cl , w 6 h a ve b e e n thlnklng

fac e.

ar ear n

shouliler s.

t t l n c l e e d y, p e rn a n e n t stra nge d,lsappear anoes of loved ones ar e a eom m on occ u r r e n o e fo r oolil shlver

d .e o a d ,e sb a ck ln the Ar k- La- Tex ar ear n agr eecl Mar y w i th a to h e r b o d,Y.

e ffe ct

nldore people tllsappear fron U.S. of A.

Texarkaaa than anywhere else

Tls not a gocd thlng as no onc ls really

has everythlag

nafta

1 l;a ya s a s ha i l o w fo rce ktl Il n g le s s o n t o t h e su ffl o l e n tl y wa y w a r c l o l l e n t

tri e s

safe thererfr enllghtene,

on hls faooo

Ro b e r t w l t h i l .e e p o o n ste rn a ti o n trexarkana

ln tha whole

Luoratlve

a favor lto

lnnooent r eLatlve,

scar ed sur vivor s

to g o str algbtr F

The nob gets its

sewed,up.

to teac h a

when e dleal goes sour or a hl gb

conm ented.ldar y wlth a shr tl L

volce. nrlrst

h a n ct, I i l o kn o w onLy too well

a noneynaklng blg pr ofl tabl e

cl o l n g so me klnd of buslness cleal- lng wlth the or ganl z ec l

s u c e e s s r e q u l re s m.a f i a f a n l l l es

that

l n fcxa rka n a ,

all

m o v l n g h e r h e a cl u p a n d tl o w n llke

flve

nob gr oupsr r chlm neil- ln Ne ttl e

bobblng for

apples.

n N o o ne o a n tn cl e p e n cl e nt) - yoper ate a successful establlshnent t e x a r k a n a w l th o u t know very well

fl rst

d .e a llng wlth the nafla

b e o a u se n y fa ther

Kl 'l ne

ttlr ectly

ln

or lndlr ec tl y .

owned'an automotlve r epair

ser vi c e

I on N ew

2L

/ DEATTI

Taylor

Bo s t o n R o a i l fo r

d e ca d e s.

g o o n s c a m e o u r w a y. talk

T h e y u sed tbe nlcetles

g o o d , n e s sl n a s e l f - s e r v l n g

rellglous

n a n n e r o f th e l r

b ra n cl o f p re teosoo

ea s y t o r e c o g n l ze on llves

at the shop when the swee t tal k l ng

I helped- out

o n ce a l e rte d,o

nDlrty

to it.

with nafla

l fa ryrs mo th e r e speclally

the twln clty

a o a sc b y p u ttlng

rl g b t

b a c k 1 n t h e I9 2 0 ts,

next to her slster

The slster s

Maryrs

b os s es . Oae tbe

w ho di s ap-

went to s ee a c l nem a

on a buylng sptee at Netm anf s

su sp o se c lly far aacl safc fr on

Ma ry w tth rrl d e n l n g eyeft"and nostr lls

the Texar kana mafi ar r r f lar lng.

old over-d,ue soores by arranglng mlshaps to

t h c n o s t b e l o ve d me n b e r o f the fanlly, ha n i l l w o r k .

a relatlve.

ln a movle houge, ln fac t

was seated. r lght

th e re fron her slcle.

rTetarkana mafla settles

One- car aeclctents ar e typl c al

S tra n g e i l i sa p p e a tances ar e a polnted. lesson to the sur v l v s r s

to step back ln llne, to utter

kllIed

r un- l n

pleces together .

a t t h e Pa l ace T h e a te r h e rs l n Dall- as whlle

e lu c l d a t e d

T he

N e ve r a traoo founcl of her bodlyr w elabor ated[ Rober t as

n M y c l ea r Mo th e r F l o rl n e p e a r e i l f o r e ve r

oper aEdl

@{ 8

Ee offende< l the nafla

o f b l s d l a u g h te rs cl l sa p p e a re d f or ever whlle

t h o u g t r s o l vl n g

far nlllar

Consequeatly, a hor r lblo

g ra n c l f a t h e r H a rg l s o u n e d th e Nash bank.

P a l a c e ! n Da l .l a s.

T hus ,

ls lnvolved .

should under stancl the slgns .

l n fexar kana.

powers-that-be wlthln

the l aw c an

pur ple.

d e a l tn g s g e t re w ar ds whea tb.e fear faotor

f a n c l l y h a s a )-o n g h l sto ry

that

w r eok hav oo

conternptuously avoweil Mary wlth her

Do n a l i l t s s t ra n g e cl l sa p p e a ra n ce has a pathetloally rin g

hypocr lts

tr acks

our a dlr ty

e a ch w o rd, as neck vlens tur ned

a n g e r b u i L dl n g w l th

to

cor nlng at the ope n d.oor ,

These sweet talklng

oF woaf trn

platitudes

you learn to hate aLl

way that

Can s€e lt

o f o th e rs w h i l e co ver lng thelr

never touoh the gullty,

of Chr istlan

o ! e l ser w ad.mlttedl.Nettle

the woril nafla

very J-oud'

Kl- tne with a r eluc tanc y

22,

/ DF^{fH

Taylor

' r D o n o t fo rg e t

yo u r o th er ner t

d,oor neighbor lf.D. Hudson who founded,

b y t h e L o e a l T e xa rka n a co u n tr y club r um or nllI

rep u t a t l o n

that

about those viclous

I h a d fo rgotten

hl s My

of her baby Last year beoaus e hl s

the father

Gayle dlcl not wa!,t to Il v e

i s a ma fl a ra cq u e te e r boagl.n Ter ar kana.

Sbe Just d"uckedout by suppltnS ex ous es

l l fe styl e .

k l n d o f fe a rfu l

r umor s to r ul n

b y th e or ook school elenent of the countr y c l ub.

cl rcu l a te i l

n ie c e G a y l o re fu se d . t,o n a rry f ath e r

wtr o know ev er y thl ng

convlctlon.

r e m a rke d R o b e rt w i th flr n

"A y e t e th a t.

gosslps,

He vt as ac c us ed

w o rcl comes out, of belng the Phantor nKIII€T r tl

lo n g b e f o r e th e o ffl o l a l f ur t h e r

ar ea.

P a rts stor es ln the Ar k- la- Tex

a e h a i n o f Au to n o tl ve

, ry gasplng ln ilecp swallowing gulps for al r n o t t o o f f e n cl rn a o o e d ,e clMa nThs Rl-tehl,e . prod.uce supply company ln Texarkana may have gomehow offentlecl o f the or ganlzed cr lne

t he g r o s s se n srl b tl l tl e s notherrs further

D onal d'r s

]- eacler s" Pltlful

b ro ther r ow oper ates the fanl) .y buslness ther er 'r

e R l tch fs..E e r

speculatedl Bobert wlth

a long face as he looked around. at

everyone

ln t h e ! o o n . *Ah, hB, our famlly murclerous f orces that pe r s o n a L t l e s

and good. frlends

thrlve

constantly

FatI

lnto

ne w s a s R o be rt L a u g b ,e db. a l f-h ear te<11- y telLlng

sur vlvor g

llne

or elser n

pr ov l d'e a s s al 'l that

lnpar ted

the the

tbe str ange oonnec tl ons of

oase.

H T h a t rs T a te rka n a fo r satlsfy

0ne- ear accldents

wor d to the fanlr y

t o g e t b a ck th e d l rty-btr d

ourrent

compllcatedl o]-ose

out the unsuspeotlng r elatlvas

p h a n t o m h a s l n d e e i t stru e k a g ein.

thls

have nany loose ends to the

ln Texarkana'

1 l n k g o o d p e o p le to batl folks.

y e t a n o t h e r € a 3 y n e a n s to sn uff be f o r e ,

all

t h e p o l l ce

re co ri l .

you, to use a safe dlr ty AIr accldent

a n u r d e r o b,a rg e to b e l n ve stl gatecl, s e l d o n g e t s cre a rt to th e n a fla

pool- plox that $ttII

or a suiclile

appear snce nev er gets

r ouch less ever solveil'

fanlr les

ln fexar kana.

legal

i us tl c e

Tbey mlngl e l nto

23

Taylor / oeetH The nafla

hlgh soclety.

the local

t o b l e n c l l n to

profess deepLy reJ,lglous convLctlons,

from anyone oonnectlon to the ctty

Thatr s why I stay far

style,

th e n a l n stre a l l llfe

oouncll or polltlcs

the roon to step d,ownwardarouncl the sloplng

she exltetl

Klt ne

floor

as

toward the

the house'

f lIIed

Food snells

kitcben.

Rtght nowt

thereo

I m u s t g o se rve so me g o o i l e a ts to ever yboilyr w lanented Nettle

aw ay

ftYou know what the good hlgh-churchedl people ln Texarkana say about a ll

thls

b a d n e ss.

T h e y ta l -k about your Aunt Nettle fr on

h e r s h e n a n lg a n s !o d 'l ffe re n t

or ated' Rober t posln g a l ow

the nafla?"

*0f course, I know what goos oa.

I donrt llve

ln a Yacuum' I clonrt

s t a y u n i l e r a ro ck a n d I d o n f t hlde m y head ln the sand.

l'lsesely

talk

than r lsk

offendlng

b o sse g b y e ve n m entionlng that mobster s existr e

c ro s s l n g n a fi a

K l l ne

Lady who ilrlves

about a flasby

l o n g b e fo ro Ma ry K ay dld r ather

Ca d l l l a o s

Nettle

ls

beyond the tlnres ln baokward Sast Tcxas.

simply way aheail of her tlne, But gossLps had rath€r

bacl m outhl ng

th e f anlLy slcelcton hlstor y.

me n ti o n l n g a l l

wh l s p e r

Kllne,

plnk

the c l oubl - e fl nl s hec t

lv fa r y l n h u s b e C ltsn e g r u e l n g hand geetur es to close Rober tf s llps. I hnve Just got star ted

n C a n r t sh u t n e u p n o w thet

f a m i l , y c o n 3e ctl o n s to th e i l e vlous Texar kana mafla tles he r e i n D a IIa s. the far-flr:sg

yo u r A u n t N ettle

interests

anrmunltlsn

Blacknarket

to the r lcb

folks

after

w o rl d . w a r II

out one hontcy tonk twlce ah e a d . o f t be sb e rl ff whlspers.

to settle

of honlcy

Tho contraband ltems were pedln Texar kana countr y ol ub s et,

olr ii scor es.

the same clay.

fro m th at

She owned a chaln

The Phanton KlLLer mur der s pr ee

wh t c h l s c r o o k sch o o l a s sa i d. bofsr e. starteil

to us follc s 11v l n6

gooiLs were stol,on from the arsenal

warehouses near Texarkana.

dle d f r o m h e r n l g h tcl u b s

the

KLlne has the most closo conne otl ons to

of the Terarkana nnfla.

tonks d.urlng world wer Ir.

scelng al l

she truly

shady dealr r

Your aunt wlsel y

s ol d

had' to leave town fast

explained' Rober t ln hoar s e

24

/ DT,ATH

Taylor

"How can you slt

a b o ut the sweet per son who loves us all

t h e n s a y s u ch b a d th i n g s m u c h , ? ' ra n g r i l y rI

a ske d Ma ry p u lllng

g u e ss I h a ve l e a rn e d how ts be ciouble handed., snlde to a w or c l

or ln a oourt

Thatt s belng a tr u e- bl ue

Besldes, I an not aocuslng Nettie

Texarkana baby for you.

of law,

a s n y w l fe

Vo u , l f a r y ,

to yo u r my Sweet Lovellness.

ta l kl n g

f am only talk i ng

our soul to each other

t e r r a o e w tth th e sn a lL baloony to get sone good fr esh alrr n

wln d y a t m o sp h e re o f N e ttl e "Truthful ny A u n t N e ttl e

all

q u l e tl y

alr s ,

Ioos e

ohangecl. }ly own mother ilesplser,

th e both of us, exaotLy for all

the salle r eas ons

oltl tlme gor y histor y

I a n tru L y awar e of all

y o u J u s t s t a te ct. Ke e p l t

on your wlndy self- r lghtesus

wllL and testanent

e n o u g h fo r

Kllne

the

I now have golng with

gooil that

everythlng

b y p u ttl ng

Lips oould get her last

nuz z Led

K lLnef s d.ol- L house nanslono

tal-k e ould ruln Kllne

Ey

I,etf s step out o nto the

Ro b e r t a s he p u t h l s a rn a ro und. hls wlf e, gulcllng her outsld.e lnto

Ne t t i e

to

Thls ls Just your ole l s ht

ma tt€ r h o w n ur ky or evll.

t ru t h f u l l y . . . n o lnn e r s e l f

bear s all

that

l n a fanlly

to her

Kllne

louil enough tones to

).ow, not

I anr talklng

a n n o u n c e t o th e w o rl d a l l - h e r past lndlser etlons.

hll l o c k

v er y

awalo

lea r n e d f r o n r e ve ryo n e w i th somethlng to hlde.

face

and

here ln her house enJoylng her hospltaltty

she has .

past, for m y sake, Ro ber t,n

h l d d e n l n the hor r lble

urged. Mary B anxlouslY" n T h e h o rrl d pr e c i s e l y

p a st l s fa g t

r eappear lng to have oause and effec ts

w h a t l s h a p p e n l n g to us atl

r lgbt

now, hauntlng tLneso

y o u w a n t t o g e t o n th e g o o d side of yoLlr Aunt Nettle to lnherit

h e r p ro p e rty.

d la m o n d r l n gs soclar

tl l oney ls god tn Dallas.

a re o n e b l g fo rtune

r e s p e cta b trl ty

alone.

to d .a y by nar r ying

Nettle

on

Yet,

Kllne and stay ther e '

Atl Kllne

nlne of her bl g nay lndeec l bav e

or de lvtnkr e ffr nkr er wlth hl s

hun-

2f

Taylor / Pslrn S h e ls a valued. nenber of the tfor Ld San pl er s

ca sh .

d . r e d s o f n l lL i o n s

Country CIub of the air, The glarlng

Jet-setters

ls stitl

truth

with an airplane for

before ycur eyes; lust

for

thelr

m o n e yn a k e s a J a d e d

an i l d e e a d . en t o h a ra cte r o f o u r souJ.r tr contlnueil Rober t ln a I I A I I t b a t g o o d y-tw o -sh o es stuff

o h p re tty

g e n l a l - Bl e a se ,

do z e n l n h e r lta n o e s

a l re a d y w lth nuoh mor e yet to helr .

c le s t r o y n y ch a n ce s f o r a b l g r r l l e a r tse o u t, Ma ry,

lnher ltanoer n

ila y s .

W e ar e n ot the D o not

pleaded. M ar y ner vously . to Dona l d. M or gan

Kl1ne vlbo loves her llttle

llar y B. l l k e

sh e n e ve r h a d ,, Y o u have a loor al c.holce.", A ver y flne

the chlld ne o t l o n

fund s antl a

the attentlon.

Y o u ar e v6r y olose em otlonally

o f o o u r s e a n d to yo u r A u n t N ettle

a f t er

all

d ,o e s e xl st

to the Texar kana nafla enough for

T h l s !s su b tl e re a so n

to connoct all

be con-

character,

p L ease for ny sake. You have tr ust

l n th e w o rL d w h e re b l g spend.er s get all

rlc h e s t

taspy w hl s per o

ls well known to ne, but no ney l s

Be qulet about Nettlets

what oounts ln tbe real. world.

club house.

l l no

oon-

vla her honly tonk

the od.cldlsappear ance of D onal d,

th e p a a t tro u blesone slns to our pr esent d.ilem m a. T he

na f l a r s L o ng a rm o f o rg a n l ze d. cr lne never Lets up when manna ls l or d r n el- a b o r a t e d . R o b e rt p u ttl n g

the pleces of tbe puzzlenent together

n Sl l e n ce

l s g o l d ,e n o r g olden oppor tunlty.

conversatlon to anyone ln Dallas.

wln d t h a t

Letts

Never and I say n ev er nenti on get back lnslde,

is stro n g e n o u g h to knock down a br lok

bl- u e - a o r t h e r

e o l d sp e l l

to thls

bllster lng

waLl.

to then wlth

the fan.lllar

klddy

out of thls

I almost pr efer

a

hot wlnd.r fi r ebuffecl lfar y ,

headlng toward the glass doors to get back lnslde. was calllng

l nto

to th e P o i n t'

wo n d s r t g h t

thts

all

Nettie Kllnef s volce

rslll€sc

that Har r y has Sone bac k "I f e y r V Ou kl i l o e s, tra o kl e Just oal]ect to say al r ead'y t o N o r t h p ark a re a to sh o w p ollce detectlves exactLy what be has

Taylor

/ OfrtfH

26

d!scovered or uacoveted nothing at aII. to say that Dona1d ls bossr party all

lndeed. mlsslng.

Jackle has teLephoned her mother Not showlne up anyvrhere, even at hj-s

employees are expected to attendrwas the flnal

straw that

b r o k e t h e c a m e l t s b a c k o f h e r h o p e a g a l n s t h o p e r n a n n o u n c e dN e t t l e loudly

tc be heard.above the rislng

iNothlng

p o sl tl ve

Kllne

wlnd on the patlo terrace.

h a s b een found yotr t

m oenedMar y .outtlng her r l ght

h a n d .o n h e r f o r e h e a d . tfNo news ls sonetlnes the best news ln situatlons Robert haltingly

like

thisr[

as the phone rang onc6 more, Ioud.ly, shutting

'fHello, Nettle

supplled

the door.

KIlne speaklngrr? answeredAunt Nettle eaEerl-y ln a

loud vocal nervousness, expectlng the worst. n l , { o r e n e w sy d e ve l o p me n ts.

Hopefully

good thts

tlnner n anxlou s l y

holdlng the phone.

ed.Mary, wrlnglng her hands, looking at Aunt Nettle, "Good, I wlII

reLay the message. Bye.

sherlffrs

i le p u ty Ju st ca l l e d ..

the knoll

o f a sl -o p i n g d l tch

The

downr Xou two.

Slt

M lnutes ago, the Har ley was found unec k ec l on ln the r nlddle of the vacant fleld

wher e al l

o f y o u a l r e a d y s a l d . w a s s e a r o h e d s e v e r a l t i m e s r t ' a n n o u n o e dN e t t l e forLornly

r es pond.

Kllne

and slowLy slttlng.

t r l o r d , y me rcy.

s n a p p e i l l d a ry w l tb a sh ri e k r t 0 a l m d .o w n , d .e a re st. p l _ a c e a l o n e,

l oslng her new- f ound' hope. P r omise me that both of you wlII

e vo r. Y o u r p rl a t

your lillster

An d n e ve r g o se p a ra te) .y for

clients

when you get al-I d,ressed-up in top hat,

t o g o a n y wh e re a p a rt fo r

a n y r eason.

The pollce

canrt be everywhere aII

never go any

com pany ar e not a s afe

shop and. ailver tlslng

ha v e n .

cLock protsctlon,

som ething bad happenl ngr n

N o n e o f us safe anynor e fr on

Bob Par ty Plannln g bus l nes s tle

and talls.

Unsafe ever

cannot glve ar ou nd the

the tlme as you have obviously

Justreallzed.,ncleclared'NettleKllnedrylyrbutforcefully' ',If this klnd of horrlble tragedy can happen to good people llke

us,

27

/ DEATH

Taylor

sa fe a nyr adr er eat any tiner ' f

t b e n n o b o d y l s re a l l y

r nutter ed M ar y al m os t

ln a gwoon.o ftsafety is not the blg concern at thls

Your olcl gr andr nother Har gls

l n d a n g e ro u s tlmes.

l l ve

fortunately

monent, Sweetle-ple,

w a s th e r enownecl 0llver

H e r fa th e r

P ra y h a rd e r for

t ra g e c l y s t r l ke s.

the Lor df s pr otectlon, KLlne, fuII

ha r m f I w a y rft l mp l o re d a u n t N ettle "s u f f e r l n g

posltlon,

th ro u g h a l o t

He

a}as, for

of anxlety

f or her s el f .

per sonal dl gni ty

wor ldly

m y kln

us fr om

to dellve r

of nnlsfor tune wlth gr eat

w l th Go d ," Go d h as glr ca

ge t s p o l n t s

lYendell Holmes, Junl or .

o f th e U n l ted States Supr ene Cou3t, dolng no gooi l w hen

J u stl ce

wa s C h l e f

l n the

to br lng back her dlg appear ed

l9 2 q f s c o u l d n o t u se h e r o w n vast lnfluence da u g h t e r .

We un-

weaLth and

a1l the tragecly belng net wlth dl8nlfted. grace,

pr o m p t s d M ary sh o w l n g so me rslief. rrWealth ls not muoh of a grancl prlze

reward. for

personal traged.y.

lvloney may pacl,misery by golag on a shopplng splee, but glltzy no t m a k e - u p fo r

}o ve d . o n e s l ong gone.

t h e r e o e n t b u rg l a rl e s br e a k s l n ,

l n to

their

hones.

All

know thls

Dallas ellte

an honor to be bur gled by the c r ook .

T l s a lnost

ha v e t o k e e p n y p re tty

Je w e ls lockecl. away ln a bank vault,

wearlng !n publlc,rt reported Nettle

that

llfe

I

seLclom to enJ oy

of d.esperation'

Kllne with a hlnt

sa d co n n e n ta ry on our soclety AII

fr on

and thr owlng onto the fl oor

d . l a m o n d . sw ith a fl a w .

plt-fa1ls.

do

fhe Jaok of Dlam onds Je w el thl ef

o n l y to g te a L th e best of the flner y

ilpretty

thlngs

ls fuLl

of m any deadl y

are merely a Jalthouse oondlltlon to be secured

out Ilves

Each of us end,ure a helltsh f orm of housebound ln' fr ledar e not go placesdr tpplng ln i l l am ond's r n p r i s o n n e n t w h e n w e a rl n g fl n e r y.

away fronr thleves.

)-ooking at her large

d.isclosed Mary unhapplly rfFear aot. pr o t e e t

The llkes

sparkllng

d.ianoncl rings'

of me belng around wlth ny loacled' guns wlII

y o u rtr te a se d . R o b e rt tr ylng

to change the m ood.

28

/ DnAm

Ta y l o r

ttl,lke a breath of fresh alr

Vou are Robert,

ln ny breezy llfe,

t h e e a r s o f f a n y m u l e h e a d . e db o r e r ' r J e s t e d N e t t i e

talklng

Kline attenpting

t o c h a n g e t h e n o o d fo r Ma ry. i r N o i l ea d , b o d y h a s b e e n found.r Xet. contlnueil Robert trylng

That ls lnd.eed ver y goo d n e v , | s ,t t

to anphasize the posltlve

aspects of thls

ilreadful

sltuatlon. "I g !

l s th e ke y w o rd , l n thls

h e a t.

thls

T h ,e y fo u nd nothlng.

T l s a sn ,e l L y fl sh

ln t h e s a n il .

yesterday l n

o ve r e ver y lnch of tb,at vacant fleld

bo t h w a l k e cl o a re fu l l y t be b r o i l l n g

str ange case because Har r y and R ober t

of tlr e

out ther e

tr acks

about

ln the deep blue s€a of tr oubles

get back out to Nor th Par k, to glve m or al

B e tte r

t u r n of e ve n ts"

No tr ace

to her ol d

ollnglng

s u p p o r t t o tra ckl e a n d H a rryri l ur gecl Mar y for cefulLy o f e x p e ctl n g th e w o rst.

fears

tfNo deacl body cloes nean no orlminal- charge can ever be nade. does foL1ow a fantllar sof tly

Inttern

of sortsrn further

That

statecl Nettte Kline

to Roberto

nlrfust hurry to drlve happenlngs.

baok to the Harley

I4 l g h t L e a rn th e tr uth

scene of all

tbr

strange

toclayr r t infor neil Rober t openln g the

d o o r l - e a i l l n g to th e d rl ve w a Y . r t Y e a , a g o o d . l d .e a . R o b er t alr ead.y went back to the Seven- 61ev en earLy thts f rt e n d l - y

mornlng as he sald. ga b

u n tl l

He Lnterrogated. the cashler wlth hls

D o n a Lclr s menor y got r esur r ected.,

klnd of.

d.e t a l l s t h a n o n e a b o u t h l s b uylng a paok of Luckys, then r ldlng t h e a p a r t n en t co n p l e x,"

su p p l- led M ar y tboughtfully

the automobile whlle Nettie r B u o k u p , ro u g b rl d e rs of Life's

battlesrn

the car door.

as they all

tfor e of f tov m r d

wal k ed to

Kline followed. know to be good soldier s

in the tough fi eht

assu$ect' Robert honestty squeezing the arm rest

on

Taylor / onerH

zg'

i t G o o d n sss sa ke s, th l s out.

lnside

Afl

h lgh wind is blcwlng ny mlnd wid.e open or

hot steamy gusts glve us the vaporsr'f lnslsted

thls

Mary

w i t h r e n e w e d ,v i g o r f r o n h e r d e J e c t i o n m o m e n t so g o o "G l v e n e yo u r p ro rn i se . b e t o o f r l e nd l ).y fo r to with

str angar s.

You tw o ean

See what lt

aLl

Go nowwher e by ycur selves

l ed

at any -

a r e t o o p r e c l o u s f o r m e t o l o s e X o u , t o o r n w a r n e c lN e t t l - e

l n c e ssa n t}y

KI l n e

yo u r o w n gooil wlth

D o n a l d t w h e n h e w a s o ut alone. You all

tlme.

PLease stay away fr om tr ouble,

pulllng

a s R o b e rt and Mar y exlted the cur b,

au r ay tow ar d

t h e f r e e w u Y e n try ra mp . T h e i l r l ve

o u t N o rth o e n tral

longer than usual.

The nood was tense, llfeless

of efforts

on ever yone conaer neil wlth

b e i n g fo u n d w h e re sear oh par tles

no t b e t p t h e te n g i o n ,

Il o p e was fast

bullt

T h e e xp re ssw ay dlvlded

Presbyterlan llospltal- site

Th e v i e w w as p re tty

d .e so l a te thls

no l o n g e r se e me d th e l r perfecttcn

kl n d of town.

of the good ltfe

wa s t h e b l g b L a ck p a l l

Nor thpar k MaIl to the f or egr ound,

the lanclsoape for

for

full

the new yet to be of deep gulllos.

tho young couple.

Not the per fect

Dal l as

llves

thls

fanllles

head.quar ter ther e.

cond.uctlng buslness as usual ln the fast

lane.

Sorrow

Al f

tbe

Guess they ar e

The garnent illstrict

fron

he r e t o G a lve sto n a n d b a o k to Texar kanar ogolnr tt comm entedRobert w i th slow clellberat lon.

al l .

day.

t r T h e r e g o e s th a t b i g b L ack l- funouslneagaln fr om Deep Ellum . oth e r o r g a n l ze d , ra cke te e ri n g

J us t

placa to be after

was not evldent to the young folks'

e n g u )-flng thalr

T he

the wor r y .

The Car uth m ans l on

on the deadly fleld tlne

out

had been sever al tlmes di d

cllsappear lng.

loo m e c l l n t he i l L sta n ce o s R o ber tr s lef t. cane In view.

ccnver-

The heat of the sun ny i l ay ti noe

to b e h a p p ry o r e v en optlm lstlc.

e v e n t s h a d b e g u n to ta ke a tolL notorcyole

No ldle

fee}lng.

b l o w l n g acr oss the open wlndows took the vital tty

T he h o t a l r

satlon.

Expr essay to Loop LZ seem ed to tak e m uc h

Taylor

')o

/ D.BATIi

r r T h e1 l n o c c u l d b e c i r c l l n g c ri n e

back, returning

to the scene of the

t o c h e ck o u t h o w n a n y cop car s show- up for a sim ple unknow n hoar etow n

boy fronrLittle

Chlcagor alals

Texarkanar" lnjected Mary witb a quivering

vo106, 'Need not fear

the worst, yet.

N o d , e a db o i l y h a s b e e n r e p o r t e d . r n e o m -

f o r t e i l R o b e r t t o t h e b e s t o f h l s o w n d . e s p o n i l e n ta b l l l t y . ' r l V o r st l s b o u n d . to h a p pen, even Aunt Nettle

to happen fasto

t h r o u g h a n d th ro u g b , w a l tl n g thls

Mary wlthout

breaklng news.

Now it

ln these parts.

llfe

W e have all

has sadly

bac k

been k l l l l ng

co&e to passr" sobbed.

the tlne,

Thatts the Texar kana nafi a

We should be useclto lt

by now, Llke Nettie

S h e ' r v a gm a r r t e d t o J u s t a b o u t e v e r y e l e g l b l e

Kllne says. in town.

al l

tears fl-owlng.

n S a d a n cl b a ct b re a ks h a p pen all way for

sald lt

One must not ever be out alone, for somethlng bad, evil

at her bouse.

time tfll

Kllne

rlch

baohelor

Thls Donalcl nessy happenlng raust be one more nasty way to get

b a c k a t N e ttl e

K l l n e r s f a !0 1 1y and. fr lenils

by o n e o f th o sc b ro ke n d o vrn nar r iages

becauge of som e old time gr ud.ge

evenr ' f analyzed Rober t wlth

fl r m

d.eliberatlon. F f l m e h a s b ro ke n u s d o wn, wor n us to a fr azzle, wl t b

thlg

te rrl b l e

by kllllng

tu rn o f e ventsr if nouthed ldar y wlth a lost

our s pl r i ts

look fu}I

of

grief. iuary, clouds.

ny Sweet Lovellness,

Be a u ty w l th a sl l ve r

Iook up at the skJ/, see aLl the floatlng

) - lning awalts

ln the iieep blue yonder .

Su r e l y a s th e T e xa s sky h a s a touch of gr een r lr hloh ls your favor l te s o n e b e a u t lfu l

mo me n t l u rks

near byr tt eootheil Rober t wltb

to ehange hls own mood reflectlons

lnto

happler ones for

futlLe

c ol or

attenpts

ber'

n l o o k , o h l o sk a h e a d a t that or oud ar ound the anbulance.

G uegs l tr s

)L

/ DTATH

Taylor

a h e a r s e b y n o w , w h l ch d .e p e ndson tbe condltion being loadecl onto the gurneyo p o o r D o n a } d .o n l t . lr{a r y a s t h e l r

All

of the bod.y. A b o d y l s

Dear Goil, tro, Rot...t

That stretcher

has

eovered ancl zlppod up fron heacl to toer't screamed Then, she Jumped out to r un for war d l nto

ca r sto p p e d .

the

o ro w d o f n e w s n e d l a g a th e rl n g ar ound the am bulance, to flnd. poor J ac k l e. ' r s h e r l ff

My pttlful-

fo u n d . D o n a l cl a t last.

dear Donalcl was l y i ng

fl at

on hls back wlth eyes opon, thrown a few feet fron hls nnotorcyeler" cried J a c k i e u p o n se e i n g Ma ry ru n n i ng towar d. her o r r i t f h a t yo u n e e cl l s to co nle wlth wit h t e a r s

stre a ml n g i l o w n h e r face.

' r l ) e a r H a rry,

d o te l l

th em what happened.. I Jtt"gt canf t speak of 1t.... on tha anbulance open door '

c rl e d l t r a c k le n e a r o o l L a p se , leanlng "U h , Do n a l d w a s fa ta l l ,y

thr own fr om hls notor cyole

T h e sl a n tlng

t h e s l o p l n g kn o L l .

bllLslde

f le l - d h l d hl n fro n vl e w o f tha r oacl. t u s l o n s a n d b ru l se s l n d tca te faII

on that

d l rt

Zb-hours ln thls qulvor

m lnuter ' f sympathlzed M ar y

ne, this

p a th .

whlle r ld l ng

ln the oonter of thts

v ac ant

constonsus gtates all

Polloe

on

the c or -

a sudden accld"ental cleath causecl by a m l nor a per lod of tlne

H c',[hagbeen dead, for

hot sunrtr grave}y

reported

by rote wlth

llarry

longer than a d.oubtfuL

ln hls volce.

n Bu t a l l

thls

o f u s w a l ke d . n or e than once ever y step of the way ac r os s ' $ie looked for hls notor cycle. Sonev e r y s p o t se a rch l n g fo r Donald.

ho w , D o n a l tl ts b o cl y a n d mo to rcyole had to be moved ilellber ately a 1 l e d . g e d a ecl i l e n t t h a n . t w t c e , to

so e n e .

Wtr y, w€ all

took a goocl look for

n a ke su re D o n a1d was not tylng

of n e d l c a L a tte n ti o n

o u t l n this

Robert in conplete
hur t.

hot b]- ister lng

of the offlclal

to thl s

our sel v es m or e

Not to b" lef t

!n need

sutlr tt neekly r esp ondec l

report.

' r D o n a l cl n e ve r g a ve a n yo ne a r eason to kill

hln or cause to hate hl m .

Taylor / cluss Aint t fair

)z l s o n hoLlday dur lng a long hot Labor Day w eek -

w h e n Ju stl ce

e n i l r " w h i m p e re d .l vl a ry l n a w eak hoar se whlsper . cigarettes

lay

A package of Luc k y Str i k es

o n th e g ro u n d. next tc the denr "ed motor cycle.

L u c k y s w e r e l ro n l ca l l y

n o t so luclclly

inclinued

for

The pac k of

the lll- fated

D onal c l

lforgan.

Aecld.ental d.eathwas the offlclal Sheriffrs pollcy

D e p a rtme n t.

by the Dallas County

D o u b le end.em nlty was pald. on the life

me n b e rs o f th e l n n edlate fanlly.

le a r n e i l t h e fa ta l of Dallas

re w s o n th clr

ln te rsta te

)O.

h a v e fl rst

DonaId.[' lor gan' s par e nts fl r s t

oar r ad.lo when eater lng

the clty

T hls case pr or npted the natlonal

ne v e r a g a i n a n n o u n o i n g a vl ctlnr

s nane untll

all

T"tfe ls not falr

pollcy

Ll nl ts of

noem ber sof the l m m edl ate

b e e n n o tl fl edl.

No one who knew Donald Morgan was ever the saoe after

this

tragedy.

or safe.

D o n a l d l l lo rg a n ts sl ste r p re s l i t e n t

lns ur anoe

b e o a u se th e n e w s me d la announceil the name on the alr waves befor e

notlfylng

famlty

verdlct

Ia ckle

} /lor gan Goodwln was secr etar y

to the

o f Al -L sta te In su ra n ce Com pany, heailquar ter ecl ln DalLas ( and ouned

by Sears, Rocbuok& Conpany).

Jacklete llkcabl,e gooil nature and flne work

habtts got the polloy enaoted and then dl}egently

enforoed).