A few minutes later, we were locking up the shop to go next door to Local Taco.
"Cricket, will you set the alarm for me?"
I dashed to the back as fast I could, set the alarm and then raced back to the front. I did not want to miss a moment of conversation.
Mom looked at me, "I think you should go to home while we sort out this mess."
"Are you kidding me?" I asked shocked. "I'm not missing out on this one! I want to be there when we finally come up with a plan to catch him. Besides, I already called Tyler to come meet us."
Defeated she replied, "Fine."
"I'll wait out here for Tyler and be in a minute."
She gave me a kiss, "I love you kiddo. I'll wait with you."
After five minutes, Tyler pulled up in his truck. He parked next to Mom's car, and I walked up to his door.
"Hey, Baby," he greeted as he got out of the car. He hugged me tightly. "Are you okay?" He kissed me on the forehead.
"Yes. Let's get inside. I don't want to miss too much."
I held Tyler's hand as we walked inside. The entire back half of the restaurant was full. There were people from Indigo Ink, Local Taco and Marmie & Me. I couldn't help but think about all the times the ladies of Marmie & Me had talked about the hooligans of Indigo Ink and now they were all huddled together around table with cups of coffee in their hands. Mom slid into the booth next to Bud who started the conversation, "Big Chuck, tell Candy what we know."
"Well, One-Eyed Steve was in middle of . . . actually, he should tell you."
"All right, Chuck," said Steve. "Well, this fella was talking to his friend about their latest prank. Then I heard them mention something about a quilt show robbery. He was bragging about how they had the perfect plan to lift purses from the ladies at the quilt show. Security stopped them as they were leaving with a bunch of purses hidden in their backpacks, and had barely gotten away."
"Ohh," said Ruthie. "I wish I'd hidden a snake in my purse!"
"But I heard one of them was caught on film," Mom interrupted.
"Yes, but they were worried that security may have caught two of them on film. It turns out there were three people hired for the job. Once they discovered they might be busted, they spilt as fast as they could."
"Did he say who was behind it all? Did they tell you where they were staying, or where they were going?"
"I didn't ask all that. Remember, I was in the middle of inking the man and had to ask questions and act like I didn't give a shit either."
"All right. What else, Steve?" Mom asked.
"Okay. The way they were talking about this Goose character, he's definitely the ring leader and really wants to target you the most."
"Why?"
"Candy, I don't know. I am just telling you what I heard."
The front door opened, and Dad walked in. "Candy, I am so sorry."
Mom held Bud's hand tighter. She was biting her lip and trying not to say anything.
"Morgan, this isn't a good time. What are you even doing here?"
"I heard about what is going on."
"From who?"
He stumbled over his words, "I'll . . . Can I . . . you'll understand later. Let me just say I know his plan and where to find him."
Mom stood up, "You son of a bitch! Are you a part of this? Did you pay him to do this?"
"No, it's not like that."
"Then how is it?" Mom said. Fire burned in her eyes.
Dad explained that he and Mitchell Goose had spent some time together in prison the year before. Dad was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest, while Mitchell was in for drug possession. This all happened about three months before all the robberies started.
"I told him my life story," Dad hung his head. "I told him that I was pissed at you and that you were running a successful quilt shop in Marble Falls, Texas. I even told him how expensive the machines were."
"Why would you do that, Morgan?" said Mom.
"I don't know," he said. "There's not much to do in prison."
Bud gave Dad the evil eye.
Dad continued, "He must have remembered the details. Maybe he thought he was helping out a friend by taking revenge on my ex-wife, and then he discovered you were an easy target. What had started, as a personal favor to a friend became an underground drug ring where Mitchell and his gang would steal the machines and then sell them. Once Mitchell realized how much he could make off a single quilt shop like yours, he decided to start hitting other shops."
"Morgan, how long have you known about this," asked Bud.
"I wanted to tell you."
"Morgan, you're an ass!"
"I know."
"We've got to find him," she sighed.
"I've got an idea," I cried.
"Not now, Cricket."
"Would you let her speak," Dad defended me.
"What about his license plate."
Mom sighed, "We've been over this. I did not look at the license plate of the loading truck."
"No. Not the truck. I remember reading it when he came to the store in August and when we went to buy fireworks. His license plate is KATCH EM."
It took two days to organize the bust. Bud, Sheriff Berry, and the Indigo Ink Gang had to work together to locate Mitchell Goose. The address the license plate was registered to was abandoned, then the address he used when we he was released from prison was his deceased mother's house. And finally, by chance, One-Eyed Steve recognized the guy he had tattooed earlier and followed him on his motorcycle to an old farmhouse buried behind a wall of thick underbrush off Farm Road 143.
They decided it was best to go at night. We were all gathered at Indigo Ink to review the plan.
"I want to come," said Mom.
Bud reassured her, "You can't, Candy. You need to wait with Cricket, but not here. You should wait at the lake house. It's going to be okay. I promise I will come tell you all details as soon as we get him,"
"I want to see his face when you catch him."
"Oh, we'll KATCH EM all right," Bud said.
Sheriff Berry opened the front door, "We're all ready."
What happened next became legend in our family.
Steve led the way. He rode his motorcycle onto the property as loudly as he could.
Mitchell Goose came running outside in his white underwear and red boots, carrying a shotgun. Before he could even get a word out, several police cars surrounded him, and the light blinded him. Realizing he was outnumbered, he put down his gun.
"What are y'all doing on my property? I'm a free man, and this is my land. Ya'll got a warrant?"
Sheriff Berry got out his car, gun drawn.
"Would you stop talking and put your arms in the air where I can see them."
Mitchell decided to chance it and took off running.
"Nobody shoot!" Sheriff Berry shouted.
Steve rode his motorcycle in front of Mitchell and chased him toward the squad cars.
"You're not going anywhere!" Big Chuck jumped out from behind one of the squad cars. He fought a little but was no match for Big Chuck and the police. They pinned him to the car, and Sheriff Berry arrested him.
"Can I at least get some clothes?"
Sheriff Berry patted him on the shoulder, "We've got some clothes for you where you're going,"
Behind the house, Bud found the moving truck from the quilt show parked and unlocked. "Get over here, guys," he yelled.
Bud, Big Chuck and Steve opened the back of the truck from the quilt show. It was still full of stuff from Mom's shop.
Mom and I were about to crawl out of our skin waiting at the lake house. Mom hadn't stopped pacing since we arrived.
"Candy you need to sit down."
"I can't. I'm just so worried about everyone. I just want to know what is going on."
Nana and I were sitting on the sofa together while Pa sat in his Lazy Boy. Then we heard a car door slam. Pa leapt to his feet and went to the garage door.
"It's Bud," he yelled.
Mom finally sat down the edge of the fireplace. Bud entered and looked straight at Candy, "We got him."
Mom's head fell forward into her hands and she began to sob. Bud raced to her side, I got up from the sofa and sat at her feet.
"Candy, it's all going to be okay. It's over."
She was rocking back and forth. Bud rubbed her back. Nana stood up.
"I don't want a washcloth Mother." Nana sat back down and Pa moved beside her and held her hand.
I pulled myself up to sit beside Mom and hugged her, "It's okay Mom."
She brushed her hair from her face, "I know it's going to be okay. But it hasn't been okay. I still don't understand why this man spent the last year tormenting me and how can I know he won't be back."
Bud pulled her close to him, "I won't let him near you again. I promise."
The truck was taken down to the police station to be processed. After three days, we were finally able to pick up and unload the truck. Mitchell had sold two of the machines but the rest was left untouched. Marmie & Me was back in business.