David Putnam - The Disposables

She was right. I was scared, too, and tried to buffer the situation a little. “At least all of our meals and transportation are paid for. I know you want help to take care of the kids. I’ll be on my feet by the time we get there and I’ll get a job.”

“What kind of job are you going to get? I’ll get the job, and you take care of the kids.” She stopped, hesitated a moment, then said, “I know what it is. I guess I’m just scared of the unknown.”

“Let’s see what’s in the box,” I said, wanting her mind off the subject.

She opened one end. “Looks like Mack sent along some baseball gear for the kids. Why would he do that? He didn’t owe us anything.”

“Large ball caps and XL shirts?”

“I know, right?”

“Hand me that,” I said.

The box was plain brown cardboard with professional printing on the exterior: Sheriff’s Benevolent Society, Widow’s and Orphan’s Fund, XL shirts, large baseball caps. I tore open the box and found wadded-up newspaper with a note on top.

Bruno,

That night I wasn’t far behind you but I was still behind you. You’re a good cop. Don’t ever forget that. Don’t ever let anyone take that away from you. I found this at one of the places; I must’ve only missed you by seconds. From what you told me, I knew it was yours so I thought I would send it along.

Marie leaned over and pushed the wadded newspaper aside, awe in her tone. “Bruno, how much is there?”

“If I had to guess, I would say two hundred and fifty thousand.” Money from Chantal’s coffee table. The money from the train heists that I had buried in the backyard of the abandoned house on 117th and Alabama. Robby had found it, dug it up. Money he and Chantal were going to use to flee the country.

Marie covered her mouth and stared at me, her brown eyes filling with tears.

During his law enforcement career, Deputy Dave Putnam worked primarily in California on teams for Patrol, Investigations, SWAT, Narcotics (street level and majors), Violent Crimes, Criminal Intelligence, Internal Affairs and the Detective Bureau.

He rounded out his law enforcement career with a few years in the Hawaiian Islands as a Special Agentpart of a real-life Hawaii-50 team.

Hes now retired from law enforcement and spends his time growing organic California avocados and writing, with his wife Mary and their two dogs.