THE BETTY McCLOUD COLLECTION                                                                                  SHOWDOWN Betty McCloud was having a bad day. Apart from being ambushed by a group of Corrisville’s unsavouries and needing to use all her immense strength to account for them, she was now being summoned by imperious headmistress Alma Phipps into her office.  Corrisville on the face of it was pleasant small town USA but what lay beneath was another matter, it needed exposing and Betty had vowed to do just that.  She got her first shock when she walked into the office, because seating themselves alongside Phipps were school governors Henry Freeman and Sheriff Gator. She sensed more trouble brewing, Gator in his wide- brimmed cowboy hat might seem respectable but she’d caught sight of him running from the scene at the old railroad depot that afternoon, and as for Freeman, he’d seemed to have taken an instant dislike to her and was still smarting from the fact that she’d out-muscled the men to take Corrisville’s annual golfing championship.  All three of them she thought, had something to hide.  But her second shock was soon to follow:  She sat back, arms folded as the hawkish Phipps locked hands and leaned forward, ‘Miss McCloud, I’ve spoken to you before and reprimanded you on your intimidating and aggressive behaviour, you have seen fit to ignore my warnings and indeed, as this afternoon’s unfortunate events indicate, your tendency towards violence has shown marked escalation.’  Those words might have been fired from a cannon, Betty’s posture changed as she moved to the edge of her seat, face thrust forward, ‘All my actions have resulted from wrong doings by Dolly Bamber and her family, who incidentally fired at me this afternoon, might I remind you it was Dolly Bamber who absconded from the school run and therefore my duty to find her…’  ‘But you didn’t find her, did you ma’am?’ Rudi Gator intervened, ‘You got back to the school field to find her right there with me.’  Betty took a deep breath, counting to ten wouldn’t help, she could count to a thousand for all the difference it would make to her temper, but gradually the pieces were beginning to fit,  ‘Considering you were both involved in the plot against me, Sheriff, that’s hardly surprising.’  ‘Ma’am, that’s a serious accusation…’  ‘Enough of this,’ it was Henry Freeman’s turn now to add his weight, ‘we’re addressing the issue of your violent behaviour and its effect on the pupils, in the light of complaints received and your failure to improve your behaviour we have no choice but to terminate your contract.’  ‘Those complaints were made by Dolly Bamber no less, the biggest bully in the school!’ Betty’s powerful arm came down, her fist smashing into the desk, ‘I appear to be the only one to discipline her and you’re dismissing me for it.’  Phipps, clearly shaken by the force of Betty’s blow appeared to examine the indent in the table, ‘The cost of the damage will be deducted from your final salary Miss McCloud…’  ‘Well add this to it then,’ Betty pulled the desk away from them and with her fingertips beneath the rim tipped it over as though it were the weight of a fly.  Phipps jumped to her feet, seized at the chance to justify the board’s actions, ‘Such violence, precisely why you’re being dismissed. I could press charges, have Sheriff Gator here place you under arrest.’  Betty turned on Gator, squaring her broad shoulders, ‘I wouldn’t advise him to try. There’s a conspiracy in this town, you’re hiding something – you’re all part of it – I’m gonna break it into small pieces.’  ‘Stay out of things that don’t concern you, that’s been your problem all along.’ The words came slowly from Phipps’ tight mouth, but if Betty needed proof that she’d hit a raw nerve she had it in the eyes of all three. Betty placed her hands on the sides of the overturned desk, arm muscles rippling, ‘Are you going to stop me?’  Freeman went to speak, baulked, ‘Someone might…’  ‘Well let that someone try…’ Betty swung round, marched out, slammed the door so hard she heard it crack. She’d come within a whisker of braining all three, giving them the grounds they wanted – if they couldn’t get rid of her by force they’d try another way. She needed to be careful if she was going to crack the sordid side of Corrisville.  “Somebody might.” Freeman’s words stuck in her gullet. Could someone else be pulling the strings, someone she hadn’t thought of, possibly didn’t know?  The dismissal had hit her; she’d feel it a lot harder later when the realisation dawned. She’d enjoyed teaching at Corrisville High. But right now she was just so damned mad; this nasty little trio were hiding something and she was close to finding out what that was. She’d planned on confronting Gator outright, but she could shake him to hell and he’d cling on to their secret.  Betty crossed the school field, heading for the woods and home, ‘Miss – Miss…’ Debbie had been waiting, she came running across, holdall swinging from side to side, ‘Not now Debbie,’ Betty waved her away, ‘I’ve thinking to do, plenty of it…’  ‘But Miss…’ Debbie’s voice was urgent, but Betty wasn’t in the mood, she’d problems to deal with – ‘Debbie, I’ll call you later and explain…’  ‘But…’  ‘No buts,’ Betty said crossly, raising a finger, ‘now scoot.’  Debbie uttered something in frustration but Betty wasn’t listening; she’d go home, shower, come to terms with her dismissal and before she thought of anything else at all, would tackle the problems of Corrisville’s dark side – find a starting point –  She arrived home to find Ted Hanson’s shiny black sedan parked in her drive. Her spirits lifted, she liked Ted, he was always cheerful. Ted was Henry Freeman’s co-director at the golf club but wasn’t at all as belligerent and sinister as Henry.  Ted stepped from his car smiling, dark wavy hair rustling in the warm wind; he was a youthful looking mid- forties guy, ‘Hiya Betty,  I just stopped by, wondered whether you fancied taking a drive.’  ‘Sure,’ inside something clicked; ‘where to?’  ‘Well it’s a nice summer evening, thought we might take a trip outta town; take your mind off things.’  ‘Things? Mind explaining that one?’  ‘Sure,’ he smiled lazily, ‘heard about your escapade today, the set-to at the railroad depot – seems like you took on a whole damned bunch – beat the hides off the lot of them.’  ‘How did you get wind of that?’  ‘Aw, word travels fast in Corrisville, kinda place it is. You’re one mighty lady, mighty pretty too I might add. Sure wouldn’t want to cross you – now we on for that drive?’  ‘Give me a few minutes to freshen up,’ she glanced back, ‘Did you hear about my dismissal too?’  ‘Hell no,’ Ted’s face soured, ‘not on account of Dolly and the Bamber family?’  ‘More or less,’ Betty nodded, ‘how’d you guess? There’s more to it though, and I intend to find out what.’  Ted slapped her on the shoulder, ‘Well I sure hope you do – guess things really do need looking into around here…’  Betty reached up, slapped him back, ‘Glad I got an ally.’  She went inside, showered and ten minutes later rejoined Ted.  He let his roof down as they drove out of the woods and glanced at her, ‘Mighty fine hair you got, thick, black, strong looking;’ he transferred his gaze to her sleeveless top, ‘and those amazing arms…’  Betty cocked her head, ‘Well, Ted, I like to keep in shape.’  ‘You sure do that…’ Ted pressed on the throttle, hit the open road, ‘guess losing your job shouldn’t be too much of a blow, huh?’     ‘Losing any job’s a blow – I didn’t dislike my job, but why should you think that?’        Ted shrugged, kept his eyes on the freeway, ‘There’s folks who reckon you’re some kind of agent on account of your exploits…’  Betty smiled, ‘Exploits as you call them, that I’ve been drawn into, I didn’t go looking for them.’  ‘You’re not denying it though?’  ‘Ted stop fishing,’ she caught the look in his eyes, ‘you’re serious right?’  Ted took a left fork off the freeway, onto a narrow road bordered by pines, ‘I mean that physique sure is impressive, you didn’t get that sowing buttons…’  ‘I sure didn’t. I work out damned hard, but I’m naturally strongly built – not jealous are you Ted?’ Betty flexed her fifteen inch biceps, ‘I tell you what, out here in the backwards, anything happens I can handle it, I’m your girl.’  ‘You sure are.’ Ted turned off road, onto a track leading into a clearing in the pines. Down the slope the smooth waters of a lake glistened in the evening sunshine.  Ted cut the engine, ‘Beautiful spot, beautiful evening, beautiful lady, why don’t we take a walk?’  ‘Sure.’ Betty strolled to the shore, Ted alongside her; she stepped forward, stooped, picked up a pebble and hurled it way out across the lake, ‘Wow, would you look at that thing fly…’ Ted enthused.  ‘Want to try to match me – ah…’ Betty turned and stopped dead, Ted Hanson was holding a pistol. ‘That would be pointless wouldn’t it, the power you got, ain’t seen nothing like your strength in my life – which makes me wonder what you’re doing in Corrisville, miss phoney schoolteacher.’  ‘Put the gun down Ted…’  ‘No can do Betty – stay right where you are…’ Ted cocked his head, ‘Well look at you, cool as the breeze itself, you don’t seem that surprised.’  ‘No, it suddenly dawned on me and all the pieces kinda fell into place. You were just so nice, came across as too appreciative – and always turning up at opportune moments…’ Betty inched forward, ‘You’re the ringleader aren’t you? Head of a little syndicate involving Henry Freeman, Sheriff Gator, and head teacher Phipps. Phipps, now she was the book-keeper right? Kept your sordid finances steady; the Bamber family and their connections carried out most of your dirty work – including the raid at your golf club – insurance purposes no doubt. And Sheriff Gator has long been in your pay on account of favours he owes the Bambers…’  ‘Well if you knew all this, why did you agree to coming out here – putting yourself at my mercy?’ Ted scowled, no longer the amiable man he’d seemed.  ‘I wanted confirmation, this seemed the only way to get it,’ Betty inched a step closer, stretched her big arms, ‘you’ve got your weapon but I’ve got two, you’d better make your shot count before they wrap around your neck.’  Ted’s fingers tightened on the trigger and then a shout from the woods made him turn. It was all Betty needed; she pounced, grabbed his arm, using her strength to drive his gun hand down. Debbie came running through the pines with her sister as Betty’s power told, forcing Ted to drop the gun, and then a sickening crack as his fingers snapped. As he screamed in anguish she turned on her former pupil, ‘How did you know I was here?’  She pointed at Ted, ‘I heard him and Freeman in hushed conversation behind the copse in the school field – he mentioned bringing you to this place and I tried to tell you but you wouldn’t listen…’  ‘You were stupid to have come…’  ‘But I saved your life…’  ‘Well you saved me from taking a shot at any rate,’ Betty raised her blouse; above her muscular abdomen was a bullet proof vest. ‘I came prepared, figured that with a little protection I could take him easily enough – but hey, thanks.’  ‘You really are an agent,’ Debbie gasped, ‘I always thought there was something else about you.’  There was barely a flicker of acknowledgement on Betty’s face, ‘Maybe I am, maybe I’m not, but I sure cracked this case.’  She placed a powerful leg on Ted’s back, pinning him to the ground while she flicked open her cell phone – ‘Yeah, the Bamber family, Henry Freeman, Sheriff Gator, Alma Phipps – what’s that, you rounded them all up? Good job fellas.’  ‘Who did you just talk to?’ Debbie asked open-mouthed.  ‘Oh, just some real agents.’ Betty pulled Ted to his feet, coiled an arm around his neck and heard him gurgle as her muscles rippled against it, ‘Don’t worry fella, I’m not going to hurt you, you’ve got time to serve. Plenty of it.’ Return to home page