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By Root 1099 0

going to take any responsibility for the loan. Our relationship with the bank became strained after that conversation because they had been put in a bad situation by approving Tucker’s loan. Apparently, after the credit manager saw the news story about the “N” word, the bank cut off all of our credit. I was confused by their decision because I’d never had any problems with them in the past. I didn’t bounce checks, I was never overdrawn, I made all of my payments on time, and I kept a significant amount of money on deposit. When I asked why they cut my credit, their response was that since my show had been “canceled,” I was obviously no longer employed and therefore I had become a bad credit risk. “Sorry.” That’s all they could say.

Beth wasn’t about to take their decision sitting down. Our show hadn’t been canceled. She wanted to make sure the bank understood what was really going on. She called the branch manager and said, “People lose their jobs every day, but we’re still employed. Just because our show has been taken off the schedule, it doesn’t mean we’ve been fired.”

And, you know what? They reactivated the accounts. But a few days later they called and asked if we would kindly close out our accounts anyway. Instead of fighting over their decision, I kept my response simple and to the point.

“Sure. I’ll change banks. No problem.”

INTERMISSION ONE

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME ABOUT SOME OF MY MOST EXCITING BOUNTY HUNTING STORIES, ESPECIALLY ONES FROM MY EARLY DAYS. I COULD FILL SEVERAL VOLUMES OF BOOKS SHARING THEM ALL WITH YOU, AND MAYBE I’LL DO THAT SOMEDAY. IN THE MEANTIME, I’VE CHOSEN A COUPLE OF MY FAVORITES THAT I THINK YOU’LL REALLY ENJOY. SO, SIT BACK, BUCKLE UP, AND COME ALONG ON THE HUNT!

CHAPTER 10

Roy Marasigan

When I started out as a bounty hunter in Denver I worked with every bondsman in the city. One day on my way back from court, I stopped into a bail office that had just been taken over by a new bondsman in town. I was taken by surprise when I met the new owner, a woman named Mary Ellen. I had never worked with a female bondsman, but I sure knew what the tattooed cross on the top of her hand meant.

“You used to be a black widow, huh?”

She never confirmed or denied that she was in the girl gang, so I automatically assumed she was once a member. I used to date a few girls from that gang, so I knew the symbol. I also knew these girls were tough. They’re not the type of women you want to double cross. Later, she would confess she was never in the gang but she wanted me to think she was one tough cookie. She never let on to the truth when we first met.

“Are you Mexican?” I asked.

“Born and bred and proud of it,” she said.

Mary Ellen was the only Mexican working bail in Denver, which made her a double minority—a Mexican woman in a white man’s world. I knew right away she had the grit and moxie to make it big in the business. I was certain I’d be proud to work with her.

I was never averse to drumming up new business, and by the time I met Mary Ellen, I had already established a name for myself as the best bounty hunter in Denver. Even though I was usually busy, I was always happy for new leads.

“If you ever have a client who runs, let me know,” I told her. There was something special about Mary Ellen. I liked her from the start. I walked her out to her car the day we met and noticed the rim around her back license plate that read, “We’ll put your feet on the street.” I thought that was a great slogan for a bondsman.

I began to spend lots of time with Mary Ellen and her husband, Fred. Whenever we walked into a bar or diner, everyone seemed to know her. The attention she got intrigued me. There was something else that made me stand up and take notice of Mary Ellen too: her kindness and compassion toward her clients combined with her wicked determination to make sure she didn’t get ripped off.

Mary Ellen wasn’t the type of woman who would just hand me her jumps. If I wanted her bounties, I had to be in her office first thing every morning to make sure I was there when the mail came. Mary