by Robert Boren
“Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it now. Why were you crying back there?”
“Stop,” she said. “That’s none of your business, and I’m not getting into another one of your seduction conversations. Forget it.”
“Seduction conversations?” Tex asked, glancing at her.
“That’s what I said. I know your game. It’s not going to work.”
“Okay,” Tex said, not looking at her, eyes glued to the road.
“Something wrong up there?”
“No, just trying not to bother you,” Tex said. “It’s not easy.”
“What’s not easy?”
“Not looking at you,” he said.
“I said enough with the seduction routine.”
“I’m not doing that,” Tex said.
Lily cried while trying to talk to Alexis.
“What’s wrong with Lily?”
“Good, you realize I wasn’t messing with her.”
“I didn’t say that,” Karen said. “What’s wrong?”
“She feels guilty about what happened at the jail,” Tex whispered.
“Oh,” Karen said. “She got used more than the other girls. A couple of those thugs were talking about her when they took me down the hall. One of them said he wanted to keep her.”
“I hope none of the girls bothered her about it,” Tex whispered.
“Are you kidding? We only cared about how badly we were getting abused. Still, we did wonder about it. Some of us, anyway.”
“You haven’t known people with mental illness before, have you?”
“No, not really,” Karen said. “Why?”
“She can’t control her emotions,” Tex whispered.
“So what, she screamed and carried on more, and that’s what the thugs liked about her?”
Tex shot her a sharp glance. “Quiet.”
“Sorry,” she whispered, “but I don’t get it. I don’t see the attraction in that, even with these asshats.”
Tex stared at her for a moment, then shook his head no.
“Then wha…oh God, she was responding, wasn’t she?”
Tex looked at her again, eyes welling with tears.
“Why are you crying?” she whispered.
He looked back at the road, trying to compose himself again.
“What is she to you?” Karen whispered.
“A young woman,” Tex muttered under his breath, grinding his teeth as he started to get angry.
“Oh,” she said, looking out the window. She was silent for a long while, as the dark highway flew by them. Highway 58 was deserted, but Tex continued looking in the rear-view mirrors every couple of minutes, the stress and lack of sleep getting to him.
“Hey,” Alexis said, walking up. “How much further until we get to Paso Robles?”
“You want to sit?” Karen asked. “I’ll go back there.”
“No, that’s your spot,” Alexis said, flashing her a disgusted look. “How long?”
“We’re just about to McKittrick,” Tex said. “We’ll take Highway 33 from there. Should be roughly an hour to Paso after that.”
“Good,” Alexis said. “Mind if I take Lily in the back and try to get her to sleep?”
“Sure, be my guest,” Tex said.
“I know where the blankets are,” Karen said, getting up. “I’ll show you. The bed isn’t made yet. It’s just a mattress covered with a bedspread.”
“Thanks,” Alexis said. She followed Karen into the bedroom.
“So, what was with the look?” Karen asked after she slid the door shut.
“Nothing,” Alexis said. “Maybe envy.”
“Envy?”
“You’ve got one of the best men in this outfit wrapped around your little finger, and you have no idea,” Alexis whispered. “If I were sticking around, I’d be your competition.”
Karen silently took the blankets out of the closet by the end of the bed and set them down. “Here. She gonna be okay?”
“I hope so,” Alexis said. “She’ll need years of therapy to get past this.”
“I didn’t understand,” Karen said.
“Tex told you?”
Karen sighed. “He didn’t come right out and say it, but he got his point across. He’s mad at me, I think.”
“He’ll get over it,” Alexis said. “Sorry about my reaction.”
“He was crying about it up there,” Karen said. “Don’t tell him I told you.”
“I know, that really bothered him when I made him understand,” Alexis said. “He’s got a good heart, and he’s protective of women to a fault. Don’t mistake that for him not being faithful.”
“I doubt if we’ll be together. Pretty sure I blew it with him. I always do that.”
“No, you didn’t,” Alexis said as she spread the blankets out. “He’s a big boy. Don’t give up on him so easily.” She paused. “Sorry, it’s none of my business. I should shut up.”
“No, I’m sorry. I can be such a bitch.”
“We all have that problem, honey,” Alexis said. “I’m going to miss being with this group. Wish I could stay.”
“Me too,” Karen said. “Want help with Lily?”
“No, I can handle it,” Alexis said. “Go back up front. He’s having a hard time with this. You can help with that. He’s not as strong emotionally as he puts on.”
“Thank you,” Karen said. She opened the sliding door and went back to the front.
“She okay?” Tex asked, glancing at her.
“No, but Alexis will help.”
“Good,” Tex said.
“I’m sorry,” Karen said, looking at him. “I didn’t know. Really.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” he said. “You’ve all been through hell. It wasn’t just Lily.”
“And you want to ride to the rescue of all of us, don’t you?”
Tex focused back out the windshield, not knowing what to say.
“I didn’t say that to give you a hard time,” Karen said softly. “It’s actually the ultimate compliment. Please take it that way.”
“I don’t know how you women did it,” Tex said.
“What?”
“Survive like you did,” Tex said. “I probably wouldn’t have. I just can’t imagine what it was like.”
Karen was silent for a moment.
“Are you going to be okay?” Tex asked.
She looked at him, seeing the compassion. “I don’t know. I think so, but stuff like this can lay dormant and then whack you good later.”
“Do you think about it all the time?”
“No,” she said. “I push it back, but it pops into my head. It’s only been a couple days. Hopefully as time goes on it’ll get better.”
“You’re strong,” Tex said. “Lily’s not. I’m really worried about her.”
“I know, I can tell. Sorry I was such a stupid bitch.”
“Stop,” Tex said. His phone dinged. “Text message.”
“Uh oh,” Karen said, watching him pull the phone out of his pocket. “Bad?”
“No, good,” Tex said. “Jules and Sparky made it to the ranch.”
“Good,” Karen said. The phone dinged again. He looked. “Yes. Morgan and Robbie just pulled in too.”
“You know Morgan better than the rest of us, don’t you?”
Tex smiled. “You know, I’ve only known her for a little while longer than the rest of you. Seems like we go way back. Strange how times like these register in your brain.”
“How do you know her?”
“She was working for Sparky at the card club in Gardena,” Tex said. “I was in town when all of this garbage started. I’ve known Sparky for years.”
“How did you know him?”
Tex chuckled. “You don’t want to know.”
“Maybe I do.”
“Let’s just say we’ve done more than one nasty operation together,” Tex said. “With Ted, and George.”
“Who’s George?”
“He’s not
with us,” Tex said, “but since Saladin is involved, you can bet he’s in the middle of it. Probably with that crazy partner of his.”
“Crazy partner? You guys all seem pretty crazy to me. Especially Jules.”
“Ever heard of Malcom Davis?” Tex asked.
“Oh, shit,” Karen said, eyes wide. “You’re connected to him?”
“I don’t know him very well, but George is like a brother. Wish he was with us now.”
Tex’s phone dinged again.
“Why don’t you let me hold that?” Karen asked.
“Sure,” he said, handing it over. “Pin is 4487.”
“Okay,” she said, unlocking the phone. “Katie and Justin arrived safely, and Cody and Allison.”
“Good,” Tex said. “I was afraid we were going to lose a coach or two. We’re doing pretty well so far.”
They rode silently for a while. The back door slid open, and Alexis snuck out, closing it quietly behind her. She went to the front.
“She asleep?” Karen asked.
“Yeah,” Alexis said. “I’m so worried about her.”
“You know anything about her brother?” Tex asked.
“Nope. Wonder if she was diagnosed as a child?”
“I can’t imagine she wasn’t,” Karen said. “Not in our generation.”
“How about her parents?” Tex asked.
“Mother passed,” Alexis said. “None of them know where daddy is. He sounds like a real winner.”
“Great,” Tex said, shaking his head.
“Any news?” Alexis asked.
“Yeah, we’ve gotten a few texts about people making it to the ranch,” Karen said.
“Good,” Alexis said. “I’ll be glad when we get off the road.”
“Where’s your sister?” Tex asked.
“Ventura county,” Alexis said. “With my folks.”
“You could call them,” Karen said.
“Tried, on the land line at the Volvo dealership. No answer. I’m pretty worried. Haven’t gotten ahold of them for a while.”
“What part of Ventura county?” Tex asked, concern on his face.
“Oh, geez, that’s where the nuke went off,” Karen said. “Forgot about that.”
“They weren’t near the harbor,” Alexis said. “They were in Moorpark.”
Tex shot her a worried look. Karen saw it.
“What?” Karen asked.
“You know they evacuated people from that area, right?” Tex asked.
“Why?” Alexis asked.
“Fallout,” Tex said. “The wind blows that direction. They evacuated most of western Simi Valley too.”
“They talked to me after the blast,” she said. “My mom and my sister, anyway. Two days after, when the phone service came back up.”
“Not your father?” Karen asked.
“He got stuck away from the family,” Alexis said. “He was working in Camarillo.”
Tex looked at Karen. She nodded.
“What?” Alexis asked.
“Most of the people in Camarillo died,” Karen said softly.
“No!” Alexis said. “That’s not true. My mom said he was due home any time. She was talking to the county office.”
“When was that?” Tex asked.
“The last time I talked to her.”
“How recently?” Tex asked.
“The same call, two days after the bomb,” she said. “I was taken to the police station before I made another call.”
“You might have to consider that your family didn’t make it,” Karen said.
“No, that can’t be,” Alexis said, face turning red. Tears ran down her cheeks.
“Alexis,” Karen said, getting up to hug her. She pushed her away.
“No,” she said. “I don’t believe that. I can’t believe that. They’re all I had left.” She got up and ran back to the dinette. Tex and Karen looked at each other helplessly.
“Is there a way we can find out?” Karen asked.
“I don’t know,” Tex said. “I might have to drive her there.”
“You’d do that? Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”
“You wouldn’t do that?” Tex asked.
She sighed. “Yes, I would do that. I’ll go too, if it comes to that.”
“McKittrick is coming up,” Tex said, slowing.
“Do we have to ride through town?”
“Just barely,” Tex said. “We’ll get on Highway 33 before we hit the main drag.” He slowed down. “There’s the elementary school, see?”
“Yeah,” Karen said.
“We’re in that next town,” Alexis said, coming up to the front. “Let me out here.”
“No, you don’t want to do that,” Tex said. “Jules has the money he’s going to give you. You’ll need that.”
“I don’t care,” she said. “I don’t want to move further away.”
“We’re only going an hour further,” Karen said. “Please, you don’t want to do this.”
Tex saw the transition to Highway 33 and took it.
“What are you doing?” Alexis asked. “Stop!”
“I’ve got orders,” Tex said. “Ivan will have me gutted if I don’t follow them. Remember what I told you all about this organization.”
“This isn’t fair,” Alexis said. “It’s kidnapping.”
“No it’s not,” Karen said. “We can’t let you go to your death.”
“Dammit, stop,” Alexis said, breaking into sobs.
Tex and Karen looked at each other, both crying now.
“Maybe we should let her,” Karen said.
Tex started to say something, but was stopped by a pistol shot in the back of the coach.
“Oh, God no!” Alexis cried, rushing into the bedroom. She screamed.
“Go back there,” Tex said. “Think you can handle it?”
Karen nodded yes and rushed back. “Oh no,” she shouted.
Lily was on the floor, gun in her hand, blood flowing from the side of her head. Alexis stood looking at her, too numb to move.
Chapter 14 – Spotlight in the Dark
The tires of the Jeep crunched down the loose dirt of the road, headlights piercing the darkness.
“I’m cold,” Kaitlyn said, folding her arms against herself.
Seth reached forward and turned on the heat. “There, it’ll get better in a few minutes.”
“How far back are we going?”
“A little further yet,” Seth said. “You okay? You haven’t said much for a while.”
“I was thinking about what you said.” She looked over at him.
“Sorry,” Seth said. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Not now.”
She stared at him for a long moment, then sighed.
“What?” Seth asked.
“I’m in love with you,” she said.
Seth glanced at her for a little too long, starting to lose the road. He quickly righted the Jeep, staring out the windshield.
“You don’t have to say that,” Seth said. “I’m not going to leave you.”
She was silent for a moment, looking down at her lap. “Do you think I’m just wanting to hitch my wagon to you because of what happened tonight? You think that’s all this is? In case you didn’t notice, I can take care of myself pretty well.”
Seth glanced at her, then back at the road. “I noticed.”
“Okay, good. My cards are going on the table now. Wasn’t going there this early, but circumstances being what they are, it’s time. Think you can handle that?”
He glanced at her again, then nodded yes.
She chuckled. “Why the fear in your eyes? You’re afraid this isn’t real between us, aren’t you?”
Seth looked totally flustered. “No, I…”
“I was very attracted to you right from the start,” Kaitlyn said, interrupting him. “I found myself liking you more and more as we talked. That rarely happens.”
“Me too,” he said, “but you already knew that.”
“I could t
ell,” she said. “I love the way the sparks fly between us. It won’t always be that way. That part fades over time. When it does, I’m usually done.”
“That doesn’t sound very good.”
“You heard what I said about talking with you,” she said. “About liking you more and more. About how that doesn’t usually happen. Do you realize how many hours we’ve been together with all of this driving around? We’ve had more alone time than if we’d been dating for weeks.”
“True, but friends are like that,” Seth said. “That’s how friendships develop. What if it’s that instead of love?”
“Once the passion of early attraction fades, there has to be something else there. Lust isn’t enough. With us, I think there is something there. We like to be alone with each other. I find it overpowering, maybe even a little scary. When I’m not with you, I’m thinking about you.”
“We’ve already talked about this,” Seth said. “Remember? When you were pressuring me?”
She smiled at him. “Yes, I was testing you a little bit. I didn’t want to lay my cards on the table. Remember?”
“Ah, but you did,” Seth said. “When we were talking about kids.”
She stared at him silently for a moment. “You figured out what I was trying to hide. It’s kinda funny when you think about it.”
“Funny how?”
“You turned the tables on me in that conversation. You tricked me into saying the exact thing that I didn’t want you to know yet. I thought I was a lot stronger than you. I’m not. We’re pretty equal.”
“Equal?”
“In strength,” she said. “I need that. I won’t give my whole self to a weak man.”
He looked at her silently for a moment, a warm feeling flowing over him.
“There’s that look,” she said. “Geez, you want me so bad. Nobody looks at me like that.” She looked down at her feet.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared of myself,” she said. “That’s what you touched off in that last conversation.”
“We need to pull over pretty soon. We should pause this conversation for a few minutes.”
“Okay,” she said. “Hell, I’m talking myself into a corner anyway.”
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“Yeah, you understand, but I have to say it out loud, and so do you. We both need to know that it’s real.”
He nodded and pulled to the side of the road, in a spot wide enough to turn around. “This will do.”
