The squawk of the radio followed by a blast of static woke Vince. Then Tom’s voice came through. “All hooked up and ready to go, Major. Everybody’s over here taking turns getting cleaned up…and Mary says to get your butt over here. Dinner will be ready in fifteen.”
Vince rubbed his face as he slowly came to.
“Over,” Tom said, signing off late.
“All right, all right,” Vince mumbled to himself before answering the call. “Roger that. I’ll lock up and head over.” He tried to sound awake but doubted he’d pulled it off. He felt guilty for catching a few minutes of sleep while everyone else was still working.
Standing up slowly, he picked up the glass and prepared to wipe the rim with his shirttail, as was his habit, but stopped when he realized how dirty his shirt was.
“What’s the point,” he asked himself. He returned it to the drawer without attempting to clean it. He really did need to get washed up. The short nap had left his mouth dry and the rest of him sweaty. Not that he had ever stopped sweating today.
He was starving and anxious to head over to the motel, but the bad taste in his mouth and the dryness in his throat needed dealing with. Vince switched the desk lamp off and made his way into the bathroom. He filled an old coffee mug with water from the tap and drank it down in a couple of gulps. They’d been boiling the water over at the motel, but he wasn’t worried. He’d been drinking the garage well water for years. He filled the cup three more times and drank each down just as fast, the water turning colder as he let the faucet run between refills. He went straight to splashing his face with the cooler water. It was just what he needed to fully wake up and summon the strength he needed to make it until bed. He had to get some rest tonight.
Vince stood there for a minute and leaned over the sink as the water dripped from his face. He groped for a paper towel from the dispenser, not wanting to open his eyes before drying off; he didn’t want to chance a piece of dirt washing into his eye. He could feel the grit when he was splashing water on himself, and it felt like sand. The paper towel was filthy when he pulled it away, and it looked more like he’d used it to wipe the floor rather than his face. Oh, how he hoped there was enough water and electricity for everyone to have a quick shower.
Turning the lights off before locking the place up was strange. That was something he hadn’t done in a while, and though it was a small detail, it felt good. Vince looked across the street and searched the motel building for any sign of light. He saw a small trace coming from between the curtains of Room 110. Vince shook his head and started off in that direction.
He hated crossing the street between the garage and the motel. It made him feel exposed, and although the wall helped alleviate some of that anxiety, it still felt like he was pushing his luck every time he did it.
Vince strained to see in the ever-increasing darkness. The sun was already too low on the horizon for him to see the interstate or the overpass anymore. He thought about the battles they’d fought out there. They were all lucky to be alive, really.
The looters could be out there, preparing to take a shot at him now. He could almost hear the shot being fired over and over in his head. It took him some real effort to block that out of his thoughts, and he jogged the last few strides to the motel parking lot.
Vince threw his hand up as he passed by the old ford pickup that had become their watch post. Amy Meyer was taking her turn at it, and she smiled at Vince before returning his wave. Now they, the Meyers, were good people. Thank God for them and their well-drilling capabilities.
Vince hoped more people like the Meyers, and fewer people like Travis and his friends, would join their group. Although he couldn’t speak to Dalton’s or Jackie’s efforts today, that was something he would discuss with Mary later. But he could tell a bad apple when he saw one, and based on Travis’s performance today and a few other things he’d noticed, Vince was sure that Travis was rotten to the core.
When he reached the covered walkway that ran the length of the motel, he slowed down and moved in close to the wall. He crept down the row of red doors until he was almost at the corner room—the room they had assigned to Travis and the other two. He could hear voices now, and he was sure they were coming from Room 110.
It was Jackie, and she was in the middle of a heated argument with Travis. The window was half-open, and a very slight breeze was pushing through the screen, causing the curtain to move around enough for Vince to catch brief glimpses of the room. They must have had every light in the room turned on, and if that wasn’t enough, they had the TV playing static in the background. These people had no regard for anyone but themselves. Vince had made up his mind. He would recommend that they send these three on their way sooner rather than later.
Vince was about to knock loudly on their door and break up the party when he stopped at the sound of Jackie’s voice. She was upset, and he could see her shadow in the curtains as her arms moved.
“You can’t do that to these people, Travis. They’ve been nice to us. Look at this place. I’m tired of sleeping under bridges and in old cars.”
“They’re just like all the rest. They’ll work us to death for a little food and water, then call themselves heroes for saving us. We’ll be their slaves.” Travis moved into view as he paced in front of the flickering TV set.
Vince ducked below the open window. At first, he felt bad for eavesdropping, but not anymore. What was this kid planning that Jackie didn’t want him to do? He needed to stay put and learn all that he could. He checked down the vestibule behind him to see if anyone else was outside, but there was no one else in sight.
Vince would’ve liked to have a witness to what was being said. He considered grabbing Amy from the truck and having her join him, but he was afraid of making too much noise or missing something important. He decided to stay put and listen for now.
“Well, I’m not leaving! I’m not going back out there!” Jackie’s hand shot out, and she pointed toward the interstate and the open window. Vince ducked again and closed his eyes tightly as if that would help him stay hidden. Crap, I hope they didn’t see me.
It was quiet, and Vince feared the worst until Travis barked his response. “You’ll be here on your own then, because Dalton and I are outta here!”
“I’m not leaving you here, Jackie,” Dalton added.
“You can’t force me to go with you!” she screamed. Vince didn’t dare move a muscle, so he stayed below the window, not wanting to risk being spotted. He was glad to hear that Travis was planning on leaving soon. What concerned him most was what Jackie said when he first heard them arguing. What did she mean when she said, “You can’t do this to these people”? What was Travis planning?
“You can’t just stay here,” Dalton pleaded.
“I can’t watch you follow him around like a lost puppy, either. Mom and Dad wouldn’t approve of what you’re doing.” Jackie sounded like she was on the verge of tears as her voice wavered.
“Yeah, well, Mom and Dad aren’t around anymore, are they?” Dalton answered.
“You two need to work this out because I’m gone by morning with or without you. You too, Dalton.” Travis’s voice came toward the window. Vince backed away until he could stand up without being seen. Then he saw Travis cross the partially open curtain and head for the door.
Vince continued moving backward in long strides until he was at the next door down the hallway.
“Whoa, hey there. It’s you. Ah…hey.” Travis was clearly startled when he noticed Vince standing in the shadows of the hallway. He looked like a deer caught in headlights as he turned back to the door, clearly embarrassed by his temper tantrum.
“Everything all right?” Vince played dumb.
“Fine.” Travis put his head down and tugged his ball cap low to cover his eyes. He didn’t elaborate and started walking away, putting as much space between them as possible when passing Vincent on the walkway.
“Dinner isn’t ready yet,” Vince called out.
“I’m going to see if they need help,” Travis shouted back before turning into the doorway to the motel’s office and disappearing.
Vince didn’t like the idea of Travis being back there in the kitchen with Mary, but she had a lot of people helping her prepare dinner. He wouldn’t dare try anything, would he?
With Travis gone, Vince found himself alone again, outside of the room. Jackie and Dalton were still arguing but at a much lower volume than before.
“I don’t like what he’s doing to you, Dalton. I don’t even know who you are anymore,” Jackie sobbed.
“These are different times, Jackie. We need to do whatever it takes to survive.”
“It’s not right to hurt people and steal, and you know it. What kind of way is that to live our lives?” Jackie started to regain her composure, and her voice sounded stronger than before. She wasn’t backing down, and Vince was happy to know that at least one of them had morals and the backbone to do the right thing.
“Do what you want, but we’re taking all we can carry and leaving before sunrise,” Dalton stated.
So that was it. The big plan was to steal whatever supplies they could and sneak out in the middle of the night. It was less sinister than some of the other things he imagined them doing, but no less criminal. Vince took no satisfaction in the fact that his gut feeling about Travis was dead on. He needed to let the others know. They would have no choice but to confront Travis and Dalton before the night was over.
Chapter Eighteen
Vince was frozen in place outside the door to the trio’s room. What he had just heard justified all his feelings about Travis and Dalton. He misjudged the girl and was sorry for that, but it was the least of his concerns right now.
By the sound of his footsteps, Vince assumed that Dalton was headed for the door, but he wouldn’t be able to hide in time. He decided to make a preemptive move and knock on the door. The door swung open almost immediately, and Vince found himself face to face with Dalton.
“Hey,” Dalton said. Surprised to find Vince waiting on the other side of the door, he took a step back.
“You’re using too much electricity, and I can see your room lights from the street. Do us all a favor and turn off everything that isn’t needed and keep the blinds closed.”
“Sorry.” Jackie sat down on the bed and turned the TV off. Vince noticed that there were three cell phones on the nightstand, all plugged in and all charging. Dalton saw Vince looking at the phones and began to unplug them.
“Dinner in fifteen minutes. Don’t be late.” Vince turned and walked away, leaving their room door open.
“Thanks, we won’t,” Jackie said as he headed for John’s room four doors down the hall. Vince needed to tell someone what was going on, but he couldn’t call a meeting and exclude the three of them without Travis getting suspicious. If either Travis or Dalton knew that Vince and the others were onto their plan to steal supplies, it would raise the stakes and they might do something foolish. If they resorted to violence and tried using force to take the supplies, someone could get hurt. Vince didn’t think Travis and Dalton were exceptionally capable individuals, but he was never one to underestimate the enemy. He blew out a sigh of relief when he thought about how he and John had insisted on Travis giving up his pistol.
Vince needed to get the word out one person at a time. And then they needed a plan of their own to deal with the would-be thieves. As far as Vince was concerned, Jackie could stay if she wanted to. He had no idea if she’d been a help to Mary today or if she’d proven as useless as Travis, but she had the town’s interests at heart and clearly didn’t belong with the other two.
Vince rapped his knuckles lightly on John’s door and waited.
That poor girl would end up dead or worse if the wrong people caught them out there. It wasn’t smart for a girl like that to walk around with a couple of guys who were looking for trouble, especially when the guys were two incapable halfwits. Jackie reminded Vince of Kate a little, and he didn’t want to see the girl get hurt.
He’d only met Cy’s girlfriend, Kate, on one occasion. She seemed like a nice girl who made his son happy. He was sad to hear they broke up, and it certainly hurt his son, although Cy tried not to let on how much it bothered him.
Vince knew he was getting ahead of himself here, but what if Jackie staying in Cloverdale would help keep Cy here? He couldn’t help but think about that scenario. One of Vince’s biggest fears wasn’t being killed by a looter or starving to death. No, it was losing his son. Vince was sure that the day would come when Cy wanted to go find his mother and Kate back in Washington.
This time, Vince used the side of his balled fist on John’s door. He had begun to wonder if John was even in his room when the door opened.
“Vince, what’s up?” John had been sleeping and was trying to play it off. Vince felt a little less guilty about his fifteen-minute nap earlier.
“We need to talk,” Vince said.
John’s demeanor changed at the sound of Vince’s voice, and he pulled him into the room and closed the door. “What’s going on?” he asked with his voice just above a whisper.
“Travis and Dalton are planning to steal supplies and bug out before morning. I overheard them all arguing about it in their room just a few minutes ago. The girl is against it and told them she wants to stay here.” Vince got it all out at once and waited while John processed the information.
“Those little—” John stopped and shook his head. “And we’re about to feed them and let them get cleaned up?”
“I know, I know. So what’s the play here?” Vince heard footsteps and moved to the window. He pulled the blinds back just enough to see outside and down the walkway. A few seconds later, Dalton walked by, headed toward the dining area.
“We need to do something soon. That was Dalton.”
“You sure about the girl? How do we know she’s not with them?” John asked.
“I’m pretty sure. She doesn’t want anything to do with them or their plan. Let’s just confront them. We’ve got the numbers. They’re unarmed and outnumbered.”
Vince had some doubts about the girl, but he was willing to take a chance. The world was in short supply of decent people, and if they could save one from going down the wrong path by taking her in, then they should.
“We need to let the others know what’s going on,” John said.
“They’ll deny it. They’ll say we’re lying if we call them out. They’ll say it’s because we didn’t like them in the first place. This could get ugly,” Vince warned.
“Do you really think the others are gonna believe two punks over you and me?” John wrinkled his brow.
Vince let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Just then, there was a knock on John’s door. Vince glanced at John, who grabbed his pistol and stepped to the side. Vince opened the door slowly but stayed behind it as he did. It was Jackie. His pulse dropped, and he opened the door all the way, making sure to check that she was alone.
“I need to talk to him, I think.” Jackie looked at John, then back outside and down the row of doors.
“Me?” John asked.
“You’re the cop, right?”
“Yeah, I was the sheriff.”
“Still is,” Vince added. “Come inside.”
Jackie glanced down the walkway once more before stepping far enough inside the room that Vince could close the door.
“It’s probably good that you’re here, too.” Jackie looked at Vince for a second. “I don’t have much time, so I’m just going to come right out and say it.”
Vince and John remained silent.
“Travis is no good,” she continued. “Me and my brother are traveling with him for safety, but he might be just as dangerous as anything out there. He’s planning on stealing from you guys tonight and taking off before morning. He’s talked my brother into joining him. I don’t know what to do. I can’t do this anymore.” Jackie broke down in tears and dropped
into the chair by the door with her head in her hands.
John nodded. “It’s okay. You did the right thing.”
“Please don’t hurt my brother. He’s a good kid. I don’t know why he’s doing this,” Jackie managed between sobs.
“We won’t hurt him. We don’t want to hurt anybody, but we can’t let them take our supplies.”
“I know. Mary and Reese were so nice to us today. I can’t let them do that to you guys.” She straightened up in the chair a little and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m tired of being on the road. It’s all the same out there. Nothing but burnt-out buildings and dead bodies everywhere we go. There’s also a lot of psychos out there, and Travis is one of them.” Jackie’s mood changed and she sat fully upright in the chair now. “Can I please stay here with you guys? I’m a good worker and I don’t eat that much.”
“Relax. You’re safe here,” John assured her.
“You better get back to your room until dinner so they don’t suspect anything.” Vince cracked the door open.
She stood up and paused at the door after checking outside in both directions. “Thank you for everything.” With that, she slipped out and was gone.
Vince and John agreed to tell the others before dinner. They would confront Travis and Dalton about their plans before wasting valuable resources on them. They wouldn’t send them away empty-handed, but what they left with would be a far cry from the meal they would have enjoyed had they been allowed to stay here in Cloverdale. So much for an easy night.
Chapter Nineteen
Splitting the group in two, Vince and John each took on the responsibility of getting the word out and made their way around to inform the others. Mary took it pretty hard when Vince told her about Travis’s and Dalton’s plan to steal supplies and sneak off in the night.
She had gotten to know Dalton and Jackie a little bit today, and she felt betrayed, but more than that, she felt foolish for trusting them, especially after giving Vince a hard time for not being more receptive to the trio. But he was right, after all, at least about two of them.
Cloverdale (Book 4): Confrontation Page 9
