Alien Among Us (TJ Steele Book 1)

by L. Edwin Brown

  I could see lights on in the house, but the curtains were drawn and no one was visible. The two dogs, had moved back towards the back of the house. I walked over to the gravel drive and made my way down closer to the gates. I looked over at the barn and could see the fence ran up next to the corner, anchored by a heavy steel post. On the opposite corner of the barn, another large fence post sat tight against that corner of the barn. The fence continued from that point all the way around the property and terminated at the fence post in front of me.

  I moved around to the west side of the fence towards a wooded tree area. I made my way through the woods and before I reached the barn, the two dogs heard me and started barking and running towards the fence. I went back further into the woods, and then made my way back up the hill, to the SUV. By the time I got back, up on top of the gravel drive, behind the service center, the dogs had stopped barking and settled down.

  Once I was back in the rented SUV, I took off and drove back to Grand Junction and the Grand Vista Hotel. I still had the bags from Walmart in the back. I opened the hatch and pulled the shopping bags out and took them, up to my room. I started to call Kala then realized, how late it was in Florida.

  Saturday morning I finally made a call to Kala. She was glad to hear from me. She said she had just gotten up and was fixing coffee. I told her about my research, on Douglas Brighton, and I had a recent photo of him. I said I still have not figured out, how I would approach him.

  I didn’t tell her about my late night trip to his place of business or my snooping around a house behind the truck service center.

  I asked Kala how she was doing and she said she missed me. I told her, I missed her to and would hurry and finish my business, here in Colorado.

  After I finished talking with Kala, I had breakfast and headed back over to the truck service center. I once again backed into a parking space that gave me a clear view, of the truck center. All but one overhead door, was closed. It looked as if they were only fueling trucks, on Saturday. Some of the truckers that came off the Interstate, parked their semis at the east end of the building and walked across the road to the restaurant.

  I watched the service center for several hours and only saw one man working, and it wasn’t Douglas. I decided to take the Interstate over to Palisade and check out the Brighton Winery and Brewing Company.

  It took me thirty five minutes to drive to Palisade and then into town. Brighton Winery and Brewing Company, sat next to railroad tracks. The wooden building was larger inside then it appeared on the outside. There were wooden barrels stacked full of wine. The place was a full winery, with a small section off to one side for retail sales.

  The place wasn’t automated and there were several people filling bottles and packing them in cardboard cases, by hand. They sold their own labeled beer and wine. They had a shelve with other Palisade wineries labels for sale.

  I looked around the small retail space and saw a large photo of Douglas Brighton senior on the wall. I picked up a bottle of Brighton red wine and sat it down on the checkout counter. I asked the gentlemen, who waited on me, if the picture on the wall was the owner. He responded, his son owns the place now. He pointed to another large picture on a wall, right angled to the one Brighton senior, was on.

  The picture was that of Douglas Brighton Junior. I had to move to the end of the checkout counter to get a good look at it. The picture was probably ten years old. I knew he didn’t look that good today. I asked the sales clerk, if the owner was here. He replied, the owner seldom stops by. He said he likes driving a semi, hauling local fruit and produce around the country.

  I decided Saturday evening, the next morning, I would check out of the Grand Vista Hotel, and check in at the Best Western, across the road from the truck center. If the winery clerk was correct, I would eventually see Douglas around there.

  I looked up the phone number of the Best Western and made sure they had a vacancy. I told the lady that took my call. I didn’t know how long I would be staying. She said they had several corner units, with small kitchens living room with separate bedroom. I told her to book one for me for a week.

  The next call I made, was to Kala. I gave her the phone number, to the Best Western and told her, I think I needed to make this move. I said, it was just one of my crazy feelings, but I think all my answers, are out by the truck service center.

  Kala said she was snuggled up in my bed and had the television on. She said her feet were cold and wished I was there to warm them up. It won’t be much longer, I told her. If I don’t find out anything this week, I’m coming home.

  Sunday, I checked out of the plush Grand Vista Hotel and into the, God I hope they don’t have bed bugs, motel. I signed in at the motel registry and gave the receptionist, my Black American Express card. She said she had never seen one this color. I smile at her and assured her, it was good. I know she replied. There’s no limit on it, is there? No sweetheart, I responded to her. There’s no limit.

  When I entered the motel room, I was surprised at how clean and nice it was. It was a little arid, but the whole country side seemed damp. From my front window I had a great view of the truck service center. It looked like it was closed today. None of the doors were open and I didn’t see anyone around.

  I spent most of the day in the motel room. There was no action across the road at the service center. They weren’t fueling any trucks and no one came or went from the building. I didn’t see anyone, coming up from or going down to, the house, at the bottom of the hill.

  I drove across the Colorado River and into Fruita to Rib City Grill, for dinner. I took my time eating and drank a couple beers. It was dark when I left the restaurant and made my way back to the motel.

  I was fidgety again and felt uneasy. I needed to do something, but didn’t know what. I put on a pair of black jeans and black shirt. I slipped on the new hiking boots and grabbed the small mag light from my duffle bag. Once outside, I reached into the SUV and took the night vision binoculars off the front seat.

  When the roadway was clear and free of traffic, I trotted across the road and past the service center. I made my way down the gravel road until I was almost to the double gates. I shifted over into the heavy trees, so I wouldn’t be seen by the two dogs.

  Once in the woods I used my mag light, to see where I was going. I took my time walking across the uneven ground. I made it all the way to the barn. Now the barn blocked the dogs from seeing me.

  I stood at the southwest corner next to the three inch fence post and looked through the night vision binoculars, at the house. I could see shadows of someone moving around in the house, but all the blinds and curtains were closed.

  Every window on the house had steel bars on the exterior side. I wasn’t sure if that was to keep people out or someone in. The eight foot high fence, had three strands of razor wire on top.

  I moved down the back side of the barn trying to see if there was a window or crack in the wall, which would allow me to see inside. I had a deep seeded feeling this wooden structure was evil.

  I had worked my way all the way down to the northwest corner. I slowly moved along the back side of the barn, until I was at the northeast corner, I could see the two pit bulls at the back of the house. One was larger than the other and standing on the porch. The other one was lying under the porch next to the three wooden steps.

  I could see the large dog was uneasy, as he stood looking around. I knew if I moved too much they would either see or hear me. I looked at the back of the house through the night vision binoculars. There was a door off the back porch, but it didn’t have a window. It looked like a steel industrial style door. Now I was convinced there was something going on here. Something evil and unlawful.

  I turned around, supporting myself, with my hand on the back of the barn. A bright light flashed before me and I heard people screaming and crying. Faces of young men and women were quickly flashing before my eyes. My body was racked with pain and the screaming became louder.

 
; I fell away from the barn into the tall grass and the screaming, crying and vision of all the young people stopped. It took a few seconds for the pain to go away, before I could stand and steady myself. The dogs were barking and running around the yard. I knew they must have heard me, but didn’t know where I was at.

  I made my way back around to the west side of the barn, keeping my hands and body away from the structure. I knew something horrible has happened inside this barn.

  As I moved along the wall, I checked out each joint between the wall boards. About half way down, I found a warped board with a half inch gap about six and a half feet off the ground. I took my flashlight and held it over my head, stood on my tip toes and shined it through the crack. I couldn’t see much inside the barn. I continued on down the side, until I was once again, at the front fence post.

  I took one more look around with the binoculars and then made my way back to the top of the hill going through the woods. As I walked up the slop I felt like something or someone was trying to pull me back. When I reached the top the feeling was gone. I moved across the back of the large service garage, until I couldn’t go any further without tripping over the guardrail and falling off the rocky ledge.

  With the night vision binoculars, I could see the east face of the house. It also had steel bars, on all the windows. There was fifty foot strip of grass, between the house and the chain link fence. Just on the other side of the fence were more trees and wooded area. It looked like an old peach orchard that had been grown over.

  Traffic was moving passed the front of the service building on Highway 340. I walked towards the highway moving up between two semi-trailers parked side by side. When the coast was clear, I ran across the highway and to the back side of the motel parking lot.

  I had left my cell phone in the room, when I changed my clothes. I looked at the screen and saw I missed a call from Rodney Lawrence, engineering specialist, with Brighton Aeronautics. The call came in a few minutes after I had left the motel room. It was now 11:45 and too late to call him back.

  I took a quick shower and got into bed. I was still shaking from the experience, I had on the back side of the barn. It wasn’t fear, but something else that was bothering me.

  The next morning, I woke up early and watched through my front windows, as the service center workers showed up. None of them was Douglas Brighton. I kept an eye on the building, just in case he showed up, while I called Rodney Lawrence back.

  We talked for about a half hour and I answered some question, he had regarding one of my designs. He said the Army was interested in the short range missile, I designed several years ago. I told him I was not at home and was working on something else right now, but I would contact him when I returned.

  After I finished speaking with Rodney, I went down the motel driveway, to Granny’s Kitchen, for a late breakfast and coffee.

  After breakfast, I went back to the library, not to look at their books, but to connect to their high speed Wi-Fi Internet. I used my laptop to access the Mesa County records department. I searched the real estate files for an address for Douglas Brighton. I finally found one for him at the division of motor vehicles.

  He had several semi-trucks registered as well as a 2013 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT Crew Cab 4X4 Diesel Pickup Truck. His address was listed as 16098 West Broadway, Fruita, Colorado. The motel where I was staying was 16035 West Broadway. Douglas must be using the truck center as a home address.

  I drove back to the motel, sat in my room and stared out the window at the truck center. I grabbed my binoculars and focus on the address above the front glass door. It was 16092.

  I walked out around the motel and stood at the corner next to the road. I looked at the address marked on the rural mailbox for the service center and the one for the house at the bottom of the hill. The house was listed as 16098, the Douglas’s residents.

  I stayed in my motel room until 6:30 and the service garage had closed. I walked back over to Granny’s Kitchen for dinner.

  When I was headed back to my room, forty minutes later, I saw a semi with trailer pulling off the road and driving around the building. I ran to my room and grabbed both sets of binoculars. I returned to the same location, where I had stood, earlier that day, to check out the mailboxes. The semi-truck had driven around the building and was pulling up between two empty semi-trailers.

  When the driver got out, I saw it was Douglas Brighton. He unhooked and dropped the trailer. He climbed back into the large gold and black Kenworth truck, with an extra-large sleeper and pulled around the building again. This time he drove down the gravel drive towards the house.

  I ran across the road, not caring who saw me, and darted between the trailer, Douglas had just dropped off, and one that had been sitting there. In the back of the building, I could see him down by the double gates. He opened the first gate and I heard the dogs barking, running towards him. He yelled at them until they turned away. He pulled the Kenworth truck through the first gate and stopped.

  He jumped out of the truck and closed the first gate and opened the other. He jumped back into the truck and moved forward, until he had cleared the second gate. The Dogs were still barking and he yelled at them again. They ran back towards the back porch. The dogs were afraid of Douglas that was certain.

  He pulled the truck back towards the barn and turned it, so the passenger side was in front of the large wooden double doors. I could see lights come on in the barn. He was doing something on the other side of the truck cab, but my view was blocked by the truck. I ran down towards the other end of the service garage, but still couldn’t see, what he was unloading, from his cab.

  The lights in the barn went off and Douglas walked over to the house. I now needed to use my night vision binoculars to see him on the front porch. He unlocked, the steel front door and entered the house.

  I ran back across the street and changed into the black jeans and shirt I had on last night. I slipped on and tied my hiking shoes and took off once again across the road with my night vision binoculars around my neck and my mag light in my right hand.

  I worked my way down the drive until I was once again near the gates before moving into the woods. Just as I entered the trees, Douglas came out of the house, locking the door behind him. I sat on a large stone just inside the tree line, out of site and watched him go into the barn. I waited for fifteen minutes before deciding to move closer to the barn.

  I was now less than thirty feet away when Douglas came back out of the barn, turning off the lights and climbing up into the big Kenworth truck. I stood perfectly still and watched, as he made his way over to the gates. He opened the first gate and pulled through and stopped. He then got out and closed the first gate and opened the other gate.

  When he drove through the second gate, he left it open, making his way to the top of the hill. I continued on down to the barn and the dogs were now excited. I wasn’t sure if it was me or Douglas that had stirred them up.

  When I got to the west side of the barn, I found the place in the wall, where the crack was located. I stood on my tip toes and looked through the crack, but it was dark inside the barn. I started to shine my light through the crack, when the dogs started going nuts again. I moved back down to the south end of the barn, where I could see the driveway, coming off the hill.

  I saw a large black Dodge pickup truck, pulling through the open gate. It was Douglas. He had taken the Kenworth Truck, up to the service building and picked up his pickup.

  I watched as he close the first gate and open the inside gate. The dogs were barking and running back and forth in front of the open gate. Douglas was yelling and kicking at them. They ran back towards the back of the house and under the rear porch, while he pulled his pickup over towards the front porch.

  When he got out of the pickup truck, he walked back over to the barn. He removed a two by four board from a crossed the front, of a small man door. The door was built into the right side of the larger swinging doors. He pulled the small door open, tu
rned on the lights, and stepped through into the barn.

  I moved down the side of the barn, to the crack in the wall. I stood as high as I could get and looked through the crack. Douglas was bent over on the other side of a four foot high wooden horse stall. He was doing something, but I couldn’t make out what it was. I could now see in the middle of the barn, hung a rope block and tackle, probable to lift bales of straw, up into the loft. I could see an old tractor with a backhoe on the back and an end loader on the front, sitting towards the back of the barn.

  I struggled, to stand on my tip toes and keep my balance, without touching the barn. I just couldn’t get high enough to get a clear look at what Douglas was doing.

  Douglas rose back up and I could now see his upper body over the top of the horse stall. Whatever he was doing, he was done now and headed for the small wooden man door. He turned off the lights, on his way out, and I could no longer see inside. I even tried the night vision binoculars, but they didn’t help. They are designed for distance and I could only get one lens over the crack.

  I stayed down around the barn until almost midnight and all the lights in the house were off. I could feel there was something evil going on, either in the barn or the house. I had the same, uneasy feeling, as I had the night before, as I made my way back up the hill.

  Flashes of light were going off in my brain. I was getting subconscious thoughts coming from the barn. It was almost as if someone was in need of my help, or was it part of the same images I had when, I touched the barn.

  I backed away from the side of the barn and sat on a large rock. I used my mag-light and looked around me. I saw another rock, I thought I could lift or at least move. I walked over by the rock and rolled it towards the side of the barn. It was too heavy to lift, but it rolled easily. I managed to get the rock positioned below the crack in the wall.