Bug Out! Part 8: RV Park Terror

by Robert Boren

  “Same here,” Terry said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever really been in love before. This is different.”

  “I’m bossy,” she said. “Like my dad always says, I’m hell on wheels. You might get tired of that.”

  “He told me that you’re a lot like your mom in that regard. He worshipped the ground she walked on. You know how lost he feels without her? I can see it in his eyes when he talks about her. I can take bossy. It doesn’t bother us as much as you think.”

  “Well, let’s just see how this develops,” Trish said.

  “No,” Terry said.

  “No?”

  “No,” Terry said firmly. “I can be bossy too. You’re my woman. We aren’t trying this out. We’re already in it. You know that.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping for, but I’m nervous,” she whispered. His eyes softened, and he kissed her.

  “The time for playing hard to get is over, sweetheart. I want us to get married. Soon. We can have your dad do it, or we can go to the courthouse in town, or we can have a big wedding out here. It’s up to you.”

  Her eyes got wider, and she smiled. “Yes,” she said.

  “You’ll marry me?”

  “You just put me over the edge,” she said, caressing his cheek. “I need somebody that will put up with me, and have a firm hand too. I just saw what I needed to see.”

  “How do you want to do it?”

  “Can we have my dad do it now, and then have a big ceremony when things settle down?” she asked.

  “Of course,” Terry said. “When?”

  “Today,” she said.

  Jane was still lying in bed, looking at the ceiling, her mind reeling over the discovery they’d made yesterday. Frank had already left the coach, and was back in the clubhouse, working on the PC. She looked out the window and saw Jasmine come out of her coach, bending over with her hands on her knees. She didn’t look good. Jerry walked down and touched her shoulder, and she motioned for him to get away.

  “Maybe she needs a woman to talk to,” Jane said to herself. She got up, threw on some clothes, and went out into the salon. Lucy was already out…probably sitting in the clubhouse next to Frank. Mr. Wonderful walked up and bumped against her, but Jane saw the pet food dishes on the floor. “Sorry, Charlie, you’ve already been fed,” she said as she left the coach and walked over to Jasmine.

  “You alright?” she asked.

  “Morning sickness,” Jasmine said. “This is worse than I expected.”

  “Oh, I should have guessed. It’s not fun, but it doesn’t last forever.”

  “Thank God for that,” she said, spitting.

  Jane laughed. “That was dainty,” she said.

  Jasmine looked up at her and laughed too. “I have a feeling getting pregnant is more fun than being pregnant.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. You aren’t to the fun parts yet.”

  “What went on in the lounge yesterday? My mom was upset. I talked to her for a moment before her and Jeb went in for the night, but she wouldn’t tell me anything.”

  “We’ll have a meeting about it later, but I’ll clue you in. We found another trap door, under the rug in the lounge.”

  “Really? What was in it?”

  “A dungeon.”

  “What?” Jasmine asked, straightening up. She spit one more time.

  “A dungeon. The person who owned this park was a serial killer. He kept women captive down there, then killed them, and probably dismembered them.”

  “No way,” Jasmine said. She started thinking it through. Jane could see it.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Jane said. “That’s why we’re having a meeting. We’re going to propose that we sit on this info at least until we get our chance at the enemy leadership. That’s only a couple of weeks.”

  “We’ll have to leave here when we tell the authorities. They’ll put this on TV. The bad guys will figure out where we are.”

  “I know, that’s what we’re worried about.”

  “I’m going to smack Jerry. He had a chat with Jeb before he came in last night. I could tell something was bothering him, but he wouldn’t tell me what it was.”

  “Ah, don’t be too hard on him,” Jane said. “He’s probably afraid to stress you out, with the baby and all.”

  Jasmines look softened. “Okay, I guess you’re right. It still annoys me. I’m a true crime nut and he knows it. This is going to be interesting. How much have you found out?”

  “I did searches on all of the victims,” she said. “This was a local big deal and even made the national news a few times, although the frequency in the last ten years or so was lower than what it was in the 60s and 70s.”

  “Does the killer have a name?” Jasmine asked.

  “Yeah, the Nighthawk Road Killer. You know that tow truck in the barn?”

  “Yeah,” Jasmine said.

  “I can almost guarantee you that it was used for at least the last couple of murders.”

  “Wow. Anybody searched the cab yet?”

  “Not that I know of,” Jane said. “Didn’t Jerry drive it, when they were jump starting the generators?”

  “Yeah, but I doubt he looked around. He said the keys were in the ignition, so he didn’t have to look for them.”

  “Interesting. Feel up to checking around it later?”

  “Hell yes,” Jasmine said. Then she started to look a little green behind the gills. “Shoot, I’m going to barf again.” She covered her mouth and ran behind the coach.

  Jane chuckled to herself, and then walked towards the clubhouse to see how Frank was doing. She smelled coffee as she came through the door, and the heater had been running. It was nice and cozy inside.

  “Morning, honey,” she said, approaching Frank at the PC.

  “Hi, sweetie,” Frank said. “There’s some coffee in the kitchen. Hilda found the big coffee pot and cleaned it out. She’s in the walk-in with Mary and Charlie, cleaning it out.”

  “They’re still wanting to restore this place after what we found yesterday, huh? I’m a little surprised.”

  “Well, me too, a little, but this is a good base for us. Charlie’s going to call a meeting in a couple of hours, although I think most of the group knows about it already.”

  “Jasmine didn’t,” Jane said. “Jerry probably knows, but he didn’t tell her.”

  “Why not?”

  “The baby,” Jane said. “By the way, she had a pretty bad bout of morning sickness this morning.”

  “So it begins,” Frank said, chuckling. “Still jealous?”

  “Yeah,” Jane said. “I know, weird, isn’t it?”

  “No, not really. What’re you going to do today?”

  “Well, anything you need help with, that’s always the top priority. After that, I’m going to start digging into this serial killer thing. Doing the research last night really got my mind spinning. I love this stuff.”

  “Yes, I remember,” Frank said, smiling at her. “Okay, fair enough. If you want access to the dungeon, you’ll have to convince the Sheriff. He padlocked it.”

  “Okay,” she said. “I was going to take a look in the tow truck first.”

  “You really think they used that for the last few murders?”

  “I’m almost certain they did, based on the reports. There were cell phone calls for the last several victims about waiting for a tow.”

  “Well, you might want to grab some of the rubber gloves I have in the coach before you start touching things. Some if it will end up being evidence. I’d take a lot of photos before you touch anything, too.”

  “I know, already been planning on that. You want more coffee?”

  “No thanks, honey,” Frank said. “I’m good.” He turned back to the PC screen as she walked to the kitchen.

  Meanwhile, in Marina Del Rey, Malcolm was in his office, looking at a huge map of the United States, which took up almost the whole wall. It had pins stuck in it here and there, and red yarn going between some of the pins. He
was focused on Kansas, up on his tiptoes, looking closely at cluster of pins stuck in the southwestern part of the state. Malcom was trim, about six feet tall, in his early 60s. He had an athletic look to him. His smile was warm, almost playful. He heard the front door of his office suite open.

  “Malcolm?”

  “George, I’m back here,” he said, turning towards the door. George appeared. He was in his early fifties, looking rather buff for his age, with hard chiseled features and a weathered face. He walked into the door, and a pretty blonde woman followed him in. She was in her mid to late thirties, but only just starting to lose the twenty-something blush. Her blonde hair was long and straight, hanging down to the middle of her back. She grinned at Malcolm.

  “Heidi, how are you?” Malcolm asked.

  “Oh, alright, I guess,” she said. “What kind of crazy escapade do you have planned for my Georgie this time?”

  “Road trip to Kansas,” he said. “You know…there’s no place like home.”

  George laughed. “Oh, please. You planning the route?”

  “Yeah, but it’s gonna be tough. We can’t go through Utah or Colorado. Both of them have too much enemy action still going on.”

  “I was afraid of that. It took some convincing to get us a pass to leave California. I had to call in some favors.”

  “I figured,” Malcolm said. He turned and pointed to the map. “Okay, up into Nevada on I-80. We’ll have to cut up into Idaho on route 93 to avoid Utah, and then go through Wyoming and Nebraska. Then we take route 83 south into Kansas. It’s going to be a long ass drive, that’s for sure, man.”

  “Why don’t you guys just wait until things settle down a little bit?” Heidi asked. “This war isn’t going to go on forever. I hear we’re starting to get the upper hand in Denver. They said that on the news this morning.”

  “I’m going stir crazy,” Malcolm said. “That martial law crap really got me depressed. Now that we have a good reason to hit the road, I’m feeling much better. It’s time to move.”

  “I know,” George said. “This is a gift.”

  “Well, alright, but I’m coming along,” Heidi said.

  “Why?” George asked. “I thought you hated our hunting trips.”

  “Maybe I can help to lower the body count,” she said, smirking.

  George and Malcolm looked at each other. They both had wicked grins on their faces. Heidi shook her head when she saw it. Not this again.

  “Let’s leave this afternoon,” Malcolm said. George nodded yes.

  Back in Kansas, Charlie was getting ready to hold his meeting. He’d already spread the word around the Park, and people were filing into the clubhouse, getting coffee, chatting, and finding seats. Charlie and Hilda went up to the front of the room.

  “Thanks for coming, everybody,” Hilda said. The crowd quieted down. Hilda looked over at Charlie.

  “How many of you don’t know about the new trap door we found yesterday?”

  Only Jake, Gabe, Dobie, Trish, and Terry raised their hands.

  “Okay, I’ll fill you guys in,” Charlie said, “and then we can chat about what to do.”

  “Uh oh,” Gabe said. “Sounds like we missed something big.”

  “Yeah,” Charlie said. He got a grim look on his face. “Here goes. Yesterday, the Sheriff found another trap door. It was under the rug in the lounge area.”

  “Really?” Dobie asked.

  “Yeah, really,” Charlie continued. “There was a dungeon down there, complete with two cells, and hand cuffs chained to the wall next to them.”

  “Wow,” Gabe said, chuckling. “The former owner was into S&M, eh?”

  “No, Gabe,” Charlie said. “There was also an embalmer’s table, a bunch of bone saws and other medical tools, a drawer full of teeth, and a drawer full of driver’s licenses. We had a serial killer working out of here.”

  “Oh, crap,” Gabe said. Trish looked up at Terry, horrified, and held onto his arm.

  “Those guys aren’t coming back, are they?” Trish asked.

  “Well, we know for sure that the original guy is dead,” Charlie said. “It was Chet. He’s been dead for years. It’s pretty obvious that he had help late in his career, though. We’re thinking it’s the son, and rumor has it that he died in the New York Harbor bombing, as we told you guys yesterday. So chances are good that both of these men are gone.”

  “That info about the son came from Howard over at the truck stop, right?” Dobie asked.

  “Yeah,” Charlie said.

  “Any reason not to believe him?” Dobie asked.

  “Not that I know of,” Charlie said. “Hey, Kurt and Hilda, what do you two think? You’ve known him longer than any of us.”

  “I don’t really know him that well,” Hilda said. “I didn’t go on hunting trips with Ger. I only saw him a couple of times a year, at meetings for the RV Park Association.”

  “I know him pretty well,” Kurt said. “My gut is that he’s honest, but that means nothing. I was also friends with Chet…I’m still having a hard time believing that he would be involved with this sort of thing.”

  “I know, Kurt, me too,” Charlie said. “So I guess we have a big fat we don’t know for that question, Trish. Sorry.”

  “We aren’t thinking of telling the cops about this right away, I hope,” Jake said.

  “That’s the main reason for this meeting,” Charlie said. “We discussed it yesterday afternoon while we were in the lounge, and we have a proposal.”

  “Go on,” Dobie said.

  “We know the most important thing right now is to allow Frank to finish his work, before the wide distribution of the apps kicks itself off. We need to get a bead on the enemy leadership and either kill them or expose them to the good guys.”

  “Agreed,” Gabe said. Several other people shook their heads yes.

  “Our proposal is to keep this secret for the few weeks that we’ll be active doing that job. Afterwards, we tell the local authorities. If we’ve been successful with the apps, the war should start winding down quickly. That will allow us to move to a safer location before the media circus starts up here.”

  “We need to get our trailers ready to roll sooner rather than later, then,” Gabe said.

  “Yep, if you want to take them, that’s what I’d suggest,” Charlie said. “We’re going to need one more tow vehicle, too. We’ve got one for Dobie’s 5th wheel, and one for Gabe’s trailer, and one for Jake’s trailer, but none for Terry and Trish’s trailer.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Jeb said. “Most of our toads are capable of towing Jake’s little trailer. Then we can use Jake’s bobtail to tow Terry and Trish’s love nest.” He chuckled. Trish looked embarrassed. Terry just grinned and shook his head.

  “Okay, anybody have a problem with this?” Charlie asked. “If so, please speak up now.”

  “We should keep quiet about this with Howard,” Kurt said. “Just in case. Everybody agree?”

  There was silence. Most people nodded yes. Nobody objected.

  “Alright, I think we have consensus. That’s all I had, folks.”

  The group started to chat quietly, and some started heading for the door. Trish made eye contact with her dad, and motioned him over.

  “What?” Jake asked as he got next to her and Terry.

  “We want you to marry us,” Terry said. “So I guess I’m asking for your daughter’s hand.”

  A wide smile came over his face. “Why sure, I can do that. When?”

  “Today, daddy,” Trish said, a shy smile on her face. “If that’s okay.”

  “Hold it, everybody!” Jake said. The people who were leaving stopped in their tracks, and turned around, looking at him.

  “What’s up?” Earl asked.

  “We need you to stick around for just a few minutes. I’m going to marry Terry and Trish.”

  The group started clapping. Trish looked over at Terry, embarrassed. Terry grinned, and pulled her close.

  “I’ll just go get
my book and stuff,” Jake said. He trotted outside.

  “Congratulations, you two!” Hilda said, beaming. Others repeated that. Jake came back with a black book, wearing a white robe with a rope tie around the waist, which hung down almost to his feet.

  There was an old podium off to the side of the stage area. Jake pulled it over, and put his book on top. Then he motioned for Terry and Trish to join him.

  “Gather around, everybody,” Jake said.

  People walked over, forming a semi-circle around the young couple and the podium.

  Jake cleared his throat.

  “Love and togetherness is the glue that binds the physical and the metaphysical, and makes human kind one with the universe…”

  Trish rolled her eyes. “C’mon, dad, just do the traditional one, okay?”

  Dobie and Gabe looked at each other and snickered.

  “Okay, sweetie,” Jake said. He closed the book and looked out at everybody.

  “We are gathered here today to join two people in Holy Matrimony. Trish Carlson and Terry. Shoot. Hey Terry, what is your last name, anyway?”

  Several people in the group started to chuckle.

  “Brown,” Terry said.

  “Thanks, son. Trish Carlson and Terry Brown.”

  Trish looked up at her dad, then over at Terry, misty eyed. Jake continued.

  “Do you, Terry Brown, take Trish Carlson to be your wife, to have and to hold, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do,” Terry said, smiling.

  “Do you, Trish Carlson, take Terry Brown to be your husband, to have and to hold, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do,” Trish said, smiling through tears.

  “Then by the power vested in me by the Church of the Metaphysical Realm, I now pronounce you man and wife.”

  Dobie and Gabe snickered again.

  “Dad!” Trish said.

  “Oh yeah, you may kiss your bride, Terry,” Jake said.

  The couple embraced and kissed. The group broke into applause.

  “I now introduce Mr. and Mrs. Terry Brown!” Jake said, smiling, eyes teary.

  Jane leaned up against Frank, then looked up at his face and kissed his cheek. He looked down at her, seeing the tears welling up.