THE BUTLER

by Bill WENHAM

  I know too he is planning to kill me. He’s already told me that, so I’m expecting it. I also know he’ll try to kill Ellie first if he can.

  I love her, just as he loved his Rosetta and he will want me to suffer just as he is suffering. He’ll want to force me to watch her die and right now I’m not sure how I can prevent it from happening. He seems to know all my moves before I even make them myself.

  We know he’s here in Jacksonville. They both are. The Butler and his damned brother. Van Creste and Stavencer, they call themselves now and famous or not they seem to be able to come and go as they please. No one sees them. That one photo in the paper was very unusual. But there has to be a reason for them to be able to move around practically unseen. They can’t just make themselves invisible, can they? Or can they? Many of the world’s wild creatures can. They are not really invisible, of course, but they still disappear by using clever natural camouflage. Stick and leaf insects, the Chameleon, the Octopus, they all blend in with their surroundings almost perfectly.

  Is that what these two are doing as well? Can they hide right out in the open in front of us by blending in with their surroundings too? I realized too something had been nagging at me since our time on the beach. Something wasn’t quite right but I couldn’t think what it was.

  Ellie came in as I was in the middle of all this reflecting and musing.

  “What’s up, Handsome? What’re you doing?” she asked.

  “Thinking,” I said.

  “Oh, God, Lover,” she said, “That’s dangerous. Don’t go busting anything. You can’t just suddenly go putting your brain into gear like that when it hasn’t been used for all those years. You’ll damage it for sure. If you’ve got one, that is.”

  “Funny girl,” I said irritably. “Why don’t you help me think, instead of making funnies?”

  “Okay, sorry, Lover, I didn’t mean to upset you, but it would help if I knew what you were trying to sort out, wouldn’t it?”

  “Something just didn’t sit right at the beach. Something was out of place, didn’t fit right,” I said.

  “Oh, dear, my Bikini was on properly, wasn’t it? I didn’t hear you or anyone else complaining, for that matter.”

  “Stop it, El. You know you have other talents as well as a nice Bikini wiggle. One of them is thinking, so think, dammit,” I said, but I smiled at her as I said it.

  “So what do you think wasn’t right?” she asked.

  “Well, if I knew that, I wouldn’t have to be thinking about it, would I? Give me a break here, El.”

  She didn’t say anything for a few moments and I thought I’d upset her.

  “The creeps,” she said suddenly.

  “What?” I said.

  “It is pardon, not what,” she corrected me. “Those two guys with the old car are what I was referring to.”

  “Okay, pardon, then. What about them?”

  “I’m not quite sure, Hon, but it was pretty damned hot at the beach, right?”

  “Right,” I agreed. “It was damned hot.”

  “I’m thinking even creeps like them don’t wear heavy, long sleeved shirts on a blazing hot day, do they?”

  I just shook my head, not wanting to interrupt her train of thought.

  “Well, Hon, there could be two reasons for that, as I see it,” she said. “One would be to keep the sun off their arms, but from the look of them they were locals and should be used to it. That car of theirs had Florida plates on it too, regular on the back and something about Sunny Palms on the front.”

  “My, my,” I said, impressed. “Observant little girl aren’t you.”

  “Hey, they were checking me out pretty good so I just did the same to them, that’s all. A girl never knows what a guy might clean up like.”

  I grinned at her.

  “And what’s the second reason, El?” I asked.

  “To cover up something else, maybe.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like a distinctive tattoo, perhaps,” she said and paused, looking at me with a tiny smile flickering at the corners of her mouth. “Or to cover up the fact they’ve only just arrived here and are just as pale as we are under those long shirt sleeves.”

  I stared at her in admiration.

  “Actors,” I said.

  “Actors,” she agreed smugly. “We’ve been under surveillance, Loverboy, and here I was, thinking it was just my Bikini that they were interested in.”

  “We’re assuming it’s them though, El, aren’t we?”

  “Yeah, Sandy, I agree. Except two out of place oddballs very definitely make one good possibility in my book.”

  “And I just love your possibilities,” I said with a grin.

  “Down, boy, keep your mind on the job at hand. So what do we do about this?”

  “Well, Sweetie, unless they’ve got this room bugged, which we know could be a very strong possibility, they don’t know yet that we’ve made them. My guess is they’ll show up somewhere else where we are. We can expect to see the same car too, I think. And what did you say that plate was?”

  “Florida,” she said.

  “No, the other one, Hon.”

  “I’m pretty sure that it said Sunny Palms.”

  “I wonder what that would be.” I said.

  “Let’s ask,” Ellie said. “We can go down to the front desk and see if they’ve ever heard of it.”

  An older woman wearing a name badge reading ‘Tara’ was manning the front desk when we got off the elevator.

  “Hi,” Ellie said, “I’m Ellie, er, Spicer, in room 312, and I wonder if you could help us. We saw a car license plate that said Sunny Palms and we wondered if you knew what it was. Is it a resort of some kind near here?”

  “Oh, good Lord no, dear. Far from it, in fact. It used to be quite nice at one time. Mainly seniors and winter visitors from up north. But somehow some of the local riffraff got themselves a foothold in there and all the nice folks moved out. Now it’s just a dump,” Tara told us.

  “Oh, what is it then?”

  “It’s a trailer park, dear, and a scruffy one at that now.” Tara laughed.

  “A trailer park?” Ellie echoed. “Is it far from here?”

  “Not too far away. Just up the coast a bit. It backs onto the Intra Coastal Waterway down by Palm Valley. It’s a nice spot ruined. Such a nice place it was too, such a shame. I used to go to the Bingo there on Friday nights, but I wouldn’t go near the place now, especially at night, and you shouldn’t either. There’s bad people and bad goings on in there now.”

  “Well, thank you, Tara. You’ve been very helpful.” Ellie told her.

  “You’re very welcome and you folks have yourselves a great day,” Tara called out to our departing backs as we made our way back to the elevator. We waited impatiently for the elevator. Why was it those things were always so damned slow when you’re in a hurry?

  As soon as we were back inside our room, I put my finger to my lips. Ellie nodded, as I pulled our collection of maps out of the dresser drawer and put them on the bed. We opened the Jacksonville area map up and soon found the place where Tara had mentioned. The trailer park wasn’t named on the map but there was an area shown that was probably where it was located.

  We decide to take a run out there and take a look at it in the morning.

  “They’re on the move,” the Butler said, looking at the GPS receiving screen. His brother looked over his shoulder.

  “I wonder where they’re heading to,” he asked the Butler.

  The Butler shrugged.

  “We’ll have to wait and see, won’t we,” he said.

  Fifteen minutes later Raphael knew exactly where Spicer and the girl were heading and they were almost there already.

  “Christ, Emilio, we’ve got to get out of here quick. I don’t know how they’ve done it but somehow they’re on to us. We’ve got perhaps ten minutes max. Let’s get our gear together and get out of here. There’s not much time. I don’t think we’ll be coming back either. Pa
ck for a complete withdrawal, okay?”

  They had barely left the park when they saw Spicer’s Jeep pull up outside the park office. From their position just down the street, they saw Spicer and the girl leave the Jeep and go inside the office.

  This was obviously not a chance visit. Somehow the brothers had been rumbled and it was not a good feeling at all.

  Now it was they who were at the disadvantage and it was time to move on. The Butler had promised to lead Spicer a merry chase and this was just the first leg of it.

  When they had gone into the trailer, they’d known it would only be a very temporary measure and they’d arranged for their belongings and equipment to be able to be moved quickly accordingly.

  In these situations they’d perform exactly as they would have done on a Delta Force mission. Be ready to move and change plans at a moment’s notice. Their lives would depend on their ability to move and to move swiftly.

  They now drove out to the airport, stopping at a service station along the way to clean up and change clothes. That was another thing in their favor. No one ever notices if it’s the same person who comes out of a restroom that went in. The general public is just not that observant and neither are the station attendants. They have better things to do than keep track of who uses the restrooms.

  When they got out to the airport, they transferred everything into their own car and abandoned the Pontiac in the long term lot. They even used that day’s parking ticket when they exited, to avoid paying the long term parking fee. To all intents and purposes they’d parked for just ten minutes and had changed their minds.

  Eventually the old Pontiac would be traced back to the trailer park, and then possibly also to the dead body fished out from the sea, but by then the killers would be long gone.

  Once they’d arrived at their next destination they’d contact Spicer again and pull him and his woman quite easily back into the net.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The Butler and his brother were gone. The trailer was empty and with practically no sign of them ever having been there. I guess we could have taken prints, but why bother. It would be pointless. We already knew who they were, but once again though, we had no idea where they were. We’d lost them again. But had they known we were coming or had they just been moving on anyway?

  We had no doubt at all we’d be contacted again by them soon, when they were ready. Until they did, there was nothing we could do but wait. We had the strong feeling, a sixth sense almost; they were no longer in Jacksonville. It was like when you enter a house and you just know it’s empty. You don’t know how you know but you know. It was that kind of feeling.

  We decided we’d capitalize on their departure, if that was the case, and enjoy a few days of our own in the sun. Believe it or not, we were even able to put the Butler out of our minds. We would deal with him when we heard from him. Until then, our time was our own to enjoy and we planned to do just that.

  We went out for a day’s deep sea fishing and spent a little time and a lot too much money, our money incidentally not the City’s, at the ‘La Cruise’ Casino, just up the A1A, near the Mayport Naval Station.

  We’d also decided to explore a little and decided to head back north a little for a couple of days. We really hadn’t seen very much on our approach to Jacksonville, being more intent on reading the road signs.

  Ellie knew I liked the country and living rough and she was okay with that up to a point. Her idea of really roughing it was to have to walk a couple of hundred yards to a McDonald’s.

  We left Jacksonville about mid morning, taking the bare minimum of stuff with us, just enough to last us a couple of days and then we’d be back. We left the rest of our stuff in the hotel room and advised the front desk clerk we’d be back in a couple of days. The girl, not Tara this time, wished us a good trip and a great day.

  Once we were outside Jacksonville, we headed over towards Hwy 94, where it connected to the 441. We pulled in near Fargo and found a friendly little place consisting of just half a dozen small individual cabins. It was located right on the Suwannee River where it entered the Okefenokee National Wildlife Reserve.

  A very nice elderly couple ran it and we were their only guests when we arrived. They offered us the use of a boat and motor, fishing gear and the use of a pair of old mountain bikes to roam around on if we felt like it.

  “Want you t’ feel at home, son,” the old man said as we thanked him, “don’t go shootin’ nothin,’ though. It ain’t allowed.”

  I didn’t tell him if I happened to come across a pair of murdering psychopaths, I just might have to break that law. Actually, I wasn’t quite sure how that would work out, since we hadn’t involved, nor did we intend to involve, any of the local cops. I didn’t intend to bring the brothers to justice either. If I got the opportunity, I would kill both of the bastards. I didn’t think either our Chief or any of the grieving relatives of their victims would want to see them languishing in jail. Only to be let out again after a few years for good behavior. Maybe they’d put on a few shows in prison to earn a parole.

  No, sir, if I got either of them in my sights, just for a second, it would be Bang, Bang, and Bye, Bye, Butler!

  With that happy thought in mind Ellie and I unloaded our gear and stowed it away in the cabin. Ellie said she was feeling very domesticated in her own little cabin and if I would just clear off and leave her to it for a while, she’d make us a nice dinner for later. On the way over here we’d stopped off at a Winn-Dixie and had picked up ample supplies, beer, steaks and all the trimmings.

  “Go for it,” I said enthusiastically. “If I can survive your cooking I can survive anything.”

  If I’d known just how prophetic those words would turn out to be I wouldn’t have even gotten out of the Jeep.

  “Want some help?” I asked in a tone of voice that clearly suggested helping was the last thing I wanted to do.

  “No, it’s alright, I can manage, and I don’t want you under my feet when I’m trying to cook, anyway.” she said. “Why don’t you go fishing or better yet, take one of those old bikes for a spin. It’ll do you good and build up your muscles, Babe. You need to keep up your strength. We can still wrestle up here, you know.”

  As usual, following such a remark, she gave me a saucy grin, which I returned, and I went out to check the bikes over. They looked old but on closer inspection it appeared to be more from ample use than old age. The tires were good and both bikes appeared to be in excellent mechanical condition.

  I went back inside for a ball cap since there were no helmets with the bikes and I told that I’d be back in an hour, no more.

  “Make sure you are,” she said. “I don’t want to be left here on my own too long and take the cell phone with you, just in case.”

  “Oh, shit,” I said, “The battery’s dead. I meant to charge it last night and I forgot. Be a doll and charge it up for me while I’m gone, Babe, please.”

  She nodded and smiled as I planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.

  “I’ll plan dinner for six and I’ll probably have a little nap as well. You aren’t the only one who needs to keep their strength up. It takes two to tango, you know.”

  “Or to wrestle,” I grinned as I went out of the door.

  Outside, I chose the bike that seemed to have the best saddle height for me, climbed aboard and wobbled away down the road. After a while I settled down to an easy, comfortable and steady rhythm. This is nice, I thought. I hadn’t been on a bike in years. I was completely alone and I hadn’t passed any other houses or buildings. It was very quiet and peaceful and just what I needed right now. I guessed the place we were at must be the last place along the river before the Okefenokee.

  After a half an hour or so, just to make a change, I swung off the road and started to ride across country for a while. I realized I’d be a bit longer than I’d told Ellie, but she said she was going to have a nap anyway and wouldn’t be missing me.

  In any case, I was enjoying this. Suddenl
y I came to an extra rough patch and rather than try to struggle through it, I got off and walked the bike for a while. My calf muscles were starting to feel a little sore and in shorts, my legs were starting to burn a bit too.

  I thought I’d go just a little bit further and then I’d head back to Ellie and her dinner. Actually she was a damned good cook and good at many other things as well. She was an excellent shot, a very good driver, played a fair round of golf and didn’t expect me to put the worm on her hook if we went fishing. She balked a little bit at taking the hooks out of the fish, though, especially if they’d swallowed it.

  I was pushing the bike along, thinking about Ellie and all of her many attributes but I really should have been looking where I was going instead of daydreaming, because I suddenly felt a sharp pain.

  When I stared down at the thing gripping my ankle, I was already in close to paralytic shock. I hate snakes! I always have. To me they are the one creature, not counting humans, of course, that epitomizes sudden and agonizingly painful death,

  The snake’s jaws parted as it dropped down and slithered slowly away into the rocks and stumps. I’d dropped the bike I’d been pushing when the reptile had reared and struck at me.

  Normally a snake like this gives you ample warning, rearing up and vibrating its tail bones at you. Not this one! I heard the rattle at same instant that I felt the bite on the inside of my ankle.

  I was suddenly more terrified than I’d ever been in my whole life before, when I realized that I was alone, miles from anywhere and I had no cell phone. It was dead and Ellie was recharging it back at the little cabin. I would very soon be dead myself since there was no way I could call anyone for help.

  I’d often seen movies where someone had to suck the venom out of someone else’s snake bite, even one quite funny one where the bite had been in the other guy’s butt. Unfortunately for me, I was alone out here and I didn’t have another guy to do the honors for me.