The Butterfly Conspiracy

by James Nelson

  Everything had happened so fast, only Scott knew Stephen had tumbled out of the car and had run into the woods. Scott ran over to Joe. Blood was coming from his nose.

  Scott was furious. He glared at Joe, “I thought you tied him up?”

  “I did, I tied him up real good,” Joe said.

  Paulie laughed, “I told you, you didn’t know who you were dealing with. Next time you tie someone up, you dumb shit, check their hands. You could have driven a truck through mine.”

  Paulie looked around again. “Where the hell is the kid?” he yelled. He pointed the gun to Joe’s head. “You get me the kid or I shoot.”

  Scott took a step forward.

  “Stand back,” Paulie said. “I need that kid.”

  Joe was upset Scott thought it was his fault Paulie got loose. Joe took a flying leap towards Paulie. Paulie took a step back and fired. A bullet hit Joe and he crumpled on the ground.

  Jeanette watched as a jeep came over the hill and headed full speed straight towards the group. Jeanette recognized the vehicle as Uncle Phillip’s and Bobby was driving.

  Paulie watched as the car approached. He kept the gun pointed at the assembly and stepped backwards towards Scott’s car, which was still running. He jumped into the driver’s seat, punched the gas and sprayed gravel along the road. Tires squealed as they hit the blacktop.

  Stephen watched from a crouched position in the woods. As Paulie and the car drove off, Stephen emerged and rejoined the group.

  Bobby and Scott bent over Joe.

  “He took a shot to the shoulder, it’s bleeding pretty badly.” Bobby said. “We need to get an ambulance.” He jumped into the jeep and started talking on the two way radio.

  Bobby and Scott held a towel on Joe’s wound. After a few minutes, the faint wail of a siren could be heard in the distance.

  Paulie drove through Grand View, heading to his motel room. He knew the heat would be turned on now. He needed to find another place to lay low. Paulie slowly cruised past the motel complex looking for any sign of the cops. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Why should it, he thought. The kid and the rest of the group should still be standing on the side of the road. Paulie continued driving a mile past the motel and then turned into the entrance of a county boat launch. He parked Scott’s car in the middle of a group of trucks and boat trailers and walked back to the motel.

  As he approached, Paulie scanned the parking lot again. He unlocked the door to his room and pulled out his suitcase. He opened the closet and started pulling suits from their hangers. Paulie was reaching for his snake skin shoes when he heard a sound behind him. He turned to see the bathroom door swing open. Paulie pulled the gun from his belt.

  “Cool it, Paulie. It’s me, Moonie. I’m on your side, buddy, calm down. I’m here to help you.”

  Chapter 25

  Phillip was in his office when he got the call from Bobby that Stephen had been found. They were all at the Sheriff’s office, explaining what had happened. Phillip walked quickly over to Britt’s place.

  “Britt, Stephen’s been found. I’m headed to Grand View. Have Cora make something to eat in case Stephen is hungry when we get back.”

  At the sheriff’s office, Phillip heard about Paulie taking Stephen to the cabin. He heard how Scott, Jeanette and Joe were able to rescue Stephen. He learned how Joe got shot and how Paulie managed to get away.

  As they pulled into the driveway of Cliffside Manor, Britt came rushing out the front door. Stephen got out of the car. Britt ran up and threw her arms around him.

  “Oh, Stephen! We’re so glad you’re back safe and sound.” She pulled his head back and gave him a kiss. Uncle Phillip, Jeanette and Bobby all looked on in amazement.

  Stephen gently pushed Britt away. He wiped the lipstick from his face and stepped back with a puzzled look. Britt laughed and walked over to Phillip. There was an awkward silence before Phillip turned to Bobby and said, “I want you here around the clock and I’m going to hire another guard. We can’t afford to have him disappear again.”

  He turned to Stephen, “You must stay at Cliffside Manor at all times. If you go anywhere, you go with us as a group. Cora has put out something to eat. Let’s go to the dining room and try and get back to our normal routine.”

  After dinner, Phillip, Britt, Jeanette and Stephen retired to the trophy room.

  “Stephen, when you disappeared, I called your parents. I spoke to your father and it seems there was another reason you were sent away this summer, besides your girlfriend issue. I’m sure you don’t know this, but your father thinks his gambling may have been behind this problem.”

  “I know, Uncle. That creep Paulie told me what happened.”

  “Well, tomorrow I’ll call your father and arrange to have whatever money he owes paid so you’re no longer in danger.”

  Phillip addressed the whole group. “We all need to be very careful and not mention this to anyone. We have to keep this nasty business out of the papers. Neither Stephen’s father nor I need to have this kind of publicity. It wouldn’t be good for his reputation or mine.”

  Britt walked over to the cocktail table in front of Stephen and leaned over to freshen her drink. Her blouse was cut low and she seemed to linger until she made sure Stephen noticed.

  Uncle Phillip broke the silence. “Stephen, I received the call I was waiting for from California. I hate to leave you after all you have been through, but it looks like the funding is coming together for my next picture. I must take a few days and get this business wrapped up in Los Angeles.”

  “I understand, Uncle Phillip. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll be sticking close to home and I’m sure nothing else is going to happen.”

  Stephen turned to Britt, “Will you be going with Uncle Phillip to California, too?”

  “No, dear boy. Phillip wants me to go, but I’ve put Hollywood behind me and...” Britt paused, “someone has to be here to watch over you.”

  Phillip ignored her comment and looked over to Jeanette. “Now that Stephen’s home, can you call and make my plane reservations tonight. I’ll try to be back in three or four days. But for now, we’re celebrating your safe return. Let me get everyone another round of drinks!”

  Phillip went around the room and filled Jeanette’s glass, got Stephen and Britt another drink and handed Bobby, who was sitting near the door, a beer.

  The talk turned to Hollywood and how difficult it was to finance movies these days. Britt had everyone laughing when she told a story about how the grandson from a family known for ‘old money’ almost got kicked out of the will once his relatives learned he had backed one of her “B” movies with a million dollar guarantee.

  After a few drinks, everyone seemed to be loosening up from the unbearable tension of the last few days. Phillip was laughing hard at something Jeanette had said. Britt walked over and turned on the stereo. Loud music started pounding from recessed speakers. Britt walked over and tugged on Stephen’s shirt to get his attention and pointed across the room.

  “Look how relieved your uncle is, now that you’re back unharmed. Stephen, I know what you went through was harrowing, but Phillip was beside himself with worry.” Britt snuggled closer. “I hope you understand, he isn’t the only one celebrating your return.”

  Britt’s perfume welled up on Stephen. He felt her soft curves push close to him. The drinks had relaxed him into a mellow mood. Britt felt so warm next to him.

  “Thank you, Britt. I’m happy to be here safe and sound and in one piece. I just hope Joe is okay.”

  Uncle Phil walked over to the stereo and switched it off.

  “We’ve all had a very trying time these last few days. Since I have to be up early tomorrow morning, I’m calling it a night. Good night Stephen. Good night, Jeanette.”

  He turned to Britt. “Let’s go, Britt.”

  “Go? I don’t have to get up early. The party’s just getting started!”

  “I think you’ve had enough to drink, darling. Come along, now.”
Phillip reached for Britt’s arm.

  Britt made no attempt to get up. Phillip was visibly upset, but he controlled his emotions.

  “As you will, Britt,” Phillip stated. He wheeled around and walked out. An uncomfortable silence descended upon the room.

  Stephen stood up and said, “Yeah, I’m exhausted too.” He turned to Britt and Jeanette, “I’ll see you tomorrow morning for coffee. Good night.”

  Stephen left the trophy room while Britt was pouring herself another drink. Bobby stood guard just outside the door. Jeanette followed Stephen into the hallway.

  Chapter 26

  “How’d you get in here?” Paulie growled. The barrel of his gun was pointing at Moon’s chest.

  “Calm down, Paulie. I know the desk clerk. We’re pals. Put the gun down, will you?”

  Paulie didn’t move.

  “Like I said, I’m only here to help you. The skinny guy in the office works the picket line with me every Wednesday at Kahle’s place. I told him you and me was tight and he let me in.”

  Moon sat down on the edge of the bed. Paulie’s gun followed him.

  “The other night at the Freighter, I seen you follow Kahle’s nephew when he left the bar. The next day everyone’s in a panic because the kid didn’t make it home. I asked my friend on the picket line to keep an eye out and let me know if anything happens. Hey, can you put the goddamn gun down?”

  “Keep talking.” Paulie said, not moving the gun.

  “He gave me a call a little while ago saying Mr. Kahle just drove in with his nephew in the car. So I put two and two together and figured you might need my help just about now.”

  “And how is it you’re gonna help me?” Paulie asked.

  “Oh, that’s easy, but can you put the gun down? It’s hard to think when all I can see is the barrel pointing at me.”

  Paulie moved the gun slightly.

  “Okay, thanks. Now, where do I start? First, you ain’t from around here, and everyone can tell. You stick out like a sore thumb with them suits, your fancy shoes and the way you talk.”

  Paulie glanced down at his shoes.

  “We both know you grabbed the kid. So by now your rental car is hotter than that gun your holding. The cops will be swarming this place in a matter of minutes and you don’t even got a bicycle you could ride out of town on.”

  “And I ain’t using yours, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Paulie responded.

  “Very funny, you want me to go on?” Moon stood up. “The way I look at it, Paulie, you need a friend and you need one right away. Am I mean now, right now.”

  Paulie glared at Moon for a second and asked, “So what can you do for me?”

  “Plenty. We got to get out of here. You can bunk down at my place till the heats off. Then, for part of the action, I can deliver Stephen on a silver platter and you can get the hell out of Grand View with a car I get for you.”

  “No shit. Ain’t you the resourceful one? Just how much is all this friendship going to cost me?”

  Moon thought for a moment. He was trying to think of a number good enough to make it worth his while, but not high enough to piss this guy off.

  “Two thousand ought to do the trick.”

  “Screw you,” Paulie sneered, “you ask for two grand, that tells me you really want five hundred and you’d probably shit your pants if I gave you two bills.”

  Paulie took a menacing step towards Moon and pushed him back down in the chair.

  “I’ll tell you what, if you can do all the shit you think you can, you and me will be best buddies and I’ll throw you four hundred bucks for your trouble.”

  “Four hundred?” Moonie was not happy. This was not the kind of payday he anticipated, but then again, he was standing in a darkened motel room with a pissed off New York mobster holding a gun. Moonie decided his negotiating was probably over.

  “Paulie, you just got yourself a deal. Grab your shit. We got to get the hell out of here now.”

  Paulie resumed stuffing his suits into his suitcase. He didn’t take time to fold them neatly; he just crumpled them in, one on top of the other. He reached under the bed and slid out his butterfly collecting kit.

  “What’s that?” Moon asked.

  “None of you damn business, is what that is,” Paulie shot back.

  After ten more minutes of rummaging, Paulie had all his belongings packed and was ready to go.

  Moon said, “I’m gonna walk outside and make sure nobody’s hanging around eyeballing us.”

  Moon cracked open the motel room door and stepped out. He glanced around. A steady background noise of peeping frogs and chirping crickets was coming from the woods. The only other sound he could hear was a buzzing sound as the “T” in the “MOTEL” sign flickered on and off. Moon walked the whole length of the motel, front and back, to make sure no cops were watching the place.

  He returned to the room, pushed open the door and said, “Okay, let’s get out of here.”

  As they drove over to Moon’s place, Paulie said, “I never seen you in a car before. You’re always on a bicycle. I thought you didn’t have a car.”

  “I don’t. This is my neighbors. She fell down and broke her hip, so I take her car and buy her groceries. She gives me a few bucks. When I need the car, I can use it, but she doesn’t like it when I drive it too much, so mostly, I ride a bike.”

  They pulled up to a three story yellow brick building. Green paint was peeling off the window frames. Moon jumped out. “This is it.”

  Paulie grabbed his suitcases and they both headed for the door.

  “I’m up on the third floor.”

  “Where’s the goddamned elevator?” Paulie asked.

  “Very funny, this ain’t the city and there ain’t no elevator. We hoof the stairs.”

  Moon reached down and grabbed one of Paulie’s bags. Paulie and Moon grunted their way up to the third floor. Paulie thought the place smelled like a combination of old french fry grease and sour cabbage. They finally got to the landing. Moon’s room was the third one down, on the right. Moon put down Paulie’s bag and fumbled for his keys. The door swung open and they stepped in.

  Paulie looked around. Piles of clothes, magazines, bicycle parts and a pile of black feathers littered the room. Paulie threw his suitcases on the floor and grabbed Moon by both shoulders.

  “What kind of shit-hole is this?” Paulie shouted. “You want me to stay in this dump?”

  Moon’s eyes opened wide. “Hey, hey… calm down. Not so loud, you wanna upset all the neighbors? I didn’t have a lot of time to clean up my place for taking you in. Give me a few minutes and I’ll pick up some of this shit.”

  Moon motioned for Paulie to sit in a shabby green corduroy chair. Moon swept a pile of magazines off the seat cushion and picked up a dirty blanket that was hanging from the back of the chair.

  Paulie brushed off the cushion with his hand and sat down. Moon scurried around the apartment picking up assorted clothing and attending to scattered piles of clutter. He worked his way over to a card table set up under a window. He picked up a cup of cold coffee that was sitting next to a dead bird and headed to the kitchen sink.

  “What the hell is that?” Paulie called out from the chair.

  “Oh, just a cup of old coffee from this morning.”

  “Not the coffee, you asshole. What’s that shit on the table?”

  “Oh, that? It’s a crow. That other stuff is my taxidermy tools. I sent away for a home study course and I’m learning how to stuff birds and small animals.”

  Paulie said, “What!”

  “Don’t laugh. It’s a lot harder than I thought. Once I get the hang of it, I can make some good money around here as a certified taxidermist.”

  “Listen here, Norman Bates junior, I got a notion to stuff you for bringing me into this filthy garbage pit!”

  Moon ignored Paulie’s rant and continued to scurry around the room straightening things.

  Paulie got up from the chair and walked around the
room.

  “Where’s the bedrooms?”

  “There ain’t none. This is a rooming house and I only got one room. The couch pulls out and you can sleep there.”

  “With you?” Paulie asked. “I ain’t sleeping with you.”

  “No, you get the bed and I’ll sleep on a sleeping bag over there on the floor.”

  “Where’s the bathroom?”

  “It’s down the hall. I share it with the other people who live on this floor.”

  Paulie shook his head. He needed to grab the kid as soon as possible and get the hell out of this dump.

  Moon tossed a pile of papers into a can under the sink.

  “Why don’t you get settled in? You can hang up your clothes in my closet. I’m gonna run up to the store and pick up some beer and cigarettes.”

  Once Moon left, Paulie took the opportunity to examine Moon’s small, cluttered room more closely. He could hear a television set playing from the next room and a radio was on a few doors away.

  Paulie walked over to the table near the window and looked at the dead bird and taxidermy tools. He bent over the table and saw there were actually three bird corpses. All appeared to be failed attempts to be stuffed into any recognizable forms. Piles of cotton and stiff wires were sticking out of them. They were twisted in grotesque shapes and one appeared to be turned inside out. Paulie stepped back and coughed. There was a strong chemical smell combined with a whiff like the birds were starting to decay.

  Paulie noticed a phone mounted on the wall by a small refrigerator. Maybe he better check in with Al.

  “Al, Paulie here.” There was silence. “Al, you there?”

  Al growled into the phone. “You got the kid, right?” Paulie could tell Al was not happy.

  “Well, I had the kid…”

  “Had the kid? What the hell’s going on Paulie, the boys…”

  Paulie interrupted. “Yea, I had the damn kid but his pals busted him out. I shot a guy and the heats on. I had to find a new place to stay. That’s why I’m calling. We, I mean, there’s a new plan and I should have him back by tomorrow or the next day.”