The Final Shortcut (23 page)

“I will, I’ll be in touch. Goodbye.”

“Good Luck.” Jenkins hung up and quickly dialed the number to his superior. This was the first break in six months and the crime was only a few days old. All they needed now was a little luck.

By mid morning Ray had faxed Jenkins all the information he could possibly need. The Elberton City planning office was more than happy to help him, anything to eliminate the criminal traffic at the market. He found out that the local police had asked for federal assistance several times in the past, so his presence was a welcome sight. And being the professional that he was, he soaked up all the hospitality he could. Meanwhile his grateful tenders were telling him more information than he could have gained in a week of knocking on doors. He left their office with a keen insight and a fresh resolve to break the case.

Now it was time to get back to work and knocking on doors was exactly what he needed to do. Somewhere in the triangle from Brayton, Kitty City, and Bontonville was the answer. And something in the back of his mind told him to find out more about Fudd

Most of the early morning crowd had left Ellen’s by the time Clyde pulled in for his daily visit.

“Hello ladies.” Removing his hat he greeted them all before moving to his regular seat at the end of the counter. Ellen already had a cup of coffee waiting and she met him with a kiss. “Hello again, nice to see you too.”

“Good morning, you’ve got perfect timing this morning, I’ve got time for a break.” She grabbed the stool next to his and slid up close.

“You’re feeling good this morning.”

“Yeh, it’s been a good day so far. You?” she leaned up waved for more coffee.

“It’s been good for me too, no problems. I saw Junior’s light on when I drove up. Is he in his shop?”

“Uh huh, he’s been there since early this morning. He got some new leather and some other skins at the market.” One of the girls poured Ellen a fresh cup and left the pot. “You should let him know you’re here if you want to see him, you know how he is.”

“Yeh, turn your back and he’s gone. You want to get some dinner later?”

Ellen smiled and kissed him again. “Why don’t you just fetch something back to your house and I’ll meet you there?” Clyde smiled and squeezed her hand. “It looks like we’re about to get busy. Let me go, call me later?” She gulped some coffee stood straightening her apron before kissing him again.

“I don’t see any customers.”

“Yes but you didn’t see the church bus that just pulled into the side lot.” With a wave she was off to greet the guests that beginning to amble in. Clyde made short work of his food, anxious to chat with Junior. Before the busload of hikers from the Antioch Baptist church could take over the restaurant, he stole away to Junior’s leather shop.

“Hellooo.” He walked around the counter to the work area and found Junior marking out a pattern on a large piece of pale leather. “Hey, what you got there?”

“Calf skin, supposed to be from Spain. Pretty huh?” Junior didn’t look up from his work. “I got a bunch of other skins too, snake, shark, suede and some dyed cowhide. I thought I’d use some other material for variety, spice up my inventory.” Junior moved to a sitting position on the floor facing Clyde.

“Why not, what are you going to make with that?” He crouched down and felt the soft calf leather.

“I’m going to start with a couple wallets and see how they turn out.”

“Well, I’m sure they will be beautiful just like everything else.” Clyde stood up and leaned against the workbench behind him. “You got all that at the market?”

“Yeh, you know I always scour the market pretty well. I got something for you too.”

“Really? What?”

“I ain’t gonna tell you.” Junior smiled waiting for a response.

“Oh, you’re gonna make me wait for it. Is that it?” Clyde was already getting excited about getting a surprise.

“Yeh, it something that will help you write on the computer without typing. I‘ll have to set it up for you but I know you‘ll like it.” Junior leaned into his work again and studied his pattern. “I want to cut out some projects first. I’ll drop by this afternoon.”

“That’ll be great, I wanted you to look at my computer anyway, well Rosa does. She says I need more memory somewhere. She left a note about it.” Clyde shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave. “No typing huh? I can’t wait to see that, I’ll talk to you later Junior.” And with a wave he left, stopping for a moment to look at the leather goods. There were a lot of empty spaces in the normally cramped display cases and he couldn’t wait to see what Junior would make to fill them.

Chapter 16

Cell phone technology has taken over the communications industry and every smart traveler had one. But through the high peaks and dense forests of the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, a CB radio was a trucker’s best friend. It was still the best way to get local directions and the best places to eat. A lot of four wheelers carried radios too, though most of them just listened and never talked. But not Tim Duff, he loved to talk big on the radio pretending to be a trucker. Mostly to the amusement of his wife Karen and their two girls Keisha and Tonya. In their brand-new 26-foot RV they were at the end of a long weekend trip, returning from a funeral in Tennessee. Tim was trying to clear the air and cheer up his women after a very depressing trip.

“That’s a big 10-4 pal, we’re sick of looking at this blacktop and we want to see some nature. We appreciate the info about the restaurant too. Over.” Mike talked loud and tried to fake a mountain accent.

“Back at you pard, and the next time you unpack your CB you might remember that Over went out with disco…Gone.” The friendly voice had left them all laughing, Tim’s charade discovered.

“Ok. Thanks again…Bye.” He turned to his still laughing wife and asked, “So, are you ready to stop and take a break?”

“Yes, please,” still chuckling, “We’ve been driving since before daylight, it’s almost two o’clock now, don’t you think?” She raised her eyebrow and pointed to a road sign that read Bontonville Exit, five miles. “Isn’t that the exit he was talking about, with the shortcut through the mountains?”

“Yes, the restaurant is what I was interested in, that shortcut would take us well out of our way and I ….” Tim could see a sudden shift in her mood. “What?”

“Nothing!”

“Yeesh! A nothing like that is definitely something. What is it?” He knew it was time to listen and not say another word.

“Well, we’ve been four days with this camper and we haven’t slept or ate in it once. We stayed at Grandma’s house all weekend and we’ve been eating fast food the rest of the time. I bought food for us to cook and camp, isn’t that why you brought this big ass thing to begin with?” Karen stared straight ahead through the windshield, more than a hint of irritation on her face.

“Ok….” Tim looked at his wife and then at his two girls, eight and six, then back at his wife before picking up the CB mike again. “Break… somebody help me…help me find a place to park a big ass camper for the night….C’mon.”

Karen looked at him and a teary grin crept across her face. “For the night? What about your schedule?”

“Screw it. One more day won’t hurt anything.” Tim smiled and grabbed her hand. A voice popped on and directed them to get off at Bontonville. Then head a few miles on the side road to a family campground eleven miles further on.

When they turned off the interstate, a short stretch of bumpy pavement jarred Tim’s backbone and it reminded him how fatigued they all were. He decided they would stop now if only to gas up and stretch for a moment. The first big truck stop seemed like a logical choice and he wheeled in. A smiling teenager with greasy hands ran up and offered his services. Tim gladly told him to fill it up and give it the full service. “Girls, why don’t you go inside and freshen up while I check the oil and the generator, lamps, all that camping stuff, ok?”

“Ok.” She gave him a kiss and took off. He lifted the access doors to check his gear. After a few minutes the teenager at the pump looked around and spoke.

“There’s a nice clean campground ‘bout ten miles toward Cole. Sure to be room for one more.”

“Thanks, anything closer? Maybe more like wilderness?” Tim was hoping to get away from a crowded campground and out in the woods.

“Well, you can register with the Ranger station and take off into the dismal areas, but that’s further away than the campground. Truth is… lots of folks just camp in the national forest. Unless you’re causing trouble, building fires or shooting, the Rangers don’t bother you.” He smiled as he put away the gas hose.

“And where is that?” Tim heard his wife call from behind him as the teen was trying to speak.

“Just down the road the way you were headed and turn right on a dirt road. Not the first one next to Ellen’s place, the second one a few miles down, toward the national forest. It‘s not marked until you get closer.” He stepped up to clean the windshield leaving Tim to answer his wife.

“What did you say?” He called out to her barely listening to the attendant.

“I said the girls just had to have a stuffed bear and some fresh honey. Are you ready to go?” Her mood was already much brighter and they all climbed into the RV ready for a little fun. Tim paid the teen and drove off, the young man calling something after them that Karen couldn’t hear. “What was he saying?”

“He was telling me we could camp in the national forest area close by, but no open fires.”

“Great! You know where it is?”

“Yep, he said to go down to the first dirt road on the right next to Ellen’s Place toward the national forest.” Tim smiled and patted his wife’s hand. “We’re going to have a little fun this weekend if it kills me.” They both smiled and drove easily down looking for the cut off. Only a couple miles along was a dirt road to the right next to Ellen’s Place,

“This must be it….and away we go.” Tim turned off and was surprised to see a large semi using the road. “Must be a popular cut through, I wonder where the National forest is?” They drove a short way past a driveway on the left with a mailbox that bore the name ‘Baumann.’ Then a bit further on, a road to the left looked inviting. Tim veered off and followed it for a short time before pulling over to stop.

“What is it honey?” Karen asked.

“I think this is the place, but I don’t see any signs or anything.” He looked around carefully, unnerved by the sudden change in surroundings.

“Isn’t the National forest kinda desolate on purpose? Did the kid say there were facilities?” She persisted, beginning to think they may be lost.

“He said it wasn’t marked until further on, and he said something about a dismal area? Whatever that means.” Tim shifted into reverse and looked over his shoulder preparing to turn around. Karen laughed and put her hand on his shoulder.

“Well then, there’s not supposed to be anything here. Dismal is what Park Rangers call a natural area left as nature intended it. So maybe you did hear the directions right for a change.” She laughed again, hoping Tim would take it as a joke.

“Ha ha ha…I don’t always get us lost…and how do you know so much about the wilderness?”

“I was on the backpackers club in college…remember? We went to eleven different backwoods areas in two years.” She looked particularly pleased with herself.” If you get into trouble, I’ll be right here to save you.”

“Well as long as we’re here smart-aleck, let’s find a place to camp.” Tim put the RV into drive and moved on another half mile and turned right. The roads were well maintained. He felt assured they were in the right place. About half a mile down, the road took a sharp turn and there was a large tree lying across it. He had to back around the corner and slowly look for a suitable place to turn around. A slightly used roadbed on the driver’s side was a perfect place, but he had to back past it and pull into it forward. He paused for a moment and looked around. “Hey Daniel Boone, what’s wrong with this place?”

“Well, it’s pretty, and not too far from the main road….we wouldn’t want to get turned around….” She couldn’t help but grin so she turned her head from him.

“I’m not that bad! We got lost on that one trip….”

“Four times.”

“Three… ok.. Four…. But…” He looked at her and started to laugh. “We can just park right here. I see a nice level spot over there under a big tree, ok?”

“Ok love, you can be the big outdoors man and cook with fire.” She leaned over and grabbed his hand, “Thanks for stopping, I think it will do us all a lot of good.”

“So do I… but if I use the grill does that count as fire?” He parked under a large oak tree just thirty yards off the road. Keisha, the older girl, was the first one out quickly followed by her sister and their mother.

“Girls, hold it right there! Before you go anywhere we need to make a few rules.”

“Oh Mom!” The girls grudgingly returned to her side and were given a lecture on safety in the wilderness. Once they learned that there were wild animals about, they were more than willing to stay within sight of the RV. By the time she was finished, Tim had leveled the camper and was already unpacking the grill. “Why don’t you leave that for later? It will take it so long to heat up, I can have lunch ready in ten minutes inside.” Karen walked up close and smiled as she talked. “Isn’t this nice….and quiet. Listen. You can barely hear any traffic.”

“Yes it is. Looks like no one ever comes here.” He turned and hugged her close. “I should set up some lights and the awning, make it a little homey.” Before turning her loose he kissed her deeply. She held him tight for a long moment and whispered.

“You might have to protect us all from the boogie man. I might have to hang onto you all night.” When he stepped back, he held onto her hand.

“You know it get dark early in them thar hills. It could be a long night, Ma’m.”

“I hope so.” She gave him a little wink and turned to go inside. He smiled widely, thinking to himself what a good idea it was to take another day off. Then he set about the task of unpacking the accessories. “Girls don’t wander off too far. I’ll take you walking after I set this up.” He had a table, an awning and an assortment of lights and bug zappers. While he was uncovering the generator he thought he saw a small cabin on the side of a nearby hill. It was mostly in the shadows and it hadn’t any lights. “Wonder what that is, maybe a bathroom.” The generator sparked to life and he soon had everything set for the night. “Girls, come on back now. After we eat, I’ll take you exploring.” They quickly returned ready for a good meal. It was nearly three o’clock, another couple hours before dusk. Soon the long shadows would start to streak the hills with dark eerie fingers of gloom. And with the colors of autumn, the chill in the air, Tim thought this would be a good night for some stargazing.