Chapter 22
Vision of Death
"Wow, that was some story," Candy said, shaking her head. "I’m sorry about your dog."
"Thanks. She was a great dog. . . But anyway, the funny thing is, the earthquake opened up the spring, and there was water once again."
"Does anyone else know about this place?" Candy asked.
"No, I don't think so. Nothing seems to be disturbed from the last time I was here. I doubt anyone has discovered it."
"Oooh. . . this is going to be fun."
Candy cuddled up next to Fred and laid her head on his shoulder. It was very dark and peaceful. "You know, I really didn't expect you to accept my proposal," Candy confessed.
"You didn't?"
"No. I thought you were hopelessly in love with Maria and I had no chance."
"You are very different from Maria."
"In what way?"
"Maria is great. She'd make a wonderful wife and a great mother, but she'd never be able to excite me the way you do. Every time I see you, I get so aroused it's difficult for me to control my passions."
"Who says you have to?"
"I can't make love to you every minute, babe."
"Why not?" Candy said as she put her arms around him and began kissing him passionately. The car swerved over the center lane toward an oncoming car. Fred pushed Candy aside and narrowly missed a head-on collision. "Hey, watch it! You're going to get us killed! Save that for later—when we’re safely inside a motel."
She laughed. "I’m sorry. I am just so excited. This the happiest day of my life."
"Mine too. I think we better find a motel soon so we can bring the day to a proper conclusion."
"Too bad we don't have some champagne."
"Well, if I were old enough, I would stop and get some."
"I just turned twenty-one."
"You did? Hmm. I wondered how old you were. When’s your birthday?"
"June 17."
When they got to the next town, they found a liquor store and a motel and settled in for the night—and what a night it turned out to be. Candy got exactly what she wanted, and she was a happy woman. The night was so great, in fact, that Fred almost forgot he was running for his life.
The next morning, the couple ate breakfast at a little café across the street from the motel. Candy called her friend Jenny and asked her to feed her cat, and then they continued their journey to Devil's Canyon. It was a beautiful day, and they were thoroughly enjoying each other's company. Fred hadn't decided exactly how he was going to break the news about the bank robbery to Candy, but he knew he had to do it soon, as it would not be long before they got to Devil's Canyon and his stash. Having procrastinated as long as he could, he finally addressed the issue. "Candy, have you ever been to Canada?"
"Canada? No, why?"
"How would you like to head on up to Canada for a while after we go to Devil's Canyon?"
Candy turned her head and gave Fred a funny little grin. "What are you talking about?"
Fred looked over at her briefly, returned the grin, and then continued his questioning. "If I had to go to Canada to avoid the draft, would you go with me?"
Candy frowned and hesitated before responding. "Gee, I don't know. How would we live?"
"Let's assume money is not a problem."
"Money's not a problem? Hmm. Well, in that case, maybe for a while, I could study acting in Canada, but after a few years I would need to get back to Hollywood or go to New York. Why? Have you been drafted?"
"No, but I can't go back to LA."
Candy shifted her body around toward Fred and gave him a puzzled look. "What?"
"I can't go back to LA."
“LA? You mean Los Angeles. Like home?”
“Yes.”
"Whoa! You’re full of surprises today. What’s happened?"
"If I go back to LA, I'll be arrested."
“Arrested? For what?”
“Bank robbery.”
Her eyes lit up like someone flipped a switch. “The San Bernardino heist?” she gasped.
He nodded. “I wasn’t in on the job,” he hastened to add, “but someone is trying to set me up. The thief left a bag of money in my car, hoping I’d get caught with it, I guess, so the Feds would blame the robbery on me and stop looking for them.”
“Holy shit, Fred! How much money are we talkin’ about here?”
“A million bucks and some change!”
Candy just looked at Fred incredulously. “Oh, my God! I can’t believe this. I’m speechless.”
"You've never been speechless in your life. Isn't this what you wanted? If I am a millionaire, you're a millionaire. Money will never, ever be a problem again—for either of us."
Candy's contemplated the thought of being a millionaire for a moment not knowing what to say. She was obviously stunned, but Fred was convinced she’d soon regain her composure. "But what if they find out you have the money?" she asked.
"They already think I have the money—all the money—all six, nearly seven million dollars. That's why we’re going to Canada. I figure we can just change our identities, and I could pose as a draft dodger."
"Aren't you worried I'll turn you in?"
"A little, but you must care about me some, or you wouldn't have handpicked me to be your, uh. . . . business partner. Besides, this is your dream come true, isn’t it? Why would you do anything to spoil it?"
"Okay, I'm game, but I don't want to go to jail as an accessory if something goes wrong. I never planned to do anything illegal—immoral, unethical, sure, but not illegal. I value my freedom more than anything."
"You won't be an accessory. As far as you know, we're going to Canada because I am a draft dodger, alright?"
"Alright. You sure there was a million dollars in the bag?"
"Yep. I counted it myself."
"Wow! This is so exciting. I feel like I’ve just won the lottery.”
"Wait until you see the money."
"Oh, so you stashed the money in Devil's Canyon?"
"Yeah. After I saw you Friday night, I went straight there."
Candy just kept grinning at Fred, barely able to contain her joy. "Oh my God! I can't wait to see it. Step on it!"
"We can't speed. We can't afford to get stopped by the Highway Patrol."
"Oh, yeah, you’re right. We've got to be careful, law-abiding citizens—at least until we get to Canada."
"Now you've got the picture."
They finally arrived at Devil's Canyon at about 2:00 p.m. It was fairly warm, probably near 80∘. Fred scanned the road into town and the hills around it for any sign they were being watched, but he saw nothing suspicious. They drove slowly through downtown and stopped the car at the picnic tables on the north side and turned off the engine. After they got out of the car, Fred looked at Candy in the light of the bright desert sun and froze. It suddenly dawned on him that Candy was the woman in his vision! "Oh my God!” he exclaimed.
Candy twisted around and looked at Fred anxiously. “What? What’s wrong?”
He laughed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just realized something quite amazing.”
“What?”
“Do you believe a person can see into the future?"
"Well, I don’t know. I haven't really thought about it that much."
"I’ve told you about my recurring dreams, right?”
“Uh huh.”
“I didn't realize it until just now, but I've seen you in my dreams—before we ever met."
"You have?"
"Yes. Remember I told you I was bitten by a rattlesnake here and went into a coma?"
"Right."
"While I was unconscious, I had a vision in which a beautiful woman and I were swimming in a spring not too far from here. I've had that same vision many times since then. It wasn't until just now that I realized you are the woman of my dreams—literally.”
Candy raised her eyebrows. "That’s bizarre."
"I know, but it's true. We were destined to be together."
At that, a naughty little smile came over Candy’s face. "Well then, I guess we better fulfill our destiny," she said with a provocative smile.
Fred frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, as I recall, your vision involved skinny dipping. It’s so hot, I feel like a swim, but I forgot to pack my bathing suit."
"Ah, yes, you’re right,” Fred agreed. “We must embrace our destiny!"
Taking Candy by the hand, he led her up toward the dam with joyful anticipation. After about a thirty-minute hike, they reached its base. The dam was overflowing, creating a small creek that wound its way toward the camp. They carefully negotiated their way up to the top of the dam and peered down at Crystal Springs. The landscape had changed dramatically in the last seven years since Fred had been there. The barren wasteland had given way to a tropical paradise. Cottonwood trees, monkey flowers, and ivy were abundant around the springs, and birds chirped endlessly. Mother Nature had created a wonderful oasis in the desert, just for them.
Candy stopped and gave Fred an appreciative look. "This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I can't believe we have it all to ourselves."
"I know. Isn't this incredible?"
Candy sat on a big boulder and began taking off her clothes as Fred watched with great interest and excitement. As she waded into the pool, she looked over at him, smiled, and asked, "What are you waiting for?"
At that, he ripped off his clothes and dived into the water. When he surfaced in front of Candy, she splashed water in his face and taunted him. He swam after her, caught her by the arm, and pulled her close to him. By this time, he had become so aroused that he must have squeezed her too hard, for she whimpered in painful joy. They kissed passionately as he stroked her sweet bottom and tender breasts beneath the sparkling water. Finally, she put her arms around his neck, wrapped her legs around his waist, and they made love to the rhythm of the desert wind blowing through the cottonwoods.
After their sexual cravings had been momentarily fulfilled, Candy strolled out of the water, looked around, and giggled. "We don't have any towels."
"I’m sorry. I hadn't planned on going swimming today."
"Well, aren't you glad we did?"
"Oh, most definitely," he sighed. “I guess you'll have to just lay out a little while and let the sun dry you naturally."
"Yeah, right. You just want to gawk at my naked body. I know you."
"You can't blame me, can you? I’m only human."
"Hmm. I guess I'll go over and sit on that rock. This place better be uninhabited."
"It is, don't worry."
After about fifteen minutes, they were dry and began putting on their clothes. When Fred was fully dressed, he walked over to the top of the dam to look out over Devil's Canyon. A familiar rustling sound in the bushes sent a shudder through him. He spun around and immediately spotted a large rattlesnake directly behind Candy. His heart skipped a beat. "Candy, don't move!" he whispered urgently.
She looked up. "What's wrong?"
"Whatever you do, don't move. There's a snake behind you."
"A snake!" she screamed and instinctively twisted around to look for it.
The snake, provoked by her sudden movement, viciously attacked her, biting her several times on the leg and ankles. She screamed and fell hard to the ground, holding her leg in agony.
"Oh my God!” Fred said as he ran toward her. When he reached her, he picked up a large rock and threw it at the snake. The rock stunned the slender beast, and it slithered away into the brush.
Fred’s mind was suddenly flooded with memories of his previous encounter with a rattlesnake at that very spot. "No! Please God! No! This can't be happening—not again!" he wailed.
Candy began to scream in pain as the venom began to spread up her leg. Knowing exactly what he had to do, he pulled out his knife and cut two small incisions across each of the bites. Then he sucked out the poison and spit in onto the ground. Candy squirmed and cried until the pain was so intense she passed out.
Once he had sucked out as much of the poison as he could, he picked her up and carried her two miles back to the car. He knew she needed to get to a hospital as fast as she could to get some anti-venom. He laid her on the back seat and put a pillow under her head. As he gazed at her pale face, he wondered where his parents had found medical help when he had been bitten.
In the glove compartment, he found a map and pulled it out. According to the map, the closest civilization was a town called Kelso, about fifty miles away. He couldn't go too fast on the dusty, bumpy road, as he knew that any jarring or movement of Candy's body would cause the poison to spread. Finally, he got to the main road and pushed the pedal to the floorboard.
It seemed like forever, but eventually he arrived in Kelso, California. The sign going into town said ‘Population: 1,337’. Still, he didn't know where in the hell they all were because the town seemed deserted. The only buildings of any consequence were a bank and the post office. Opting for the post office, he parked in front and ran inside. An elderly man was seating behind the counter. "Sir, my girlfriend has been bitten by a snake! Where can I get her some medical attention?"
"There are no doctors around here. I'll have to call in for a Medivac helicopter," the man advised.
"Please call them right now! She may be dying."
"Okay. I'll call right now."
As soon as the call had been placed, Fred went back out to the car to attend to Candy. She was still unconscious. Her body was cold and clammy, and her breathing was strained. They waited and waited for what seemed like an hour until the helicopter finally arrived.
Once on the ground, the paramedics emerged with a stretcher. “Where’s the victim?" the first paramedic asked.
"In the car," Fred replied.
"How long has it been since she was bitten?"
"About two and a half hours. I came for help as quick as I could."
"Where is the bite?"
"There are actually three bites, sir. There are two on her leg and one on her abdomen."
The paramedic examined the two bites on her leg. "It looks like someone rendered first aid."
"Yes, I made an incision on each bite and sucked out as much of the poison as I could."
"It's a good thing. She'd probably be dead if you hadn't."
"Oh, God, I hope she's going to be alright."
"We won't know until we get her to the hospital. Okay, let's lift her on the stretcher," he said. "You can come with us. They might need to talk to you."
"Thanks. Where are we going?"
"Memorial Hospital in Barstow. They have some good doctors there, and they have lots of experience in treating snake bites."
"Good."
The helicopter lifted off, and twenty minutes later, they arrived at the hospital heliport. The moment they landed, the paramedics rushed Candy into the emergency room, and Fred took a seat in the waiting room. How ironic for Candy to get bitten by a rattlesnake just as I did seven years earlier, Fred thought. Was this another act of fate?
Then, Fred recalled the dream and the terror he had seen in Candy's eyes. He hadn’t understood it until now. Why didn't I figure it out sooner? I should have known something bad was going to happen, damn it! I had been warned but didn't heed the warning.
As he sat in the waiting room, he realized he’d have to alter his strategy. He couldn’t flee to Canada with Candy critically ill in the hospital.
Maybe Canada would have been a mistake anyway. Perhaps I was jumping the gun in running. What if the FBI doesn't have anything on me? They certainly had ample opportunity to arrest me yesterday if that had been their objective. He didn't know what to do. His instincts told him to run, but logic told him that running would make it clear that he was guilty.
If I go back to work on Monday and act like I’m totally innocent, maybe I can beat this thing. It’s risky, but if I don't show up for
work on Monday, everyone will assume I am the bank robber, and I’ll spend the rest of my life as a fugitive.
The nurse walked in and advised him that Candy had been moved to intensive care. Her condition was stable, but she was still unconscious. Since he hadn't eaten all day, he went down to the cafeteria to see what kind of food was available. Two police officers were sitting at a table drinking a cup of coffee. Their presence made him nervous, so he grabbed a sandwich and a Coke and went straight back to the ICU waiting room. In the corner of the room, a small television set was turned on. It was nearly ten, so he turned on the evening news.
Midway through the broadcast, Fred’s attention was averted to a story on the Bank USA robbery. The correspondent was about to interview Agent Joe Harper of the FBI. "Agent Harper, does the FBI have any suspects yet in the recent bank robbery of Bank USA in San Bernardino?"
"We have a couple of suspects but nothing conclusive yet."
"Does the FBI think it was an inside job?"
"We don't know for sure, but it certainly looks that way. There was no forced entry, and the alarm system had not been activated. Unfortunately, the only person who could tell us for sure is dead."
"You're referring to Harvey Hamlin?" suggested the correspondent.
"Yes. Mr. Hamlin was found bound and gagged in the vault."
"Did he suffocate in there?"
"No. There is a ventilation system in the vault. It appears he had a heart attack from the stress of being tied up and gagged and left inside the vault for over two days."
"What are your plans now for continuing this investigation?"
"The FBI is working very hard to solve this mystery. Sooner or later, the perpetrator of the crime will make a mistake, and his or her identity will become clear."
"Thank you, Agent Harper."
Harper’s interview convinced Fred he should go back to work. He didn’t want to make the mistake Harper had eluded to in his statement. After the news, Fred’s fatigue finally overcame him, so he collapsed on the stiff waiting room sofa and closed his eyes. Within a minute or two he was snoring softly.
Uncommon Thief Page 22