The Wager

by Rosemary I Patterson PhD

  "You Son of A Bitch! You turned Blanche on when I was too occupied with business and then when you dropped her she went off with one of my business rivals."

  "I thought we settled all that years ago," Gus protested. "And look at all the lovelies I've sent your way over the years in reparations."

  Malcolm's anger suddenly left him as fast as it had hit. He thought of him and Gus's long friendship.

  "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

  "Face it Malcolm. You're jealous of my interest in Linda."

  "Maybe I am?" Malcolm tried to make sense of his sudden anger fare. A huge mixture of emotions was upsetting his usual calm.

  "Look Malcolm," Gus told him. "Because of our friendship I'll give you a while to think this out. But only until the

  middle of the next state. I'm telling you. I'm really interested in Linda."

  Gloria and Linda interrupted the conversation as they returned. They were startled to find the two men in deep conversation.

  "What's up?" Gloria demanded.

  "We're trading places with Malcolm and Linda."

  Gus got up from the table and handed the motorhome keys to Malcolm. Malcolm gave the keys to the truck to Gus. He limped over to the motor home. Linda rounded up Trump and Cleo and followed. Gus, Gloria, Honey and Tyler gathered up their dogs and went over to their remaining vehicles and got in.

  As they sat down in the second cargo truck and Gus started up the motor to follow Tyler out, he thought of Malcolm and placed his hand on his forehead.

  "Malcolm is a dolt," he said to his wife of many years.

  "What's he done now?"

  "It's what he hasn't done. That moron doesn't seem to know that Linda is crazy about him. Has been for years, apparently."

  "He doesn't appreciate us older women. Can't get beyond the attraction of young things, apparently."

  Gus shook his head.

  "I don't think so. If you ask me, it's more likely that Malcolm is afraid of older ladies that possess both the looks and intelligence of his ex-wife."

  "That's very perceptive of you Darling. Thanks for giving us older ladies credit."

  "You deserve it, believe me."

  "You could be right. Malcolm's dates all these years have certainly not been rocket scientists."

  Gus told Gloria that it took a lot of self esteem to date someone as attractive and intelligent as Linda. That he figured Malcolm had never got over his wife Blanche leaving him and that he bet Malcolm had some kind of inferiority complex that he could not shake. Probably about his prowess in bed.

  Gloria whistled.

  "My God. I never suspected that. The man is handsome enough and his wealth certainly would act as an aphrodisiac of some sort."

  "I'm going to come on strong to Linda and see if I can get Malcolm jealous enough to do something about it? You don't mind, do you?"

  Gloria looked at her husband oddly.

  "Anything I can do to help?"

  "Come on to Malcolm. Maybe you could give him some confidence that an attractive, intelligent, older woman would actually appreciate him."

  Gloria laughed. She did not want to tell her husband that she had been doing exactly that for years.

  "Gus's conclusions must be wrong," she thought. "Actually I think Malcolm's just into revenge. Showing off with all the young things to goad his ex-wife."

  "All right Dear, if you insist."

  By nightfall the three vehicles had reached the border of the first state. Tyler drove into a RV park just before the state border and shut off his motor. Gus parked into another spot and left room for the motorhome in the centre. He went to pay the camping fee before the owner realised the number of dogs present in the vehicles. The rest of the crew with the exception of Bea and Turk moved into the motorhome. Bea and Turk had been instructed to stay put no matter what.

  Turk groaned as he reached into the hidden food supply

  and pulled out cereal bars, potato chips, and canned vegetable juice.

  Bea comforted him.

  "Don't worry. We'll make up for it in Mexico."

  "Could have left some ale," Turk complained?

  Back in the motor home, Linda, Honey and Gloria started heating up food in the kitchen. In a few minutes they could hear the joyous barks of the dogs as Gus, Malcolm and Tyler let them all out for a run near the river. By the time the food was ready the men had finished walking the dogs and returned. Gus secured Bourbon to the back door of Tyler's truck and Cleo to the back door of the truck he was driving. He brought the other dogs over to the picnic table by the motorhome and doled out their evening dinner from a large bag of dry pet food. He made sure that Cleo and Bourbon had their share as well as a large bowl of fresh water.

  Conversation was limited inside the motorhome as all were weary from their long drive. Gus decided to assign the beds.

  "It's an early start tomorrow," he encouraged the others to hit the hay. "Gloria and I will take the back bedroom with Gigi and Inuvik, Tyler, you and Honey will have to climb up on the bed over the cab and Malcolm, this table folds down into a double bed. Trump and Inferno can go in the back of the trucks."

  "What about Bea and Turk? I'll take some food over for them."

  "No," Tyler ordered. "I've left a supply of dry food and liquids in a hidden place in their truck. We can't take the chance of raising suspicions."

  Shortly afterward Linda found herself in bed with Malcolm. They were even physically touching each other as

  the bed was quite small. She laughed to herself as a slight snore alerted her that he had fallen asleep the moment his head had hit the pillow.

  "I must be daft," Linda mused as she realised that she had been hoping for just such a situation as this for the last ten years. To make things even worse a slight rocking of the van told Linda that Honey and Tyler were making love in the bed above the driver's seat. Minutes later Linda clenched her teeth as she realised she was becoming physically aroused. The feeling became quite intense.

  "It's Malcolm's physical presence so close," she mused. "Now what am I supposed to do. Wake everyone up as I take a cold shower?"

  Linda tried shifting positions, removing covers, scrunching herself into the wall below the window, thinking of anything but Malcolm, reviewing her childhood, counting to ten thousand, revisiting her mother's funeral in her mind,

  but nothing stopped the tormenting sexual arousal that was striking her.

  Outside Tyler's truck, from the picnic table of an adjoining campsite, Norm Dixon was eying the Pitbull tied to the back door of one of the trucks. The detective had broken every speeding law in the book and had managed to catch up to Tyler's Thomson's convoy just before they had pulled into the RV campsite.

  The dog seemed to be aware of his presence. It was facing him chewing one of its red phosphorescent balls.

  "All I've got is intuition," Norm warned himself. "But I'm willing to bet Bea Broughton is in one of those trucks. It's best if I grab her before we reach Mexico. It would be far less complicated to take her back from this side of the border to that care home and pick up my money. I'm going to have to get inside those trucks and fnd out."

  "Maybe the dog doesn't remember me," Norm thought hopefully. "But I'll try the other truck first. He got up and moved slowly over to the other truck beside the motorhome. Cleo gave out a sharp, warning bark. Norm retreated and moved toward the first truck. Bourbon did not bark but his eyes followed the large detective's every move.

  "I've got to stop being afraid. The dog is quiet now but he'll react if he senses my fear."

  Norm cautiously approached Bourbon. The dog still did not seem to be reacting, just chewing its red ball. The detective took a deep breath and decided to push his luck. He slowly moved further toward Tyler's truck and spotted the padlock on the back of the door. He reached for his bolt cutters. Bourbon waited until the detective was within his range and was reaching for the lock. He spit his ball out of his mouth and grabbed the detective by his right foot. His teeth sank
through the leather of the detective's shoe and he bit deep into the foot. It was the same foot he had chewed on before. Norm muffed a scream as he could feel the stitches which still had not healed pulling out.

  Norm desperately tried shaking the dog loose with his leg. Bourbon hung on tight. Blood was now pouring out of Norm's shoe. Norm kicked the dog as hard as he could with his other foot. The Pit Bull held on even more tightly. Norm desperately tried to pull his foot out of his shoe. There was a flesh ripping sound. Intense pain seared through Norm Dixon's mind and his foot suddenly came free from the shoe. Norm was sent sprawling on to the concrete pad with a thud. Fear helped Norm pull himself up and he turned to make it back to his car. However Bourbon spit out the shoe, and grabbed the seat of Norm's pants before he could get out of his range.

  "Christ," Norm smothered a scream as the Pitbull sank

  his teeth into the flesh of his seat. He could feel the stitches from the attack of the large bird at Malcolm Brook's yard pulling out.

  "Oh no," Norm realised as he managed to pull his seat free but felt his flesh rip out in the grip of the dog's teeth in the process. Bourbon's jaws were firmly locked on the cloth of his pants and boxer shorts. The dog pulled him down to the road. In deepening desperation Norm reached for his belt and unzipped his zipper. His pants and Boxer shorts were pulled down in a fash. The now, a half-naked detective leaped clear as the Pitbull was hanging on for dear life to the pants. The bleeding detective realised he was going to have to sacrifice his pants. He placed his hands on his genitals to protect them from the dog, moved away from the truck and frantically lumbered towards his car as fast as his bulk, and his damaged bleeding foot plus rear end would allow.

  Cleo was not as quiet as Bourbon when he saw the detective moving toward his car in a running limp. She let out another sharp bark as the detective passed her truck. Norm placed his jacket around his naked and bleeding lower half, threw himself into his car as he reached it, ignored the burning pain from the dog bites, turned on the engine, reversed and headed out of the campground.

  "I should have brought some fresh meat to distract the dogs," the detective cursed. " Damn, I'll have to go get some as well as shorts, pants, a first aid kit and some shoes. It's the only way those dogs will let me close."

  "Where the Hell am I going to find meat, pants, Boxer shorts and a first aid kit at 12:00 at night?" Norm realised through sharp burning pain and the frantic thumping of his heart that he was going to have to find some pain killers and something to calm his nerves as well.

  Linda heard Cleo's barks through the haze of sensuality that was striking her. She realised that Cleo only gave that kind of bark when an intruder was present.

  "I better take a look," she realised. Linda moved carefully over Malcolm ignoring her instinctual urges to fling herself on him and managed to get to the floor without disturbing him. As she quietly opened the motorhome door, Linda spotted the headlights of Norm Dixon's car leaving the RV park.

  "That's odd," she thought. Linda quietly crept out the motorhome door and went over to Cleo. The dog panted rapidly and she gratefully licked Linda's face. She barked and looked anxiously over at the campsite next to the truck. Linda could see the embers of a fire in the campsite fire pit.

  "What's going on?" Gus's voice suddenly startled Linda. He loomed up beside her dressed in his robe and pajamas.

  "I heard Cleo bark and came to investigate."

  "There's a fire in that campsite next to us."

  "Right, I saw the lights of a vehicle leaving when I opened the motorhome door."

  Gus looked toward the second truck.

  "What's Bourbon doing? Looks like he's got something he's shaking around."

  Linda and Gus walked over to Bourbon.

  "I'll get that out of his mouth."

  Linda walked up to the thrashing pit bull. She gave him a massage on his back and patted him until he managed to calm down. She worked her hands around his mouth and tugged on the object. Bourbon opened his jaws suddenly and the object sprang loose. Bourbon whined.

  "What's that he's chewing?"

  Gus put his flashlight on the object.

  "Someone's pants and boxer shorts!" he said in absolute astonishment. "They've even got their belt attached."

  Then the light caught Norm Dixon's shoe. Gus picked up the items ignoring Bourbon's pleas for him to give them back.

  "Pants, boxer shorts and a shoe." Gus reached into the pockets but nothing was in them.

  Gus's fingers felt something wet. He placed the light on the objects.

  "Blood! God, someone must have been trying to get into the truck and Bourbon chewed them up."

  "We had better get out of here right now," Gus decided. He went back to the motorhome and Linda could hear him rousing everyone to get up. She took Bourbon into the front of one of the trucks, praised him for chasing off the intruder and then went back to the motorhome to dress herself.

  Within ten minutes Gus had the two trucks and the motorhome back on the freeway and approaching the state border. He was now leading the way in Tyler's truck and as they passed the state line he headed off the freeway toward the Coastal route, slowing slightly to make sure that Tyler and Malcolm had followed.

  "Whoever that was won't think we switched highways," he said confidently to Gloria next to him in the cargo truck.

  In the motorhome Linda was having a battle with herself. Despite what had happened she realised that Malcolm's physical presence so close was still sexually turning her on. One part of her mind wanted to finally confide to Malcolm that she was attracted to him. Another was telling her that she was going to make a complete fool of herself if she did. Instead she told Malcolm what had happened outside.

  "Whoever that was must be half naked and bleeding," she ended with a laugh. Malcolm joined in the laughter but then changed the subject.

  "We've got to stop sleeping together in that small bed," Malcolm confided. Linda's mouth fell open in shock.

  "My sentiments exactly!" she replied.

  "I need to raise my lower leg higher. I can't even get a pillow in between you and me."

  "Wait till the others fall asleep, I'll move onto the floor." Linda's hopes shattered.

  "Next time we stop for gas, I'll pick up an air mattress for you."

  "Thanks."

  "You were uncomfortable, too?"

  "Yes, too cramped," Linda lied, glad that she had not revealed her true feelings.

  Back in Tyler's truck Turk O'Brien and Bea were wondering what was going on. Turk moved forward and knocked on the window between the cab of the truck. Honey Pratt shoved it open.

  "What's going on?"

  "Cleo woke Linda up. Seems there was someone trying to get into your truck. Bourbon must have stopped him. Chewed him up quite a bit by the look of it. Left his pants when the dog wouldn't let go I imagine and his shoe. Linda saw the car lights when whoever it was left the campsite."

  "Maybe that detective?"

  "Likely."

  "Damn!"

  Tyler broke in to say that Gus had shifted them all to the coastal route to throw the fellow off if he came back.

  "Can you stop at the next town? I want to pick up a gun."

  "No way, Turk," Tyler warned. "You can't take those things across the border."

  "At least stop and get us a couple of coffees."

  In his mind Turk decided to secretly try and get hold of a weapon any time they stopped.

  Honey Pratt nodded. "Sure, Sugar, it must be like a sensory deprivation tank in there."

  Three hours later Norm Dixon's heart nearly stopped as he drove back into the RV campsite only to discover his fugitives gone. He roared around and moved back onto the freeway with a vengeance.

  "Good thing this is a powerful car," he thought. And that all night general store and gas station sold pants, boxer shorts, shoes, meat and a first aid kit. Norm stepped on the gas and quickly reached thirty miles per hour past the speed limit. He tried to ignore the irregular thumping of his h
eart and the pain in his seat and foot. He realised that he was thoroughly traumatized at the ordeal he had gone through.

  "Can't be any cops on duty this time of the night," he said to himself. "A good thing that general store guy didn't question me about what happened to my pants and shoe? Believed me that some dog had attacked me for no reason. A good thing I had my wallet in my jacket pocket. And the jacket to cover my chewed up ass. Hope I don't get some god awful disease from those bites." Norm bit his lip to ignore the pain as his bandaged foot was still throbbing and his disinfected, bandaged seat was still burning from Bourbon's attack.

  By dawn the frantic detective admitted to himself that either the rigs had pulled off somewhere again or they were not on the freeway.

  "I'll need a plane to find them," he realised. He pulled over to the side of the freeway and took a look at a map of the state. He was an hour from a major airport.

  "Surely there's a pilot and plane I can rent. I've got to get possession of that woman before they go over the border."

  By noon he had covered the entire freeway to the California state line and all of the RV sites within ten miles of it. Norm was oblivious to the serenity and wild beauty of the area.

  "They must have switched highways," he concluded. The pilot landed at a small field to refuel again and Norm directed him to fly to the Coastal Route. By three o'clock he was half way through Oregon on the Coastal Route when he spotted the convoy.

  "That's them," he yelled to the pilot. "Where's the nearest landing spot with a rental car agency?"

  The pilot told him it would be about twenty minutes flying time. Norm motioned him to go for it.

  "Newport," Norm looked at the map. "They are near Newport. I bet they pull off before dark. They'll be three-quarters through Oregon." Norm reached for his package of fresh steak.

  "Those dogs ain't going to turn away from this," he thought confidently.

  CHAPTER 26.

  Second Stage.

  By dusk Gus figured out that he had better find somewhere to stop for a while. He was starting to go to sleep at the wheel. The landscape was getting hard to see.