The Wager

by Rosemary I Patterson PhD

  "I'd better take the next well-lit, RV sign, Darling," he told Gloria.

  "Edgar's Roost, " Gloria shouted several minutes later. Gus pulled off the highway onto a narrow road and slowed to make sure Tyler and Malcolm had followed. The phone on the dashboard rang. Gus picked it up.

  "Inferno to Hollywood 1."

  "Hello Inferno,"

  "Don't go into the RV spot," Tyler warned. "Whoever that was they would expect us to be in one."

  "Roger Inferno." Gus passed Edgar's Roost. He drove on for another half an hour and then spotted a white church with a fairly large parking lot. Gus pulled in and parked around the rear of the church. The others parked beside him. They were not visible from the road.

  By dawn an increasingly anxious Norm Dixon had checked out every RV access off the southern and middle sections of the Coastal Route of Oregon. The package of meat in the passenger seat had started to smell.

  "I'll have to go back to the air," he sighed. "Hope

  Broughton has enough money to pay for this." Norm pulled over and checked out his map again. He headed for the closest airport that looked big enough to have a plane rental.

  Gus stepped out of his bedroom and nearly stepped on a slumbering Linda Daniels in the aisle of his motorhome.

  "My God, Malcolm's still not sleeping with Linda," Gus shook his head in disbelief. "Newport," he said to himself. "Three quarters of the way through Oregon. He glanced at Malcolm Brooks, snoring slightly on the bed. " Malcolm, I'm going to go for it."

  By the time Gus had checked on the dogs and given them a run in the churchyard Gloria and Linda had breakfast cooked. Gus ordered everyone to take their food with them and get back on the road.

  "We seem to have been lucky," he told them "but I'm not taking any chances. Going to head back over to the freeway now."

  "If that fellow is still following you're going to drive him nuts," Tyler laughed.

  By three p.m. Norm Dixon had flown all the way down to the Mexican border. He was now thoroughly exhausted and depressed as there had been no sign of the motorhome and the cargo trucks on the Coastal Highway.

  "They've vanished into thin air," he cursed. "And I've run up a small fortune in plane and pilot rentals." The package of fresh meat he was carrying with him was now smelling pungently. The detective felt desperation taking over his mind. He forced it to be still.

  "The freeway," he sighed as he realised the convoy must have headed back onto it. "I'll land for the night, charter the pilot for the next morning and find a doctor to take care of my seat and foot before I develop gangrene." The large detective was feeling awful.

  He told the pilot to land at the nearest airstrip and chartered him for the next day. Desperation forced him to think out a contingency plan if he was not able to locate them on the freeway the next day. His desperate mind worked out a possible solution to the problem.

  "They have to come to the border sometime the next day after tomorrow or the one after," he realised. "That worker in the funeral home said that his boss always uses the Nogales border crossing. They'll likely stop for gas and Mexican car insurance at a station and Mexican insurance sales before they go across. All I have to do is watch for them just before the border. I can contact the American Border guards if I have to. They'll cooperate if I can assure them two fugitives are hiding in those trucks. But I have to be sure."

  Later in San Francisco, Gus pulled into a large Walmart parking lot for the night. Tyler and Malcolm pulled in beside him.

  "Walmart lets you stay for free in their parking lot," Gus explained as the others parked beside him and trudged into the motor home complete with their dogs. Even the dogs seemed tired. They slumped obediently on the floor.

  "That fellow will never think of finding us in a Walmart." Tyler laughed. "How about we let Bea and Turk out of that tin can for a while."

  "Good idea," Malcolm seconded.

  "There's a dining room across the street," Honey Pratt pointed out the widow. "How's about we'all go and have a decent meal for a change?"

  Tyler nodded enthusiastically and Gus gave a weary OK.

  "We'll bring back some burgers for the dogs."

  Bea and Turk blinked their eyes as they looked furtively around the large Walmart. The sunlight coming through the

  windows was in sharp contrast to the semi-darkness of the cargo truck.

  "I have to act fast," Turk told Bea as he searched for the hunting and fishing section of Walmart. "They're expecting us at the restaurant across the street. He located the gun section and quickly purchased a hand gun. The he and Bea hid the weapon in Turk's coffin inside the large truck. They both ran across the street to the restaurant. Turk's mind was on the man pursuing them.

  "Got a funny feeling that fellow hasn't given up!" Turk warned his friends as they all ordered steaks, drinks and desert. Bea ordered a Lava Flow.

  "Think the switch back and forth between the highways threw him off," Gus replied.

  "For how long?"

  "We'll do it again. In the morning. I'll switch back to the coastal route for the run into Los Angeles."

  Gus told the group that they would stay in Los Angeles for the next night and then head to the border through San Diego and Tucson. Tyler told them that the border at Nogales would require them to get automobile permits for one hundred eighty days and that they would be stopped a second time at the Federal Inspection Point, about twelve miles into Mexico, where the permits and baggage would likely be inspected. He told them they would have to pick up Mexican automobile insurance before they went over the border.

  "We'll stop at one of the RV camps for the night and then get the insurance, gas and head into Mexico in the morning," Gus decided.

  Gus had made certain that he sat next to Linda. Malcolm watched with growing concern as Gus engaged Linda in private conversation. He was paying much too much attention

  to her and Gloria was taking the opportunity to chat with him. Malcolm was finding it difficult to follow Gloria's conversation and monitor Gus's interaction with Linda at the same time. When Gus asked Linda to dance and she agreed Malcolm felt himself growing more and more apprehensive. Tyler and Honey took the opportunity to dance as well and Malcolm was left with a chatty Gloria, Bea Broughton and a visibly worried Turk O'Brien.

  "I'll join you in the motorhome tomorrow," Gloria informed him. His worst fears had been confirmed. "Gus says he wants to have a long talk with Linda. About the dogs."

  "Uh, thanks but I need Linda to keep an eye on Trump. He's still pretty restless and I don't want him interfering with my driving."

  "Trump can join her in the truck with Gus," Gloria replied as if the switch was a done deal. Malcolm realised he had to do something drastic or Linda was going to be propositioned by Gus and Gloria was going to hit on him. The thought sent him into a fury.

  "Linda can take care of herself," Malcolm tried to reason through his anger. "But look what happened to Blanche," some part of his mind warned him.

  "That was thirty years ago," another part shot back.

  Gloria got up to dance with Turk and Malcolm was left alone with Bea Broughton. His thoughts about Linda and Gus continued to whirl through his head. He had difficulty thinking about anything to talk to Bea about. He was too busy staring at Linda and Gus on the dance floor. They seemed to be having a great time. When the band switched into a Tango and Gus aggressively manoevered Linda through some very sexy moves Malcolm felt himself losing complete control of his emotions.

  "Too bad about your engagement ending, Malcolm."

  Malcolm stared at Bea.

  "It's for the best," he reassured her. "Monica and I are not suited at all. She loathes animals and I like to have them constantly around."

  "I understand. Your ex-wife Blanche felt the same way as Monica, you know. She simply didn't understand why you had to have all those pets. That's why she left you."

  "That's why Blanche left me?" Malcolm couldn't believe his ears.

  He had always assumed that it
was because he was an inadequate lover. And that she had discovered that fact when Gus managed to seduce her.

  "Yes. Didn't she ever tell you that she was allergic to fur and animal dander?"

  Malcolm gasped. Bea was blowing his mind. He was suddenly thrown back to memories from thirty years ago. When he searched his memory, he recalled Blanche complaining time and time again that his pets were causing her asthma attacks. Malcolm realised that he had not paid any attention to his former wife's objections to his animal collection. Malcolm realised he was having a long overdue fash of insight into the reason behind his wife leaving him.

  "My God," he confessed to Bea. "I just kept telling her to get allergy shots. I guess I'm not a very good listener."

  "Oh well, that's all water under the bridge," Bea sighed as Turk and the others came back to the table.

  By the time everyone reached the motorhome and Bea and Turk had returned to Tyler's cargo van, Malcolm was overcome with a strange mixture of emotions. His mind was spinning.

  "Bea must be wrong. A wife wouldn't leave just because of your animals. No, it was because of Gus."

  Fury took over Malcolm's mind.

  "I'm not going to let what happened to Blanche happen to Linda," he vowed. "I guess Bea is partly right. I never listened to Blanche's concerns about my animals and she got even by taking Gus as a lover."

  "My God. I wonder what Linda has been trying to tell me and I haven't been listening." Malcolm forced his memory to recall his interactions with Linda over the years. He recalled the way she looked into his eyes when they were having deep conversations and the small gifts she had always left on Christmas and his birthday. Insight finally struck Malcolm as he realised that Linda must have had a crush on him for many years.

  "She's been trying to tell me but I haven't been listening."

  Malcolm went over to the sink in the galley of the motorhome, pulled out a small blue pill, gulped it down with a drink of water, waited until everything was quiet in the van and Linda started to get up from their bed to pull out the air mattress. He intercepted her as she started to crawl over him and pulled her close. To his surprise Linda did not put up any resistance.

  "She loves me," Malcolm decided. Her body relaxed as he kissed her firmly on the mouth and her body folded into his. Malcolm could feel his own body reacting as Linda deepened their kiss. Malcolm moved into a deeply penetrating kiss. Linda responded in kind. Malcolm moved his hand behind Linda's seat and started to massage her in sensual areas. He was amazed at Linda's response. Before long Malcolm was reaching to undo Linda's pajamas and slide them off her. He caressed her breasts and stomach with his mouth.

  It was Linda that finally inserted Malcolm into her. She

  moved on top of him and found a rhythm that made him gasp. He managed to withhold ejaculation long enough to satisfy Linda and then released himself with a passion that surprised himself. Linda withdrew and he cuddled her close. Her tears dropped onto his face to his surprise.

  "If you only knew how long I've wanted you to do that," she told him as she held him close. Malcolm felt strange, warm vibrations around his heart.

  "She needs me," he decided. It's been half a lifetime since I've felt like this," he said to himself in shock.

  "I'm so sorry," Malcolm confessed. "I'm not a very good listener, am I?"

  "No, you're not."

  "I'll improve. I promise."

  The next morning as Gus came out into the aisle of the motorhome Linda was still laying naked and entwined with Malcolm. Both their sets of pajamas were lying crumbled in the middle of the aisle. Gus smiled broadly as he took a closer look at both of his friends sleeping soundly.

  "Finally," he said to Gloria as he retreated into the motorhome. "Finally we've got those two together."

  "It's about time," Gloria responded, laughing loudly. "I was beginning to get a complex from Malcolm's continued rejection."

  Gus got back into bed with Gloria.

  "If we have to wait for them to wake up we might as well do it too," he laughed. "Good idea!" Gloria pulled her husband of many years firmly against her.

  The motion of rocking shook the motorhome and the sound of chanting reached them from the bed above the driver's seat. Gloria realised that Tyler and Honey Pratt were having some kind of sex in the cab of the truck.

  "That's everyone here, finally," she thought with a huge feeling of accomplishment. She wondered about Esther Goodenough and Art Malones. "The bet will have to be split at least four ways."

  "You're an incorrigible matchmaker," Gus accused his wife as later they dressed for breakfast. "How many marriages are you responsible for now? I should make a movie about you."

  Chapter 27.

  The Unthinkable.

  CHAPTER 27. Los Angeles.

  Gus pulled into a large RV campsite just ahead of Los Angeles. He waited until Malcolm and Tyler had pulled the motor home and the other cargo truck into adjoining campsites and switched off his ignition. Everyone spilled out onto Gus's picnic table as Tyler went to pay the camping fee this time. No one noticed Norm Dixon pull into an empty campsite at the other end of the large lot. He had spotted the convoy from the air that morning, managed to catch up to it by noon with a powerful rental car, and followed just out of sight for the rest of the day.

  "Too bad I can't see what's happening over there from here. I'll just have to wait till they all go to sleep," he decided. "And this time, I've got the solution to those cursed dogs."

  Keith Dixon fondled his latest detective toy. It was a stun gun, designed to knock out humans without harming them. Keith lowered the charge by adjusting a setting. He thought about the fury of the Afro-American woman who owned the Pitbull when he had stepped on her dog's throat.

  "Don't want to kill the little darlings, just put them to sleep for a while. Don't want that women coming at me again."

  One hour later, as the distant lights of Los Angeles refecting on the clouds illuminated the camp ground, Gus tied Bourbon to his usual position behind Tyler's truck with

  Bea and Turk hidden inside. He tied Trump, this time, to the back of the truck he and Gloria were driving and allowed Cleo to enter the motor home to sleep beside Linda and Malcolm.

  Norm Dixon waited until midnight to make his move.

  "They'll all be asleep for sure by now," he thought.

  The detective limped slowly but steadily through the park moving out of sight when any of the lights were on in the camping vehicles, positioned himself carefully above the parked convoy and glared at the Pitbull tied to the back door of one of the trucks. The dog looked like it had picked up his scent. It was growling and staring at him from the truck it was guarding. Norm placed the butt of the stun gun against his shoulder, fired the silent weapon and watched with a sense of satisfaction as the dog slumped to the ground, his red ball rolling out of his mouth as he hit the pavement.

  "He'll be out for half an hour," the detective mused. Can't see that Doberman from here but I'll take care of her later if nothing is in this truck.

  Norm moved confidently down to the back of Tyler's truck. Bourbon never moved. The detective smiled as he looked at the unconscious dog.

  "Still breathing, I wouldn't want any trouble from his owner when she realises what I did to her dog."

  Norm put down his stun gun. He moved to attack the padlock on the door with his bolt cutters. As he seized the padlock, a gust of wind moving in Trump's direction gave the already suspicious animal the scent of the large detective. The large Sheep Dog recognized the scent of his former adversary and went wild. He lunged as hard as he could and the leash attached to the back of the second vehicle snapped. The dog rushed in the direction of Norm Dixon's scent.

  Norm dropped his bolt cutters as Trump's heavy breathing alerted him to his danger.

  "God, it's not the Doberman," he thought as he turned and Trump knocked him to the ground. "Christ it's Malcolm Brook's Sheep Dog again." Sharp teeth bit into one of his arms as he desperately tried to crawl toward his
stun gun. Norm's intense fear of dogs fired up even more and desperation gave him unusual strength. He managed to pull himself to his feet, dragged the sheep dog forward with his arm in its mouth, withstood the pain and grasped desperately at his stun gun. He fired the gun at Trump at close range with his one free arm and hand. The dog slumped to the ground next to Bourbon.

  The detective's heart pounded fiercely as the lights in the motor home suddenly shot on.

  "That damn dog and its barking!" Norm Dixon grabbed his stun gun and limped back to his car as fast as his heavy, damaged body would allow.

  "Damn!" he cursed. As he reached his rental car Norm pulled the keys out of his pocket and jumped into the front seat. His arm as well as his foot and seat were burning from the dog bites. He sped out of the RV site and headed toward the freeway. Despair lit up the detective's heart.

  "The Border," he muttered. "I'll have one more chance to intercept them at the Mexican Border. Maybe this time I'll use a real gun on those dogs."

  Back at the campsite an anxious Linda Daniels was examining Bourbon and Trump as Gus and Tyler carried them into the motor home. They placed them on the table that Malcolm had recovered from him and Linda's bed. Honey Pratt looked on with great anxiety.

  "I'm going to kill that cretin," she vowed.

  "They're both breathing," Linda assured Honey and Malcolm.

  "There are no marks on their bodies," she added.

  "Likely used a stun gun," Malcolm figured out.

  "The Bastard!" Honey exclaimed.

  "You're likely right, Darling," Linda announced. "In that case they'll be all right. Should wake up in half an hour or so."

  "We'll wait," Gus assured them.

  "What about that intruder?"

  "Won't be back anytime soon," Gus figured. "Likely that Detective again. Has to be sure Bea is with us before he notifies the authorities?"

  "I'll kill him if he tries this again," Honey Pratt repeated, her arms around Bourbon.

  "What about unconditional love?" Tyler reminded her.

  "To Hell with unconditional love; should have killed the fat cretin the first time he stepped on Bourbon's throat."