Jack had insisted that they take both full cases of MREs, leaving him with only the contents of the freezer and whatever vegetables he could wrangle from the garden. He made them promise to take his large supply of deer jerky, which was vacuum-packed in one-gallon bags. Of all the things Jack gave them, Ben was most grateful for the jerky. It would keep well, probably last them until they reached Colorado if they rationed it, and provide a much-needed source of protein on the road, not to mention that it would help break up the monotony of the freeze-dried and dehydrated meals that had become the staples of their diet. A few pieces of jerky thrown in with the rice while it cooked would go a long way toward boosting morale and their energy.
Jack felt bad that they couldn’t take more from the chest freezer, but in this heat, it would be a wasted effort to pack more than a day’s worth of frozen venison. On the morning of their departure, they would take a small amount of the meat with them in one of Jack’s old coolers. But even packed in ice, in this heat, the top layer would be thawed and ready to cook by the time they found a place to camp on the first night.
They were also careful to leave an easily accessible spot open for Gunner to ride close to Joel and Allie behind the seats. The Jeep sat pretty high off the ground with its thirty-five-inch tires and modified suspension; there was no need to make it any harder for Gunner to load up into the vehicle than it already was.
The best way in for the sometimes-nimble dog was up and over one of the two front seats rather than through the small tailgate, thanks to the swing-away tire attached to the bumper. The full-size spare and rim weighed a fair amount, and the whole setup took a good deal of effort to operate. Besides, with the hitch-mounted cargo carrier loaded with water and fuel containers, it was no simple task to access the Jeep through the back. That also allowed them to pack the truck tight with gear all the way into the back and make it so Gunner wouldn’t have to climb over everything to get in.
The Jeep had aftermarket seats that sat up off the floor, and there were big open spaces underneath, which were perfect for packing with odds and ends. Ben found an old holster of Jack’s that fit Joel’s 9mm and zip-tied it to the underside of the driver’s seat. It would be a more comfortable place to keep the gun while Joel drove and would ensure that it remained easily accessible. The locking console between the seats also had a good amount of storage potential while leaving plenty of room on either side for Joel’s AR and Allie’s shotgun.
They also decided to put together a second roadside toolkit just in case. Ben hated to think about it, but if they were somehow separated, it would be a good idea for Joel to have his own tools. For that matter, he intended to fit the Jeep out so it had everything Joel and Allie needed to survive on their own. Of course, Ben would take a bullet before he willingly separated the group, but it didn’t hurt to plan for the worst. He had no intention of letting them out of his sight for a second, but he knew all too well that things didn’t always go as expected.
Chapter Seven
Ben pulled the Blazer back into the outbuilding for the afternoon. They could resume outfitting the vehicles later, when the temperature returned to something more reasonable. As he backed the truck into its spot, he noticed how much room they had made just by transferring Joel’s and Allie’s things over to the Jeep. Maybe they wouldn’t be as tight on space as he originally thought.
Joel closed the big overhead door once the Blazer was inside and proceeded to help Jack lock the place up while Ben gathered a few things they were taking inside with them to sort through later.
“Let the generator run for a little while. I want to make a little extra ice to pack the cooler for your trip,” Jack said. With the outbuilding secured, they made their way across the dead grass to the house. Anxious to get out of the sun, they moved as quickly as they could, but not too fast—for Jack’s sake. Even the dogs moved slowly as they laboriously climbed the steps to the house. Panting heavily, they reached the door first and stood with their heads down, waiting to be let inside.
The little bit of spark Ben saw in Jack earlier was gone, and he reluctantly accepted Ben’s help to navigate the last couple of steps to the porch. Ben felt Joel’s watchful eye as Jack struggled the rest of the way across the deck to the house.
Joel had to know there was more to the story, right? He was a smart kid, and Ben didn’t believe for one minute that Joel was completely buying Jack’s excuse for not coming with them. The younger kids, sure, but after the trip here there was no doubt Joel understood the odds of his mother making it back here were slim. But what could Ben do about it?
Ben expected the house to be stuffy and hot but was pleasantly surprised when he stepped into the dark, cool kitchen. A side benefit of leaving the generator on was that the house’s air-conditioning unit was running. The thermostat said eighty-two degrees, but it felt ice-cold compared to the sauna-like conditions they endured outside.
“Oh man, that feels good.” Joel stopped under one of the ceiling vents and let the cool air wash over him. They could hear Allie talking in the other room, but as they rounded the corner, Ben couldn’t see anybody. The curtains were pulled closed to keep the sun at bay, and Ben’s eyes took a second to adjust.
“You guys look worn out,” Sandy said.
“Thanks for turning the generator on. I hope you don’t mind. I have the icemaker going,” Allie added.
“No, not at all. That’s why I have it running, actually.” Jack leaned against the wall.
“What are you guys doing?” Joel asked.
“Packing for the trip,” Emma said. Ben’s eyes had now fully adjusted, so he glanced at the various piles of stuff scattered around the room. He hoped they weren’t trying to take all this with them.
“We’re trying to get it down to just these two bags.” Emma looked at Allie. “Right?”
“That’s right, Em. We’re getting there.” Allie smiled. Ben was surprised by Emma’s response to the nickname. She’d never really cared for the nickname that he was aware of, but she seemed happy about it now, judging by the smile on her face.
“You look hot, Dad. You too, Joel.” Bradley walked over and felt his dad’s shirt.
“It’s really bad out right now,” Joel answered.
“That’s why we’re taking a break until it cools down, buddy. We got a lot accomplished, though,” Ben added.
“Yeah, we did pretty good considering I did all the heavy lifting.” Jack laughed but let go of the wall as it turned into a deep cough and he nearly doubled over. He started down the hallway to the bedroom before he had fully recovered. Sam got up from her dog bed when she heard Jack coughing and approached her owner. Sam wasn’t the only one who was worried; everyone went silent, afraid to address Jack’s health.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for a cool shower and a nap. Make yourselves at home.” Jack paused at his bedroom door at the end of the hall and turned to look at Ben.” Do me a favor and turn that generator off in a couple hours, will you? The keys to the outbuilding are hanging by the back door.”
Ben nodded. “Sure thing, Jack. Get some rest. We’ve got it covered.” Ben was worried about Jack, but he didn’t want to show his concern, afraid the kids would press him for information. If they found out the real reason Jack was staying behind, Ben wasn’t sure how they would take it. Maybe if they knew the truth, it would force Jack’s hand and he would have no choice but to come with them to Colorado. The kids would surely insist that he join them on the trip, knowing what fate awaited him here, alone. Jack wouldn’t be able to say no to them, or would he? But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t Ben’s place to tell them, and it would be going against Jack’s wishes.
“I think I’m going to get cleaned up, too,” Joel said.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea, as long as the generator’s running,” Ben agreed. He’d grab a shower when Joel was done. No point in passing up the opportunity while they had it. There was no telling when they’d have these luxuries again once they left Jack’
s.
Joel headed upstairs and Ben took a seat in Jack’s big leather recliner. It felt good to sit in the big, overstuffed chair and take a load off his weary feet. He wished he wasn’t all sweaty, but to be honest, it felt so good to relax for a minute that he didn’t care. He slipped his boots off as he watched Emma and Allie resume their attempt to organize Emma’s bag. It did his heart good to see them sitting close to one another, and he could tell the two were bonding.
Ben wasn’t worried about Bradley so much. He had a big brother to look up to, but he had never been more grateful for Allie than he was right now. Sandy was a welcome addition, too; although she was no replacement for the kids’ mother, it was good to have her here nonetheless. Sandy seemed more than happy to chip in and help out wherever she could, but that made sense, based on Allie’s personality alone.
Ben caught himself dozing off, and he fought the urge to sleep. He wanted to clean up and make sure he turned off the generator like Jack had asked, but he was afraid that if he gave in and slept, he might not wake up until much later. There was still a lot to do tonight, and as nice as it was to stay at Jack’s and regroup, they were only putting off the inevitable. Maybe they should try and get on the road tomorrow after all.
The possibility of leaving tomorrow afternoon and driving during part of the night when it was cooler was appealing and would be easier on the trucks. But Ben decided against that when he thought back to John and Christine, the couple on their way to the Air Force base in Glendale, Arizona. They were trying to avoid the heat of the day, and where did that get them? The couple and their daughter were lucky to escape a near-collision with nothing worse than a bent tie rod. For a moment, Ben wondered what had become of them and if they ever found their son. Had they even made it to Arizona?
The risk wasn’t worth it. They needed to stick to the plan and travel during the day. It was hard enough to make out highway signs as it was. With the way the weeds and tall grasses were growing along the roads, it wasn’t going to get any easier as time progressed. They were just going to have to take their time and go easy on the trucks when they could, although that worked better in theory than in reality. Once they were on the road and underway, the inclination to push themselves and the vehicles in an effort to get home as fast as possible would be hard to resist.
On the way east, Ben worried often about the Blazer and counted himself lucky to have only suffered a minor setback with the alternator. A second vehicle was necessary but doubled their chances of a mechanical problem. They certainly couldn’t count on finding another Vince or another town as friendly as Cloverdale the next time something like that happened. The hospitality extended to Ben and the others there was, unfortunately, the exception in the world they lived in now.
Chapter Eight
“Dad… Dad. Joel is out of the shower if you want to get one, and Allie and her mom are making lunch.” Despite his best efforts to stay awake, Ben had drifted off to sleep in the big recliner.
“Are you hungry?” Bradley shook his shoulder again.
“Oh yeah, thanks. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Ben glanced at his watch and saw that, thankfully, he hadn’t been out long, although he felt like he could have used the rest. He heard Joel heading down the stairs, and the thought of having a shower and changing his clothes was enough motivation to get him up and moving again.
“Has anyone checked in on Grandpa?” Ben asked.
“I went to get him for lunch, but he was fast asleep, so I let him be,” Sandy answered from the kitchen. “Lunch is ready, by the way.”
“Thanks, but I’m going to get cleaned up first. Just save me a little,” Ben said.
“All yours.” Joel breezed through the living room, and the fresh scent of soap filled the air, making Ben feel even dirtier. He hurried upstairs and took a quick shower. As refreshing as the cool water was, there was too much he wanted to accomplish to linger any longer than necessary. He also didn’t want to let his guard down, and he felt like that was exactly what he was doing at the moment. The others weren’t as vigilant at keeping an eye out for trouble, and while Jack was sleeping and he was upstairs, Ben felt a little uneasy. While someone would have to be crazy or desperate to try something in this heat, some of the people they encountered on their journey so far were a little of both.
Ben wasn’t familiar with the town of Berlin, Maryland, or the people who lived around these parts, but he had no reason to believe it would be any different than the other places they’d seen. Jack had mentioned a few neighbors and friends who all seemed to have each other’s best interests at heart, but Ben wasn’t naïve enough to think that there weren’t some people around with less-than-good intentions. And he couldn’t help but feel like they were advertising the fact that they had supplies while the generator was running.
The house sat a little way off the road, but without a crop of tall corn as a buffer, Ben wondered if someone could hear the generator from the road. It was a nice convenience and the air-conditioning felt great, but he would feel better once it was turned off. Jack’s willingness to splurge on resources for their benefit was kind and a little morbid considering what Ben knew. Nonetheless, it made him nervous.
Ben wandered over to the big double window in the bedroom as he finished putting on a fresh T-shirt. Parting the curtains at the center, he squinted as the light blasted him in the face. He immediately felt the heat through the glass while his eyes adjusted, and he scanned the road in both directions as far as he could see.
He no longer felt guilty for assuming the worst about people, and being a little paranoid was healthy these days. He closed the curtain tightly, cutting off the shaft of light that penetrated the dust-filled room. Tucking his pistol into the holster, he headed downstairs to eat but decided to secure the generator before he had lunch. All the kids were in the living room, engrossed in a card game, and only Emma bothered to look up and acknowledge him with a smile. Sandy was cleaning up in the kitchen and had just finished dumping a load of ice into the bucket.
“Feeling better?” she asked.
“Lots.” Ben smiled as he grabbed the bucket. “I’ll be right back in. I just want to turn the generator off and get this in the cooler.” The sound of the door opening drew both dogs’ attention, and within seconds, they were through the kitchen and out the door. He reached back in and grabbed the keys before closing the door and sealing the heat out of the house. It felt just as hot as it had before they quit gearing up the Jeep. The dogs were less enthusiastic now that they were outside, and they seemed to regret their decision to tag along as they lagged behind Ben through the brown grass.
Was it this hot in Durango? As thoughts of clear, running streams and high desert forests came to mind, Ben decided it likely wasn’t. Oh how he missed the fresh air and open spaces of the Rocky Mountains. He felt claustrophobic here. He always had, even before all this, when he and Casey had visited Jack, and the oppressive heat and humidity only added to that feeling. Once they returned to Colorado, Ben might never leave again, if he had his way.
He unlocked the door and let the dogs in first. It wasn’t cool inside the building, but it was out of the sun, and that was a relief. Sam found what was left of the water Joel had set out for them earlier, and she drank heavily while Gunner waited for his turn. Ben felt his way along the wall as his eyes adjusted once more to the darkness. He flipped the kill switch on the generator and thrust them all into a welcome silence.
He had no intention of staying outside any longer than necessary, and after he dumped the bucket of ice into the old chest freezer, he started for the door without wasting any time.
“Come on, guys,” Ben called to the dogs. Sam was still drinking and Gunner, clearly disappointed that he didn’t get his turn at the bowl, reluctantly turned to follow Ben. Sam looked up from the bowl, spilling water all over the floor where she stood staring at Ben.
“Come on, Sam. There’s plenty of water inside.” Sam finally started moving toward the door at an impossibl
y slow speed while Ben impatiently waited for the dog to exit so he could lock the door again. Sam was a good-mannered dog and had a few years on Gunner. She was beginning to show her age with a bit of white hair coming in under her chin, and Ben doubted the big dog’s ability or willingness to jump into the Blazer on her own. He envisioned himself lifting Sam inside every time they stopped. Ben hoped Sam was up for the trip to Colorado—for the kids’ sake, if nothing else. Bradley and Emma were both very fond of the dog, and Sam usually slept in Emma’s bed when they stayed with their grandfather.
Ben barely reached the top of the steps when he heard something that made him freeze in his tracks. The unmistakable sound of a vehicle coming down the road caught his attention, and he raced across the last couple of feet of the deck to let the dogs inside. He wasn’t sure who was coming, but he didn’t want the dogs running out to investigate. Sandy was still in the kitchen, and as he made eye contact with her, she immediately sensed something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“There’s a car coming. Probably nothing, but keep everyone inside for now. I’ll check it out.” Ben closed the door before she could answer. He was anxious to get back outside and see who was approaching. He crossed the deck and swiftly made his way down the steps as the exhaust note grew louder. Taking a position at the corner of the house, he peered around the edge until he could see the road. Sweat built up on his brow as he waited and baked in the sun.
Dark Road (Book 6): Reckoning Page 4