“Your boy okay?” Ray Mullen asked.
“Yes.” Ellen nodded, looking over at him.
Ray Mullen was long-legged and thin like his son, but his broad shoulders were stooped with age. His white hair, unusually thick for an elderly man had long bangs which swept across his high forehead. Deep lines above his nose cut into his bushy, white eyebrows, and gray, weathered eyes considered her.
He nodded.
“Ray Junior said the tow truck will be here later this afternoon. I guess Mad Dog’s going to take you to your car when the truck gets here, and then the driver will take you home. But I can drive you to your car if you don’t want to ride on one of those death traps.” Ray said. He pointed to the dirty bandage on Ellen’s ankle. “You get that from the Spider’s bike?”
“No. I got it riding on the back of Mason’s bike. You ride, Mr. Mullen?”
“Hell no. I’m not that damn dumb.”
A slanted grin pulled upward on the right side of Ray’s clean-shaven face.
Ellen thought he wasn’t nearly as formidable as Mad Dog and Mason had made him out to be, and he looked like a man with a good many stories to tell. She smiled.
“You have pretty teeth,” he said.
“Thank you.” Ellen giggled at Ray’s off-handed compliment.
She felt her anxiety diminish. She took a deep breath and then sank back into the rocking chair, ready to converse.
“So, Ray, tell me all about this beautiful farm. Did your family grow up here?”
Ray indulged Ellen in many of his family’s stories and then, after inspecting her burned ankle, insisted she use his facilities to take a hot shower. When Ellen left the farmhouse her spirits were high. The sun had lifted a malevolent mask of darkness, and she wondered why she’d been so afraid when Mason had brought her here last night.
However, when she returned to the campsite, her high spirits quickly plummeted. Desi sat by the cold fire pit, filing her finger-nails. Two men sat next to her, holding plates full of pancakes and bacon.
“Good morning.” Ellen forced a smiled, thinking Desi looked like an evil queen with her suitors flanking her. Desi looked up without responding then looked back down at her hands. Ellen shrugged off the insult; the men nodded a greeting. She walked over to Spider’s truck. He cooked on the open tailgate, pouring pancake batter onto a hot griddle.
“How’s the school teacher doing this morning?” He smiled. “Grab yourself a plate. I make the best damn pancakes you ever ate.”
“Really? I love pancakes and I’m starving. Must be the fresh air, and maybe some food will get rid of this headache.”
“A little hung over this morning?”
“I guess so,” Ellen admitted.
He flipped a pancake on her plate. “So, did Mad Dog take good care of you last night?”
“Yes, he did!”
“Glad to hear it.” A wide smirk spread under Spider’s long handle bar mustache. Spider shook his head. “The ladies always go for Mad Dog. Lucky bastard! I suppose his ass will be dragging since the two of you were messin’ around all night.”
“Mad Dog was a perfect gentleman,” Ellen assured him.
“Yeah, I bet he was. Mad Dog has always been known for his manners, especially when it comes to the ladies.”
Ellen didn’t comment; she took her plate and sat down on a lawn chair across from Desi and the two men. She didn’t bother to try to engage in conversation.
“You know, Ellen,” Desi said as she looked up from filing her nails, a catty smile spread across her dainty features, “pancakes are loaded with carbs, especially when you smother them in syrup.”
“Thanks, Desi, I didn’t know that. I’m so tired this morning, I think carbs are just what I need to get me going. When I’m done with this one, I’ll have Spider cook me up a couple more.”
“You know what they say, a moment on the lips, forever on your hips. Except in your case, it looks like it all goes to the middle.”
Ellen bit her lip. What is this woman’s problem? Thank God in a short while I’ll never have to see her again. “I suppose you have to be very careful about what you eat. If you were to have any fat jiggling, I don’t suppose guys would stuff big tips down your G-string…or whatever parts of your anatomy you stick in front of their faces.”
Ellen took a large bite of her pancake.
The two men stared down at the ground. Their chests moved with subtle laughter. Desi’s green eyes glared across the ash-covered fire pit. Ellen wasn’t sure if Desi was going to come after her or not. Nevertheless, Ellen glared back, pretending she wasn’t afraid. Just then Mad Dog and Mason approached.
“Look at this, Rambo. Two beautiful women waiting for our return.” Mad Dog slipped into the chair next to Ellen. Mason stood behind them, making no move towards Desi.
“You two weren’t getting ready for a cat fight, were you? Please don’t stop on our account.” Mad Dog smiled at the women.
“Fuck you, Mad Dog.” Desi shot up and stormed past them. She didn’t look at Mason.
Mad Dog turned. “What’s up with her, Rambo?”
“How the hell should I know!”
Ellen and Mad Dog watched Desi disappear down the row of tents. Ellen expected Mason to go after her, but he sat down in one of the vacant chairs.
“Hey, Blade,” Mason addressed one of the men. “You and Animal take over for a while?”
“Sure, Rambo.” The two men stood, tossed their plates in the fire pit and then left.
Soon Spider and Dee joined the trio.
Ellen cast Dee Dee an apologetic smile and much to Ellen’s relief Dee Dee smiled back.
“I’m eating before I do anymore cooking. I’m starving.” Spider said as he sat down next to Mason and Dee took the seat next to Spider. “Ellen tells me you took good care of her last night, Mad Dog. It’s nice to know the members of the Sons of Thunder know how to treat a woman right.”
“We took care of each other. Right babe?” Mad Dog asked.
Dee Dee’s face lit up, reminding Ellen of a woman whose boyfriend just waved a diamond ring under her nose.
“I knew the two of you would hit it off. Having both lost your spouses, I think you’re exactly what the other needs.”
Ellen was about to correct Dee Dee’s romantic imaginings, but Mad Dog slipped his arm around Ellen’s shoulders and squeezed her close. Bewildered, Ellen stared into his face, and began to wonder if she’d said something to make Mad Dog think they were more than friends. Then he smiled and she saw the laughter in his eyes. He was acting and she needed to play along. She didn’t know why, but she assumed it had something to do with his roguish reputation.
“We did.” She smiled seductively as she picked up her fork. “Have you tried Spider’s pancakes yet, Mad Dog?”
Not allowing him to answer, she speared a piece of the pancake and brought it to his lips. He bit off the pancake, growling as he slid his teeth along the tongs of the fork.
“Good isn’t it?” Ellen asked. She glanced over at Mason. His heel tapped the ground, like a telegrapher sending out Morse code. His eyes, hot enough to ignite the ashes in the cold fire pit, made Ellen shiver. Turning her attention back to Mad Dog, she licked the syrup off the fork with the tip of her tongue.
“Delicious!” Mad Dog sighed, making Ellen giggle. “You got any more pancakes, Spider? I’m suddenly hungry.” Mad Dog didn’t take his eyes off Ellen.
“Mad Dog, sweetie,” Ellen cooed, “do you suppose after breakfast you could take me to my car so I can get my beach bag? I thought I might go for a swim while I’m waiting for the tow truck. ”
“Nothin’ I’d like more than to feel you straddling my bike, baby.” Mad Dog leaned so close Ellen thought he was going to kiss her.
Mason shot up. “You two really ought to get a room. I thought we came back to help Spider take down the stage.”
“Take it easy, man.” Spider munched on a piece of bacon. “We’ve got plenty of time for that. We’re supposed to be rel
axing. When I’m done eating, I’ll cook you up some pancakes.”
“I don’t want any fucking pancakes!” Mason ranted. “I’m going to go get started on that stage before it gets too damn hot. You two comin’ or not?”
“You heard the lady, Rambo. She needs a ride to her car,” Mad Dog said, rubbing Ellen’s thigh. “Let’s do it when I get back.”
“Forget it! I’ll do it myself.” Mason stormed over to Spider’s truck and retrieved a tool box from the back. “You two fuckers can take your sweet ole time.”
Mason glared at Spider and Mad Dog and then stomped off.
Spider looked at Mad Dog. “What the hell is the matter with him?”
“Can’t you figure anything out, old man?” Dee got up and threw her paper plate in the fire pit. “He and Desi are fighting, and I suppose seeing the two love birds over there, hamming it up, only made it worse.”
Dee Dee shot Ellen and Mad Dog a, “you-ought-to-be-ashamed-of-yourselves look. Ellen swallowed, staring at the ground. What did I do to feel guilty? She wanted me and Mad Dog to hit it off.
Mad Dog leaned forward. “Dee Dee you’re always sticking up for Rambo. What’s the matter? Can’t you show me a little love?”
Mad Dog grinned.
“You’re always messin’ with him, Mad Dog,” Dee Dee said, shaking her head. “Come on, Spider. Get your ass over there and help him with that stage. I’ll cook breakfast for whoever else wants it.”
Dee held out her hand for his plate.
Slowly Spider rose from the chair, towering over his wife. “You know, woman, you can be replaced.”
“Yeah, when you figure out how to blow that spider on your own.” Dee Dee fumed. She marched over to the open tailgate and began throwing things into a paper bag.
“Can’t argue with that.” Spider smiled, dumping his plate into the fire pit. He put his hands on his hips, leaned back and then straightened. “You comin’, Mad Dog?”
“No. I’m taking Ellen to her car.”
Mad Dog and Ellen stood.
“Thanks for the breakfast, Spider. Your pancakes are delicious,” Ellen said and threw her plate in the fire pit. “By the way, you do know what the black widow spider does to the male after they mate, don’t you?”
Spider shook his head.
Ellen smiled. “She eats him. Thought you’d like to know that when you’re flashing that spider of yours around.”
He smirked. “It’s a damn good way to go.”
***
The noon-day sun blazed hot in the August sky. Mason pounded on a stubborn bolt with the handle of a wrench. A few men hot-rodded their bikes around the perimeter of the field, and he could hear voices coming from the river.
Mason would be glad to get back home. The weekend had not worked out the way he had hoped. He was sore, his cheek was on fire, and he couldn’t shake the resentment he felt toward Mad Dog. It bothered him more than the fix he was in with Desi. He stopped hammering to wipe the sweat away from his brow and remembered her dancing on his lap last night. The memory conjured a feeble smile. Do I really want all of that to end?
Muck Eye approached. “Rambo, you got a minute? Jack wants to thank you for the invite before we head out and wants to discuss a little business deal with you.”
Suddenly excited, Mason dropped the wrench and jumped down off the trailer. He smiled. “Take me to your leader.”
The men crossed the field over to the tent sites. A gray Cadillac sedan was parked and running. The tinted glass windows were closed tight and camping paraphernalia was piled up alongside the car. Immediately, Muck Eye set to work packing the tent equipment in the trunk. Mason heard women’s laughter coming from inside. Jack leaned on the driver’s side door, puffing on a cigarette.
“Rambo, my man.” Jack greeted him, flicked his cigarette to the ground and then shook Mason’s hand. “This rally was great. Thanks so much for inviting us. You bikers really know how to throw a party. And the entertainment was amazing! Say, I’m sorry to hear about your little spat with the girlfriend.”
“Who said anything about a little spat?” Anger roiled through Mason.
“Desi mentioned it to me this morning.”
“I thought I told you Desi wasn’t part of the deal.”
“Look, man, Desi came by and asked if I meant it when I told her she could be the model for my calendar and TV commercials. I asked her if she had talked it over with you. That’s when she mentioned you weren’t a couple anymore.” Jack flipped his designer sun glasses down over his eyes.
Mason cocked his head to the side, looking hard at the man. Jack’s smug attitude and pressed linen shirt and trousers irked him. He wanted to grab Jack and toss him up against a tree, but first he had to find out what he had to offer. “So what kind of business deal did you want to discuss?”
“Last night when those two guys were going at it, I watched how you handled yourself. Quite impressive. I could use a man like you in case any of my customers needed some help paying their bills. You could persuade them to never be late. And, of course, there are always those who want to horn in on my lucrative trade. You’d be the person to convince them to set up shop elsewhere.” Jack lifted his glasses, his eyes narrowed. “You interested?”
Mason crossed his arms over his chest, maintaining a reserved stance. His heart raced with excitement and adrenaline flowed like water in a sudden spring thaw. “I might be,” he replied, emotionless.
“I’ll give you a call sometime this week, and you can come by the dealership. We can discuss all the details then.” Jack’s diamond earrings glittered in the sunlight.
“Sounds good.”
Jack opened the driver side door and then turned back to Mason and smiled. “Desi, aren’t you even going to say good-bye?”
Bewildered, Mason peered into the car. Desi sat shot gun. Their eyes met. Too stunned for words, Mason stared.
Jack nudged him out of the way and then slid behind the steering wheel.
Mason grabbed the door. “Desi, what are you doing? Don’t do this.”
Desi turned away.
“Gotta go.” Jack closed the door. Muck Eye shot Mason an apologetic look and then got in the back. The driver’s window rolled down. Jack reappeared.
“Thanks again for the invite.” Jack nodded toward Desi. “I do hope the two of you patch things up.”
Jack’s malignant smile disappeared behind the shaded window. Shock welded Mason’s feet to the ground. As the car pulled away, he slammed his fist down on the fender.
CHAPTER Nine
Brilliant flecks of metallic light shimmered off the river like scales on a floating mermaid. Dragon flies hummed, skirting the water’s surface. Warm earth squished between Ellen’s toes. She set her beach bag on the grass embankment, shielded her eyes with her hand, and surveyed the river. About twenty feet in front of her, a large buffalo hump of black rock protruded from the moving water. Random tufts of long grass sprouted like shedding fur from its stone hide. Precariously, she touched her toes to the water. Cold, but bearable. She stripped down to her bathing suit and then waded out.
The current tugged at her legs; white bubbles swirled gently around her waist. The afternoon sun warmed her face and torso as the contradictory chill of the water numbed her lower extremities. The river deepened. Unable to stand, Ellen submerged herself. Distorted rays of sunlight lit the river bottom. Minnows scattered helter skelter. Her cheeks puffed with air, hair floated weightlessly, and amniotic sound enveloped her. With a graceful breast stroke, she propelled herself to the rocky mound. Surfacing, she exhaled then stepped onto a stone shelf, pulling herself up to the flat plane of bedrock. She stood. Dripping water polished the rock to a glossy black, as the sun’s heat kissed the chill from her skin.
What a magnificent place, she thought, turning to the wooded side of the river. Pines and hardwoods peacefully cohabited among rotting logs and scraggly brush. Speckles of purple and yellow dotted the bank. A woodpecker hammered. JD would love this place. She co
uld imagine him lost in his world of make-believe, playing up there. Settling herself, she tilted her head to the sun, closed her eyes, and luxuriated in the heat. Time passed unnoticed until laughter from further up the river disturbed the tranquility. She turned, worried some of the nasty-looking people she saw that morning had decided to venture down this way.
A loud splash startled her. Shielding her eyes, she looked to the shore and noticed a small heap of clothing near her things. Her heart beat accelerated. She scoured the bank for the intruder but saw no one. Checking to her right and left, the river showed no sign of human interruption. She told herself the adventures of last night were making her paranoid. The clothes were probably there when she came down and she hadn’t noticed. Remembering the women with dog-bones piercing their nipples and Spider’s little exhibition, she knew people around there had no problem with nudity.
A clamorous whoosh spun her around. Poseidon emerged, swinging his long black hair that splayed water droplets across the river’s surface. Grasping the rocky ledge, Mason pulled himself up, his powerful muscles flexing under the strain. Shocked, Ellen jumped up. Mason stood on the rock. Thirsty for air, he inhaled and exhaled deeply. Water flattened his dark chest hair and trickled down his abdomen. Jeans slung low on his hips, stuck to his long legs. Puddles formed at his bare feet. He sighed, leaning his head back, eyes closed, mouth open. Tiny prisms of water lingering in his beard separated sunlight into minute spectrums of color.
Gawking, Ellen swallowed. He was absolutely stunning. And why in the hell is he here? Desi couldn’t be far, and then Ellen would be stuck there with the two of them. She wanted to dive back into the river and swim for shore. He turned his eyes to her, halting any attempt at escape.
“Man, that water is cold! How’d you stand it, Ellen?” He smiled.
Corporal desire swelled within her. Overcome, she sat down, stretched her legs out, and faced the shoreline. “I didn’t think it was cold,” she mumbled. “As a matter of fact, I’m thinking about swimming over to the other side and doing some exploring.”
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