Installment #21
Chapters 36, 37 & 38
36
All the way back into town, Walt kept an eye on the Sheriff’s squad car in his rearview mirror. Walt drove the fleeting length of Main Street, followed closely by the Sheriff. At the end of Main, Walt whipped around a corner, then drove down an alley.
Walt parked and waited for Sheriff Cady to roll up behind. Walt got out of his truck, walking calmly back to the Sheriff’s car. Sheriff Cady got out, leaned against his squad car.
“Afternoon Sheriff.”
“Hey Walt. You’re looking better than last night.”
“Like a flower blooming before your eyes.”
“Don’t know I’d go that far,” Sheriff Cady said, smiling.
“Don’t suppose I can ask why you’re following me? You want me out of town that bad?”
“Aw, you’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Am I under arrest?”
“What have you done?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why in the name of Sam Hill would I arrest you? Is that what you think of me?”
“So you’ve got no problem with me leaving town?”
“Hey, I want you gone. Leave whenever you want,” Sheriff Cady said. “But you won’t.”
“Why’s that?”
“I do not know. That’s why I’m following you. In case you suddenly feel like talking about it.”
The radio in the squad car squelched. Randall’s static-coated voice came over the radio.
“Sheriff Cady, you need to run over to Mildred Langston’s place. She and Vera are at it again. Not sure what it’s about this time. But that probably don’t matter. Over.”
“Well, it looks like I got some repeat offenders to deal with, “Sheriff Cady said. “You decide you want to have a talk, just look around. I’ll be close.”
37
“Got you some MickeyD’s for lunch.”
Vern stood in front of Geri, holding out the brown paper bag. Grease spots had bled through the golden arches, and the aroma of french fries filled the room.
Geri didn’t even look up from the couch. Wearing only her panties and a TYPE T-shirt, she had one leg propped on the arm of the couch and was tweezing hairs from the crook of her pelvis. Vern shook the sack of food.
“Couple a cheeseburgers. Fries.”
Vern waiting for Geri to say thanks or something.
“Fries are still hot. Kept them in a stay-hot bag I got at a salvage men’s convention one time. Thermal lined,” Vern said. “So, you know, the fries are still hot.”
Geri said nothing, just kept plucking tiny hairs from her crotch.
“I got you a Pepsi.”
“McDonald’s don’t serve Pepsi,” she said, not looking up as she continued to work the shiny tweezers near her panties.
“I know. I swung by Knocky’s on the way and picked it up for you.”
Vern produced the bottle from inside the McDonald’s bag and held it out for Geri’s inspection.
“Damn, I need more light,” Geri said. She tossed the tweezers onto the coffee table and took the Pepsi from Vern. She started to open it, then pretended she couldn’t twist the cap.
“Can’t get it?” Vern said.
Geri propped both bare legs up on the coffee table. Vern’s eyes were drawn to her panties but quickly he dropped his head toward his shoes. Geri feigned at opening the bottle.
“Too tight,” she said.
“Want me to try?”
“I don’t need you,” Geri said. She tried the cap again but stopped short of opening it.
“Look, I’m sorry about yesterday,” Vern said. “I don’t know…I saw the room and the dolls broken up all over the place and I just went—”
“Ape shit.”
“Yeah, ape shit. I guess. That works. You need to understand, Joni—”
“—Geri.”
“Geri. You need to understand, my gramma raised me. She and my grandpa, they’re all the family I had. What you did was wrong.”
“And throwing me against the wall by the throat, what’s that? Community fucking service?” Geri said. She feigned at the bottle cap once more, shaking the contents slightly.
“No,” Vern said. “I know that was wrong. It’s just—
“Just what?”
“Look, I’m sorry. Can I open that for you?”
After taking a second to think about it, Geri handed over the bottle. Vern took a tight grip and twisted hard as if trying to loosen a rusted lug nut. Pepsi spewed all over Geri and the couch and the carpet. She shrieked with laughter while Vern apologized again and again.
“Forget it, Vernie. But don’t you ever fucking pull that kinda shit again, on me or any woman. Just get me a towel.”
Vern came back from the kitchen with a dishtowel for Geri and another one that he used to blot the Pepsi from the couch and carpet. Geri noticed that as he worked to clean up the mess, Vern was stealing glances at her body.
She made sure he kept sneaking peeks by stretching her legs and arching her feet as she wiped at her sticky self with the towel. When she was dry, she took out the fries and unwrapped a cheeseburger.
“God, I was craving this. Thank you, Vernie. It’s like you knew.”
“You mentioned you were having a craving.”
“When?”
“Few days ago”.
“You remembered?”
“Yes.”
“That’s so sweet,” Geri said. She sipped what was left of the Pepsi. “You know what I’d really like?”
“Huh-uh. What?
“For you to pick me up some more ice cream.”
“Peanut butter?”
Geri scooted closer to Vern, who was on his hands and knees trying to soak up a spot on the rug.
“See, you know me. That’s what I like about you, Vernie. Details.”
“The details?”
“My details, Vernie. You pay attention to my details. The only ones that matter. Because you’re so detail-oriented—”
“—I am that.”
“Let me finish, baby. Yes, you are that. And because you are, why don’t you pick me…pick us up some ice cream.”
“Be right back,” Vern said, starting to stand up. Geri put a hand on his shoulder.
“No, not now, she said. “Later.”
“After work?
“Later.”
“Eight-thirty-nine o’clock?”
“No, I was thinking later, Geri said. “Like midnight. When it’s dark. When it’s lonely out here. When it’s hotter.”
“Usually it cools off at night. I know this time of year cool is a relative term but I still think midnight is cooler than the day.”
“I meant me,” Geri said.
“Oh.”
“Of course, being so hot, the ice cream might melt. I’m probably going to need someone to lick it off me.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Geri leaned over and planted a long kiss on Vern, forcing herself to force her tongue past his lips and teeth. Her eyes were closed for a reason.
Then she perked up inside, glad that she had some McDonald’s waiting nearby to take the taste out of her mouth.
38
Back at the motel, the remainder of Walt’s day passed slowly. He stomped around his cramped room, cussing Sheriff Cady. Have to shake the man somehow if he was going to meet up with Geri later.
If he was going to meet Geri at all.
Walt’s afternoon dragged on. He sprawled on the bed, attempting to nap. He wasn’t tired. Walt glanced at the clock—2:13.
He turned on the television, flipping channels. He got up to wash his face. Walt glanced at the clock—3:54.
Walt took another shower, cold water this time. The hot water was all used up. He stretched out on the bed again. He looked at the clock—4:22.
Walt snatched the previous night’s whiskey bottle from the table in front of the window and poured himself a drink, neat. He sat at the table, sipping. Walt glanced at the clock—6:48.
Oh for chrissakes.
Okay, he bargained with himself, if the night ever arrived he would meet with Geri. But, Walt assured himself, meeting with her did not guarantee he would do…whatever it was she needed him to do.
He was just curious. He could always walk away. Yes, just walk away.
Walt watched a baseball game on television and finished the whiskey. He watched the late news and wished he had more whiskey. Walt glanced at the clock—10:30.
Walt slammed the door behind him.
The moon was high, bright white with stars dancing around it. Walt threw his bag into his truck to give the appearance to anyone watching that he was leaving town.
The roads of Eden were empty as Walt drove down Main Street, stopping at the traffic light blinking red. Walt watched his rearview mirror expecting to see headlights but there were none.
Walt pulled through the intersection slowly, hoping to flush out Sheriff Cady. Yet the road behind him remained dark. Then, as Walt reached the edge of town, a pair of white dots appeared in his mirror.
Walt smiled, pressed down on the accelerator. He was outside Eden now and picking up speed, his own high beams burning white tunnels into the darkness. In the distance, Walt could see the orange fires spread across the horizon as farmers burned the wheat stubble from their fields.
Walt checked the mirror—the headlights were there, gaining on him. He slipped the gear shift into neutral, slowing his truck without hitting the brakes and brake lights. The twin lights in his mirror grew larger. Walt readied himself. When the headlights had closed to about a quarter of a mile behind him, Walt swerved to the shoulder of the road and hit the brakes.
He expected Sheriff Cady’s squad car to pass him. Instead, an old International Harvester pickup truck went rattling by.
“Guess the sheriff stayed home in bed tonight,” Walt said to himself. “Now let’s go see what the lady wants.”