Group Writing Project #4
Author's note: Thanks to DebS for info on the Texas State Troopers. Now, on with the Road Trip!
Alabama
Mart sneaked up behind Trixie as she walked out of their Knoxville hotel and crowed in her ear, "ER-er-ER-er-ERRRRRRRRR!"
Trixie whirled around, nearly spilling her coffee on both her and her auditory assailant. Trixie was ready to launch a physical attack in retaliation but Mart's smiling face and twinkling eyes somehow were able to get her to just return the grin, even at 6:00 a.m. "I'm up! I'm up! I think. Mart Belden, how dare you remind me of those foul fowl we left at home!"
Mart raised an eyebrow as he saw the steaming cup of coffee in Trixie's hand. "At what point in the evolution of time did my distaff sibling begin to partake of the aromatic adult brewed beverage known as Java?"
Trixie straightened her shoulders and lifted her nose slightly. "Wellll! I guess since I became an adult."
Mart shook his head and replied, "Nope, that won't do. Try again."
Trixie giggled, "Okay! Since last night when you and Dan threatened to strap me to the hood of the car if I showed up late and in a cranky mood from having to get up at the crack of dawn. Anyway, it's so full of creamer and sugar that it's hardly recognizable as coffee."
"So where's your suitcase? Or did you forget that little detail?"
"No, I didn't forget, smarty Marty. Honey was still running around like the proverbial chicken with her head cut off. She said for me and Di just to leave ours and she'd call for a porter to bring them down."
Mart threw back his head and laughed loudly, drawing amused looks from other early departing hotel guests. "Now who's talking about our foul fowl? So where is the lovely Miss Lynch?"
"She couldn't handle the coffee bit so she stopped in the restaurant to get some hot chocolate." Trixie's face took on a somber look. "Mart, I'm worried about Honey."
Mart immediately discerned the seriousness in Trixie's voice. "Why? What's happened?"
Trixie sipped on her coffee and stared across the parking lot, hardly able to enjoy the beautiful sunrise that Knoxville was offering her that morning. Or notice the two men who had surreptitiously slipped around the side of the building and into a dark blue sedan.
"Ever since that package delivery business to Daniel Stuart, she's been so quiet. She acts like her mind is miles away and hardly speaks unless someone says something to her. Didn't you notice while we were playing Spades last night that she had to be constantly reminded that it was her turn? And then this morning, she freaked out, nearly in tears, because she couldn't find her hair dryer after she got out of the shower. But what was so bad is that she hadn't even washed her hair and didn't need it. Plus the hair dryer was lying in her suitcase in plain sight."
Mart let out a low whistle and responded, "Whoa, that does sound bad. I guess I put last night off to her just being tired but she does sound upset about something. You don't suppose she's homesick, do you?"
Trixie shook her head vigorously. "Absolutely not. You know how she feels--that anywhere with the Bob-Whites is her home. I wanted to ask her about it, but, believe it or not, I couldn't find the right words to approach her. I sure don't want to upset her anymore than she already is."
Mart rubbed Trixie's shoulder affectionately. "Well, sis, if she's got a problem, she knows that you are always there for her, so you probably did the right thing in just giving her some space. Hey, there's Di now. Let's go join the others at the car. Good morning, Di!"
"Good morning, Mart! Gosh, isn't it a gorgeous day!" Di called out to her friends.
Di bounced out of the doorway, black hair shining in the rays of the morning sun and looking her usual stunning self in a royal blue pullover, white shorts, and white sandals. Trixie stole a glance at her own pink-checked seersucker overall romper and white tee-shirt and gave herself a "B+" in "cute."
Trixie lagged behind Mart and Di as they crossed the parking lot to join Brian, Jim, and Dan, who were studying the road map spread across the hood of the Bob-White-mobile. Her thoughts were on her troubled friend. Not even the sight of handsome Jim in his slim fit Levi's and bright yellow Polo made her smile.
Brian heard the group approach and waved them over. "Just in time! We were looking at the map and need a vote from everyone. Where's Honey?"
"She's, uh, running a little late," Trixie replied. "She'll be down in a few minutes. What's the deal?"
"Our next scheduled stop is Perdido Beach, here," Brian said pointing to a spot on the tip end of Alabama at the Gulf of Mexico. "The best way to get there from here is to go through North Carolina, down I-75 to Atlanta, take I-85 to Montgomery, and then head south on I-65. However, if we go that way, we'll miss the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville."
Trixie peered over Mart's shoulder at the map. "Wow, that's freaky that the best way is through two other states when Tennessee borders Alabama. Isn't there a straighter shot?"
Brian shook his head and answered, "Actually, not from here. It's mainly because there are better roads going the way I described. We could go straight south from here but the roads aren't as good and you have to wind through a lot of small towns. But if we want to go to the Space and Rocket Center, that's what we'll have to do. It will mean that we won't be able to get as far south today as we had originally planned."
"I know Mart especially had his heart set on seeing the Space and Rocket Center. Don't you guys remember how disappointed he was when we were in Missouri that we couldn't tour those rocket factories? If we could, I think we should try to visit there," Di said.
"Thanks, Di. I really would, but I don't want to be the hold up of our getting to the beach. I know how much everyone's been looking forward to that," Mart said unselfishly.
"Jim and I were looking at the brochures before you guys came out and it really would be neat to see," Dan agreed.
"The nice thing about this trip is that we're not really on any particular time schedule, and fortunately money is pretty much not an object since we're able to use the credit cards Mr. Wheeler gave us for gas, hotel rooms, food, and cash advances for other out-of-pocket expenses. I say we go for it," Trixie said, adding her support for the detour. "Let's vote on it as soon as Honey gets here!"
"Well, Honey is here, so what am I voting on?" a small voice from behind the group said. They had been so intent on studying the map and discussing the plan they hadn't even noticed Honey's arrival. No one, though, failed to notice her pale complexion and slightly disheveled look.
"Hi, Honey," Brian said, smiling at her. "We were talking about making a small detour so that we can go through Huntsville to visit the Space and Rocket Center. Is that okay with you?"
Honey shrugged and replied, "Whatever is fine with me. Our luggage is there at the bellman's stand. If we can drive up for it, we can be on our way."
The other Bob-Whites were taken aback by the absence of her usual sparkling enthusiasm and her apparent lack of interest in their plans but said nothing.
"Great!" Jim exclaimed. "Let's hit the road!"
"Would it be okay if.." Mart started.
"We go to a drive-through and get something to eat?" Di, Brian, and Dan finished in unison for him.
The others were still laughing at Mart's never ending battle with starvation as they piled in the station wagon.
Trixie put her hand on Honey's arm as they waited to get in. "Honey?"
Honey hung her head, squeezing back the hot tears that filled her eyes. "Not now, Trixie," her whisper barely audible.
* * *
"That was fabulous! Thanks, guys, for agreeing to come here!" Mart shouted exuberantly as they returned to their car parked at One Tranquility Base in Huntsville, Alabama.
The BWGs had just finished their tour of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and the Marshall Space Flight Center and were leaving the complex to continue their trek south.
"That was really neat," Jim agreed. "I just loved seeing everything. I think the mock-up of the space shuttle was my favorite. Could you tell how excited I was when the guide picked me to sit in the pilot's seat and do the simulated landing?"
"Oh, so that's what all that fist-pumping Yes! Yes! Yes! was all about," Trixie jested, poking him in the arm. "But you're right that was fascinating. I loved Neutral Buoyancy Simulator--that million-gallon water tank that the astronauts use to train on how to deal with weightlessness in space."
"And Russian cosmonauts too," added Honey. "It was interesting to learn that using the scuba gear underwater was a lot like trying to deal with space suits when they go out on space walks to make repairs."
Trixie had been so glad that the tour of the centers had brought Honey out of her doldrums, at least for the time being.
"Right, Honey! I think that Gregori had a bit of a crush on you," Diana teased her friend.
Honey's face colored as she retorted, "Oh, he did not! He was just being polite."
"Oh, yeah, like who's hand did he kiss, for whom did he open the door and then politely almost let it shut in my face?" Di continued at Honey but, then sensing Honey was uncomfortable, changed the subject. "I can't wait to give those brochures we picked up on Space Camp to Larry and Terry. I'm sure that Mummy and Daddy will want them to attend when they see what all is involved."
"I'd love for Bobby to go to," Trixie sighed, "but I don't think my parents would be able to afford the $700 tuition plus the expense of getting him here."
"Well, if he and the twins could attend at the same time, I'm sure my parents would love for him to ride down with them," Di volunteered.
Trixie brightened with Di's offer plus a thought of her own. "Hey, if Mart, Brian and I could save $150 each from our summer jobs for the next two years, that would be enough to send him to Space Camp plus have a little extra spending money. How about it, guys?"
Brian and Mart both wholeheartedly concurred and complimented Trixie on her thoughtfulness. Of course, she blushed furiously.
"Well, don't think I'm being so noble. After all, it will get him out of our hair for a week. He really would get a kick out of all the activities. I was thinking what a blast he would have riding that Space Shot ride."
"I just about squeezed Mart's hand off when we rode it," Di added. Just image--we got to experience G-forces like the astronauts do. I never knew it was anything like that. That was the longest two and a half seconds and the longest 180 feet in my life!"
Mart wrung his hand with a look of deep pain on his face. "My hand will never be the same," as he hung it limply in the air and then cringed as Di bopped him on the head. He tried to lean forward in front of Dan to escape any more retribution from Di.
Dan laughed and pushed him back. "Oh, no you don't! Don't hide behind me. Take your punishment like a man!"
"Ahem!" Mart cleared his throat and adjusted his shirt. "As I was about to enumerate, my favorites were Rocket Park that had the collection of NASA rockets and Army missiles, the Journey to Jupiter trip to the future, and the Blue Planet movie we saw at the Spacedome Theatre," he continued, ticking off the items on his fingers. "Man, that 67-foot domed screen was something else!"
"You aren't kidding," Dan chimed in. "I felt like I really was right there in the action. But, Mart, you really went ape over that SR-71 Blackbird."
"Exactly!" Mart said as he and Dan high-fived. "That baby flew at Mach 3! Wow, can you imagine flying at three times the speed of sound! That's almost 2,200 miles per hour. You'd be zooming!" Mart shot his hand straight out as though demonstrating the speed of the 99-foot airplane that had been designed primarily for photographic missions. "New York to London in less than two hours."
"We sure could use some of that speed now," Brian said as he skillfully maneuvered the laden station wagon from I-565 to I-65 south. "While you guys were in the gift shop, I was lucky enough to meet Dr. Andrews, the chief medical doctor for the training facility. He really got me pumped up about all the research being conducted in outer space that will help us on Earth. Especially interesting was the research being done on plant and bacteria growth in zero gravity conditions." He flicked on the left blinker and slid the vehicle into the line of traffic heading south. "Honey, what was the plaque that lady was showing you over at the Boeing site?"
Honey's hazel eyes clouded as she began to speak. "It was the sweetest tribute to someone that used to work for Boeing. His name was Richard Casebolt. He started working there just out of high school, doing the mail run and other stuff like that. He then took electronics classes at a local technical school and was promoted to technician at the computer center. He then started taking night classes at Athens State University in computer sciences and while he was in school got promoted to Senior Engineer, working on the computers where the data flows in during actual space missions. But what was so sad, just shortly after he earned his degree, he died of cancer at age 38."
Her voice trembled and nearly broke. No one said a word as she composed herself. After taking a few deep breaths and drinking some of her Dr. Pepper, she was able to continue. "He was very well liked and respected throughout the Complex. After his death, his co-workers took up a contribution, giving the majority of the money to the college fund set up for Mr. Casebolt's son and using a small portion to make the plaque in his honor."
The young people from New York spent a bit of quiet time reflecting on the fact that no one ever knew when his or her time would come and each silently resolving to make the most of each day that was given.
"Hey look!" Trixie piped up, pointing to a black Mitsubishi Montero Sport that just passed them. "That car is from Oregon. That's the last one I needed to fill up my Car Tag Bingo board! I win!"
Mart moaned, "Yeesh! Not another female winner! This is getting embarrassing, fellas. Honey won the first game about finding certain cars in certain colors and then Diana was the closest guess on the mileage from our hotel in Washington to the one in Knoxville."
Jim grinned and replied, "But what better females to lose to, right? Just hand over her prize money."
"Yes, Mart, my $3.50 please," Trixie asked, holding her open hand over the front seat, since each one had contributed fifty cents to the game pot.
After almost two and a half hours, including a grueling trip through Birmingham during rush hour traffic, Brian read a road sign that indicated "Clanton - 15 miles." He glanced at his watch and looked at Honey in the rearview mirror. "Honey, would you look in the guidebook and see what's at Clanton. I think that's going to be a good place for an overnight stop."
Honey pulled the book from the pocket on the rear of the front seat. "Let's see, hmmm, Clanton. Okay, here it is. Peach Capital of Alabama, several restaurants and motels in the area. Oh, look at this! They have a place called Peach Park, where you can buy fresh peaches and other fruits and a variety of yummies like homemade peach ice cream, frozen yogurt topped with fresh fruit, milkshakes, fried peach turnovers, and baked goods like peach pie and pound cake."
"That sounds perfect for me!" Mart exclaimed.
Honey rolled her eye as everyone else groaned. "Now how would we have ever known?"
"Look at that," Jim said, excitedly pointing out the window on the right. "Look at that huge peach!"
The rest of the BWGs craned their necks to see what Jim was pointing at.
"Hey, that is way cool," Mart said. "I'll bet it's a water tower. Honey, is there anything in your book about it?"
Honey looked back in the guidebook and reported, "You're right, Mart, it is a water tower. It's 120 feet tall and holds 500,000 gallons of water. Here's something else, there's another one similar to it in Gaffney, South Carolina. Trix, isn't that where your Internet friend Heather lives?"
"It sure is," Trixie said. "I'll have to e-mail her that we saw a big peach like the one she has in her hometown. She'll be excited when I tell her we thought about her on our trip. And look, Brian, here's the exit where we get off for Peach Park."
"Peach Park, coming up!"
Trixie woke from a deep sleep in a start, not remembering at first where she was or what had awakened her. The fragrant aroma of the basket of peaches in the room reminded her where she was and the muffled sobs from Honey's side of the bed told her what had roused her. The digital clock on the bedside table read 11:48.
Trixie rolled over and whispered, "Honey, what is it?"
Honey softly blew her nose and replied, "It's nothing, really. I'm sorry I woke you."
"That's okay, but there is something troubling you and you need to talk to someone. You don't have to shoulder this alone." With that Trixie slid out of her bed and retrieved their robes. She handed Honey's to her and slipped on her own. "Come on, let's sit out on the balcony and talk so we don't wake Diana."
Honey meekly nodded her head and followed Trixie out.
Trixie sat down in a chair and wrapped her blue terrycloth robe around her. "Now, what's troubling you, Honey? Does it have something to do with this Daniel Stuart thing?"
Trixie could see from the security lights the shine of the tears that gathered in Honey's eyes as Honey bit her lip and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Honey drew a long breath and began, "The summer before Mother met Daddy, she had a torrid love affair with Daniel Stuart, even though he was many years her senior."
Trixie was wide-eyed. "Your mother was involved with Daniel Stuart?"
"Yes, but it was mostly kept hush-hush, not because he was married or anything but because he was a friend of my grandfather's and twenty years older than her. He had told Mother that he was in the security business, but it wasn't until they were shot at while on a river raft trip in Jamaica that he finally told her he was an undercover operative with the CIA."
Trixie was dumbfounded. "He was in the CIA and they got shot at?"
"Yes, as they huddled under a clump of bushes on the bank waiting for his backup on a raft further up river to arrive, he told her that he was assigned to work with several Russian double agents, bringing secrets out of Russia, mostly to do with aircraft design and all. Anyway, they got out of there safely and back at the hotel, he confessed that part of the reason for their trip there was a mission he was working on. She was highly agitated at first and then intrigued. And then he asked for her help. He needed someone or something to distract two members of the KGB while he searched their room. So Mother dressed like a prostitute and kept their attention in the hotel bar while Daniel searched their room. At the appointed time, she lured them outside and Daniel popped them over the head with the butt of his gun."
Trixie was thunderstruck. "Your Mother dressed and acted like a prostitute?!"
"Trixie, why do you keep acting like my Mother is some helpless female who can't do anything?" Honey asked rather perturbed. She then realized it was because that's exactly the way her mother acted and started giggling. "Oh yeah, right. I see what you mean."
Both laughed as softly as possible, and Trixie was very relieved to see a smile on Honey's face.
"Anyway, apparently she did such a good job and really did enjoy it, that Daniel began to ask her to handle other assignments, on a paid basis, including one where she acted alone, delivering a package to one of Daniel's contacts in Gdansk, Poland. By then, she and Daniel realized they really didn't love each other and she had just met Daddy. So, she and Daniel ended both their personal and professional relationship."
Trixie knitted her eyebrows as she digested all this information. "But I've always heard that it's kinda' like the Mafia, you can never really leave The Company. And, by the way, when did she tell you all this?"
"For the first question, that's why I'm so worried now. I've heard the same thing. As for the second, she told me last November when you and I were working on that gun smuggling case and those Russian guys showed up in town. As it turned out, it was just a coincidence but Mother nearly had a nervous breakdown. That's when she broke down and divulged everything but begged me not to say anything to anyone. Of course I was extremely shocked and wanted to tell you but I respected her wishes. Until now."
Trixie was nonplussed. "I, I, well, holy cow! Your mother! I don't think 'shocked' even begins to describe it. Naturally with the package delivery thing, you think she may be back in the business."
A worried look crossed Honey's face. "She is involved somehow, obviously, but I have no idea to what extent. But it does have something to do with the Russians though."
Trixie, startled by Honey's strong assertion, asked, "How do you know that?"
Honey was visibly struggling with what to say. Finally she sighed and stuck out her wrists toward Trixie. "Put the handcuffs on, arrest me. I confess. I'm guilty. But you know I had good reason. I looked in the package we delivered to Daniel Stuart."
"Oh my gosh, you did what?!"
"I know, I know," Honey moaned miserably. "I shouldn't have but I had to know. You would have done the same thing."
"You're right, I would have, but what was in the package?"
"I don't know--well, at least not for sure. It looked like aircraft schematics but it was all written in Russian." Honey held up her hands and then let them fall back in her lap. "That's all I know. Wow, I do feel much better. Thanks, Trixie, you're the best. Now I think I can get some sleep."
With that Honey got up, opened the sliding glass door, and slipped in.
Trixie stared at the curtain that rustled back into place. "Well, I'm glad one of us can."
Trixie woke up to see bits of sunlight sneaking in through the cracks in the curtains of their motel room. As her eyes adjusted she was surprised to see Honey, fully dressed, standing before the mirror brushing her hair. Diana was burrowed in her covers with a pillow over head and still sleeping soundly.
Trixie threw back the covers, sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She rubbed her face with both hands and brushed back her ever-errant curls.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Honey whispered.
Trixie shuffled over to Honey's side and said, "You didn't. I just woke up."
Honey slung her purse over her shoulder and picked up the room key. "There was a note slipped under our door from the front desk, asking me to come up there first thing this morning. I guess it was addressed to me since the room is in my name. I'm going to walk to that fast-food place next door and get some biscuits for us to eat on the road. That will save us a little time. Everyone can get a soft drink or juice out of the machines outside. On the way back I'll stop by the desk."
"Okay, I think I hear the boys rustling around next door. I'll wake up Di, so maybe we can get on our way a little quicker than we had planned."
Fifteen minutes later, Trixie was showered and dressed in a white eyelet cotton blouse and her favorite denim shorts. As she laced up her Keds, she called to Di, "I'm going to get us some drinks out the machine. Is Coke okay with you?"
"Sure, that's fine." Di answered back from the bathroom. "I'll be out in a minute."
Trixie walked downstairs and up the sidewalk to the front of the motel where the drink machines were cubbyholed. As she rounded the corner, her senses were assaulted by two images. The first was the sight of a dozen individually wrapped biscuits, two white paper bags, and handfuls of paper napkins that were scattered in the parking area at the motel entrance. The second was that of a helicopter lifting off from the empty field immediately across the street.
Trixie was puzzling over the biscuits and wondering where Honey was. To her horror, she soon learned. The helicopter lifted off and banked to head north. As it tilted toward Trixie, she looked up and saw the terrified face of her dearest friend plastered against the window of the chopper.
"Honey!" Trixie screamed. "Jim! Jim! Jim!"
"Yes, Jim, I'm positive it was Honey in that helicopter," Trixie said for what she felt was the hundredth time in the last 10 minutes. Except for Diana, she had been asked that same question by everyone in the small conference room adjacent to the hotel manager's office--Jim, Brian, Dan, Mart, the hotel manager, the Chilton County Sheriff, and a Clanton police investigator.
"Okay, Trixie, I know you're upset, but we need to make sure before I try to reach Miss Trask, so she can track down Mother and Dad."
"I know, I know," Trixie moaned, as she wiped her face with the cool cloth Di had just brought to her.
"Is there any possibility that Miss Wheeler knew these people and is just on a pleasure ride in the helicopter?" Sgt. Parker, the police investigator asked.
"No, sir," Brian answered quietly. "We're from New York and don’t know anyone in this area."
"Did she have friends who might have known you were going to be here and flew down to see her?"
Again Brian responded, "No, sir. No one knows that we're here. We're on a cross-country trip and really have no specific itinerary. We check in with one of our parents every few days to let them know where we are and that we're okay. In fact, we had a last-minute change of plans yesterday morning, or else we would have not been here at all this morning."
"And it's all my fault!" Mart cried out in self-admonishment. "If I hadn't wanted to go to the Space and Rocket Center, none of this would have happened."
"Mart, no, don't say that," Dan said firmly but gently. "It was a group decision. This would have probably happened no matter where we were."
"That's right," Jim said grimly. "The bogus note from the front desk was an obvious attempt to lure Honey out of the room. We could all sit here and blame ourselves but that's not doing Honey any good."
The hotel clerk rapped on the door and stuck her head in. "Sheriff, there's a call for you out here."
"Be right back. Maybe this is the information on the helicopter."
Sgt. Parker continued his questioning. "Is there a reason anyone would want to kidnap Miss Wheeler?"
Yeah, ask her mother, Trixie thought wryly, but it was Dan who answered aloud, "Honey's full name is Madeleine G. Wheeler. Her father, and Jim's too," he said gesturing at the worried red-headed young man, "is Matthew Wheeler, one of the richest men in America. So, yes sir, there are plenty of reasons--probably twenty million of them."
The eyes of the local men widened as they realized the impact of what had just happened--the daughter of one of the country's wealthiest men had just been snatched from their small town.
The Sheriff came back in and sat in the wooden straight-backed chair directly across from Trixie. "Young lady, you've got a sharp eye," he addressed Trixie.
"Yes sir?" Trixie perked up hoping it was good news about Honey.
"Well, I do have news," he said, reading her face. "Whether it's good or not remains to be seen. First of all, we have several confirmations that a girl matching your friend's description was seen being shoved into a dark blue sedan. The sedan screeched across the road and onto the empty lot. According to the witnesses, it looked like she was forcibly put into the helicopter.
"The call I got was from the Aircraft Registration Section of the Department of Public Safety. The identification numbers you memorized belong to a helicopter rental service out of Birmingham. We have an APB out for the helicopter, so right now I think the best thing to do is just sit tight until we get word on its whereabouts."
Much to the amazement of the other Bob-Whites, Trixie merely nodded. Her mind was too numb from the events of the day and too cluttered with the revelations of her midnight chat with Honey to protest.
"What about the car? Where is it?" Jim inquired.
"Actually it's still across the road," Sgt. Parker answered. "We're running the plates on it now. More than likely the car or tags or both are stolen. Odd thing though. You said you were from New York but that no one knew you were here. Yet that car across the road, it has New York plates as well."
Trixie stiffened as she recalled the day they left Sleepyside--a dark blue car had followed them from Glen Road until Di lost it on the Dobbs Ferry exit ramp.
Mart caught Trixie's reaction and asked, "What is it, Trixie? Did you think of something else?"
Slowly Trixie relaxed. "No, no, it's nothing." Nothing that I'm ready to discuss here, that is.
For the next hour the Bob-Whites fidgeted, paced, tried to make normal conversation, and jumped every time the phone rang. It was driving everyone to distraction. Just about the time they thought they would go totally mad, a call for the Sheriff came in.
Disregarding privacy or protocol, all rushed to the desk and watched anxiously as the Sheriff listened. "Uh huh, yes. And then what happened?" They instinctively knew the information he received was not good by the hardened expression that settled in on his rugged face. "And nothing was done to stop them? Well hang fire! What kind of two-bit operation have they got going in Tuscaloosa County? I see, well, I guess it was just one of those things."
He motioned for a pad and pencil as he continued to listen. "Okay, now say that again. Is that just the letter D? Oh, D-E-E, gotcha'." He listened as he made several notes on the pad and then asked, "So that's where it was headed? Okay, thanks, Lester. Bye."
He replaced the handset and motioned for everyone to back into the conference room.
He looked sadly at each pair of anxious eyes knowing that what he was about to tell them would be disturbing. "Well, sir, I have to be honest. The news is not good."
Trixie felt light-headed and sick to her stomach and Di bravely tried to gulp down the huge lump that was rapidly growing in her throat. The boys crowded close in to support the girls and each other.
"The helicopter was found at a small private airstrip in a nearby county. Apparently the fax machine was out of paper and the airport operator did not realize it until after he had transacted some business and returned to his office. Once the paper was added, the APB that was transmitted by fax to all airports and airstrips came through. To his horror, he realized it was the helicopter that was now sitting empty at his airstrip. The ones who had brought it in had just taken off in the airplane they stored in his hangar overnight."
The group uttered mild expletives and cries of "oh, no!"
"Is there any chance that the operator got a plane ID number or a flight plan?" Trixie asked, hoping for a little piece of good news.
"Sorrowfully, these small-time operators don't always follow the same safety and business practices as the larger, commercial airports do, so no flight plan was filed."
"And no plane ID number?" Trixie inquired.
"No," he answered ruefully. "Maybe one of these days folks will understand how important it is to keep accurate records. More than likely this guy was slipped a few extra bucks in cash to overlook certain omissions." The Sheriff's eyes softened and a smile crinkled his face as he continued, "But there is a small glimmer of light in this dark ole' tunnel. The name on the hangar rental form was Dee Howard and the operator said he did overhear one of the men say, and I quote, 'Mr. Hernandez will take care of the girl after we get to San Antonio.' "
Jim cleared his throat and openly expressed what was on everyone's mind, "Well, gang, I guess we're driving to San Antonio."
"But Jim, can't we fly?" Trixie pleaded. "By the time we drive there, we'll be days behind Honey. We may lose her."
Dan agreed gloomily, "That's true. I'll bet it's at least 16 or 17 hours of hard driving from here. But it would cost a fortune for everyone to fly plus we'd have to leave our car here."
"Well, how about this as a solution," Di offered. "What if Jim and Trixie fly out and try to locate Honey and the rest of us will drive the car? They can rent a car until we can get there. How's that?"
"Hey, great idea, Di," Trixie said, clapping her hand on Di's shoulder, "isn't it, fellows? Shall we take a vote on that?"
"Now hold on, little lady," Sgt. Parker drawled. "I know this is your friend and sister, but you kids better just sit tight here and let the law enforcement folks in Texas and the federal boys handle this. You'd just get in the way and might get hurt. If you don't wanna' stay here, you can drive back up to Birmingham or down to Montgomery. But I don't think your folks would want y'all driving all over the countryside on a wild goose chase."
Trixie just grinned at him, "Yes sir, we understand what you're saying. Trust me, we've heard it before, but we really can handle this."
The men watched in amazement as the young people carefully thought through and discussed their plans. Calls were made to airlines, maps were laid out on the table, and ideas of how to meet in San Antonio were kicked around. In the end, it was decided that the group would ride together to Montgomery, where Jim and Trixie would fly to San Antonio. The rest of them would drive south on I-65 to Mobile where they would catch I-10 West to San Antonio. Their rendezvous point would be the Holiday Inn Riverwalk.
"Yes! We're finally here!" Di exclaimed as she saw the sign that proclaimed San Antonio City Limits. "I hope we're able to find Trixie and Jim when we get to the hotel. It's been so frustrating not being able to find out what's going on. Maybe Honey is there with them already. Do you think so?"
"I pray that's the case, Di, but let's not get our hopes up," Dan said as he drove through the wee hours of the morning toward their destination.
It had been a difficult trip for them, having to drive straight through with just a few stops for combined gas, food, and bathroom breaks. Although the plan had been for one to drive, one to help navigate and keep the driver company, and the other two to sleep, it was impossible for any of them to sleep during their scheduled rest times. It was mentally nerve-racking not knowing the whereabouts of their other three mates.
But little did they know their troubles were about to quadruple.
"Dan, why do you keep looking in the rearview mirror?" Mart asked. "Do we have a tail?"
"No, that Texas state trooper car has been following us for miles. Now it looks like another state trooper car is pulling along side of us."
Brian frowned, "But I've been watching and you've stayed within the speed limit and used your blinker when you changed lanes. I wonder what's up?"
"I guess we'll soon find out," Dan stated as the blue lights on both patrol cars began flashing, signaling for Dan to pull over.
Dan eased the station wagon to the right shoulder of the road. He rolled down the window as Brian handed him the car's registration information from the glove compartment.
"Good morning, sir. May I please see your license and registration?" said Lt. Thomas as he approached the car. He took the information and shone his flashlight on the documents. The BWGs could see three other troopers surrounding the vehicle, shining flashlights and peering inside and underneath the car.
"Could you tell me what this is about, sir" Dan inquired politely.
Lt. Thomas ignored the question but asked instead, "If you're Daniel Mangan, which one of you is Matthew Wheeler?"
"None of us are, sir."
"You mean you've driven this vehicle all the way from New York without the owner?" The crackle on his radio made the officer step away but Dan could catch snatches of what was being said.
He turned to the others and whispered, "I don't know what's going on but it sounds like they've been given the go ahead to search our car."
"What on earth for?" Mart rasped. "We haven't done anything wrong!"
"We know that but apparently they don't. It's probably just a case of mistaken identity. Just be cool and don't say or do anything to provoke them," Dan advised from his years of dealing with law enforcement, even though it was from the other side of the law.
The trooper confirmed Dan's suspicion as he returned to the window. "I'm going to have to ask you people to exit the car to the right and stand over there with Sgt. Gordon. We have been authorized to search this vehicle. If you behave, we'll be good to you, but act up, and Sgt. Gordon will have to cuff you and put you in the patrol cars. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," each answered in a polite but bewildered voice.
They watched in dismay as the three state troopers pulled their personal belongings out of the car. Di cringed as one unzipped her bag and began tossing her clothing and lingerie on the ground, inspecting certain pieces and running his hands in and around her bag. She nearly cried out as she saw the brochures from the Space Camp flutter out onto the highway and get mutilated by on-rushing cars. It was a humiliating experience, having people drive by and stare at them, wondering what crime they had committed.
"Hey, I think I've found something," the trooper inside the rear of the station wagon called. Lt. Thomas straightened up from where he had been digging through Dan's bag and walked over.
The BWGs could hear paper being ripped open and the state policemen proclaiming victory. Lt. Thomas walked over to the nervous group and held up the brown wrapping paper. "Whose package was this?"
Brian cleared his voice and replied, "Well, it was given to me by a friend to…"
"You mean one of these guys," Lt. Thomas interrupted, shining his flashlight back and forth across the faces of Dan, Mart, and Di.
"No sir, a friend of mine from college. Actually the graduate teaching assistant in my Botany class. When he found out I was going to California, he asked if I would take this package to his uncle who lives out there."
"Friend from college, huh? Well, didn't you ask him why he just didn't mail it?"
Brian shrugged, "I guess I really didn't think about it. He asked and I said okay."
"So you admit that the package and its contents were your responsibility?"
"Yes sir."
"And your name is..?"
"Brian Belden."
"Okay, Mr. Brian Belden, maybe you'll think twice next time before you agree to carry this stuff," Lt. Thomas said as he illuminated the small plastic packets containing green leafy and white crystallized substances that were spread across the tailgate.
"I am placing you under arrest for possession of illegal drugs and transporting illegal drugs across state lines. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…."
Mart, Dan and Di watched in stunned horror as they heard Brian being read his rights, handcuffed and placed inside the patrol car. A feeling of total and utter helplessness blanketed them as they desperately clung to each other as they stood in the gray rain that had begun to fall.