Installment #43 Marshall

Installment #43

Marshall

Marshall realized when he pulled into his yard that he did not have a key to his house on his key ring since his keys were God only knew where and would need to enter through the tunnel entrance. Parking near the front door he left the door of the Jeep open. He was not going to be here very long. He was just going to grab Meg and slip back down the mountain before the Johnny laws decided to spread out; start searching the area. And he sure did not want to be standing there with his arms full of Meg Parker when they popped into the yard.

“Oh, gee, look what I found sleeping in my bed!” He quickly reached the edge of the clearing and without a look around, he slid the door over, stepped inside and slid it back into place. No sense tempting fate. He flipped the switch that illuminated the tunnel and was amazed to see Meg standing in the middle of the tunnel being held erect by Fred, the idiot handyman.
“What in the hell are you doing in my tunnel This is my property! Where are you taking that woman?”

Fred stared at the livid man.
“What are you doing with this woman? You are holding her against her will! I ain’t stupid. I dug her out of your root cellar. I am taking her to her home. You have no right doing this. This is just wrong.” A tear slid down Fred’s face and Marshall laughed.

“You damn simpleton! You have meddled where you have no business. How do you think you are going to stop me from what I want? Look at her! She is sound asleep. Are you going to drop her and then what? You under fed little faggot, you are not going to get out of this tunnel. At least not alive. Now I will wait while you put her down very gently over there against the wall and then I am going to very quietly break your f-ing neck. Or I will just break your neck and catch her when she falls. Your choice, simple simon.”

Fred knew there was no way out of this one. He knew that he did not stand a chance in hell against this giant before him. He would do what he could to protect Meg with his last breathe, but he had to put her out of harms way.
“Let me put her down.  I don’t want her to get hurt. I will put her right over there and then we will settle this man to man. At least I will try.  Momma always said I should do my very best.”
Marshall flushed beet red.  “Your momma? What in the hell is wrong with you? Your momma should have told you about the big bad boogie man that lives in the tunnel, you little wooze. Now put her down!”

Fred eased Meg against the wall and let her slide gently to the ground.  He bent and kissed her on top of the head and straigtened just in time to see a look of horror on Marshall Purcell’s face. He saw his glass eye pop out and fall to the floor. He saw Marshall turn and move toward the open door. What Marshall had seen was Kevin who had just thrown a huge rock and hit him in the back of the head. What Marshall did not see was the razor sharp Machete raised in the air and propelled though the air with a force that even Freddie Himes, Jr did not know he had in his body. When the downward thrust was finished the jugular vein that had fed the evil mind of Marshall Purcell was completely severed.

Kevin and Fred locked eyes above the now inert body that lay on the floor of the tunnel. Kevin rushed to Meg. He gathered her in his arms and together the three of them skirted past the dead man and hurried to the door.  When they were outside Fred closed the door and twisted the lock. He was shaking and sweating. He looked at Kevin and began to cry.

 “Oh, man I was so scared! I knew I had to get her out of there when I found her. I knew he was a bad man and then when he caught me, I figured we were both goners. Where did you come from? You are her kid, right? How did you know she was in there? Oh, we got to tell somebody!”

Kevin looked at the sad little man and knew he had to do something with Meg so he could do something with Fred.  He located a big boulder nearby and nodded toward it with his head.

“Set down over there, Fred and I will put mom beside you and you hold her while I make a call.”

 And Fred, the innocent little child he was, did as he was told. Fred sat and Kevin gently placed Meg beside him.
“Hold her so she doesn’t fall while I call the guys down at the farm.”

Meg was just beginning to stir when the sheriff cars rolled up Storm Lake road and onto the Purcell property. When Jack came out of the tunnel he looked at Kevin and Fred.
“Who swung that machete? It is stuck in his bone and probably not ever gonna come out. Now who goes first? Not Meg. She looks like she is still pretty out of it. That Adavan is some potent shit. Fred, is it? You start. Try to remember everything that happened. How did you find Mrs. Parker? Do you know this guy? Oh, go ahead, just tell it like it happened.”

 “Well, I shot me a little deer. Oh, God, now I am going to jail for sure. Damn! Damn!”

Jack laughed. “We will let this one slide, just tell us what happened here.”
“Well, I shot me a little deer and the shot was off a bit so I tracked it over here. Found it right by that tree over there.  I looked through the trees and saw this big guy carry a woman into the house and then leave. I kind of thought it looked like the Parker woman but I wasn’t real sure. Well, I trussed up the deer and hung it and slit it’s throat and then field dressed it so it would be good to eat. When I wrapped the sheet around it to keep the flies off  I got to thinking that if it was her she might be in trouble. Well, I knew this tunnel was here cause I dug it. I knew that would be the only way I could get in the house, so I went there.  The tunnel is different now than it used to be so it took me a while to figure out that he had changed it. I knew she was somewhere in there so I figured it had to be in the root cellar. I found the soft dirt and dug it out and went in and there she was! And it was her! And I knew I had to get her out of there and quick cause he would be back. And he was. Caught us right out there where you found him. Would have been me if this guy had not come along.”

He indicated Kevin.   Jack looked at Kevin expectantly.

 “Well, I just happened to walk up here and I saw that deer hanging in the tree and it scared hell out of me. Then I climbed a tree and saw that I could see the farm from the top of it. While I was up there I saw the guy get out of the black Jeep and walk around in the yard and then head towards the tree. I figured I was a goner, but he opened a door or something and disappeared inside. I thought that was weirder than weird so I crept a little closer and I picked up a rock just in case. The door did not make a sound and I was damn glad of that! When I peered in there I seen him and Fred and mom. Did not take much to figure out who the bad guy was. When Fred was putting mom down the guy was intent on that and when Fred kissed the top of her head I threw that rock with everything I had and prayed like a demon. But Fred is the real hero here.” He beamed at Fred.

 Meg stirred and looked at Fred in bewilderment. A gurney appeared and it was clear Meg was going to be checked out in the back of the ambulance. She was like a little girl as they placed her on the cot and put the oxygen over her nose. The last thing she could remember was reaching to lift up the doggie door.

“Well you two are going to need to undergo a complete debriefing at the house so Leroy will give you a ride down.”
Fred suddenly looked very agitated.  “Look, I ain’t done nothing wrong, except that deer. I got that deer and I can’t let that meat go to waste.  That would be just wrong!  Can I just take it home and cut it up some and stick it in the cooler? Then I could come down there.”

Jack smiled at the rough country man. “Yeah, go ahead. If you leave it hanging there you are going to get in trouble for sure. But come down as quick as you can.” And Fred hurried away into the forest, intent on his job. Meg and Kevin walked down the mountain instead of riding. Meg thought the exercise would do her good.  Clear her head. As they neared the farm the dogs caught sight of her and ran to meet them.  She laughed as she held the two squirming bodies and caught sight of the calico cat watching them with a haughty air. This was home.

Installment #42 Kevin

Installment #42

Kevin

Jack quickly caught Kevin up to speed with what he knew, which was not much. Meg was missing. A man she had planned on meeting in Denver was missing. Someone had hacked into her email. That person lived either in Denver or near here. Or both. What did Kevin know? Nothing. He had not even known about the man in Denver. Mom had been a widow for over three years now, so it did not surprise him. Could the man in Denver have done something to Mom?
No.  Jeffery Purcell was missing first.
Had Meg seemed different in any way when he last spoke to her?
No, she was always just mom.

Suddenly the door burst open and Leroy and Ferrel hurried across the yard. “Jack! You are not going to believe this! The computer in Denver belongs to a man named Marshall Purcell! Marshall Purcell is Jeffery Purcell’s twin brother. They have been estranged for years. The father is in Brattleboro, Vermont.  He has not seen either son in several years.  No contact at all with Marshall since before the mother died.  Marshall never went back for the funeral. The father remarried and moved to Vermont or moved to Vermont and then remarried, but shortly after the marriage Jeffery wrote him out of his life.”

Jack frowned as he digested this bit of news.  “This is just getting worse.  Have someone pick up Marshall Purcell and take him in for questioning.  He is going to have some explaining to do about hacking Parkers’ computer.”  He turned to Kevin.  “How does your mom know Marshall Purcell? Who is he?”
Kevin shook his head. “ I have no clue. I never heard her mention him at all. What does he do?  Mom never goes to Denver unless it is business. What does this Purcell guy do?”

Ferrel glanced at his notes. “He is a stock broker. Quite successful. Your mom have stock?”
 “Yeah, but I bought it through my broker. I keep her portfolio and she does not buy anything any more. We are just kind of riding the sinking ship and hoping it makes a comeback.”

Who in the hell was this guy and why was he spying on his mother?  Mom would surely have told him if she were interested in someone.  And she would have told him if she had someone playing inside her computer.  Well, she would have told him had she known it. Leroy disconnected from his call on the cell phone and turned to face the group.  He was very solemn.

“Well, they sent a team to Purcell’s office.  He was not there, but Jennifer, the office manager was and she was quite helpful.  Seems Purcell left the office on Thursday morning and has not been heard from since.  When she went to transfer money from the main account into the payroll account, she found there was nothing to transfer. Seems Marshall Purcell had already transferred it somewhere.  She went to his apartment to confront him, but that is gone too.  Nothing there.  Like he fell off the face of the earth.”

 Kevin sat down on the small patch of grass by the back porch.  Immediately Daisy and Elvira were in his lap.  He laughed as he saw Icarus, Miss Independent cat, watching the dogs.  These three animals had the same disposition as Meg,  all love and happiness.  He stared at the mountain.  What secrets did it hold?  He and Greg had known something was amiss, but never dreamed it would lead to this.  Mom was way to trusting. Meeting a guy on the Internet was absurd.  Making plans to meet him in Denver was even more out of character.  He watched as the fingerprint guy came out and walked to his van. Jack intercepted him. Kevin watched them with their heads together. Goodbyes were said and Jack approached Kevin.

No good news there.  Says a preliminary turned up a lot of prints, but they all seem to be accounted for and he does not have much hope.”

Somehow Kevin was not surprised by this.  He suddenly felt like he was smothering.  “Jack, I am going for a short walk.  Probably up the mountain a ways.  I need to call California and the reception here is not the best.”
Jack nodded.  “ I hear you buddy.   Here is my cell phone number if you need me or see anything unusual just give me a jingle.” Kevin slipped the card into his cell phone case, nodded at the dogs to stay and headed north, up the mountain in the direction Meg had refused to go just a week earlier.  The dogs watched him go a ways and then settled down in the grass and the cat lay in the grass twitching her tail and contemplating a nap.

Instalmment # 41 Marshall

Installment #41
Marshall

Marshall bounced out of the dirt road and almost broadsided the sheriff car. He immediately applied brakes and then relaxed as he noticed it was not this county sheriff. Might have been a stroke of luck there. But he had immediately seen that he was going to follow this guy for a while and as much as every fiber of his being longed to hold his darling Meg, he was not going to wind up with the sheriff going through his vehicle and delaying his return.
Ah, she was sleeping so peacefully when he left her. And he knew she would wait for him. All of his life he had yearned for a woman just like her. One who would understand him. One who would listen when he told her what his mother made him do. The secrets he had kept for all these years. The evil that lived in the home where he grew up. The father and brother that never knew that while they were at work or school or at the basketball game that he was home sucking on Mother’s tits and screwing her brains out.
She knew it was wrong and she did not care. “Marshall, come here. Dad and Jeffery went to  the movies and will not be home for hours.  Come in here and talk to me. Feel my skin! Feel how soft it is. Do you know what keeps a woman’s skin soft? This.” She reached down and laid her hand inside his crotch. “ This keeps me alive and vibrant. Your father does not understand. Slam, bam, thank you, ma’am.”
 As she spoke her hands worked his zipper and soon his jeans were around his knees. Her open mouth encircled him and her black eyes watched his face. Marshall jerked the wheel just in time to avoid a very bumpy ride down the side of a very steep cliff.
 Damn! Hope those guys up ahead were not watching the rear view mirror. “Ah, gee officer, I was just remembering a blow job from my mother and got a little inattentive there.” That ought to hold them. Marshall always tried to not let the hard on happen, but it did.  It always did. After she was satisfied he would take a long hot bath and then a hot shower, but still, the image of Mother with her lips slightly parted and her eyes watching his face as he mounted her and found the shooting stars that only she could bring was before him.
He liked it when she wanted “doggie style” because then he did not have to look at her. But still when he bucked and drove into her it was her face that was before him. It was mother he had seen with all the whores in Denver and Viet Nam and all points between and beyond. But he had found peace in the eyes of Meg Parker. At least he thought he had. Would. Could. Meg would be his salvation. Their union would be pure. Meg had a good heart. He had watched her with the dogs.  He had watched her with a wounded bird. With her son. Alone in her bedroom when nobody was around. She read her Bible.
She listened to Classic Country. He had always preferred Heavy Metal and stuff like that, but he found himself turning to Garth Brooks more often. Willie Nelson.  Kenny Rogers. Country guys knew how to rip your heart out. Not the women though. Dolly was a perfect example of what he did not want in a woman. Red lips and bleached hair. Meg did not dye her hair. She only wore a little lipstick and that only some of the time. As Marshall drove he pictured her lying on her cot waiting for him.

When he unlocked the door she would rush to him. Well if the Adavan had worn off, she would.
Maybe she would fall at his feet and cling to his knees. That would be a nice touch. Subservient. He would slowly take her hands and raise her to her feet.
“Oh, darling! Do not worship me so. We are equal, you and I.  I need you as much as you need me. Together! Together! Here, lie on the bed. Let me run you a nice bath. I am so sorry I had to leave you here all alone. Let me make it up to you.  Oh, I have been bad. Very bad. Do you want to spank me? You can. Oh, yes you can. Here. Let me lower my slacks and you can spank me. Oh, let me bend over. Spank me! Spank your baby boy!…..What the hell!”

 Marshall applied the brakes just in time to avoid a dung green helicopter landing on the road in front of him. The was no missing the big Colorado Law Enforcement stenciled across the side. He noted that he was right in front of Meg’s farm. Damn! Seven minutes and he would have been home. But here he sat. He watched as the door opened and a big burly guy that smelled of cop all over the place stepped down to the ground and then turned and held up his hand for Kevin Jackson, Meg’s son. The little queer guy from California. They both ducked and ran across the drive way to the yard. As they cleared the yard, the pilot gunned the rotor, dipped slightly and then the runners began to raise.

Marshall waited a bit as he surveyed the gathering in the yard. Oh, they had made the connection between Meg and Jeffery and the hunt was on. Well, let them look. He was very good at hide and seek. Jeffery was very well hidden as was the cop. Meg was a different story, but soon they would be in the Jeep headed south. A stop in Colorado Springs at the First National Bank to empty his safe deposit box and then Mexico. He had already bought property in Julisco, Mexico, an American retirement community on a lake that was straight out of a picture book. Living was easy down there. Cheap. Meg might resist at first, but when she accepted how much he loved her and how much she needed him, she would come around. As the dust settled he dropped the lever to Drive, released the brake and moved slowly forward. He briefly made eye contact with the guy who seemed to be in charge, so he lifted his hand in a neighborly wave and headed up the hill and home.

Installment 35 Him

Installment #35

Him

Marshall Purcell smiled at the woman in his arms. This
had been so easy. He had not been surprised at all to find the
man in Meg’s kitchen watching the back door. Watching? Little
hard to watch anything with your eyes closed completely and
your head lolling over on your shoulder like that. Marshall had
used his key to let himself in the front door. Who would have
thought a boogie man could come in the front door? His crepe
soled shoes made not a sound as he crept up behind him and with
one swift movement snapped his neck. Back out the front door
with the big man over his shoulder. Across the yard and open the
back of the Jeep and drop him quietly inside. Then back for his
prize. When he had Meg settled in he would drive the Jeep up to
the cavern and dispose of the body. Right now he just did not
have time and it would be light soon. He must get her home
where she would be safe!

He had waited in the sun room behind the heavy denim
drape beside the doggie door. He had sprinkled cayenne pepper
very lightly behind him to cover up any scent he might have left.
And it had worked perfectly. Out the door they had gone and
while Meg was pouring the water for the coffee he had quietly
slid the panel in place to keep the dogs outside. He did not want
to hurt the doggies. They were so cute and when Meg was gone
they would let him pet them. Marshall was sad that he had never
had a dog when he was a boy, but when he and Meg were
together, they might come back and get Elvira and Daisy. That
would be nice.

He watched her set down her coffee cup when the dogs
started scratching at the door. He smiled at her look of concern.
Such a wonderful woman to be concerned about her doggies
being locked out and how naïve to not even wonder how that
happened. As she reached to pull the panel up he quickly
encircled her shoulders with his left arm and placed the
chloroformed rag over her face. How fast it worked and
jubilation filled him as Meg sank against him. Yes! Very soon
this woman would be completely his and his alone.

She was light as a feather as he hurried to the Jeep with
his treasure. He placed her gently in the passenger seat, bracing
her in an upright position with pillows he had brought for that
purpose. Now, if someone should see them, they would just
think they were out for an early morning drive. Or, better yet,
just getting in from a night of partying! Yes, they had been
dancing all night in Denver and Meg was tired. But he would
drive and take care of her! He kissed her gently on the forehead
and closed the door quietly, not that the sound would awaken her
because the soft cloth was laying on her shoulder. He climbed in
the drivers side, checked the seat and glanced in the rearview
mirror. Ah, sweet Jesus! That asshole had his hand laying over
the back seat. Depend on a cop to screw up a bad dream.
He climbed out of the car, leaving the door open. Did
not want to lock himself out, that was for sure. That was no fun.
He had done that and he did not want to do that again. He
opened the tail gate and jerked the offending hand down and
placed it under the back seat, just in case the muscles tightened
up and the corpse started waving at people out the back window.
The sun was full over the horizon when he pulled onto Banner
Road and headed East. The sun hit him full in the eyes and for a
moment he could not see, but Storm Lake Road came up
quickly and he turned north.

He passed Fred’s barn on his right and then Fred’s house
on his left. That had to be inconvenient, but Fred did not seem to
notice since he only used the barn to butcher his poached deer
and such. Now there was a weird one, that Fred. He had dug his
tunnel for him and did a fine job, if he did have to say so himself.
Insisted on being paid in cash. Cash! Who used cash these days?
And what had he done with the money? God only knows. Guy
had nobody. Nobody ever came to his house. Or at least nobody
Marshall had ever seen. Hell, Fred had on the same clothes when
he dug the tunnel that he had on the last time he had seen him.
He had not told him his name. None of his business. As far as
Marshall Purcell knew, nobody on this mountain knew his name.
That was good. None of their business.

He reached over and traced the curve of Meg’s cheek. He
touched her eyelashes and smiled. Holy Shit! He looked up just
in time to see the ditch racing toward him and jerked the wheel to
the left. The Jeep fishtailed briefly and then steadied on the
road. Better tend to business. Ah, crap. There was a foot
sticking over the back seat now! Well that would have to wait.
He would be home in three minutes and the road dead ended at
his house and there was no one behind him. He focused on the
road and soon arrived at his cabin. He placed the cloth near
Meg’s nose briefly and then opened the door. He went to the
back and opened the hatch. He did not like to touch the man
because he was now getting stiff and repulsive. He hurried to the
wood piled on the side of the house and carried back several logs
and dropped them on the ground behind the Jeep. He folded the
detective back into a position and began piling wood on him. As
soon as Meg was settled he would go dispose of the body.

He closed the back of the Jeep and opened the passenger
door. He picked Meg up lightly and walked the few steps to the
cabin door. He inserted his key with his left hand as he
balanced her on his left knee. No, no, he did not want to drop
this precious bundle at this stage of the game. He stepped over
the threshold and kicked the door shut behind him. He crossed
swiftly to the bedroom and in seconds he had placed her on the
bed. She was still very quiet so he returned and threw the dead
bolt on the front door to the locked position. He knew he had
lots to do, but he lingered near the bed. He dropped to his
knees and laid his hand gently on Meg’s shoulder. He closed
his eyes and ran his hand down the full length of her lithe body.
He brought his hand back up her leg and caressed her knee.
Then up her thigh to her hip. He lingered there as he
envisioned the union they would have later, when his work was
done. He encircled her waist and then slowly moved up to cup
her breast. Oh, it was everything he had dreamed of for the last
two and a half years!

Damn that cop! He kissed her lightly on the cheek as he
reluctantly moved his hand from her breast to the bedside table.
He extracted the syringe and uncapped the needle. He found
the arm vein and inserted the needle and released the Adavan
into her blood stream. He extracted the needle and threw the
apparatus into the trash can.

He crossed to the root cellar and opened the door. Inside
was a tiny cot covered with blankets. He returned and picked
Meg up gently and carried her inside and placed her on the cot.
“Oh, my darling, I am so sorry, but I have to go out for a while.
You lay here and rest and when I come back we will make mad
passionate love all the rest of the day. I know you want me as
much as I want you, but soon we will be one. We will be
together forever in our own little Utopia. You and I, together,
forever!”

It was cool so he placed a blanket over her, kissed her
once more on the cheek and closed and locked the door. He
put his hand against the door to be sure it held.

He stopped suddenly realizing the job he had ahead of him. It
was such an inconvenience to have to dispose of that bastard,
but he couldn’t just haul him around the rest of his life. He
picked up the flashlight from the buffet by the front door, exited
and locked the door behind himself. As the Jeep roared to life he
quickly disengaged the clutch and pulled out of the yard and
headed back down the mountain. Past Fred’s and then past
Meg’s little farm with the dogs barking in the back yard. Thirty
minutes to the cavern, 30 minutes to drag the cop up the hill, and
then 30 minutes back home. It was an eternity, but he did not
want to get stopped and Meg would sleep for 3 ½ to 4 hours.
Sleep, my darling, sleep!

Installment 34 Meg

Installment #34

Meg

Meg awoke well before dawn. She stretched in the dark
and began to organize her thoughts. She did not need to turn
on the computer this morning because it was not here. This
was a first in a long time. No reason to hurry into the office.
No eBay, no redranger, no computer. Then she remembered
the other thing that was lurking in the corner of her mind; she
was not alone in the house. Ambrose was downstairs guarding
the front door or something. Or maybe while she slept
someone had come and relieved Ambrose and someone else
would be down there. Well, she was up here in her bed and she
was not ready to go down and face whatever this day would
bring. What day was it?

Let’s see. Denver was Thursday. Friday had been a
recover and feel sorry for herself because she had been stood up
day, and then Saturday brought the detectives and the news that
the man she had contemplated having sex with was married.
Hell, not only married, but missing. The redranger was Jeffery
Eldon Purcell. She pulled the covers over her head as she
realized that today was Sunday. Sunday meant church. But Jack
had told her she had to stay in the house. Well, that was not
going to happen. Somebody had to move the eggs into the
cooler. Somebody had to check the feeders. And today was
Sunday and Sunday and church were part of her routine. Well,
Ambrose better be ready to go to church and gather eggs. She
pushed the covers down and turned and put her feet over the
side of the bed. A quick look at the clock told her it was almost
5:30. The sun would be peeking over the horizon very soon.
Guiltily she remembered that she had not spoken to
Kevin since the first part of the week. She reached for the phone
in the charger by the bed. It was not there. Strange. In all the
activity yesterday she must have left it downstairs. Anyway it
was 4:30 in California and it was Sunday and Kevin liked to
sleep in on the weekend. Well, not that late, but sure not 4:30.
Nobody got up at that time of day. Well, she did, but she had no
life. It was pretty early to go downstairs, but surely Ambrose
was awake and would want coffee. He was guarding her so he
should be awake. She took her robe off the end of the bed and
pulled it on. As she pulled it around her shoulders, she hugged
herself. Tommy had bought this for her and it was very
practical for Colorado mornings, although not a bit sexy. She
stroked the fabric which reminded her of a satin rabbit she had
as a pet when she was very young. Wonder what this fabric is,
other than polyester? Such a general term.

Sliding her feet into her slippers, she ran her fingers
through her hair. She belted the robe and walked across the floor
to the crates. As she opened the door on Daisy’s crate, Daisy
stirred and came out, waiting to have her ears scratched. Elvira
was slower, but the same ritual as Daisy. They waited for their
“getting up treat”. If they had one for going to bed, they also
needed one for getting up. Nothing spoiled about these dogs.
They bounded down the stairs , made a left turn , and
were out the doggie door. Meg made a right turn and walked
into a brightly lit kitchen. But where was Ambrose? Must be in
the bathroom, or maybe asleep on the couch. She glanced
around the kitchen and did not see her cell phone. This charger
was also empty. Where was that phone? Then she saw the note
on the counter. She picked it up and read the few words. “ Meg
Parker. I have been called back to Denver. Everything here is
alright.”
That was strange. He should have woke her up and told
her he was leaving. How was he leaving? He had no car.
Someone must have came and got him. Yes, that was it. Well,
that made two inconsiderate oafs! And the dogs. Why had they
not barked? They barked at every leaf that blew across the yard
and every fox that came within a mile of the place, but men
walking around in the kitchen was nothing to be alarmed about.
She poured the water through the Bunn that she had set
up the night before in case Ambrose wanted coffee. As she took
her favorite cup off the cup rack, she glanced idly towards the
back of the house. Those dogs were sure taking their sweet time
this morning. On cue, she heard scratching at the doggie door.
Scratching? All they had to do was come inside. Nothing to
stop them. She walked through the dining room to the sun
porch. The inside door to the doggie door was firmly in place!
How in the hell had that happened? It was kept beside the
doggie door. As she stared in disbelief she felt a strong arm
around her shoulders and soft cloth on her face. What was that
odor? As her whole body slumped against the warmth of what
she knew not, Tommy’s face rose before her.

Installment #33 Fred

Installment #33

Fred

Fred threw the last piece of wood he chopped onto the
pile he had been working on for the past hour. Not much sense in
piling it up like he had done back home. Just going to burn it
anyway. He sat on the stump and reflected back over the
incident with the Jeep with the scary looking guy in it. The guy
had to be watching Meg. But the important part of the whole
thing was how long had the big guy been watching her? And
why? Or was he just setting there? Things began to click inside
his mind. The tunnel. What was that about? Why would anyone
want a tunnel to a tree? Well, when he found the little nesting
part of the tree and the telescope and how this zeroed right in on
the Parker place things began to click. The Jeep on the road was
a big click. Stumbling on him spying on Meg was the clincher.
He had read books. He watched the news. He knew this man
was a stalker! He was a stalker and he was stalking Meg Parker.
But wait! Stalkers usually had a reason. What did this man want
from Meg?

As Fred entered his small cabin and placed his gun and
machete on the shelf his head began to hurt. He was not used to
all this thinking. His life was very simple and required no
planning or decision making and he did not like this at all. He
resented the big scar faced man for doing this to him. Something
was going on and he knew it, but did not know what to do about
it. As he lay on his small cot fully clothed, he tried to sort it out,
but he could not. Finally a blissful oblivion flew him away to his
boyhood home and a mother and father who loved him, but not
each other.

Installment #32 Marshall Purcell

Installment #32

Marshall Purcell

He watched from high in the tree as the men knocked on
her door. At first he thought they were visitors, but soon he could
see they were not. And his telescope sure brought that badge
right into focus. Cops. What were they doing with her? What
had she done?
Oh, hell. It was about Jeffery. Jeffery was the redranger.
By now his little wife would surely be worried and looking for
him. That was her meal ticket after all. Of course no one had
seen him in Denver and he was supposed to be working there. So
it was only natural to call and report him missing. Must be a
pretty important guy for them to get right on it like that.

“Oh, yes officers here is his computer. Why no he would
never fool around on me. Look at this, I ask you , would you
leave this home in bed and chase some little trollop around?
Meg? Meg who? Jeffery never knew any Meg. Why she must
be one of the workers on that silly football thing he was hired to
consult about. Well, I do not care about all that silliness! Jeffery
was devoted to me, now just go find him. I don’t need to read
that trash!”

He knew when they went into the house that they were
headed for the computer. Well, they would find no trace of him
there. Nor anywhere in her house. He was too good for that. He
was like a ghost. He could walk in and out and no one ever
would have seen him. Like last night. Oh glory! He smiled at
the memory of last night. The moon was starting to wane so he
had made his way down the mountain. Across her back yard to
her kitchen window. He could see her setting at the table
working a crossword puzzle. He knew she would stay there until
it was finished and he knew the dogs would stay with her. The
radio was playing some old country station. He could hear it
clear out here.

He moved swiftly to the side patio and pulled his special
grappling hooks out of his back pack. Fitting them carefully
into notches he had made several months ago he pulled himself
to the patio roof. Reaching out he caught the railing of the
upstairs patio and swung himself onto the floor. Not a sound. A
ghost. He took the slender piece of steel from his pocket and
jimmied the door. He moved quickly to the bathroom and found
what he was after hanging behind the door. His rough hands
removed the silky nightgown from the hook and he buried his
face in the folds and breathed deeply. Oh, the bliss of her
womanly scent. Not really perfume but a smell that wrenched at
his heart. He shoved the gown into the plastic bag he had
brought for that very purpose. He did not want her smell mixed
with any other smell. This was his euphoria!

He slid the patio curtain to one side and then the other one
the same; just an inch or so. He exited onto the patio, locking the
door behind himself. He slid the garden bench forward just
enough so he could fit behind it if need be. And then he set down
to wait. Soon he was rewarded as he saw the kitchen light go out
and the hall light upstairs shine brightly. The dogs ran into the
bedroom first and sat by their crates to wait. Meg went into the
bathroom to prepare for bed and very soon emerged with a
puzzled look on her face. She lifted the pillow and then opened
the drawer and drew out another nightgown. Glancing once more
at the bed she returned to the bathroom. Soon she came back out
wearing the peach nightgown that he loved so well. It struck her
at mid calf and clung to her as she moved. She gave the dogs
their treats and closed their doors. She flipped on her bedside
light and piled pillows for her back. As she settled in her bed she
picked up her book from the bedside table. But her eyes strayed
to the patio doors.
She noticed the curtains were open, but did not seem
concerned. Did she know he was there? She seemed to be
looking right at him. He stared back at her. Then she stretched
her leg and raised her arms above her head. She was tempting
him! She knew he was there and she was wanting him to come
inside. Well, he wasn’t ready for that just yet! Oh, she would
beg him some day and when that day came, he knew he would
not be able to resist her feminine wiles. First she must stop
behaving like a slut. All that stretching and showing her breasts
outlined by the sensuous peach colored gown. Theirs must be a
union of purity. She must keep her green eyes open. He must be
able to see the green or were they blue? They must not be black.
No! No black eyes would he look into again, ever!
He watched as she drew her knees up and closely eyed her
toe nails. They were not polished. He was glad to see that. But with her setting there
like that he noticed her legs gaping apart. He thought he could
see, what? What? It did not look like she was wearing under
wear! By God she wasn’t! Why that Jezebel was naked under
that night gown! She was naked and him not 20 feet away! But
he would forgive her this once. She did not know he was there,
but he knew she was there. As he watched, she reached up and
turned out the lamp, the book forgotten at her side. She was
going to sleep. As he looked at the dark window he gently pulled
the night gown from the bag and pressed it to his face. They were
going to sleep now. As his eyes grew heavy he felt a small fire
flicker in his loins. They were one.

Hours later when he awoke with a stiff neck, he put the
night gown back into the bag and slowly and quietly climbed
down the same way he had climbed up. And like the ghost that
he was he silently crept across the field and up the mountain,
unseen by anyone or anything, except a shadow on the edge of
the clearing.

Installment #30 Him

Installment #30

Him

Marshall Purcell swirled his drink as he crossed the
room to his recliner. He picked up the remote and switched the
television to Channel 9 news. He sat the drink on the table
beside his chair and went into the bathroom, pulling his tie
loose as he walked. He hung the tie over the chair and as he
removed his clothing, he hung each item on it’s own hanger.
When he was almost completely nude, he hung the hangers on
the hook on the back of the door. The tie was the last item to be
placed there and it went around the collar of his shirt. Just like
it belonged.

He stood in just his boxer shorts in front of the full length
mirror. Slowly he lowered the underwear to the floor and
stepped out of it. He gazed at himself in the reflection. He was
not a bad looking man, other than the scar on his face. His body
was lean and hard. He turned sideways. Well, a little paunch,
maybe. Ok, a definite paunch. And maybe lean and hard was not
the way to describe his body. He had an office job, for crying out
loud. How was he supposed to build muscles setting at a desk all
day long? Surely Meg could overlook a little thing like that. He
thought of Meg and how she looked jogging in her shorts. She
had long legs and moved with a grace few women possessed.
His eyes went to his manhood. It hung helplessly down
and showed no signs of life. That was better. Damn thing better
remember who was boss around here. He pictured Meg setting
on her patio with the dogs at her feet reading a book. He had
been in her home and he knew the kind of books she read.
Historical novels. Romances. His mother had read True
Confessions and Modern Romance. He thought of his mother
laying on the couch reading her magazines, her legs extended;
one over the back of the couch and the other foot resting on the
arm at the end of the couch. He’d seen his mother turn her full
gaze on him. She had dark sultry eyes. Meg’s were blue.

Mother’s skin was very white. Meg’s was tanned from the sun.
Mother’s hair was black. Meg’s was light brown.
Mother smiled at him and laid her magazine down.
“Come here, Marshall. Rub Mother’s shoulders. I am so tight
there.” She sat up and turned her back to him. He swallowed a
lump in his throat and reached for shoulders. He began to knead
the muscles that attached to her neck.
“Yes, mother, you are tight. I can feel it.” She
unbuttoned her shirt and pushed her blouse back so he could
work her muscles on her lower neck. Marshall stared at her
smooth back. His fingers worked the muscles and he could feel
her loosen under his touch. She turned and looked sideways at
him as she fluttered her long eyelashes.

“You are such a good son, Marshall. I love you so
much. Do you remember when you came in the kitchen and
the neighbor man was here?” Marshall could only nod his
head yes. The lump in his throat threatened to choke him.
“Do you know what we were doing?” This time he nodded
no. “Would you like Mother to show you?”

It took everything in Marshall Purcell’s being to slam the
door shut on that memory! That was a door that must never be
opened. That was the one memory he must never let out again.
He did not need to look down to know what was going on down
below. He grabbed his pajama’s and quickly covered himself.
Then he went to his recliner and sat down and grabbed his drink.
He drained the glass quickly and then pushed himself to the
reclining position and closed his eyes tightly. He pictured Meg
Parker jogging. He pictured her alone in the Sheraton. He willed
himself to look at her body. Her naked body! She could save
him! She must save him from his mother. That had been so
wrong. So very evil. He had hated his mother after that day
more then ever before. He had hated her, but he had gone back
again and again. Like an addict. But now, it was just him and
Meg.

Meg would make him forget. Meg was his salvation. He
forced himself to picture Meg as he reached inside his pajama’s
and brought out the object that had offended him so many times.
If he could get through the next few moments with Meg in his
vision and not see mother, he would not need to castrate himself.
So he gritted his teeth and pictured only Meg. He pictured her
naked and spread before him and he licked his lips as he found
his release in Meg Parker.

Installment #29

Meg

Meg let her computer boot up as she changed into her
pajamas. It had been a long day. A long and completely wasted
day. She had left home this morning thinking that maybe tonight
she would be in Eldon’s arms, but that had not happened. A
wasted trip to Denver and a long, lonely drive home. Daisy and
Elvira were happy to see her and that cheered her up a little.
They were such simple creatures. She would let them stay out of
the crates until she finished her computer work.

Forty-eight emails. She scanned the list and nothing from
redranger. Well, she was not going to write him. He had been
the one who did not show up and he owed her an apology at the
very least. She answered six questions. She had sold eight items
so she printed out the PayPal receipts, deleted the Item sold and
copies of the pay for your items. The remaining 18 were mostly
advertisements that had escaped the Spam filter and a few
newsletters and three forwards, “You have to read this it is really
funny! ” They weren’t.

She closed her email and put the computer into the sleep
mode and stood and pushed her chair into the desk. She got
the dog treats and walked to the crates. The dogs took their
bribes and ran into the crates to devour them. Meg looked at her
big, lonely bed and for the first time in a very long time she felt
totally and completely alone. She had never met Eldon, the
redranger, but she missed him. She felt that a very vital piece
of Meg Parker was missing. She switched on the television
knowing full well she would not sleep this night. Too bad
Johnny Carson was not on anymore. He had always made her
laugh. The television was programmed to turn off after one
hour if she did not tap the action button. Saved energy that way.
She watched the end of CSI and then burrowed into the big
lonely bed as the weather man started pointing at different low
fronts.

She did not get the details of the week ahead as her
head nodded and when the perky little blonde announced that
the Architect who was coming to Denver to add his expertise to
the new addition at Invesco Field had left Brattleboro,
Vermont, arrived in Denver had then disappeared into thin air.
But her ears were deaf and her body completely relaxed. Had
she been awake she might have made the connection between
Jeffery Eldon Purcell and the redranger, but she was not. She
was dreaming of a tall dark stranger who was eluding her even
in her dreams.

Installment #21

Installment #21
Meg

Meg sealed the last box, added the label, stuck a Priority Mail sticker on it and tossed it into her tote. Daisy and Elvira began to dance around as she took her hat from the hook.  She opened the door and started down the drive to the mailbox. The dogs ran ahead sniffing both sides of the road. At the mailbox she opened the big door and put the packages inside. Then she raised the flag to let the driver know that she had a pickup. She turned back towards the house, but then turned to look up the mountain. The dogs looked at her quizzically. She laughed. “All right! Just a short one though.” She crossed Banner Road and entered the field. She skirted the fence that was across the path and started up the hill. The dogs ran ahead as was their habit. Sniff and pee. Sniff and pee. Dogs had such easy lives. Soon they were at the fork in the trail that led to the tree she had discovered on her last trip up the mountain. Without a second thought she turned and headed up the path. Might as well face this demon and put it behind her. She had avoided the mountain when Greg and Kevin were here because of this and now it would be put to rest. As she neared the tree she relaxed. The brush was not beaten down at all. As she looked around she noticed the growth pattern on the big pines was the same as this one. Looked like a ladder. What a silly goose she had been. The path turned slightly to the left so she followed it. About 300 yards and she realized that off to her right was what appeared to be a small cabin. She stopped and studied it. It was a small cabin. There was a worn driveway so she knew it was used by someone. She should go back. This was someone’s home. She was trespassing. Well, not really. She was just walking past a house. The road lay right before her and she knew if she followed the road around to the right it would lead back to Banner Road where she lived. Fred lived up here somewhere, but this looked too neat to be where Fred would live. She scoffed at herself for making judgments’ about Fred. She did not know where he lived and so could not know how he lived. As she debated whether to take the road back down or go back the way she had come, she heard a vehicle coming up Storm Lake Road. She made her mind up very quickly when the Black Jeep Cherokee approached and turned into the little cabin. Curiosity made her look at the vehicle and she strained to catch a glimpse of the driver as she looked back over her shoulder. So intent was she in that endeavor that she did not notice that Elvira had stopped to itch herself. She stepped on the dogs tail and she yelped. She halted the forward momentum of the second leg and tumbled forward into Daisy. Another yelp as the door of the Jeep closed. The big man whirled and stared in her direction. He did not look happy at all. And then he looked very surprised as he started towards her. Meg rose and was dusting herself off when he reached her.

 “Are you all right lady?” He glanced at the dogs who were cowering at her feet. “Did I scare you and your dogs? Why are you up here? This is private property, you know.” He stopped and waited for her to answer. Meg was frozen in place by his cold steely eyes and then she noticed his scar. She had met this man before. Her and Tommy. Long ago.  She took a deep breathe and began her explanation.

 “Well, I am Meg Parker and I live straight south of here. I was just walking on the trail with the dogs ‘cause that is what I do sometimes. I did not even know there was a house here until I stumbled on it today. I usually turn around before I get this far. I was thinking of taking the road back and then I noticed your cabin. And then you came and so I started back and tripped on Elvira….” Her voice trailed off as she stood waiting for what? Absolution? Wrath? She turned to go. “Oh.” And that was all he said. Meg was suddenly aware of his eyes burning into her. She shivered as she suddenly felt very vulnerable. She turned back toward the trail she had come up to get here.

 “It is all right if you walk across my yard.” he said curtly as he turned and walked toward the little cabin without a backward glance. He unlocked the door and quickly disappeared inside. Meg was
left staring at a closed door.  She suddenly just wanted to be home and she hurried back the way she had come. The sun was past it’s zenith when she hurried inside and  the door locked behind her. Home! This was her sanctuary. Her haven. And suddenly she began to sob as she thought of Tommy. Never again would her Tommy hold her. Never would they laugh. As she sank into the overstuffed chair that faced the open window and the mountain she gave vent to the last three years of loneliness and frustration. The dogs stood silently at her feet and stared at the grieving woman.

Installment #12

Installment #12

Meg

Meg walked around the house. The workmen were gone.
She was alone. She had handed Fred the roll of bills and then
insisted he count it for herself as well as for him. She knew it
was there, but she wanted him to know as well. As she watched
him she was suddenly struck by how innocent and child like he
seemed. There was more to Fred Himes then anyone would ever
know. She had asked for a tour around the house so he could
show her what he had done. He explained about the double
welding and that it would take a cutting torch for anyone to get
inside. “So don’t lose your key or you will be sleeping in the
yard.” He had suddenly become agitated when he said that.
Strange. She turned back into the house then turned and watched
him climb into his Toyota pick up. Man that big had no business
in a little truck like that.

She checked her eBay sales and then frowned because
there were none. Business was sure down for some reason. She
clicked through to her store and then to the mark down manager.
Of course she had to sign in again. Ebay was very careful about
that. She selected several vinyls and then changed her mind and
selected them all. She marked them 50% off, selected the start
and end date and then clicked to save. That done she checked
her emails. Nothing very interesting there. She wandered to the
kitchen and stood at the sink. She really should fix some lunch,
but suddenly the idea of eating alone brought tears to her eyes.
Was this how the rest of her life would be? Eating alone,
sleeping alone, walking alone? What was the point? She
opened the refrigerator and picked out an apple. Then she
grabbed a handful of Cheddar Cheese squares. She took her
keys off the hook behind the door. At the clink of the keys,
Daisy and Elvira appeared, fresh from a nap!

“Come on girls! Let’s go for a little walk up the
mountain.” She picked her knap sack off the hook, put two
bottles of water and an empty plastic sour cream tub inside. “
Got everything you ladies need, so let’s hit it!” She put the
keys in her pocket, the knap sack over her shoulder, got a bottle
of water for herself, and lastly took her walking stick down
from over the door. It was a gift from Tom many years ago. It
was very sturdy and had a hummingbird etched on the side with
flowers. Very good for stabilizing herself as she walked and
sturdy enough that she could defend herself if need be.
The dogs ran ahead and sniffed everything in sight. Of
course they also had to mark their territory, because that is what
dogs do. It was a beautiful day and while warm it had a cool
breeze blowing down from the mountain. She picked a trail that
looked sort of worn and the dogs immediately joined her. Birds
flitted in the canopy overhead as they walked. Meg was always
alert to the possibility of a timber rattler so she kept the dogs
close.

Almost imperceptibly a change came over Meg. Her
footsteps slowed and the dogs came closer. What was it? She
could feel eyes on her. She turned around. Nothing. Daisy
stopped and her hackles rose. She stared ahead into the
underbrush. Meg stopped and strained her eyes. Nothing. No,
wait, there was something. Something about that big Pine tree.
The growth at the bottom of it was mashed down. Had a bear
been here? Could very well have been. It was wilderness and
there were bears. But the limbs had been removed. No, not
removed. Only some of them. It looked like a ladder the way
they were staggered. She stepped on the first one. Then up
another one. One more. She could set up here and be quite
alone. This branch made a nice broad setting place. She sat and
turned. Her eyes fell on her farm. A cold feeling of dread settled
over her. Was she the only one that knew about this place? She
quickly scampered down the limbs again and when she reached
the ground the dogs were staring at her quizzically.
She turned quickly and started back down the path. The
dogs fell in step behind her and did not run and sniff. They
could barely keep up with her. When she reached the edge of
the clearing she stopped. She opened the knapsack and got the
bowl and water. The dogs lapped greedily. Meg gave them each
a piece of cheese and then ate the rest of the cheese and the
apple. Her nerves began to relax and her mind began to clear.
Maybe it was just the spell of the forest. She looked down the
mountain. She could not see her farm from here. She looked up
to see if she could see the tree she had climbed. No. She was
going to need to delve into this a little further. Where did the
trail lead? Was there a house up there? If so, who lived there?
Who could she ask? Fred. Of course. He had been on this
mountain for years. He would know.

She knew she needed to proceed with caution when she
talked to Fred because he was one skittish little fellow. That was
all right. She was just curious. Now how to get Fred to the
house without alerting him. Of course! Now the only way
anyone could get into her house was if they used the doggie door.
It was in the wall going to the back yard. True her dogs were
small and so was the doggie door, but it could be possible. She
would have Fred build a metal cage that the dogs would exit into
for their “personal needs.” She would have plenty of time to
visit with him while that was being done. She glanced back over
her shoulder as she hurried down the mountain. She could not
shake the feeling that eyes were boring into her back.
When she reached the house she quickly entered and
slammed the door behind her. With shaking hands she found
Fred’s number, but before she dialed she took several deep
breathes and composed herself. The phone rang several times
before she finally gave up. She would try later. He did not seem
to have an answering machine. After several hours, he answered.
She explained her plan to him and he promised to come by the
next morning. She smiled as she hung up the phone. Fred was
so easy.

Installment #5...

INSTALLMENT #5
Kevin
Kevin breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the big
American Airlines plane lift off headed west and then bank to
the left and disappear in the Eastern sky. It had been great
having mom here for the four days. It was especially nice to
have her to run with early in the morning. And the fact that a
piece of fruit, or a bowl of soup, or crackers and cheese could
constitute a meal was even better. She understood his current
passion for being a vegetarian and she could take meat or leave
it. He had tried to show her a good time in hopes that she might
sell the farm and move to California. They could afford a house
if it were the two of them. And it did not have to be California.
They could go back to Boston or back to Dallas or maybe up to
Seattle. There was really nothing holding her in Colorado
except memories. No family. Just the farm. Her sisters were in
15
Kansas and he was just not comfortable with her being alone on
the farm.
It was a lot of work and while there was room for a hired
man and the chickens brought in enough to afford help, she still
refused. It was good that she was occupied with her little store
on eBay. He checked in from time to time and her merchandise
seemed to move well. Her descriptions were written like she was
talking to an old friend. Meg Parker was definitely a force to be
reckoned with in the technology department.
Kevin pulled his little Subaru into a parking place in
front of Your Little Pub. Guess it was all right to have a brew
since it was almost noon. And he wanted to see Greg. He had
not talked to him while mom was here. Not quite sure he was
ready for mom to meet a male friend. It could be awkward.
When Greg caught sight of Kevin walking across the floor and
up to the bar, he smiled and changed directions. He had been
taking a tub of dishes to the kitchen but that could wait. He
smiled shyly at Kevin. He had never met a man before that
could turn his knees to jelly and his insides to butterflies, but
this man did. Kevin was so sure. So aloof, but when he turned
his brown eyes on him, Greg was done. He felt like the man
looked into the very depths of his soul. Eyes of brown did that
to him. “Hey, Greg, how goes it?”
“Great Kevin. And how did your mom’s visit go? I guess
she is gone now?”
“Yeah, I just put her on the plane. It was all good. I
should have had you over, but ..”
“I know. You don’t need to say any more. You have not
met my mom either!” They both laughed uneasily. They had
discussed the mother thing before and were both sure they
needed more time to adjust and accept themselves as a couple
before holding each other out to the family. Greg was more sure
then Kevin, but then he had been out in San Francisco while
Kevin had never held hands in public with a man. It would take
some getting used to that was for sure.
“Hey, Kevin, I picked up that old Loretta Lynn movie
with Sissie Spacek, you know Coal Miners Daughter. Don’t
16
know how good of shape it is in. Got it at the junk store.
Want to come by tonight and watch it? “ Kevin hesitated and
sat his brew back on the bar.
“Can I bring the eats? You do know I don‘t do the meat thing,
don’t you?”
“Hey man, I was there way before you! That is no
problem at all with me.”
“I’ll pick up a bottle of wine.” He turned back to his brew
and thought to himself, “This just gets better all the time!” No
one else would ever understand his deep love for country music.
It just did not fit in with his lifestyle, but here was Greg
understanding him so well. Not only understanding, but
accepting him just as he was. Life indeed was good. Maybe
Greg would get to meet his mom yet!

Installment #4

INSTALLMENT #4
Him


He stepped quickly from the Jeep Cherokee and hurried
across the parking lot and into the airport. He better not miss this
flight or he would be setting right in her lap and that would never
do. It was so much easier before 9-11. Then it was just catch a
flight. Now there was all the security and everything to go
through. Damned inconvenience was about all it was to him. He
emptied his pockets into the tray and stepped into the machine
that would show anything he had missed. Lot better then being
groped, but there was a lot to be said for that also. He smiled to
himself and the security guard smiled back at him. Damn fool.
Like a man of his standing would ever give someone like her a
second look. He belonged to Meg, heart and soul and very soon
she would know it. As the big jet lifted off and the earth fell
behind and below him, he closed his eyes and envisioned the
perfect world that would soon be his. And for the briefest of
moments he thought he felt her breathe on his cheek.

Chapter One...Loose Ends Installment #2

INSTALLMENT #2
Kevin:
Kevin Jackson traced a raindrop down the inside of the
window pane with a well manicured fingernail. It had been a
rough day at work and he was homesick. He had left
Massachusetts 5 months earlier to follow a dream to San
Francisco and now he wondered if he had thought the whole
thing completely through. Boston had been home for two years
and he had a lot of friends there. San Francisco was proving to be
harder than it should be. Of course before Boston, it had been
Dallas and before that Denver, followed by Kansas City. It was
not that he was a drifter, it was just that his jobs became boring
after a time and a change of scenery was in order. But San
Francisco should have been better. They had the largest gay
population and programs and doctors to help him manage his
HIV/AIDS, so why was he unhappy now? Work was great and
the staff he worked with in Alameda County was a bunch of
caring people. The program was one he had wanted to oversee
and was a challenge which helped bolster his resume in case he
ever decided to move to another hospital.
Then there was that little problem of home ownership. In
Boston he had rented but he still had $150,000 in his escrow
account from the sale of his home in Dallas. But this was
California and that kind of money would not even make a good
down payment on a home of any kind. So he contented himself
with an apartment on the second floor of a complex 45 minutes
from the hospital where he worked. The view was of the next row
of apartments, but there was the little courtyard so it was not that
bad. Usually any extra time would be spent on the trail running.
Kevin liked to do at least 3 miles every day and the weekends
were good for 7-10, but not in the rain. Rain was good for
9
keeping him inside and being inside was depressing. It made him
think too much. Like now.
His mind drifted back to Montana and a very lonely
childhood. Mom tried, but mom did not understand the teenage
boy struggling with his sexuality. Then along came Tommy. Tom
was great, but by then he knew and there was no reason to talk it
over with anyone. He was a freak who liked boys. Talk was
cheap. Just how to keep mom from finding out now.
He remembered the move to Colorado. He tried to fit in at
the high school, but found no acceptance until he joined the
Drama Club. They were his kind of friends. Eric and he really
hit it off. He remembered the night of the Senior prom. He and
Eric both had dates and after the dance they took them home.
Then he and Eric had gone to the Nature Center to walk along
the river. That was his first experience with a person, male or
female and it was not an easy memory to recall. They were both
new at this, but they knew what they wanted. So long ago and far
away. Now there were only fond memories of Eric and there
would never be any more made. Eric had died in 1997 while
Kevin was away at College.
No one had told him. No one had told him how Eric
suffered with the Pneumonia that is common in AIDS cases. He
learned from his mom on Christmas break that Eric had died of
cancer or some such thing.
“Did you know him well, honey?”
“No, mom, not real well.”
Only as well as I knew myself and loved him with every
fiber of my being, because he was just like me. But those were
thoughts best kept to himself. Or they were until he had gone in
for regular testing a year later and learned that love was not the
only thing he shared with Eric. He left the trail of the rain drop
down the window and reached up to trace the tracks of his own
tears. Today was not a good day. Would there ever be another
good day in his life? Oh, Eric!

The High Tea at First Congregational United Church of Christ is now in the record books.

Don't these look like happy people?  They were.  Please meet Nancy Martin, her son Ross Barnhart, her daughter in law Terri Barnhart, and  Gail Barnhart.   They arrived in all thier finery at exactly 2:00 PM because that is what time the High Tea always starts.  Teresa and her friend Patty had arrived the day before and Mayflower Hall was festooned and beautiful.  Course my camera was at home through the whole thing, thus forcing me to go on facebook and steal pictures.

The tea was hot and the food at least looked good.  

This is a scone with lemon curd and yes, I made that from scratch.  Same with the dollop of clotted cream  getting ready to end up on that strawberry.

This was my first attempt at something this fancy, but I have been told that it was great.  Of course, I did not do this alone.  Jill arranged the tables.  Teresa and Patty decorated.  And when the High Tea was in full swing Pastor Jeannine was slinging tea like a trooper.  And plates were flying out of the kitchen thanks to the three of them along with my daughter, Sue. Amy manned the ticket table and sold tickets for the raffle.  Any great event is the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people.  This one was our first, but it is not going to be our last by a long shot.  We will just be more organized next time.  

First Congregational United Church of Christ is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future and  we would love to see you pop in our door next Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.    228 West Evans. 

Milberger Farms are now offering Gluten Free products!

Met my friend Tim in there for lunch to other day.  Course I took one of my gluten free buns for his sandwich since not many places can accommodate that need. Was I surprised to learn that they have their own gluten free bread in the kitchen!  Welcome to our world, Milberger Farms! 
You all know that I love to go their and eat the BLT with my friend Nancy, and I had told Tim, who is another bacon aficionado and so the Friday lunch hour found us there.  They also have the best salad bar on the front range.  Love that salad and sometimes just grab some for the house if I am expecting company.  It is much easier to grab a plate over there and pile it up with lettuce, onions, beets, tomato, olives, blue cheese, eggs, nuts and whatever else grabs my fancy.  Also a whole lot cheaper.  Usually make my own dressing.
Lordie, I can ramble!  Just wanted to pass the good word about the gluten free lunch choices on to  my friends with the problem.  I choose it some times just for the digestive factor and the fact that I tend to be a bit on the "fluffy side"  if I am not real comfortable. They also have gluten free choices in their bakery case.  Just trust me on this.
Sorry this is short but PFLAG is having the annual book sale at PCC and being a good little girl I am working there yesterday and today. 
Wanna' meet me out at Milbergers later?

Southwest Grill November 13, 2013

I am inside, looking out the window from our table.  That is my little car parked beside the sign. 

This is my dining companion and guess what is in her hand and against her ear?

But nonetheless, we soon had a cup of hot coffee in front of us served by a very friendly waitress who I did not get her name nor picture. 

I could almost have bought a lottery ticket without leaving my seat, but I chose not to do so.  Aren't you proud of me? 

Our food arrived very quickly which was no surprise since we both ordered Biscuits and Gravy.  I fell to eating and neglected to take a picture of the fare.  I have my own scoring system on food of this nature.  It was not greasy, which is good in my books.  It was tasty.  The gravy was creamy and the sausage was sausage as oppose to some of the stuff I have bit into.  Very shortly my plate and that of my friend looked like this:

As you see, I managed to do justice to it.  The biscuits were just a tad bit on the dry side and the meal was not quite as hot as I would have liked, but it was a cool morning and I was not eating right off the stove, so that is understandable.

 

I have been to the Southwest Grill before and enjoy thier food.  Will I return?  Most definitely!  The atmosphere is casual, the staff friendly, the resturaunt clean, the food good and reasonably priced.  Lots of parking.  All kinds of good things to say about the place!

If you pop in, tell them "Lou sent you!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just tell me what you think!

Please leave a comment below and help me design my new blog page.

 

I am currently on vacation!

Having spent a full year writing Long Ago and Not Very Far Away and publishing it online weekly, I was disheartened when I offered the ending to the story for $5.00 and only had one taker.  That does not amount to a very big paycheck for what I thought was a very entertaining and heart breaking story.   My paypal button is still laughing at me!

I will be back on this site at some point in time, but I think it is going to be as some sort of product or restaurant review.  Maybe I will share a few recipes with you.  I am working on another book, but I shall keep it under wraps and I am not going to either do it for free or invest another $4,000 .00 and not get a return on my investment.

I see a few of you check in here occasionally, so I guess  somebody actually read me.  Until I come up with something, hang in there. 

Installment #50 Whoops! Where is it?

You could now be reading Installment #50    "And things fall into place"  like Alice, Debbie and Jeffery are.    All you need to do is click on the Buy Now button and donate $5.00 to the cause of Lou Mercer (although it probably goes through the "My Site" account).  This is my little way of validating my year of writing for your enjoyment.

This button will only be available until October 1.  At that time you will not be able to buy this at any price.  When you pay I will send you the installments in 7 consecutive emails so as not to overload your computer.  If you prefer a pdf. of the entire script let me know and I will go that way.
 

Rating

Liked it some $5.00 USD Liked it more $10.00 USD Crazy about this book! $12.50 USD

You are paying securely through paypal, so not to worry.

Lou Mercer