The Final Shortcut (11 page)

“He said he was sick of living with a junkie so he split.” His words hit her with the force of a wrecking ball. Her head was spinning, and her face drained of any color. Trudy managed to catch her before she fell and Mandy rushed in to help. Meanwhile Junior stood by motionless. “We spent a couple days at a hotel talking before he left. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was determined to leave. Said he had some old friends that lived near Cancun. Some retired drug buddies that he could stay with.” Junior hung his head and began to cry. “I tried to talk him out of it but I couldn’t, he just doesn’t care about us anymore.” Ellen hugged him again and they cried together in silence, then without a word they all turned to go inside.

“C’mon in, I was just making breakfast, well brunch. Are you hungry?” He wiped his tears with his sleeve and said.

“Starved, I haven’t had much more than beef jerky all week.” Junior held back his laughter, keeping his little joke to himself. So far, so good. All he had to do was convince Mom of the tale and everybody else would believe it too. And from the look of things he was half way there.

Sheriff Stokes showed up less than an hour later, spending most of the day questioning Junior. He listened intently as he recounted the last five days in detail, “We stayed at “The Elite Hotel” Tuesday and Wednesday, talking mostly while Daddy drank a bunch of beer. Then we hung out at “The Sandbox” until Friday morning, Dad kept making phone calls but he wouldn’t tell me to who.” Junior concentrated, remembering to keep his story consistent without sounding rehearsed. “After that he dropped me a couple miles from here and took off, said he would drop me a line sometime. I’ve been hanging out at the hunting shack since then. I was afraid to come home.” Ellen hugged him close.

“Why would you be afraid to come home?”

“I didn’t think anybody would believe me, I mean it all sounds so crazy I was sure you would think I made it all up.” Junior managed to make the tears flow again and he watched his audience for their reaction. His plan had worked out fine, they believed him, Clyde pressed him for more details and wanted to hear it all again and again. But he was just doing his job; Junior had planned on him being a cop today. Later he would just be Clyde again. Once he had produced the receipts and described the people he saw, Clyde seemed satisfied. Junior knew he would check up on him, but he also knew he wouldn’t get very far. He had listened to Marty and Clyde talk and drink beer at “The Corral” too many times not to have learned about his disagreements with the next county. As evening approached Clyde was ready to leave, but he stopped with his hand on the door knob.

“By the way, did you ever find the old mine?” Junior felt a slight twinge of anxiety at his question; he had hoped the subject wouldn’t come up.

“No, we couldn’t find so much as an access road; do you remember where it might be? Maybe we could go look later.”

“No I don’t know where it is, and you know I don’t care anything about getting lost in the woods. I’m too much of a city feller.” Clyde grinned and patted him on the shoulder before he left. Junior knew how he would answer. He knew that he wouldn’t go out to the hunting shack. Knew him all to well. The plan had fallen together perfectly. He would have to tell Daddy next time he spoke to him.

The next several days found Sheriff Stokes hard at work validating Junior’s story. Most of which checked out. In the back of his mind he didn’t believe Marty would leave without telling him, they had known each other for over twenty years. However there wasn’t a trace of him to be found and he couldn’t help but believe Junior. From his office he could see Rosa coming up the hall with a package in her hands. She was a healthy five foot five, Tex-Mex fireball, and the best girl Friday a one-horse police department could have. She stopped in the doorway.

“Looks like your map from the mining company finally got here.” The phone rang at her desk so she tossed it to him and trotted away, the package bounced off his desk and into his lap. The attached letter said the map had an issue date of 1956, and an apologetic note explaining that it had to be retrieved from the archives.

“Well I don’t need it now; I’ll just put in my archives.” Marty had asked about the map to help them find the mine.

***

Ellen grabbed her purse on her way through the den. “I’ll be back in a couple hours; I’m going to set up an appointment to get cleaned up, like we talked about.” Junior stood up and hugged her close.

“That’s great Momma, I’m glad you’re gonna do this.” She pushed her self back and kissed him on the head.

“I should have done it a long time ago….maybe things would be different now.” Her eyes puddled up so she decided to leave. “I want you to go over to Trudy’s till I get back; she wants you to have lunch with her and Mandy.”

“I would really just rather….”

“Now she’ll be upset if you don’t go, OK?”

“OK, but I might be here when you get back.” He smiled and gave her a little hug before she left. His bike was just outside so he hopped on and drove the four miles to Trudy’s house. Taking the scenic route cross-country.

Mandy talked through most of the day while Trudy did an excellent job of being the perfect mom. A wonderful meal and a clean kitchen. She was carrying the act to the hilt trying to impress them both. Afterward Mandy asked him if he wanted to listen to some records in her room. So they left Trudy to put her feet up and relax. They both knew she was itching to steal away to her room for a buzz, so they let her be.

“How long you staying here this time?” Junior sat in the floor leafing through her albums, “Are you gonna stay for the summer festival?”

“No I go back to Dad’s day after tomorrow. He’s been in Georgia working for six weeks.” She pulled out a joint from a secret slot in her purse and lit it. “You want some?”

“No, I watched Momma smoke enough, and now she’s into…I don’t know what.” He looked away, not wanting to watch.

“It’s not reefer that messed up your mother, or mine either for that matter. It’s all the chemicals. She don’t think I know but I’ve seen at least six different kinds of pills and lately they been shooting up….heroin.” She talked with confidence. Her words revealing truths that Junior had turned a blind eye to, until now. And now he had to look after Momma.

“You mean your Momma’s been injecting herself?”

“They both have…I’m glad I’m going back to Dad’s soon. Frankly I don’t think your mom would have gotten into drugs if my Momma hadn’t helped. She’s the one with all the connections. I mean I love her an’ all, I just don’t want to be around her like this. Ain’t no telling what could happen … or who she could be hanging out with. I’ve heard too many stories about drug addicts and the company they keep…” she kept talking and he kept listening but the words were beginning to muddle together. Droning on, passing by without notice. He could hear his Dad’s voice recanting his last instructions to take care of his Mother. And he would.

“You awake?” Mandy had stood up in front of him, breaking his trance. “I need to go to the bathroom, could you let me by.” Junior hopped up clearing a path in the small bedroom, holding the door as she passed. He noticed Trudy’s door was cracked open a few inches. When Mandy closed the bathroom door he stepped quietly over to her door and peered in. Trudy was lying on the bed seemingly asleep. She moaned a little and wiped her nose with her hand. He crept inside to get a closer look and he saw that she had just shot up. The powder and the syringe on the bedside table. With the deftness of a jungle cat, he stepped over to her window and unlocked it. Pushed it up just enough to unclip the screen, and back down again. Then it was back out to the hall with a few seconds to spare.

“Would you do me a favor Junior?” Mandy was still adjusting her hair when she came out. “Would you give me a ride to a friends, it looks like Mom’s going to have a nap now.” There was an obvious tone of disgust in her voice, one Junior could understand.

“Sure, wherever you want… you wanna go now?” Junior pasted a warm smile on his face. Grabbed her hand and lead her to the door. She turned the knob so it would lock and locked the screen door too.

“Won’t you have to knock now, how are you gonna get back in if the screens locked.”

“She always locks the screen door, so I’ll just have to wake her up later.” Mandy rolled her eyes and headed for the bike, more than ready to leave. Junior filed that little bit of information away for later, making mental notes for the evening ahead.

***

“Did you have a good time?” Ellen had already gotten comfortable after her visit to the doctor. She wore a jogging suit and her favorite bedroom slippers.

“Yeh, it was alright.” Junior made a glass of ice tea and sat on the sofa next to his mother, “What about you, what did the doctor say?”

“He wants me to go to a clinic…to stay a few weeks and … well dry out. I can’t just stop without help. I’ve been doing too much, way too much. But I’m gonna take control of my life. Gonna rejoin the human race.” She rubbed the inside of her left arm, feeling the soreness of the track marks and holding back the tears. “I’ve got a prescription to help me sleep until I go to the clinic. They have to make reservations, but until then you’ll have to help me out.”

“Don’t worry Momma,” he said with a smile, “I’ll take care of you.”

***

Under a star filled sky the mountain took on a serene look, quiet and majestic. The only noise at midnight was Mandy, pounding on the front door trying to wake up Trudy. After fifteen minutes, she finally stumbled to the door. The brief shouting match that ensued could be heard half a mile away. And then a slamming door. Trudy returned to her room, mad at the world. Flopped on the bed and smoked a cigarette. It didn’t take very long before she was reaching for her stash. She measured out a small spoon full, dumped it in a tablespoon. Heated it over a candle and pulled it into a syringe. The procedure was well practiced. And once she had done the deed, the effects were immediately noticeable. She seemed happy for a few minutes, singing to herself in muted tones. She slowly caved in and lie back on her pillows, lost in dreamland. This episode was just one of many for Trudy. But it was the first time Junior had seen it, and from outside her bedroom window he was able to see it all in great detail. He had waited for over an hour, and now that Mandy was back. He would wait just a little more.

Still as a post, he waited until Mandy had quieted down before going in. With a putty knife he pried the screen open. Pushed the window up and with the grace of a feline he crawled in. Without stirring the dust on the sill, he replaced the screen and locked the window. The only sound in the dim room was Trudy’s half conscious singing. His senses were on overload, he felt like a coiled spring ready to burst. A noise in the hall, Mandy, coming this way. He darted behind the door just before she opened it and turned on the light.

“Mom, are you awake?” Trudy managed a limp-handed wave and lifted her head a couple inches, a cartoon smile smeared across her face. “Oh never mind…I’ll be glad when Dad gets here.” she shut the door solidly and stomped away.

“Shunior…is that shou?” Trudy tried to focus on her visitor, but it was all so confusing. “Did shou like ya lunch?” She flopped back down still mumbling to herself. He moved over to her bedside table and examined her tools. He neatly put all the powder in the tablespoon, heated it and filled the syringe to capacity. Putting one leg over her, he sat across her thighs, pinning her right arm to the bed under him. Tucked her left hand in his armpit and pulled her arm straight.

“What are shou…get off….get off.” Her objections were very lethargic, her eyes could see what was happening but her body wouldn’t respond to the threat. “Don’t…not all that.” Junior jabbed the needle in roughly, tearing the skin a bit before he emptied the lethal dose in her vein. He held her still until she stopped moving. Her breath came in short faint breaths, and then stopped. Junior looked down at her, watching the pulse in her neck slow to a stop. Only then did he move off her. In swift quiet movements, he arranged her so it looked like she died in mid shot. The needle still in her arm. All traces of his knee prints were fluffed out of the bed covers. He even ruffled the carpet under the window with his hand before moving to the door. Slowly opening the door a crack, he could see a light from Mandy’s room. He could hear her record player. He eased out into the hall pulling the door behind him. Her door was standing open enough that he could see her feet on the bed. Backing away on tip toe, he silently made his way to the front door. Eased his way through, taking care to lock both the door and the screen. “She always locked the screen.” He whispered to himself as he melded into the night. Disappeared off the porch leaving no trace of his passing. A few seconds later in the distance, a dirt bike could be heard making its way home.

Chapter 7

The phone rang at six thirty that morning jarring Ellen out of a medicated sleep. It was Mandy sobbing frantically, nearly in hysterics. “Please just come over here, I don’t know what to do…I called the ambulance….I can’t wake her up….oh God!” Ellen felt her heart skip a beat. An awful feeling of foreboding came over her.

“Ok. I’ll be right over.” She hung up and leaned against the wall, sensing her cousin was dead.

“What’s wrong?” Juniors’ voice startled her so much she knocked the receiver off the hook.

“Something’s happened to Trudy, I have to go over to help out. Can you drive me?” Her hands were shaking as she spoke, afraid of what she would find. Junior just nodded and left to get dressed. He hadn’t slept at all, restless with anticipation. His excitement was well hidden under a mask of concern. But deep inside he could hardly wait to see the effects of his handiwork.

***

Sheriff Stokes had been there well ahead of anyone else. He stood outside with the coroner while he finished his paperwork. “Well, what would you call it, suicide or accident?” Clyde offered up a pack of cigarettes to the county officer.

“An accident probably, she had a fight with the daughter, maybe she was depressed, can’t say for sure. That’s your job. Isn’t it?” He chuckled as he waved off the smoke.