Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-17

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Tip #190: The modern wristwatch comes in countless variants, with hundreds of features, both analog and digital display, endless complications, styles, levels of decorative bling, but I’ll tell you something: the most important feature of a wristwatch after timekeeping accuracy? Legibility. That’s it really. Just has to be legible.

The rear entryway leading to unkept sandlots and creosote was propped with a broom handle, allowing a modicum of air circulation within the tiny CBB building.

She prayed for a thunderstorm, anything. Stirring her tiny paper cup of ketchup using a limp In-N-Out fry, she fanned herself with a glossy copy of Cosmo magazine. Her purse rested open on her lap, legs in tight pedal-pusher jeans. Earlier, thousand island dressing had drizzled from a double-double onto her pearl white sleeveless blouse and she’d left it be. Hopefully it would come out in the next wash—whenever that would be.

Her bare feet were pushing on one end of the mahogany desk, toes fresh with sparkly nail polish after a pedicure; Chan usually hated this behavior as the smell drove him ape, but was so engrossed in an episode of Gilligan’s Island he seemed less affected by the outside world, including oppressive heat. On the tube The Professor was busy repairing their white transistor radio, also drinking a mai-tai, trimmed in the customary pleated paper umbrella.

Chan exhaled in frustration. Turning to Lyndy and gesturing at his new color television. “Shit, how many of those freakin cocktail umbrellas did they bring with them for a 3-hour cruise? They’ve been there what, two years now? Still have a Captain Morgan supply?”

Lyndy chuckled. “It was so realistic up until this point,” she posited. “I’ll bet you a dollar a coconut is going to fall on The Skipper’s head.” Chan loved TV.

He lowered his head, touching the desk.

Sipping cold Tab through a straw in a glass bottle, she tried to avoid over-thinking. A peaceful week had passed since the ill-fated encounter at the rest stop and the long night with Jack. Her heart ached, lonely for the touch of a man … not Jack … a more caring one, Dale or Ted Crawford.

She checked the underside of her arms. They still had bruising from the crazy fight, but gradually were blending to her normal mocha skin tone. Wanting to see in daylight she stood up, re-attaching shoes. Her heals clicked on the tiles as she made her way to the front.

Parting the blinds she could observe the white mustang occupying third spot from the door, now approaching complete restoration. She was being more careful with it than any car she’d owned prior. Beyond the first row and sidewalk, an elegant sedan made a wide left turn into the parking lot, seeming out of place for Barstow.

But it was the glint of a pointed and shiny object residing on the hood which really caught her attention, a statuette—like a silvery version of a Hollywood Oscar—and a church-organ sized radiator as none other. Behind the windscreen a man in valet’s cap was driving. The car’s flawless paint and chromed accents contrasted with blacked out windows for the rear, obscuring passengers.

“Mr. Chan, you ever see a Rolls-Royce in Barstow before?”

Chan shook his head. “Not since Sonny and Cher stopped for gas.”

He was joking. Or was he?

She swallowed hard. “Ugh. There’s a police cruiser tailing. It’s for us.” Intuitively she backed away from the door, scanning her memory for anything which would explain this. Incompetent IRS filings? Probably not. Tax collectors didn’t drive such nice automobiles. Plus no one from the Lovelace Corp had a Rolls, not even Rita.

I could still make a run for it.

“What makes you assume they’re coming here?” queried Chan.

“Are you kidding?” she answered, dread in her voice. She flipped open her makeup case, checking her hair and eyes. “You think they’re going to the Pump-N-Pay for Cheetos and beer?” With her free hand she lightly fluffed her perm.

“Well, you’ve got a point,” replied Chan, switching off his TV and hastily sweeping empty burger wrappers from atop his desk. Pinching the ketchup cups, he dropped them one by one into the waste basket. Then clamping an inch-tall stack of loose printouts from the fax machine, Chan hastily stuffed these into a plastic milk crate.  He stood up, re-tucking his shirt in his pants and hooking the top button to class up his collar.

One knew it was a touchy situation when Chan was uncomfortable.

He exhaled dramatically: “Why you gotta look pretty to get arrested!”

“Have you ever been arrested?” she whispered. “No? Then pipe down!”

She was standing in heels, smiling, purse strap across her chest when seconds later, the bells jingled and door flung open. The first man who entered was wearing an expensive wool suit and fedora style cap—like a classic G-man. He was followed close behind by a uniformed lawman in cowboy attire and enormous belt buckle, a recognizable legend known to all in the east Mojave.

Sheriff Granville Jackson was already scowling due to having his daily routine interrupted by whatever this mess was; they’d never gotten along, not as well as he and her brother.

Chan shot her a look like, “What the hell did you do?”

Discretely Lyndy shrugged back, mouthing “I don’t know.”

The older gentleman in the suit lifted the hat from his head, holding it by one arm as he stood at the cabinet. He slipped on bifocals and in his other hand, he palmed a card-sized slip of paper. “I need to speak with a woman known as … The Spitfire.” He stated it business-like, looking her in the eye. “She’s a contractor for The Lovelace Corporation. Is that you?”

“It is. What’s this regarding?” she asked.

“My name is Jack Decklin Senior.” He paused to clear his throat. “Apparently you were among the last persons to see my son. He spent a night at your … dwelling—a trailer home located off old Route-66—after which he visited a friend for breakfast at the depot commissary, and hasn’t been seen or heard since.”

She felt a sense of mounting panic. She glanced to Sheriff Jackson, a six-foot man, he was showing no emotion. He stared back sternly. She looked to Chan, who was puzzled.

“Jack’s disappeared?” She massaged her temples, having had a premonition of this. “The car he was driving, it was a black and gold Trans Am—very showy.”

“I’m afraid we haven’t located it,” said Granville. “I’ve got every deputy looking.”

“Ay caramba.” She reached for the arm of the client chair, pulling it closer. “I need to sit down.” She pressed her fingertips together. Both men continued to stare. “But he told me he was going to a wedding.”

“His twin sister’s wedding,” added Decklin Senior. “He only has one sibling. She was inconsolable, so were his mother and I. The gala event was ruined.”

Lyndy eased into the chair, sitting in a hunched forward position, elbows resting on her knees and feet so close her heels were touching. “All he said was he was traveling straight on to Santa Barbara.” She slowly shook her head, squinting at her dangling purse.

Decklin Senior inched forward, glancing to Granville. “Lemme ask the obvious question, you wouldn’t have a speculation as to where he might have taken a side trip, on his way to the coast. Did he mention any ideas, any leads he wanted to check out on the way?”

She looked up. “No.”

“I don’t buy your answer,” asserted Decklin Senior.

“Dude I feel awful, but I don’t know where he is. He wasn’t forthcoming with his plans, or really, anything.” Removing one shoe at a time, she began massaging her feet. “But he was quite clear he intended on being at the wedding.” She paused. “I know cause he asked me to come with him. I said no.”

Chan rolled his eyes.

“So if we get a search warrant for your place we aren’t going to find any evidence.”

Shit. The watch.  She said nothing.

“Where is my son,” he demanded.

“Sir, I have no earthly idea,” she repeated, louder than before.

“Arrest this woman,” he barked to Granville.

“Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute,” spoke Chan, stepping between them. He pointed to Lyndy. “It’s a fact, Melinda is … the most insufferable, self-absorbed, loud-mouthed migraine inducing citizen in the county. Some days, you just want to throw Melinda off a bridge.”

“Hey!” Lyndy interjected. “I’m right here.”

“But I digress.” Chan cleared his throat. “Looking at it another way, sometimes I wonder if it not her fault. She born this way. I have known her since she was sixteen, and I can tell when this girl is lying and when she is telling the truth. Melinda is telling you the truth. She doesn’t know where your son is.”

“I trust Mr. Chan,” assured Sheriff Jackson. “Miss Martinez somewhat less so, but in this circumstance I believe her.”

Senior seemed agitated. He glared back at the two of them. Then he turned to Lyndy. “Very well. I’ll give you 48 hours. Not a minute more.”

She shifted her shoulder position into upright posture. “I’ll find him. It’s what I do.”

---

Lyndy Life observation: I wonder, do people ever really “trade places” like in a Hallmark movies. i.e. does the princess of a small, quaint, eastern European nation trade places with a chick from Illinois who just happens to look exactly like her?

Pressure was on and not the good kind, the do or die.

Seated in the shade of a thriving pepper tree, dressed in jean shorts with a black crop top, she had her elbows bended round her knees. She’d worn no makeup.

All morning there’d been scant activity at the Brennik residence, but she was noticing new things. That’s the way when one is too focused on a singular goal, too driven. You miss details. She wasn’t far from the homemade keep out and booby trap signs.

She hadn’t seen the last time, but someone had once constructed a small homestead across from the Brennik property. Probably a two-roomer shack. All the wood walls and roof were gone—likely burnt up in a fire—but what remained was a front stoop, formed of sandy concrete mix and a fireplace, flagstones still stacked in their original position. Adjacent to the fireplace, hidden amongst invasive weeds, the rusting springs of a double bed. Near to this a grapevine, not a wild variety, someone had brought it here; it was eking out a living in the shade of the tree, ascending the chimney. It even had small spherical grapes dangling from its many limbs.

The humans had moved on, but the plants were left to adapt or die, and some of them adapted.

The Spitfire was in the dumps. Other troubling thoughts were entering her mind. At this point she wasn’t sure she wanted to find Jack. If her ass weren’t on the line she might have let him stay missing.

Nobody was at home on either side of the pavement. Every creature of the desert with greater than three brain cells was sleeping somewhere cooler, awaiting the night. Lyndy jerked her head, igniting a fresh Newport, shoving the lighter in her back pocket. Then she paced across the one-lane, sighting no cars either direction.

A part of her anticipated the worst, a kind of old west justice. Often aggression and a macho attitude led to such an outcome, a six foot hole in the desert, an unmarked grave. But how could she explain this to Jack’s father? He wouldn’t accept the answer.

She searched, combing all around the white trailers for Hartley, but somehow she knew he wouldn’t be there. It was a school day and though the little survivalist hated school, it was the only explanation. His newest, small-shoed prints led to the roadside, where presumably he’d caught the yellow bus.

Shell casings littered the grounds. So did beer cans. Brennik Senior did a lot of shooting and beer drinking, but none of those were crimes; didn’t make him a thief, bad parent maybe.

Tracks in the sand told stories of other vehicles coming and going, some large like the two-and-a-half ton. But none matched the Pontiac. Even Chan would have said to let this one go. Out of luck and out of time, she moved on.

Setting off in the Needles direction she punched the gas, weaving between semis on the I-40 and speeding the entire way. At Crucero Road she exited.

Not daring leave pavement—too soon—she patiently observed the comings and goings from beside the interstate ramp. Of course the white mustang couldn’t make it to the plateau, be lucky to get beyond the first couple switchbacks. Yet trucks loaded with produce crates were coming out in groups of two and three. A bountiful harvest. Nothing too suspicious about that.

She rolled back through the underpass to the other side, tapping a finger on the fuel gauge. Like most parts on a restored junkyard car, it couldn’t be trusted. Pulling under the awning, the pump closest to the office, she uncapped the center fuel cap. Checking herself in the mirror she confirmed what she knew, she appeared like a freak show attraction. She was planning to wash her hair when this was over, forget about the awful perm. Topping it off her face was breaking out.

With eight rolled up dollars, a sweaty shirt and cigarette in her lips, she sauntered into the station c-store. It was the same one they’d stopped at in the Jeep CJ, where she’d seen Miranda driving in the green sedan. Would be just her luck to bump into her ex-fiancé’s new spouse again.

The Spitfire was in a daydream. She slapped her money on the counter, checking the hour on their plastic Coors beer clock. Recognizing her, the sweaty clerk set down his Jolt soda and belched. Behind him, her eyes were drawn to an autographed photo: a smokey barroom stage. A man on a stool, holding an electric guitar. A grinning country-type fellow in huge straw hat and sunglasses.”

“Bocephus,” grunted the attendant, pawing her money away.

“Bo what? What did you say?” she asked.

“That picture you’re looking at.”

“Is it Hank Williams son?” Lyndy inquired.

“That’s Bocephus all right,” he replied.

Suddenly out of breath Lyndy bent down at a 90-degree angle, gripping her hands on her knees.

“You alright ma’m?” asked the clerk, genuinely concerned.

“Just a cramp,” she replied through gritted teeth, because it would be too hard to explain what was causing her pain: the sudden realization she knew exactly what became of Jack.

---

Later that evening …

She could hear a pack of coyotes in the distance. Unseen, they were yipping and barking; some said it indicated a kill, others said they did this to discourage competing packs from invading their territory. Either way it was nerve-wracking.

The yellow exterior lights were coming on; a breeze was picking up.

She’d nearly encircled the property with no trace of the Trans Am. Safe to assume it was here, but only a fool would have left it visible.

Maybe I ought to consider a career change?

Crouched at the highest corner of the fence line her whole body was trembling. A combo of anticipation and keenness to be moving. She touched her fingers to one of the no trespassing sings. Its weathered paint came off like chalk on her nails. She’d watched cars departing, Bo’s employees, but no sign of the boss himself. From this vantage one could see most of the paved area surrounding the hanger-like workshops—the place with the tanks. No other movable cars were evident, just mountains of junk stacked on its sides.

She’d not forgotten that pump-action shotgun.

To her left ankle she’d strapped a hunting knife, on her right thigh tucked in a holster was the 9-mm Beretta—loaded to full capacity. Her purse was in the Ford, under the seat and parked over a mile away. In a culvert under the roadbed with tumbleweeds piled up, it was so well disguised, if she died here they’d have a hell of a time ever finding it.

Bo had been emphatic that his wife was deceased, even shed a tear, but now she was questioning everything about Mr. Rawlins; his name included.

From her back pocket she retrieved a thrift store set of wire cutters. With one hand covering the other for increased leverage she snipped three of the lower links, creating a hole large enough for a tortoise to stroll through. Either that or a very determined but small woman wriggling on their stomach.

She tossed the cutters away.

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-16

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Observation: Are you aware the year 2100 is not a leap year? Nor was 1900. But year 2000 is. (Of course, if you’re reading this and the year is 2100 then you probably knew that, but more importantly, I must say I’m amazed Lyndy Martinez is still relevant!)

The light in the room was weak, old fashioned and definitely of its era, like a soap opera set. But then again antique things delighted him.

Jack chuckled as he shoveled a five layer pancake wedge in his mouth.

“Sir, all due respect, that one may seem a charming cute girl to spend a weekend with. She dresses nice I’ll give you that. Trust me though, from all I’ve observed there’s an ancient demon lurking within; it’s probably got a biblical name. Know what I mean? She will hurt you man. She’ll hurt ya bad.”

Pretending to scribble on a napkin, Jack mused aloud, “Dear Abby, my girlfriend is cute and charming, but seems to be possessed by an ancient demon. What should I do?”

Dylan nodded. “Signed, alligator stuntman.”

“You’re wrong. She’s not that way deep down, but point well taken. I happen to have seen her fight. It’s eye opening.”

Dylan swiveled his stool by 180, facing reverse of the counter. He supported his elbow on the rounded chrome edge, sipping orange juice through a straw. “I’m guessing you didn’t come all this way for relationship advice or to tell me how wonderful my trade is.”

“Naw. Absolutely not.” Jack cleared his throat. “Here’s the truth. I’m hoping you know of a way to help me—not asking you to do my job—but think with me. What can you tell me about the Project Genesis … cult…I guess you’d call it?”

Dylan raised an eyebrow. “Them people keep to themselves. Admirably hard workers, mostly. I can respect that. Some of em have side jobs here and in Needles, others stay long enough to buy supplies and jet.”

“I met their esteemed chief architect, a Brother Steve. I like his title.”

Dylan tilted his head, swallowing a big bite of bagel and wiping his mouth. “You know, I hear he used to work for the company too, but they let him go ten years back. He’s got a permanent disability, would have to make too many accommodations.”

“Interesting.” Jack’s chin sunk. He took a breath, bracing his forehead and supporting it by his palms. “What I really need is a way of identifying former employees by their face alone, not a full legal name.”

Dylan perked up, now fully engaged, excited at the prospect of being asked to assist in an investigation. “You mean the train robbery was done by insiders?”

“One insider at least. Had to be.” Clearing his throat he continued, “trouble is, I only know him by how he looks, I don’t trust him to provide a real name.” He gestured to the offices. “Which makes the company directory useless. We don’t have headshots in there.”

“You wanna describe him to me?” queried Dylan.

Jack shook his head. “He’s a plain dude. White male, guessing brown hair and beer belly. Forty or forty-five. Might be too hard to narrow this down.”

Dylan exhaled in a laugh. “Ah. You’re describing three-quarters of our employees.” He stood up suddenly. “But there could be a way. We used to have this employee of the month award. They stopped doing it, but for a while they would take a polaroid picture of you—a headshot—and put it up on this plaque in the hall, with your name and job title.”

“Can you take me there?”

“Sure can. Follow me.”

Jack wiped his mouth and hands with a napkin. “Those pictures always come out awful.”

“Oh, you’ll see.”

---

Lyndy Life Tip #189: The food label “all natural” means virtually nothing and applies broadly to almost any category of processed food.

Certain days she wondered why she remained here, far-flung from every defining symbol of the state—especially the beaches. But the shade of an improbable oak tree or dip in the cool springs on a hot day, and the countless stars at night reminded her.

And then there was piloting a fast car on a two-lane desert road, windows lowered, radio loud, fresh air cooling your skin. Folks who didn’t understand never would.

She was feeling elated. Both passenger and driver’s side windows down, bare feet on the pedals, planted in the vinyl bucket seat of the k-code mustang—Darrel had shined it up—one fist on the four-speed rowing gears and another on the steering wheel.

Only problem: this was not a dark desert highway, rather it was Darrel Ward’s crummy attached stucco garage. The white mustang was motionless on jack stands, looking sad and pathetic. It was missing both bumpers, hood leaning against one wall, new headers spread on the floor, coated in decaying header wrap like the stuff Frankenstein’s monster wore.

The child inside her wanted to mimic throaty engine noises, but the mighty 289 4-barrel was tough to imitate.

“So Darrel, how much horsepower you think we can squeeze outta this engine? Three hundred? Three fifty?”

No answers came. Tones of Darrel’s rock-n-roll station, a beach boys song, could be heard coming from his transistor radio.

She glanced over her shoulder. “Know what we ought to do when we get this baby running? You know how they sell those ridiculous four-foot tall margaritas at the Tropicana in Vegas. You and I should cruise out there … bring Catherine too…ratchet up the chaos.”

From across the cramped garage a relaxed Tammy Ward half-snorted and half-laughed while fanning herself. She was seated in a striped vinyl lawn chair—outfit consisting of a pink bikini top and sonic blue hot pants—hair in multi-color curlers, feet up with a romance novel. She shook her head. “Nope, you’d just be asking for trouble.” Tammy went back to reading her book. The garage door was up, and by her feet, a plastic spray bottle she used to mist the air with water.

From under the car Lyndy heard Mr. Ward pleading in frustration, “Hey Miss Martinez, I really need you to concentrate right now. I’m trying to bleed these brakes—your brakes—which are vital to safe operation of a fast car.”

“Oh right, right,” Lyndy replied. “Keep pumping then?”

“Yes please. Up … down …. up … down. And if you blow this engine apart by being reckless, revving up over 6500, don’t come cryin back to me to fix it.”

“Lo siento.” The pedal had that spongy feel, when air had surely worked its way past the master cylinder.

Out of nowhere a horn beeped, two times, directly below on the driveway.

Darrel’s head shot up, banging against the front quarter panel. “Argh!” he grumbled, worming his way back out. “Who the heck is that?”

Tammy lowered her romance novel. “It’s the new parts delivery guy,” she replied.

“Honey Bunny, can you sign?” asked Darrel. “Please?”

“On it,” replied Tammy.

Her flimsy chair creaked as Tammy leveraged herself upright.

The delivery truck for the auto parts store was an import pickup. Huffing up the Ward’s sloped driveway came a tall man in uniform—almost too small to fit—having a logo of the auto parts store.

The black man used a shop towel to dab at his forehead, holding three boxes under one arm, but he was all smiles and friendly. Meantime Tammy signed, standing on one foot and switching one to another soon as the skin could no longer tolerate the heat.

The Spitfire adjusted one mirror to better see their interaction, still pumping on the brakes for Darrel. Seconds passed and she tried to not be distracted from her duty.

“Have a real nice day Mrs. Ward,” she heard him say. Returning to the shade Tammy dumped the load of boxes, some of them tumbling onto crowded workbenches. Lyndy could hear her mumbling something to her husband about buying too much.

Tilting her chin, Lyndy set her gaze upon the empty seat next to her. She set a finger on her lips, slipping on her sandals.

An instant later she shoved open the door, bursting out of the garage, purse dangling and scrambling down the driveway—flip-flops buckling as she weaved her way between the parked cars and brick retaining walls.

Hopping the steep slope she saw the man restarting his ignition and checking notes on a clipboard, about to reverse away.

“Brother Leonard!” she exclaimed. “I knew it was you.” She pointed a finger.

His head shot up. Staring at her through the windshield, his look was dismayed. She could see it in his eyes.

“Remember me?” she queried, a beaming smile on her face. She pointed to the eastern line of mountains. “Project Genesis! You were there, I’m sure. We spoke about the deuce-and-a-half.” She charged the driver’s side door, intending to put her elbows on the window frame.

He shook his head no. Hurriedly Leonard threw an arm on the seatback, reversing into the street at a dangerous speed.

Lyndy held up and waved her empty fingers, trying to show she meant no harm. “What are you doing?” she questioned.

She saw him mouthing something unheard, seeming to reply: “I don’t know who you are lady.” His delivery truck raced away.

Disappointed, Lyndy adjusted her sandals and hiked back up to the cars. She folded her arms. “Well that was strange.” Reaching for the spritzing bottle, she amply misted the air around her head like putting on hairspray.

“What did you do to the delivery guy?” Tammy asked.

“I don’t know,” she lamented, checking the time on her watch. “Usually takes a couple dates before a man flees from me like that.”

Tammy grinned. Darrel was standing now, holding a big screwdriver, frowning as he slapped the plastic handle against his open palm. “Shall we?”

“Say Darrel, I’ve been meaning to ask you, what’s like the record for doing a complete engine pull and swap, start to finish?”

Rather than snap back, Darrel cocked his head, considering, as though Lyndy had for once asked him something thought-provoking. “I dunno about a record, but in my twenties I was on top of my game. Me and a friend came here after work, started on a swap at six-thirty on a Friday and we were test driving the car by 11:00 that same night.”

The Spitfire nodded. She gestured to the front yard by the chain-link entry gate. “Ya’ll need to setup a hose and sprinkler system out here; we can each take turns runnin through it like ten-year-olds.”

“Now yer talkin sense,” replied Tammy, flopping back in her chair.

---

Hours later …

Sun was setting, final rays merging into the horizon. These summer days stretched onward, lasting too long.

Something in the air smelled different, a hint of peppermint—main ingredient of menthol—overpowered by the excessively smoky burger-shack kitchen. Another person had been in this parking lot recently, cause Leonard Mack didn’t smoke.

He dismissed the thought; too busy to contemplate. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he had one more delivery to make. Leonard wasn’t even hungry. Too tired to be hungry.

He braced himself on the bed of the truck, staring at trees rustling, a row of them behind the strip mall parking lot, each branch moving in an out in a slow dance, framed against the desert sky. Black starlings were roosting there, dozens of them.

Days like this when he had a back-to-back nonstop schedule, it seemed all he did was work. Leonard hadn’t taken a weekend off in two years. He couldn’t remember what it was like to have free time; didn’t know what he would do with time off or how to relax. Because he didn’t know himself.

Did he like fishing? Did he like music? Did he like golf?

He didn’t know. All life was work. His mom had been the same way.

There was Leonard, man of faith. There was Leonard the divorcee, who still supported his ex-wife cause she had no one. Then there was Leonard the man who worked three jobs. Other than that, he slept.

Following this delivery he had seven hours to rest before starting his next job.

He stacked the blue and white boxes from the auto parts shop, double checking labels and names. He opened the door, setting a half-page size clipboard on the dash, breathing a sigh, resetting the odometer. Facing away from the truck he sat down on the bench seat, rotating himself into position. Then he put a foot on the clutch pedal, inserting the key in the ignition. From the avenue a car horn honked. At a distance, an angry driver yelled. Atop this one could hear a freight train, a distant rumbling.

All at once he got the shivering sensation he wasn’t alone, his foot jerking off the clutch. Had he not been so tired he would have known sooner. He cursed himself for letting his guard down. The whole cab shook. He’d never been held up, but there was a first for everything.

He turned to face the intruder, ready to fight. But instantly he recognized them, an attractive girl who worked for the bail bondsman, purse in lap. She had fierce brown eyes, accented by a dark eyeliner.

“Hi there,” she said cheerfully. She held up an ancient driver’s license by her finger and thumb, for him to see. “Says Mr. Mack,” she emphasized. “I only knew you as Leonard til now. Seems nobody has a last name in Project Genesis. Good thing this was in the door pocket.”

“You startled me woman,” he scolded.

“This is a Georgia driver’s license though,” she replied. “And it’s expired.” She smiled kindly, passing it over to him.

Momentarily Leonard gazed at the black and white headshot, displaying a younger and slimmer version of himself. But his own eyes were the same.

“I have a California one too,” he defended. “It’s funny. Guess I been hanging on to this to remind me of something … an old home.” He relaxed a bit, slumping his shoulders and sinking in the seat. Sliding the card in his shirt pocket he rested his hands on the wheel. “I’d bounce you outta here lady, but somehow I don’t think I’ll be rid of you. You have a reputation as a pest. Plus I’m bushed. So why you been followin me?”

“Sorry to bother,” replied The Spitfire. “But you refused to talk to me earlier. Why?”

“I know where you work. You find people who don’t wanna be found, whether they like it or not.”

“Whatever else you heard, it’s an exaggeration. But I’ll confess that last part is a fair description.”

The pickup truck had bench seats. Whatever fabric material used in manufacture was cheap and fraying; beaten by the sun and repaired using copious amounts of duct tape where it wore through.

“I recognized you up at Project Genesis. Others did too, that’s why they acted coldly.” His tone changed, becoming solemn. “Except I’m the only one who recognized Mr. Decklin.”

With that change she knew she desperately needed this man to open up. Reaching across, she laid her hand on his forearm, offering a caring smile.

“Where you from anyway?” asked Leonard Mack, brushing her hand away.

“East LA. Rough neighborhood.”

“Your mom a white woman or something?”

Lyndy nodded. “How’d you guess?”

Leonard shrugged. “I dunno. Your last name is Martinez, not Wilson or something.”

“Someone told me she was gorgeous, but I never knew her.” Lyndy exhaled.

Leonard was silent, still holding onto the wheel. “Bein pretty don’t count for shit in this life.”

“The older I get, the more I’m starting to realize.” She unbuttoned the flap of her purse, reaching in to retrieve her leather wallet. “So I got a couple tens in here. Would it buy me some of your precious time? Maybe you fill me on Project Genesis and what you know about Mr. Decklin?”

“I don’t need money woman. If I tell you a secret, will you go away and leave me be?”

“Of course,” she said eagerly. “I promise not to make trouble for you.”

Leonard gazed back at her in a way that showed he was unconvinced, but willing to talk regardless. “Brother Steve is a visionary and a generous man too. He’s a great leader, always treated black people right, as equal partners in Project Genesis. But he can be dishonest. He sugarcoats the truth.”

“How so?”

“Project Genesis is not self-sufficient. Not even close. Most of us got second jobs, other sources of income.”

“Makes sense.” She squeezed the front seat edge with her fingers. “Would he say, be willing to steal from the filthy rich to make his dream happen.”

“No way. He didn’t do it. Let me put it this way. If that man saw a dime on the sidewalk he wouldn’t stoop to pick it up—not cause he’s disabled—because he’d know it wasn’t his for the taking, it was somebody else’s.”

“I see. Another way of saying he practices what he preaches?”

“Exactly.”

“Then what do you know about Jack?” she asked, intrigued. “How do you even know Jack Decklin?”

“Let me ask you? Did he seem at all nervous or uncomfortable, being here in the town of Barstow?”

“Now that you mention it.”

“Was he wanting all kinda extra protection for himself?”

Lyndy inhaled, setting a finger on her upper lip and rubbing her chin with her thumb. “Yes. He brought a huge swiss pistol with us even though I was already armed. I have the Beretta.” She stared up at the drooping headliner. “My late brother used to say, if you need anything more than a simple revolver to diffuse a situation, you should surrender.”

Leonard Mack nodded, feeling vindicated. “You probably don’t wanna hear this. About two years ago there was a rash of thefts affecting the railroad—small time stuff, few hundred dollars here and there—but poor folks were going in and bustin open freight cars parked at the yard. Sheriff Jackson wanted to get involved, but the company wouldn’t let em. Turns out the railroad had one of them rogue security guards, straight outta the nineteen thirties, likely hell bent on impressing the higher ups. He can’t find the actual burglars, but some school boys were just standin by the tracks, late night mindin their business—wasn’t them doing the stealing—and they got beaten with batons. Now it was all up in the papers. Whatever was goin on internally, you be the judge. But the railroad had an image problem, conjured up by bitter memories of the bad old days.”

“Week later,” continued Leonard, “the young Mr. Decklin gets involved. He was staying down at the depot in one of their fancy executive rooms, acting tough as he likes to do. He may be their top agent, but his investigation was a joke. He fired one guard, put another on leave for thirty days. There weren’t any criminal charges. That’s the key, and headlines came across the paper there would be no prosecutions. Again, I don’t know his motives, but the message was clear: don’t mess with the trains. Look Miss Martinez, I’m a peaceful man. I don’t condone violence, but there is definitely a time and place for showing force. That was not the time or place. So the night before he was scheduled to leave, someone wearing a mask broke into the depot and beat the shit out of him; got away and never were caught. Mr. Decklin had it comin. Anyone could see he didn’t do enough. And he was cocky too.”

Clearly, this explains a lot. I need a drink.

“Thank you for telling me all this. I did need to hear,” she said, heart feeling heavy.

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-15

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Observation: Zorro puts on a tiny raccoon-style mask and the entire Spanish- California government can’t determine who he is, even though the population is 3000 people in the county. Meantime I can walk around in a bear suit and somebody would recognize me.

She felt the warmth of pure sunshine on her skin, unfiltered; a screen window left open. Amongst the comforting sounds and aromas of the desert, something was different.

Opening her eyes without stirring, the outline of a male body came in focus. He was seated on the bed’s edge in the nude. Shrapnel scars ran down his right side, contrasting with otherwise smooth skin on his back. His unshaven face and ruffled hair were reflected in a floor length mirror attached to the hall door; those green eyes his best feature. With one finger he was touching the wall calendar, tracing out days. It hadn’t been current she’d known, but now he’d changed to the correct month.

She glanced to the crowded nightstand. Her alarm clock was reading 7:15. To the right of this her black Beretta—same spot it always spent the night—next to it a man’s wallet, pack of camels and Rolex explorer, showing many wear marks on the case.

“What are you thinking about?” she whispered, her voice a bit congested from sleeping and allergies.

He exhaled sharply, ending in a frustrated laugh. “I like this place,” he replied.

She sat up, pushing higher with one hand, holding the sheets against her body; for what reason she didn’t know. “But?”

“But I think I can still make the wedding.” He looked to her with a gentle smile. “I think my family would appreciate it. I know my sister would.”

She rubbed her face with her palms, staring at the tangled bedsheet. “Okay.”

“Don’t say it like that. I’ll come back.”

“I simply don’t believe you,” she replied, throwing a shirt at him.

“Hey, you could come to Santa Barbara with me? Picture it, the symbol of California, a sandy beach, magnificent oak trees, the mountains, ocean air. We’ll stay in a fancy B&B.” He chuckled to himself. “You do not have to attend that silly wedding. That’ll be my cross to bear. You’ll be sipping sparkling wine, or whatever the expensive tequila you like is called.” He tilted his head. “On the other hand, if you want to watch a total circus, maybe you should attend the wedding.”

She grinned, picturing it all in her mind while shaking her head. “No way. I can’t.”

He gazed back at her like only a fool would turn down such an offer. She was an enigma.

Jack reached to the nightstand, wrapping fingers round the steel braceleted watch. “My father gave me this. I never liked it much. It’s a perfectly fine gentleman’s watch, just not my style.” He set the watch in her hand, closing her fingers about the weighty case. She felt the coldness of steel and her thumb rubbed across the nubs encircling the screw down back. It was the first and only time she’d held a watch costing more than a  year’s pay. “I’ll leave this item with you, to show you that I’m coming back. I keep my promises.”

He leaned in for a kiss and though hesitating, she responded.

 

Two hours later …

With nicer weather it felt like a flare skirt and knee-high stockings kind of day. But also long sleeves—a lace decorated blouse top fitting loosely, tying in front. Her arms had purple bruising, needing to be concealed. Her ribs were tender too; she felt the discomfort as she was transporting a pink doughnut box against her side. She hoped none were broken, as those bones took forever-and-a-day to heal.

She’d lost the spring in her step; it was a slow-moving day.

Entering at the front, bells jingled and the door creaking, its milky glass protected in a crisscross metal screen. Using one foot she wedged it open, meantime sliding the pink box into position atop the dusty file cabinet. Sunlight flooded the office through gaps in the blinds. The space was serene, the way she liked it. Though only 9:00, the overhead fan was whirring, with its one or two worn out bearings.

She wanted a choco-bar for herself, but settled for hot coffee with cream.

Pacing across the room she halted midway and squinted, rubbing a fingernail rapidly up and down behind her ears. She sniffed. “Hey Mr. Chan, you ever have trouble with flakey, dry skin behind your ears?”

The newspaper sprawled across his mahogany desk and Chan sat hunched over, reading. It made a rustling noise of crinkling each time he turned to a new page. Barely tilting his head, she knew he was pretending to ignore her, however his eyes were tracking her movement.

Scooting a client’s chair closer to the desk, she slipped off her shoes and put her feet up. With both arms she created a square picture frame effect around her head, still gripping the coffee cup. She glared at him. “I have an important question for you and I need you to be brutally honest.”

Uneasily he locked eyes with her, a tortured expression coming over him as though he’d just swallowed orange juice post brushing his teeth.

“Can you be honest?” she repeated.

Mr. Chan grunted something akin to yes, but might have been no as well. His vintage Hawaiian shirt was black, decorated by a pattern of clustered palm trees and variety of  fifties era wooden surfboards.

“I’m wondering if I have a normal size head for my body, meaning is it proportional, or is my head too large for the rest of my frame? It always seems like the latter, especially now with this loco hairdo.”

Looking as if he were engaged in a poker tournament, he dipped fingers casually into a carton of vanilla wafers. Gripping a stack of three, he crammed these into his mouth all at once and began chewing, numerous crumbs tumbling on his shirt. Chan swallowed hard, sighed, tilting back in his swivel chair—accompanied by a loud creak.

She leaned back too, mocking his behaviors, calmly observing him still.

“Are you done being irritating?” he asked at last.

“Affirmative. Got it outta the system,” she replied, sipping her coffee. “Weirdo!”

“I would estimate you have normal girl-sized head. It is hair making seem too large.” He rubbed his hands flat against one another, warming them. “So Melinda, how are we feeling today? Well?”

“Uhh, sure, ” she slanted her head by thirty degrees, counting on her fingers. “Young, fit, prime of my life really … sexy. … hopeful for a brighter tomorrow.”

“Huh. Huh. Huh.” He grinned, tapping at a news headline with his index finger, rapping on the desktop. “Cause there was a bad-ugly fistfight at the Desert Oasis rest stop—what a shithole—reads like an episode of Kung Fu. Couple white supremacist dudes ended up in the infirmary.”

She resisted an urge to smile. Pointing to his outfit she declared, “You’re looking trim. Is that a medium fit Hawaiian shirt?”

Cracks in his façade of displeasure were forming, but Chan continued raising his voice, “And then late last night I working on balancing the books, going through the pile of carbon copy sanctions …”

“Really helps distracts from your bald spot,” interrupted Lyndy.

“.. and I find this new one I not remember approving.” Holding it up, he shook the one she’d penciled in for Jack Decklin, a manhunt, sums $1000 plus $4000 plainly visible from a distance in bold print.

“Memory loss,” alleged Lyndy.

“Five big ones eh?”

Gazing at the floor she remained silent.

“Shall I snip this one into squares, put it by the toilet in case we run out of TP.”

Sheepishly she nodded and exhaled, mimicking a sad pirate accent: “Aye.”

Chan shot up—hiking his khaki pants and tightening his belt—aiming for a rendezvous with the fresh doughnuts. But unexpectedly he pivoted, paused, resting both meaty palms on her bony shoulders. “How would you like a nice relaxing back massage?”

“What? Ewww, ewww, no thank you pervert,” she replied

“You sure? You used to love massages.”

“Yeah, before I knew how creepy you were,” slapping his hands away. “Stop talking.”

“Huh. Huh. Huh. Why so jumpy Melinda?”

“Dude, got any real work for me or not? Otherwise I’m escaping to Tammy Ward’s house to watch daytime talk shows and possibly help Darrel work on my car.”

“We have two witness location jobs. I’d previously set them aside for Rochelle, but she’s off doing some stuff with Andy this week.”

“How much do they pay?”

“One-hundred per day, each. Gotta find the witnesses first.”

“Oh sheesh, I’ll take it.” She shook a Newport from the pack, sinking deeper in the chair. Squinting, she held the tip of the cigarette above the apex of the flame.

Biting a choco-bar topped with nuts which he cradled in a napkin, Chan stared out the window at morning traffic. “This young man place you in danger.”

“No he didn’t. It wasn’t his fault those bikers cornered me. It was coincidence.”

“A coincidence which could not have happened, if this man hadn’t put you in that place at that time.”

Chan was a hard one to argue with.

“Is he good looking or something?”

She exhaled. “Aye. A hunk.”

Chan chuckled, a genuine one this time. “Melinda Martinez, I have Hawaiian shirts in my closet older than you. No one offer big cash unless job is unsafe. The thing you’ll have to learn to balance is this: It’s better to have a steady, reliable client who feeds you dull work, than it is to have a hot shot who promises the world.”

 

Lyndy Life Observation: Popular rock-n-roll song lyrics go: “Mama why, why do I always fall for the crazy ones?” and as I listen to the radio I’m thinking, “It’s all on you dummy. Your personality must be the very thing attracting them.”

He ditched the flashy Trans Am under the First Avenue bridge—sum of his current worldly possessions stashed in the trunk—in a shaded area out of view. He continued to the depot complex on foot, but carrying his badge and ID should anyone ask. The thunder of a passing train and shriek of halting brakes filled the air.

He had his gun holstered, but wouldn’t be needing it.

Jack was seeking a certain acquaintance, one he’d noticed at the Vanishing Point; having been there with Lyndy it wasn’t the right time to speak up. But he knew the tall mechanic to be outspoken, and oftentimes opinionated.

It was a gamble coming here, as he didn’t know the young man’s schedule. Perhaps unluckily, it was his day off; on the other hand these guys loved to rack up overtime.

The road tar was so warm it stuck to his shoes, sun’s rays already catching up to him—sapping energy—and all he wanted was to be indoors. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Transiting an unlocked gate he hurried toward a red brick warehouse, a 50 year-old building housing the machine shops. Bold signs at the doors warned of furnaces and heavy equipment in use, public not allowed. Yet the door had been propped open with a two-by-four scrap of wood.

Attempting to avoid confrontation he watched the scene unfold from the doorway. But with his eyes he traced the room, littered with train equipment and a half-dozen men.

The worker he’d spotted at the billiard tables was there, hunching over a metal workbench; he sported a leather apron having seen years of hard use. Like a true brakeman his clothes were discolored by layers of soot, some grease and a sprinkle of metal shavings. Corresponding smudges showed on his face, even from a distance.

Before him, an iron vice the size of a cannonball clamping a two foot shaft of steel in its jaws. The fellow was passing a blow torch side to side over it, methodically. In the span of one minute the metal transitioned through a dozen shades of orange, settling to a rich tone of red. The act of working the glowing metal was mesmerizing, slowing time. For this reason Jack continued to wait patiently in a moment of zen.

Finally satisfied with the even temperature of the piece, the worker set down the torch. Now in his right hand he picked up an old hammer, its wedge shaped head specialized for metal work. Lifting the hammer above his head he brought it down on the steel in a massive thud; it echoed throughout the room. He repeated the action again and again until two large rivets separated from the piece, popping out and clinking on the floor. The worker jumped back, fearing hot rivets landing in his boots, but both rolled harmlessly out of view.

Now that it was quieter the fellow perceived he was being watched, turning to the door.

“Mr. Decklin sir!” he exclaimed, a welcoming in his voice. “Been awhile since we’ve had the pleasure.” He removed his thick gloves, setting them aside on the workbench. Grabbing a shop towel only a slim margin cleaner than his gloves, he rubbed across his face and beard.

Jack stepped forward into the room.

“Curious what it’s like to do actual blue collar work are we?” the fellow teased loudly.

“I know what it’s like to do blue collar work,” Jack responded, with enough candidness and positivity to indicate he was in no way offended. “I’ve had all sorts of jobs with this company, including the inglorious.”

Other men were staring, having paused their efforts, wondering what a high-up rail inspector would be doing here. He felt he was interrupting the routine.

Shaking both hands in greeting Jack was surprised to see the man he thought was much younger, up close must be comparable in age. He had forehead lines, graying hairs in front.

“Dylan,” he replied. “What can I do for you?”

Jack nodded toward the rest of the depot buildings. “Is there a place we can get a bite to eat?”

 

Minutes later …

They were seated at the breakfast counter in the employees cafeteria, an area more refined than a typical business commissary, as it once served hungry travelers in the heyday of passenger service. As such, ornate wood paneling reminiscent of Victorian times inset with etched glass mirrors decorated the back of the serving counter.

Dylan seemed pleased to be having brunch on the house, and with an executive no less. He spread butter and jam across a thick bagel, as a young woman topped off their mugs with coffee. Some of the jam was getting caught up in his curly beard.

Aside him Jack spooned fresh strawberries onto a short stack of pancakes and drizzled maple syrup. One could hear a clanking of silverware and plates coming from the kitchen.

Dylan chuckled to himself. “We had some of these management types come down here, tour our shops, try out the jobs. Got this guy with slick hair, glitzy suit and smarmy look about him. Went to an ivy league out east and he’s dying for me to ask about it. Instead he tests out my job for no more than ten minutes, declares it’s fun to be a blacksmith, made a speech how lucky we are to be here, gettin to work with our hands all day. But I wanted to ask him how he would like it facing thirty-five years shoveling coal in a blistering firebox, makes your skin stretch like rawhide, crossing the desert night and day with only steam, clearing rockslides outta their path by hand to get across the mountains on time and on schedule, helping to bury his friends with the same damn shovel, like my granddad did.”

Jack nodded, exchanging a look of solidarity, then turning back to his plate. “Imagine that, a locomotive chugging uphill, powered on corporate mottos about teamwork, positivity and diesel fuel. There’s no such.”

“Damn train runs on the sacrifices of decent men … women too.”

“So may I ask a question? Don’t take offense, but why were you guys mad-dogging me at The Vanishing Point?”

“We saw you hanging with the half-Mexican chick.”

“And …,” coaxed Jack.

“She isn’t called The Spitfire for nothing.” He paused,  dissolving sugar cubes into coffee with a teaspoon. “Ever see one of those dudes on TV who stick their hand in the open mouth of a live alligator?”

Smiling uneasily, Jack adjusted his position on the seat. “No, but I can imagine.”

Dylan continued, “He performs this roadside stunt for the thrill, a small crowd and a few bucks pay. Then one day, after he does his cheesy act a hundred times without incident, the alligator chomps down and he loses an arm.”

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-14

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Peering down at her outfit she could see her shirt had been splattered with a man’s blood, as were her hands. Hard to tell though since it was all black. That’s what comes from bashing on a dude’s head with bare hands; better their head than hers.

Jack was in the driver’s seat. His bruised fingers curled tightly round the steering wheel. His shirt was torn and several buttons were missing. Underneath, his skin was moist from the exertion.

“Which way, Lyndy?” he demanded in a shout. “Have to choose now.”

It was a key decision. One direction and they’d never find the rider or the purse. The other, perhaps with luck, they’d catch up to the motorcycle.

“Go straight,” she replied, directing him to cut across the landscaped rest top without regard for the defined road.

To travel east they’d need to gun it across both westbound lanes. Thankfully the winds had abated some.

She stood up, lifting her glasses and searching closely for evidence. Faint but there tracks extended through the center median.

“East! Go east to Needles!” she shouted at Jack, still standing and waving her arm toward the Colorado river. He floored it as trucks bore down on them.

Despite its pathetic slowness the Jeep had an advantage. Ordinary cars weren’t able to traverse the ditch separating east and westbound lanes on the interstate. The motor zoomed as they scooted through, perpendicular to lanes. She could see Jack struggling with the clutch, knowing the car was hard to shift. The big trucks blared their horns, as well as a car or two.

Bouncing over the worst of it they emerged, whacking down a bush or two. Accelerating eastbound, a sedan swerved as they entered from the fast lane side at a lowly forty mph.

“You alright?” he questioned.

“Yes,” she yelled back. “Actually I had a heart attack bout two or three minutes ago, but I’ve recovered.” She rubbed her eyes in a hopeless attempt to clear them of dust. She checked behind. “Thanks for … for well … literally saving my life.”

He shrugged. Eyes fixed on the road and one hand on the wheel, he slanted his head to speak more directly in her ear. “This clutch is very hard to shift,” he complained.

She smiled at the observation. “Yes and watch out cause it jumps out of second. Needs a new transmission.”

Jack tapped on the plastic dashboard speedometer. “Good news is I don’t think we’ll be needing that particular gear for a while.”

Scouting ahead, they saw nothing but cars disappearing in a dusty haze. She slumped back in the passenger seat. Cupping her left hand around the knuckles, she massaged her right fist—it was aching from the punches. Her head was aching as well. She felt memories slipping in, impossible to seal away, like muddy water from a flood coming in a closed room.

Never taking eyes off the motorway he added, “Lyndy, how we gonna catch him in this clunker—all due respect? Wait until he runs out of gas?”

She set her head against the roll cage to rest. “There’s hope still. Remember what I said, that gun is cursed.”

Jack frowned in skepticism, but pressed onward.

 

Lyndy Life Tip #187: Never prank a biker. Nearly all members of motorcycle gangs have zero senses of humor. Remember that.

What was it about high school career counselors? They used to say that freedom meant the ability to choose one’s career; made you think your life path wasn’t set in stone. “You can be anything you wanna be.”

But in the rural town of Hermosillo life was all about destiny. You never chose a path in life, the universe and god chose for you. You were born to it.

Thus being born a Martinez meant one day she’d be sleeping on a stiff canvas cot at Pinegate Detention Center, arms strapped to the sides, hearing rain pattering on the metal roof. She never recalled a sunny day at Pinegate, though undoubtedly in the mountains above Ojai—that golden California climate—there were many.

The dormitory building was cold, roof leaky. In places moisture dripped on the rotten wood floors. Half the old windows were cracked, never replaced. People used to scream in the night here.

Ms. Dixon was standing near to her bed, pleased or upset—it was the same guise regardless—speaking hushed sentences to a guard, her favorite lackey whom she trusted.

The Spitfire remained motionless. Fingers throbbing from many blows, still wrapped tight in white tape. Bruises on her face, one swollen eye, having a lost a fight but still declared the victor; the other girl was now shipped off to intensive care, complications from internal bleeding. They assumed Lyndy was unconscious and her ears couldn’t detect the whispers. They were discussing her.

He shook a stack of papers: “It’s a court order. We can’t ignore this.”

Mabel Dixon sighed. “Damn. I knew this day was coming.”

“Judge Carter says you have to release her. Her sentence has been reduced.”

“I have a plan,” Mabel whispered. “There’s a new girl in building seven. She’s probably fourteen years old, an illegal. Got big hair like this one. Approximately same height and build. Her English is truly awful and she’s from Zacatecas. But something tells me she needs to be released, and her name when asked will be Melinda Evangeline Martinez.”

The Spitfire wished to die, but the universe would not permit it.

Mabel removed a polaroid picture from the pocket of her shirt. She showed the guard. His eyes darted between the photo and the cot. “Huh. If you look closely, that Melinda isn’t anything like this one,” the guard replied. “This Melinda is …”

“What?”

“Mas bonita,” he said.

Warden Dixon chuckled, putting a hand on his shoulder. “They won’t notice.”

Thus the summer day she opened her brother’s case and found his Beretta 92FS clean and in mint condition, her fate was sealed.

Looking back, she couldn’t have chosen any other path.

 

Lyndy Life Tip #188: Wanna relive a really dumb idea from the seventies: remove the door to your bedroom by taking it off the hinges, replace it with those hanging beads on a string. See what happens. Why did anyone go for that?

“Hey, hey, we might be in luck,” Jack exclaimed, tapping her on the thigh.

She jerked back to alertness, the present day.

“What is it?” But she already knew the answer. The freeway had come to a full stop in a sudden midday traffic jam. The fact that no one was moving around them could only mean a severe accident blocking all lanes.

He squinted. “I think I see a bike. Over there.”

Jack jerked the wheel 90 degrees clockwise, proceeding onto the gravel shoulder. The biker heard the commotion, saw them coming. A sedan honked behind. The biker walked in between cars using his feet, keeping the engine revved but not in gear, making his way to the side.

The Jeep began bouncing across ruts, carved by thunderstorms, through a sloping rocky terrain. In open desert they pushed down ironwood and creosote, some of it getting caught in the grill and fenders, larger branches whacking at them from the side windows. They were headed to a low wash.

“Dude, lemme have that Buck Rogers gun of yours,” Lyndy demanded with her open palm, standing up again and gripping the windshield frame.

He pointed to his side holster. “Reach under my shirt and grab it.”

“Is it loaded?” she questioned.

“Of course.” He gave her a funny look. “What are you planning to do?”

“Shoot out his tires. Trust me, I’ve done it before.”

“That only works on TV,” argued Jack.

It was heftier and longer than the Beretta, a bit cumbersome in comparison. She fiddled with the slide to get it to arm.

“Push here,” he pointed to the lever to release the safety.

She pointed her right arm and squeezed the trigger. A loud pop and recoil; poof of dust from the ground near the biker. He knew they were shooting at him and started swerving. She pointed again, closer to the tire, trying to anticipate his moves and fighting against the swaying of the jeep’s worthless leaf sprung suspension.

She fired again.

“Oh crap,” she said, turning to Jack. Clear liquid began squirting off the side of the bike.

“What did you do?” he asked ominously.

“I think I nailed his gas tank,” she replied. As she uttered the words the air cooling fins on the cylinder burst aflame, causing the rider to focus attention on his legs. Panicking, he ditched and leapt off, slapping at his blue jeans. Allowing his precious bike to slam to one side—something a Sportster rider never did—he started fleeing on foot.

Lyndy flicked the handle on the half door, causing it to swing open only stopped by the limit strap. “I like this thing,” she quipped, then shoved the Swiss gun in Jack’s lap. Shakily gripping the tub sides she jumped to the ground, not waiting for the Jeep to slow.

The biker was running. Stumbling on loose rocks and tripping over a cactus, he turned back. In desperation he threw the big white purse to her from twenty feet away, and shouted, “Take it. Take it back.”

She dove and caught it, preventing it from slamming on the hard ground, but further trashing her outfit.

 

Two hours later …

They’d each rinsed off in the outdoor shower. Though lukewarm, it felt wonderful.

From her kitchen sink she filled a tiny copper watering can, possessing a long skinny spout. She’d changed to a pair of athletic shorts and comfy ruffled tube-top shirt, exposing an inch of her abdomen, navel included. Her feet were bare.

He observed her attentively as she leaned out her window, dribbling water to the cereus cactus, moistening bark pellets and tiny round stones.

“Princess of the Night,” she declared with a coy smile, setting the watering can back in its place. She was leaning against the counter under a glowing yellowish kitchen light, as Jack squeezed into a seat at the table. A cooling breeze wafted across them from the open screen door, and the window.

“Great description,” he said, taking a first sip of clear tequila from a delicate shot glass.

“I meant the cactus,” Lyndy corrected, as she artfully sliced a ripe Valencia orange into six equivalent wedges, using a bowie knife and holding it in her bare hand. She offered a juicy section to Jack, which he gratefully accepted.

“So did I,” he asserted.

“Thanks for driving me straight here. I’m beat,” she said.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied, emphasizing with both hands. “I should be thanking you. Just drop me back off at the hotel in the morning.” He took a breath. “But I have to say, it is nice to finally meet someone who lives in a smaller dwelling than I do. This is your place right? You don’t have like a one-story bungalow in town, and this is a secret hideout?”

Lyndy chuckled. “No, this is it. Everything I own. I bet your sleeper is fancier too.” She poured herself a capful amount from the square Herradura bottle. Outside crickets were chirping and a lonely bird call, reminiscent of a canyon wren. Distantly, one could also discern the low rumble of a night train.

His eyes traced up her body from her feet to her chin; he was poor at hiding it, and she knew he was attempting to.

“I dunno. Somehow this groovy airstream just fits everything about your personality.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she teased, pressing a wedge of orange into her mouth and taking a bite. “I’m trailer trash or something.” Then she swallowed the tequila.

“No. I totally meant that as a compliment and it backfired.” Jack downed the remainder of a tequila shot, swiped the cuff of his shirt sleeve on his lips. “What’s the real story with yer boyfriends? I’m a male. I saw the way people were looking at you, you know, at The Vanishing Point. You’re the talk of the town, you and Catherine that is.”

Lyndy sniffed, dropping her chin against her chest, knowing eventually she’d have to answer. She rested her eyes. “Alrighty, here’s the deal. When I was younger, I fell deeply in love with a man who worked alongside my brother and Chan. And like I said, we made plans to marry. He was a sheriff’s deputy. He wanted a classic marriage, me as a housewife, and we looked at homes together—little ones, but honest to goodness stucco houses—not trailers or apartments.” She tilted her head back, now gazing at the miniature skylight with its distorted, somewhat fuzzy view of the stars. “Well, I’m still in love with him. I was so angry at first. But in the end I’m thankful things worked out like they did, because,” she shrugged.

“I felt that way after my marriage ended. Kinda better for the both of us. She just wasn’t cut out for my lifestyle, always on the go.”

“There’s more. I’m a tough chick, but I know I’m not tough enough. I’ve accepted it. I’m expecting to die young. Those people I put away for The Lovelace Corporation and Mr. Chan, they hold grudges and they’re coming for me one day. You saw it today; luckily they were incompetent. It won’t always be like that. Mr. Chan sleeps with a shotgun in his bed, no lie. A nice guy gets too attached to me—and I seem to have a knack for encouraging affection—then I start having to worry about him getting hurt or god forbid, worse. The more I let in, the more people I have to worry about. It’s snowballing as it is.”

“And your brother?”

“Yes. Exactly. He seemed to know my calling before I did; he was the only one…except for Mr. Chan. He probably knew too.”

“Is that why you dress the way you do? Black fingernails, pale makeup, the lipstick. You’re a dead girl right?”

She nodded with a half-smile, tilting her head side to side. “Geez, I have to hand it to you. You are smooth.” She exhaled.

“How so?”

“That’s the most I’ve opened up to another person in months; been a few weeks since I strung that many sentences together.” She set down the shot glass. “What’s happening to me?”

A train horn sounded in the night, thundering from half a mile away; they both knew it was the freight approaching an intersection in Amboy. “I have a little riddle for you. Who was the only kid happy to get coal in his stocking at Christmas.”

Lyndy snorted. “That is the single dumbest joke I ever heard.”

“Good.” He stood up, putting a firm hand on her waist, inching closer. She felt his warm fingers caressing her skin. And she wanted his touch. Placing his other hand on her cheek, he drew her face nearer. She set a hand on his strong arm, looking up into his eyes. Then on her toes, going to max height, she pressed her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her body, eventually lifting her off the floor. In between kisses she whispered in his ear, “do you want to see what the bedroom is like?”

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-13

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Tip #186: It’s far easier to diagnose mental illness in others than it is to see the same in yourself. Guilty.

Balancing awkwardly on a heel, she elevated her other boot. Checking the bottoms she winced in disgust. This building they spoke of as their garage wasn’t up to the same standard as Brother Steve’s office. It fell short in countless ways, reminding her of a neglected animal shed.

Their dirt floors were coated with an inch of old straw. Mice or other small pests lived in it, ate rotting fruit, left their droppings and fur. With so many holes there would be no practical way to keep them sealed out. Snakes would love this place too.

“Yuck!” She pinched her nose.

“He-he. We don’t bring our guests through here. Probably shoulda given it a once over,” voiced Brother Steve, a bit chagrined. He seemed like he wanted to start sweeping, but wasn’t able to in his condition.

Constructed of corrugated metal nailed to a wood frame—having no interior lighting—shafts of sunlight exposed every gap in the aging walls and ceiling. Empty crates were stacked ten high in corners. In total she estimated a thousand square feet of space.

Electricity was one thing Project Genesis obviously lacked. How they made do without modern refrigeration was anyone’s guess.

A trusting man, Brother Steve had accompanied them into the shed alone, hobbling with his squeaky crutches, yet maintaining a cheery disposition.

Already Jack had trekked his way to the monster they called Goliath. He uncapped one of the saddle tanks, checking the fuel level by dipping a pinky finger, sniffing. He then whipped open the cab door, climbing up with one leg and boosting himself to check the seats and dash. What he hoped to prove with his hands-on tech inspections wasn’t clear, perhaps simply a show to make them believe he was thorough, not to be fooled with.

“Ya know what we really need up here?”

“What’s that?” Jacked asked, pounding a fist against the front tire, checking air pressure.

“An aero-plane. Can you imagine it?” A child-like positivity shone on Brother Steve’s face. “Know what I mean? A piper cub? Picture one a them buzzing along the mesas, bound for Phoenix.” He looked to Lyndy, seeing if she supported his hairbrained idea.

Jack slapped his palms against his chinos. “Hey Brother Steve. Forgive me for asking, but I got to. You have a great deal of activity here. How exactly is Project Genesis funded?”

Brother Steve tilted his head. His blue eyes blinked as he followed Jack. “At first it was all donation. Truthfully, it was youngsters and their life savings, given freely from everyone who joined. But those were the early days. Now we’re all self-funded.”

She could tell Jack wanted to ask a few more questions but they were interrupted by footsteps approaching, and the heavy barndoor sliding wider in a screech. The three of them turned to see. She’d assumed one of Brother Steve’s helpers was coming to check on them, but not exactly. It was the lone African American fellow from before. Now that he was near, she could see he was well over six foot.

“Ah, howdy there Brother Leonard!” announced Brother Steve excitedly. “Leonard has been helping maintain Goliath, doing a little delivery work for us too. He’s a gifted mechanic.”

Leonard smiled shyly, nodding to Lyndy, hands buried deep in the front pocket of his overalls. “Despite the name, these days Goliath isn’t so mighty.” His voice was confident and deep. “Running terrible at the moment; got a fuel supply issue. Parts are harder to come by than the GM version. Been parked this-a-way for gettin on three days while we wait.” Brother Leonard pointed to the mess of empty boxes. “As a matter of fact I haven’t gotten a chance to unload the back.”

“What’s wrong with it?” asked Lyndy.

“Fuel pump is dying,” Brother Leonard replied. “I can try starting it if you like. You’ll notice right away.” Pulling up his hands and shuffling closer to the truck, he then folded arms across his chest.

“Yes and we need to get it running soon,” added Brother Steve. “Got a load of sweet corn to harvest.”

Lyndy could see the last flickers of hope dying, draining Jack’s face, but he shook it off. Bracing himself with a hand on the fender he asserted, “Listen Brother Steve, you’re a candid man. But is it possible to imagine someone in Project Genesis borrowed this truck without your knowledge?”

They would’ve had weapons. But where to store them?

Casually approaching the truck Lyndy elevated the canvas flap, catching glimpses of the cargo. She saw nothing but empty crates; if guns were there then they were well hidden. She turned back.

In the meantime Brother Steve went through the tedious exercise of extracting his wrist from the crutches. Leonard moved in to steady him, should he lose balance. Brother Steve then adjusted the brim of his hat and the straps on his suspenders, setting them straight and even, a show of independence. He sniffed, clearly assessing, putting a hand on the back of his neck. At last, with a half-hearted chuckle he answered, “Son, I understand how you believe you’re on to something. But I assure you no one would try what you’re implying. This place …” he paused, looking out the opening to the sunny, green fields. “… it was founded on love, rooted in dedicated toil. Look how far we’ve come. Think I could jeopardize everything we have by robbing a dumb old train, or letting my followers do it for me? Wouldn’t hardly be worth it.” Brother Steve met eyes with Jack. Lyndy watched from the side.

“In a big organization, sometimes stuff happens we don’t want or know about,” Jack challenged.

“Young man, can you picture when I was your age, the poor folks used to steal from the railroads every dang day. They’d sneak off with piles of coal for their stoves, old railroad ties, wire spools to fix up their fences. Inspectors such as yourself looked the other way.” Brother Steve exhaled, as unpleasant memories came flooding back. “What was taken from you that could be so valuable, to make you come all the way up here … on nothing more than a bill of sale and false narrative about … jackrabbit homesteaders?”

Her ears perked up at the use of such a term. Two strikes on this guy.

“Why not send the law up here? Some days the sheriff gets paid to hassle me.”

Even still, Lyndy was starting to feel moved by Brother Steve’s reasoning.

“If you don’t mind my asking, why are you so fierce about gettin your possessions back? Maybe you should let it go.”

Glancing to Leonard, she could tell he was amused by Jack being given a dose of his own medicine.

“Doesn’t matter now,” voiced a discouraged Jack. “I doubt you’d understand.”

“Now if you’ll pardon us we must make preparations for our afternoon worship session. You’re welcome to join us if you like.”

“I’ll pass,” replied Jack with one hand raised.

 

Lyndy Life Observation: Here’s one of those redneck jokes. If you’ve ever purchased a single mismatched and worn down tire for a vehicle you own, just so you don’t have to replace the whole set of four. Guilty.

Today wouldn’t be a day to convince someone the desert was a glamorous place to live. Days like this you’d think the world was ending.

A west wind had been their constant companion on this adventure. As feared it carried aloft microparticles of dust unleashing a miasma of foul air in the valleys; cumulative effects were offensive to the lungs, terrible for the expensive hairdo. Her pink sunglasses protected her eyes, but visibility on the interstate had been reduced to snowstorm-like conditions. The farther out one looked, the more ominous, like driving into a mile-wide tornado.

Since departing the mountains the open top Jeep had become unbearable; among the worst options for the day. Glancing over to Jack she could tell he was miserable as she, yet hadn’t spoken. With one hand he brushed his forehead, keeping his eyes shut tight, loosening dust from the eyebrows.

Fortunately they were coming up on Newberry Springs, a state rest stop where toilet paper always seemed in short supply—mostly cause cheap creeps kept stealing the big rolls. Blow sand often coated the roadbed here, blurring lane divides. This odd oasis had been here as long as she had.

“Dude, I have to go number one,” she shouted, gesturing to the exit sign.

He sniffed, squinting out at the bleak surroundings and uninviting cinder block shelter. “That’s fine. I’ll wait in the car.”

You know when they say 4 out of 5 dentists would recommend this toothpaste? Well 4 out of 5 travelers would not recommend this rest stop.

“Sure ya don’t have to go? This is a good opportunity,” she encouraged.

“Nah. I’ll go behind a bush or something.”

She exhaled. “Were I a male, I’d do the same.”

He shrugged. No other cars were around.

She remembered eons ago, racing eastbound, engaged in an argument with Mr. Chan—what it was about she couldn’t recall, probably money. Chan disgusted with her, pushed her out the door, left her standing by the road and told her to thumb it home. Stamping her feet, arms folded across her chest like an angry teenager she fumed in the heat waves, hot air blowing her blouse top over her head. Still, a much nicer day.

Cutting across the raked dirt area and concrete walkway, she hurried to the shelter of the ladies room. Like a hard slap to the senses, entering she was hit by a combo of bleach and cleaning solution—an affront strong enough you could taste it. The floors were damp from being hosed, while exposed rafters above held cobwebs. The wind howled.

She proceeded to the first stall.

The flimsy plywood dividers included metal hooks, a single nicety meant to stow your purse and keep it off the sloppy floors. One did not want to touch anything. A plastic seat cover dispenser was empty; wonderful, she’d have to hover. At least the door slider latched.

In the midst of going and thinking she perceived footsteps, unexpectedly weighty for a female. The sounds echoed off the cinder blocks. Another tourist taking shelter? A Phoenician bound for LA? A female truck driver? She considered calling out a howdy but it would have been weird. No one wanted to be acknowledged in a motorway rest stop.

It felt ominous, out of equilibrium.

“Jack?” she called. She covered her mouth with her hands.

Under the gap she saw the romper-stomper motorcycle shoes. Suddenly a fist reached up over, hooked her purse and whipped it away. Her eyes went wide.

This was very bad. It was a biker.

More footsteps and chuckling. That queasy sensation as her breathing paused. No time to wipe. She zipped up her jeans. No time to flush either.

Undoing the latch, she allowed the plywood door to swing gradually open.

“Funny. Ain’t been day drinking but I’ve seen a striking hallucination. It was a maroon color four-wheeler. A long dead bounty hunter used to drive a Jeep like that.”

She recognized the squeaky voice; a member of the weakened, but not fully dispatched Wallach Gang. He’d been one of those who fled the dry lakebed after she killed their leader. A cowardly fellow, but cunning and experienced in the justice system. She could picture him in her mind, a black and white portrait pinned to the files at the Sheriff station. His name was Dwight or Chet or Chad, or alternate generic white dude synonym. He liked to talk.

The Spitfire stepped into view.

Scratching at a thin graying goatee, he continued. “Guess what? Your number’s up bitch. I got yer secret weapon!” His mug was as she recalled. Pointing a crooked finger he grinned in delight. Probably it was Chet.

“Just an ordinary gun,” she replied plainly, her tone laced with bitterness.

“And Stonehenge is a goddamn stack-a-rocks,” Chet replied, swinging the purse to a partner who ran out with it.

His pals snickered. One gone, but he’d brought two others, heaviest clutching a water pipe prison yard style, wearing mirrored sunglasses. “She’s tiny! Lot smaller than I remembered,” he chuckled. They were either bikers, or musicians in a southern rock tribute band. At any one time two of these clowns were on active parole.

Damn. Where was knuckle bashing Deputy Keynes or impossibly hard-headed Mr. Chan when you needed them? Out of reach. Come to think of it, where was Jack Decklin?

“Ya’ll get off on bein the pretty Senorita Martinez don’t ya? Yer bother, ugly as sin, but you always wanted boys to fancy you—they like the scary goth chicks.” Chet smiled with bad teeth, half capped. His other brass-knuckled friend, standing next to him, had a head band accompanied by a ZZ-top beard.

Unless more were hiding it was three against one, counting the leader. She felt the hot anger burning, tightness in her fingers, hairs lifting on her forearms. The experience brought back visions of Pinegate Detention Center and unspeakable horrors of Warden Dixon.

Exhaling. “You idiots know nothing. And I’ve lost patience for your intro to psychology bullshit. You want a fight, then bring one.”

She charged forward, jumping at the last minute to grip the rafter. Bending her knees she directed her sharp heels at the face of the fellow with the goatee. Chet put up his arms to block her feet, crossing wrists to protect the eyes. Twisting and springing off his shoulders with both hands she landed on her feet. The floors were slick; she was fortunate to maintain balance. Chet was knocked off his, so next she delivered a swift jab to his stomach.

His brass-knuckled partner threw a long wild punch. Lyndy dodged it by ducking down. Launching off her right heel she rammed a shoulder into the same man’s hip. Then raising her arms, she elevated his legs and rolled him to one side. He landed hard. Once down she delivered a sharp series of blows to his ribs.

Simultaneously the man wielding the water pipe brought it down perpendicular, in the motion of someone swinging an axe to chop firewood. She caught the pipe with both arms, raising her shoulders and pushing with all her might. He was astonished at the power of such a small person. Launching a leg backward, she kicked toward the leader Chet again. Next she spun and punched his jaw.

The fellow with the headband had risen up. He wrapped his arms around her waist and he was strong, able to pull her away. She squirmed, kicking out both legs and twisting her body. However it was difficult to hurl oneself in this position, feet swinging in air. She dug with her nails.

“I need to do more situps,” she thought. Cut down on the drinking too.

With The Spitfire being pulled into a corner, Chet massaging his jawline, stepped forth. Reaching down, he seized on both her ankles. The man with the water pipe moved in. He aimed for her chest; instead of swinging he pressed it against her throat. The panic hit.

“HALT!” came a thunderous male warning. “What on earth is happening?” It was Jack, his profile in the doorframe, tossing away a half-smoked cigarette. Lyndy was relieved—though hopefully he wasn’t about to get an ass whupping too.

“What kinda F’d up yuppie are you?” voiced Chet.

“I hired Lyndy Martinez,” Jack replied. “Who in the F are you?”

Undeterred by Jack’s physical presence, the goateed Chet advanced. Jack blocked his punches, caught him by the forearms.

Repositioning and lifting him by the shoulders, Jack rammed Chet into the nearest wood divider; it split down the middle—sounds of boards snapping—as he was sliding. Jack bent at the hips, pounding him, dunking his head in the toilet water. The man holding the water pipe rushed in, swinging at Jack from behind. She cried out.

Jack was hit in the lower back. He winced in pain. A pause ensued, during which Jack’s face and upper chest went extreme red.

The men were distracted. Lyndy burst free. She caught the pipe, at last ripping it from the heavy man’s clutches. With a cat-like motion, Jack thrust a fist and captured the headband man by his beard. Jack yanked him further into his grip.

In the meantime a single blow to his cheek brought the heavy man to the ground; his glasses went flying. Lyndy tossed the pipe away. Straddling with both knees, she hammered on his face with her fist. Gripping him by the hair, she slammed his head into the floor. Tide turning, she looked to see what Jack was up to.

There’s a first for everything. Seeing Jack body slam a two-hundred pound man in a rest stop bathroom was one of the great firsts in CBB history. The fellow didn’t even move after, rendered unconscious and probably suffering multiple fractures. But no time to celebrate.

One could see the terror building on Chet’s narrow face. He bolted off into the abyss of the sand; it made her smile but there was no time for celebration.

“We gotta get that purse back!” Lyndy exclaimed.

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-12

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Tip #185: This is the essence of being human: you’ll put off a task for weeks and weeks because you’re convinced it’s too difficult. Then when you sit down to accomplish it, it takes all of 15 minutes and you’re like, “god I hate myself.”

By mile four they’d gained another five-hundred feet, topping out on a plateau of sorts. No longer ascending, but curving north, they passed beneath a wrought iron arch spanning the roadbed; it reminded Lyndy of the type placed proudly at entrances to cattle ranches. Adorning the newish structure were interesting symbols, some stars, a moon and a handful matching ones seen earlier. At the same time she spotted a collection of single story white buildings coming into view. It was a town.

Instinctively she let up on the gas, decelerating to a painfully slow ten miles an hour. The last thing they needed was to piss somebody off by kicking up a dust cloud, or give the appearance of a threatening  approach.

“Is that Hebrew lettering?” questioned Jack, pointing to the symbols on the arch.

As the mining road leveled out it became better maintained. Flat rocks were placed on either side, controlling the path of cars where it skirted round a neatly groomed vegetable garden. The garden had linear rows, so straight and parallel as to be done with modern machinery—and yet none were available here.

She’d been paying close attention to the scenery when she felt a nudge from Jack to her ribs. What seemed at first glimpse to be a lifelike scarecrow, was in fact an older gentleman, long graying beard, reddish skin despite a straw hat, wearing blue overalls with a white shirt underneath. He’d been waiting near motionless at roadside, using the handle of a garden hoe as support. He scrutinized them with milky-white alien eyes, symptomatic of advanced cataracts.

Unnervingly, he offered nothing in the way of a greeting or wave. One thing was certain, he wasn’t seeing much.

Several hundred yards on she could see a small crowd forming, two woman and three men, each dressed in the blue overalls with long sleeve white shirts underneath. Again they were watching but offering no form of greeting. One knew strangers were a rarity.

“Hey, at least it’s not a nudist camp,” whispered Lyndy to Jack.

He nodded back to her. “Yeah. There’s that.”

She didn’t know the name of the feeling but she’d experienced it a time or two before: the awareness you were meant to arrive some place, to see it in your lifetime. A chill. Why you were here would only become clear later, sometimes never.

Nearing the first in a series of white structures Lyndy slowed the Jeep to a crawl. Up close the walls were clad in corrugated metal sheets, nailed on, a low-cost siding technique used in mining camps.

More people began to emerge, appearing in doorways, having been laboring inside. Others were approaching from adjacent fields. All were sporting the same blue overalls. In total some 30 folks clustered together.

From a seat on the porch of the largest building a key figure rose. He was sixty-ish, with black rimmed glasses and white hair. Most striking about this character was the way he stood, once a tall man and handsome, now he was severely hunched over. His bent body was supported by metal crutches—the kind with cuffs you slipped your wrists into—and giving the appearance of having not two but four legs.

With him there was something intangible making it obvious he was a leader. It could have been the way people were circling, as members of a village respectfully gathered round a chief. He had a commanding presence even in his current state.

Reaching the shade of a cottonwood Lyndy brought the CJ to a standstill, switching off the motor and setting the e-brake. The silence was now evident. No one had yet spoken, yet all were waiting in anticipation.

She placed her sunglasses on the narrow dash. Meanwhile Jack twisted his body, checking behind as his eyes darted about. She could tell he was anxious.

The Spitfire took deliberate breaths, wanting to exude a certain serenity.

They waited as the man with crutches came to meet them. Moving stiffly from the shade he took each step with a calculated vigor. The look on his face indicated pain, stemming from his hips. Squeaking metal on metal due to those supports, energy more mechanical than human, it took half a minute for him to traverse fifteen yards.

The increasing crowd—including both male and female—held tight to their gardening implements, mainly hoes and shovels. While preferable to firearms, it wasn’t putting anyone’s mind at ease. They pushed up to within inches of the burgundy Jeep on all sides. The two were vastly outnumbered.

When at last he was within a few feet of the driver’s side, he finally spoke, still bracing himself. “Welcome weary travelers in these troubling times! What a glorious afternoon the Lord has made! Can I help you two with something?”

It was a relief to hear English. His voice was cheerful—a little hoarse in the dry air—but commanding enough to be heard by the crowd. Jack stood up, gripping the windshield frame and towering over everyone. “We’re searching for the owner of this …” he looked around, “… village?”

The man smiled. “Well it’s funny you say that. We all own this place collectively,” he asserted. “But perhaps I can explain. My name is Brother Steve. I’m the chief architect, which also makes me a leader of sorts. At least as many days as my health holds out.”

“Sorry we forgot to bring our overalls,” Lyndy stated facetiously.

No one laughed, not even a stray chuckle. Jack shot her a glance like she was acting foolish, but Brother Steve continued to smile graciously. From the get-go one could tell he was the type whose face never revealed unpleasant or strong emotions—one click short of a creepy funeral parlor personality—but somehow reassuring.

“Right on. Pleased to meet you Brother Steve,” said Jack.

“Why don’t you all come on up to my office?” Brother Steve extracted his wrist from one of his crutches. With his freed hand he adjusted his glasses, studying The Spitfire as though she were a curious desert illusion. Then he flopped his hand, gesturing to the entry of his raised white house. “You folks can explain to me why you’ve come and I might offer you a bit of history regarding Project Genesis.”

Lyndy shot the crowd a snotty look, demanding space for her to kick open her door. The sweaty men congregating nearest the Jeep backed away. She opened her door with a loud creak, and as her legs dangled out the side she tightened the buckles on her shoes. Then she adjusted her top so it sat higher, guessing modesty would be imperative. Reaching under the seat she retrieved her purse, heavy with the weight of the Beretta.

Ethnically it wasn’t the most diverse group, but she counted among them two or three Latinos and a tall African American man with dreads, held in place by a hair tie.

“I assume ya’ll don’t get many strangers here,” Jack asserted.

Grimacing as he took the first steps, Brother Steve answered. “No sir. But all who seek truth humbly are welcome.”

That surely describes us.

He tackled the stairs one by one, having assistance from a younger man supporting his shoulder. Brother Steve seemed to not like receiving help, as he kept his head down, barely acknowledging the other fellow.

From the outside state it was difficult to tell, but the interior revealed considerable age of the dwelling—they simply didn’t build places like this anymore. The way the boards had been sawn, the kind of thick wood planking used in the floor and walls, dated the structure to mining booms of the twenties and thirties.

Either someone had been crazy enough to move it here, or they’d hand assembled it on site at this remote location. In any case it was well cared for and clean, smelling of pine sol.

The main room was undivided and spartan; only a single table occupying the center and two rows of chairs pushed against opposite sides. On display under glass was a USGS topographic map with black pen lines overlaid, planning for future property improvements. At the northern end of the building were a foursome of tall windows, offering views of a garden and orchards. Another benefit, they were providing ample natural light.

Residing on the floor at the sides of the table were wooden crates. Nested in beds of straw were samples of fruits and vegetables, many beautiful garden tomatoes, yellow squash, peaches and some apricots. A single cantaloupe the size of a cannonball and a watermelon were the heaviest food items.

Lyndy and Jack assembled by the table. She was taking a back seat again, waiting for Mr. Pennybags Decklin to break the ice. Tilting her head, she wanted to seem attentive but her eyes were constantly drawn to the outdoors; in particular, healthy plants in the vegetable gardens and the miraculous size of the fruit trees. Never had she seen anything so thriving in The Mojave. And when something seemed out of place it was a caution flag to her. Chan would be suspicious too, were he to know of this.

Brother Steve took a seat on a wooden shaker stool. His assistants, two younger men, moved in position behind him. The others remained outside and gradually were trickling back to work. The excitement was over.

With Brother Steve now comfortable Jack extended his arm. “I should introduce myself. Name’s Jack Decklin. I’m an investigator for the Santa Fe railroad and this is my colleague Lyndy Martinez.”

“Pleasure to meet you both,” replied Brother Steve, seeming more at ease in this near eye-level position. “You know it happens I was a gandy-dancer as a young fellar, living up in northern Idaho. Slept in a cold caboose, or under the stars some nights.”

She looked at Jack with curiosity. “Gandy dancer?”

“It’s like a railroad section hand,” he explained. “They use those long claw bars to lever the track into alignment.”

“Exhilarating but hazardous work I must say. And very low pay,” declared Brother Steve. “Sometimes with your whole body you have to balance on that teetering rod.”

“Nobody does it that way anymore,” assured Jack, seeking to get the conversation back on course. “Anyhow, what did you call this place? Project Genesis?”

“Correct.” Brother Steve pressed his palms together, almost giddy in explaining. “We’ve got limitless fresh air, old fashioned holy work—we work with our hands see—camaraderie, and of course prayer. It’s a place of a peace and redemption. People come from all over the country to join us in our quest.”

Through a gap created by the open door she could see someone lingering. Checking again, it was the man with the dreadlocks, sweeping the steps.

“So this is a real farm?” Lyndy asked, beginning to drift away from the table and toward the windows. It felt like a vivid dream—a mass hallucination.

“You bet!” he replied excitedly. “We’re selling our naturally grown fruits and vegetables in markets all over the state. Look for the label with the olive branch and two hands folded in prayer.” He held up a peach with a tiny white sticker. “Some of the finest restaurants on the Sunset strip buy direct from us. We don’t use pesticides—don’t need em—so there’s nothing to harm the body. Our motto is: ‘Food the way it would have been in the Garden of Eden’. You know, the way God intended.” He offered the ripe peach to Jack. “Sample our finest wares?”

“Please do not eat that,” she thought.

Jack touched the top of his head, checking his hair, frowning in equal parts wonderment and confusion. They were both thinking the same. Of the mining road they’d traveled on. The wind storms. The loose boulders and round stones, filled in with a nutrient poor sand.

“No thank you sir. We had a really big lunch.” Jack patted his stomach for emphasis. “But in this desert, up here on top of a ridge, not in a valley. You’re growing all that?” He stepped to the windows as well, gazing out on the orchard. The old floors bowed as he moved about. “I mean, how do you even acquire water up here?”

“It’s one of our miracles. You see God’s chosen people, the Israelites have faced the same environmental pressures we do. During the last recession a bunch of us moved out here. We studied the ingenious system of dryland farming, the drip irrigation method, which they invented. We only possess one reliable water source, coming from a well down in the valley. But our humble well serves acres and acres of productive cropland. A series of plastic pipes carry the water from a central set of tanks, like capillaries, to each and every plant individually, giving it precisely the dose of water it needs each day to thrive; no more no less. Because it’s all contained in pipes directly from the central tanks to the plant itself, we don’t lose any to evaporation.”

“Impressive stuff,” said Jack.

“Oh you’d be amazed at the wonders we’ve accomplished working together.” For a brief moment Brother Steve shut his eyes, moved by the spirit. “You know in school they wouldn’t believe me when I told them I will accomplish great things. But sometimes you can just feel it. There’s synergy everywhere. God really is all around, working through us.”

“Pardon me for saying this, but aren’t you suffering from some sort of ailment?” Jack gestured to the crutches.

Brother Steve opened his eyes. “Only a touch of the rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune in nature—been sufferin with it my entire adult life. Them doctors can’t help me much, only God can. Medicines and painkillers do no good. It seems to be my cross to bear. But I’m not going to let it stop me. How about you folks?” his gaze shifted between Lyndy and Jack. “Have you experienced the glory of the Lord working in your own lives?”

Such a heavy question hung in the air. She didn’t want to insult the man. Slowly, tactfully, she nodded her head. She turned to Jack, expecting him to say something diplomatic in response. Yet his face lacked the appropriate reverence and to the contrary, he seemed ready to blow his top.

Jack sighed. “To tell the truth, not so much Brother Steve. Was a guy in my platoon, damn near the kindest person I ever met. While I was drinking and gambling and being an all-around scoundrel, he was back at the base helping others and saying his prayers in chapel. We all liked him. He was aiding a wounded civilian, a poor villager, when there was a miscommunication over the radio and artillery shells fell on his position. Son of a bitch was killed in friendly fire. You’ll forgive me if I’m having a crisis of faith.”

“There’s a reason things happen the way they do. We may not always have the answer,” explained Brother Steve. “But God does.” Brother Steve’s assistants glared back.

Lyndy rushed to Jack’s side, gripping him at the shoulders and squeezing. “Okay, okay, let’s all not over think this. Why don’t we get to why we’re here?”

“Very well,” answered Brother Steve, grinning eagerly.

“I dunno if you folks read the papers much, but recently there was a train robbery which happened near the town of Chambless. Not your ordinary open the boxcars and toss crap out the side, but a real old-west style robbery with gun-toting bandits.”

“Is that so? What a hoot!”

“Yeah, what a hoot,” mouthed Jack.

Brother Steve was doing a darn good job listening and acting as someone would having zero expectation of what was coming. Judging by the faces of the men standing behind, they were equally clueless.

Jack on the other hand was scowling, but letting her continue.

“Today we’re following up on leads, hoping to recover the stolen items. Funny thing is, we have this one really big clue. The people we’re seeking were driving a two-and-a-half ton military truck. It’s called a deuce-and-a-half in some circles. Thing is, there simply aren’t that many of those trucks for sale.”

Brother Steve raised his eyebrows, at last turning to his assistants.

“Turns out someone from your Project Genesis purchased a vehicle of this weight class at a government auction.”

“Ahh yes, Goliath,” said Brother Steve. His companions were suddenly growing nervous.

“Goliath?”

“Our Goliath. We nicknamed it! Those trucks will run on any combustible from kitchen grease to moonshine. We’re using it for hauling loads between the mountaintop and the valley. Once there, we transfer the goods to more ordinary big rig trailers and box trucks, for transport over the interstate highway. It’s parked right now.”

“Do you mind if we take a look?” Jack requested.

“No trouble. Why don’t I run you folks over to the garage and on the way I’ll give you a quick tour to boot.”

Lyndy turned to Jack, exchanging a guardedly optimistic glance.

 

Minutes later …

From the seat of a bouncy golf cart with knobby desert tires, crutches strapped to one side, Brother Steve could give Mr. Toad a run for his money. For a man with disabilities and a Christian spirit, he had the heart of a risk taker and nimble, go-cart racing instincts.

Lacking restraints, the cart swayed left and right in tight corners. Lyndy clung to a pillar supporting the flimsy canvas roof shade. Jack, being a male, had been assigned the backseat facing reverse. She seriously pondered how he hadn’t been launched out.

On the other hand, the elevation and movement of cool air felt wonderful to her skin. The sun was shining bright and they were well above the haziest part of the atmosphere.

Wheel sliding left and right in his fingers, Brother Steve lifted an arm and pointed to a field: “Over here we’ve got our zucchini planted, ready to pick in a week. We can grow two harvests per year. Over there are the boarding houses, separate ones for men and women, but all equipped with bunk beds.” He’d obviously given this tour many times.

“You sleep on a bunk bed in your condition?” Jack shouted the question from the back.

“Yeah but I get a bottom bunk,” Brother Steve clarified.

Lyndy laughed. As inappropriate as it might be, she couldn’t help but wonder: it couldn’t be the first time in history a person faked a handicap for personal gain.

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-11

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Observation: The older I get, the more I realize Mr. Spock did all the legit hard work and scientific heavy lifting, while Captain Kirk mostly handled the public relations side of the house.

Their VP table had been packed with tins of boysenberry pie, accordion style chili-cheese fries and red baskets of fried chicken. By now everyone in the room was gawking, even if pretending not to.

“Where the heck do they get all this sawdust for the floors?” Jack wondered.

As if their condition weren’t weird enough, Catherine had perched herself atop the seat backs, having her panty hose covered ankles and feet crossed, and resting on the cushion; at least she’d removed her heels for comfort. Already she’d eaten half their fries as she sipped from a beer bottle, same type as Jack. He’d changed to a position where his legs were straight out on the seat and his back rested against the window. Beers had lightened the mood. She, the perky one, was surprisingly calm.

All this and it was lunch rush.

“So wait, you’re telling me you’re both a model and a movie actress too?” he inquired.

Cathy shook her head. “No, technically I’m an actress only if you include all my non-speaking roles—you know the kind where I scream and thirty seconds later a zombie gores me. They don’t put you in the credits for those, and if they do, it’s: blonde chick who dies.”

Using a napkin, Lyndy wiped purple pie filling from the corners of her lips. “Cathy, do you know Jack here has his own personal train? He told me all about it.”

“You have your own train? Well, that’s … that’s … odd.”

“Train car,” Jack corrected. “It’s just one car. A Pullman sleeper; totally beautiful.”

“Okey-doke, so you have a rolling bedroom which can go to any part of North America that a train can?” Cathy summarized.

“Pretty much.”

“Sexy.”

“Trust me, it doesn’t impress the ladies as much as you’d think. Not like a forty-foot yacht or a San Francisco penthouse apartment.”

“We’re impressed,” said Cathy and Lyndy, near simultaneous. They chuckled.

“Yeah, can we see it. Can you take us?” Cathy begged.

“Well I would, definitely, but it left without me. It’s in Santa Barbara by now.”

“Sure. Likely story,” muttered Cathy. “You know it’s remarkable though. You aren’t really Lyndy’s normal type.”

“What’s my type,” complained Lyndy, kicking Cathy under the table.

“Ouch. Cowboys. It’s cowboys,” said Cathy, backing away.

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” he said, eagerly shoving a trio of fries in his mouth, eyes shifting between Cathy and Lyndy.

“No comment,” said Lyndy.

“See. This is what I’m talking about. You all know stuff about me, but I still know next to nothing about Lyndy,” he complained. He looked her in the eyes, with a seriousness.

“Nothin to know.”

“Bull crap,” he said.

“Fine. You wanna hear a classic Spitfire story?” she offered, grinning mischievously. “Bet you never heard this.”

“Damn right we do,” Cathy encouraged.

“This better not be about your cooking healthy at home,” Jack interjected.

“It involves cooking, tangentially.” Her thoughts drifting to El Sereno, she rested her chin on her fingers, gazing at their view of the parking lot and the town of Barstow beyond.

“I think it must have started cause I refused to go to confession on a Saturday, and the result was I couldn’t take communion at mass the next morning. So I’m sitting in the pews, cooling my heels, while my aunt is waiting in line for the priest. She was upset. But I mean, Aunt Rose believed I was possessed by a demon anyways. Probably still convinced of that.”

“Later in the same week it all comes to a boil. I can still see their house, the oak beams—one of those quaint old LA craftsmans with a tiny backyard—and the windows were open. I can hear crickets, a rumble of city noise, and see a sliver of car lights on the freeway. It’s seven-o-clock and we’re eating dinner at the table.”

“My aunt and uncle didn’t want us; they were reluctant godparents. My brother and I, and our two cousins are sitting at the dinner table. I didn’t want asparagus. Funny cause I like asparagus now. But for some reason I wasn’t feelin it. Aunt Rose starts in: you’re not leaving this table until you finish that. I mean it. I look at her. I look at the asparagus. I look at the clock and I’m like: well then I’m not leaving the table.” And I meant it.”

Lyndy reached for glass salt and pepper shakers, emblazoned with the VP logo, sliding them into opposite sides of a dirty pie tin. The pie plate represented the table. “Here we are, Aunt Rose is sitting straight across from me. I have my arms folded.”

“In the other room I hear the TV on, my uncle is watching Mexican sitcoms with my cousins. I hear them laughing. I see the flicker of lights on the freeway gradually diminish. I see my brother in the hallway, sneaking a peek at what his loco sister is up to. I hear talking on the phone.”

“Then it’s midnight. It’s become one of those Vegas poker tournaments that go on for 24 hours and nobody can leave the building. Aunt Rose probably had to work the next day. We both had to pee. She’s touching her rosary beads. Her eyes are moving between me and the clock, back and forth, not showing any emotion. But I know her ass is getting tired, cause I was getting real tired. I’m tempted to put my head down and rest on the table, but I couldn’t do that.  I just sit there, bound to my chair. I see stars through the window. It’s getting chilly, not cold, it’s never cold there, but a cool breeze is wafting in. Ideal for sleeping. My eyelids are getting heavy. Aunt Rose just sitting there. Her plate is empty. Mine still has seven dry asparagus spears, same as I was served.”

“Finally it’s 3 AM. Still neither of us have moved. We’ve been planted there for close to 8 hours. We have to get up in 3. Aunt Rose abruptly stands up, pushes back her chair, frowns at me with a grumble, nina terca, como tu madre, and storms off to bed. I believe I took my plate to the sink and scraped it off. I didn’t go to church for the next ten Sundays in a row.”

 

40 minutes later …

Lyndy Life Observation: Filling out a form at the doctor’s office and it asks, “Have you had any unexplained weight loss?” and all I can think is, “No, but I’m intrigued. Tell me more.”

Squeezing the trigger handle, pumping dinosaur bones, she observed the parade of cabover trucks and station wagons whizzing by on I-40. She chugged from a tab bottle.

These places used to be called service stations—some folks still used such antiquated terminology—but nowadays all they offered was a bathroom key on a janky ruler and a dude in baggy pants with 3 or 4 priors, ogling you.

Trust me, you did not want that fool anywhere near your gas tank. A clock-hand style thermometer suction cupped to the c-store window read 90 degrees.

Jack offered to pump for her, but as this was her ride, she took both driving privileges and responsibilities; plus, she knew how much extra top-off the tank could hold.

The Jeep was slow and monotonous, but eked out decent mileage.

Standing next to the burgundy colored CJ he was observing an intermodal freight train, snaking away from them on the main line. Listening close, one could hear that metallic squeal of metal on metal tension; a tremendous mass being tugged uphill.

He checked his Rolex explorer, having to pinch it by the top and bottom to get it to a suitable angle minimizing glare.

“Anyone you know?” she joked, referring to the train engineer.

He’d gotten quiet, either digesting a 2500 calorie meal or thinking again. From a gold and white box he shook out a camel. Holding it between his thumb and middle finger he lit it, soon exhaling a cloud of white.

Great time to light a cigarette is at the gas pumps.

He continued watching the train.

One thing was worrying her. So far Jack had yet to exhibit any legit fighting abilities against similarly sized adults. But if they truly had a chance of catching train robbers, then a fight may be in their future; she’d signed up for none of the heavy lifting. Should there be an altercation she was standing back.

“That stop in Hinkley was another waste,” declared Jack, reaching for the roll bar and stretching by pulling away from it.

“We’ll go back, when we know the truck is there.”

“I know. That’s my plan too.”

She needed him to practice patience, a critical skill out here.

“Jack, I know you’re frustrated. But you have to appreciate one thing, you’re standing in the biggest damn county in the US, twenty thousand square miles; something like ninety separate mountain ranges, most of which are rugged and seldom visited. That’s a whole lotta places to hide. You can’t get anywhere fast. Takes four hours to get to Vegas.”

“What if they left the state? I mean, maybe they flew off to god knows where.”

She shook her head. “Doubt it. It’s too soon. But eventually, yes, they’ll be gone, so we need to keep moving. Let’s try this one last place and if it’s another dead end we circle back to Bo’s workshop.”

A green sedan with the faux wood paneling lumbered on by. She could have sworn it was Miranda Keynes at the wheel with the twin girls in back. It didn’t make much sense but she got a chill. Be calm, she told herself. Likely it was a hallucination.

“What just happened?” he asked.

“Thought I saw someone,” Lyndy replied, without further explanation.

She turned her attention to the sun-damaged tires. She would have aired them down for improved traction, but wasn’t confident they’d be able to air them back up, or whether they’d be chased off and have to get out in a hurry.

Wiping his forehead on his elbow he remarked, “If I stay here long I’m going to have to start buying short sleeve shirts.” He puffed out a cloud of smoke. “So what’s the story between you and the crazy waitress at The Vanishing Point?”

“I’m not sure I understand the question.” Lyndy set the pump nozzle back in place on the lever, as the digits had hit eight dollars.

“She’s the only real friend of yours I’ve met. Most people are afraid to talk to you.”

“We’ve been competing since high school. We’re not friends in the usual sense, we’re frenemies. Know what that is?”

He nodded. “I got a few of those.”

“I can tell she thinks you’re hot. She doesn’t act that way with everyone.”

“Really?”

“Clearly. It’s just, she also thinks you’re off limits.” Lyndy sniffed, slipping on her glasses. She shoved the plastic plunger to reset the odometer. “I will say one thing. In a contest of who’s crazier, myself or Cathy, I guarantee you I would win.”

 

Minutes later …

Unpaved Crucero Road split the length of a sheltered and entirely undeveloped valley. On a normal day the views of this landscape were magnificent, stretching in three directions over regions with little or no human disturbance. Few trees grew here, just native dryland scrub. Only to the south could one discern the course of I-40 and a string of high tension lines.

The mining trail had been marked by a freshly re-done sign. Slathered in a whole can of whitewash paint, they’d bolstered it with a two-foot pile of volcanic stones. The sign was decorated by three indecipherable symbols. Below this in black were numbers matching the bill of sale: 2-2-3. Other than the gleaming sign, the trail was in sad shape, not having been graded in years if not decades.

“This better not be a nudist resort,” she thought.

At the crossing, tire markings on Crucero Road indicated vehicles regularly came and went from here; some of them were fitted with large knobby tires.

Even in such poor shape people were using this driveway. Nothing could be seen from here except the outline of the road, places where it had been cut out of the hillside. Whatever waited up there was well hidden and likely to be inhabited. As with all desert wackos they may not be welcoming of visitors. Still, nothing said “No Trespassing”, unless the 3 symbols were the equivalent verbiage in an unfamiliar language.

Initially the rough road climbed through an alluvial fan dotted by coyote brush and creosote. Within the first few hundred yards the muscle car would have bottomed out on its oil pan. The tired jeep was already earning its keep. It rocked back and forth over ruts where water flowed, slipping now and again on rounded stones.

Nearing the ridges the grades became steeper; Jack was holding onto the roll cage with one arm and his side door with the other, as if fearful it would open spontaneously. The tires felt alive beneath them, clawing for traction, making it feel as though they were floating in an unsteady rowboat. Even where straight and wide the trail consisted of bad wash boards and loose rock.

Their path soon snaked up a narrow canyon with a dry sandy bottom, but then changed course, doubling back onto a hogback ridge. With a closer view one could see many places showing signs of white mine tailings, crushed quartz, where experimental shafts had been sunk in search of gold.

Having traveled 3.5 miles and gained nearly two-thousand feet of elevation, they had yet to encounter another car or any persons. They entered a more precipitous section of shelf road. Here the tire slips were unsettling, but the views rewarding. Shimmering below in a haze Lyndy spotted a portion of Broadwell Dry Lake. It was void of vegetation and colored a milky shade of red, like tomato soup, in comparison to the speckled terrain which surrounded.

Abruptly she put the trans in neutral gear and tugged on the parking break. Carried by momentum, Jack almost banged his forehead on the dash. Standing in her seat, she pointed to a soaring bird, circling from the cliffs. “Check it out.”

“What?”

“A golden eagle.”

He stood up too, unsure of the brakes holding, but wanting to know whether Lyndy had lost her mind. “How can you tell? It looks like a hawk to me.”

“The size! A hawk is nowhere near so large. That bird has like a seven foot wingspan.”

“There’s nothing to compare it to. You sure this isn’t like the time you saw Elvis at the Gas-n-Go?.” The raptor was spiraling upward, now and then adjusting its tail feathers but scarcely flapping a wing.

“No, Jack,” she huffed. “Dude, I’m telling you that’s an eagle.” Reaching behind her seat she fished out a beat up set of binoculars. She offered them to Mr. Decklin. “Take these and get your eyes checked.” Jack unlatched his door, stepping out toward the ledge. On steadier footing he tried the binoculars. “Looks like a hawk,” he said.

Lyndy frowned. “Get back here.”

He lowered the binoculars, flashing a smile. “Just pushing your buttons. I think you’re right.” As she thrust the jeep in gear, tires bouncing uphill again, Jack nudged Lyndy. “See, I learned something new about you.”

“What’s that,” she grumbled.

“You have an affinity for animals.”

Like it or not, she couldn’t disagree. “Certain animals,” she corrected.

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-10

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Observation: Why is it every time there’s a big earthquake and you have to run out of a seventies stucco building like a maniac, there’s really only three possibilities for your state of dress: you’re either in a bathrobe, standing in ugly mis-matched underwear or buck naked.

Time and a never-ending supply of blowing sand had scoured the outside of most every metallic surface in camp, including a crude tubular flagpole. At its base, a few sprigs of desert verbena clung to a tenuous existence. Flapping atop this water-pipe assembly, a faded flag so sheer one could see through. Cotton rope slapped against the sides and twisted on itself in the breezes. Every now and then a CLINK, as the snap links collided with the pole.

The little cat had those jade eyes, with slit-like pupils in daylight. As it circled by, purring with the gusto of a motorboat, she ran her fingertips along its bulging sides. Her state of alarm was easing with each passing second, nerves calming.

The same unseen talent who’d created the Frankenstein mailbox had also fashioned the pitted flagpole. Only this item was twelve feet tall. Residual flecks of white exterior paint indicated it had at one time been protected from the elements. Now it was all stained in rust.

She moved to accompany Jack Decklin, who was keeping under the shade of the camo netting. Taking a seat at ground level, she folded her legs.

“So your name is Hartley? I’ve never heard such a name,” Lyndy remarked, playfully.

“Yes,” the skinny boy answered in a muffled, sincere tone. He was on his knees, in the midst of scooping arrows into a cylindrical quiver. “Sorry I shot your boot.”

“It’s alright.”

The bow resting within arm’s reach of Hartley was also homemade, but in spite of its primitive manufacture, appeared wickedly effective.

Still, she’d decided he really was a cute kid.

Lyndy smiled sweetly, leaning forward to make eye contact, arms braced on her thighs. “Why don’t we start over?” She held her fists against her cheeks.

Hartley interrupted what he was doing, wrapping his fingers around the bow, drawing it nearer to his knees.

“You have a great piece a land here little man,” Lyndy complemented. “Where are your parents today?” With her thumb she pointed to the trailers. “Are they in there?”

Rapidly Hartley shook his head back and forth.

“So you’re alone?”

Hartley didn’t speak, but she’d captured his undivided attention. He inched closer.

Putting a hand on her chest. “You seem to know who I am already. But that gentleman is my partner, Jack Decklin.” She looked at him and grinned. His shirt was unbuttoned. “Jack is the type of guy who if a shirt is supposed to be worn untucked, he’ll tuck it in, and if a shirt is supposed to be tucked in, he’ll tuck it out.”

Even at his own expense, Jack couldn’t help but laugh. “There you go again. This is how it starts ya know. Poor kid. Two decades from now he’ll be asking himself why the only women he’s attracted to are goth-dressing Latinas.”

“Oh, don’t listen to him,” Lyndy said to Hartley.

Hartley was staring quizzically, his gaze flashing between the both of them. He had sand in his brown hair. His lips were badly chapped, no doubt a result of the outdoor lifestyle.

She reached in her purse, pushing around items in search of the chapstick.

“Hartley, are you being quiet because you aren’t supposed to talk to outsiders?”

“Yes,” he admitted.

With her finger, she beckoned him closer. “We aren’t here to hurt you,” Lyndy assured. “Come closer to me.”

As soon as he was within reach she grasped his wrist, pulling him close. With the other hand Lyndy swiftly dabbed chapstick across his cracked lips. He shut his eyes and giggled, wiping across his forearm.

“No, no, don’t wipe it off you goof!” Lyndy scolded.

Jack had one arm folded over his chest, squeezing his side. Between the fingers of his free hand he was rolling the 17-inch shaft of an arrow; same one which had embedded itself in Lyndy’s boot. “Hartley, is your pop named Edward Brennik?”

“Yes.”

“You got a mom around too?” Jack probed.

“Nope.” Hartley rubbed his palms over his eyes, as though tired. “It’s just me and my dad. My mom lives in Hollywood.” Then with puppy dog eyes and a discouraged tone, Hartley added, “Please, please don’t report me to misses Morales.”

Jack and Lyndy exchanged confused glances.

“Who is misses Morales?” Lyndy inquired.

Hartley shrugged. “She forces you to go to school.”

Right. Cause today was a school day.

“You mean a nasty old truancy officer? Like in a cartoon?”

The boy nodded in reply.

“Nah. Don’t worry. We’re cool Hartley,” Lyndy reassured. She squeezed his hand again. “Me and Jack aren’t big fans of the education system either.”

Hartley was gazing inquisitively at Lyndy’s perm.

“What? Do I have something stuck in my hair?”

“He wants your sunglasses,” said Jack.

“Oh yeah. Here, go ahead and try em.” Disentangling them, she pushed the frames onto Hartley’s face. They were way too wide for his kid-sized head, but he held them against his temples, turning one-eighty, marveling at how all the world had attained a curious shade of magenta.

“Hartley, what does your father do for a living?” quizzed Jack.

“He’s a metal recycler. We collect scrap from all over the desert and resell it.”

“What time are you expecting him back?”

“Couple more days,” said Hartley casually, still entranced with the shades.

Jack exhaled in frustration.

“What’s with all these camo tents?”

Hartley pulled off the sunglasses, holding them out for Lyndy to grab. “My daddy hates black helicopters. He put up nets so the choppers can’t see what we’re doin.”

“Makes sense,” Lyndy commented.

“Hartley, does your dad have any prior arrests? I’m thinking in the category of burglary or armed robbery.”

Hartley sniffed, looking less afraid than he should have.

“Let me clarify. Yer dad ever take stuff without paying for it?” Jack glared at Hartley, expecting an answer.

“No sir,” he said to Jack, plainly.

“Oh come on Jack!” Lyndy admonished. “Give the kid a break.”

She pointed at the homemade bow, wanting a change of subject. “You’re a pretty decent shot with that aren’t ya?” She winked at Jack, surveying the landscape of discarded junk.

In the meantime Jack tilted his head and approached the other two, irritation fading from his appearance. Twirling the homemade arrow once more, he tossed it to Hartley, who caught it by clapping his palms.

Next Jack slid his fingers in his front pocket, recovering a tan leather billfold. From the main section he fanned out four greenbacks, too overlapping to see dollar amounts. His chin sank—he was hatching an idea. Then he removed a crisp bill, holding it between his fingers and thumb for Hartley to see. “I tell you what, here’s a new twenty dollar bill. Let’s have us a little Robin Hood contest, shall we.”

A twenty to this kid was like a hundred to her. And hell, she would have done a lot of things to have the smaller bill too.

“I can tag a rabbit from fifty feet away,” Hartley said excitedly.

“That’s the idea, but we’re going to make it a little more challenging than that.” Bending over, Jack retrieved a tin can—the size containing baked beans—from a heap of decade old kitchen garbage. Stacking another and another, none having readable labels, he commenced pacing off a distance from the shade canopies to the nearest row of Joshua trees.

“Eighty five,” he shouted from afar.

On a mound of sand pushed up four feet by the dozer, Jack set out the cans; a total of seven. In the interim Lyndy rose to her feet, smiling, watching the two boys.

“Twenty bucks if you can nail at least a couple of these,” Jack announced.

Thrilled, Hartley was already readying his shot, threading the twine into the slot.

“Wait, wait , wait. I’m not even out of the way yet,” Jack interrupted. “You can go first, but we each get only three attempts kid.”

The boy elevated the bow perpendicular to the ground, elbow level, an air of determination coming across him. He had a strong chest for a such a young boy, drawing it back skillfully. The taut string made a 60-degree angle with the shaft. Doubtless there was enough potential energy there to kill.

Jack returned to Lyndy’s side, unspeaking but vigilant. “By the way, I’m ready to adopt this kid,” whispered Lyndy, raising her eyebrows at Jack.

Both were observing Hartley, reckoning he could actually hit the targets. But they wanted to see how many tries he needed.

Hartley waited for a calm in the winds; the lot became as quiet as a putting green. Then ZING! Faster than the human eye could track, the first can went flying.

Seconds after, the next can went flying. Lyndy started clapping. Hartley turned to face them, beaming with pride.

“Back-to-back? This is ridiculous,” muttered Jack, pushing the rolled up twenty into Hartley’s waiting hand. Greedily he slipped it into his rear pocket.

“That ought to buy a lot of comic books,” said Jack bitterly, but half-joking.

“My turn!” announced Lyndy, grinning at Jack. She reached for Hartley’s bow.

“No,” Jack commanded, waving  a hand.

“What?”

“The pistol,” he answered.

“I’m not a circus act. But … uh… what do I win?” she asked seductively. “Do I get twenty dollars too?”

“How bout I buy you lunch?”

“Take me to The Vanishing Point?”

Jack shrugged. “Wherever.”

Sounded like a date, but on the other hand, they woulda had to eat lunch anyway.

“Works for me.” From her purse, she extracted the heavy black gun. Turning to Hartley she warned, “plug yer ears dude.” With her left hand she retracted the stiff slide.

Jack cupped his palms over his ears, squinting to the remaining five cans. Seeing the behavior of Jack, Hartley inserted his index fingers straight into his ear canals and grimaced in preparation.

Gripping at chest level by only her right, she pulled the trigger twice. Deftly, she passed the Beretta from right to left, yanking the trigger three more times, the whole duration being less than three seconds. Each of the rusty cans were either split into two or their remains launched out of view on parabolic trajectories. A final bullet zinged off in a ricochet, having hit something hard buried in the sand.

She smiled at Jack.

Fanning a hand over top of the 9-mm barrel she looked to Hartley and ruffled his hair once more. “Here’s an important tip. Don’t ever hold one of these bastards up to your eye to aim or you’ll have the worse black eye of your life.”

Jack chuckled. “Let’s just go.”

“Take care of yer cat,” chided Lyndy, following Jack on the trail leading out.

“I will,” said Hartley, waving to the two of them.

“Something tells me you can eat, too,” Jack muttered to Lyndy.

“Nonsense,” she replied, pulling it wide and stirring the contents of her purse to make room.

 

45 minutes later …

Lyndy Life Observation: One of the best James Bond movie zingers of all time has to be when Goldfinger has that cheesy red laser inching forward to slice Bond in half (it can project a spot on the moon) and Sean Connery goes “do you expect me to talk?”, to which Goldfinger replies, “No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” But of course Goldfinger, big dumb Bond villain that he is, doesn’t actually let his overly-elaborate killing mechanism succeed as  planned.

Ever active, the sounds and smells of The Vanishing Point were highly dependable: two-stroke diesel engines, steel-belted tires rolling heavy on gravel, selected deep tones of rock-n-roll music somehow transmitted from the inside. And fried-chicken. The kitchen always smelled like fried chicken.

From the outside it had the design of a northwest hunting lodge, with more than its share of hitching post and wagon wheel decorations. Nightly, the place lit up like a Fremont Street casino. Big-rig truckers came pouring in from the interstate, following long treks through the desert—and it was known across every state west of the Rockies.

Secretly, one of her favorite pleasures was introducing uninitiated newcomers to this glorious roadside circus. Something about Jack Decklin’s background and sensibilities made it even more thrilling. She knew the cult of sunshine, better known as Catherine Cookson would be there too. It was her turf. In some ways that could a plus or a big minus, depending.

Daylight fell across his face, revealing hints of faded freckles leftover from his youth. In his thirties now, he was handsome all around. Of course standing there, gazing at its wood-paneled exterior, she couldn’t tell whether he was delighted or thoroughly disappointed. Quickly, she fixed her hair in the mirror.

It was midafternoon; the parking lot was busy. “Trust me, you’ll like it,” Lyndy encouraged, slipping her arm over Jack’s elbow, ushering him to the entry.

Soon they were pushing their way through the double doors. They were third spot in line, waiting to be seated. It felt like a date.

As their eyes adjusted he could see in the back two pool tables—men playing under a yellow lamp—and a jukebox just to the side. Antlers hovered above.

He pointed upward to the ceiling. “What’s that song?”

She frowned, intently listening, trying to filter out room noise. “Oh, I believe that’s Me and You and dog named Boo.”

Already the blonde hostess was striding across the room, having locked onto Lyndy’s big hair like a sidewinder missile.

“Why is everyone staring at us?” Jack wondered.

“It’s cause you’re with me,” she whispered. “They want to know who the hot guy is hanging out with The Spitfire.”

The men who were playing pool had momentarily paused their game. One of them, taller and in blue coveralls marked with grease, was holding the pool cue, staring. They were track workers and machinists. The men were eyeing him, not in a welcome manner, but uneasily.

“Or maybe it’s cause they recognize me,” he said, shifting his gaze to the bar.

In an instant they were overrun by perky Catherine. “Lyndy E. Martinez? What a lovely surprise!” she exclaimed. “I adore those shoes. And you’ve brought a man friend today?” She had her fingers interlaced, standing on her tip toes—making her seem much taller—and she smiled charmingly. “Are you gonna introduce me or what?”

“Cut the bullshit Cath. We’re not on the Price is Right.”

But he held out a hand. “Jack Decklin, Santa Fe Railroad.”

“Cathy,” she replied, touching a finger to her plastic VP badge. She had ruby nails to match her lipstick. Mostly immune to Lyndy’s sarcasm, she continued, “I have a perfect booth for you two right up front,” and she herded them to one of the best tables.

“But aren’t we gonna need menus?” questioned Jack, looking back to the hostess stand. “How do they know what we want?”

Lyndy shook her head. “Not today. When the blonde is here she sorta just brings food out that she wants to eat.”

“What? That makes no sense.”

Using a white cloth Catherine quickly mopped up some spilled soda and a few crumbs. Jack and The Spitfire took seats on opposite sides, with Lyndy spreading her arms across the seatback. To his surprise, Cathy also scooted in the seat next to him, putting away her cleaning rag. Her unblinking attention and violation of customary personal space was making him uncomfortable.

“You’re the guy with the cool car.”

“Oh god, I’m selling it as soon as I leave. The paint job on that thing is embarrassing. But yes, I’m the unfortunate cad driving the Firebird.”

“I bet you’re one of those guys who says women are dream killers,” Cathy remarked.

Lyndy and Catherine both laughed aloud.

“Hey. Not fair. I told you I was married once,” Jack argued.

“Wow, good answer,” said Cathy, giving Lyndy a knowing glance. Jumping up abruptly, she added, “I’ll get some beers for us and a margarita for Lyn.”

Jack leaned across to voice a private question at Lyndy. “Is she a real waitress?”

“More like a character at a theme park

Jack shifted in his seat, leaning back to peek at the billiard tables. “Something tells me this is gonna be a pricey meal.”

As she’d hoped, he was relaxing some.

 

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-9

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Tip #184: If you plan on using super-glue to make any kind of household repair, chances are virtually 100-percent you will at some point get your fingers stuck together.

Folks claimed to value the freedom and openness of the desert; one reason why it’s featured in all kinds of popular music. Despite this, the public had gotten used to treating the region as a vast …well … toxic waste dump. For reasons unclear, the behavior was prevalent at all levels of society, and cast-offs weren’t confined to drink cups and wax paper food wrappers beside a highway.

Yet isn’t the dryland ecosystem as fragile as any other?

And if one wouldn’t think of trashing a pristine beach in Big Sur, how was it acceptable to discard your old janky sectional sofa or refrigerator in the Mojave?

My natural environment and my personal life is a toxic waste dump.

She was pondering this as their dinosaur-like automobile raced across open range. Even with both front windows down the dark-colored Pontiac was becoming unbearable. Stitched leather seats were adding to the misery.

Her back felt moist, sticky, with beads of sweat accumulating on her chest.

Beside her, fingers gripping the wheel at 12 o’clock, Jack raised his elbow and squinted from glare; it was reflecting off the hood scoop, causing every little bug splatter and rock ding in the windshield to glitter. He’d been quiet, appearing moody as guys often did, and she was curious what he was thinking.

On the passenger side, Lyndy tapped some ashes in the tray. She unbuckled her watch strap, concentrating on the delicate process of hand-winding, while puffing steadily.

Gesturing to the treeless Calico peaks, Jack questioned, “so when was the last time it rained out here?”

“Not sure. It’s been a awhile,” she shouted back. “But you’d better believe we get some gully washers.” Cupping the watch close to her ear, she listened for a faint tick-tock indicating it was running again. Re-attaching it to her wrist, she reached down, putting one arm under her knees and pulling her legs closer to her chest.

“Jack, I got a question for ya. You ever wish you had a close group of friends about your same age—like on TV or in the movies—with whom you share all your life adventures? I live alone, but you know what I mean, a gang of pals you meet all the time at a coffee shop, or like, a roadhouse bar? What do they call it in Hollywood? Your entourage?” She snubbed out the Newport, then dabbed her forehead with her untucked shirt. “Sometimes I try to talk to Chan, but he’s like a hundred years old and hates me.”

Jack gazed at Lyndy as though she’d lost her damn mind. Still he answered, “I have that. It’s awful.”

“What do you mean?”

“An entourage as you say. We’re all about the same age, travel together days at a time. It’s me, my twin sister Violet, her soon-to-be husband Devon, their best friend Ellison and my secretary Illyria Jameson. We do everything together.”

“You mean, for example, you hang out on weekdays all the time? Meet up for lunch and dinner. Go on lavish ski vacations to the mountains.”

“Yes,” he nodded. “All of that.”

“That sounds awesome.”

“No it isn’t. We hate each other. Last time we were at the Grand Canyon, we’re staring at a magnificent sunset near the El Tovar and out of the quiet Devon goes: I expected it to be deeper.” Jack started chuckling. “And the whole of them depend on me for their living. It’s like having room mates who don’t do any chores or contribute to the rent payment.”

Lyndy started chuckling too. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. We can’t stand each other—probably we’d admit it if pressed. This is the first time in weeks I’ve had time to myself.” Jack grinned at Lyndy. “I kind of relish it. Maybe I’m never going back,” he joked.

“But you are going back?”

He didn’t answer, instead switching topics. “So what’s with you? Why are you so chatty all of a sudden? I seem to recall you saying you didn’t want to know anything about me.”

“Oops, you’re right,” said Lyndy, cupping a hand over her mouth. “Momentary lapse.” She turned back to the view out the passenger side.

“So where are we now, tortilla flats?” asked Jack. “I’m lost.”

Her eyes fell upon the blue map and pencil marks she’d scribbled earlier. Craning her neck and shielding her eyes, she glanced in the rearview. “Oh crap. Turn this car around. I think we missed the place.”

“Really? I didn’t see any house? It’s been nothing but empty lots for the last four-and-a half miles.”

“No, there’s some stuff back there. I wouldn’t call it a house, but … stuff.”

He shrugged.

“Just don’t do a stupid J-turn,” Lyndy scolded. “A normal turn okay.”

“Of course not. Wouldn’t dare.. .” Jack smirked, then executed an unnecessarily slow and controlled three point turn.

 

Minutes later …

Grill pointing south, Lyndy was on the side closest. The new address was hard to make sense of. In contrast to Bo’s extensive development and airport-like grounds, this 5-acre plot of land was built up more akin to a Hooverville. Zero chance these people were on the grid.

The property lacked in fencing and yet it was still protected. Near the road were eight  to ten foot high mounds of earth and gravel, scrap plywood, bricks, old discarded roofing materials and some railroad ties. Smoke trees, boulders and a succulent garden secured the areas between. It wouldn’t be possible to drive straight in with any normal civilian car.

Adjacent the road stood a mailbox, or well, something imitating one. Fashioned in a minimalist tubular style, an unskilled sculptor of the metal arts had booger-welded two fat water pipes together, with the larger one serving to hold the mail and having numbers finger-painted on the side. 6-1-2.

Hard to spot, at the nexus of the improvements were a pair of single-wide mobile homes disguised in brown camo netting and oriented 90 degrees to one another. No surprise they’d missed this dwelling the first time. The nets extended diagonally from the rooflines, making forty-five degree angles where they had been staked to the ground. Circus tent style.

A crop of baby Joshua trees were also dotting the lot. The way junk had accumulated it would prevent removing or even re-positioning the trailers.

A narrow footpath stemming from the roadside mailbox meandered to where the single wides were. Beside it, a spray painted sign on plywood warned: “Keep Out! Bobbi Traps!” Whomever created the sign badly misspelled booby traps.

Jack switched off the engine; it knocked, running on a half-dozen cycles but eventually went silent. Adjusting his position he started pinching at his shirt to aid in airflow. As he did, Jack looked forward and back along the property line. “Well my balls are swimming in perspiration. And unfortunately, I do not see a vehicle parked here.”

“Nor I,” Lyndy replied, squeezing on her doorlatch. “Maybe we can see better from one of those dirt mounds. I think Dr. Seuss did their landscaping.”

The wind was howling yet again, a steady five to ten miles an hour.

Jack didn’t laugh. But she could tell he’d noticed the plywood sign. He grabbed and squeezed her arm. “I bet a veteran lives here,” he remarked.

“What makes you say that?” she wondered, staring down at his hand; it was the first time he’d touched her intentionally.

“Booby traps,” Jack said ominously. “I hate those.”

“It’s probably a guy growing pot or something.”

Gradually his grip on her arm relaxed. “Do you think anyone actually sleeps and eats in those trailers?”

“Of course Jack. These are called poor people,” she spoke facetiously, gesturing and displaying her palms as though introducing a foreign concept to a child.

Flicking open his green notepad, Jack continued, “Gentleman’s name is Edward Brennik. Occupation is listed as scrap metal dealer.”

“That I can believe.”

Lyndy pushed open her door, brazenly kicking it wider and slinging her purse over her shoulder. Picking her way across the graded embankment with one arm securing the strap, she stumbled ten yards up the path, pausing once to roll an old tire out of the way. Above them, the skies were becoming increasingly hazy. Compared to earlier, not a trace of blue remained. The air was unhealthy.

Still, at least it was good to be out of the stuffy car.

She turned back to find Jack wasn’t following. He remained seated with the door open an inch, gazing straight ahead, focusing on the distant highway.

Returning to the car, this time circling to driver’s door, she put her hands on the roof, drumming them. Then she leaned in, inserting her face in Jack’s personal space. “Hey weirdo, what are you afraid of?” she demanded. “You’re a tough dude and I’m not here for my health.”

He didn’t answer.

“Jack, how did you end up with that purple heart?” she probed, more forcefully this time.

He looked at the glovebox door, answering solemnly, “know what a bouncing betty is?”

“It’s like a flying grenade.”

“Correct.” He started to untuck his shirt. “Son of a bitch got me all up the backside and leg. Absolutely shredded the guy next to me.”

“You almost died?”

Jack bowed his forehead. “But afterwards, they finally sent me back. There’s that.”

“We’re not in a warzone—not yet. This is California.” She pointed to the sign. “And I feel okay about it since neither of us is named Bobbi.”

“You ever go through a period in life, where you ended up somewhere and you realize you’ve made a giant mistake. You’re trapped and you can’t think your way out.”

Bunch of times. Mentally, she was picturing Pine Gate.

“Wait. Hush, something’s moving,” whispered Lyndy, crouching below the roofline and peering through the car itself.

Some thirty yards nearer to the camo nets, a tiny creature was sneaking along the top of a mound, moving parallel to the road. It was a greyish tabby cat, tiptoeing among discarded boards and bundles of wire. Then, as it began a descent to the north, a human hand—child sized—shot up. Curling under the cat’s midsection, the arm hooked the cat at the belly and pulled it down out of view.

She inhaled quickly. “Did you see what I saw?” They both knew it was intentional.

“Yes,” Jack confirmed, unlatching his door.

“At least we know somebody’s home,” she whispered.

“I hope there aren’t trenches here.” He raised one hand and pointed, then shut his door as quietly as possible. “I’ll go around the back, if there is a back way.”

She knew he wanted her to come from the front—creating a distraction.

Paying more attention to her surroundings, she stepped back to the walking path, the one warning visitors to stay out. Taking a slow breath, she hiked her purse strap higher up on her shoulder. She was aiming for the trailers and the camo nets.

At every fifth step she paused, checking her environs, listening. But she heard nothing except wind rustling. The only other movement, a black throated sparrow hopping between branches in a smoke tree.

The trail had been trodden many times by persons wearing army boots, but in most spots was smooth, the path itself curving up and down to cross the berms. Each ten foot high mound must have been excavated with power equipment, as there were too many to do with a hand shovel.

Cresting the final bank, a distance of forty yards from the car, she heard a FWOOSH. The next instant she felt a bang against her ankle, like being knocked in the shin by a springy branch. Briefly her eyes fell upon the object, a wooden arrow shaft embedded in her leather boot; there was no time to check for injury. Instead she reached for the Beretta, intent on studying the horizon. Her pulse quickened.

“Holy smokes,” she thought.

First she crouched, then flattened herself fully on the ground, contacting hot soil with her stomach. The sand and rocks felt sharp against her skin, like shards of glass. Keeping the pistol level and straight, she frantically searched the scene for any attacker. This person must have intentionally aimed at her foot, avoiding a deadly shot. She took that as a positive.

“Hold your fire!” she exclaimed to no one in particular. “We’re here in peace! But if you try that move again I’m tempted to change my mind”

Sensing motion, she noticed Jack sprinting, followed soon by a muffled cry.

By feeling with her left hand, never averting her attention, she yanked out the arrow. Its tip had made it all the way through, nicking the skin on her ankle. She cursed.

“You can come out. I got him.” It was a comfort to hear Jack’s voice. “I got sliced on some barbed wire, but I think I’m okay.”

She scrambled to cover the remaining distance, heels sinking deep now and then. Near to where a camo net was nailed to earth, she found them. Jack had locked his arms around the person’s arms and chest, restraining them. Jack’s shirt was cut and had drops of blood showing from small incisions on his forearms. He was breathing heavy.

Coming to an abrupt standstill, Lyndy lowered her weapon. “It was a child?”

A quiver’s worth of arrows and homemade bow lay beside the two on the ground.

Their small assailant had ceased squirming, overpowered by the strength of an adult like Jack. The boy had tan skin, no shirt on, but was wearing army style cargo pants—way too big for his waist—and a black nylon strap serving as a belt. His hair was brown, a short home-done haircut. With piercing eyes he affected a roguish expression unusual for so young a person.

Sometimes it could be hard to tell, but she judged the little man to be in the range of eight or nine years old. He was handsome, in certain ways reminding her of a mini-Jack.

Still, she was fuming. She approached him, tightly clutching the Beretta. In anger she ruffled his hair, wanting to smack him. But slapping another person’s kid was anything but kosher these days.

“You shot me with an arrow you little brat!” she scolded.

The boy said nothing.

“You alright Jack?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Terrific actually. What a lovely day.”

She pushed the gun in her purse. Feeling something rubbing against her legs, fuzzy and soft, her eyes went wide. Tilting her chin down, she beheld the tabby cat mewing as it passed between her ankles. Reaching to pet it, she touched the cat along its spine with a few short strokes.  It purred, making another pass toward her, soaking up attention.

“Is this your cat?” Lyndy asked.

The boy nodded.

“Let him go,” she declared. Jack loosened his grip.

Kneeling, she continued to pet the cat, her hand coming in contact with its belly. Another surprised look came across her face. “Your cat is totally pregnant!”

She jumped up, dusting off her jeans and getting in the kid’s face. “Did you know your cat was pregnant?”

The boy rocked his head again.

“Hey, do you speak English kid?” demanded Jack. Then he released him. Neither feared the boy running off and hiding.

Gazing at Lyndy, the boy mumbled the words, “La Fierabrosa.”

“What did you just call me?”

In the meantime Jack was banging a fist against a blue plastic jug, half filled with liquid. He untwisted the mayonnaise jar-sized cap. Then sniffing the contents, he checked whether it was water or gasoline, but keeping his attention on the kid, interested to hear the answer.

“I heard some Mexicans talking about you. You’re called The Spitfire,” the kid spoke faintly, with scarcely any movement to his lips. “Senorita Martinez.”

Jack smiled knowingly, amused at the turn of events. By swinging the jug he began splashing his arms with water.

The boy looked briefly to Jack and Lyndy, then started collecting his bow and arrows; some had spilled out of the quiver and were littering the ground.

“What’s your name?” Lyndy asked.

“Hartley,” said the boy

Jackrabbit Homesteader: A Lyndy Martinez Story, Part-8

Link to Part-1: Jackrabbit Homesteader Part-1

Lyndy Life Observation: I saw a thick glossy magazine in the supermarket checkout aisle with a title reading, “What is your dog thinking? Find out inside”, complete with a picture of some cute as hell border collie and I was like, “It’s a dog you morons!”

As they entered, she nested her glasses in her poufy hairdo; probably she would forget this detail later, running through a game of “where did I put those darn sunglasses?”

In Lyndy’s experience these manly spaces, machine shops and the like, always smelled of shoe polish. The interior of Bo’s shop was no exception. Clicking sounds, her tall boots on concrete floor, echoed from the metallic walls. The Spitfire and Jack walked side-by-side, a modest buffer between, with Mr. Rollins trailing close behind.

It was no social call. Nothing quite so welcoming as a tubby fellow providing a facility tour while simultaneously clutching his favorite pump-action shotgun and using said item as a pointing device.

Dominating the southern portion of the workshop were a trio of army tanks slanted in a diagonal row, hatches ajar, mud-caked tracks disassembled and removed. On the more northerly side with an eight-foot span of separation, a pair of J8 Jeeps were parked, both in disrepair. The 105-mm cannon from a Patton tank towered above, its long muzzle dwarfing anything else in the room. She tried to imagine it, but knew one didn’t want to be anywhere near when that thing blew.

The same tank had a series of stencils on one side, sprayed in charcoal paint, representing smaller tanks in the shape of an American flag. Presumably they indicated kills.

In keeping with the scene Bo spoke grandly, like an excitable museum attendant: “Over here we have the mighty M60 Sherman, essential modern-day cavalry and scarred battle hero of the Israeli Yom Kippur War. Next to that is the equally well-regarded M4.”

The clicks ended as they paused to admire the room.

Not wanting to seem disinterested Lyndy kept bobbing her forehead, unsure what to do with her hands other than loop them between her purse straps. Needlessly she undid her belt, tightening it a notch and squeezing her waist.

With one hand in the pocket of his slacks, Jack did an about face, eyeing Mr. Rawlins and the smaller entry. “You know when I was in elementary school this is pretty much how I pictured my adult garage,” he remarked. Then pointing to the area with the Jeeps, “although I was certain there would be at least four or five classic Ferraris over there.”

Bo laughed a goofy laugh sounding like, “Tee-Hee-Hee.”

For the time being she was letting Jack steer the conversation, while together they took in the sights. Not viewable from the locked gate, the western half of the shop featured a set of tall sliding doors; when parted it was a wide enough opening to roll the tanks in and out.

“Know what this place really reminds me of? An aircraft hangar,” Jack stated. “Except there isn’t a runway anyplace nearby.”

“It’s a good guess,” answered Bo, more calmly. “I didn’t know the original owner very well, but he had plans to turn it into a private airfield. Maybe he ran outta money. Not sure. But he gave up on his dreams and sold out more’n a decade ago.”

Bo sniffed. Jack exhaled. Everyone went quiet. Jack was faltering.

Often she felt rushed, catching strangers unprepared like a vacuum cleaner salesman. Yet despite having been busy, Mr. Rollins was now exhibiting a curious level of patience, nor had he made inquiries into how they found their way here in the first place.

Anybody showing up unannounced at her airstream, it would be the first question out of her mouth.

Feeling a need to jump in, Lyndy asked, “Mister Rawlins, I assume you’re the present owner of this uh …business… whatever it is?”

Bo nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

Well that was a silly question.

With the tip of his shotgun, Bo nudged open a red and white Vendo cooler. “Say, can I get you somethin to drink? I got colds pops in here.”

“No. No thank you. Sorry, but we ought to cut to the chase. What exactly is your line of work?” inquired Jack. “If you don’t mind us knowing.”

Taken aback as though the answer should be self-evident, Bo chuckled. “I fix up tanks for the Army, mostly ones stationed outta Fort Irwin; some for the Marine Corps as well. The desert chews up their gears cause they use ‘em damn near every day in training.”

“Oh. The Army doesn’t have their own repair facilities?”

“Course they do. But they also come to me, cause I can do the labor cheaper and faster. In most cases better as well.”

“But you don’t work alone, do you?” she asked, her voice showing disbelief.

“Nah, wouldn’t even be possible. I got a whole crew a guys. But they have the day off.”

“Okay.”

“And I’m also a collector and restorer of antique military vehicles,” Bo added proudly. “Ya know, them old flat fender Jeeps and whatnot. I take em to shows. It’s my passion. They’re mostly in other buildings. Doesn’t pay for itself, but I do some trading of parts. Brings in a little extra.” He grinned like a boastful teenager.

From the looks of Bo’s cavernous shop, his story was checking out.

“Have I got a deal for you,” she thought, picturing selling this man the burgundy Jeep. “Well far out,” she said approvingly, then hooked her thumbs in the loops of her jeans, eyes beginning to wander again.

Rolling toolboxes were pushed to all sides and an assortment of larger size tools were hanging by pegs on the wall. Pasted in one of the open metal lids she picked out a captivating portrait of a young lady, not so unusual for the kind torn of a magazine, but this was a real photo print framed in a beige matte. The lady happened to be wearing a blue swimsuit, standing next to a fishing boat on the Colorado.

Lyndy stepped in closer, seeing the smiling lady was a curly redhead comparable in age to Mr. Rawlins.

Ever get the sensation when you know you’ve seen someone’s mug before, but you can’t quite place them? So then your simple brain starts flipping through different compartments of your life, trying to put the person’s face in context.

“So uh, who’s this pretty lady over here?” The Spitfire placed a finger on the toolbox. “She’s a fox.”

Before answering, Bo paused to reseat his hat. “Whelp, of all things in here, you’ve hit on the one I’m tender about. That there was my late wife Teri. God rest her soul.”

Lyndy had been expecting anything but such a response. “Geez, I’m very sorry Bo,” she added genuinely, scratching at her temple. “Could’ve sworn I’d seen her someplace.”

“Doubt it very much. She passed away from a tumor five years back.”

Bo went mute as they stared at the picture a few moments, giving her soul some quiet reverence. His eyes seemed to be watering as his chin tilted downward. If this big bubba started getting all weepy, she didn’t know what to do—run away perhaps.

“And her name was Teri Rawlins?” Lyndy confirmed.

“Yup,” was all Bo could answer.

Rubbing a tear or something from one eye, his head suddenly shot up. “So what’s this inquisition all about?” Bo stared at her and Jack expectantly.

It was a challenging transition to make, but impatience was finally showing in his voice. She glanced over to Jack. One could hear the whirling fans clearly.

“I assume you’ve heard about a train robbery which occurred a couple nights ago?” Jack tilted his head. “We aren’t accusing you of anything,” he assured, flashing his empty hands. “We’re checking on a few leads. In fact, maybe you can help us out, since this is something you specialize in.”

Bo’s eyes narrowed, their welcome wearing thin.

“Your name happens to appear on a list of private sales I have,” Jack continued. “They’re citizens who recently won at auction an REO ‘deuce-and-a-half’ military transporter. It’s a great big truck.”

“Correct. One of them Rockwell full-floater axle deals.”

“So is it here on your property?”

“It’s here,” confirmed Bo. “I’ll confess….”

“Confess what?” Jack interjected.

“…that I haven’t had a heckuva lot of time to work on it. It’s in the back lookin sad. Aint goin no place.”

“Do you mind taking us to it?” Lyndy asked sweetly.

“Happy to,” he answered. “Follow me.”

Exiting the main workshop, Bo waddling in the lead, the three snaked their way around to the perimeter of the paved slabs. It was good to be back in the fresh air again, but she knew a letdown of one sort or another was coming. No guilty party should be so eager.

 

Minutes later …

“There she be,” announced Bo, triumphantly kicking a rotted and deflated front tire.

With the hood assembly removed, its cavernous engine bay—nearly void of mechanical parts—contained more cobwebs than a haunted house.

She watched the complete deterioration of Jack’s mood.

Using three fingers he tested the gritty bare engine mounts; they were steel, at least an eighth inch deep in rust. He checked underneath, energetically. The ground beneath had old cakey oil stains. Remaining hoses and wire harness were cut off, removed, and all parts coated in layers upon layers of mud and grease.

“Is … is this the truck you purchased?” Jacked questioned.

Then came Bo’s, “tee-hee-hee,” laugh again. Only this time his face quickly reset to stoic: “Yes. I got a good deal.”

“There’s no motor or transmission!” exclaimed Jack. “Who would buy a truck without an engine?”

“I do it all the time,” Bo argued.

“Did you remove it?”

Bo seemed amused at Jack’s line of questioning and incredulous attitude. “Friend, you think I pulled the damn engine outta here, but then spent extra time artfully adding back all this dirt, spiderwebs and grease?”

“Where’s the serial number on these?”

“I guarantee you folks, this here truck didn’t come with no drivetrain parts. You can check on the bill of sale. The number in this truck matches that same bill of sale. Says in bold, no motor or trans.” He poked an imaginary bill of sale with his finger, emphasizing the point.

Bracing shoulders against the truck frame, looking like The Hulk about to flip a car, Jack drooped his head in frustration. Then staring at the ground, fists tightening, he queried, “You sure this is the only one of these you got?”

“Only one,” confirmed Bo, personal irritation reaching critical mass. He shot Lyndy a stare that meant, “Is your partner always this unpleasant?”

Lyndy patted Jack on the shoulders. “How bout this, mind if we walk around a bit?”

“Ya’ll have my permission to roam around to your heart’s content. You can spend hours, but I know ya won’t see another of these deuce-and-a-half’s.”

Jack pushed Lyndy’s hands away. “I’m fine. I do not want to roam.”

Bo sighed, elbows drooping, lowering the gun from his shoulder. “I can’t read you folk’s mind. But listen, I’d have to be a superman to get the engine installed, running, have it ready by whichever night yer train was robbed, pull it back out, muck up the whole insides like this and have it resting on flats. Not worth it.”

She sensed Bo was relieved, perhaps seeing them as less of a threat.

“Mr. Rawlins, do you know any other folks round here capable of planning and pulling off a complex train robbery? Any weird militia groups, criminal rings—something like that?”

Bo shook his head immediately. “Nope.” Then directing his speech only to The Spitfire he added, “But if you’ll come back a few days from now, I got a couple patched-up tanks which need test driving, and you can ride with me. I trail run em right here on the property. Move a lot faster than you think.”

“Whoa. That would be groovy,” replied Lyndy, using her Cathy Cookson impression. And on top of all that, it did sound fun.

“Just please don’t bring him,” said Bo, one thumb aiming Jack’s direction.

“I do love me a spin in a tank now and then,” Lyndy agreed. “And you’re right about Jack. I’ve only known him a brief time and trust me, he’s a drag.”

But he has really deep pockets.

Jack glared back. He spoke nothing aloud, but she knew they were done.

 

Lyndy Life Observation: Is it me, or do ninety percent of golden retrievers look like exactly the same dog. If in some contrived mystery/thriller plot my life depended on identifying a single golden retriever in a pack of twenty, I’m not sure I could.

He stuck a camel cigarette in his lips, managing to light it while never losing grip on the steering wheel—an impressive feat. They were speeding on 58. Apparently he didn’t learn from previous mistakes.

On the other hand, neither did she, reaching for the Newports.

“That Rawlins guy was acting guilty as sin,” Jack lamented. “But I need proof.”

“I’m not convinced,” Lyndy replied. “We haven’t even visited these other places on the map.” She shook the map at Jack’s face. “It’s like one of those press conferences where they always say: we’re still gathering information.”

“The dude was menacing us with a shotgun the entire time. And did you notice how organized and put away everything is? It’s like his fancy shop isn’t being used.”

“We’re the ones who dropped in on him unannounced. And you got a problem with a man being neat?”

“Why was he so nervous when we first got there?”

She shook her head. “Not very unusual. Everyone out here is covering something up. So they all act guilty when you start askin questions. Plus nobody likes to be accused.”

“So then we wasted time?”

“Not necessarily. I might have made a friend. There’s always some value in cultivating new friendships. The person may come in handy one day.”

“I think we were wasting time,” repeated Jack. “And you were just messing with him, using your sneaky charm skills.”

“Fine. I will say one thing. Did you see he had a Santa Fe wall calendar?”

Jack glanced at her. “They print a million copies of those every year.”

In the midst of staring out the window, Lyndy pointed to a simple two-pump gas station, closed down and now abandoned. It had a tiny white-walled rectangular office, and there were literally thousands of copies like it spread across the west.

“Did you see that old service station back there,” said Lyndy.

“Yeah.” Jack nodded, barely shifting his gaze.

“One time I was coming through here at night, maybe eleven-thirty, and I saw this spectacular drop-top Cadillac with candy apple paint, filling up on gas. The driver was seated at the wheel, and a station attendant was wiping down his windows like old times. I didn’t think much of it. But I noted the guy had thick black hair and was wearing an all-white leisure suit decorated in rhinestones. So I get about ten minutes further down the road and I realize, that could have only been one person. I considered making a u-turn, going back to check, but it was too late. I knew they’d be gone already.”

“Who was it? Liberace?”

“No. Elvis of course,” Lyndy asserted.

At first she couldn’t tell if he was angry. He rubbed both eyes with his fists. Then seconds later, Jack burst into a laugh. “No way!”

“It was definitely him. Chan wouldn’t believe me either.”

She shoved her sunglasses on and folded both arms across her chest.