Kit Crumb - Body Parts

By the time Hubble entered the clinic, Simms was livid.

“Where in the hell have you been? I’ve sent Bonnie and Derrick into the woods looking for your fucking PI. Shit, by now she and Crystal could be half way to California.”

With his usual understatement and aplomb, Hubble sat on the edge of the desk and waited for Simms to finish his rant.

“Actually, Mr. Simms, she’s not. I found her car parked on the shoulder of the road just down from the gate. They’re still in the woods, or may have found their way to the mine.”

“Shit, shit, shit! We can’t let them get to the mine and if they’re already there they can’t be allowed to leave. Get a flashlight and go to the mine; I’ll hike through the woods and see if I can find them.”

Simms was in the scrub room changing when the wall phone rang. It was the line used only by Rosie Rehnquist to confirm a sale.

“Rosie, we’ve got a real problem…”

“Thanks for asking, everything went fine,” Rosie said, and paused to let the fact that she was insulted sink in. “What’s the big problem?”

“A private investigator broke into the clinic and helped Crystal escape. I’ve got Hubble headed for the mine; Derrick and Bonnie are in the woods looking for them.”

Rosie nearly drove off the road as she listened to Simms and heard the fear in his voice.

“If they see what’s in the mine and get away, it’ll shut us down. We may have to leave the country,” Simms said.

Rosie let his words sink in. They couldn’t be allowed to escape, even without seeing the contents of the mine. Surely the PI had figured out what was ahead for Crystal. No, they couldn’t be allowed to leave. But, if they did, the film company, mansion, clinic—all would have to be shut down and the mine destroyed.

“Peter, are you there?” she said.

“Yeah, I’m here. I want you to shut down Lewd and Lascivious and get up here as soon as possible. I’m going to need your help.”

“There’s got to be another way!”

“Listen to me, Rosie… there is no other way. Whatever you have to do—do it and get up here on the double.”

“What if they never find the mine, couldn’t we just silence the PI?”

“Can’t take the chance. She’s not like your girls. Someone might come looking. Plus. we’ve got to deal with Derrick, Bonnie and Hubble.”

When he saw the sign “Welcome to Denton by the Sea,” Rye cut the sirens and lights, and brought his speed down to the limit. Now he had to find Pericolo Lane. Prodded by an extreme sense of urgency he wasted no time and drove the ambulance into the first gas station he came to, and parked in front of the little store.

The place looked deserted. He quickly scanned the isles of chips, cookies and other snacks, but couldn’t find anyone.

“Hello, I need some assistance.”

A man suddenly popped up from behind the counter.

“Sorry, just looking for something.” The man glanced out the window. “That your ambulance?”

“Sure is. Can you direct me to Pericolo Lane?”

“Keep going north, two more blocks, then right just after the Book Nook. You won’t see a sign for a mile or so, but that’s Pericolo.”

Rye spun on his heel and headed for the door. “Thanks.”

The gas station store clerk stood watching until the ambulance pulled onto Main Street, and disappeared from sight.

Stepping in front of the register, he opened the till and began pulling out twenties, tens and fives leaving just sixty dollars in the drawer. It had been a busy morning. He knelt to his hands and knees setting the cash on the floor and began dialing the combination of the floor safe when the door buzzer went off. When he stood up, three men were half way to the register.

Two of them hung back while the third man limped up to the counter.

“Good afternoon, I’m trying to find Pericolo Lane.”

“Sure, north two blocks, hang a right just past the Book Nook. Stay on that road until you see the sign.”

“Thanks a lot.”

The two men were out the door as soon as they heard the directions, with the third one limping right behind.

The clerk watched them drive away giving little thought to the coincidence of two people asking for the same road within fifteen minutes. He knelt down behind the counter, opened the safe, pulled out a heavy cloth bag and put in the cash.

“Oh shit, forgot the damn receipt.”

When he stood up he was staring into the chest of a man in a blue tailored suit.

He looked up at the man’s chiseled features, partly obscured by sunglasses. “I didn’t hear you come in.” He became suddenly aware that he was still holding the cash deposit in his hand. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for 20415 Pericolo Lane.”

The clerk smiled, this had to be one for the books.

“20415 is way up there. You know, you’re the third person, like in minutes, looking for Pericolo Lane.”

The man in the blue suit turned to look at his two companions, also wearing sunglasses and blue suits.

“One of them drove an ambulance. Anyway, go north two blocks and take a right just after the Book Nook, that’s Pericolo.”

The clerk watched as the three men climbed into a big silver car and pulled out of the station, headed north.

Rye was driving the top-heavy ambulance as fast as he dare on the curvy road, watching every mailbox and gate for 20415. Glancing ahead as he approached a curve, he noticed a giant metal gate set between two stone pillars. He knew he’d found the address even before he saw the numbers. He drove for another quarter mile before he spotted an unchained driveway where he could turn around.

“Shit.” He nearly drove off the road when he spotted Claire’s Austin-Healey.

By the time he was back in his lane he’d passed the driveway where he was going to turn around and was getting frantic. He had slowed the ambulance to a crawl when a dirt road appeared on his right. He pulled in, cut the ignition and started jogging back the way he’d come.

He reached around to the holster clipped to the back of his pants when he noticed that all four of the Healey’s tires were flat. He kept his right hand wrapped around the handle of the .38 as he approached the car.

There was no blood, no sign of a struggle. But why were the tires all flat?

Looking down at the gravel shoulder, he could just make out a footprint. He immediately recognized it as one of Claire’s special EMT, size-eight shoes.

He stood for a minute taking it all in. Looking down the road he could see the massive gate, looking up the road he could see his ambulance. Another minute and he was back in the ambulance driving up the dirt road that seemed to parallel the gated drive. He caught glimpses of the paved driveway until the trees became too dense. He checked the dashboard clock—he’d been driving for fifteen minutes. When he looked back up, he could just make out a clearing ahead. He brought the ambulance to a stop, climbed out and stepped into the woods.

He moved in a crouch from tree to tree until he was at the border of a clearing. He was about to step into the open when two people emerged from the woods on the opposite side. A man and a woman, joined by a third person—all in a heated discussion.

As he strained to hear what they were saying, Rye failed to notice the three men creeping up behind the ambulance.

The pain kept her conscious. With labored effort, Claire lowered herself down the cable, no longer attempting to walk down the wall.

She felt two hands around her hips moving up to her waist. “I’ve got you.” Crystal said.

The hands provided direction, urging her, pulling her. She finally let go of the cable and sat down hard. It was pitch dark, and Claire could feel her claustrophobia starting to close in.