THE BLUE STALKER (44 page)

             
Ella parked her bright red Corvette where she could exit early if she was so inclined. 

             
Signs directed guests to the backyard.  The smell of barbeque was in the air. Food filled the long tables, covered with bright yellow tablecloths around the perimeter of the neatly manicured yard. Blooming plants in terra cotta pots every eight feet were the table’s centerpieces. What a beautiful yard.  Ella thought to herself.  The barn was lit with tiny white lights and bales of hay situated around for seating.

             
Over to the side of the barn a team of horses patiently waited to take guests on a hayride. The band was set up in the barn. The same band Ella and her guests enjoyed on New Year’s Eve.

             
Everyone was dressed in jeans, cowboy shirts, boots and cowboy hats. It was going to be a Hee Haw, kicking up heels kind of party. 

             
Children were running around the yard chasing the family dog, throwing a football, running a one legged race and some were running with an egg in a spoon trying to make it to their team mate without dropping it. There was fun and laughter every where. 

             
“What a fun annual event the Wilson’s put on. Living in a small close knit town isn’t so bad after all. Ella thought to herself as she walked around the park like setting.

             
In the distance she heard, “Ella”. Turning to the sound of her name there was Alicia. Cowboy boots, jeans, long shirt hanging out covering French fry sins and a vest. 

             
“Whoohoo, cowgirl you look like a real wrangler.”  Ella said looking Alicia over.

             
“You look pretty damn cute yourself.”  Alicia said motioning to LuAnn and a good looking man to join them.

             
“Ella, this is my son Bob.” She said with a proud smile on her face.

             
“Nice to meet you Bob.” Ella said with extended hand.

             
“I noticed the food line is over there.” Alicia said motioning and walking in the direction of the long tables loaded down with food.

             
“How about we get something to eat before the band starts?” Alicia said with her plate already in hand.

There was no holding Alicia back from the food tables. She filled her plate to high heaven and went back for seconds.

             
Ron and Susan soon joined in. Everyone enjoyed the feast and setting on the hay bales while balancing their plates.

             
About nine the band started playing. Cowboys and cowgirls were kicking up their heels. The music played into the night.

             
Mark laid his microphone down and made his way through the crowd to Ella.

             
“May I have this dance?” He asked politely tipped his hat.

             
“I would be delighted to dance with you.” Ella said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

             
When the song finished another tune started up and Mark and Ella held on to each other continuing to dance. Mark Brandon liked what he was holding in his arms. Ella enjoyed the touch of a man. She wondered where Frank might be. Was he being tortured like the Mexican man in the Ninth Street drop-house. As she looked over Marks shoulder she wondered if one of the eyes she met might be the one holding Frank.  Or, maybe the one with Franks blood on his hands? 

             
The evening ended as guests meandered their way to their vehicles. Kids climbed in the back of the trucks and mom’s walked to the trucks with babies wrapped in beautiful hand sewn quilts to protect them from the cool night air.

THIRTY-FOUR

             
Ella woke early. Fixed herself a cup of coffee and sat on the front porch enjoying the sun as it lifted its head to warm the new day.  Ella held her coffee with both hands, thinking about the days gone by.  Her life as a young skinny lanky teenager, her dates with Phil Young her first and only true love, the swimming hole, college days, her dad who pampered her, and her mother on shopping trips to San Francisco, the big empty house in Linville and now where was her life going?

             
One thing she knew she had to find Frank. Why would anyone take Frank? She was sure the bodies in the deep freeze were those of the secondhand store owners Paul and Nellie. Would the deep freeze ever be found? Would the bodies be found?

             
Maria called for everyone to come for breakfast.  Juanita and Maria prepared good meals. Something she hadn’t enjoyed since she left home for college.

             
“Ms. Ella,” Maria said, “I have an appointment to meet with a family. They want to have me paint a portrait of their children.  Mom will prepare lunch and I should be home in time for dinner.” 

             
“That’s fine Maria.” Ella assured her. “You and your mother work out the chores. I know you are getting busy with your painting. I think that’s fantastic.”

             
Ella made a call to Alicia and headed out the door.

“I might be late don’t wait dinner for me.” Ella called back to Maria.

             
Alicia was waiting on the sidewalk when Ella drove up.

             
“What’s this about going to dumps?” Alicia asked.

             
“I thought we could drive to the dumps in the area and maybe spot the deep freeze.”  Ella told Alicia as she headed for the north end of town.

             
“I know the city dump is out this way.” Ella told Alicia.

             
Luckily the dumps are open on weekends to accommodate people who can’t make it out on a weekday. Alicia told Ella.  My son usually makes his runs to the dump on the weekend.

             
Ella pulled in parked the car and walked to the shed. 

             
“Has anyone dropped off a deep freeze in the past few of weeks?”

“I don’t recall but you might ask Harry.”  The guy in the smelly clothes pointed to a guy raking debris toward to the big hole.

             
“Harry.” Ella called to him. “Has anyone dumped a big deep freeze in the past few weeks?” She asked.

             
“No ma’am we don’t take large appliances in this hole.”  He said continuing to rake.

             
“Thank you.”  Ella said as she walked toward the car.

             
“But there were two guys here a couple weeks ago in a van truck wanting to dump a freezer but we sent them on their way.”

             
“Where did you tell them to go?” Ella asked.

             
“There’s a dump over in Hancock. They have a big hole and will take large appliances. Most large metal items are crushed but it might still be there. He kindly gave her more information than she wanted to hear. If the freezer was crushed they would never be able to fine the bodies.

             
“Thank you, thank you so much.”  Ella said to the worker as she ran toward the Corvette and jumped in.

             
“This could be our break Alicia. If they haven’t crushed or covered up the deep freeze with dirt.”  Ella said as she turned toward Hancock.

             
“Honey, if the bodies are still in it, it will stink to high heaven.” Alicia said as she held her nose.

             
“We’ll meet that challenge when we find the deep freeze.”  Ella said as she barreled down the highway.

             
“Look Ella, there’s a sign, Hancock Dump. Turn left here. Alicia was fidgeting in her seat.

The dump was enormous. The hole seemed to go on forever.  Ella waved at a man on a big tractor with a scoop shovel.  He cut the engine and walked over to Ella pulled his gloves from his fingers and stuffed them in his back pocket.

             
“What can I help you ladies with?” He asked.

             
“We are looking for a deep freeze, the chest type, have you seen one in the past few weeks? Ella asked hoping he would say yes.

“Can’t say I have…wait a minute a few weeks ago a couple guys in a van truck dumped some large white item over on the far side. I haven’t had time to check it out. If it’s as big as I think we will have to crush it. We are short handed and just haven’t had the time to get over there.” The man told her.

             
“Thank you, sir. Can we take a look?” Ella asked hoping there wouldn’t be a rule against people plundering through the dump.

             
“Sure you might want to drive over there it’s quite a distance over there.”

             
Ella and Alicia jumped in the Corvette and drove around to the far side of the dump with eyes peeled trying to locate the white box. 

             
“Stop, Ella stop!”  Alicia yelled out. “There, there’s the deep freeze. Oh, my god what are we gonna do now?  I’m afraid of what you are going to say.”  Alicia blurted out.

             
“Good eye, Alicia.”  Ella said.  “We’ve found the chest.  Now we need to open it and see if the bodies are still in there.” 

             
“You have got to be kidding. Do you know what it’s going to smell like after being unplugged for weeks?”  Alicia said fanning her face.

             
“Yes, but we’ve got to make sure before we call Agent Peterson.” Ella told Alicia.

             
The ladies made their way to the freezer chest.  It was balancing on the edge of the hole ready to drop over.

             
“Ella if we try to open the chest it will fall over the edge.” Alicia said.

             
“You’re right. I’ll go back over and ask the nice man if he can bring his tractor over and some way pull it back.” 

             
“Not without me.”  Alicia said running back to the car jumping in. It was the fastest Ella had witnessed Alicia move.

             
Ella asked the man for his help and he obliged.

             
“I’ll be right over there.” He told the ladies.

             
He secured a cable to the chest and to his tractor before he pulled it off the ledge. One big heave and it was on solid ground.

“Thank you, sir.”  Ella said. Alicia wasn’t so sure she was thankful. This meant she and Ella would have to open it.

             
“Anything else ma’am you need.”  He politely asked.

             
“No, no thank you so much.” Ella said wanting him to take his tractor back to the shack. She didn’t want anyone to see the bodies if they were still in the big white box.

             
“What are we gonna do now Ella?” Alicia asked. 

             
“Oh, why did I ask you that? We’re gonna open the chest, aren’t we?” 

Alicia became nauseated thinking about what might be in the chest.

             
“We have to open the chest and call Agent Peterson.”  Ella said.

             
“Okay, Alicia we will open the box with one big jerk.  Take a look and immediately shut it. We’ll do it on the count of three.” 

“Wait, wait a minute.  I’m about to pass out.”  Alicia said.

             
“It’s probably from the fumes coming out of this hole.”  Ella told her. 

             
“Let’s open the freezer and get out of here.” Ella said with her hands on the lid.

             
“No, it’s because I’m about to be sick.” Alicia said.