Out For Blood 28

Larry was now more alert than he had been all day, he’d had half a thermos of strong sweet coffee and was staring out through the windshield like a scared rabbit caught in the headlights of an on coming car. Brenda had been listening to the soft sounds of ‘The Eagles’ when she closed her eyes and had now been sleeping for the last thirty-minutes. Larry had turned the music down to an almost inaudible level so as not to disturb her.

Behind them the sun had risen but had yet to peak the mountains one-hundred and fifty miles back, still leaving them in semi-darkness. They were driving along highway 460 heading for Linchburg when Larry felt the sudden urge to relieve himself of some of the coffee. Up ahead in the distance he saw a shimmering light, he thought it had to be a truck-stop. He could relieve and refresh himself there, and then drive not stop until they reached Lynchburg.

Luckily for Larry it was a truck-stop; he really didn’t want to use a bush by the roadside where a Rattlesnake or Scorpion might not take too kindly to being pissed on. He pulled off the highway and rolled his car to a stop among the gas pumps, passing over a black wire on the ground sounded a bell and an elderly man came out of the gas station.

Larry popped the hood and sticking his head from the window he instructed the man to, ‘Fill her up and check the oil.’ He then shook Brenda gently to wake her.
‘Are we here?’ she asked trying to stretch in the confined space.
‘Well we’re here, but we’re not there yet!’ Said Larry.

This slightly confused Brenda until she looked out of her window and saw where they were. She got out of the car and walked with Larry the twenty or so yards to the washrooms, she then split right and he split left. As Larry reached the entrance to the mens washroom a tall man bumped into him on his way out, although it wasn’t Larrys’ fault Larry still felt the need to apologise to the man, who just carried on walking and ignored his apology.

Larry shrugged his shoulders at the mans rudeness then screwed his nose up at the mans body-odour , but there was also another smell, just beneath the body-odour. It was the smell of urine, Larry thought it must have wafted out of the washroom when the man had opened the door.

The place was about ten metres long and around five metres wide, there were urinals running down the length of the left wall and half a dozen doors on the right. To his immediate right were the wash basins, six in all. The floor was black and white non-slip tiles and the walls were tiled in only white, well it could have been white but graffiti concealed most of it. Though some of the artwork was in fact really that, artwork. They obviously had a higher class of vandal this far outside Richmond.

There were four people he could see in the washroom, two at the urinals, one washing and another rather tall man combing his hair in a grimy mirror. Three of the doors on the right were closed displaying an engaged sign beside their handles.

Larry did what he came to do and then washed his hands, he turned looking for a towel to dry them but there wasn’t one. On the wall behind the door were four electric hand-dryers, he tried the first one, it didn’t work, neither did the second or third, he pushed the big silver button on the fourth one and managed to get a weak soft breeze blowing on his hands.

The man who had been combing his hair in the mirror had to pass Larry as he went through the door to get out, Larry smelt strong body-odour from him also.

He used the weak hand-dryer four or five times before he was satisfied his hands were dry enough. By then three people were stood waiting to use it after him, he smiled akwardly at them and went back outside. When he reached his car Brenda hadn’t yet come out of the ladies washroom. He paid for the fuel and some gum then got back into his car and then saw Brenda walking over.

‘Sorry I was so long,’ she said getting in. ‘But it was choc-a-bloc in there.’

Larry put the car in gear and was pulling out when a blue Ford shot across his path causing him to brake hard. ‘Asshole,’ he shouted.
Brenda noticed some commotion a few yards away where a woman was shouting and crying. ‘I wonder what that’s all about?’ she said.

‘Probably thinks she’s been overcharged for the gas, I can sympathise with her on that one believe me,’ he said about to pull out. ‘Can you believe the cost of fuel these days? I mean—’
Brenda put her hand on his knee. ‘Hold on a minute, that woman and her young daughter were in the washroom earlier.’ She got out of the car and went over, by now there were two other women stood with her.

‘What’s wrong?’ Brenda asked a short fat lady.
‘Says’ her thirteen-year-old daughter left the washroom a few seconds before she did. When she came out the girl had gone.’
‘Has anyone called the police?’
‘Yeah… on their way now!’

Larry heard what was said and called Brenda back to the car. ‘Come on, we’ll have a look over by the washrooms.’

They walked the short distance and began looking around. The light wasn’t great but it was sufficient enough to see, and it wasn’t long before Larry had found something around the side. He crouched down and with his forefinger and thumb pinched the corner of a white rag. He held it to his nose and knew instantly what he could smell. He then put the rag back on the ground.
‘What is it?’ asked Brenda.
‘Chloroform, they must have used it to subdue the girl.’
‘Just like they did with Alicia.’ Said Brenda.
Larry nodded in agreement.

At that moment a young man was passing by and holding his groin rushing to get to the toilet. Larry called to him. ‘Excuse me sir, I need you to watch nobody touches this.’ He said pointing to the rag.
‘But I need—’
‘What you need sir is to guard this, it could be evidence to a kidnapping!’
‘Really? A kidnapping?’ he soon forgot his needs.
‘Yes sir, the police will be along soon, don’t let anyone go near it.’
‘Yeah sure, I mean no I won’t.’
‘Thanks,’ said Brenda, and they then returned to where the woman was.

Larry made his way through what had now become a small but noisy crowd surrounding the missing girls mother. ‘Excuse me,’ he said pushing his way to the centre, a young security officer and his older colleague seem to have taken over.

‘Yes, what is it?’ said the young officer trying to stamp his authority.
Larry looked at his name tag. ‘Mr Rowly, my names Larry Kessler,’ he handed him a card. ‘I’m a private investigator and—’
‘Well I can handle this Mr Kessler if you don’t mind.’
‘Of that I have no doubt Mr Rowly, but there is a man standing over by the washrooms. He could be guarding a crutial piece of evidence, when the police get here make sure they get it!’

Mr Rowly looked slightly put out, he whispered something into his colleagues’ ear and then told Larry he would relieve the man and guard the evidence himself.
‘If they need to contact me, give them that card.’ He told the young security officer, then he and Brenda made their way back to the car and left for Lynchburg...