Chapter 6

Violet opened her eyes to a grey world. The fog was thicker than it had been the night before. All she could hear in the muffled air was bird song. She raised up and stretched to look out the back of the truck. The camp fire had died. The fishing rod was on the ground, the tackle box open, and the ripped-open cardboard six pack carton covered with empty bottles. Garth was not in sight.

Violet creaked out from beneath the covers out of the truck bed. She hugged herself shivering in the damp morning chill. Nothing stirred in the fog. Violet walked up the levee and along the top until she came to where she could see the office was open. With a relieved smile, she walked down the other side of the levee and around to the front of the office.

Violet froze. Garth, with a small paper bag in hand, stood in the parking lot conversing with Joshua. Giving a startled cry, she ran to the office. Garth and Joshua watched her dash inside. The day clerk looked up from the pot of coffee he was making as she burst in. "I got locked out of my room last night."

"Which room?"

"Eleven." Violet glanced worriedly over her shoulder at the door then back to the day clerk. "And the man staying in twelve is gone."

The day clerk walked to behind the counter. "Check out is at ten, but people can leave as early as they want."

Violet rushed up to the counter. "You don't understand…"

The door opened. She jerked around to see Garth. "I went for coffee and doughnuts." He held up the paper bag from Dunkin' Donuts.

Violet spun back around to the day clerk. "Give me my room key."

The day clerk was at his computer. "And your name is?"

"Violet Stowe. I checked into eleven last night. With Waylon Taylor. In twelve."

As the day clerk studied the computer, Garth walked up behind Violet. "Violet? What's wrong?"

Violet stepped back from Garth. "You were talking to that police detective from Cincinnati. Joshua Wheeler."

The day clerk looked up from his monitor screen. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Yes, I'm in trouble! Just give me my key!"

"I need to see some proof of identity."

"My proof of identity is locked up in my room!"

Garth turned toward the day clerk. "I'm sure she is who she says she is. She was locked out of her room last night. She slept in my truck."

The day clerk looked from one to the other. "I'll let you in. Then you can show me some identification." He walked out from behind the counter with a card key.

Violet followed close on his heels. When Garth started to follow, she yelled, "You stay away!" She turned back to the day clerk. "If he lays one finger on me call the police."

They walked outside. "I thought you said the police was here already."

"Not that police. The local police." Violet looked all around the parking lot as she followed the day clerk. Joshua was gone.

Garth followed several steps behind. "I don't know who the guy was I was talking to. He was asking directions."

"Directions to El Jay?"

"What about El Jay?"

"I bet you know where it's at."

"Of course I know where it's at. So what?"

The day clerk stopped before eleven and opened the door. Violet stepped inside. "Wait right here." She pointed to Garth. "Don't let him come in." Garth shrugged and took a step back. Violet looked all around the room. It appeared to be unchanged from how she had left it. She grabbed her wallet and produced her driver's license. The day clerk studied it. "I'll be out of here as soon as I can pack my bag," she told him. He nodded upon handing the license back to her. Violet slammed and locked the door. She flew about gathering up what little she had unpacked.

There was a pounding at the door. "Violet!" Garth called out. "Tell me what's going on."

"Leave me alone!"

"I know you're having a bad time. But I'm the last person who wants to hurt you." Violet ignored him as she scurried about. "Violet, if I wanted to hurt you, I could have any time last night."

"If you don’t get away from the door, I'm calling the police right now." Violet closed her suitcase and carried it to the door. She looked out the spy hole. She could not see Garth. "Garth?"

"I'm away from the door! Like you said!"

Violet flung the door open and stepped outside. Garth stood in the middle of the parking lot with his Dunkin Donuts bag. The day clerk stood in the open door of the office watching them. Violet hurried to her car and unlocked it.

"Violet, talk to me." She ignored Garth as she flung her suitcase in the back seat then slid in behind the wheel. "Violet, calm down. Don't drive in this condition."

Violet checked on Garth. He was still standing in the middle of the parking lot. He appeared genuinely concerned and baffled. She hesitated. Sensing this, he started toward her car. Violet jammed her key in the ignition and turned it. Nothing happened. She tried again and again. Nothing. "No!" She dropped her head down on the steering wheel.

"What's wrong?" Violet jerked her head up to find Garth standing next to her car looking in at her.

"What'd you do to my car?!"

"Nothing. I didn't know this was your car."

"I know what's wrong. Get back." Garth backed away. Violet popped the hood. She opened her door and eased out without taking her eyes off Garth. "Doughnuts, huh? Bet you don't have any custard filled ones left, do you? You gave them to that police detective. If he really is a police detective."

Garth shook his head, baffled. "I'll look at your car for you."

Violet kept her eyes on him while she slipped around to the front of her car. "You are not touching my car. I know what's wrong with it. A cable came loose. Or someone pulled it loose. It happened yesterday. I bet you already knew that. All I have to do is put it back on." Violet raised the hood. And screamed! Across the top of the engine was the hacked-up carcass of the dog from the cemetery in El Jay. She slumped to the pavement.