Chapter 12

As time passed, the police finally listed him as missing, but there were no indications of his location. The D. A. settled on lesser charges with the Belkins, requiring restitution for the medical bills, a new scooter, and $25,000 cash for each family.

Archie had migrated south and was now walking the shoreline. From time to time, he would see boats cruising the Intracoastal Waterway, just inland. One boat even had several young women sunbathing nude out on the deck. He took grim notice of his indifferent reaction to the view. “Your only use is pissing, little guy.” Scowling, he wandered on.

At irregular intervals, he would find an unguarded boat or vacation home. These were opportunities to resupply in the night. Often the beach-side homes were tightly secured, but back in the little communities there would be easier pickings. Garden hoses were options for drinking water.

And then he caught some luck. Hidden inside a mobile home, he found a survivalist’s hoard. All kinds of preserved and/or dehydrated foods, a hand-cranked flashlight and radio, a can opener, and a flint for starting fires. This would be enough to sustain him for some time. With a snort, he unfolded a sleeve of gold coins. “Yeah right, I’ll just take these over to the supermarket and buy steaks.”

Archie loaded an abandoned cart and began schlepping the goods east towards his newly-found deck-less home.

Bruce and Bettie had begun dating after being thrown together so frequently. When their lease came up, Jessie and Bettie moved in with Cathie and Bruce. “Wait, Mom, we’re moving to the White House?” That line earned her a small smile.

Archie was never far from her mind. She ached for news, but then on one special day the mail brought a big postcard bearing a yellow forwarding sticker from the old house.

Dear Mom, I hope you are well and Jessie is still with you. Please know I am OK and mostly healed from my injuries. I keep my busted eye covered and walk carefully so to keep down my crotch pains. I am still hiding from the cops and hospital goons but they have so far missed caching me. If somehow she can get into college I will be so proud. I hope some day you can forgive me for my horrible stupid failures, and that Jessie will meet a good guy and give you grand-babies. My apologies and love to you all, A. D.

The only other markings were from the USPS regional processing center; he could be almost anywhere in SE Texas.

In the summer Clay Belkin graduated from High School. He attended Arizona State but was expelled after repeated sexual assaults and drunken binges.

At school, Cathie and Jessie became the academic power team. To their study group, they added some of the more studious girls and even some of the less intimidating male students. Socially, Cathie managed a few dates, but nothing resonated. Jessie was uninterested, while Cathie decried the immaturity she found among the male students. Cathie accepted, then canceled, a date for the Junior Prom.