Chapter 18

I waited until Tonya was pretty well wasted, before I sprung it on her.

“What if the canceling of the project was because we were getting to close to a criminal enterprise. So who could pull the kind string to make your boss dance.”

“Do you think the Sheriff has a link to my company?” Tonya asked.

“No, but what if the Sheriff was acting for someone else, who did have ties to your company. Not an ownership position, but the ability to pull the financing for the project.

“That is crazy,” Tonya said. “You are talking some kind of giant conspiracy.”

“Not giant, but one that is connected to someone with connections to someone who could arrange things. It doesn’t have to be a world wide conspiracy, just one linking crime and entertainment. Hell most crime is linked to entertainment.” I said. “Hookers and drugs are entertainment as much as movies or TV. What if the money ended up in the same pockets?

“That’s just crazy,” she said. Then she got very quiet. A few minutes later she got up walked to the bed then fell on to it. It was just a couple of minutes after that I heard a very unladylike sound. She began to snore.

I went into my tiny bedroom and fell asleep as well. Even with so little sleep, I was up by 6AM. I was dressed a few minutes later, and then I went out the door to walk. It was a long slow walk, but I did better than Tonya, who was too hung over to even get out of bed. At least I managed two miles before I returned to the suite for a shower. Tonya still wasn’t moving, but I did hear her breathing. It wasn’t as loud as the night before, but I still heard it.

I stole her car keys, then went out for breakfast. I made it all the way to the highway diner before the Sheriff’s car pulled me over. The driver of the car got out and I recognized the captain’s bars.

“Well Chief Rogers, how you doing this morning?” he asked.

“I’m doing just fine. So what can I do for you Captain?” I asked.

“You can go home and forget about any giant conspiracy in Henrico County. We are just a fly speck on the map compared to most places,” he said.

“That’s my opinion as well. We will be gone before the 1PM check out time, I assure you,” I replied.

“That’s an excellent move on your part, now drive carefully,” He said as he returned to his car.

I noticed that he wasn’t really the typical police Captain. I couldn’t quite place his type except that he was very fit looking. Not gym fit, but street fit. I wondered about him. I decided I needed to mention him to the Geek for sure.

When I got inside the diner, I ordered the large country breakfast. It had a little of everything on the menu. It even came served in two platters and with a pot of coffee. When I left the diner I was almost twenty dollars lighter and about ten pounds heaver. I could barely get out of the car in front of the motel.

I saw the two white guys coming. They were well dress and didn’t look at me, so I didn’t pay much attention. One of them grabbed me quickly and spun me around. He penned my arms while the other one pounded me. After a couple of hard punches I went down. Then the one, who had held me, got in a last kick to my back. I sat on the sidewalk as they hurried away. I was too sick to do much of anything.

After what seemed like an hour but was less than ten minutes I leaned on the vinyl siding to drag myself to my feet. I rested a minute, then dragged myself inside. I was in some real pain and I was bleeding. I had no idea the extent of my injuries. I didn’t feel they were bad enough to go to the emergency room. I did want to get up to my room and rest. Just a few minutes is all I need, I told myself.

Tonya should have been up and dressed. She was sitting up in bed looking like she was the one who had taken the beating. She did come alive when she saw me.

“My god what happened to you?” she asked.

“I got mugged right in front of the motel. Would you get me a couple of wet rags?” I asked as I fell into a chair. From that moment on it became the skinny blond chick’s show. She helped me clean up, gave me an aspirin, and packed my backpack.

She did all that because I explained we needed to get out of town fast. Oh I didn’t want to leave just because I got my ass handed to me. I wanted to get on my home turf, so I could calmly plan my next move, if there was going to be one. My option was to just disappear from the scene and stay that way.

Part of the Skinny Blond Chick’s treatment package was to help me into the bathroom where I threw up that beautiful breakfast. At least it came out faster than it went in.

When I came out of of the bathroom, Tonya had everything sitting by the door. The guys who worked me over knew about my hip. I knew that it had been no random beating. I knew that even before I did the damage assessment. My face was mostly for show. That would be mostly for Tonya, the hip and ribs were for me. It was a reminder that everyone was vulnerable. At least I was still breathing, I didn’t feel lucky, but I knew that I was lucky to be riding in a car, not an ambulance or a hearse.

I hated the idea that I would have to tell Thia about the tuneup. That facial damage was a highly visible image which made an effective warning sign to anyone who might consider helping me. Tonya was lucky that they decided not to rape her. Yes that was the kind of intimidation guys like that chose. Since I had time to think about it, I realized that they had eastern European accents. At least they had taken me seriously this time, I thought. If they had taken me any more seriously, I might have been the victim of a drive by shooting.