Chapter 9

"Somebody shoot your dog?" asked Maggie facetiously as she noticed the circles under Gina's eyes and the pain which the sheriff could not mask.

"I... just a sleepless night," replied Gina, covering her feelings with a half truth.

"You and Kim haven't had a misunderstanding have you?" asked the sometimes too perceptive Maggie.

"Oh no," Gina said through gritted teeth, "we understand each other perfectly. Got anything new on the murder investigation?"

Maggie was puzzled at Gina's response, but it was obvious the sheriff wanted the subject changed.

"We may be getting a bit closer. Like always, there's good news and bad news. Only three service stations and two tire dealers reported selling the particular kind of tire we're after within the last six months. The bad news is, while seven of the nine vehicles were pickups, none match the description of the one we're after."

"Just great!" moaned the dispirited Sheriff.

"But," continued Maggie, " I went back a little further. A little over eight months ago a tire dealer up in Kingston sold two of those tires to a Travis Williams. Guy said he remembered this Williams because he smelled to high heaven and kept complaining about the price. He's pretty sure the truck was an older model white pickup. County Clerk has no vehicle registered in that name."

"Driving an unregistered vehicle?" asked Gina, trying to push aside the heartache which was still close to overwhelming.

"Apparently."

"But eight months, wouldn't the tread be worn by now?"

"Not if this Williams doesn't drive it much. Remember, this guy and, it may be his brother, are survivalists. They hunt their own food. Probably pretty self sufficient. Kingston is in the northern part of the county. It's pretty rugged country up there. They probably don't come down into town very often."

"What do we have on this Williams?"

"Not much. They must be real loners. The only thing I've been able to find is that he has a brother, Elwood. Their father owned a small cabin up in the high country."

"Owned?"

"He died about a year ago. The mother disappeared some time before that."

"OK, sounds like the best lead we've had so far. Anything on the brothers?"

"No arrests, but Fish and Wildlife is not their biggest fan."

"Poaching?"

"Big time. Apparently they take whatever they want, whenever they want, but so far F and W hasn't been able to nail them."

"Anything else?"

"You bet. Todd's been nosing around some bars in the last couple of days. Bartender at the Flashy Lady remembered a pair of really rough guys in there about a week ago. They tried to put the moves on one of the girls. When she wouldn't give them the time of day, they tried to force her into the parking lot. One of the pool shooters backed them down and they left."

"So?"

"So, he said they smelled like a pig sty. One of them called the other Travis."

Gina's ears perked up.

"And it gets better. The bartender noticed their vehicle in the parking lot when he went out to dump some trash."

"An old white Chevy pickup?" inquired Gina, becoming excited.

"Yup, the whole rear end plastered with bumper stickers, NRA and survivalist anti-government crap."

"OK, sounds like we may have them. Nice going Maggie. Get Todd and Sam back here immediately. In the meantime, find out if Fish and Wildlife can get us a location on that cabin and notify CHP"

"You got it," said Maggie picking up the phone.

Gina grabbed the spare nine millimeter from her closet. Fish and Wildlife had told Maggie the officer who knew where the Williams' cabin was located, was out in the field and it would be a few minutes before he could get back to the office, mark the location on a map and fax it to Gina's office. Gina had decided to take advantage of that time to grab a quick bite of lunch at home. Actually, she wanted some time alone to try to focus her entire energies onto the capture of the two men, but the image of Kim humping Johnny and shouting and grunting in ecstasy were still all too fresh in her mind. She wolfed down a sandwich and had started out the door, when she had remembered the extra weapon she kept in her bedroom.

Walking to the door, she was ready to exit when there was a knock. Opening the door, Gina was totally startled to see Kim and Johnny on her doorstep. Not wishing to reveal she had followed Kim last night or that she knew anything about their tryst, Gina looked to Johnny.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

He only grinned.

"I..." began Kim hesitantly, "... I'm going away with Johnny. We're going to be married."

"You what?" asked Gina, trying to sound incredulous.

"I... I've come to realize that Johnny is who I want."

Johnny poked Kim in the ribs to urge her on.

"... You don't satisfy me Gina... not like he can."

The words cut Gina to the bone.

Kim almost choked on the words, but she knew Johnny would see that Gina paid the price if she didn't say what she had been told.

"... There is just no way a lesbian like you could ever satisfy me."

Gina was already heartbroken. Now it was anger that welled up inside her.

"Well it's obvious that the two of you deserve each other! Now get the hell off my front porch and get the hell out of my life!"