Journey Into Darkness – Chapter 3
“Welcome to Billings, Cassie.”
“I’ve been here before, Trumper.”
“Then, welcome back.”
“It’s not as big as I remembered it. Not nearly as big as Oakland. This is not my first choice, Trumper.”
“I know, Cassie. It’s your only choice.”
“Where does your grandmother live?”
“She’s not living anywhere; she’s dead.”
The girl gave him a slightly exasperated look.
“I hope this isn’t going to be an awkward relationship, Trumper.”
“There’s not going to be any relationship, Cassie. Tomorrow, or the day after, I’m going back fishing and you’re going to figure out a way to survive without me. Okay?”
“Whatever you say, Trumper. You’re the boss. You’ve got the guns.”
“I’m glad you noticed that.”
She looked him up and down and then turned her face to her side window.
“Where are we headed?”
“Burnstead Drive.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Then you’re probably going to be safe there.”
“Where is it?”
“It’s up a ways, past North Park. It’s a very quiet neighborhood.”
“I hope it stays that way.”
He turned north on 29th Street and took her on a quick tour of the downtown area. As he passed a parking lot she suddenly grabbed his arm.
“I just saw his vehicle, Trumper!” He could see the fear in her eyes.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t have noticed.”
“You saw it too?”
“It doesn’t have to mean anything, Cassie.”
“It means he’s here. And that means he can’t be anywhere else.”
“I’m not taking you to Oakland, Cassie. Get used to the idea.”
“He’s going to recognize your truck, Trumper. You know that, don’t you?”
“My car’s at Burnstead Drive.”
“What will you do with the truck?”
“Lock it up in the garage, where we always keep it. He’s not going to see it parked on the street, Cassie.”
“For some reason that doesn’t give me much assurance, Trumper. You didn’t expect to see him turn up here, did you?”
“I hadn’t thought about it.”
“What else haven’t you thought about?” He didn’t respond. “Do you still think I’m going to be safe here?”
“Maybe this is where he lives. That would explain why his vehicle is here.”
“And you’re going to leave me here to bump into him at the supermarket?” She turned to look at him. He kept his eyes on the road ahead. “Why don’t you just pull over and pop me off yourself? Save us all some trouble.”
“Where did your father do business with this Diamond fellow?”
“How the hell would I know? I was never there. I told you, Robbie and I knew nothing about what Dad did with this hood.”
“But you told me you saw Diamond and his boys kill your parents. Where did that happen?”
“In the front room of our house. Diamond came to collect his money.”
“What happened?”
“Dad told him he didn’t have the money. He said he had given it to one of Diamond’s runners and that was the last he saw of it.”
“And then what happened?”
“There was a lot of shouting and swearing and someone was getting hit. My mom started screaming and then there was a shot and she didn’t scream anymore.”
“Where were you and your brother, Cassie?”
“I was in the kitchen, keeping very quiet. Robbie was still at work. I left the back way and went to tell Robbie what was happening.”
“So, Diamond didn’t know anyone else was in the house?”
“Yes, he knew. I left the back door open so I wouldn’t make any noise. He knew someone else had been in the house.”
“But he didn’t know who was there, did he?”
“He didn’t care, Trumper. He knew it was me or Robbie, or both of us. Solution, kill us both. Which is exactly what he’s going to do.”
“This is Burnstead Drive.”
She looked at the houses on the tree-lined street as they drove slowly along.
“You’re right, Trumper, this is a really quiet neighborhood. No one would ever get shot here.”
“I’m not going to let him shoot you, Cassie. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Until I see the lights of Oakland.”
“This was my grandmother’s place.” He pulled up outside a small house with wooden siding and a large brick chimney right in the centre by the front door. There was a detached double garage to the right of the house. “I’ll let you in and then I’ll switch vehicles in the garage.”
She watched him drive a dark blue Chrysler sedan out onto the street and then pull the truck into the garage. He was about to come back into the house when he changed his mind and walked back to the Chrysler. He looked up and down the street and then did a u-turn and parked on the other side and two houses down.
“Why did you do that?” she asked as soon as he came through the front door.
“Why did I do what?”
“Park on the other side of the street.”
“I like the car to get the early morning sun. It clears the windows of any condensation.”
“Don’t take me for a fool, Trumper. I don’t like that. You think he’ll be coming by here, don’t you?”
“I don’t think he will, but I’m not taking any chances.”
“And you think parking on the other side of the street is going to fool him? Just who do you think you’re dealing with here?”
“I don’t think we want anyone getting suspicious around here, do you?”
“I don’t give a damn if they’re suspicious or not, as long as I’m a thousand miles from Billings.”
“Did your dad ever do business with this man Diamond in this town?”
“I told you, Trumper, I don’t know anything about my father’s dealings with that murdering son of a bitch.”
“Well, if he didn’t, then there’s only two reasons why Diamond’s SUV is here in town.”
“And what are the two reasons?”
“He might live here. It’s the capital of Montana.”
“He operates out of L.A.”
“I thought you didn’t know anything about his business dealings?”
“I know that my father used to make a lot of trips to L.A.”
“I think you should tell me everything you do know, Cassie.”
“What’s the other reason that Diamond would be in Billings?”
“Some people in town might be able to describe my truck.”
“How would they be able to do that?”
“My brother and I use it just about every season. It would have been seen downtown often enough.”
“Oh, that’s just great! They’re probably drawing him a map to Burnstead Drive right now.”
“There might be a dozen trucks in Billings that look like mine.”
“And that’s why you parked on the other side of the street, I suppose?” He said nothing. “Whose name is the truck registered in?”
“He hasn’t had time to trace that yet, Cassie.”
“Damn it, Trumper! You’re leading him right to my door. You might as well park the freaking truck in the drive!”
“The house is still in my grandmother’s name. The estate hasn’t been probated yet.”
“I don’t know what the hell that means.”
“It means that he can’t trace the truck to this address.”
“Your grandmother’s name isn’t Trumper?”
“No, she remarried. Her name was Jennings.”
“Well, that gives us a couple of hours start.”
“You know what else it means, Cassie?”
“What?”
“You’re safer here than in Oakland.”
She considered that for a moment. She knew he was right. If Diamond traced the plates on his truck he would be able to find out that Trumper owned it. It was hardly a sobering thought.
“Then you might as well drive me back downtown and drop me off in that parking lot. I’ll wait for him by his vehicle.”
“That’s not such a bad idea.”
“I was bloody joking, Trumper. To make a point. I’m not going back down there.”
“Not you. Me.”
“He’ll shoot you on sight. And then he’ll come for me.”
“He doesn’t know what I look like.”
“Oh, I suppose you were invisible when we drove past him on that trail.”
“You said he was looking straight at you.”
“That’s what you’re counting on that he won’t recognize you?”
“There’s one way to find out.”
“What are you going to do if he does recognize you?”
“Hope I can beat him to the draw.”
“Oh, you’re a laugh a minute. This is my life, too, you’re gambling with.”
“It’s not a gamble, Cassie. He won’t even see me.”
“Then why do you want to go anywhere near him?”
“I want to know what I’m dealing with.”
“I told you what you’re dealing with, Trumper. He’s a cold-blooded murdering bastard.”
He took a metal clip from a bag in a cupboard in the kitchen. She recognized it as a refill for a handgun.
“What are you going to do with that, throw the bullets at him one at a time until you scare him to death?”
“The gun’s in the car. I transferred it from the truck when I switched vehicles.”
“So, it’s going to be High Noon in Billings, is it?”
“It’s just a precaution. I should be back within the hour, probably less. Don’t open any window drapes and don’t turn on any lights.”
“It’s not going to be dark within the hour, Trumper.”
“Just another precaution, Cassie. I’m planning on coming back. Keep out of sight and don’t answer the door for anyone.”
He drove the same route back into town and cruised slowly past the parking lot on North 29th Street. The light brown SUV was gone.
After checking the streets and parking lots for half an hour without sighting the vehicle he returned to Burnstead Drive.
“I’m hoping you’re going to tell me you beat him to the draw.”
“He’s left town.”
“You mean, you didn’t see him.”
“If he was still around I would have seen his vehicle.”
“So, where do you suppose he’s gone?”
“Butte or Bozeman. Which one is it?”
“You’re fooling yourself, Trumper. He’s gone to get another couple of hit men to do his dirty work.”
“L.A. is a long drive from here. If that’s where he’s gone we’ll have at least three or four days to plan our next move.”
“Get me out of here, Trumper, I’m begging you. I’m not going to see tomorrow if we stay here tonight.” She was scared and he knew he couldn’t risk her having a melt down.
“Okay. We’ll have something to eat and then we’ll leave.”
“I’m not hungry. Let’s go!”
“We haven’t eaten since last night and we’ve got a very long drive ahead of us.”
“We’re going to Oakland?”
“Idaho Falls. I have an old friend who lives there.”
“We have to go back through Butte to get down there, don’t we?”
“That would probably be the quickest way. Otherwise, we’ll have to take 191 through the National Park and connect with highway 20 down to Idaho Falls. It’ll be slow going at night.”
“I don’t want to go through Butte, Trumper. Let’s take the slow road.”
“Okay, but first we have to eat. I don’t want to pass out at the wheel.”
“I can spell you, Trumper. I know how to drive.”
“You have a licence?”
“I know how to drive.”
“Just how old are you, Cassie.”
“I’m nearly eighteen.”
“And you have no licence?”
“Never needed one. But I used to drive Robbie’s car a lot. He taught me to drive and he let me use his car whenever I wanted.”
“Okay, we’ll see how things go. Now, how does pork and beans sound?”
“Do you have anything to drink?”
“You’re underage.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Trumper! I’m about to face a firing squad and you’re worried about a misdemeanor charge?”
He looked at this poor girl who was running for her life and his heart went out to her.
“Can you handle a Jack Daniels?”
“Don’t you have any beer?”
“Afraid not. It’s Uncle Jack or tap water.”
“Okay, hit me with your best shot.”
He poured them both a single and watched her down hers in one gulp.
“My God!” she said, catching her breath. “That’s not going to put hair on my breasts, is it?”
“Well, if it does, you’re going to have to write and tell me about it.”
“Maybe you’d like to see what you’re missing?”
“Neither of us needs to be thinking along those lines right now, Cassie.”
“You’re right. We’ll wait until we get to Idaho Falls.”
“I’ll get the pork and beans,” he said as she poured herself another shot.
The sun was just sinking below the horizon when they left Billings behind them. Trumper had given the girl one of his shirts and a sweater, which she put over her own clothes, and she curled up on the back seat under a blanket. She had downed three bourbons and she could barely keep her eyes open. This was going to be a long night of driving, he told himself.