ChapterTen
We managedto get to the field where a couple of hundred cars and campers were spread out without Milton spying us spying on him.
“Guys, I cannot possibly follow this man dressed like this,” I whispered to the other two idiots I was traveling with. They glanced at me, our backs to the side of an old Winnebago. I motioned to my regalia with a sweep of my hand. “I stick out.”
“Nah, you look like a man who’s proud of his Indigenous bloodlines. Oh shit, he’s getting in a dark blue truck. Okay, we have to make a mad dash for your ride, Perry.” Will bolted around the front of the Winnebago like a gazelle. Muted bells in my left hand, porcupine roach in my right, I let out after Will wondering about my sanity as I sprinted to where my truck sat in the sun. I was peeling off what I could of my regalia as I ran, so when I hit the truck, I was stripped down to my tank top, leggings, breechclout, and moccasins. Listening to Tootch come huffing up after us I gently placed my grandfather’s gear behind the seat, prayed to the gods that nothing bad would happen to it, and climbed into the cab.
“I’m going to have a stroke from running,” Tootch gasped while Will shoved him up into the truck. “Oh fuck it’s so hot in here.”
“It’ll be fine, we’ll roll down the windows.” Will gave Tootch a hearty push on the ass that sent him face first into my armpit. I jerked away, cranked the engine over, and shifted into drive as Will was pulling his door closed. The tires spun a bit on the lush grass but soon caught and we were off, zooming down the crooked rows of vehicles. Will was the lookout.
“I see him!” He pointed at the northern exit. I cranked the wheel hard, tore up more ground, and gassed it. We bounded and bounced. Milton went left after he exited the parking lot. I did the same, easing back on the gas now that we’d closed the distance. Tootch looked incredibly uncomfortable wedged between Will and me. “Okay, so we just need to cruise along and not draw attention to ourselves. What the hell is your issue, Tootch?”
“I can’t ride in the middle. It makes me puke.” I shoved him at Will. Will’s big blue eyes were round as Tootch climbed over him, stuck his head out the window, and vomited.
“Yep, we blend right in. Puking dude lying over a screaming dude as Indian dude drives. No one will pay a bit of attention to us,” I mumbled under my breath.
Thankfully, Tootch ran out of food after a mile or so. Will had shifted to the middle so his juvie buddy could ride along with his head out the window.
“Looks like a Pitbull,” Will said to the side then jerked a thumb at Tootch. He did kind of have floppy jowls.
“Dude, I fucking love him!” Tootch exclaimed wind rushing in his ears.
Will and I smiled at each other. We rode and rode along, trying to keep a respectful distance so as not to arouse Milt’s suspicion, as Tootch murdered “Fireball” by Pitbull. I had no clue where Milton was going, but it was not Copper Falls. Maybe Elk Corner. There wasn’t much there to be honest. A bar, a gas station, and several mobile homes. Not even a post office. I wasn’t sure it was even a town.
Another twenty miles passed before Milt hit his blinkers and turned off the two-lane into the graveled parking lot of Marble Mary’s. I’d never been to this bar before, but I’d heard stories. The stories were that people with brown, black, or red skin were not welcome. Which was why I’d never been through the doors. I drove past then turned around in a school bus pull off and waited for a few minutes. When we were sure Milton was inside, or assumed he would be, I crept up to the dive bar and parked along the side.
“You two will have to go in. I’ll chill out here,” I said. Will gave me a funny look. I passed along what I knew of Marble Mary’s.
“Ah, okay. That’s bullshit,” Will mumbled, his gaze holding mine. “You sure you’ll be okay out here alone?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. No one will know I’m Native.”
Will dug into his back pocket and handed me a bandana. “Might want to wipe off the war paint.” He grabbed a quick kiss then nudged a gawking Tootch out the door. I scrubbed at my face as the two of them sauntered into the bar as if they owned it. After I was free of face paint, I sent my mother a text to explain that something had come up and I would miss the grass dance. She yelled at me via text. Then I contacted Nate to tell him about Tootch, Milton, and the connection that had been made. Also that we had followed Milton to Marble Mary’s and were in the middle of a covert operation. Nate yelled at me via text. As did Kyle a minute later.
“Hat trick,” I muttered as the wait began. Five minutes or so had passed when a Harley rumbled in with two riders. A man with a woman behind him. My jaw hit my chest as I stared at Milton getting off the huge chopper. Milton?! But he just went inside. Then it hit me. Twins. Had to be. Milton #2 nodded at something the woman said as she worked on removing her helmet. She responded and he laughed hard, head thrown back, chipped tooth clearly visible. What the ever-loving fuck? Were the Great Bear brothers working together on the dino robberies or was Chip Tooth running the stolen goods racket on his own? Maybe Milt had no clue. We now had a million questions and few answers. What I did know was that we needed to get the hell out of Dodge. Or Elk Corner as the case may be.
“Holy shit,” I whispered then sent off a text to Will.
P—Incoming Milton twin! Abort mission! Abort mission!
Will’s reply was instantaneous.
W—No way! Fuck this is getting better all the time!
I rolled my eyes then told him to haul his ass out of there now before Chip Tooth Dude recognized Tootch.
W-We’re solid. It’s too dark to see well in here. Sit tight. I’ll send you some pics.
I called him the worst names I could think of, but there I sat like a dimwit. It wasn’t like I could just leave. Nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, as Kenruh would say, I slid into spy mode as a few people came and went. Sitting low in my seat, my phone in hand, and pretending I was texting someone. I wasn’t. I’d opted out of replying to anyone who was using all caps, which was just about everyone in my life outside of Will. He was at a table with Tootch, taking pictures surreptitiously as they nursed a cold draft. The images were grainy and dark, but I could make out two men and a woman sitting at a round table. They looked to be deep in conversation. A new text from Will arrived just as I’d glanced up from my phone. A guy had stumbled out of the bar and was taking a piss beside the dumpster to my left.
W—They’re on the move. B rite out.
My sight flew to the trio of people coming around the corner. I slid down in my seat so low I could barely see through the window. Using my phone on selfie, I held it up a bit and got a shaky view of Milton, his twin, and the woman they were with. She looked to be Native as well with the same nose and chin as the men. They called out something to the guy taking a leak. He lifted his hand then pissed on his shoe. Hilarity ensued. I stayed hunkered down until the passenger door flew open. I nearly shit myself. Will clambered into the truck, Tootch following with a six pack of beer in his hand.
“Perry Yellow Horse has engaged stealth warrior mode,” Will teased, poking me in the side. I jerked and cussed then slowly wiggled upward. The roar of a Harley filled the cab. “We need to follow him.”
“Which one?” I asked as Milton went one way and his twin went the other.