Route 666 Read online

  “So, yeah, the dog and the rat were there and they’d gotten away and hid before sneaking into our car,” she continued.

  “I knew it! They really were talking!” Daddy Dade crowed, lighting one end of his joint.

  Lexie placed a hand on Connie’s arm “Yes, they do.” She quickly explained who they actually were and what they were doing there.

  “So this other interdimensional fella is hopping bodies for shits and giggles and is wanted back in his own plane of existence or whatever for criminal mischief,” Daddy summarized.

  “Yes,” Lexie confirmed.

  “So, after he jumped outta Turner, y’all came to see me, hoping to catch wind of this guy along the way.”

  “Yeah, but see, that wasn’t the only freaky thing to happen,” Connie replied.

  She watched as her father took a long toke on his joint, leaning back in his chair. “Okay, what else?” He listened without making any further interruptions, puffing on his joint as he took it all in. When Connie and Lexie were finished, he stubbed out the pitiful remainder in his ashtray and simply shook his head. “That is some straight up crazy ass shit. What’s next? My cat running a supernatural smuggling ring?”

  “It’s no joke, Daddy!” Connie cried.

  “I know, I know, sorry. I shouldn’t have made light. Okay, look, I’ll contact the buddies I still have on active duty and ask them to lay off asking about the investigation. I’ll ask them to keep an eye out for stuff like what happened at the beach with Turner. Any weird ass hinky shit gets reported, they’ll let me know if they hear about it.”

  “Thanks, Daddy,” Lexie said.

  “Don’t thank me yet. I don’t have many friends left who aren’t retired themselves. It’s why I had to ask y’all about Turner when the NCIS officer refused to elaborate. Okay, it's lunchtime, but I’m still stuffed from breakfast. If you’re hungry, there's stuff to make sandwiches. I’m going to go feed Dropov.”

  Connie stood and followed him to the door. “I best go feed the guys, too.”

  Daddy Dade opened the door to find Dropov sitting outside the door. “Come to find me for your lunch, huh?”

  Connie watched as the cat sauntered ahead of them into the kitchen. Could he have been listening? Nah...surely not.

  Chapter 15

  Bowled Over

  “Oh my gosh, that was so much fun!” Lexie said as they headed back to their car. She sucked more of her milkshake through her straw.

  “I hadn’t been bowling since I don’t know when!” Connie exclaimed. “This was a great idea, Daddy! A late lunch slash early supper at the snack bar and a couple games before we go. Perfect way to end our visit.”

  “Well, I come here every Thursday for breakfast and a game with some guys I met through the VFW. Then one week I came in here to try their burgers and had one of their milkshakes and I was sold,” Daddy said. “I reckon it’s one of the best kept secrets on base.”

  “Well, it’s worth just coming for one of these milkshakes. Handmade with proper ice cream and milk, just delicious. And so cheap!” Lexie closed her eyes as she took another drag on her straw.

  “Just wait ‘til the guys find they do takeaway so we’ve brought them some yummy food!” Connie said.

  “That grilled cheese sandwich will probably last that rat friend of yours. He’ll probably still be eating that for breakfast.” Daddy chuckled as opened his car door and slid into his seat.

  “Well, I’m going to make sure it’s in his habitat so Nelson can’t help him with it. In fact, I’m going to make sure Nelson is fastened into his new doggie car seat and wearing his seat belt!” Lexie replied. “No more getting into trouble and making messes in the car.”

  “I think we should let Nelson eat his chicken sandwich first,” Connie said. “Save their fries for when we decide to stop.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Daddy said through his rolled down window. “You won’t need to go fetch them anything else then until mornin’.” He started his engine. “When you swing by to pick them up off the porch, take a good look round and make double sure I shut all my windows and locked the front and side door, will you? Dropov has one of those timer feeder gizmos so he’ll be all right.”

  “Do we need to check the cat flap on the back door and see that the door is also locked?” Connie asked.

  “No, that has an automatic deadbolt on it since they put that alley in back there in place of that dirt track and connected it to the next street over as well. People use it to short cut and there’s no telling who they are or where they’re going. Anyways, that flap only opens to the signal on Dropov’s collar and it’s not big enough for anyone to get through. Even Dropov has to squeeze through it. I really need to see about getting him some diet cat food.”

  “Okay. Thanks for treating us, Daddy.” Connie leaned down and kissed his cheek through the open window. “You drive safe and now that you are all tech savvy, text us to let us know you got wherever it is you’re going.”

  “I will, I will. You do the same. We’ll have to arrange a longer visit, one where we don’t both have somewhere else to go.”

  “Yeah, we’ll do that. Bye, Daddy.” Connie opened her door and climbed in. Lexie waved good-bye to their father as he backed out of the Starlifter Lanes parking lot.

  “When the girls come home for the holidays, we should come see Daddy and all go bowling,” Connie suggested.

  “Charlotte would love it,” Lexie agreed as she checked her mirrors before reversing out of their own parking spot. “She’d rather have a good burger and fries than a fancy meal any day, too.”

  “Marla, too. I could go pick her up from Auburn, it’s not a million miles away from home.”

  “We could go pick her up, in this car. I could come get you, we can get in some last minute Christmas shopping at the PX there on Rucker, then drive on to Auburn to fetch her, stop for some dinner there, then find a nearby motel. Then we can go swing by and meet up with Turner and caravan up to Daddy’s. Charlotte can fly into Charleston herself the day the Academy breaks and Daddy can pick her up.”

  “But what about the guys?” Connie asked.

  “What about them? Surely Nelson and Nash will have gone home by then. I certainly hope this thing doesn’t drag out for months!”

  “No, you’re right. That guy will show up soon and we’ll catch him and they’ll go home.” Connie frowned. “Um, we won’t have to open a portal for them, will we? I don’t want to go all melty and I don’t know if Nelson and Nash know how to open a proper one that doesn’t do that or go full haunted house.”

  “That’s a conversation we definitely need to have. We can ask them about it at the motel when we stop tonight.”

  “Okay.” Connie watched the front gate shrink in the sideview view mirror. She felt a pang of nostalgia, memories of the bases they’d lived at as children overlaid themselves on the sight. “Feels so sad seeing the base like it is now. The Navy bit all closed and all.”

  “I know, but it’s a fact of life. Bases have been shutting all over and being redeveloped. We’ve been lucky. Unlike most Brats, we’ve not had to completely say good-bye to the life.”

  “Because of Sam and Charlie,” Connie said, sorrow lacing her voice.

  “Yeah,” Lexie whispered. “I guess not so lucky, given the price they paid. I meant that we had married military and then got jobs with the DoD. Not because of our gold star status.” Her voice became hoarse with emotion as she spoke.

  “I knew you didn’t, Lex. Just right now, with all the stuff happening and you seeing Charlie, I keep thinking about them.”

  “Me too, Con, me too. I always do, but now, more than ever.”

  Connie sniffled as it suddenly struck her how very much Sam would have enjoyed this road trip. She imagined Sam and Charlie taking turns driving the T-bird, Connie and Lex having to bargain for their turn behind the wheel. She’d have sat in the middle of the back seat, her head on his shoulder and holding his hand as Lexie and Charlie took their turn up fr
ont with one of them driving. They’d talk about their girls and how they were doing and Charlie would insist on playing I Spy, driving Sam crazy. She squeezed her eyes shut, the pain suddenly too raw. Tears leaked from her eyes, running down her face unchecked as she felt his loss anew. If Lexie noticed, she didn’t say anything, for which Connie felt grateful. This hole in her heart was for Sam and right now, all she wanted was to fall into it.

  Chapter 16

  Feed Me!

  “So,” Lexie said when the silence grew to be too much, “Do you think Daddy is protesting too much? He’s sure eager to deflect the conversation whenever I tried to bring up his friend.”

  Connie gazed out the window, watching the scenery go by as they left the outskirts of Charleston. “Maybe. He said his friend was taken already, so maybe it’s a one-sided crush.”

  “Could be. I guess he’ll tell us if and when he’s ever ready to.”

  “Hey, one sandwich is all I got? Man, you guys are trying to starve me! Why can’t I have some fries now!” Nelson griped from the back seat.

  “Why are we taking the Interstate?” Connie asked as Lexie turned to get onto I-26.

  “Because it’s already the middle of the afternoon and if we want to stop somewhere we can spend a nice morning before heading back onto the road, our best bet is driving the four and a bit hours up this way to Asheville. As it is, we have quite a ways to go to get to the start of Route 66.”

  “Yeah, Chicago is a ways off. Okay, sounds good, let’s do that.”

  “Four hours? You want me to wait four hours to get to eat those fries? I’ll have starved to death back here before then!” Nelson growled.

  “Oh, can it,” Lexie replied. “We’ll have a stop about halfway there, get off to go to a rest stop or something. You can eat your damned fries then.”

  Connie picked up her phone, checking for a 4G signal. She had a strong one, so she began hunting for a place for them to stay. “There’s a Days Inn that’s not too expensive and they allow pets. Y’all hush while I call and see if they’ve got a room.” She waited, phone to her ear as the phone rang. “Yes, hello? My sister and I have unexpectedly found ourselves having to stop over in Asheville tonight. We’re wondering if you have a room available?” A few minutes later, Connie hung up the phone triumphantly. “Okay, that’s sorted. One room, it’s a queen so we’ll have to share, Lex, sorry, and they are okay with Nelson. Nash, we’ll bring you in and hang up the Do Not Disturb sign, don’t worry. They said for us to be there by ten, she’s put a sticky note up on the computer that the reservation is live and when to expect us.”

  “We’ll be there before seven,” Lexie told her.

  “Yup. Check in, dump our bags, and go find some dinner,” Connie said. “And there’s a pool, too, so we can have a swim before bed if we want to.”

  “I gotta pee,” Nelson said.

  “You’re going to have to hold it. You went just before we left Daddy’s so you shouldn’t be that bad,” Lexie said.

  “I gotta go bad!” he whined.

  “Well, sorry, but we’re at least fifteen minutes away from the next exit!” Lexie said, exasperated.

  “I’m stuffed. I’m going to take a nap,” Nash announced.

  “Great idea,” Connie said. “Nelson, why don’t you try to distract yourself for the fifteen minutes? And this better not be a ploy to get the French fries.”

  “Fine, I can wait,” he grumbled.

  “The fifteen minutes?” Connie prodded.

  “No, until we’re halfway.” he muttered sourly.

  “So it was about the French fries,” Lexie said, irritation evident in her tone.

  “I’m hungry!”

  “You just finished a chicken sandwich not even twenty minutes ago!”

  “You know a man my age needs fuel, right?” Nelson countered, adding his own two cents.

  “Right now, you’re a chihuahua,” Nash reminded him. “You’ll make the dog fat if you eat like that. Now pipe down, I’m trying to sleep here.”

  Nelson huffed. “Fine. I’ll shut up. Everyone is against me, anyhow. Might have been safer with that mobster cat.”

  Connie laughed. “Daddy’s cat was pretty gangsta but I think you’re being a bit over dramatic. It’s not like he got all that near you.”

  “About that…” Nash’s voice trailed off as if unsure he should continue. “Uh, he came into the room while you were gone. He seemed intent on intimidating us.”

  “Oh, damn, I’m sorry, Nash. Good thing you were safe in your habitat. I thought I’d closed the door all the way.”

  “Well, he got in,” Nelson sniffed.

  “I said I was sorry,” Connie said.

  “Well, we’re fine. No thanks to you.”

  “There’s no need to be mean about it, Nelson,” Nash said in admonishment. “I think he really is hungry. He’s acting all hangry.”

  Lexie sighed. “Fine, I'll get off here,” she said, turning on the indicator to signal she was getting off at the looming exit. “You can have the fries once we stop, but no more until we reach Asheville. I’m not buying any snacks from vending machines at the rest stop or anything,” she warned.

  Spotting a gas station, she drove to it. “Connie, give him the damn fries while I go ahead and put a few bucks in her.”

  “Okie dokie,” Connie said, reaching for the paper bag from on the floor between her feet and getting out once the car stopped. “Nash, do you want any?”

  “Nah, I’m good. If I eat anymore, I think I’ll be sick. I’ll be more than ready to eat again when we get to Asheville, though.”

  Nelson greedily gobbled the fries. Connie blinked. One moment the paper envelope of fries was there, the next it and the fries had disappeared into his maw.

  “You ate the paper!” she cried out.

  Nelson burped. “Fiber,” he said.

  Connie shook her head. “You need a drink?”

  “No, thanks,” Nelson replied.

  “Now he remembers his manners,” Connie muttered to herself, getting back into the car.

  Lexie slid in beside her. “Didn’t even have room for five bucks worth since we topped up on base before we left.”

  “Well, it’d have been rude to just use their parking lot,” Connie said.

  “My thoughts, exactly,” Lexie agreed, fastening her seat belt.

  “Okay, if anyone needs anything else at all, speak up now.” No one said a word. “Cool. let’s get going, then.”

  Just under four hours later, they exited the interstate and entered Asheville, South Carolina’s outskirts. Lexie listened to Google give her directions to the hotel and was pleased to see it was downtown. “We’ll have no problem finding a decent place to eat,” she said.

  Connie yawned, tired from sitting in the car for so long. “I just can’t wait to get out and stretch my legs,” she replied.

  “I want a burger,” Nelson said. “And a side of fries. Oh, and a strawberry milkshake.”

  “You’re going to clog your arteries,” Lexie told him. “Really, we should be feeding you dog food.”

  “What? Are you insane?” Nelson shrieked, his voice ending in a howl.

  “Ow!” Connie clapped her hands over her ears. “Stop that! She said we should, not that we would.”

  “Here we are,” Lexie said. “The Days Inn. I’ll go check us in.”

  Chapter 17

  Scilla, Queen of the Silver Dollar

  “If I hear another I’m sorry, I’m going to scream,” Connie said as yet another hotel told her they were full up. “I seriously had no idea that Murfreesboro was a popular fan convention destination. I can't even find us a reasonable Airbnb!”

  “The hotel it’s at might have had a last minute cancellation,” Lexie suggested.

  “I tried them this morning already.”

  “Damn.”

  “Hold up, this Airbnb might work. It's a condo in a complex.” Connie let her fingers fly.

  “Are we going to see people dressed as superher
oes? They make Superman suits for dogs, you know,” Nelson said. Nash looked up from his muesli at that and shook his head. “It’s for the job, dude. A convention full of people doing cosplay things and staging stunts is the perfect place for our guy to hide!”

  “It would, but it’s not that kind of convention,” Lexie replied.

  “It’s one of those business ones? Like for plumbing supplies? I’ve heard of those. People say they’re going to those for business and have one night stands,” Nelson said.

  “It’s an Elvis convention,” Lexie said.

  “That’s a no, too,” Connie said sadly. “I’ll call the convention hotel one more time.”

  “If it’s a no go, we’ll just have to look at a nearby town or something,” Lexie said.

  Connie held up a hand as she listened to the phone ring. “Hi, yes, I called earlier and I know y’all said you were full up, but I was hoping you maybe had a last minute cancellation- oh, you do? A double? Yes! Please.” Connie pounced on the opportunity to reserve the room. “Thank you so much! We’ll be there soon. We’re entering the city limits now. Thank you ever so much.” Connie ended the call and fist pumped the air. “Woohoo!”

  Lexie laughed. “Get Google to tell me which way to go.”

  Connie looked at the listing on her phone and hit the directions button. Moments later, Google had ascertained where they were and began giving advice.

  “Lex?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You think we can go back to Asheville for a longer visit some time? Maybe with the girls after visiting Daddy for Christmas? That food at the Continental Diner was something else and there was stuff to do that looked fun, like the trolleys.”

  “Ding ding!” Nelson shouted. “I thought it was some place in California that had trolleys.”

  “You seem to know an awful lot about our world,” Lexie said, suspicion lacing her tone.