Armington

Sorry folks there's no sex or jokes in this story

I looked at the paperwork yet again. Westway Developments, Armington. Armington! The last place in the world that I wanted to go back to. I had managed to stay clear of the place for over four years. But it had always been on the cards that I would pull a load there sooner or later. Still if things went to plan I would be driving out of town again in a couple of hours. The chances of seeing her, were very low. But just the thought of being in Armington again, gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. I knew the first sight in Armington I would see was going to be "Stacey's Bar". The last place that I had laid eyes on my beautiful wife Marie.

My name is Mark Dowdy, and I didn't get a good start in life. My folks were killed in a car wreck when I was ten and my Grandmother brought me up. I had grown up with a chip on my shoulder and in my younger days I had been a right tear-away always in trouble, and with a reputation for talking with my fists. There were very few guys in town that I couldn't handle. When I walked around town, people got out of my way!

Then Marie had moved into town, the most beautiful nineteen year old in the world. One look and I was smitten. But the beautiful Marie would not have anything to do with the town's bad boy. She told me that I would have to change my attitude if I wanted to date her. It took me nearly two years to get that first date with her. And in that time I had to change my whole persona. I got a steady job with a small construction company, stayed out of trouble with the Law and didn't get into any fights, In the end Marie relented, and we started to date

Once she realised that I was so in love with her that I had changed my behaviour just so that she would date me and we became inseparable partners. Marie told me she had always been attracted to me from the day we had first met, but she it was obvious to he that I had been going down the wrong road. When I asked her to marry me. Marie told me she had watched my struggles to end my wayward ways and that had proved to her how much I loved her. She had been waiting for my proposal.

A year later we were married. Marie's father gave us a small parcel of land with a little derelict house on it. With the help of my colleagues and friends we soon had it liveable, and Marie and I were making plans to extend it so we could start a family. For the next six months I was the happiest man in the world. Then came that fateful Friday night.

With some colleagues I had been called over to Mason, a town about a hundred and fifty miles away to help a friend of my boss. He had a job that was running behind schedule and was likely to run into penalties charges if it wasn't finished on time. We worked long hours and stayed in a local motel for a couple of weeks. The bonus we got for the long hours we were putting in, allowed me to buy a car for Marie. It had been awkward for her living were we did and not having a car of her own. She wasn't too enthralled with driving my old truck. One of the other workers on the site had a quite tidy Volvo estate that he was about to replace. Marie's father drove a Volvo and she used to borrow if off him often and she was always saying how much she liked it. I got a good deal off the guy and put all the paper work in Marie's name. I didn't tell her I had bought her the car as my plan was to drive down home on Saturday night and surprise her with it. I had got a ride up to Mason with the boss so my truck was still at home.

I called Marie every evening and we would have the normal lovey dovey chats newly married's have. On the Thursday evening Marie was getting fed-up with me being away and said she was lonely. Her friend June had been calling around most nights but she always had her boyfriend Mike with her and that made Marie miss me more. She thought that June wouldn't call round on Friday as June and Mike always go to the dance at Stacey's Bar. I suggested that she went with them. Marie and I normally went to the dance at Stacey's on Fridays and Saturdays, all my friends would be there. They would look after Marie, and make sure she enjoyed herself.

About four o'clock Friday afternoon someone found something wrong with the plans, of the job and a halt was called to all work For a couple of hours we all hung around waiting, while guys in suits wandered about taking measurements and arguing over the plans. Around six it was announced that no more work could be done until the architects arrived to sort things out and that wouldn't be until Monday morning at the earliest. As soon as the boss told us that we might as well go home, I decided I would bring Marie's surprise forward a day. I rushed back to the hotel to get my bag. I called Marie but did not let on I was on my way home. I told her that I would probably be home earlier than I had thought on Saturday as work had come to a standstill. She asked why couldn't I come home tonight and I replied that it had been a long hard day I would get some sleep and be home about ten in the morning. I asked if she was going to the dance, but she said she didn't want to go without me. I smiled to myself and thought, "You will be going to the dance Cinderella, And in your nice new carriage."

I pulled into our drive at eight-thirty and was surprised to find the house in darkness. When I got inside Marie wasn't there. I assumed that Marie had changed her mind and gone to Stacey's with June. It took the edge of my surprise, but it would be just as good to give her the car outside the dance. I had a shower and got myself ready to go and join Marie at the dance.

As I went out the door, my neighbour from across the road accosted me. When he saw it was me he apologised and said that he was worried that we might have burglars. What with all the strange cars tonight. I realised he hadn't recognised the Volvo and told him that I had brought it in Mason for Marie. He said that we must be into European cars as that was the second one tonight. I asked what he meant by that and he said that there had been a big green Jaguar car in the drive earlier. My heart missed a beat. There was only one Jaguar in town and that belonged to Todd Marshall. He had been a thorn I my side ever since Marie had come to town. He had been my rival for Marie's affections and had a couple dates with her, before I had persuaded her to go out with me. He had tried to get Marie to dump me and go with him right up until we got engaged. I still thought he was too "touchy feely" with her, when they danced together He was aware of Marie's conditions about my behaviour and I think there were times he was trying to get me to lose my cool and go for him thinking that Marie would drop me and go with him if I reverted to my old ways. June's boyfriend Mike was a friend of Todd's. Had they somehow set Marie up on a date with him behind my back?

When I got to Stacey's Bar, there were a lot of cars in the car park. I was forced to park right over the far end of the lot. As I was walking over to the bar, I saw some people coming out. There were two guys and two girls. One of the girls looked like she was drunk as one of the guys and the other girl seemed to be holding her up. They were staggering about a bit, screaming and shouting, making a lot of noise. The guy suddenly bent over picked the drunk girl up. His arms under her knees and behind her back, she had her arms around his neck hanging on tight. They went over to a car and the guy put the girl in the front seat, then leaned inside and was apparently kissing her. The other guy and girl got into the rear seats. I was getting closer now and as the guy stood up I could see that it was Todd Marshall. Then I realised that the girl he had put into the front seat was my Marie.

I was incensed. As the guy walked round to the drivers side of the car. I started to run towards him, the movement must have caught his eye. He turned and recognised me. He dived into the car just as I arrived at the passenger door. The car's engine roared into life and the back wheels scattered gravel behind the vehicle as it began to move. Marie was looking up at me and saying something, but I could not make out what it was through the closed window. I brought my fist down on the rear of the car as it raced away. I doubt I did any damage, but I hoped I had.

The Jag went out through the entrance and I ran back to the Volvo to chase after it. As I drove towards the entrance I noticed June's boyfriend Mike running across the car park towards the bar. Todd must have stopped out on the road to let him out. Turning onto the road I had to swerve to miss June, who was standing in the middle of the road waving her arms, apparently trying to stop me. I still don't know how I didn't knock her over. I swerved around her and raced on after the Jag but I had lost sight of it. To be honest the Volvo was no match for the Jag.

The anger was building inside of me, I had just found my lovely young wife slipping off somewhere with her lover. They had left by the entrance that lead them away from town. I thought they must have been going out to the old reservoir, that's where all the youngsters go to make out. I drove out to the lake as it was known but there was no sign of them.

As I began to calm down and think more clearly, I realised that was the last place they would go. After all, I'd had seen them going in that direction they would know I would look there first. I went over to Todd's fathers house no sign of the Jag there either. Then I just drove around looking all the places I could think of that they might go, but I had no luck.

Once I had calmed down I was relieved that they had got away from me at Stacey's. My old self had reappeared in that car park. My anger had been so great that I might have killed both of them.

It was well past midnight when I made my way back to Stacey's. I thought some of my friends might be able to tell me how long this affair had been going on. It's a small town someone must have had suspicions. When I got inside I went over to the raised area in the corner where we always congregate, not one of my friends was there. As I looked around I found I didn't know a sole in the place. Yea there were some familiar faces, but none of my friends. I went up to the bar and asked the barman if he had seen any of them. He told me the usual crowd had all been in earlier, but something had happened outside and they had rushed out. I don't believe this I thought, they all must have known what has been going on and they legged it when they thought I might start asking awkward questions, Some fucking friends.

I don't remember too clearly what happened after that. I know I was scared of what I might do, I loved Marie but she had betrayed me. I honestly didn't know if I could control myself.

I went home to my empty house. Parked the Volvo on the drive and put the paperwork and keys for it on the kitchen table. When/If Marie ever came back she would see that it was in her name and know that I had bought it for her. Then I went and got her birthday present that I bought a few weeks previous and put that on the table as well. I put most of my clothes in a bag, got in my truck and drove away. I didn't know were I was going, just away.

I had to put some distance between me and that town, I was scared that I would harm the woman I loved. I drove on through the night and on into the next day. Around lunchtime the old truck gave out, I guess I had been pushing it too hard. I just left it on the side of the road and started walking.

Late in the day a truck driver stopped and asked were I was going, I told him "Hell!" he told me to get in as he had been there a few times. He said I was to call him Bull and that he felt I should tell him my story. After I had told him he said I was welcome to ride with him for awhile, so I stayed with him.

We went too LA where Bull delivered his load, and then he got another going back east. On the way we stopped off at his home where I met his wife Joan. When Joan heard my story she told me that I should call or write to Marie, but I told her that I was so hurt by what Marie had done that I couldn't bring my self too. Joan persisted and in the end she persuaded me to allow let her write to Marie. But I told her that she must not let Marie know were I was. I didn't want to hear from her as I believed that doing so would only bring me more pain.

Bull and I went on with his load and a couple of days later we stopped off at his base. He introduced me to his boss and said that I was an itinerant at the moment with no home and would make a good truck driver. Before I knew what was happening I was on the firms payroll, and a couple of months later I was driving my own truck.

Bull's home is the nearest thing to a home I have now. I stop by whenever I'm passing. When I do Joan writes another letter Marie to let her know I am still alive. Not that I think she cares. At my request Joan has never put a return address and gives the letters to Bull to post on his travels. Joan keeps telling me that I should at least call Marie and hear her side of the story. I would tell her I had six months of heaven, I did not want to distort those memories by knowing what Marie is doing now.

So there I was turning into Westway's the security man told me to park my truck over by two others that were already there. As I drove over I noticed that there were a couple fire trucks and a police car parked over by the warehouse. The drivers of the other two trucks came over and introduced themselves as Al and Josh. Al informed me that we were going to be stuck there until following day, as there had been a chemical leak in the warehouse and Westway's had to send a lot of the staff to hospital for check-ups. The rest had been sent home until the spill was cleaned up and the place declared safe.

Dam. This was the last thing I needed. I climbed into the bunk in my truck to stay out of the way and tried to get some sleep. Around 7 o-clock Al came over and asked if was coming with them to try to find a meal. I didn't want to go anywhere in that town but I new I had to eat. So I told them that I knew a bar that did a decent steak and had a couple of pool tables. Josh asked

"Have you been here before? You know. Will they mind."

I told him.

"I used to live in this town. No bugger will dare object to you going in the bar if I'm with you.

When we walked into the bar. It wasn't very busy, a couple of people sitting at the bar and a small crowd in the room with the pool tables. We got some beers and sat in one of the booths.

"They don't look to happy that I'm in here they keep looking at us." Josh said.

"It ain't the colour of your skin, they're looking at." I replied, "It's the company you keep. I'm afraid I have got the wrong kind of reputation in this town.

I looked around to see who was staring and upsetting Josh. And saw June's Mike talking to the barman. They looked across at me, and when Mike became aware that I had seen him, he quickly made his way back to the pool room. The waitress brought our steaks and we ate our meal. Al went to the bar to get some more beers. When he came back, he said the barman had asked how long we were staying. I glanced over at the barman again and noticed he was talking on the phone. When he saw me looking he looked away.

About ten minutes later the door opened and two deputies came in. I knew them, I had licked them both when we were at school. But I had always fort fare so I wasn't expecting them to get too heavy. One stood by the bar the other came over to our table.

"Hi Mark. Nice to see you back in town."

This was a surprise. I was expecting a 'Get out of town NOW.' message.

"Hi Vince what brings you here?"

"There's a man who would like to talk to you. But he's kinda afraid that you will do him some harm. So we've been sent along to make sure you behave yourself. And Mark we've got plenty of backup outside."

"Okay, I'm listening." I said.

Vince gestured behind me with his eyes. I looked around and saw Todd Marshall coming from the pool area. He must have been hiding in there since I had come in the bar. He walked towards me and started to say something. But I stood up and turned towards him.

"Open your fucking mouth and I will knock your fucking teeth down your fucking throat. You have nothing to say that I could possibly want to hear. Now I don't want to do time for murder! So if you will get out of my way Vince, I will be on my way."

I threw a twenty on the table to cover my share meal. Pushed past the deputy and out of the bar. There were no less then four patrol cars outside and a little army of policemen watched me walk past them.

I knew that I would have to get out of town now. This minute. I didn't know how I hadn't gone for Todd there and then, was it the Police's presence or was I thinking before I reacted as Marie had taught me.

I went back to my truck wound her up and pulled out. I figured I would drive to the next town call the boss and asked him to get another driver to switch trailers with me. Then he could make the drop.

Half an hour down the highway, I became aware of the several H P cars behind me. They followed for maybe ten minutes. Then the lights and sirens came on. "What is it with these pricks." I thought, "I'm clean. I haven't done anything illegal." I pulled over and a cop came up and asked me to get out of the truck. Then he said,

"We have been requested to detain you, by the Armington Police. Would you mind waiting until they arrived."

I figured that I had best cooparate as these guys as they all had their hands on their guns.

Maybe ten minutes later, a lone Armington Police car arrived and Chief Thomas got out. I have known him for years and knew him to be a good guy. A policeman yea. But a good one. He had collared me once when I was a teenager trying to steel a car. Instead running me in. He took me somewhere quite and said.

"Look boy you've got no father to teach you what's acceptable in life. Now I'm gonna give you what your Pa' would have done if he was still around."

With that he took of his gun off and put in the car. Then knocked the shit out of me. When he had finished he took me to his home, and cleaned me up. Then he said.

"Don't let me catch you doing something that stupid again. I'll have to book you next time and with your record you will do some hard time."

I had needed that good hiding and respected the man for giving me it. It had surprised most people when I had invited him to my wedding.

I was confused to see Al and Josh follow him out of his car. Chief Thompson came over to me.

"Your friends are here to take care of your truck. I am not going to say anything to you now, other than, I think there is something you need to see. I think when you see it you may ready to listen to some explanations. Now please get in my car and let's get this over with."

I got in the car and the chief took off with the sirens wailing. We went back to Armington through the town and out to the hospital. The chief led the way inside and into an office, where he told me to sit at a desk. A doctor who had followed us in placed a file in front of me and said

"Will you read this please?"

On the front of the file it said Marie Dowdy. Inside were x-rays and a report of an emergency admission. The gist of it was that Marie had broken her left ankle and had been treated at the hospital. I read the file then looked at the chief.

"So?"

"Look at the dam date Mark."

I looked, it was the Friday I had come back with Marie's Volvo.

"And." I said.

"And the admission time."

The admission time was twenty minutes after I had seen Todd drive out of Stacey's parking lot, I looked up at the Chief again I didn't quite know what he was getting at. Then the chief said,