A Hunting We Shall Go: Wendel

Mike and Charlie follow Trudy downstairs and she waits for Mike to lead them to the office. From her large purse she draws the WCB file and Mike takes the arson file from his briefcase. He lets Trudy take the lead, then explains about the fire and what Ken has told him.

Mike says, "Unless Trudy has something new, that's what you have to work on for now. I'll leave it up to you guys to work out how you'll work together. She does have baby sitting responsibilities here, but she is a fantastic sleuth as a backup. In saying that I, of course, run the risk of her getting a bigger head than she already has. If you take her on a job you'll find she's indispensable and her command of digging out dirt on people is unequaled. Work together and you'll have no problems. Chuck is the one man I depend upon to assist me whenever I need a strong right arm and a head full of brains. You'll do O.K. together, I'm sure."

He sits back and lets them talk things out together. Soon he slips away and goes upstairs. He glances at his watch. Marlene spots him and says, "I know. We have to get going. Do I get a chance to speak with Trudy about things around here?"

Mike steps back to the stairway and calls, "Ms. Garneau, can you and Chuck work things out between you after we leave? My wife would like to speak to you and we should be going."

"I'll be right there."

Mike says to Marlene, "I'll start the Jimmy warming up. You won't be long, eh?"

"No, go ahead."

Mike goes outside and walks around the units, then starts the V6 purring. He glances again at his watch and sees it's nine. He puts on a signal light and walks to the back to check it, then starts back towards the Jimmy. He sees Marlene getting in the far side and calls, "Flip on the other signal light." He walks to the back and checks it, then calls, "Brakes!" They blare bright red. Satisfied, he returns to the vehicle.

He climbs in and Marlene catches his attention and points. By the side door is Trudy and Chuck with the four kids all lined up and waving. He toots the horn and takes off the emergency brake allowing the units to roll forward down the drive. He taps the trailer brakes and feels them pull. Grinning, he waves as they pull out of the drive. They are on their way.

They take the freeway to Chilliwack and pull off at the Sardis exit into the Cottonwood Mall. Near Zeller's they can see Frank's fifth wheel trailer and pickup, as well as Wayne's pickup, camper and boat hooked on behind. Wendel and Carol's suburban and trailer are parked with the rest. Mike sees Carol Byers out by their trailer so he pulls in near them. He waves and she waves back. She walks over and Mike introduces her to Marlene. Next he asks, "Where's the rest of our party members?"

"Inside, in the Skillet. Just finishing coffee, I imagine. We're waiting on Dave and Kitten, now that you guys are here. Wendel warned him not to be late, but who knows with his brother. He's probably still out drinking." She gives a leery grin.

Mike leaves the two women to chat while he goes around the rig checking the hookup and tires. He steps inside the trailer to see how things are riding. When he comes out he sees Marlene and Carol by the store entrance with Wayne and some young lady. She kisses Wayne and goes to a car in the lot. She waves as she leaves. Mike goes over to the store and says to Wayne, "Your lady friend not joining us?"

"She has to work."

"Have you met my wife, Marlene?"

"Carol introduced us." He steps aside and whispers, "Who's the pert little blond your always with in the Okanagan? I thought she was your wife."

Mike grins and says quietly, "I'll explain later." He winks and Wayne shakes his head in a knowing way with a grin.

Wendel comes out next and says to Carol, "Any sign of my brother yet?" She shakes her head and he says, "Hi Mike, Marlene. I see you made it alright. Have you met Marlene, dear?" They all chat and walk out towards the trailers in the parking lot. Wendel checks his watch and watches the entrance to the lot. "Ten minutes. They better get a move on or we'll damn well leave them on their own." He paces.

Mike asks Wendel, "Did everyone else get away last night?"

"Last I heard was that they are all on the road. I made a few calls this morning and talked to family members or got no answer. The first ones to leave must be almost there. One group of three left around eight last night. The rest are on their own separately."

"Did you hear who all got Moose permits besides Wayne?"

"Frank got one and Dave got one, too. I don't know about the other two. Frank will know." He checks his watch again.

"Do you mean your brother, Dave?"

"My God, no! I mean Dave Ferguson. My brother, David wouldn't be able to see far enough to shoot a moose, except by mistake. He's mainly going for the fishing but he does have a permit for a mule deer. So does Kitten. More than likely they'll spend most of their time in the nearest town at the hotel. There's Frank now. It looks like he wants to get moving. Have you met the Ashtons. He's manager over at the store in Maple Ridge." He takes Marlene and Mike to meet Emily and Philip Ashton.

Philip says, "Frank tells me your the young fellow that solved the Hanson murder over in POCO early this summer. You do many investigations like that?"

"No. Just the one. The police had arrested a friend of mine for the crime and I felt they were wrong. I just did it to help a friend. I normally investigate fraud cases against ICBC and the WCB. That and chasing down people who skip out on their bills."

"A skip tracer, eh? I'll have to keep you in mind. We do a lot of that in-house, but it's always good to know of other means. Do you have a card?"

Mike gives him one of the cards that Trudy has prepared for him. Philip studies it and says, "Good card. Says what it has to in a direct way, no frills but attractive. Who does them up for you?"

Mike grins and says, "My secretary."

"Well, she's certainly a talented lady. Your lucky."

Since Marlene is hanging onto every word being said he let's that remark pass and says, "I think Frank is trying to get your attention. Looks like we're getting ready to pull out." They walk over to where quite a few members of the group are standing together. Frank is looking at his watch. He looks at Mike and says, "What do you think, Mike? Can we give them another ten minutes and still get in before dark?"

"I guess, if we don't make too many stops along the way."

Wendel speaks up, "We don't have to. Here they come." He points across the parking lot at an older silver Airstream with a few dints in it being towed by a '90 GMC Jimmy 4X4 with a removable roof. As they come closer it's evident they already have trouble. Steam is blowing out of the grill and around the hood. A few groans are heard from the crowd as David stumbles out of the vehicle and says, "Showcay folks. Just needsh a little water. Somebody need to pish?" He laughs drunkenly and gets a water jug out of the back of the Jimmy. He fiddles with the hood as Kitten waves at the crowd with a big sloppy smile. She picks something up off the seat and everyone looks apprehensive as they realize it's a rifle. She swings it around and hollers, "Com'on Sweety, hurry up. Lesh go hunting!"

Frank speaks to Wendel and he, in turn goes over to speak to his brother. David snorts and says out loud, "Shees the damn hunter! Shee knows what shees doin! Fuck off!" He pours water into the radiator and the steaming stops. He jams a rag back into the radiator filling-spout and drops the hood. "Lesh go!"

Frank asks Mike to go last to spot any stragglers. He gives Mike an expensive two-way radio and explains he will go first. They will be able to keep in touch and help anyone who might break down along the way. He looks at Wendel's brother when he says that. Mike and Marlene sit and watch Frank's fifth wheel leave followed by Wendel and Carol's Suburban and trailer. David and Kitten fall in behind and Wayne starts to pull out with his pickup and boat. Mike grins at Marlene and says, "Here we go."

Frank and Wendel make the stoplights at the corner of Yale Road and Luckacuck Way, David runs the red light and Wayne stops with Mike behind him. Mike bows his head and shakes it as he listens to the cacophony of car horns and brakes ahead. He mutters, "That idiot is stuck halfway across the intersection because he swung too wide. Oh God!"

Marlene can't stop laughing. She says, "You're not laughing, dear. Where's your sense of humor?"

The two way radio bleeps and Frank's voice says, "What's going on back there, Mike?"

Mike keys the set and says, "You wouldn't believe me it I told you. David ran the red light and swung too wide. He's across the intersection; no he's backing up and jackknifing it a bit. I think he'll make it just in time for us to get another red light here."

"Uh, keep an eye on him, Mike. Out."

Mike doesn't key the mic, he just says, "Thanks!" They watch the Airstream heading for the freeway as they sit at the second red light. Cars are honking behind them and Mike sees Wayne step out on his running board and wave his fist after the disappearing trailer as he waits for the light.

Once on the freeway they quickly catch up and the five units space themselves out so traffic can flow around them. All except David, of course, who is tailgating Wendel. Mike sees them on a curve quite a ways ahead and mutters, "If he doesn't get a ticket the highway patrol will have to be sleeping when we go by."

Marlene looks hopeful as she says, "Cheer up, dear. If they stop them they will be forced to leave their vehicle because they're impaired. Then we can leave them behind."

As the parade passes the truck stop in Laidlaw, Mike says, "I think we're going to make it. It's not far to Hope and once we get into the canyon, the freeway patrol is left behind. But on two-lane road that idiot will be twice as dangerous following that close. I'll ask Frank to stop in Hope so we can tell him to space himself out a bit."

Marlene laughs, "I think he's spaced out already."

Mike calls Frank and tells him the situation. Frank agrees to stop in Hope at a mall parking lot. In a few minutes he calls back. "The situation seems to be in hand. Wendel followed us into the mall and David drove right on by. He seems to be our new leader. We're pulling out to follow him. I hope he knows where we're going. Out."

Mike and Marlene burst out laughing. She says, "We should write a book about this trip."

"No one would believe it."

"I wouldn't blame them. I wouldn't believe it either."

They leave the town of Hope and head north into the Fraser Canyon. Before they get to the canyon mouth at Yale the two-way bleeps again. Sheila Butterworth says. "You better be prepared to stop. We're pulled in behind David. It seems Kitten saw a deer and made David stop so she could take a shot at it. Frank's up there with Wendel but they're having trouble ...Oh my goodness." The two-way goes dead. Then Philip Ashton's voice comes from the set. "They're having trouble reasoning with Kitty ...no, my wife says it's Kitten. She seems to want to go after the deer. I don't think she hit it, although she fired about six shots that we heard."

Mike keys up and says, "She can't shoot deer here. We're not licensed to hunt in this area. I think I see Wendel's rig up ahead of Wayne a mile or two. I guess he sees you, he's braking."

"Oh dear, I think Kitty just hit Mrs. Butterworth. This is terrible."

Wayne pulls over on the shoulder and Mike pulls in behind him. Wayne comes back and says, "What's up, now?" Mike explains the situation and Wayne starts swearing.

Mike picks up the two-way and asks, "Is anybody there?" He hears some bleeps and a woman's voice says, "Is that the police. Please hurry. I think she's going to shoot somebody." In a few seconds the flat report of a thirty caliber sounds out from up ahead. "Shit!", says Mike.

He gets out and tells Marlene to take the wheel. Him and Wayne jump into his pickup and drive quickly on up to where the trailers are parked off to the side of the road. Mike says, "Pass them and park just ahead of them."

They pull over in front of David's Jimmy and jump out. David is snoozing behind the wheel and everyone else seems to be back at Frank's unit. Kitten is lying on the ground crying with Wendel sitting on top of her. Frank is kneeling by his front passenger side fender. Emily and Philip are standing away back by the door of the fifth wheel and Sheila isn't in sight. Mike can see Carol standing by the Suburban and as he approaches he hears Kitten squealing, "Lesh me at im. Sumbitch wants to leave us here. Lesh me up, dammit!"

Mike says to Wendel, "Where's her rifle?" He points to Frank's fifth wheel. "Anybody hurt?"

"No. Just shook up." He continues to hold Kitten down.

"What happened?"

"Frank asked me to speak to them. When she wouldn't listen, he came up and told them they might as well turn around. They were no longer welcome on this trip. Kitten flew off the handle and shot out Frank's front tire. That's when we wrestled the rifle away from her. Hold still, woman. I'm not going to let you up to go and get another rifle. Where's David?"

"I think he's sleeping at the wheel of their rig. So what are we doing now?"

"Frank's on the cell phone. He's calling for tire repairs but I think he's also calling the police"

"Hasn't Frank got a spare?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him."

Mike goes close to Frank and hears him reading some numbers off the tire to someone on the phone. In a few minutes he finishes his call and looks up at Mike. Mike says, "Don't you have a spare?"

With a steely look in his eye he says, "I'm ordering a brand new tire on a brand new rim and that bitch is paying for it ... and the installation!"

"How are you going to make her do that?"

Frank flashes a humorless grin and holds up a credit card. The name on the card is Shirley Blake. Mike says, "Oh."

Just then Carol calls from her trailer door, "Hey everybody, coffee's on." Mike notices Sheila is with her. Wayne and Mike walk back to Wendel's trailer and speak to Carol. Wayne says, "I, for one, am considering going on. Are we going to allow David and his wife to come up with us?"

Mike: "I agree. We don't want that couple anywhere around a hunting camp. They're a disaster waiting to happen."

Carol says, "Wendel still wants them to continue. He feels responsible for his brother. He always has. It's the Blake money, you know. Daddy was JR Blake of Blake Forest Products. Wendel says he was the only one strong enough to stand up to his Dad and his fortune. Their sisters are almost as bad as David. Connie's a prostitute and Sharon is living with Louise, who calls herself Louie and pretends to be a man. They're a screwed up family. Since old John died, his wife has been living with us, so we see the whole family once in a while. They were all over the other day for her birthday. What a mess!"

Mike whistles, "Wow! JR Blake was their father? I didn't realize. Wendel acts so down to earth and practical, an every day kind of guy. I had no idea." He speaks to Sheila, "What does Frank think about them going on with us?"

"He's not happy, but he will probably go along with Wendel on it." She looks down and says quietly, "He defers to wealth, I'm afraid." She turns back into the trailer.

The others follow her inside and Mike gets a large cup of black coffee. He goes back out to where Wendel is now standing with a firm grip on Shirley. He says to Wendel, "Try to get her to drink this. Maybe it will sober her up some."

"Thanks, Mike. I'll try. Maybe you can get some down David. Will you see about getting him back here?"

Mike smiles wryly and says, "I'll give it a try." He walks up along side David's Jimmy and thumps the side of it with his hand as he reaches the window. "Hey! David! Want to join me for coffee? We're going to be a while here. Come on out and join us."

David pushes the door open and gets halfway out. "Whatsh the holdup?" A passing car swerves to miss his door and blows it's horn. Mike jumps closer the Jimmy and hollers, "Come on and close that door before we both get killed." He assists the staggering man back towards Frank's rig where Wendel is fighting with his struggling wife. Wendel sees them coming and starts herding Shirley towards his trailer. The broken coffee cup lies on the ground. Mike shepherds David to follow them. It looks like the Butterworths and Ashtons have all gone into Frank's fifth wheel. Mike wonders how Marlene is making out, but he sees her talking to Wayne by the rear of Wendel's rig.

Wendel gets Shirley into the door and Mike doesn't have any more trouble with David. He follows them into Wendel's, so Mike let's him go and goes back to speak with Marlene and Wayne.

"Marlene, where'd you park our rig?"

"Back there on the shoulder. We going to wait for them?"

"Well, Frank invited us so I feel we should wait for him. I'm going to suggest we all go ahead into Yale where we can get these vehicles off the road and wait there for Frank. Wendel's trying to sober David and Kitten up a bit." He looks at Wayne, "Guess it'll be midnight before we get into camp tonight. Are you staying with us or going on?"

"I don't know, Mike. I had hopes of getting the boat in the water this evening. I guess that's out. I'll wait and see what the rest are doing." Wendel steps out the door of his trailer and approaches them.

Mike says, "Well, how's it going in there? Getting any coffee down them?"

Wendel just shakes his head, "Can you believe that? She up and took a shot at his rig so fast I thought she was shooting at Frank! I jumped her but she had already shot! I'm not used to this kind of action! Scared the crap out of me! Damn!"

"Look Wendel, we're a bad traffic hazard out here. Let's move all the rigs into Yale where we can get off the road. We can wait for Frank there. It's only a few miles and we have the two-way to keep in touch with him. What do you think?"

"David can't drive. He's gone to sleep in my trailer."

"O.K. I'll drive his rig and Marlene can bring ours. You want to tell Frank what we're doing?"

"Can you tell him? I better stay here close by. We'll follow you into Yale."

"Right. Did you hear us, Marlene?"

"Yeah, I'll bring up the tail end. Let's go." She turns back and heads for her brother's 4X4.

Meanwhile Mike goes and explains what they are doing to Frank. He nods his approval and says he's going to pull his over farther on the shoulder. Mike hangs around to guide him then goes to the Blake Jimmy. He waves at Wayne, who pulls ahead out onto the road and Mike follows him. In his mirror he sees Wendel start to pull out around Frank. He can't see Marlene but he's sure she's back there doing the same.

Within a few miles Wayne signals and they pull into a community park across the street from a small general store in the town of Yale. They line up in the parking lot and shut their vehicles down. There are some picnic tables in the park nearby so they decide to have lunch while waiting. Mike suggests he visit a nearby service station and see if they have any radiator Stop Leak, since David's Jimmy is running hot again. Wendel says David is still sleeping so go ahead, if he thinks it might work.

When Mike gets back with the chemical concoction he says he would prefer that David give his approval before he puts it in. He stops and has some lunch with the rest, then goes to wake David. When he comes out of Wendel's trailer, he shrugs to Wendel and says, "He says to put it in. I don't know if he knows what I'm talking about even. Here goes nothing." He goes up and pours the chemicals into the radiator with some water, then starts the engine again. He leaves it idling and goes back to the picnic tables to join Marlene. "I hope that works. We'll see in half an hour. Any word from Frank?"