Romancing the Librarian Pt. 03

I hovered, saying, "Hey, I'm just a poor dumb RV driver with a curious cock. He goes around finding compatible places."

The tears were gone and they were pouncing. "Just wait! That cock is going to get curious once too often and you are going to have three mothers and three babies to support. Tell that to your editor!"

They muttered to themselves, "Curious cock my ass. That is a big hard seducing cock that smells out pussy wherever it goes!"

Julie laughed and rubbed herself on me. "Yes, but why is seduction so much fun when he does it?"

Sheila was sitting on Julie's legs and swatted her curvy rear. "Stop giving away our secrets. He's not supposed to know we are hooked on his monster tool."

I rubbed and kissed and went back to my driving. There were happy giggles behind me and I relaxed. Equilibrium restored.

"You better get out the road maps and decide where we are stopping next."

It didn't take them long to discover we were less than a hundred miles from Chaco Canyon. The librarian pounded on me and said, "You are being devious again. You said three weeks ago we were going to Chaco. Now you are pretending the women are finding a place to stop."

I pulled into an RV facility in Farmington and said, "Here's where you get to do some work while I fix the tanks. We need a reservation to take this thing into Chaco, and we need a check on the condition of the miles of dirt road we have to cover to get there. The WiFi should work here."

I busied myself outside with water and waste, fuel for the alternator, and propane for the stove and water heater. Half an hour later, we were ready to roll again, and I checked inside.

They were all smiles and working on lunch. "Ha! Thought you were going to get us in trouble!"

Julie draped herself over my head and whispered, "We have a reservation for this monster for four days."

Marian said, "We are stopping at the hardware here to get a couple of shovels and some 2x4s, which may come in handy."

I stared at them. My women were well along toward claiming desert rat status.

Sheila clutched a sheet of paper. "I am in charge of commissary. You are to be responsible for wine, beer and booze."

We turned south at Bloomfield toward the park. There was a lot of chatter from the women. They had slipped into an outdoor store next to the grocery, and were decked out in new hiking clothes and floppy hats. I thought about the guys who might be chasing us, and figured their chances were dropping by the day.

The sun was behind the rocks to the west when we claimed our campsite, near the Visitor Center. It was well off the park road, but clearly visible if you knew what you were looking for.

We set up the outdoor table and chairs, and I fixed drinks. I made a toast, "Here's to my three tough desert rats."

They gave me their best desert rat stares, and I smiled back. "I hope you feel as tough as you look. There is great hiking here, but it isn't easy."

Newly pregnant Marian, now clearly the Great Mother, said, "Just try us. Be careful what you threaten, buster."

They cuffed me gently as they filed inside to work on dinner. I grabbed Marian's hand and said, "Stay a minute."

She sat on my lap and pulled my hair. "What?"

"We aren't home free. We've got two women that may have men chasing them. I am going to set up the cot in that clump of bushes over there and spend the night out. Too vulnerable with everyone cooped up inside. Maybe you can explain to the others?"

She made no move to get up, but took another sip of her drink.

"One thing I know for sure, you are not sleeping out here by yourself."

I waited, but she was waiting for me. "Ok, what's plan B?"

She pulled harder on my hair and nuzzled my neck. "The man is supposed to be in charge of the defensive perimeter."

I said, "Where did you get that fancy talk?"

She giggled. "In some war novel I read."

I rubbed my thumb across her boob and said, "If there are two of us outside, the others are going to come out, too."

"Yes, we've gotten very comfortable nesting with each other."

"Ok, we put down a ground cloth and three bags all zipped together. One of us sits in a chair, and the other three sleep. No lights and clothes on. We can rehearse what to do if someone shows."

"Better. Let's go help."

We were seated at the pulled out settee for almost the first time. The warmed up roast chicken from the store was excellent.

I said, "Hmm. We need to pay a little attention to possible pursuers. We are probably safe, but let's take precautions anyway. Marian and I think we should wait until almost dark and make a bed on a ground cloth in that clump of bushes. One person can stay awake while the others sleep. We can take turns watching and listening."

That killed the conversation. But over berries for dessert, heads nodded. "Yes. We can pretend it's Girl Scouts again. With some boy who snuck in."

It was an early bedtime, but the stars were out, and the calm cool air felt nice. Sounds carried a long way. We could hear voices from other campsites. No one was close to us, luckily.

At midnight, Sheila was nudging me out of the chair, saying she had the watch. Julie and Marian made a spot between them and I was warm and asleep very quickly.

There was gray in the east when a hand covered my mouth and a voice at my ear said, "Shadow in trees behind us."

All four of us stayed on the ground, spreading out free of the sleeping bags and staring intently uphill.

In half an hour, it was full daylight and there was no one close to us. Marian and I walked to where she thought she had seen something, and sure enough, there were fresh footprints in the sandy dirt. Coming in from one side and continuing along toward the visitor center.

We went in the RV and made coffee. "Feels good we slept out, doesn't it?"

"Question is, did it have anything to do with us?"

I stood and messed with hair and applied kisses. "Hey, we are four tough hombres, and we are going to have fun, going into the park with our motorcycles and hiking. Before we go, I'll check on campground security."

As I busied myself with the bikes, I thought about how to end the shadow hanging over us. If surveillance was still out there, it had to be twisted minds. Sheila and Julie didn't have anything worth stealing except themselves. Marian and I weren't very big targets either. The people chasing knew we were prepared to defend ourselves.

The women had lunch packs and were in their new used leathers and looked the part of tough biker girls with studded jackets and leggings. Sheila pushed up against me, "Buddy, you got any ideas of hitting on us, take 'em somewhere else..." I looked down and there was a nasty looking knife going back into a hidden sheath on the inside of her thigh.

"You look like you know how to use that."

"I do. You work around stagehands for very long and you learn to watch out for yourself."

She brushed my lips with hers. "Tell us what we are doing."

"Let's go up the loop road a mile or so and have a little chat."

We sat under some cottonwoods in a damp place at the bottom of the cliff. The view was open to the south and a warm breeze blew in our faces. It wasn't hard to imagine Native Americans raising grain here by the creek hundreds of years ago before the climate dried out.

"I've been thinking about the guys chasing us. Worrying over it sucks."

"Yeah. Sucks."

"It would be nice to smoke them out in the open and identified. Stalking can get you thrown into jail."

Sheila said, "I can't imagine Rick convincing George and SueEllen to keep chasing me. But if he is on his own, with no job, he might be crazy enough to keep going."

Julie said, "My dad wants me, but he has an extended family and can't afford to screw that up. He might be crazy enough to lay on a bounty and turn some of the cousins loose."

Marian looked fierce, "Bastards. If they try anything, that's stalking, assault and kidnapping."

There was a minute of silence and I said, "We can defend ourselves, but the way to end this is to set a trap that drops them into the hands of the police."

Marian asked, "Do you go to the rangers and explain the situation?"

"I've been thinking about that. These poor guys are supposed to be helping people enjoy the park, not dealing with stalkers."

I stood, "Let's go out to end of the loop road and hike to the petroglyphs for lunch. I need to sort out an idea or two."

After a mile of hiking in the hot sun, everything except tees and shorts was in the packs. It felt good. My brain waves were pulsing. A little voice said, you are playing with fire. Another voice said, we are going to end this now.

I pushed the whole business to the back of my mind and concentrated on my friends. All of us were sweating and liking it. Marian looked at me and said, "You've decided, haven't you?"

"Yes, but it doesn't need attention until tonight. Let's enjoy this great day."

Every time one of them looked at me, I gave them a bold, lusty look right back. Sheila was the first to get the idea, and gave me a hard look in return that said, "You'll regret hitting on me." The others noticed and worked on their toughest biker girl faces.

"If you think you are getting any, you are barking up the wrong tree."

"Hey, you said you'd like some company." I tried my bland, helpful helpmate look.

"You're just like those other biker dudes, thinking you deserve free sex."

"Hey, lookee here. Y'all are cute, but I'm not a paying kind of guy."

"You got anything to say before we chase you off?" They turned in a half circle on the trail and the looks would fry an egg.

I sat on the nearest rock and got out my water. "Why do I have a feeling that if this was real and I took another step towards you, I'd get a kick in the balls and karate chop to my neck?"

Marian said, giving me a quick kiss, "It's good practice, isn't it?"

I struggled to get my arms around three waists and nuzzled their belly buttons. Fists pounded on my head and neck, not very hard.

"He's making us grow up, damn him. Wants us to feel we can take out those good for nothings."

I looked up and smiled, "Well?"

A strong, independent voice belonging to the youngest said, "Follow us to those tall bushes for lunch."

Lying on my side in the shade, eating an outstanding egg salad sandwich, I said, "Julie, you ever set a rabbit snare?"

"Lots of times. They make really good stew."

"Well, what would you think of our setting a trip wire up there where the guy was prowling last night?"

"Hmm. He comes down hard and we get him hogtied before he knows what happened?"

"Something like that."

Sheila said, laughing, "What if it turns out he's got insomnia and has nothing to do with us?"

Marian smiled, "Our butts get thrown out of the park and told not to come back."

Several bodies passed on the trail below and I waited before continuing.

"We will set a trip wire and snare tonight along that faint trail. But we need a fallback if nothing happens."

"There is a ranch south of here on a gravel road that has camping. We make a casual daylight departure tomorrow and head down there. If we are lucky, it will be wide open country and the isolation will make it hard to try anything. We can settle in for a few days and wait them out. Enjoy the sun and hiking and talk about our future."

"Yes, our future," they chorused.

Marian poked me, "Glad to see you are doing your pack leader job."

The women were pleased to be out in the sun, working their legs, and marveling at the remnants of Indian culture from long ago. I thought about the guys chasing us and kept my mouth shut.

Another night under the stars was very nice, and very uneventful. Whoever it was the night before made no appearance. In the gray moments before sunrise, Marian nuzzled into my neck and made little noises that got me hard. I ran my fingers down her back and found others there. Sheila poked her head up and smiled. A third body wrapped her arm around me and tickled my ribs.

Marian was right, I was the pack leader, however temporary, and was going to protect my females. Seemed a primal male duty. I laughed and they sat up, eyes asking what was going on.

I pushed the oldest across my lap and kissed her hard. ÒThis one has me thinking about my responsibilities. LetÕs have breakfast and rumble out of here.Ó

They were feeling feisty and were full of complaints and questions. ÒWhat are you going to do if they come after us again? When are we getting to Albuquerque? DonÕt you care about your poor pregnant mate?Ó

I sensed free floating anxiety and put them to work on chores to get their minds off unanswered questions. We had the RV buttoned up and were on the road before nine. Navigation was simple. A straight line of gravel road stretched in front, surrounded by rocky rolling desert as far as the eye could see.

After two hours, we had gone sixty miles and were almost to the Flying X Ranch, which advertised cabins and camping on the web. We stopped for fresh coffee and a walk around. And a pee. The women told me to be decent and not look at them as they squatted behind nonexistent bushes. I dug around in my duffel for the strongest binoculars we had. A look up and down the road showed nothing. Not even the slightest whiff of vehicle dust.

ÒIf there is anyone after us today, they arenÕt very close.Ó

Marian pulled my hair and asked, ÒAre you sure they havenÕt bugged the RV again?Ó

I cursed myself when I found the small gadget under the frame. Dumbnut. We had left the vehicle unattended yesterday for hours. No wonder we didnÕt get a night time visit.

They stared at the small box in my palm. ÒWhat do you think? Leave it on the vehicle? Might as well let them assume we donÕt know about it?Ó

Julie leaned on me and said, ÒThey can read the same maps we can. The Flying X is the only place out here before the good road, which is another sixty miles away.Ó

Marian summed it up, ÒWe camp out at the ranch tonight. If we are lucky, we run into some people heading out tomorrow and going toward El Paso. DonÕt you think the bug would like a ride to El Paso? ItÕs on the way to Yucatan.Ó

Her voice was serious, but the eyes were laughing. We piled into the RV and were at the ranch before noon. A very pleasant young woman named Grace welcomed us and confirmed that our online reservation had been received and a place well away from the road was available.

ÒSometimes the satellite Internet goes down, but for you, it didnÕt.Ó She smiled and said there was WiFi on the veranda if we wanted to use the net. I shook my head and said we had put ourselves on an Internet diet.

Outside, I told the women that there was no point in possibly giving away our location by using Internet. Marian poked me and said, ÒFat chance, they already are tracking us with the bug.Ó

Setting up the sunshade and the picnic table, I was having rebellious thoughts. Uppity women.

And wondering about Albuquerque. Three people and a writer, all looking for work in a place without a lot of jobs. And a desert climate that was great for tourist trips and otherwise wasn't much, at least by California standards. An RV that wasn't exactly a home and would start rubbing rough spots on its four occupants.

Maybe I was just gloomy because we hadn't gotten rid of the pursuers.

Julie had a trail map she got from the reception area. "What if we take lunch and water and find a place to watch the road and the RV and stay out of sight?"

We locked the vehicle and headed northeast across the gravel road. Following a gentle rise, we found a clump of rocks that offered shelter from the sun and a viewing spot for the road below to the west. Julie had her binoculars out, checking the area, while I munched on a sandwich and dozed. Marian and Sheila used my leg for a pillow.

A shout from Julie got us all awake. Her arm pointed to a cloud of dust in the distance to the north, advancing rapidly. Peering through the glasses, she said, "Looks like three bikes riding together."

I was trying to decide what we should do, other than staying put, when Julie gave another shout, "There's someone after them with a flashing red light. It must be the park police."

Over the next ten minutes, we watched a desert drama play out before us. A very personal drama. As the bikes neared our position, Julie exclaimed, "It's the same ones! The ones we saw on the reservation."

The riders kept looking back and then at each other. A second park vehicle with its light going closed fast on the first. The bikers were almost abreast of our position, which was a quarter mile or so from the road. I could see without glasses one of them shrug at the others and begin slowing.

When the cavalcade stopped, the police ranger waited for his backup and carefully walked to the bikes, a hand out for licenses. Gesturing to the three men in leather to stay put, he walked to the other park vehicle and handed in the licenses. After several minutes, he nodded and returned the licenses, shaking his head and pointing back up the road toward the Canyon. This was not popular. Our shadow bikers stomped their feet and waved arms vigorously. After a minute or so, the ranger pulled out his phone and what looked like a citation book.

Things quieted down after that, and shortly the two park vehicles were headed north with the bikers sandwiched in between.

Sheila asked, "Do you think we should call the police and identify them?"

"Couldn't hurt. Let's go back to the ranch."

Grace had a number for the direct line to the park police and I reached a woman who obviously was also a dispatcher. She knew of the events out our way and said she would have a ranger call us as soon as he was available.

I suggested to the women that they could relax at the RV, and I would wait. A short explanation to Grace was in order, after which she exclaimed, "That's nasty. That's more than nasty, it's criminal!

A short time later, the phone rang with a call from the ranger in charge of police patrols, who thanked me and described a speakerphone call to the Sheriff in Fredonia, with the bikers in the room. Apparently, the Sheriff knew all of them and said they were in serious trouble and had already earned thirty day jail sentences if he decided to press charges. Not to mention what would happen to their jobs and so on.

According to the ranger, the Sheriff also said he wanted to see them tomorrow morning in his office or he was putting out arrest warrants.

I expressed great thanks and said I would inform the women that their pursuers were headed back to face the music in Fredonia. Grace gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "You go take care of those lovely ladies. They will be happy, I am sure."

The lovely ladies were indeed very happy, knocking me to the bed and beating on my chest.

"Jeff! That is such good news. Now we can be just ordinary scared, not seriously scared!"

We shared a couple of beers outside under the umbrella. I felt a nap coming on and headed for the bed. After some banging in the kitchenette, I was joined by three other sleepy bodies. I pulled Marian close and said, "I had a thought..."

She poked me and said, "Now what?"

"What would you think about growing our baby in your own home instead of out here in the desert?"

A long silence was ended by screams. "Oh my god, he wants to go home! Hallelujah!"

I was pounded all over again. Knowing worries were growing, I grabbed our two strays and pulled them close. "Is it acceptable for you to live with us while you get established in new lives?"

I was showered with kisses and happy noises and closed my eyes. They tried to nap with me, but it didn't work, too much juice flowing. Marian announced, "You stay here and sleep, we are going for a walk and have girl talk."

An hour later, feeling the lack of exercise, I threw on my running shorts and shoes and headed out, waving at Marian and the others as I went by. Animal and human trails went every which way, but it didn't matter, because all the landmarks stayed in sight. My condition was lousy. Too much nervous tension didn't help.