Hortons Bend

felt better after their conversation. They were just cogs after all. Every municipality had its bureaucratic bullshit and he knew he would never rise up any of those ladders. “Think we’ll see that guy Price today?” Ragland asked Curtis. “No telling. He’s one of those guys who is close to the commissioners so he’d be sure to report us missing if we didn’t have a presence.” Ragland had thought ahead on this trip and had brought along some reading material and a small pillow. He tucked the pillow behind his head and began reading an article in the paper. Curtis almost made a comment about the pillow when Robert got into the sedan but realized he would just be a hypocrite since he didn’t think of it himself. As the sun began to set, the two men decided to run to the diner. Both of them didn’t want to be hounded by Steve Price for not being around as they said they would be.

    Chapter 15
    Brody picked up his backpack to take along with him. It held a flashlight, a head lamp, a compact 9mm pistol and his cell phone. The handgun was an afterthought and he felt some apprehension about taking it along. Trespassing was one thing but getting caught with the weapon was quite another. Still though, Brody decided to take it along. It made him feel safer considering the location that he was going to. He hadn’t discussed what he and Darwin saw that night. Who could he tell? Darwin sure as hell didn’t want to talk about the matter anymore. While he hadn’t spoken about it, Brody had given it a great deal of thought. It was just that he forced himself to skirt around these memories each and every time they came up. What occurred that night could simply not be explained. He realized that “the experience”, as he came to think of it, was what may have convinced him to agree to Jeanie’s wild plan. What else would drive someone to do such inexplicable things that no rational person would ever consider? Backpack in hand, Brody got in the Toyota. Rationale be damned tonight.
    Arriving at the King farm, Brody got out of the cruiser and walked up to the porch. Jeanie came out and held the screen door open for him. “I thought you might change your mind Paul” she told him as he entered the house. Brody didn’t say anything at first. He looked at Jeanie and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be getting dark soon. I want to help you but I won’t lie. I want to get this over with.” Jeanie closed her eyes and nodded. “We won’t be long. I can’t leave J.W. for any amount of time”. Jeanie gathered her pocketbook and a blue jean jacket and motioned Brody towards the door. It would be dark in less than thirty minutes and they had a schedule to keep. Brody had explained to her before that he felt that this adventure was akin to an infidelity. Jeanie understood that it troubled her friend Paul and promised to abide by his wishes. While it wouldn’t take them that long to get to Horton’s Bend, there was one thing that Brody insisted upon: they had to check it out before he trespassed on the farm.
    Steve Price had driven his Mercedes SUV out towards Horton’s once again while Ragland and Curtis were at the diner but he knew where they were. He had seen the vehicle as he drove out to the farm. He didn’t park the Mercedes in their absence but rather decided to drive past the Horton farm and see if anything looked suspicious at any of the neighbor’s houses. Price was a thorough man but then again he had to be considering the investment in the project he would have once it got rolling. His concern that using the two rubes, Ragland and Curtis, might lead to unwanted inquiries was starting to subside. They didn’t want to be out here anymore than he did but he also realized this was just the start of his constant treks in this general vicinity. Once construction began, he would have to slow down the insurance business to give his full attention to the Horton Project. Price decided to turn around and drive back to where the two men were parked last night to see if they would choose the same parking spot. Sure enough they had chosen the same conspicuous spot. He pulled alongside them and motioned for them to follow him. Ragland and Curtis seemed puzzled but followed until Price made an abrupt turn into what appeared to be the edge of the woods. Given the dusky time of day, the forest seemed to swallow Price’s SUV but the two men realized it was a well camouflaged logging road. They pulled behind the