| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted July 20, 2014 | Chapters: |
...26 27 -28- 29... 
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Elsa and Angela arrive and find unexpected guests waiting.
A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide
The Old Farm and Unexpected Guests
by michaelcahill
| Background A kidnapping that has gone from sea to Vegas and now to Utah. The Bard, a homeless mentally ill poet is on the case. Millions at stake. |
Previously, Elsa headed towards her families abandoned farm in Utah. This wasn't what the detectives were banking on. They expected her to go straight to Winston's compound. Barry took the cat, cat box and thus the tracking device with him as he drove to connect with Elsa. The detectives guessed that it was a rendevous with Elsa and that is the direction they headed. We pick up with the story now as Elsa and Angela pull up on the old farmhouse.
~~~~~~~the abandoned Sutton farm in Utah
Elsa pulled onto an unmarked dirt road that seemed to lead right into the forest. She hadn't been here since she was a teenager. But, she recalled the road to the house clearly. It was over grown, but the road was there if you knew it was there. The ranch was huge and the road leading up to it was over two miles long. From where Elsa had turned off the highway to where they were heading, it was all Sutton land. The forest ended as abruptly as it started. Off about a quarter mile down the road was the old Victorian style two story Sutton home. It had been five years since anyone had been on the road leading to it.
Angela looked with interest and even anticipation as the large homestead loomed in the distance. It looked like a page out of one of her history books. She loved history and probably knew more about the workings of this place than Elsa who had visited here dozens of times. Elsa had no particular feeling as she drove up towards her grandparents' house. She could only think of things like ransom money, and where Barry and her cat might be.
The house needed repair. But, it had weathered abandonment quite well. Houses built in the early 1900's had the advantage of being constructed of quality materials. That constituted all the materials that were available. Plywood, particleboard, plastic molding and razor thin windowpanes didn't exist in 1914 when this house was constructed. The amount of oak, mahogany and other hard woods making up this house would cost a fortune. The rosewood trim and leaded glass windows in every room would fetch a pretty penny at a Sotheby's auction.
In spite of the dire circumstances, Angela couldn't help but feel some excitement at the prospects of exploring this piece of history. She had been to a few older sections of Los Angeles such as Pasadena that had homes like this and had been to more than one of the New England states where houses like this are not unusual.
The giant red barn caught her eye as well. That may contain items that could help in her efforts to escape or over power Elsa. Visions of sickles and axes danced in her mind and fantasies of Elsa being hacked to bits made her smile.
Elsa opened the door and barged inside. She spoke out loud to know one in particular, "I sure as hell ain't getting my money's worth from the caretakers of this place. What a damn mess. Looks like bums have been living here. Maybe still do." She drew her gun. "Anyone in her best come out now. You're trespassin'. I've every right to shoot you. Show yourself now, or that's exactly what I'm gonna do."
Angela had stopped at the doorway and backed a couple steps down the porch. I hope someone jumps her boney ass right now. She's got the keys though. Well… straight to the trees then.
"Angela! Get your ass in here. You remember what I told you. Dead or alive. I'm not playing here." She glanced at the front door as Angela reluctantly sauntered through. "If I have to come lookin', I'm shooting first, get it?"
"Don't shoot. We're not hurting anything. No one's lived here since we can remember. We didn't have nowhere to go. Don't hurt us. We're just kids." Two little girls came out of a bedroom. They looked to be a nine or ten year old and the little one couldn't be much more than four years old.
Elsa kept her gun pointed. "Who else is here with you? Where's your folks?"
"She's dead Ma'am. Died in the hills where we lived. We lost our house and was livin' in the hills. She took sick and died. I couldn't save her. I buried her best I could. I brought Charlotte to this empty house here. I didn't know what else to do. We been here for… I don't know, a bunch of days now. We ate some food… cans of stuff. We thought it was abandoned…"
"Okay! I don’t want a life history. Sit on the couch over there 'till I figure this out. What's your name little girl?"
"Priscilla."
The girls looked at Angela who nodded towards the couch and managed a little half smile.
Elsa's phone rang. She grabbed it with her free hand. "Yeah. Where are you? No. That is the road. No sign. Right into the forest. No, that's it. You're here. You'll see when you get to the end. You'll see. You're here. Got a bonus here. Ha! Just a bonus. A surprise. How's Samson? He'd better be."
~~~~~~~Barry's car
I don't believe this. Talk about follow the yellow brick road. Some yellow bricks would help. Wicked witch of Utah… "Looks like we're here, Samson. Rat heaven."
~~~~~~~Lucy's car
"He's stopped now about fifty miles ahead. It's off the highway. No roads marked. All private ranches there. That's where they are, I can feel it. About an hour. Hopefully they'll be some cover. We can take a look at night and make our move on foot. I don't want to alert them zooming up in a car." Tenaya hadn't slept in thirty-six hours and neither had Lucy or the Bard.
The Bard was being quiet, which was unusual for him. He smiled at Lucy. "This is the easy part. That compound is still out there. I have a feeling about it. These guys don't act like soldiers. They act like criminals."
Lucy looked worried. "I know what you mean. Soldiers look for wars not business opportunities. You think they have kids there don't you?"
The Bard just looked out the window and said, "Yep".
Book of the Month contest entry
Sorry to have lagged behind. Very busy. Thank you for all your input. Will try to keep the story going on a more regular basis. Some illness in the household. Thanks for all your help and patience.
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