She investigated the sad tire then looked up and down the road. No one in sight...no houses either...just terrain and highway as far as her eye could see. She crawled back into the truck to think.
It’s too far to walk back to the ranch...it’s too far to walk to town… I’ll just wait...someone will come along eventually… But...should I trust just anyone that comes along? A lone woman on the side of the road?.... What choice do I have? I can’t sit here forever...
The thoughts tumbled through her mind as the minutes ticked on...and on...
Finally, her thoughts were interrupted as a car approached. It zoomed past without a passing glance. She waited awhile longer. A few more cars passed her by. She was thankful it wasn’t mid-summer or she would be sweltering in the heat. As she saw another vehicle approaching in her rearview mirror, she decided to get out of the truck and wave it down. Instead of stopping, the vehicle swerved and blasted it’s horn at her.
Who do they think I am, another Bonnie Parker?! she thought remembering the fame of that desperate duo Bonnie and Clyde who terrorized this same area a decade or so earlier. Maybe I should try showing a little leg next time, she thought, recalling Claudette Colbert’s successful hitch hiking tactic in the movie It Happened One Night. No...I’d better not… She sighed and got back into the truck. God...what am I going to do?
She waited what seemed like hours watching several vehicles pass her by without a backward glance. Just as she had decided she would start walking toward town, she noticed a truck speed by then slow down. The truck pulled over and started backing up.
Thank God! Finally! Some help!
She was even more relieved when the truck door swung open and a familiar face appeared. It was Tate Palmer! She scrambled out of the truck to greet him.
“Tate! Oh, am I glad to see you!”
“Mrs. Buchanan...what’s going on?” he asked before spying the flat tire. “Oh..a flat. Well, I can fix that. Does your husband carry a spare?”
“Spare what?” she asked.
“Tire, Ma’am.” Tate looked in the truck bed. “Guess not.”
Seeing Nora’s concerned expression he added quickly, “That’s not a problem though. We’ll just get a spare at Murphy’s Garage in town, and I’ll repair it on the way back. Don’t worry about a thing. Just lock the truck, and we’ll head to town.”
“Okay,” Nora agreed thankful to be out of her predicament and to leave someone else in charge.
“Thank you again for stopping,” Nora told Tate as they began their trip to town. “I didn’t know what I was going to do…”
“Glad I came along when I did,” Tate replied. “We’ll get you fixed up in no time.”
Nora tried to relax then and make polite conversation...about the weather and the ranch...anything to calm her frayed nerves. Tate wasn’t much of a conversationalist. Finally, she gave up and just rode quietly. Tate took the fork in the road and kept driving silently along listening to the radio. Nora looked at the rambling countryside as they went.
After what seemed like a long time Nora realized that nothing on the route looked familiar to her even though she had taken it many times with Bo. She thought they should be getting to town soon…
“Are we taking a different route?” she finally asked Tate. “Bo and I don’t take this road.”
“Yes, Ma’am...we’ll just come into town on the north end near Murphy’s.”
“Oh, I see,” she said as he traveled on.
But when he turned off onto a gravel road, Nora questioned him again. “Where will this take us?” she asked, somewhat confused.
When she looked at Tate, he didn’t answer. “Tate?”
He kept driving in silence before he answered. “I’ve decided that I need to help you,” he finally said.
“Help me? How? What do you mean?” Nora asked.
“With my brother...I told you how he feels about you...and why. Well...Chet plans to seduce you away from your husband. Actually...he’s tried twice now to kill your husband. The stable fire...it was set. And the bull...the dog was sent into the pen on purpose...to lure your daughter and your husband there. Chet wants your husband out of the way. Can’t you see? So that he can have you for himself...but, it isn’t going to work this time. He won’t get what he wants this time. He won’t because I’m going to help you.”
Nora was shocked. The fire and the bull were intentional acts? Chet would go that far? She couldn’t believe it. She looked back at Tate who kept his eyes straight ahead.
“So...how are you going to help me?” Nora asked. “If you just take me back to the ranch, I can…”
“NO!” Tate interrupted. “No...I can’t take you back there. If I do, don’t you see, Chet will try something again? And this time he might really kill your husband! He’s been watching you through your windows at night for a long time now. I caught him myself. You have to listen to me.”
“Tate...if we…” Nora tried again. But Tate didn’t listen. He interrupted again talking as much to himself as to Nora.
“Chet won’t stop til he gets what he wants, you know. That’s what he did with Ellie. Ellie was my girl...did you know that? She was mine...until Chet came along and took her away from me...with his good looks and charm. He’s been like that with all women...never one that he couldn’t get if he poured on the charm and tried. But, I showed him...yes, I did...I took Ellie right back...that’s what I did. Took her away from Chet...we went off to a little house together...just me and Ellie.” Tate stopped a few moments before pressing on.
“Chet really loved Ellie. He went berserk when she disappeared. Looked for days and weeks for her. The cops even arrested him thinking he knew something about her disappearance...thinking he knew where Ellie was…” Tate laughed at this. “But Chet didn’t know anything. Finally the loss of Ellie and the accusations sent him over the edge. He had a breakdown, and ended up in the psych ward at the hospital for six months. He never did know what happened to Ellie...still doesn’t. But...he didn’t get her back. For once in his life my little brother didn’t get what he wanted.”
Nora looked at Chet. “And Ellie?” she asked quietly. “Where is she now?”
Tate said nothing. After some time, Nora could tell he was getting nervous. He started shaking his head back and forth. Then, beating on the steering wheel with his fists, he spoke again, his voice rising with his anger, “I tried and tried to get her to listen to me...but she just wouldn’t listen! She kept trying to get away...to go back to Chet! I didn’t mean to hurt her, but she wouldn’t listen!” He was nearly hysterical now. “I didn’t mean to kill her...it was an accident...because she wouldn’t listen! But you…” He looked at Nora with wild eyes, “You’re going to listen, right? You’ll stay with me...not let Chet have you, right? I won’t let him get what he wants again! I won’t! He can’t have everything!”
Nora stared at him, stunned and speechless.
“Don’t worry...I’ll take care of you...don’t worry…” Tate said soothingly.
Thoughts were barreling through Nora’s mind. She knew she couldn’t go where he was taking her and remain safe...and she had nothing to fight with...she made a split second decision. As Chet slowed down for the next curve, Nora opened the door and leaped from the truck.
She rolled through the brush at the side of the road slightly aware of the gravel and twigs tearing at her skin and clothing, then she stumbled to her feet and ran as quickly as possible trying to hide in some brush. But Chet saw her and was soon upon her. He grabbed her and dragged her by the arms back toward the truck. Nora fought with all her being scratching and elbowing him...kicking, screaming. She would not go without a fight. Finally, as they neared the truck once again, she twisted and was able to give him a swift kick in the groin with her heel. He fell to the ground writhing in pain. She tried again to flee, but he grasped her ankle as she turned to run pulling her down beside him. Grabbing a nearby rock, Nora gave him a swift blow to the head rendering him unconscious. She stumbled to her feet and bolted to the truck. Throwing the truck into gear and spinning gravel, she left the unconscious and bleeding Tate in the brush and barreled back toward the main road...
I KNEW that Tate was the bad guy. Well...one of the bad guys at least. I'm not sure Chet is all that innocent. WOOT to Nora for taking care of herself.