Chapter 16 ~~
Shadows were starting to set in as the sun slowly was setting. Soon darkness would engulf the red truck and its occupants. They had been driving for a good 4 and half hours before Ron decided it was time to stop. They needed Gas by then and he also promised Jr. he could clean himself up. Jr. was also getting pretty hungry and was hoping to find some pain relievers soon!
Junior’s bright red pick up slid to a halt in front of a pair of gas pumps. Ron reached to the back of the cab and pulled out a bag.
“Here…” He said while thrusting the bag at Jr.
“What’s this?”
“Extra cloths and things… thought you’d need them.”
Jr. formed a confused look. Why would he bring him extra cloths? Ron apparently noticed the confusion on his face.
“I knew this trip would take days. I didn’t want you wearing the same thing. Besides... you might start to smell.”
Junior scrunched his nose up at the comment before he was escorted out of his truck. They entered the small gas station and Ron immediately guided Jr. to the back towards the bathrooms. After looking inside to see if there was a window in the tiny room, the big man pushed the young Earnhardt inside.
“Don’t do anything stupid.” He said to him as Jr. slammed the door shut in his face.
Once inside, he dropped the bag and let him self slide down the length of the bathroom door. He was exhausted and knew he needed rest… It wouldn’t be long till he would just faint all together. After sitting for a few minutes with his head against the door, he reached over to the bag and started searching through it. Inside he found a couple white shirts, a pair of jeans and a bottle.
Jr. reached his hand in and pulled out the bottle, causing the items inside to slide around.
“Hell yeah!” He yelped out while trying to pick himself up off the floor and to the sink.
He couldn’t believe that asshole packed Tylenol! He wanted to hug the sink in joy as he popped open the cap and shoved a couple gel caps into his mouth.
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Ron heard the door unlatch behind him and he spun around quickly to make sure his ‘Hostage” was coming.
“Took you long enough.”
Junior looked into Ron’s face and gave him a snooty smile. He was a little refreshed after changing and the Tylenol was kicking in nicely. Suddenly he had no trouble being his old Earnhardt self. Jr. couldn’t help but notice that the smile took Ron of guard.
“Uh yeah… well... go over there and get something to drink…”
He didn’t need to be told twice. Any chance to not be near Ron was fine with him. He made his way over to a set of coolers in search of something to drink.
“Well… I guess I can’t have a Bud in a situation like this.” He muttered under his breath while reaching in and grabbing a bottled water. Come to think of it… he hadn’t had a Budweiser since before the attack. All the more reason to hate Ron.
He snickered a little to himself for actually being mad about a thing like that when he heard a female voice behind him.
“Jr.?”
When he spun around he found a young blonde headed girl. She couldn’t have been more then 20. Her eyes were filled with tears, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.
“… Umm…” He didn’t know what to say... he had been recognized and suddenly he felt the need to not make eye contacted with Ron. He was sure he wouldn’t like this.
“Its really you!” Her face lit up when he gave her a smile. A nervous one… but a smile nonetheless.
“How are you feeling? Are you ok? I cried so hard!” The girl’s eyes finally let the tears wash over onto her cheeks and she reached up to wipe her eyes. Jr. felt horrible for her. She apparently took the whole thing hard… but now wasn’t a good time.
“I’m fine… don’t’ cry!” He put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her but it seemed to make her sobbing worse. All the while Jr. made sure he had Ron in his sights. So far he hadn’t noticed the girl.
“I thought you died and I’ve been watching on the news channels daily to see if I hear anything and there’s always nothing!”
Suddenly Jr. realized how Kevin must have felt.
“What’s your name?”
The question seemed to slow down her sobs.
“Karla…” she sniffed.
“Karla… I want you to do something for me.”
Out of the corner of his eye he caught Ron slinking closer to them. He didn’t look happy. He needed to finish what he had to say before it was too late.
“Tell people… Tell them you saw me tonight ok? So people know. Tell the first person you see… the second person too. Stop worrying… I’m ok alright?”
She nodded and Jr. smiled till he felt something jab into his back.
“We are leaving…” Ron said while grabbing Jr. by the shoulder tightly.
“Bye Karla.” Jr. said before letting himself be dragged out of the store. He hoped Karla would pull through. It was his only chance to let people know where he was.
“What did you say to her?”
“She was worried about me so I told her I was fine.”
“Yea I’m sure that’s all you said.”
“It was.”
Ron didn’t really believe him so he pushed Jr. into the closed passenger side door for good measure.
“Get in…”
Jr. used the rest of his strength to pull himself into the cab of the truck.
Two wet red eyes watched from the store window.
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Teresa’s cell phone sent a shrill sound in the car as she sped down the highway. She hit the speaker button.
“Yeah?”
“Mrs. Earnhardt? We got a call 15 minutes ago from a girl in Virginia. She claims to have seen and talked to your step son.”
Teresa exhaled.
“Was he alright?”
“The girl said he looked worn out and very tired but other than that…”
“Thank god… What the hell is he doing in Virginia?!” She screamed to no one in particular.
“She reported an other man that was with your son. About early 40’s, dark hair and eyes about 6’4.”
Teresa searched her brain to see if she remembered any one by that description.
“I cant think of who that could be.’
“Mrs. Earnhardt… I’m not finished.”
That didn’t sound good and Teresa knew she wasn’t going to like what was coming next.
“This man apparently was very harsh. The girl saw him push your stepson into the side of his truck forcefully. Personally Ma’am… I don’t think he’s a friend.
“So what are you telling me?” She didn’t want to believe what she was thinking.
“We think he’s been kidnapped.”
“No…” she whispered. She couldn’t believe it. But yet she could… and she knew who it was.
“We alerted the state troopers to be on the look out for that truck.”
“Damn it! You people should have been protecting him! Where were you when he left the house? You were supposed to be watching!”
“The officers were having a shift change. This guy must have known when and how much time he needed. We think he’s been watching for a while.”
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Jr. sat in the seat fighting his eyelids. He didn’t want to fall asleep with this guy. He kept nodding and shaking his head to get rid of the urge to drift off. He reached over to roll down the window.
“You should get some rest.”
“I’m not tired.”
“The hell your not! You’re nodding off over there!”
“I’d rather not…”
“Alright lets get this straight. I wont do anything to you while you are sleeping. I have better plans for you later.”
“I’m sorry but your word means nothing to me.”
There was a long pause till Ron got an evil smile across his lips.
“So… you figured out who has been helping me huh?”
Jr. closed his eyes as he remembered. A dull ache in his heart started to form.
“It didn’t take much for me to convince him to help.”
“Shut up…”
“Sore subject? Let me tell you something about your brother…”
“Half!” Jr. added forcefully.
“Half, quarter… two tenths… it doesn’t matter. He’s still blood. He still came from your father.”
“You’re an asshole. You probably threatened him!”
“Well you’re not stupid I can tell you that! But you’re only half right… As soon as I told him what I wanted him to do… he was all ears!”
“You’re lying!”
“Am I? Guess we’ll soon see huh? Who do you think got me into the motor coach area? Who do you think replaced your pills? And who do you think got me into your house?”
Junior was red in the face and seething. He didn’t want to think that his brother would actually do something like that to him.
Not an other word was said. And that bothered him. He wished that he didn’t have to dwell on the fact that Kerry deceived him but he had no choice.
It wasn’t long after though… that he succumbed to his eyelids and drift into a restless sleep.
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There was a knock at Kevin Harvick’s Motor coach door. Within seconds the young Goodwrench driver flung it open and allowed his guests to come in.
“Alright what’s this about? Its really late…” Tony Stewart said while rubbing his eyes.
“Yeah I need my beauty sleep and all that fun stuff.” Elliot said.
Dale Jarrett and Steve Park stepped in last. Both had dazed sleepy looks.
“I’m sorry you guys but I have to ask you… wait… where’s Michael?”
“He was right behind me.” Tony said while turning around.
“He sat down outside waiting for you to open the door. I think he sleeping now.” Elliot said while turning around and going back out the door to get Michael.
Once they were now all standing in Kevin’s Motor coach, Kevin finally let them in on why they were visiting.
“Alright… Have any of you talked to Jr. today?”
The small group of drivers looked at each other before answering in unison.
“No…”
“Damn it… Well heres the situation. Teresa called me earlier today and asked me if had talked to him. I didn’t so I handed the phone to Tony Jr. and he hadn’t talked to him. Teresa can’t find him at all. Apparently his truck was missing and no one saw him leave.”
“So uh… they still don’t know where he is?” Tony suddenly was wide-awake.
“No. Man this is kinda scary.”
“Did they check the local bars?” Michael said with shuteyes. He was leaning on Elliot’s shoulder.
“Uh… No Michael… he knows he’s not supposed to be in that car… or drinking… and he would have told SOMEONE if he was going somewhere… I may be paranoid but I can’t help but worry.” Kevin started biting his nails in frustration.
“Look… Maybe he just wanted to get away… or drive or something. We all know he wasn’t happy with Teresa. And we also all know he CAN drive… He’s an Earnhardt. He makes his own rules.” Steve added.
“I don’t know Steve. After all that has happened lately. I wouldn’t think he would just get up and leave.” Elliot said
“I don’t know guys… But we can’t do anything from New Hampshire…” Tony added
“And we aren’t going to.” Michael said. “We don’t know where he is and like Steve said… maybe he needed to get away.”
“I hope your right Michael… But I just don’t feel right about this…” Kevin said.
After their little visit the group of drivers went back to their warm beds only to not get much sleep. Worry swept over them. Where was Jr.?
