Murder On The Mainline - S01 E23

Story 11 months ago

Murder On The Mainline - S01 E23

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 23

3RD WEDNESDAY

As the sun first strikes the mountains and glaciers around Jasper, a CPX Kenworth makes its way into those mountains with a box full of goods for Vanderhoof. Mike starts working the gears again for the grades and Trudy crawls out through the curtain to curl up by him on the console.

He watches her out of the corner of his eye and says, "You better put something on. It's getting light. How'd you sleep?"

She yawns and stretches almost causing an accident with an oncoming car full of tourists. She reaches through the curtain and pulls out the cowboy hat.

"Not that. We're leaving the prairie now. You got a fur lined one?"

She laughs and pulls out her robe as well. She perches beside him with her feet up against the windshield. "Can we stop for a pee, soon?"

"I'll find a spot. Cross your legs for a while."

Mike watches for a wide shoulder with brush near the road. Soon she has her way. They push on along Jasper Lake and soon reach the town of Jasper. On they’re way west out of town they have to slow for big horn sheep on the road. Then it’s over the Yellowhead Pass and west on the Yellowhead Highway. Near Tete Jaune Cache they see tourists out taking pictures of a bear and her two cubs by the roadside.

Mike shudders and says, "Don't look, Trudy. Those idiots don't realize what danger they're putting themselves in. We'll just keep on trucking."

"Don't people read signs?"

"Sometimes you wonder."

At Tete Jaune Cache junction they are flagged down by another big blue rig. It’s one of the trucks from Prince George and he tells them he will take their load on in. They are to head south to Kamloops then over to Sicamous for the long box that's going back down to the coast. Mike uses his cell phone to confirm with Toronto then drops the trailer. The other guy grins at him as Trudy peeks over his shoulder and he looks quickly to see what she has on. She winks at him and says, "Don't you trust me to not embarrass you, Mike?"

She's overdressed for Trudy and he has nothing to worry about. They both wave as they pull away and bob tail south. They have a picnic lunch in the pullover by the campground in Clearwater. After lunch they stroll hand in hand along the river for a ways then return to the truck. The atmosphere has taken on a holiday feeling without a trailer to tow. They spend an hour in the sleeper "Getting a rest" as Mike calls it.

"Just because you made me do all the work." Trudy is not really complaining, just kidding around.

"You had to work off that lunch, didn't you," is Mike's comeback.

They roll through the edge of Kamloops and head east to Sicamous for supper at the Husky. Mike hooks on to the long box and checks his fuel. Soon they are heading south down the Okanagan. Trudy pipes up, "Don't you think I should work off some of that supper?"

Mike grins and says, "Later."

The lakes are gray and misty in places in the sunset. "With any luck we'll be in Kelowna before dark."

"Will we be home before midnight?"

"Don't think so. Want to stop for another night?"

"I can take it if you can."

"I'll ease back on her then, and we'll stop at the truck stop in Keremeos for the night. You want to call home?"

"I better."

Mike pulls the cell phone out of the charger and hands it to her. "Should be able to call from anywhere here in the Okanagan. Give it a try."

Trudy calls her baby sitter then puts her hand over the mike and says, "Will we be in by noon?"

"You going to let me out of bed in the morning?"

She gets back on the phone, "Sometime in the afternoon, I guess." She glances at Mike as she continues to chatter and winks. When she gets off the phone she says, "They want me in at work tomorrow around six. They've changed my schedule."

"We can push on through tonight if you want."

"No. I want one more night with you."

Mike parks at the truck stop around ten PM. They go in for coffee then retire to their love nest. Mike is heard to murmur, "I hope they're in no hurry for this long box."

Around five Mike wakes with Trudy half on top of him. He lays quiet listening to her even breathing. She murmurs something in her sleep and moves her leg that is flung over his, bringing her groin closer to his. He holds his breath as he feels desire mounting. The shoulder her head is on starts to tingle and he moves that hand to get circulation going on that side. She stirs a bit and nestles her head into his chest. They are both naked and she has flung back the cover sometime during the night. It still covers her ass and their legs, but that's all. He lifts his arm and checks his watch.

She feels his movement and comes awake slowly, stretching and rolling up on top of him. She presents her mouth for a kiss and he obliges. Lying there on top of him she feels him stir and grins, "Is that for me?"

"No, I was thinking about Marlene." She swats him one as he tries to duck. She swings again.

"Thinking about her, are you? I'll ruin you so you won't be any good for her or anyone else!" She reaches down and gets a firm grip on his sack.

"Uncle! Uncle! I give up! Enough. I wasn't thinking about Marlene, I wasn't! I was thinking only about you and how beautiful you are first thing in the morning. Whew."

"That's better. Now, let's fuck!"

When they've finished, have used the washrooms and had a bite of breakfast they head west again through Princeton and on to Manning Park. Trudy is in her usual perch, on the padded console beside him.

"Are you going to be working evenings the rest of the week?"

"It looks that way. I can go with you to question those suspects during the day. Crystal can go right to the baby sitter's from school."

"Okay. I'll probably pick you up tomorrow morning if nothing else comes up."

"Do you want to take my paperwork or do you want me to hang onto it."

"I'd better take it with me."

"That's okay. I have another copy on my computer. Have you still got the RCMP file?"

"Yeah, but I have it hidden. I was afraid they might come looking for it when they discovered I was seeing their secretary. They still might."

"How could they legally do that?"

"Put two and two together and convince a judge. They know I have their suspects list. They don't know what else I have. I suspect that's how they stopped Nina and I and searched her vehicle."

"Why don't you bring the file down to me? Do they know about me?"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure they do by now."

"You mean they might come and search my place?"

"It's possible."

"Shit!"

"Do you have anything to hide? The work you've been doing for me on the suspects list is legal. I wouldn't worry. Just tell them you never heard of any RCMP file, if they ask. They can't prove otherwise."

Around noon Mike pulls in by her bungalow in Hope. He parks and Crystal comes running to greet her mother. The baby sitter steps out on the porch.

Trudy catches Crystal up in her arms and says, "Hi there honey, why aren't you in school?"

"I'm sick. Melaney said I could stay home this morning." The baby sitter nods. Trudy grabs Mike to give him a big kiss before he leaves then sends him on his way with a wave. Crystal calls, "Bye Mike, Bye."

Mike drives back through Hope and out the Haig Connection to Agassiz. Then it’s the Lougheed to Mission and POCO. AS he enters the yard the spotter pulls in beside him.

"Put it in door three, Mike." He speaks into his mic with the office then says, "Never mind, just put it in the lineup. They want another one in three. See ya." He guns the diesel and wheels away across the yard looking for another trailer. Mike pulls ahead and backs the trailer into the lineup of arrivals. He jumps down, cranks down the dollies and pulls the pin. Jumping back up behind the cab he pulls the airlines and swings around the edge of the tractor on the foot and hand holds to the door. He eases ahead and watches the trailer settle on the dollies in his mirror. All clear he pulls his tractor around to the wash rack.