The White Wolf of Winter

Part Nineteen, Begin the Search

Chapter Thirty One
Bill
    I need to find out the names of all the pilots that go in and out of the airport. The problem will be identifying which one is Dan's father. How do I go about doing that?
I'll talk to every pilot flying in or out if I have to. I need some kind of schedule of flights. I'll have to talk to the dispatch person, maybe question the guys in the hanger. How hard could it be, it's a tiny airport. But will he talk to me? I wonder how I find out where these planes fly to?

    "Hey Mary, how was school today?"

    "Oh, it was alright, so many last days examinations before we graduate. I wish Dan were graduating with us."

    "Ya, it's very strange how he just disappeared but considering he killed someone, I can understand why he split."

    "I guess, but to not call or write, nothing. But, you could be totally right, Bill."

    "Anyway, I am trying to find Dan's father and see if he'll talk to me." So, what about you, Mary? Did you have any plans for college?"

    "Well, the babies due at the end of September so it's hard to really plan anything, you know?"

    "Maybe you could work for me Mary, part time in the office or even from home."

    "I could do that, Bill, thanks. Then maybe next year I can think about college. I don't even know if I should shop for the baby. Will I be keeping it or handing it over to Dan? Will we even find Dan."

    "We have all summer to worry about that, Mary. If we can't find Dan by August, I say we get married and plan on raising the child ourselves."

    "You are a wonderful man, Bill. I would be lucky to have you as a husband. I truly mean that. And I think you'd make a great father."

    "Thank you, Mary. I think you'd be a great wife and mother as well."

    "So what do we tell our parents about the baby, Bill? Should we pretend it's ours?"

    "I don't see where we have much choice, Mary. Unless you want to tell our parents the same thing you told me."

    "No way, the story ends with you, Bill."

     "I think that's best. By the way, Mary, do you have a picture of Dan that I could use to make up posters?"

    "There should be one in the year book."

    "Do you have a copy of the year book?"

    "Ya, it's on the book shelf in my room."

    "Let's go through that tonight and try and find a picture."

    We sat together, with our dogs, in front of the fireplace going through the year book. Dan must have been camera shy because we could only find one in the entire book. The picture was snapped as he walked out of the school. He must not have submitted a senior picture for the book. Bill said he would get to work trying to blow up the picture and make it into posters. To be distributed to all of the pilots and staff at the airport.

    "You know, Mary, I was thinking about going with one of the pilots on his routes to hand out posters in the various communities. I could also ask around while I'm there. All I need is a pilot who is willing to allow me to ride shotgun on his flights."

    "Won't that take you away from your job, Bill?"

    "Well, actually, I have a few weeks vacation saved up that I could use."

    "I don't want you to use up your vacation time for me, Bill. Maybe I should do it myself?"

    "No Mary, I will not allow it! You are pregnant and besides, it's not safe for a young girl to be traveling alone."

    "What do you mean, you won't allow it? I can take care of myself, Bill."

    "You are not a stupid girl, Mary, so don't start acting like one just to fit into this modern, independent women bull shit. You know what goes on in the real world. Not all men are good people, Mary. Hell, not all women are good people. But a women can easily be taken down by a man. That's just a fact and you know it. Let me look out for you, Mary. Let me be a man. Let me be your man, Mary. Will you do that?"

    "You're making me cry, Bill. I don't deserve you. You are so good to me."

    "I care for you, Mary. I want to help you find Dan. I admit, I want you for myself. But until we solve this mystery of Dan's disappearance; you'll never be mine. You'll always be thinking about him and wondering what went wrong."

Chapter Thirty Two
Bill
    I took a flight back to the city to get some posters made up for distribution. While I was waiting for my flight I asked around if anyone had seen Dan before, pulling out the picture I'd removed from Mary's year book. A few of the workers remembered him but said they had not seen him in months. So I tried to find out which plane he used to fly out of here on Christmas Eve. I told the lady at the registration desk that Dan had highly recommended the pilot he uses, but I could not remember his name. She said she would try to find some old records and get back to me. In the mean time I made up a sign and posted it at the airport.
Sign:
Highway Engineer will pay cash to ride shotgun in an effort to survey the areas that may be in need of a highway or road construction. Call Bill at 8675309.

    When I got home Mary was busy frying burgers for us. She looked so cute in her frilly pink apron.

    " Hi Bill, you had a long day, didn't you?"

    "I took a flight into the city to get some posters made up." I sat them down on the table for Mary to see.

    "These are great, Bill. I like the way you had them blown up. Someone surely will recognize him."

    "Well, I'm trying to get a pilot to let me ride shotgun into the various places they deliver or pick up passengers. If what you told me is true about Dan, I may not be welcomed if I stumble into a village of Werewolves. It could be dangerous to ask too many questions. I'm going to have to tread lightly, wherever I go. If there's one pack, there could be other packs scattered throughout the Northern territories. They could extend all the way into Siberia. We may never see Dan again, Mary. He could be anywhere up North, even into another country like Iceland, Greenland, or Russia."

    "I guess I should have asked more questions when he was still here. Every time I'd hear the dogs barking out by the fence line, I'd look out expecting to see a big, white Wolf. But I was always disappointed. Lately, I don't even go to the window to look. I really believe he's never coming back. And honestly, Bill; I'm ok with that, because of you. You've brought so much joy into my lonely life. I feel like we're a family, you, me, Sammy and Jake. Just one big, happy family."I think I'm falling in love with you, Bill. And if my dad objects to me falling in love with my step-brother, I'll just ask him if he would prefer a Werewolf for a son-in-law? That oughta shut him up."

    "Oh ya, I think that would do it!" And by the way; I love you too Mary. We're gonna get through this together."

    We decided to go to bed early and leave the dogs out this time. Because for the first time, and not the last; we planned to make mad, passionate love before I get too far along. Bill vowed that the next baby would be his. And I agreed.

    After a couple of days Bill got a call from a pilot who was willing  to allow him to ride shotgun with him for the next two weeks.

    Bill was packing his bag for the trip. We were both very quiet all night, wondering what would happen. Would he be in any danger? Where all would he be going? But most of all, we hadn't been apart since he moved in and we were both sad to be saying good-bye.

    "I'm going to miss you, Bill."

    "I'm gonna miss you too, Mary. I will try to call you whenever I can but I'll be going into some seriously isolated areas. So if you don't hear from me, don't panic, ok?"

    "I couldn't bear to loose you too, Bill. I couldn't go through that again."

    "You're not going to have to go through that again. I will be back, I promise. In the mean time I want you to take it easy, eat healthy and take your vitamins."

    "I will, Bill, thank you."

    "You're very welcome, Mary."