The Fugitive Grandma

Chapter 56 - In the Shadows

After breakfast, Elmer Dillinger returned to Hideaway Cove and drove Stella and Johnny down the two-lane highway that led to the base of the mountain. The Valentines kept their heads down so they wouldn’t be seen.

At the bottom, the highway continued in a straight line across a flat stretch of land leading to the freeway. It was here that Elmer pulled his Explorer onto a side road and crept back to the mysterious caves, which opened like yawning mouths in the rocky face of the mountain.

Inside the largest opening was a vast hollow expanse where their recent bounty remained hidden in the shadows. The three stolen trucks were parked just inside the cave, resting in cool tranquility, sheltered from the rugged exterior. On the cave’s floor were dozens of containers full of prescription drugs, some of them covered in packs of ice.

Since the roadside robberies two days earlier, Johnny, Stella, and Elmer had all worked in the cave together. During the night of the heists, Elmer had waited off the freeway at the base of the mountain to receive each stolen truck. He drove them off the two-lane road, parked them, and waited until morning for the sunrise to provide the light needed to back each truck carefully into the cave. Then, he unpacked and sorted the medicines. Using his Explorer, Elmer continued a series of runs between the cave and his home, transporting drugs in order of priority to the storage facilities he’d set up in his house.

As they walked through the cave, Elmer reported on his latest review of the contents of the truckloads of medicine.

“I’ve searched every package here and there’s no Helixin,” Elmer said.

Stella shrugged. “Thanks for double-checking.”

“I can’t feel good about any of this until we get it, Stella. I know you only took a few months’ supply from Dr. Whittier.”

“Grandma has a plan for that,” Johnny interrupted. “Tell us what it is. Tell us about your Hail Mary.”

Elmer and Johnny both leaned closer to Stella, waiting for her to explain.

She nodded. “This is our last job, guys. There’s only one place left that I might be able to find what I am looking for. Elmer, you’re the one who told me about this. It’s the place where they keep the medicines that only go out on special order.”

“You’re talking about the distribution center in Norco?”

“You told me yourself that Great American is turning that into the hub for the whole West Coast. If we can get in there during the off-hours, maybe we can find the Helixin they keep on hand for special orders. Johnny’s been helping me read the data in the shipping computer. I found the center’s operation hours and tonight’s the only night of the week that the place closes. They shut it down from ten p.m. until six a.m. No shipments coming in or going out. And no staff on duty.”

“Even without staff on duty, Stella, that place has got to be like a fortress. How are you going to handle all the security systems and alarm codes?” Elmer asked.

“The trucks we took all have security keys and access badges. Plus, we dug up the entry code details for each truck in their computer records. So maybe it’s no problem and we get in.”

“This sounds really risky, Stella.”

“Elmer, this is the least risky thing we’ve done so far. Going into the store in broad daylight was risky. Hitting those trucks on the open road was risky. This time we’re going into an empty warehouse isolated from public view, with a company truck, badge, and access code.”

“How do you know they aren’t expecting this and have reset the access codes?”

“If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about Lowry and his people, it’s that they may have money and resources, but they don’t think outside the box. They keep underestimating us, thinking they can bully the whole world. That’s why we’ve caught them by surprise every time. And why we need to keep pushing the envelope. Like I told Johnny, this is our Hail Mary.”

“I hear what you’re saying, Stella. And your plans have worked out so far. I’m just concerned, that’s all.”

“Elmer, you seem to be forgetting that I got no other option. I’ve got to get my hands on more Helixin. I need the biggest supply possible, one that will last me for years and years.”

“OK,” Elmer said. “Like I said, I can’t rest easy until I know you’re taken care of.”

Stella turned to Johnny. “So what do you think, kid? You up for this?”

“Absolutely,” the boy replied.

“This will be our last job. After this, I’ll just live quietly and keep a low profile. I’ll find a nice little apartment somewhere out on the high desert. I’ll sit on the sofa with the shades drawn and watch Oprah. I figure if the cops haven’t been able to catch us so far, they won’t be able to find us once we stop causing trouble and these cases fade from memory. Then we got to make plans for you, Johnny, get you reunited with your father, and maybe even your mother further on down the road.”

“Speaking of family,” Elmer said, “Millie left a message when I checked my machine on my way out here. It’s your son, Stella. He’s worried sick about you guys. He’s been running around dealing with the police and Lester Cummings. He’s trying to protect you and stay out of trouble, but he misses you bad. He feels responsible for what’s happened, like he let you and Johnny down. He thinks that’s what drove you in this direction.”

“He shouldn’t blame himself. And we shouldn’t blame him, either,” Stella said, eyeing Johnny to make sure he got the message. “We’re family, for crying out loud. We need to stop pointing fingers at each other and stop beating ourselves up over what’s happened. I want to make amends with Frank. I want us all to live like a family again.”

“He wants to talk face-to-face. What should I tell him, Stella?”

“Tell him I want the same thing. Tell him I love him.”

“Tell him I love him, too,” Johnny added in a shaky voice. A single tear escaped and fell to the floor of the cave.