Arlene headed inside the Sheriff's station. She came out a few minutes later, but instead of getting back into the RV she headed down the street to the bakery.
I watched her through the curtains. She was taking her time, walking leisurely. She visited the drugstore. She was looking in shop windows, even on her way back. If I didn't know better I'd think that she'd forgotten all about us.
I glanced out the other window, yep the guy was still there. He was talking on his cell phone again, and staring at the RV. He was chain smoking again, but I couldn't smell it anymore as he was downwind.
I looked back out the other window.
What was going on? Was this some part of the plan she didn't tell us about?
I looked at Apoc. He looked back at me with those big eyes, but I wasn't sucked in at all. I couldn't see anything behind those eyes. For all I knew he was dumb as a rock, maybe he just looked smart. Thousands of years of evolution to learn how to play off the instincts of a human. But he was a wolf. He didn't need man. I tried to think of a time that he'd communicated with me and I couldn't think of one instance that I couldn't rationalize away as just some sort of cosmic accident.
Maybe Arlene thought she'd be able to distract the Sheriff with her feminine charms? I couldn't tell. She walked over to the Sheriff's cruiser.
What?!?
What was she doing? That was never part of the plan. She was giving him a doughnut. A doughnut? What was going on? Why was she feeding the enemy? Why don't you go get him coffee too?
And then like she'd heard me, she went back inside the little bakery... just then I heard a thump on the other side. I jumped over to the other window. The guy was gone, but there was a lit cigarette smoking on the ground. I looked around the edges of the window. I couldn't see him anywhere. I hadn't felt the rig move. Was he underneath? I couldn't smell anything different. And I was sure that I'd be able to smell a chimney like that a mile off. He'd positively reek of tar and nicotine. I was sure he wasn't close enough for me to smell. I glanced over.
Apoc was sitting there smiling.
I just wanted to bite his nose and wipe that smile off his face. But that would have to wait. I looked out the window back up the street. Arlene was nowhere in sight.
An old beat up truck came around the police station and motored down the street and pulled in behind the Sheriff's car. Arlene came out of the bakery and again stopped at the Sheriff's car. She must really be laying it on thick. Just then I caught a flicker of someone behind the sheriff's car. The truck door opened and an older man got out. He looked like he was trying to sober up from last night. He staggered slightly.
Arlene smiled and waved at him and walked away back towards us. She was walking quickly.
Then I noticed that she'd left her bakery bag on the top of the Sheriff's car. The old man came over and began to help himself to the pastries. I could see the Sheriff trying to wave him off.
Arlene broke into a run.
The Sheriff realizing that it was a setup shoved the old man who sat down hard. He turned the key and I heard his car trying to start, but it sounded like it wouldn't catch. The ignition just spun and spun.
Arlene slammed into the door and ripped it open. She jumped into the drivers seat.
"Hold on."
Just then something caught and there was a tremendous backfire. There was a cloud of smoke from the Sheriff's car. It sounded like it was trying to run but couldn't. I could see him flailing around inside the car. But it looked like he couldn't get his door open.
She fired up the mini bus and pulled out of town.
"Elvis has left the building!" she shouted and fist pumped the air.
