The Thin Gray Line
When Griff went in to wake Maura at four-thirty, Rodya was sleeping on the bed curled at her feet.
They were packed and in the air by quarter after five. With a fifty-knot tail wind at fifteen thousand feet and a fuel stop at Pekin Muni airport south of Peoria, Illinois, Griff touched down at Lunken Field just before two in the afternoon.
While Griff tended to the needs of the Cirrus with Signature Aviation, Maura called Johnny. “Papa, are you okay?”
“Of course I am—what with the two bruisers Griff has camping out next to Patty Ann’s desk.”
“Good. I was worried.”
“I found them somewhat bothersome at first, taking up so much space and all in the office, but, you know, they’ve come to grow on me, especially since they give the appearance of having put the fear of the Almighty back into Patty Ann. She’s been damn near personable. I’m getting fond of it.”
Maura chuckled.
“Where are you now, darling?”
“We just landed in Cincinnati.”
“We?”
“Me and Griff. There’s unfinished business to be taken care of.”
Johnny was silent for full twenty seconds.
“Papa?”
“I know it. Where are you headed?”
“Not sure, yet. Either Maysville or Pine Hollow.”
“I reckon I’d put my chips on Pine Hollow.”
“Why’s that?”
“Oh, just an inclination that came my way.”
“You’re okay where you are, right?”
Johnny paused again. “We’ll be fine. We’ll see you soon, I suspect.”
“Good.”
“Maura, darling, you and Griff be careful.”
“We will, Papa.”
“And no hanky-panky. Be professional.”
“Yes, Papa.”
***~~~***
“Come on. Let's go.” Griff said as he walked by Maura, pulling her along by the arm. He dialed T-Rex’s number as they headed out to her Jeep in the parking lot.
“T, sit rep.”
“Where you at, you twat?”
“Cinci-tucky.”
“Well, you’re getting warmer. At least you’re in an adjacent state. Valance and his crew got there yesterday and crossed the river. Looks like he’s got three guys with him. Loaded up a step van with gear and Triumph Tiger adventure motor bikes and took off into the hills.”
“No idea where they’re headed?”
“No joy on the other Xs.”
“Tell the boys I’m feet dry and headed their way. If the bad guys show themselves, let me know.”
“Roger that.”
“Thanks, T.”
“You know that old bastard is slippery as an eel.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lost the boys a time or two.”
“He’s a crafty old coot.”
“Yeah…but didn't get far. Anyways, what the fuck are you waiting for? Go out there and be someone special already, you twat.”
Griff laughed and pocketed his phone,
“What?” Maura asked as they got to the Rubicon.
“Be someone special…” Griff shook his head. “A cheesy old SEAL recruiting video.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Guess you had to be there.”
“So, where are we going?” Maura asked with her hands on her hips.
Griff scratched the stubble on his chin, listening to his inside voice. “I’m thinking Pine Hollow.”
“That’s what Johnny said. Why?”
“Don’t know. A family run greasy spoon doesn't strike me as a particularly target rich environment. Whereas Cap does present an air of mystery and intrigue. After all, that’s where Nickolson’s journals ended up. What else might be stashed in and amongst that hoarder’s delight he calls inventory?”
“Now you’re thinking like a skel.” Maura got behind the wheel and started the engine.
Griff got in the passenger side.
“Pine Hollow it is.”
“So how is Johnny doing, anyway?”
“Good. He likes your friends. Patty Ann…not so much—and that makes him like them even more.”
“He best be careful. They’ll be going home once we’re done. And payback is a bitch.”
Maura laughed and pulled out of the airport. She headed southeast on interstate that gave way to four-lane highway that narrowed to a thin gray ribbon curly-cuing through the Kentucky wilderness.
***~~~***
Maura backed the Jeep into a parking spot at the Uptown Beauty Salon facing Cap’s store.
“There. Our guys.” Griff pointed to a late model sedan nestled among the cars awaiting repair at Mac’s Garage. He sent a text. A moment later his iPhone dinged. “Nada. So, we wait. I’ll take first watch. Catch some winks.”
It started as a mental itch sometime after five. Griff ignored it at first, then scratched, which only made it itch more. He started to wake Maura but stopped himself. He kept puzzling things out in his head until he couldn’t take it anymore and shook her awake. “Hey, wait here. I want to do a perimeter check.”
Griff got out and walked behind Mac’s Garage. He noticed the heads in the sedan turn to look back at him. He waved them off and sprinted across the country road and behind the Hot to Trot Tavern directly across the street from Cap’s. He watched the storefront intently.
Just as he was about to move further on down to cross the road and circle back around in the woods behind the Pine Hollow General Store, a muffled shotgun blast came from across the street. A second shot shattered the front display window, followed by a third, louder blast which pushed a man through the front screen door and tumbling down the steps, leaving a trail of blood.
Two men scrambled out of the store and down the steps, jumping over the lifeless body.
Two more shot gun blasts came from the store.
Griff drew his SIG and ran into the road. He recognized one of the fleeing men as Seth Valance as they ran around the building.
The distinctive growl of metric motorcycle engines was followed by the spitting of gravel as three bikes sped out from around back and onto the road.
Griff instinctively started running down the road after them shooting on the run.
The two riders in trail of Valance turned on their seats and returned fire.
Behind Griff, Johnny stepped out on the front porch and began firing his Colt 1911 pistol, dropping one of the motorcyclists who tumbled under his bike in the middle of the road.
Maura skidded to a stop in front of the store. “Papa, are you all right?”
“Get them sons-of-bitches. Go on now,” Johnny said, releasing the empty magazine and reloading his pistol with a full one.
Cap stepped out behind Johnny, pushing shotgun shells into his gun.
Maura pulled up to Griff and let him in, then laid rubber to catch up with the fleeing motorcycles, swerving around the dead man Johnny put down.
More familiar with the road, Maura was able to close the gaps in the corners but lost ground to the quicker acceleration of the bikes on straightaways. As she entered the next curve, she saw the sedan from Mac’s Garage coming out of the last corner in her rear-view mirror.
The chase yo-yoed for miles until the lead bike turned off on an old mining road while the other kept going.
“That’s Valance,” Griff said. “Take him.”
Maura turned off and climbed the rutted gravel road up the hillside, losing ground to the bike.
Griff held on as the Rubicon bucked hard like an untamed mustang.
Maura skidded to a sudden sideways stop near the crest of the hill.
Griff jumped out and ran the rest of the way to the top.
The motorcycle engine revved to the red line and faded away, followed by a distant splash.
Griff slid to a stop at the very edge of a bluff that looked out over a water filled quarry. Fifty feet below, waves rippled out from where the bike went into the water.
Maura came running up behind Griff. “Damn…that had to hurt.”
Griff just nodded. “Guess I won’t be needing Johnny’s services again after all.”
They sat down with their legs dangling over the edge to wait for Sheriff’s deputies and the Kentucky State Highway Patrol to find them.
***~~~***