Chapter Twenty-Eight

When the trio arrived at Mayor Barton’s home, conversation had died down. The fatigue of the previous night had settled over the vehicle and Ransom could barely think about anything other than getting out of town.

When they entered, Ransom noted Darlene milling about the kitchen cleaning up what appeared to be a modest Southern breakfast. The sound of a fork raking eggs from a plate into the sink was painfully noticeable since Ransom hadn’t slept much all night.

Kathy sat in the lazy boy watching television, the morning news out of Dothan.

“Get your butt out of my chair!” Paul belted out at her having noticed where she was seated and Kathy promptly got up and moved to an old patchwork sofa.

“Go pack your stuff, Ransom.”

In a similar sullen obedience, Ransom moved down the hall to the guest room. His trip to Bethlehem was neither that of a wise man or a shepherd. He would leave as empty as he had arrived, with no promise redemption and no real story for his editor.

As Ransom entered his room and began packing up his things, he heard the phone ring in the distance.

Darlene shouted from the kitchen, “Paulie, it's for you honey. It's Doc.”

Ransom strained his ears, partly out of reporter’s instinct, but mostly because he figured Doc was reporting in on old man Philpot.

“I've got it.” Paul yelled back to kitchen, clearly waiting on his wife to hang up the phone.

“How is it?” Paul asked, and Ransom noted once again the use of the pronoun. “That bad?” The Mayor sounded worried and insecure for the first time since Ransom came to town.

“Yeah, I can come right over.” The Mayor placed the receiver back onto the phone with a crash.

Ransom waited a moment, then heard the sound of Paul’s enormous feet shuffle down the hall. He stood straight up, bristled at what he suspected might be coming.

“Ransom, come out here a second I want to talk to you.”

The reporter emerged from the room and took a step into the hall.

“That was Doc. It seems all the trouble you caused last night has pushed Old Man Philpot into some kind of congestive heart failure. I need you to give me your keys.”

“What?”

“You're not leaving town just yet. I need to sort this thing out and you may have to answer a few more questions.”

“Look, Paul, I said I was...”

“Do what I say Ransom or I'll run you back down to the jail.”

Ransom started digging feverously through his pockets. In a flash he passed over his only ticket out of town.

“If it dies, things are going to get complicated.” Paul turned to walk back down the hall, leaving Ransom a bit more terrified than he already was.

He went back into the guest room to finish packing, listening completely to the conversation in the family room. Paul told Darlene he’d see her a bit, dismissing most of her questions with his usual bravado. Ransom heard the front door open and close, and he peered out the window as Mayor Barton and Tommy re-entered the squad car. He watched them back all the way out the driveway and was so enthralled that he failed to notice he was being watched.

“I'm sorry all this has happened.” Kathy startled Ransom, and the pair both glanced back to ensure they conversing were alone.

“Whatever.” Ransom’s sullen retort wasn’t exactly what Kathy was hoping for.

“My dad suspects me. I think he knows I helped you.”

“I didn't tell him anything.” Ransom replied. “As far as he knows it was all me.”

“Thank you.”

“I just want out of here in one piece.” Ransom said.

Kathy moved closer to Ransom and put her hand on his shoulder. She rubbed him as though she both understood his fear and was willing to offer great sympathy. It made Ransom angry and he felt patronized. It reminded him of the time he tried to explain to his mother the nature of his job. As he recounted his stories of alien abduction, his mother reached out, much like Kathy, and gently rubbed his shoulder. Almost as if she pitied him. Ransom hated his life and his job during that moment, probably more than any other in his life.

“This town is crazy Ransom... just plain nuts. You have no idea what kind of trouble you are in.” Kathy’s fear bubbled over into her speech.

“Trouble will be leaving here without a decent story, too. I damned either way.”

“Just be glad if you leave, Ransom. I'm stuck here.”

“You can leave whenever you want, don't give me that crap.”

“Can I leave with you?” Kathy pleaded.

“Absolutely not.” Ransom shot back. He didn’t want to be hunted by Tommy and Paul for stealing away the Mayor’s daughter. If he was to take a bullet in the head, he at least wanted it to be for the craft itself.

“I can meet you outside of town, you can pick me up...” Kathy’s pleading continued.

“I said no.”

“You’re a prick.” Kathy hurled and stormed out of the room. Ransom shrugged to himself and continued packing.