Chapter Fourteen
Diesel was fast losing his patience with this pretentious man from the Royal Caldera Cruise Line. “You already asked me that question, sir, and I answered. Twice.” The quick fifteen-minute inspection tour he’d hoped for had already stretched to almost twice that time. Time he’d rather be spending with Juliana.
“Oh, yes. Indeed. Quite right, quite right.” Inspector Centauri studied his electronic clipboard once more as if searching for more foolish questions to ask. The man had started repeating some of his questions a second and third time as if trying to see if Diesel was paying attention.
Diesel checked his watch about every ten seconds as the inspector asked him a rash of inane questions. Each and every one—while relevant to the business he wanted to engage in with this man—made his teeth ache because he wanted to be with Juliana, on their date, in his house, kissing.
“We’ve looked at every part of the truck stop that your guests would see unless they have special permission to tour outside the truck stop area and require a guide, which will be set up in advance or they won’t go.”
“Yes, yes. Understood. We might have an eccentric client every so often. However, the majority of our clientele would never consider this backwater planet for anything more than a quaint way station stop during their holiday. You don’t have to worry about any exploration.”
Diesel wasn’t about to go out of his way to regale this pompous, arrogant man with information about how lovely Arkansas was or that this backwater planet had the tallest trees he’d ever seen. He also failed to share that each season had different temperatures and weather patterns that many Alphas who came here found charming and interesting. The inspector could suck it.
“Is that all, then? Do you have everything you need to complete your surprise inspection of our truck stop for future business here?”
They were in the northern basement section outside the area designated for travelers. It featured a variety of places to eat and lounge and rest as visitors watched human television, which many found fascinating as a pastime. There was also a wing filled with small rooms where clientele could sleep or rest in a quiet, private place away from the noise of the eating establishments.
“How many can you accommodate again?”
“Five hundred,” Diesel said for the fourth time. “Maybe you should write it down this time.”
“Yes, yes. How long could we count on the services below stairs in cases of a scheduling delay or engine issues?”
Diesel opened his mouth to answer for the third time, but stopped. He crossed his arms and stared at the man. “Are you purposely trying to make this take longer than it needs to?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You’ve seen everything. Some places twice. And your questions are starting to get repetitious. Meanwhile, I have somewhere else to be.”
Inspector Centauri straightened and cleared his throat loudly. “Are you abandoning me?”
“Nope.” Diesel pulled his communication device from his belt and texted Cam.
Come down to the north bunkers and relieve me from this arrogant ass of an inspector, or I can’t be held responsible for my actions.
Cam sent a return text seconds later.
Be there in two minutes.
Now he was going to owe Cam a favor. Fine. It was worth it.
“What are you doing there?” Inspector Centauri asked.
“I’m getting another guide for you.”
“You’re the Fearless Leader. Isn’t this your responsibility?’
“It is until I delegate it to someone else. You do want to check out the security of our place, don’t you?”
His head bobbled up and down. “Yes. Security is very important.”
“I sent for the Security Officer. Besides, there’s a safety issue involved.” It’s your safety I’m worried about if I’m left alone with you much longer.
“A safety issue?” The man looked around as if a gang of baddies was about to attack.
Cam showed up seconds later. “What’s up?” He glanced at the stranger with obvious puzzlement.
“This is Inspector Centauri. He’s doing a surprise inspection of our accommodations and services for the Royal Caldera Cruise Line, as per the way station contract Axel set up. I thought perhaps you’d like to show him that our security here surpasses none in this galaxy.”
Cam brightened. “I’m happy to do that.” Diesel knew Cam was very proud of the work he’d done to secure the underground and above-ground facilities.
“I’ll send Axel to find you both later on.”
Cam nodded absently, but his attention was on the inspector. “All right. Let’s start with the below-ground security measures…” Cam went right into his spiel, talking as he walked Inspector Centauri away from Diesel.
Perfect. And not a moment too soon. He relaxed his fingers, letting go of the fists they were about to form.
Diesel hurried toward the exit that lead to the truck stop convenience store. He changed course for the rear exit, not wanting Alice or any of the other employees to stop him on his quest to get home and kiss Juliana.
As he came up the stairs, he saw Nova waiting for him, arms crossed, small slips of paper in her fingers and an expression that told him he needed to bear up for some news whether he liked it or not. “Whatever those little slips of paper say, they can wait until tomorrow. I have plans.”
“There is someone here to see you. And your aunt Dixie is looking for you. I believe you should definitely talk to her.”
“No, thanks. I don’t want to talk to strangers and I especially don’t want to talk to my aunt this moment. Any and all special projects she wants to enact are officially put on hold until tomorrow or, better yet, forever.”
“Your aunt isn’t going to like it.”
“She never does.”
“She’s probably going to take your current neglect as permission to go through with her latest crazy plan if you don’t take the time now to stop her.”
“She’s an adult.” In theory. “She can do what she wants.” In theory.
“There is also someone else here to see you, Diesel,” Nova said. “I think you should talk to her.” The tone in her voice was unrelenting.
“Who is here besides my aunt?”
“Says her name is Miss Penny.”
Miss Penny? Diesel’s brows furrowed. “A tiny, older woman that looks like a stiff wind gust would take her out?”
Nova frowned. “Yes. That describes her exactly. Do you know her?”
“We’ve met. Where is she?”
“I put her in your office.”
Diesel went to see his unexpected visitor, but he was not happy about it. Stopping at his open office door, he saw Miss Penny seemingly mesmerized by the picture of a celestial, star-strewn rendering of his home galaxy, Caldera Forte.
The moment he opened the door wider, she shot away from the picture faster than he would have expected from someone as elderly and frail as she seemed to be. Perhaps she was not as delicate as she let on.
“Miss Penny? What brings you here tonight?”
She turned slowly to face him as if it pained her to do so. Her fragile smile was at war with the steely, unwavering gaze she sent his way. “I thought Juliana was here with you. She’s really the one I need to speak to. Is she close by?” The old woman’s gaze darted from the doorway back to his face with expectancy.
Diesel wondered how Miss Penny had arrived from almost an hour away when on Friday she’d needed Juliana’s help to do her shopping, as well as what was so important to compel her to do so. “She’s at my house—”
“Alone?!” Miss Penny stepped forward and her shriveled height seemed to grow astoundingly taller in the moment.
“My brother may still be with her.” Diesel glanced at his watch. “Why? Is there a problem?”
Miss Penny seemed to realize the fragility she typically expressed was nowhere in sight. She inhaled deeply as if trying to calm herself.
“It’s possible. But I truly need to ask her something.”
“Must be important if you came all this way for a question,” Diesel said. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on.”
Miss Penny looked at him for a long while, her gaze uncertain, staring first at him and then drifting to the wall behind him before returning. She finally leaned forward and opened her mouth. Diesel thought she was going to confide in him. “Better not. Just take me to Juliana, please,” she said with a polite smile.
Diesel grabbed his communicator and texted Axel.
Are you still at my house with Juliana?
He expected a quick response. Nothing came. He waited for a couple more beats, but still nothing. He changed the communicator for speaking and called him. No answer. He left a message. “Call me as soon as you get this.”
“Take me to your home.” Miss Penny said. “I’m afraid Juliana might be in trouble.”
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“Don’t open the door,” Juliana whispered urgently to Axel.
He turned, eyes squinting with curiosity. “Why? Do you know who’s out there?”
“No. But what if it’s, you know, a boogieman.”
A half laugh, half grunt came from him. “A boogieman? Where’d you hear about that?”
“I’d rather not say.”
“Well, trust me when I say the Boogieman doesn’t knock,” he said rather ominously. “Hold your horses!” Axel said loud enough for the outside knocker to hear, then added, “And stop pounding. I’m not opening this door!”
The pounding suddenly stopped. The abrupt silence was disquieting. Her ears rang from the previous loud banging. They both looked at the door. They looked at each other, shrugging as if recognizing it was truly strange.
Juliana wondered what had made the mad knocker stop. When they’d arrived, the door had been unlocked. Perhaps the pounder expected the door to be open and then become enraged when it wasn’t. Maybe it was the apple menace ready to drop a barrel of half-eaten apples on the foyer floor.
Axel reached for the cell phone or whatever it was on his belt. It looked like the one Diesel had.
“Who is it?”
“Diesel sent me a text asking if I was still here with you, then he called and left a message when I didn’t pick up.”
“Probably couldn’t hear it over the pounding on the door.”
He was pushing buttons on his phone when they heard car tires screech to a halt out front. Axel walked a few feet to a window facing the front yard and peeked out. She watched as his shoulders visibly dropped in relief.
“It’s Diesel.” He paused and added, “And he’s not alone.”
Juliana inhaled and exhaled, feeling better knowing Diesel was here. “He wasn’t the one knocking, though, right?”
He shook his head. “No. He’s racing up the sidewalk after leaping out of his truck, which is still running, I think. And he left the driver’s door wide open, too. He’s in a hurry.”
Axel moved quickly to the front door to release the lock, the deadbolt and the chain. He popped the door open as Diesel took the porch stairs two at a time and practically launched himself through the door. He didn’t stop moving until he grabbed Juliana into his warm embrace, buried his face against her neck and whispered, “I was worried about you.”
Juliana wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “I was a little worried about me, too. Did you see who was outside?”
Diesel pulled back to stare into her eyes. Concern filled his gaze. “No. Who was outside?”
“I don’t know, but they practically banged the door down pounding on it a few minutes ago.”
Axel nodded. “Could have been an aggressive salesman, wanting to ensure they woke the dead to get someone to answer the door.” He shrugged. “I was only spooked by what Juliana told me about finding an apple with a bite out of it tossed on her doorstep. Twice.”
“Twice?!” Diesel shook his head and used a deliberately calm tone. “Not sure what that’s about, but we can discuss it later. Okay?”
“Sure thing, bro.” Axel grinned, like he looked forward to a discussion about someone tossing apples at her door.
Juliana noticed the elderly woman standing in the doorway looking rather confused. “Miss Penny,” she said. She was shocked enough to release Diesel and move toward the front door. “What in the world are you doing here?”
Miss Penny’s gaze darted around the entryway, looking more and more confused. Behind her, Juliana could see someone else approaching the house. The newcomer was also an elderly woman, but she didn’t look confused. She looked madder than a hornet’s nest beaten to the ground with a bat.
“Diesel Zebulon Grey!” she shouted from the yard as she approached the front door.
Axel and Diesel looked at each other and said at the exact same time, “Aunt Dixie.”
“Who’s Aunt Dixie?” Juliana asked.
Diesel walked toward the door. “She’s our rather eccentric aunt.”
“Diesel! I want to talk to you.” The woman raced up the stairs to the door. The expression on her face seemed rather intense.
However, she slowed when she saw Juliana’s neighbor on the doorstep. She put a hand on Miss Penny’s shoulder, and said, “Hi. I’m Dixie Lou Grey. Want to join my women’s group? It’s a hoot.”
Miss Penny’s gaze hardened for a moment, which was very unlike her. Juliana wasn’t certain why or even how Miss Penny had gotten herself to Alienn, Arkansas.
So Juliana was shocked when Miss Penny nodded. “Yes. I would like to be in a woman’s group, especially if it’s a hoot. What sorts of things do you all do in this women’s group?”
Aunt Dixie threw her boney arms in the air with what looked like excitement. “Oh, lots of stuff. But mostly we think up ideas and fundraisers to benefit the Starlight Old Folks’ Home on the outskirts of Alienn.” She then pointed a thumb over her shoulder at Diesel. “Usually Our Fearless Leader, Mr. Spoilsport over there, shoots down every awesome idea we come up with. However, with some new blood in our ranks, maybe we’ll finally be successful.”
Juliana was shocked to her core when Miss Penny said, “Why, I’d love to join. Do I have to be a resident of the Starlight Old Folks’ Home?”
“Course not. You don’t even have to be a resident of Alienn. Besides, we can make you an honorary attendee, sort of like a…satellite member.” She laughed as if that was the best joke ever told, elbowing Miss Penny in the arm. “Get it. A satellite member?” She laughed uproariously again and even slapped her knee.
Miss Penny smiled. “Yes. I get it. Because of your funny space-themed gas station. That’s a good one.”
“It’s a truck stop,” Diesel and Axel said.
“Whatever,” Dixie said and wrapped an arm around Miss Penny’s shoulders. “So, are you looking for residence in an old folks’ home anytime soon? If you are, the Starlight is the best place on Earth to live for us old gals.” The two elderly women turned away from the door and started ambling toward the yard, discussing the merits of living in an old folks’ home versus living alone.
“I might be interested,” Miss Penny said. “These old bones are getting mighty tired. And to tell the truth, I don’t much like living by myself anymore.”
“Miss Penny,” Juliana said, her mouth still practically hanging open after finding her neighbor here at all. “What on earth are you doing in Alienn? How did you even get here?”
Diesel said, “Miss Penny needed to ask you an important question. Isn’t that right, Miss Penny?”
Miss Penny looked over her shoulder at Juliana and the confused look returned. “I came looking for you, dear. I wanted to go get some groceries. You promised to take me. Did you forget again?”
“No. I didn’t forget. I took you to get groceries on Friday. Don’t you remember? And you didn’t answer the question of how you got to Alienn.”
Miss Penny gave an exaggerated eye roll to Diesel’s Aunt Dixie and said, “Land sakes, child. It’s no great mystery. I called Hail-A-Ride, and a nice young girl picked me up in her Subaru and brought me to the gas station…I mean, truck stop.”
“You called Hail-A-Ride?” Juliana was living in an alternate reality.
“Yes. And it looks like I’ll have to call them when I need to go get groceries from now on, since you’re obviously too busy with your young man to take an old woman to the store.”
Juliana pushed out a sigh, realizing she should be a better friend to her neighbor. “I’m sorry, Miss Penny. I didn’t mean for you to travel all the way here to find me.”
“Well, to be honest, I was also more than a little worried when you didn’t come home last night.” Miss Penny walked toward her a few steps and took one of Juliana’s hands in hers. “No need to fret, though.” She looked at Diesel, who had moved right behind her at the entryway of his home.
“Don’t for a minute believe that I don’t remember what it’s like to be a young girl, free to go out with boys and believe you’re falling in love. I remember all right and there’s nothing wrong with it, to a point, Juliana.” She frowned at Diesel. “Just make sure you don’t give any milk away for free or else you might regret it, because why would a man buy a cow if he’s already getting free milk.”
“Miss Penny!” The heat of Juliana’s embarrassment rippled from her belly to the top of her head. Her cheeks must be the color of a fire engine. How did Miss Penny even guess what had happened the night before? Was she psychic all of a sudden as well as being befuddled when it came to grocery shopping?
Aunt Dixie marched up to the front door to rejoin the group. She poked Diesel in the chest with her forefinger and asked, “Have you already gotten free milk, Diesel? If so, it seems like you should go ahead and buy the cow. Don’t you think that’s the right thing to do in this situation?”