Built For The Road.

Ashland, Kentucky

Just over 23 years ago, Natalie Leuze left Kentucky for Los Angeles, California. She had a sound plan and more money than she had ever had.

Things were tense in the trailer since Natalie's mother caught her boyfriend boinking her daughter. His genius explanation to Louise was that he was teaching her how to get ahead in Hollywood after she graduated from High School. 

"If she makes it, it will be better for all of us," he continued. 

"She's got the looks, the smarts, and the talent; I mean, you saw her in the school play The Miracle Worker." 

 Natalie got the lead role of a very young Helen Keller, a deaf, dumb, and blind girl who communicated by screaming and making guttural noises. During the whole production, she never said an understandable word. 

TXT ALLSTON: I am not a huge birdwatcher!
TXT EVE: I bet you want me to dress up like a woodpecker. Admit it.

Mr. Slate, the drama teacher, heaped accolades on the young girl, convincing her she could make it in Hollywood someday. More than one member of the audience and the other players noticed that he looked smitten with her and kept both eyes on her ass whenever he could.

Most mothers would have been outraged and called the police on anyone having sex with their under-aged daughter, but Louise saw the logic of Anthony's explanation. After all, she was fifteen when she gave birth to her daughter. 

Anthony devised a plan for Nat's high school graduation in one and a half years. He would drive her to Los Angeles the day after her graduation.

The school actress had another plan that did not include Anthony driving her to L.A. and stealing her money.

While Ant was in the shower, she packed her backpack with a few days' worth of clothes, money, toiletry items, and a large hunting knife she bought at a flea market.

She was sitting at the table, looking down into her textbook, when he came out of the shower and said, "Ready For School, Nat?" She kept her head looking down at her book, carrying it while she walked to Anthony's truck.

"I have a chemistry test this morning,"

She read her Chemistry book until they got to high school. As she exited the truck, Ant said, "We are having pizza from Gardalucci's tonight. Do you want a salad too?  

Natalie gushed, "Oooh, I love their pizza." "No Salad for me, please." "See you at home later."

Natalie went half a mile down the street to a convenience store when his truck was out of sight.

She bought some road snacks, a couple of bottles of water, and five packs of cigarettes.

She went to the payphone and called her mother, who she knew would not hear it ring. 

"Mom, this is Natalie, don't worry about me. I'm going to Los Angeles to begin my career. I Love You."

She went behind the convenience store and smiled as she tossed her Chemistry book into the dumpster. 

She followed a path in a wooded area and heard the cars on Route 64 getting louder and closer. 

She allowed herself one tear, straightened herself up, and stepped over the cold highway guardrail as it began to snow.

She stuck her thumb out, and a car pulled over in less than five minutes. 

As she got in the car, she said hello to the young male driver and held her backpack on her lap. When they were twenty seconds down the road, Natalie looked into the passenger side window and saw Ashland in it.

She was on her way to California.

F.B. I. Regional Headquarters - Chelsea, Massachusetts

Wallace Q. Hughes had been thinking about Evelyn Crowder for 24 hours before she was set to arrive in Chelsea. He learned Eve had an impressive resume, was raised by her father, and could bake.

She was congenial when he called her at her shop and was casual and positive about coming into headquarters.

He would ask her...

Where did she learn to shoot so well?

Did she know of any explanation about why three international terrorists would attack Thomas Allston?

Do you think they were looking for something?

Why did Thomas Allston get hired by Sophie Tanner?

Did she know that Mr. Tanner worked for The State Department? (He would not say C.I.A.) 

Is Thomas Allston a birdwatcher?

It was 1530 when Eve Crowder was announced as being in the lobby. She was attaching her Visitors sticker to a lanyard when Wallace Q. Hughes said hello to her, looked her in the eye, and thought to himself, "Holy Shit, what a knockout."

That knockout brought a dozen blueberry muffins.

They went up the elevator.

In a conference room, not an interrogation room, Wally got comfortable and asked Natalie if he could "bring her anything?" "No," but asked if he would put her muffins in a coffee stop area where everyone could enjoy them. He stepped out with the box from The Cardinal and The Jack.

Eve looked around the conference room. Everything was new and untouched. The A.C. was on early for the season, and it was cold. A whiteboard was in one corner, but nothing was written on it.

Eve assumed that she was viewable and she was correct.

When Wally entered the room, Eve asked,  "Why do you need to speak with me?" "I thought we covered everything on the day of the shooting."

"I'm just tying everything together." "We are going to put a bow on the whole case and be done with it, but I like to follow up on every loose end before we do that.

"Where did you learn to shoot so well, Ms. Crowder?" "Our techs figured out the range and angle of your shot, and you had to have been moving when you shot the man in the tree."

"Are the techs correct, Eve?" 

"My father taught me to shoot when I was young." "I spend time at the range with Allston on the weekends. We send about three or four hundred rounds down range each month."

"Practice makes perfect, or in this case, you may have saved Allston's life."

"He and I have discussed this. He owes me three margaritas for the favor."

At that, Wally laughed.

"I have just a few more questions, and then you and I can finish the day.

"Why did Allston have Gerry Tanner's computer?"

"I think Sophie Tanner, Gerry's daughter, may have thought Allston could hack into her father's computer to retrieve old photos.

"Allston does not discuss his work or clients with me, Ever!" 

"He prides himself on keeping client issues confidential, as I'm sure you understand."

"Is Allston a birdwatcher?" 

Eve laughed, "He will talk forever about shore birds, The Piping freaking Plover, which drives me over the dunes, but he's got this big thing about woodpeckers; he loves them" "Wally, do not get him started about two things: "Johnny Rivers and Woodpeckers." "It drives me crazy."

Johnny Rivers, the "Poor Side Of Town Singer?"

"Yes"

Eve started to hear Allston singing Shoop Dooobie Wah Doobie Doobie in her head.

Later That Evening - Somewhere On The Shore In New England

They followed each other home from a dark bar just north Of Salem, Massachusetts.

Eve told Allston every detail about Wallace Q Hughes' questions to Eve. She told him about range time, piping plovers, woodpeckers, Arab terrorists, and how good old boy Wally could not stop looking at her breasts.

When they pulled into the driveway, Tango, an inside dog, stood outside waiting for Allston and Eve to get home. He was happy to see them.

Allston pulled his Glock and entered the house.

It was ransacked.

Eve yelled, "Holy Shit."