Trailer Trash Like Me

Somewhere On The New England Coast

I started laughing very hard when Eve came home with Natalie "Freaking Idiot" Leuze. They walked in as I was at our table, drinking a cold one after firing up the grill. Yes, I was starstruck for an embarrassing half second, but when I stood up, I remembered to kiss Eve before I shook Natalie's hand.

"Natalie, How's the recovery coming along?"

That question is what all Americans wanted to know. Daily articles in all the Tabs hinted at Natalie's strength, determination, and good humor associated with her recovery. 

Nat had yet to allow a reporter to visit her room at the recovery hospital.

Let me be the first to tell you she looks great—much better than on the screen. At first glance, it appeared she and Eve could be sisters, with Eve being taller, but both have dark hair, blue eyes, and great skin.

Natalie replied while looking around, "The doctors tell me I'm almost out of jail. I think it has to do with the coffee and good stuff at the Cardinal; Eve has been making me laugh, which is the best medicine."

She continued to look around, smiled, then said, "This feels like home. I grew up in a park like this, and this makes me happy." "Thank you for having me over."

"Eve never mentioned she knew you or you were coming over. I would have spruced things up a bit."

Natalie said, "Don't be silly." Eve and I have been nothing but ourselves with each other since I imposed on her shop. "That has been the best thing for me, and I am grateful." 

I started pouring beers and grabbing the guacamole and chips when the two sat down, laughing and chatting about some "Purchase Region" silliness.

Tango went over to Natalie and played the cheery pooch while I went out and started grilling some good cuts of steak.

Natalie "Freaking Idiot" Leuze is in my house, and she is so nice and normal. Holy Moly, she looks great.

It will be an interesting evening.

Stratham, New Hampshire - Earlier in the day.

Ron Strier was still looking over his dashboard as it got lighter.  

Items were transferred from one car to another, and the three occupants stood around, not in a hurry, drinking coffee and talking with each other.

Ron didn't like the two men's military bearing, the way they met at a pre-determined time and the fact they offered no reason for a stop. Ron had to observe for now.

TEXT EVE: Can you please make sure that Melinda's steak will be medium rare tonight. She loves it that way. TEXT ALLSTON: I thought Mel liked her steaks still mooing?

Sill slouched down. He thought about holding the lens of his phone just above the dashboard to get a photo, but he stopped himself. The light his phone created would alert the three people they were in line with an observer. 

They were laughing and having a good time.

Chen had spotted Strier when she pulled her car into the coffee shop's parking lot. She looked for a minute and saw the truck occupant slouched low in his seat. Was he observing her?

Chen waited, looked at her watch, and spoke into the earpiece microphone.

Chen alerted the occupants in the second car that they were being watched and should follow standard protocols of what to do while being observed, but they would still do the transfer. 

"How did the Americans find out about this?" Chen thought. 

They made the transfer as planned and then stood drinking coffee and talking about Zhao Liying, a Chinese actress from the TV Show "Legend Of Lu Zhen." 

Chen made a crack about Zhao's lack of boobs but pointed out she had given birth. 

This caused the two agents to spit up pieces of their coffee-dipped donuts.

It was time for the Shanghai Stall.

They finished their coffees; one man brought the trash to the can outside the shop door. They all got in their cars. Chen started her engine first and pulled out of her spot. She lurched a bit using the brakes and stopped in front of Striers truck, then killed the engine and got out of the car to inspect the tires. 

This action blocked Strier from pulling out of his spot as the second car pulled out of the lot and got on the highway. A mile down the road, the second car would switch directions. 

Chen returned to her car, and she laughed, thinking about the classic Shanghai Stall. It worked. 

Ron Strier, still low in the seat, sat in shock with his hand on his start button when the first car stalled in front of him as the second car pulled out.

No fucking way they made him, he thought.

It's not often the old Marine is wrong. They spotted him.

Aspen, Colorado

The police chief got the call he had been waiting for. The F.B.I. had determined the knife and assault that killed Stanley's Girl actress Charlie Lopez in Aspen was the same used in the assault on Natalie Leuze in Maine.

Rick Hitch leaned back in his roller office chair and said, "Hooooeeeee," as he hung up from the Feds. These lab results mean someone was trying to kill the cast of Stanley's Girls. This was going to make the media boil. 

He was not sure he was happy about Charlie's murder being an Aspen case.

It would drain the little ski town's police resources, but he was stuck. Charlie died in his jurisdiction.

What made it worse was the celebrity aspect of the case, which put it on an eternal front burner. The County and State would hound Rick to resolve the case NOW.

Aspen had been cooperating with Maine for details, and the only solid thing was the eyewitness who offered a description of a beat-up car leaving the scene at some podunk diner in Inbred County, Maine. Rick thought the Mainers were nice but didn't realize the attempt on Leuze was out of their league.

It would be a race between Colorado and Maine to see who this perp was, and now the fucktards at The F.B.I. were in the outfield offering bits of advice.

Rick would put Detective Shannon Ellis on as the point of contact with the Feds and the Lobster breath Maineiacs, which would cut down on interruptions to his life. The cooking video project he was developing would continue. Someday he would never have to wallow in the City Council or Pitkin County bullshit again. Rick hated this job because of them and the rich fucks.

Rick got on the radio and asked Ellis to make a station call...please.