K.R. Is Back!

 He had been inside the big house for over twenty years. Twenty one years and forty four days to be exact. For each and every one of those years he thought about this moment. The moment that he would at last get even with that woman he called his sister. She was no more sister to him than the old guy that was in the cell next to him for over ten of those years. He couldn't believe his luck when the old guy said he knew Lu; the woman he had lived with for most of his younger years; his stepsister. Oh she'd be up there in years by now, but that didn't make any difference. He was going to have his day alright and today was the day. "I'll teach her not to answer my letters. Yessiree, bob. I'll make sure of that."

He was getting chilly and it was hard to see because the sun was shining so brightly. He wasn't used to being outdoors for very long at a time and surely wasn't used to sunshine. He stood behind the corner of the service station and watched the old guy. "I'm sure that's her husband. Looks like they are going somewhere. Nice camper. Doesn't look like the one sis and I grew up in. Ha! What a piece of junk if you could even call it junk. It had more duct tape to hold that thing together than nails. Makes no difference because today, sister dear I will make sure you do as I say and go where I want to go. I have made a plan that will make me rich and you are going to help me do it!"

He watched as the older man filled his truck with gas. "Hmm, got a credit card, do ya? Hope there's a big old wad of cash just waiting to be used. He saw the old man walk into the building. He nonchalantly walked closer to where the camper was parked. He tried the back door. His luck was changing already! The old man had left the back door open. "I know how these things are built. I lived in one long enough." He quickly climbed into the camper lifted up the bed and sure enough there was a large storage area under the mattress. He quickly grabbed one of a dozen pillows and took it with him under the bed. "Lu hasn't changed a bit. Always did have to hog the pillows if we were lucky enough to have some." He quickly moved the lawn chairs over and some extension cords to one side of the storage area. Would wonders never cease? There was an old heavy quilt under there too. This is going to be the easiest job I've ever had. "Good grief there must twenty rolls of toilet paper in here. She always was afraid we would run out when we were kids."

" I'll give it to her. She's living the good life now, but I want a piece of it."  He felt the camper rock and heard the old man open and close doors then he heard the outside door open and close. Soon they were moving. "Hmm, wonder where he's off to now. He opened the bed with his hands and tried to see outside, but the windows were frosted over. "Rats! I need to be able to see. He crawled to the front of the camper and peeked out the window. "An ATM! He's playing right into my hands. This is going to be a blast, but I'd better get to the back before I'm discovered. I'm not into laying on a hard floor, but this is worth it. I'm going to Texas and those two old fogies don't have a clue!"

                                                                               &&&&

It was hard to keep from worrying about keeping things from her husband let alone from one of her very good friends, but no one needed to know about her past. She had a good life now with a good man. That rascal of a stepbrother was not going to ruin it. She pretended to fool B and her husband thought it was fun, but he had no idea that the envelope was real. She walked into her office and looked at the old spittoon. It was an antique alright. It belonged to her mother's grandfather. He had owned a saloon and a ranch in Texas. She had been told by her grandmother and her mother that the ranch at one time had had a mine on it. It had been played out years ago and the ranch had been sold. There was nothing left of that life that interested her. She knew nothing about horses or Texas. It was kind of fun writing her little stories about the Double D, but those little stories did keep those memories of K.R. alive.  She certainly didn't want a reminder of her life as a young girl and that dratted K.R. He was a con man with a capital C. He was in prison where he belonged. He was selling shares of the Double D Ranch to unknowing folks for lots of money then he ran like the coward that he was.

 The sheriff finally caught him with the help of an undercover agent and good riddance! He had extorted thousands of dollars from people and thought he could live the good life on the beach. Wrong, little brother. Why do I even call you that?! I do need a vacation. Fran can fish and I can write my little stories. Why do I let that man get me so riled up? I haven't seen him in over twenty years. Oh shoot, there's Fran and I don't have everything ready. "Coming, dear! Did you get some money and the truck all gassed up? Did you put some extra toilet paper in the back? I don't want to run out. Oh good. I'd better check back there just to make sure, though. You know you can be forgetful sometimes. Are you sure? Okay then just let me grab my handbag, my computer, my phone, a hat or two and some snacks. Oh you did? I hope you got me some chips too.  You know how I am with salty snacks. Nope, not going to cook on this trip. Unless you catch me some fish we are going to stop at little cafes along the way. They were putting things in the camper so they would be travel safe when Grandma Lu turned to her husband and said, "By the way, just where are we going? Do you have a plan?"

In the dark K.R. let out a deep breath and thought, "That was a close one. Always was afraid we'd run out of toilet paper. Can't blame the old girl. We did have it rough growing up. Then he grinned and thought, Well, old man it makes no difference if you have a plan; I certainly do. Now let's get this thing on the road it's getting hot in here."