Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 06 - Where Trouble Roams by Janet McNulty

Chapter 1
     
     
     
    I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel of the car as the state trooper approached.  Jackie fidgeted a bit.  “Will you stop?” I hissed at her.
    “I can’t help it.  Cops make me nervous.”
    “You aren’t nervous around Detective Shorts.”
    “Yeah, well he has saved our bacon a few times.  Besides, it’s your fault we got pulled over.”
    “You’re the one that wanted to take my car,” I said.
    Last Christmas, I totaled my car while trying to escape from a murderer.  As a favor, Tiny and his friends bought me a brand new car.  Of course, they decided to “fix” it for me by painting it black with flames on the hood and the sides with the silhouette of a naked woman.  They also added the playboy bunny on the trunk and put a small figurine on the hood of a naked woman, which would constitute as tw o naked women total on my car.
    On the back roads of South Dakota, this car stands out.  So naturally, when you are only doing five over the limit and you’re the only one on the road you get pulled over.
    “License and registration,” said the state trooper as he reached the driver’s window.
    I handed him my driver’s license and car registration without delay.
    “Vermont, huh?  What brings you out here?”
    “We’re on vacation,” I said.
    “Do you know why I pulled you over?”
    Why do cops always ask that?  As though it took a genius to figure it out.  “Because I was speeding,” I said trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
    The state trooper gave me a reproachful look.  He handed me a ticket.  “Next time, slow down.”
    I just took the ticket and muttered, “Yes, officer.”
    “They must be desperate to meet their quota,” said Jackie once the cop had left.
     
    My Aunt Ethel had sent Jackie and I brochures for the Skagway Ranch; a sort of dude ranch for city folk to experience the “Old West”.  Actually, it was more of a tourist trap for people who spent way too much time in the city or had nothing better to do.  Right up my aunt’s ally.
    Since I knew there would be no turning my aunt down we accepted.  Also, I was only taking one class this semester: an independent study course.  My professor didn’t mind me taking off as long as I emailed her updates about my project.
    I turned on the lone, dirt road that my aunt’s directions indicated.  Almost immediately, my left, front wheel hit a pot hole.  Great, there went the shock absorbers.
    “How far does this go?” asked Jackie.
    “No idea,” I said, looking at the miles of grass in every direction, except for where the mountains loomed over us.  A few, lone trees dotted the landscape as though they had just decided to plant their roots there for lack of anything else to do.
    Where were the people?
    “I see it,” exclaimed Jackie.  She pointed at the sign that indicated we had entered the ranch.
    I turned the car onto the second gravel road of our trip and slowly drove along.  “How far are we supposed to go?”
    “No idea,” said Jackie as she turned the map around.
    Frowning, I just continued along the lonely stretch of dirt hoping to find some sign of civilization.  Eventually we saw a white building up ahead.  Figuring that was where we were to go, I headed for it pulling into the gravel parking lot.
    “Is this it?” asked Jackie.
    “It better be,” I said, turning off the car.
    I watched as others pulled up emptying suitcases from the trunks of their vehicles.  I pulled our bags out of the car handing Jackie hers.  “Let’s find Aunt Ethel.”
    “Mellow, darling!”  A crazy old lady in a neon pink, button up shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat slammed into me.
    Ok, so Aunt Ethel found us.  I hugged my aunt and smiled.  She wasn’t a bad person to be around, just annoying sometimes.  Or, a lot of times.
    “So good of you two to make it,” continued my aunt, “Well, let’s get you girls checked in.”
    We followed my aunt to the lobby where there was a front