The Traveling Vampire Show

Slim waited in the driveway while I ran into my house and placed the two full bottles of beer in the refrigerator. I was almost weak with relief as I hurried back to her car.

I climbed into the passenger seat. “That’s it,” I said.

“Beautiful,” she said. “Pulled that off without a hitch.”

We looked at each other and grinned.

Then she backed out of the driveway and steered for Rusty’s house. “When we get there,” she said, “maybe you’d better go in without me.”

“You sure?” I was hoping to have her there for moral support.

“I can do without Rusty’s mom and dad. Besides, they’ll start asking me a lot of questions if I go in. I’m sure they must’ve heard about my ‘disappearance.’ ”

“Probably.” The real reason she wouldn’t go into the house with me, I figured, was because she didn’t want Rusty’s parents to see how she was dressed. They were used to seeing her in T-shirts, not fancy blouses. Plus, her shiny, long-sleeved blouse didn’t exactly go with her ragged cut-off jeans. Rusty’s mom and dad were sure to wonder why she’d dressed so strangely.

“Just say we’re in a hurry and I’m waiting in the car.”

I nodded. With Slim waiting in the car, I might be able to get out of the house faster.

Too soon, we reached Rusty’s house. Slim pulled up to the curb and stopped. “I’ll even leave the engine running,” she said.

“Sure you don’t want to come in?” I asked.

“You’ll be fine.”

“Okay. See ya.”

I climbed out of the car. Somebody must’ve been watching for us, though, because the front door opened before I could get there. Bitsy came out. Rusty, still in the doorway, called “We’re going now!” to his parents.

An answer came from somewhere inside the house, but I couldn’t make it out.

Rusty shut the door.

All right! I wouldn’t have to face the parents, after all.

As Rusty followed his sister down the porch stairs, I said, “Hi, Bitsy.”

Smiling and looking shy, she said, “Hi, Dwight. Thank you for inviting me to the movies.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. Glad to have you.”

She had dressed up for the occasion. Instead of her usual T-shirt and cut-off jeans, she was wearing a sleeveless sundress. Instead of being barefoot, she wore sandals. Hanging from one shoulder was a white, patent leather purse.

“You look very nice tonight,” I said. What was I supposed to say?

“Thank you, Dwight.”

“You’re a life-saver,” Rusty told me.

“No sweat.”

He hurried ahead. I’d left the passenger door open. He climbed in.

Smiling at me, he said, “Maybe you two lovebirds should sit together in the back.”

“That was the plan,” I said.

Sure it was.

I opened the back door and held it for Bitsy. Then I got in and shut the door.

“Hey, Slim,” Rusty said.

“Hey, Rusty.” Looking over her shoulder, she said, “How you doing, Bitsy?”

“Oh, just fine, thank you. Thank you for asking me to come with.”

“Our pleasure,” Slim told her. Facing forward again, she took off.

Bitsy smiled at me from her side of the back seat, but didn’t try to come any closer. “I’m sorry to hear about your father’s accident,” she said.

Thanks for reminding me, I thought.

“Thanks.” I said.

“Is he going to be all right?”

“I guess so. They’re just keeping him overnight in the hospital to be on the safe side.”

“I’m sure that’s a good idea.”

“Hey, Bitsy?” Slim said.

“Yes?”

“We’re stopping by Lee Thompson’s house before we head over to the drive-in.”

“Really? What fort’

“Don’t be such a nosy pain in the ass,” Rusty said.

I said, “Leave her alone” at about the same moment Slim said, “Cut it out, Rusty.”

Even though there wasn’t much light in the back seat, enough came in through the windows for me to see Bitsy turn her head toward Rusty and cast a self-satisfied smile in his direction. I saw the smile, but he didn’t. He was looking straight ahead.

To Bitsy, I explained, “My brother’s out of town for the weekend. We just want to drop in on Lee and make sure she’s okay.”

“Is something wrong?”

“A lot of weird stuff’s been going on today,” Slim said.

“Like what?”

“Come on, guys,” Rusty said, a pleading whine in his voice. “She tells. I don’t want my mom and dad knowing all my business.”

“I won’t tell,” Bitsy said.

“Bullshit,” Rusty said.

Slim stopped the car. Looking out the window, I saw that we were at the curb in front of Lee’s house. Her pickup truck was parked in the driveway.

The windows of her house were dark.

“Doesn’t look like she’s home,” Rusty said.

“I’ll go see.” I opened my door.

“I’m coming with you,” Rusty said, opening his.

“Me too,” said Bitsy.

Slim shrugged, shut off the engine and killed the headlights. Moments later, all four of us were walking toward the front door of Lee’s house.

“Did Lee go somewhere?” Rusty asked in a hushed voice.

“We don’t know,” Slim said.

“It’s funny the lights are off,” I muttered.

“Maybe she’s taking a nap,” Rusty said.

“We tried to call a couple of times,” I told him. “I don’t think she slept through the ringing.”

“Might’ve,” Slim said. “But not likely.”

On the front stoop, I reached for the doorbell but Rusty grabbed my wrist. “Don’t,” he whispered. “What if somebody’s in there?”

“Like who?”

“You know. Like them.”