Chapter 16 – You Could Screw Things Up

Lee did a pretty good job hosting his first Ghost Walk Tour. Bubba told him that he was going to do just fine with the task. After they finished up at the falls and were both walking back into town to ride the bus back, Lee asked Bubba if he could ask him a question.

"Sure, what do you want to know?"

"Doesn't this town have any sort of public transportation?"

"Not really. We had a cab service years ago but they went bankrupt. If you want to use a cab today, you need to call over to the town of Norfolk and they can send a cab out. Why do you ask?"

"I just was wondering how people come here if they don't have a car or can't drive?"

"I suppose most of the time, they come with friends or they don't come. We haven't really ever had much of a need for public transport."

Lee was lost in thought as they boarded the bus for the trip back to the farm.

When they arrived, Lee went to find Amanda and discovered her sitting in a rocking chair on the porch all alone. When Tom had taken her for a walk, the rest of the men had given up and gone out to the barn to play cards. It gave Amanda some time alone to enjoy the beautiful night and do some thinking. When she saw Lee, she asked him how it had gone and he told her that Bubba had declared him a good host. She smiled and told him that she wasn't surprised because he was so charming. "Me charming?" He said as his dimples popped out. She smiled again and said "You can be at times." Lee chuckled and suggested they go back to her room so they could talk.

After they were in Amanda's room and had checked to make sure no one was around or listening, Lee told her about his conversation with Bubba.

Lee said "It doesn't make any sense. How can they possibly move these terrorists"

"Lee" Amanda tried to interrupt.

"around if they don't have any public transportation. I mean, they have to have a way to bring them in"

"Lee" Amanda tried to interrupt again.

"and they have to have a way to get them out of here but if there are no buses, no cabs, or any other form of transportation,"

"Lee" Amanda tried once more.

"how are they doing it? It isn't like they would walk all that distance. If only I could figure out "

"LEE!"

"What Amanda? Keep your voice down!"

"I think I have figured out how they are moving them in and out."

"What? How?"

"They are using the farm's vehicles and making it look like they are employees."

"NO, that's not possible."

"Why isn't it?

"Amanda, don't you think people would notice if that was happening?"

"Actually Tom Hanko has noticed it" Amanda responded with a bit of a smug tone to her voice.

"Tom Hanko? You went looking for Tom Hanko. Amanda, this is serious business here. I told you that you had to be careful because I wouldn't be around to protect you the whole time."

"I didn't seek him out, I stumbled onto him. We had a great chat. He told me how farm vehicles sometimes disappear for a week at a time. He also told me about watching some guy in a suit and tie get into one of the vehicles with a security guard and disappear. Later on, no one believed that it happened and they pretty much just call him crazy around here. He insists that there are a lot mysterious things happening though including people showing up one day and never seen again by the next.

"Why would Tom tell you all of this? Amanda? You didn't tell him who we are did you?"

"Well of course I didn't do that, Lee! I told him about meeting his niece and she told us that he had mentioned weird stuff going on so I was interested in what he had seen. I think he was just happy to have someone to talk to since he feels he can't talk to anyone else around here.

"So he has told others?"

"He says he told his supervisor, Stewart, about it and Stewart told Bubba and Dennis but didn't act on it."

"Well there you have it." Lee said. "Unless you are saying that this whole place is in on aiding these terrorists, that is obviously not the way it is being done."

"Why do you do that?

"Do what?" Lee asked.

"Why do you try to find reasons why my ideas can't be right?"

"I don't do that."

"Yes you do."

No I don't"

"Yes you do.

"Amanda, I just think you need to leave this for me to figure out. You are likely to say something that could let someone realize who we are and what we are doing here and you could screw things up."

"So now you think I'm going to screw things up?"

"I didn't say that. I said you might screw them up. We don't know for sure we can even trust Tom."

"I trust him."

"Amanda! You can't trust every person you meet."

"Well it's good for you that I didn't know that when I met you then isn't it?" Amanda felt her blood pressure rising a bit trying to make him listen to her.

Lee sighed and nodded his head because he knew that once again she had flipped the tables on him. "I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed. I suggest you get some sleep too Amanda." Lee said as he turned to leave.

Amanda watched him go and couldn't help but feel frustrated that he still didn't value her input.

TBC