Page 40 of Long Pig
Almost a year to the day he purchased the property, Butch slept in the apartment above the garage for the first time. Large windows allowed him to see his land in every direction. No one could sneak up on him. Now that the construction was complete, he would start moving the butcher supplies out of storage and finish his underground room of terror. He had it completed in two weeks.
A month later, he made a run to Nevada and picked up a hitchhiker. The man looked to be in his early twenties. He wore military garb and was in superb shape. Broad shoulders, tight frame. The kind of body that worked hard for its muscle. Lean steak, dense and flavorful like something grass-fed and clean. Butch could almost smell grilled meat, raised from perfection. There was no one around when the soldier climbed into the passenger seat.
“Thank you, sir,” the man said as he pulled his duffle inside. His red hair was cut short, but a bit of curl still showed.
“I’m heading to Albuquerque if that works for you. Buckle up,” Butch said.
“It gets me closer to Cali, and I appreciate you stoppin’.” He buckled the lap belt without question.
“Need to support our boys,” Butch replied.
“Name’s Chris.” He grinned and leaned back, getting comfortable.
“Butch.” He held out his hand and the two shook.
They chatted about mundane things before Chris fell asleep. This man would be a challenge, and Butch was up for it.He turned off the main highway and headed into a more desolate area until he found the perfect spot.
Beneath his seat was a cattle prod. He placed the prod in his lap before taking out the hypodermic needle from the case he had in the side pocket. He’d purchased the livestock sedative from a back woods feed store months before. Regulation on the drug was strict, but the store owner didn’t seem to have a problem after Butch talked his ear off about the cattle he’d just inherited. The store owner didn’t blink over such a large quantity either.
Butch stabbed the needle through the pants material, into the man’s thigh. He waited a second longer than he expected to get a reaction.
“What the hell?” Chris exclaimed, his hand going to his thigh, but Butch had already pulled back and was pointing the prod at the man’s chest.
“If you do as I say, you’ll survive,” Butch said convincingly. “I’ve given you a large dose of xylazine. You should be feeling it.”
Chris shook his head as if to clear it. “Why?” he asked, the one word already slurring.
“That’s a good question,” Butch said. “I have my reasons, and I’m not ready to share them.”
Chris looked at the cattle prod. Butch leaned away slightly knowing what would happen next. The soldier sprang toward him. The smell of ozone in the small confines of the cab was strong, and the zap loud. The forgotten seatbelt helped keep Chris in place as he let out a deep groan. His upper body fell forward.
It was the tranquilizer working more than the zap, but the entire scenario left Butch’s heart racing in anticipation. He leaned over, grabbed Chris’s short hair, and lifted his head. The eyes rolled back into his head, and Butch knocked his cheekwith the side of the prod handle. Spittle slipped from between the soldier’s lips. Butch waited a few moments to be sure he was unconscious before he jumped from the cab and walked around to Chris’s door. He cuffed Chris’s right hand to a fastening he’d rigged beneath the seat. He then pulled out a blanket from the back and placed it over all but his head. If someone drove up, he would say the man was sleeping.
He needed time for the tranquilizer to clear Chris’s system so that it wasn’t in the meat. He took the driver’s seat again and waited two hours before the man jerked slightly. The chemical wouldn’t be completely gone, but a little would be okay.
Butch walked to the passenger door again and stood on the side rail. He placed a bandana around Chris’s throat and tightened it with a stick he picked up off the ground. The soldier’s body bucked, but the drug kept him from putting up much of a fight. He watched the clock on the dash until five full minutes passed. He finally checked his pulse to be sure he was dead.
There wasn’t much satisfaction in this kill, but Butch was more interested in processing the body. He unbuckled the seatbelt and began navigating the carcass between the seats into the back area. Chris was heavier than he looked. Sweat beaded on Butch’s forehead and ran down the back of his shirt. He continually checked the road to be sure no one drove up on the truck. Finally, he had Chris in the hidden freezer compartment where he would stay for the remainder of the trip. Butch searched the man’s duffle and found identification. He stuck it in the freezer with Christopher Lanston to be burned later. He walked further into the trees and left the bag behind. There was nothing in it that would connect it to the missing soldier.
Butch was exhausted when he got back into the truck and pulled out. Disappointment set in. He reminded himself thatthis kill had side benefits. Chris was in too good of shape to take chances. There would be others where he could take his time and watch as their eyes changed from survival to acceptance. This body’s prime health made it an excellent carcass to work on for his first voyage of discovery.
He drove for three hours before turning off on the familiar dirt road. Exhilaration revived his exhausted state. The soldier’s death would not go to waste, and few others could claim that. He drove onto his property forty-five minutes later. After opening the large door, he pulled the truck into the garage with a sense of accomplishment. He jumped from the cab and rolled a carcass cart close to the back cab door. He had an easier time getting Chris’s body onto the cart than he had getting him into the freezer.
Against the back wall was a large metal frame attached to a piece of plywood. It held outdoor implements such as shovels and axes. He placed his hand beneath the plywood and tripped the release mechanism. The entire structure swung away. He wheeled the cart down the waiting metal ramp.
Excitement threaded through his veins. He wanted to get started, but safety followed by sleep was his first priority. The cart fit easily into the walk-in freezer, and he left Chris behind.
Using a disinfectant solution, he cleaned the front cab of the truck including the urine on the seat. From now on, he would use plastic covers. He moved to the back area and wiped it down before opening the freezer and cleaning it. There was no trace of Chris when he finished. His ID and military papers went into an outdoor fire pit. Butch watched them burn until only ash remained.
He took a shower, then lay in bed. It had been a wonderful day. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Buried Memories
Willow
A nagging feeling that she was being watched persisted. It wasn’t all the time, but it was enough that it unnerved her. This morning, she unlocked the front door and stepped outside with the dogs at her heels. A persistent pressure at the base of her skull nagged at her.