And Darkness Fell Read Online Free PDF Page A

south and hunt for a vehicle in St. Cloud. I knew that area well.
I’d lived there before moving to Orlando and knew where the best van
dealerships were located. I figured that as soon as I found a suitable vehicle, I’d
get on 192 and drive east straight to the coast then pick up I-95 and head north.
    I drove down South Orange Blossom Trail to Kissimmee and turned left on
192. The fog had lifted, and I saw very little traffic. Sidewalk activity consisted of
street punks emptying the pockets of someone lying on the ground, and a couple
of skinny stray dogs sniffing the ankles of a man standing motionless at the
corner.
    I stopped at St. Cloud Motor Works, a large dealership located on the western
side of town. The lights in the showroom still shined brightly. I didn’t know if
they were hooked up to a functioning grid or being powered by a generator.
    A long row of SUVs, pickups, and luxury vans in the front lot faced the main
drag. A good prospect sat at the far end, near the telephone pole. It was a tan
three-seater, with plenty of storage in the back. It had double rear doors and a
sliding side passenger door, and the engine was small enough to conserve gas.
The third seat was removable—another plus. It would be perfect for my needs.
    I turned toward the building and nearly bumped into a salesman who’d snuck
up on me. He was tall and well-dressed, about forty, and hadn’t shaved in several
days—a clear sign that something was wrong. His grin was lopsided and sloppy
—another sign.
    “I’d like this one,” I said.
He nodded slowly. “Wanna ... wanna test-drive it?”
“Got the keys?”
He reached into his jacket pocket. His hand stayed buried.
This was going to take a while.
“Nice day,” I said.
He nodded. “Yeah. Nice. Hot, but nice.”
“It’s always hot.”
“Yeah. Hot. Florida, right?”
“Been working here long?”
“Yeah. A long time. Real long.”
I decided not to say anything else. Each time he spoke, his hand stopped
moving. He obviously could no longer multitask.
    His hand finally reappeared. A ring holding at least a dozen keys dangled
from his index finger. He brought it closer to his face and began the painfully
arduous task of selecting the right one.
    This would take a while as well. That was okay. If he switched off, I’d take
them from him and find the right one myself.
Nearly five minutes later, he pulled a key from its metal clasp and handed it
to me. “I’ll need ... I’ve gotta get your ... your ... your …”
“Driver’s license?”
He grinned awkwardly. “Yeah.”
“Don’t you need to put a temporary plate on this first?” I didn’t want to take
the van with him standing here. “Just in case I get into an accident?”
He squinted at the deserted highway. “Hardly any traffic anymore.”
I shrugged. “One never knows.”
“Sure. Yeah. Better safe…”
“You got it.”
He turned, took a step then turned back around and blinked. “What ... am I ...
s’posed to get?”
“We need a temporary tag.”
“Oh, yeah, a … tag.”
“No problem.”
He turned around again, awkwardly. “Be ... right back.”
I watched him for about ten seconds. I figured it would take him at least five
minutes to reach the building. Using my penknife, I transferred my tag from the
Mustang to the van. I didn’t think I’d encounter any cops along the way, but I
wanted to be prepared.
I loaded my supplies into the back. Forcing myself to ignore my prized
Mustang sitting in the grass, I backed out of the space and pulled out onto 192.
The salesman still hadn’t reached the front steps of the showroom.
I needed cash. I had no idea what would happen during my long trip. I’d brought
along a few supplies, but not what I’d need if I faced a real emergency.
    The local Walmart would be my last stop before I reached the coast. I could
probably spend the night in one of the RV parks in the Cocoa Beach area. After a
good sleep, I’d be ready for my thousand-mile journey.
    I