Bitch From Hell

Fletcher took the phone call. He was laughing when he hung up, and naturally got everyone's attention.

"Damn it, Fletch. What the hell is so funny?" Nadine was the first to jump in.

He giggled a little before speaking. "Danny down at the Grist Mill Bar said that a pissed-off blonde spit-fire was just down there demanding to know where she could find Rayburn Watley. It appears that she is hitting all of the bars trying to find her husband and she is being very vocal about it. He said that it sounded like she was being obnoxious on purpose just to bait you."

"Nadine does that sound like something that my wife would do?"

Nadine couldn't help but laugh. "Damn right. She is going to raise a fuss until she finds you. I think the woman is in love, Rayburn."

"I think she is crazy. You know very well that the law is going to get wind of this and then we will have problems."

The tone of the conversation around the table was mixed, but most everybody thought that it was funny; that is until the next phone call.

They all watched Fletcher until he got done and then waited for him to tell them what was going on.

"Rayburn. Do you remember a guy called RB Griffith from over in Page County?"

"Yeah. A badass guy that lived just east of Luray."

"Well my good brother, he is looking for you also, and it looks like sometime tonight your wife and RB Griffith are bound to end up at the same place at the same time."

The room went silent for a moment. Rayburn finally stood up and set his long neck on the table. "You all have to excuse me for a few minutes while I go find my loving wife."

Now Fletcher and Grayson did not want to miss any of what was going to be going on, but Rayburn motioned for them to sit. He did, however, indicate that he wanted Nadine with him.

He saw JoLynn's car in front of Wet Willy's. He parked in the back and he and Nadine entered the side door. It was a Saturday night at a country honky-tonk, but you could have heard a pin drop, except for the two people having words in the middle of the dance floor. JoLynn was standing nose to nose with RB Griffith. Of course, he had to stoop over some to even things up. RG Griffith was big and he was also fat. The extra weight could be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how you looked at it. Rayburn and Nadine slowly moved closer. Everybody was transfixed on the couple, waiting for something to happen.

"You lay one finger on my husband, you miserable piece of shit, and I will rip your balls off and feed them to my dog."

Rayburn laughed to himself because they didn't even have a dog.

"I'll tell you what little lady after I get done with the skinny runt you call a husband, I'll come back and show what a real man is like."

It was like two kids in a schoolyard. They kept at it for over a minute. It was obvious that JoLynn was not the least bit afraid of the asshole, but it would have to end eventually. Rayburn inched a little closer and Nadine stayed right with him.

RB leaned closer to JoLynn and grinned as he whispered something to her. Big mistake. JoLynn gave him a head butt that was just hard enough to cause him to turn his head, close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose. It was not hard enough to hurt him, but it was annoying and embarrassing.

Before opening his eyes, he reached out and grabbed for what he thought was JoLynn's blouse. A second later he realized that he had a hold of Rayburn's shirt. The look of surprise on his face was immediately followed by a satisfied grin.

The second head butt was a lot harder than the first one.

RB Griffith was on one knee and the first real blow had not yet been struck. The grin was gone and the blood was flowing. Nadine took JoLynn aside as Rayburn placed a steel-toed boot directly on RB's left knee cap, and then started the pounding. It was all over in less than a minute. Rayburn was not able to do much damage to RB's ribs or torso because of all the body fat, but there were plenty of other areas to get his attention. He stopped pummeling his adversary only when somebody announced that the Sheriff had just arrived.

Rayburn went out the side door as the officers came in the front. The confusion in the room made things difficult for the law enforcement professionals and he had no trouble getting away.

[]---[]

Nadine took JoLynn home with her, but she took the long way. She had no idea what Rayburn's intentions were, but she didn't want to rush him. By the time they got to the house Rayburn had gotten his stuff and was on the way to Tennessee. JoLynn was furious. Nadine thought the whole thing was funny as hell.

It took JoLynn a couple of weeks to figure out that Rayburn was not coming back. A couple of weeks more and she had a good idea where he was. One morning she just disappeared. Nadine called Rayburn and let him know that she was on her way, and in a bad mood. JoLynn had dropped the boys off at Fletcher and Garnet's place when she left.

Rayburn and Grayson were trying to keep a low profile while they were staying in Winchester. They didn't become hermits or anything like that, but they did tone things down a bit. Nadine showed up a couple of days after she called. No one knew anything about JoLynn. While Rayburn and Grayson were working, Nadine visited all of the local clubs and honky-tonks to see If JoLynn had been around. It had been several weeks since she left.

"I found her." Nadine seemed quite pleased with herself.

"Do you want to let us in on it?" Rayburn seemed more perturbed than pleased.

"She is staying at a trailer park near Belvidere, with a biker name Ozman. It appears that they have become quite attached. She is very open about the fact that she is here looking for you. She bops around a lot, but their favorite place is a bar called the Monkey Barn. Ozman works at a muscle gym in downtown Winchester as a trainer. He considers himself to be a badass and a biker, although he is not affiliated."

"That's nice to know, but what am I supposed to do now?"

"Brother, you are going to have to talk to her sometime. You might as well do it now." Grayson plopped three long necks down on the table.

[]---[]

Rayburn, Grayson, and Nadine sat over to the side. The Monkey Barn wasn't that big, but it had a good crowd. They were not trying to hide and it worked out for them. JoLynn showed up with a big guy that had to be Ozman. He was big and he was solid. No beer belly on this guy. She was all over him, which tended to piss Rayburn off. After ten minutes she finally noticed him, and her attention to Ozman picked up. Now that she knew he was here, she was doing it to aggravate him. It worked.

JoLynn stopped by the bar and grabbed three beers. Ozman just stood across the room and watched, as she walked over.

"Well, if it isn't my husband and his loving family. Surprise finding you here." She placed a beer down in front of each of them.

"What do you want, JoLynn? Why do you insist on following me, when you know that I don't want you?"

"You know what the hell I want? I am your wife. I want us back together; you, me, and the kids. That is what I want."

"If that was true then what the hell are you doing with that want-a-be biker over there?"

"He is not a want-a-be. He is a real man. I needed a place to stay while I was looking for you, and he had a room available."

"I assume that you are also sharing his bed?" Rayburn phased that as a question.

"That's none of your damn business. If you were doing your job as a husband, none of this would be necessary."

Nobody said anything for a few seconds. "How are my kids, Nadine? Is Garnet still taking care of them for me?"

There was still no response in any fashion. Finally, she got pissed and walked back to her new friend.

Things quieted down for a while. They decided to finish their beers and leave. They saw everything they wanted to see. That was when everything turned to shit.

As they got out of their chairs Rayburn seemed to stumble. He was a bit groggy and was having a hard time walking or even standing. Nadine and Grayson hadn't noticed. He was still mobile, but not like his normal self. They never made it to the door. Ozman bumped into Rayburn as he walked by and the next thing they knew, he was beating on him. Nadine and Grayson were totally confused. This had never happened before. Rayburn never fought back. Ozman beat him until he fell and then started kicking him. Finally, Nadine jumped into the fray to protect her brother. Nadine looked over and saw JoLynn smiling. JoLynn was actually laughing as she and Ozman scooted out the door.

Grayson insisted that the hospital run a complete tox screen on his brother. There was no doubt that he had been drugged and the police were immediately notified. The damages were pretty serious and Rayburn spent five days in the hospital. The police never found Ozman or JoLynn. Rayburn and Nadine returned to West Virginia so that he could recover. For some reason, local law enforcement on both sides of the state line did not bother him.

[]---[]

Exercise had never been a part of Rayburn's life. His zero body fat and sinewy body came naturally, augmented by hard work. Things had changed now. Nadine quickly learned that therapy and exercise were necessary for Rayburn's recovery and she made sure that he got both. Luckily there were no serious problems. After several months he was back to normal or even better. He was ready to return to Winchester when they got the call.

"Grayson, what is going on, brother?"

"Just a small bit of news, that I thought that you might be interested in. It seems that Ozman and your wife left for Sturgis this morning. They are on his bike, so I figure it would take about three days."

"Were they there in Winchester?"

"No! After the problem at the Monkey Barn, they moved down to Chattanooga. That is why we couldn't find them. He was bragging to a few old friends here in town, and that is how I found out about their trip."

"What the hell was he bragging about?"

"The beat down. He is claiming that he is the only guy that was ever able to take Rayburn Watley."

"Well, that sucks."

"It gets worse. He is also claiming that he took your wife."

Nadine chimed in about that time. "I'll have the truck packed and ready in an hour. Rayburn, go drop the boys off at Garnets, and be back here in ten minutes, no more. We got a long trip ahead of us."

[]---[]

It took them exactly twenty-four hours to cover the 1600 miles. Nadine was able to get a room in Deadwood. That was close enough for what they needed to do. You just can't compete with a crowd of half a million people. Most of the first day was spent sleeping and refueling their bodies. They had no idea where to start looking or how to go about it.

Since most of the town was blocked off from all traffic except motorcycles, they ended up having to walk almost everywhere. Nadine thought it was a bit of fun, but it just pissed Rayburn off. They spent ten hours looking the first day and had no luck.

The second day started no better. They decided to split up and keep in touch with their cell phones. It was about four in the afternoon when he found the Ozman. He and JoLynn were partying heavy with a rowdy bunch in the middle of a packed beer hall. He called Nadine and told her where he was. Rayburn watched his wife and her new man for about ten minutes, and then slowly worked his way through the crowd. If he tried to start something inside, it would be quickly stopped. He had to get him outside, where there might be a chance.

He got within ten feet of their table when JoLynn saw him. "Oh shit!" Their table mates all turned around to look when she yelled. Rayburn wasn't that big and wasn't that nasty looking, but he did get everyone's attention. Ozman knocked over his chair trying to get up. He started pushing and shoving through the crowd trying to get to the door. He had at least thirty feet to go. JoLynn crouched down and tried to make herself appear invisible. It didn't work. Rayburn followed but didn't rush.

Ozman gave one last look over his shoulder and then darted out the door. He never heard the siren or the squeal of brakes from the EMT vehicle when it hit him. Ambulances and firetrucks were the only exceptions to the traffic rules. Nadine arrived just in time to see him get creamed.

There was quite a commotion going on by now, and it didn't take long for JoLynn to end up kneeling beside her escort. The EMT people were right on the problem, but she was still looking around the crowd for Rayburn. Then she noticed Nadine right by her side. She was forced to make a choice, so in the confusion, she slipped away through the crowd. Nadine followed her as she disappeared into the RV /bus parking area.

Ozman got a square hit from the EMT vehicle and ended up with two broken legs.

[]---[]

Rayburn quietly watched as the EMT crew loaded Ozman in the back of the vehicle with their other patient. He was amazed that they could get two stretchers in it at one time. It was a long drive to get here and he didn't even get one shot in. Ten minutes later Nadine returned.

"Did you lose her?"

"Nope!"

"Are you gonna tell me what is going on?"

"Not until I have a cold beer." She was sort of giggling as they walked into the beer tent. Nadine was not a giggle type of girl, so it seemed a bit odd.

"Your wife was sort of darting all around in the parking area, trying to get someone to let her in one of the vehicles. Most of them were empty. She finally found a couple of guys who must have agreed to let her hide in their bus. I waved at one of them. and he came over with a grin on his face. However, it was not what he expected. My Spanish sucked, but I ended up giving him eight hundred dollars if he agreed to take JoLynn with them when they left." Nadine finished half of the long neck in one swig.

"Where were they going?"

"Don't know! Didn't ask! But the logo on the side of the bus said 'Diablos de Juarez'".

We both sort of chuckled at that. "By the way, you owe me eight hundred bucks."

[]---[]

When we got back, there was a big red Freightliner parked at the motel. Nadine had kept Roger updated on our location, but had not expected him to show up. I left Nadine and Roger to use the room, and I found the Deadwood Legends Steakhouse. I ordered a big ribeye, but couldn't finish it. My sister and her husband were still in the room when I got back, so I made myself comfortable in the pickup and tried to catch a few winks. He didn't seem too afraid of her.

The tapping on the truck window woke me from a light nap. I figured Nadine and Roger were done, but I was wrong. It was a twenty-some-year-old girl, dressed like a what-a-be biker chick.

"I'm not interested. Go to the truck stop about a quarter-mile down the road."

"I am not a hooker damn it! I just need to ask you a question." I think I pissed her off.

"What?"

"I see that you got Virginia plates on your truck. Are you going back there?"

"Yeah!.

"I need a ride to Harrisonburg."

I moaned and groaned a bit and then got out of the truck. I gestured toward the motel dining room and started walking. She picked up her backpack and followed me.

"Do you want some coffee?" I got a nod, but nothing more. When the waitress started to approach the table, she leaned over and whispered, "Could I get a burger also?"

I added a large plate of fries to the order and then introduced myself. "My name is Rayburn. What's yours?"

"Wanda. Wanda Stiles."

"How did you get here, Wanda?"

"One of the guys that I worked with convinced me that we would have a great time here at the rally. He might be having a great time, but I am not. Two days on the back of a Goldwing might sound like fun to some people, but not me. He didn't even get a motel room. I refuse to spend one more night in a camping tent."

"That's it?"

"No! The son-of-a-bitch offered to share me with some of his new biker buddies. That is when I decided that I had to get out of here."

Wanda ate the burger like she hadn't eaten in days. She did a pretty good job on the fries also. She wasn't skinny and she wasn't fat. More like a corn-fed farm girl. About that time Nadine and Roger walked in. I made the introductions.

"Oh shit. I am sorry." Wanda said. "I thought that you were traveling alone."

"He is now." Nadine blasted as she waved over the waitress. "Rayburn, I am going to ride back with Roger, if you don't mind. In fact, I am going to ride back with him, if you do mind." She thought that was funny. Roger just smiled.

[]---[]

So another chapter in the life of Rayburn Watley ends. Nadine and Roger didn't get back to West Virginia for another three weeks. The Ozman spent four weeks at the hospital in Rapid City. His Harley disappeared while he was there. Nobody heard from JoLynn again. Things between Wanda and Rayburn improved during their trip home and took a sudden jump while they were passing through Indiana, and Wanda found out his last name. Rayburn Watley was and still is a name to reckon with in Virginia. Greta is teaching Wanda how to make grits.