Read Under Suspicion - The Legend of D.B. Cooper Page 41

Friday morning.

  A few minutes later, corvette headlights cut through the stormy darkness. “Entering Morton” was on the sign as Alan sped past. Alan slowed down as he looked around, then pulled into the poorly lit motel parking lot. A few moments later, Chet pulled in and parked next to him. Both men got out and ran through the rain to the door. In red neon, “vacancy” was displayed in the dark window. Wiping off their feet they went in.

  The small lobby was dark, with just a single light on over the counter. A small sign next to a bell read, “Ring for service”. Alan hit the bell several times, but nothing happened. He rang it again, this time louder. Finally, a light went on in the back. The sound of tired, sleepy feet being drug slowly across the floor came from the back room. The door behind the counter creaked open and out walked a skinny old man in a striped robe and slippers.

  “Good morning,” Mr. Brunner, the elderly owner of the small motel, said as he stepped up to the counter. “How can I help you?”

  “We’d like a room,” Alan replied.

  “Oh, of course you would,” Brunner said, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Picking up a sign-in book, he placed it in front of his customers and turned around and thumbed through some keys in a drawer. Alan pointed to Chet then the sign-in book. Chet stepped up and did as indicated.

  “I’ll put you in number four,” he said as he placed the key on the desk.

  “Perhaps you can help us find a friend of ours,” Alan said.

  “Who’s that?”

  “We’re looking for a man named Henderson. Do you know him?”

  The old man looked the two up and down suspiciously, and rubbed his chin. “I know why you’re here,” he said after a moment with a slight grin on his face.

  “You do?” Alan questioned as he and Chet exchanged worried glances.

  “Uh-huh, it’s no secret. You’re from the city, aren’t you?” Brunner looked back and forth between them. “Buck gets a lot of visitors from the city. Although, he usually calls me if his people coming in need rooms.”

  “Buck?” Alan thought fast. “Yeah, old Buck. He’s expecting us and I lost the directions he gave me. Can you tell me how to get to his place?”

  “Do you have a map?”

  Alan pulled a map from his pocket and laid it on the counter. Chet watched over Alan’s shoulder as the man gave instructions. “Alright, got it. Thanks.” Alan said, then folded the map and put it in his pocket. Chet grabbed the key and the two walked towards the door.

  “Good luck fishing,” the old man said. “Oh, and how long are you planning on staying?”

  “Fishing?” Alan questioned as he opened the door then turned around. “We don’t know. It all depends on how good the fishing is.” He winked at Chet, then the two walked out the door closing it behind them. “Did you hear that? It looks like Henderson brings a lot of strangers around.”

  “Why did you have me sign-in and not you?” Chet questioned.

  “Don’t underestimate this operation,” Alan replied. “That clerk may not look so bright, but if he works for Henderson he could be checking up on you right now. It’s no big deal if you’re a reporter, but if he found out I’m DEA this whole raid could be shot.”

  “So what do we do now?”

  “Lets unpack what we don’t need, then we’ll take your Chief. The roads on this map were not made for sports cars. We’ll have to hurry if we want to get there before it gets light.”

  “Right,” Chet replied as both men hurried to their vehicles.