The Creeps World: Close Encounters of the Serial Killer Kind
Chapter One
Young and Dumb
That Summer was unusually uncomfortable in Denver, it had been up to 102 plus degrees and was so stifling hot with the sheer humidity that you could mop up after yourself. I had family from the South, been down there several times and it was feeling a lot like a muggy Arkansas in August next to the swamp marsh.
Being in my "almost twenties" (I was nearly eighteen when this happened). I was always ready to go somewhere and up for anything fun to do.
Rules, what rules?
I wasn't exactly the world's best teenager, but not the worst either. Let's just leave that at - I had a knack for finding trouble in my teens.
Or it found me. Either way.
We all do.
But my Irish ancestry showed in so many ways I had yet to even realize I possessed such courage and would have to contain that Titan for the rest of my life as well.
I was innately strong, persevering, and fought hard for my means but naive. I was unapologetic and unprepared to a point that the gods must've felt pity for me and kept me safe.
I had just gotten a newer car that Summer that I could put some miles on, and wear off the tire tread.
It was a silver Lumina Euro edition so a bit faster, but not that much. I had tinted windows, clean interior and was mine o' mine. She had a blue interior with a green old-school analog dash, and I begged to change out the radio. I "needed" loud tunes in my ride, it made drives a lot better that way.
I had been up to the mountains a couple of times, all over Denver even downtown, to Boulder, Kittridge (well that's what we called it back then), down to some parties in the Springs', Littleton when I got the stereo installed; even on some roads without pavement to go fishing.
So I was most definitely itching to drive, anywhere but home.
I decided to head out toward Kansas one day and check it out.
Why? Well, no reason in particular to be honest other than my mom and I drove through a few times when we went to go visit family over the years.
It was always so beautiful driving through. The people were so nice and it felt like the old school farming Americana with picket fences and pies cooling in window sills. You know the Midwest we grew up hearing about. Kids playing in their front yards, wearing overhauls with dirty knees, and muddy feet.
So I figured, why not? I asked my boyfriend at the time if he wanted to go with me for some company and a co-pilot.
Of course, he did.
We were always together like Bonnie and Clyde back then, he always had a way of keeping me out of too much trouble. I had gotten my own apartment early at sixteen but was nowhere near adulthood yet.
He knew that.
And I always appreciated it too.
So, that was the plan to hit the open road to find some cooler air and sow our newfound freedoms' oats.
No set destination, no time to be back home, and no instructions were left to anyone who cared for us. We didn't even mention we were leaving or for how long, to anyone.
Really, really dumb.
Freedom bound, that was our only concern.
We packed up some munchies; water and all the good stuff. You know, the orange triangles of crispy cheesy salty heaven, the nuclear green mountain fuzzy dew water, oh and can't forget the gummy sour people.
We planned on heading out at about four in the afternoon that day and he mentioned that he had some joints to take with us as well. "Sweet, I thought", this was the making of an epic gateway to our adulthood. Or so I assumed.
Coming from the girl who didn't even have an emergency blanket or a safety kit packed in the car, in Colorado, during Winter.
Setting out for the open road was such an awesome feeling, I still had that nervous tinge in my belly like when you were young and started driving on the highway, scared to merge over in traffic thinking changing lanes would be the cause of your death.
Everything was so big, I was so small it felt like literally entering a brave new world for me. As we gained some tread on the road I felt more confident and was looking around soaking in life.
All the different people traveling, the cows in the pastures, birds flitting between trees, semi-trucks whizzing by and the new smells, new communities. It was just beautiful, there were enormous sunflowers in the fields growing as far as you could see. I felt like pulling over and just running through them. For the sake of my own dignity, I didn't pull over and embarrass myself.
Giant yellow beacons of goldenrod petals on spears of green leaves stand tall for the gods to see. Soaking up the sunlight.
It smelled of flowers and sweet grass wafting through the trail that we were blazing down that highway. The cool air coming from the 75 MPH "freedom run" was a sweet kiss of comfort for us that felt just like free air conditioning.
The sun started to set as the orange and red hues were peeking from just above the Rocky Mountains fading over and onto the plains grasses bouncing across the fields, and turning everything into a vibrant and majestic oncoming sunset.
Everything was just plain gorgeous to see, on my almost own. I knew I would spend time in my life driving on the open roads one day; it was too beautiful not to go out and explore.
It was breathtaking seeing everything that the Earth had to offer as well as empowering being on my own, true independence.
We started smoking and before I knew it we were stoned and driving.
Not the best decision I ever made but being a teenager negates certain rules for some reason. I can admit that but that's why we live through to our twenties, to survive being stupid. I remember laughing so hard that I had to go to the bathroom.
We found a rest area and pulled off. It was still pretty bright out and I figured now was the as best time as any.
I hadn't ever been in a rest area or truck stop without my parents before and had grown up knowing that they were generally not the place for a single female to hang out or even be around at all. I was sensing trepidation in myself but I trusted Leigh to keep me safe and oh' man did I have to pee.
This restroom was gross, it hadn't been cleaned properly in quite some time now. It smelled awful covered up with some industrial pefume imminating from dispensers.
The woman who was alteady there applying her lipstick in the tiny mirror didn't seem to enjoy that she had a run in her pantyhose saying "this damn lycra' ain't cheap these days".
Most of my assumptions were fulfilled by the quick "5-minute stop", but seemed safe enough to get in and get out quickly. 'Just don't touch much and make sure to wash hands thoroughly', I thought to myself.
We kept heading Eastbound into midwestern tranquility as the sun faded behind us into the evening blues in our rearview mirror. Leigh and I were starting to get hungry, so we eventually found a small diner and took notice that there was not much to do in the middle of nowhere.
It was one of those quaint little towns that had one white church, a post office, everyone knew each other's business, had a police station, and two restaurants; one that was closing in forty minutes.
We made a quick meal, said our pleasantries, and left with our apple pie slices to go.
Seemed a reasonable snack after a long drive back home.
Though very beautiful, it was so boring and we agreed to get super stoned and drive straight back home in one shot.
We switched, and as he drove back my stomach started toiling with the creation of internal belly monsters I devoured. My stomach was not very happy with the country gravy I randomly chose to eat as a viable option for road trip food.
I couldn't take it anymore, I was either going to ruin my pants (which would be my spontaneous combustible death for sure) in front of him or have to admit to him I needed a bathroom. Sooner rather than later.
Neither is an option when you're young and he is "so cute". So I looked over and said, "I think I am going to explode dinner can we stop, please".
He just laughed, turned beet red, and said "me too".
Thank goodness because I was so nervous even having to ask because I was utterly embarrassed anyway talking about "poop" with any guy on the planet.
Although me finding out he was doing the same thing was a huge relief off of my chest, and that we were pulling off soon made me ecstatic.
We got to another rest area as we headed back west in what seemed to take about two hours but was realistically about fifteen minutes and with perfect timing.
I didn't even think about being nervous at this one. I didn't even notice it was almost complete darkness out now with a faint hint of blue in the sky. I had no concerns for my safety. I just had to use the bathroom, and now. I ran out of the car and directly into the facilities. I saw no one or nothing until I saw the woman's sign on the bathroom door.
As I finished up I realized I had no plan of where to meet Leigh or even remembered where he had parked.
I was in such a hurry, I neglected the common basics of a woman's survival, and safety. I remember telling myself I was being a spook, but I had this feeling in my gut that I should just be on my toes when I was alone and paying attention to my surroundings.
Then I thought to myself 'I wonder if he is already done and waiting for me out there, how awkward'.
I felt like I let myself down by being so naive and just taking off that I needed to "grow up" somehow. Sink or swim time, I guess. I opened the door to leave the restroom thinking I'll find the car and we'll just be on our way.
I didn't see Leigh anywhere in the lobby area, I started to walk toward the exit door and this older man with rough grey hair, piercing beady dark eyes wearing an older Vietnam veteran squad hat asked me if I needed any help.
I politely said "no, thank you, my boyfriend is in.." and with precision perfect surgeon-like timing Leigh came out of the restroom.
This man was medium sized instance and sort resembled that green river killer guy. He had the same type of eyes with the thin framed face.
Instead of looking at me and smiling like Leigh normally did, he was staring at this guy talking to me with the meanest damn look in his eyes.
Leigh asked the guy in an abrupt tone "can I help you man" and the Vet' responded with "oh, I thought she was alone, I mean no disrespect dude was just making sure she was safe".
I remember thinking "dude", he must be from California or something maybe an old surfer Vetern from the war in mideast or something.
I didn't pay attention to that huge red flag. Why would he be concerned with my safety? And if so why be creepy?
See Leigh wasn't a jealous type at all, we had been in many situations socially where I had been hit on and in front of him; he never reacted to them as he just did to this stranger.
Not even with out high school crowd did he behave that way.
As we went to walk out of the lobby area leaving back for the car the creepy guy asked us if we smoked weed and wanted to provide a "peace offering" to us.
Still to this day, I do not know why we even responded or said "yes", but we did.
Seemed reasonable enough.
We felt like we judged him too harshly and his manners were so polite as well.
I trusted the hat. My stepfather was a Veteran, I was raised to respect the military. So, I didn't see any harm in getting stoned with an old war guy.
Leigh knee-jerk resisted at first but succumbed to my ignorant dismissal and hype of "oh he's just an old vet".
I remember him asking us to get in this little overhead camper he had on the back of a truck, like a good ole' Dodge from the late 70s truck, that had a small white and yellow camper thing is what I remember with a door that had a curtain. It looked old, tattered, had dirty windows, was cluttered, and the aluminum trim was prying itself away from its duties to the vehicle.
He said "blaze in my "house"?
Again, it was dirty and it looked cramped, not to mention I saw this scene in a horror movie one time. No, neutral safe zone for me already in a precarious situation.
I said, "No, thank you. We can blaze in my car, the back seat is open for you".
He resisted and said we could smoke in the cab of his truck but again I said "no, thank you". I remained calm and polite but I was firm that I wasn't going to be doing that.
We went back and forth on where we should smoke and finally ended up settling on my vehicle.
I sold it by reminding them of the dark tinted windows being for our benefit and out of the eyesight of others. Well, I said, "since this is turning out to be more complicated than it should be why don't we just split and wish you well on your travels".
"Wait, wait. Now, hold on, no need acting hasty. May I get my puppy and I'll go with y'all, I just don't want to leave her alone is all?" he said in such a pleasing and respectful way.
All I heard was 'puppy', "absolutely of course" I blurted out. I loved animals and even had cat stickers on the back of my bumper.
Now it made sense why he was being weird. He just didn't want to leave his dog alone in the truck.
As I waited, and watched him fetch her from his camper part of the truck. Nothing benevolent, or 'Silence of the Lambs' style had crossed my mind at all at this point.
Next thing I knew we were in my car smoking with a stranger sitting in our backseat, placing us in the most vulnerable situation we could've been in, in the history of teenage stupidity.
As we smoked with this random human, I felt like such a 'hippie dippy', my mom would be so mad at me for doing it and I felt like I was being an "adult" so 'C'est La Vie to reality'!
We all talked for a bit and got along well, I was partial to the little black and white dog he had with him. I can't remember her name or even what breed she was nowadays but she was a sweetheart of a dog and loved to cuddle up in my arms.
I remember thinking she was overly nice and wanted so much attention of mine. He started telling us how his wife had died and that he drove the roads to "stay alive as well as see the beauty life had left to offer him".
I remember the Vet' saying he had been driving a long time and referred to the highway as being his "home".
I was too stupid to not even notice Leigh was getting very agitated with this guy for some reason, still.
I was caught up in playing with the dog and listening to his story.
What seemed like out of nowhere and completely uncalled for Leigh abruptly said "why do you keep looking at her like that man?"
I was caught up in thinking this guy could be an adopted uncle to notice he was simply grooming me for his own disgusting needs as his dog was simply a distraction to me as well.
To catch me off guard.
Leigh was very firm on this guy getting out of the car and leaving immediately, it was completely out of nowhere and we were mid-conversation.
"You know what, on second thought man, why don't we go ahead and get on the road" Leigh said.
The Vet responded to him calmly "aghh man for real, the joints still going?". He seemed annoyed but pleasant still.
"Nah man serious, we're done let's go get out and we're going to head back our way"
I didn't even really understand what was going on at the time. I just thought Leigh was being an asshole.
I hadn't put that dog down long enough to see what Leigh had seen or was intuitively picking up.
"You know what".. he repeated back to Leigh just as he had said to him in the same tone.
"No. On second thought, why don't we finish that joint. And ask the lady what she wants to do?"
This guy refusing to get out of the car, and Leigh was just fired up at this point by being dismissed.
I never had ever seen him this mad. The Vet' simply sat there in my backseat stone-cold firm on not leaving with this absurdly displaced smile.
Leigh kept yelling at the creepy guy to get out of our car and "please leave, now man. Get the hell out".
This guy refused to leave our car and simply said "no, thank you" to me as politely as I had been to him, but with trite and seemingly malevolent facial expressions toward Leigh's presence.
The creep looked me dead in my eyes as if he meant to say something a whole lot deeper with his dead eyes and just said "no, thank you" and winked at me.
As if he meant to say "I won't be going anywhere without you toots'".
As he winked which in reality took one second I felt an eternity of fear running down my spine. It was an eerie feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me 'I'm not safe get the hell out of here'.
My ancestors seemed to purge through my veins with electrically negative vibes. My legs just wanted to run.
I remember Leigh telling me to get out of the car fast while he got this guy out for himself.
He was literally going to pull this guy out one way or another, and seriously, why was the creepy guy refusing to get out of the car anyway?
It went from a semi-cool chill blaze session to a very intense mental chess match to a MMA fight in a matter of ten seconds for us.
I opened the door to the passenger side of my car and Leigh got out of the driver's side at about the same time to walk around and drag this guy out.
My hand slipped off of the handle on the first try, I was so panicked.
As I reached for the handle of the door and pulled again, he either kicked the back of my seat or pushed it so hard with his hands that the seat thrust me forward and I almost hit the dash with my face. I wretched that handle, pushed, and fell forward out of the door, then onto my face in the parking lot. Not really grasping what had just happened I was in sheer panic mode.
I was so scared and wanted out of that car so bad I pulled a hop-out toss body maneuver to just get away from that situation. I scrambled to get back up onto my feet as fast as possible. Leigh already had opened the right backseat door.
The Vet' just sat up calmly, and got out seemingly unphased by the drama, apologizing as well as bowing out of the situation by saying "I meant no harm".
"Let me get my dog", he said.
As he reached in to grab his dog who had jumped into the backseat with him with the commotion.
I remember a split second I was scared he was going to turn around with something in his hand and go after us. Rather he, put her down on the ground commanded her to follow, and tucked his own tail.
He started to walk away from us toward his truck without any words, looks, or apologies, nothing.
He was slow and methodical as he walked away, not scared of us one bit.
As we scolded him and yelled loud enough for him to retreat to his truck even faster, he still did not speed up nor showed any shame.
We left as fast as those tires could squeal, as we thought to ourselves that people are seriously crazy and what the actual hell was that?!
Not knowing just how crazy they can be when they see something they want.
We were driving down the highway heading home, talking about what in the hell just happened to us. Leigh said he didn't even see the guy thrust my seat forward as he was walking around to pull him out hastily.
He thought I had just fallen out stoned or tripped up on something. I told him it was scary like it had so much force I almost hit my face on the dash, lost my balance, and stumbled impetuously out of the car door because I couldn't get out of there fast enough.
Leigh said to me "There was something wrong with that guy. Look, I don't want to scare you but that guy was looking at you like he wanted to rape, murder, and maim you".
I looked at him and was taken aback, I remember asking "are you serious?", thinking he was joking.
He said "I'm dead serious, it felt wrong in my bones" as he looked at the road ahead of us driving hastily.
Leigh let a few moments go by, then looked me dead in my eyes and said "I don't think you'd be alive right now if I didn't kick that guy out of here".
He glanced at the road and right back at me finishing what he was saying. "There was some type of look in his eye I'd never seen and I knew we weren't safe, you especially. I could just feel it in my gut. Then he started licking his lips as you were talking and I couldn't take it Allie."
Leigh was clearly upset and shaken.
I lit a cigarette to let that notion of reality sink in for a minute. I didn't even say a word. I just thought to myself 'well, why did we even smoke with him then?'
The reality of what just happened hadn't sunk in, even if it did; I do not believe I could've understood the gravity of it all in its entirety anyway that soon.
As I went to exhale my cigarette I glanced in the side mirror out of habit. I looked in the side mirror again thinking I was imagining things and could see a truck with the same type of front end, with a camper coming up behind us about eight hundred or so feet back. I asked Leigh "is that the guy's truck?"
The look on his face said everything I needed to know and I could feel my stomach plummet to the ground, my throat tightened, I immediately felt fear and my hairs stand straight up all over my body.
We put our seatbelts on at the same time and I started praying for our safety as I looked in the mirror behind us. We didn't even talk, I don't think either of us knew what to do or how to even defend ourselves as we had no weapons, not even a pocket knife with us. There wasn't even enough time to clearly or cognitively put together what was going on and how dangerous the whole situation was getting at the time.
That man's headlights drew closer to our rear end, at times looming a mere ten feet behind us. Throttling like he wanted to ram us but never touched the vehicle.
Leigh decided to slow down to forty miles an hour and he was still right behind us. He started flashing his lights sporadically at us as if to get us to pull over and stop. Or maybe to blind us off of the road. We knew that'd be a bad idea on the side of a highway and we kept on going with him in tow. Just don't stop we thought.
Again, we tried speeding up to eighty miles an hour. He was still a shadow right on our chrome; thirty miles an hour, still there. Still flashing on and off as if to get us to pull over and hear him out.
After forty or more miles of him following us, we both started thinking we should call 911 and get help. I grabbed my old analog brick-like cell phone and back then roaming meant 'no service', nada tostada, you are screwed. There was no poaching service from another tower and being able to make emergency calls either, we didn't have that tech' yet. Leigh said, "No, don't call".
Why the hell not I thought?
Our throats were tight, stomachs in a million knots and I'm sure Leigh was thinking the same things I was "how the hell do we survive this; whatever this is, and safely"?!
We kept moving, thinking if we made it to the city we could lose him no problem. Or make it to the police station and get some help.
As we drove in fear up a long hill climb highway stretch, we noticed a state patrol set of tail lights far ahead of us a bit on the downhill, traveling in the same direction but not in a hurry to get anywhere. I remember thinking 'oh thank the heavens' I could see the light rack on top of his cruiser.
It had to be a cop. I thought we were going to be in the clear and safe. I told Leigh to get closer, flash his lights and I would flag him down.
I was quickly reminded that we had weed in the car and we both most likely as it was illegal as all hell for teenagers then, would get arrested, car impounded... a hundred or more miles from home. Tarnish our records as well as most likely lose our new shiny licenses.
This guy had been in our lives for about seventy miles or more. At this point, I was about to have a total breakdown from fear, anxiety, and sheer terror of my own thoughts.
He is going to kill us and bury us in a beautiful sunflower field. No one is going to know we're dead, or where we are at and they'll be people eating dead body sunflower seeds. These were only a couple of the ridiculous thoughts that cross your mind when you are in panic, shock, and survival mode. They usually get worse from there and further from reality, or closer to the truth depending on who you're dealing with in the end.
We followed the speed limit which inevitably brought us closer to the cops' presence inch by inch. We kept talking theories through. The plan was to keep some distance but get close enough to the cop that he would notice us being followed, flashed, and harassed or the creepy guy would back off of us with the police presence and give us a chance to ditch him.
There's always danger in riding too close to a cop vehicle, but this was one chance we had to take. I noticed that the distance between the creepy guy and us was getting bigger and quickly.
He obviously wanted absolutely nothing to do with the law and that was clear. Leigh laid off the cop's shadow a bit and soon enough we noticed the creeper had faded way back and was about two football fields back or more from us. As the distance grew between us all I could do was look in the back window and hope he didn't come back to finish what he had started. I absolutely felt terror and fear in every bone of my body. I thought the absolute worst of what could have happened to us. I never even realized how weak and vulnerable we were by just going for a long drive and enjoying our young freedoms.
As we merged over and passed the officer cruising the highway, he was blissfully unaware of anything that just had happened right behind him the last seventy-five miles or so.
When we broke the Denver city limits rather than head straight home to our apartment. "Just in case", we actually drove about twenty miles out of our way and around the southern part of town to "blend in", got us some tacos in a drive-thru, and looked over our shoulders the whole time. We were in a way expecting him to pop up at the taco stop like Michael Myers.
When we were absolutely sure we had lost him before we headed to our apartment and the last resort of safety we had. We got an automatic car wash at a gas station, "just in case" to make sure no one was following us or had found us.
You can safely say that after that night we knew the true capability of human depravity and wished not to test it further than we had. I have never forgotten that night or what could've happened to us.
Over the years I tried looking into highway murders and found that there are truly so many that I would never be able to find out the truth.
For all, we know that man could've left his joint in our car and wanted it back, or I could've ended up in another cold case file like so many other women who also had to use a rest area facility and became prey.
It's far too easy to and I firmly in my heart believe I scathed sheer terror by the grace of 'the gods' and a roaming state patrol officer ambivalent to our plight.
I'd like to say that that was my only scary encounter with someone who has chosen a completely dark and sadistic side of life, but it wasn't....
No, not even kidding.
What Happen in Vegas', Stays in Vegas'.
Chapter Two
Las Vegas "Life", Nevada
I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004 to start my life over with my oldest son, help my mom out and get on my own feet after leaving Colorado in a hurry.
I had no idea in retrospect why I chose to be so stupid and live in a place where buried bodies in developing communities were dismissed and just picked up by the coroner "whenever they could get there" due to the number of remains, bit and pieces constantly "found", from the "old days".
Houses built on the remains of others (especially unsettling death) in some cultures are highly frowned upon, and for good reason. Not in Vegas' they make their own rules.
It is quite literally a place completely full of sin and terrible people, hence "Sin City" being the nickname it's so proud to boast.
I'm not saying that there is not any good there. I am saying that that city is a beacon for broken, destitute, lonely, and souls who have nothing left to lose, nothing to fight for and their morals have long faded away into self-destruction and devastation.
No one actually takes any of that seriously though, I mean debauchery for a weekend; what can that possibly hurt for anyone?! Right?
The bright flashing lights somehow elude you to think it's like a type of heaven that goes "ka-ching, ka-ching" a lot, and it's not. The payouts are simply 'bait', they know you will put back in the machines. Noisy yes, that city has a way of drowning out the most beautiful voices, dulling the stars and the brightest of souls. It was a bad decision now that I think back on that move in general.
My mom was there on a quiet side of town, so a safe place to start over dominated any thought of all of that evil, and I went anyway. Thinking that I was the cream and would rise to the top of that crop. I picked a hell of a field to grow in that was for sure.
Shortly, after I got there I met a guy who worked graveyard shifts and was so hard to spend time with but he was funny and captivating; I loved being around him. At the time.
So, in order to spend more time with Jose, I started going with him on his night shifts as a security guard all around Vegas'. We went to all kinds of job sites, shopping centers, parking lots, festival sites, raceways, events, newly constructed neighborhoods with no tenants or laid cement, medical center drive-by checks, and even quick ten-minute presence stops in apartment complexes; a majority of the time we were alone in the truck because "watching" was his job, not so much securing.
I learned about Las Vegas, the streets, and my way about very quickly doing this with him and I saw a lot of things; mainly that life wasn't as kind to everyone as it had been to me and I had had it pretty hard then too. So that was saying something. He started working this motel gig on the shady side of town off of Boulder Hwy.
Basically, (short story): He got caught having me with him and they gave him the crap shaft' shift in the ghetto. And there I was again, so we didn't learn our lesson.
This motel was the daily/weekly pay scale type motel set in a five-story castle-themed building from a defunct fairytale land for crackheads, thieves, and such. It even had these cheeky castle turrets built onto the side of the building corners with plywood. And had a "castle-like" faux stone paint to make it look more like a genuine castle.
The building was a dirty white and dark purple trim color for paint that had some serious sun bleaching and peeling from the years. This "no-tell" motel had some serious stories to tell behind the peeling wallpaper, the carpet could write volumes of non-fiction short horror stories and bleached-away blood stains. This place was where broken fairytales and dreams came to retire and die off, not so peacefully.
Full of neglected souls, needy drug addictions, and women who knew what any man wanted and sold it cheap. The type of men that hung around this shady place happened to be sketchy as well; hiding secrets behind paper-thin walls and smoke-riddled curtains.
I stayed in the security office while he did rounds and was with Jose in the cruiser or office so I felt as safe as one could be in the slums of Las Vegas, Nevada.
There was a room right near the security office that an older man stayed in from the time I had been coming around. I always saw him while he sat in his chair right outside his door and smoked. I remember him calling it his apartment yet it was more like a weekly motel room he had gotten far too comfortable in over the years.
He stayed there for so long that he knew the last ten owners and his way around the property better than anyone else did. I remember a tenant had a leak in her room, and he said "it's the kitchenette sink pipe" to the plumber when he showed up. It was, he knew the issues and quirks of the motel he had stayed so long.
The older gentleman was from down South somewhere, you could tell by the way he spoke and his drawl. His manners were on point and he called me "Miss Allie".
He was always saying how his great-great-grandma was a slave in the plantations and how he was a slave to the government now. How disappointed she would be with him. He was one of those conspiracy-type theory guys as well. Always blaming some agency or group for creating some type of hysteria.
After a while, I was comfortable and would sit out with him while Jose was on his rounds around the motel. We got to know each other pretty well and even started to eat dinner a few times together a month. He would drink his cognac and smoke his stoogies' while telling me stories of his old times all over the world, in the war, and his past adventures in his life.
He said he had been in Vietnam and the things he said he saw were nothing but sheer nightmares he'd never repeat. He didn't think that the government had any right to do that dirty to anyone for any cause and that he was enslaved to "just" kill other humans. I would always politely listen and not all of his stories were droning conspiracy files of bad war times. He would tell me about his wife and daughters he had back when, how much he loved them, and that he missed them dearly.
One day, I went to ask him what happened to his daughters but Jose came around the corner mid-conversation and Mr. Lattiere never had time to say. The only reason I was so curious was that they had absolutely nothing to do with him, not even a Christmas card or birthday call.
I didn't think anyone actually deserved such cruelty and disdain. After all, he was their father, right?
I would bring him leftovers I made from home from time to time on Tuesdays as I knew Jose would be scheduled for that job so it would be easier for everyone to eat. You could tell that Duke enjoyed his make-shift family too. He'd tidy up and set out chairs before we'd even arrive.
About six months had gone by, I started calling him Duke rather than "Mr. Lattiere" at his request. He was like an uncle I never had growing up; was always respectful, helped the other tenants, was friendly to everyone, and was definitely 'The Watchman' type of motel complex. I swear that man logged more hours sitting in that chair than he did sleeping in his bed daily.
Jose and I started to hit the rocks, we were not getting along, and breaking up was about the only option he and I had at that point.
I stopped going over to see Duke as much because I knew Jose would be there and I didn't want to be involved with him again in any way shape or form. I had gone and spent some time one evening for dinner with him and he acted just the same with me as he had when Jose was around. But life got in my way and I didn't go back to visit with Mr. Lattiere after that last dinner.
About four months went by and I got a call from Jose, I didn't answer it the first time he called and he didn't leave a message. A couple of hours later he called back and again, I didn't answer. He left a message telling me to call him back as soon as I could and that he had something important that he wanted to tell me. When I called him back I was expecting a half-ass schpeel to get back together.
He just said "Mr. Lattiere was arrested at the motel this evening. I didn't get much information but the Marshall said he was wanted for several missing women from Nevada all the way to North Carolina. They are asking for your information as you were his friend and if you would be willing to talk with them".
"Can you repeat that?", was all I could say.
I was standing there like I had been encased in stone, I could not believe what he had just told me. I remember saying "the old guy next to the office, "Duke"? I felt ill in my gut.
"No way he could've done that", I said.
I agreed to speak with law enforcement but I never showed up and never returned their calls for follow-up.
I don't know why I didn't talk to them, I guess I just didn't want to know how close I'd gotten to being gone, again.
Through a simple internet search with his real name on the warrant, I found that was public record for all to access. Plus what I saw on the local news I was able to find out that he legitimately was being accused of murdering women in different states and was being questioned regarding the whereabouts of several more women he had been genetically linked to their cases, crime scenes, or was last seen with them. I could not believe that I was that close to the devil's handmaidens, twice now.
You would have thought that I had some sort of fetish, or a special type of radar, a serial killer magnet, or some ability to spot them and vacate their presence but rather it seemed quite the opposite as if they were attracted to me in one way or another.
The Long, Hard Ride Home
Chapter Three
Wagon Mound, New Mexico
I had flat out just had enough of life in Las Vegas, Nevada, and set out to go back to Colorado after about eight hard years there. It was far more my pace in the Rockies and I absolutely loved the outdoor life there too.
I loaded up everything I owned in a rolling tin can everyone typically calls a Uhaul. I attached a tow dolly to it with my SUV and set out for the open road with now two kids, two cats, and an iguana for a 990-mile drive back home to Colorado. To a home, I fully appreciated now and couldn't wait to get back to and thrive within.
I had been through a nasty divorce and was exhausted in every way ready to be back home, and with my boys. That was the childhood I wanted to provide them.
Roots over light shows. Snow, rather than excruciating heat. Better schooling and to grow up in a more self-sustainable way of life and have a better upbringing in a safer environment.
Spiritually, emotionally, and mentally; my soul needed a rest.
The bullshit never seemed to cease in Vegas all the way down to my animals too. The veterinarian had told me two weeks before I planned on leaving that I had to put my dog down due to an irregular heart valve issue and her seizures worsening. He said that the chances of her being able to make the drive would be slim to none. Altitude is a huge factor in her oxygen levels as well.
I loved her so much and this dog was like my canine bestest' friend in the whole wide world. She taught my youngest son to walk and never showed one bit of malice toward anyone, that was welcome in my home. I trusted that dog with my life and I hated that I couldn't take her with us on our new adventure, I also felt far less safe knowing she wasn't going to be going with us.
I was terrified to do this drive but there was no way to change the events that were already in motion.
I knew we needed a better life and there was no way we would find that in Nevada.
As I loaded all of my stuff into the Uhaul I didn't want to leave my mom, I was so utterly scared to do this by myself. I knew the road was not a safe place for a woman, I had already learned that from my trials in driving back from Kansas in my earlier years.
I never forgot that night and always stayed on my toes while on the open roads. I dreaded this drive and loathed having to do it alone with kids, towing my truck, as well as a zoo, all in tow.
I packed mace and properly placed a few other safety items that I could reach without my sons harming themselves either nearby me.
I knew this drive was going to be one of the most trying things I have ever done in my life, but I welcomed it naively.
That, and praying for the dependability of good diapers and well-placed eateries.
I had a ton of snacks packed, juice as well as water, extra hot hands and warm water socks for the iguana, even cat stress coats, cat calmer and planned a route that allowed me to give them some time out of their kennels safely, kids included in that.
So when we started out driving, it wasn't too bad actually.
I mean, I got lost in Laughlin. Which is the opposite direction I was heading after going over the Hoover Dam and I was only sixty miles from my starting point.
Plus, we had already stopped at one golden arches' because an hour drive created a hunger in those two kids or a last-ditch effort in staying.
I wasn't having a good time on the road yet and definitely was showing my best rookie road warrior moves, for sure.
I finally got into a groove with things and knew when the kids needed to stop and was making decent time - it's not like I was in a rush anyway I could have taken a week to get there if I needed to. It was just so stressful on the kids and animals, I tried to make it fun for everyone and not a miserable new start to plague their future memories.
The next night we were in Flagstaff after making some historical stops as we made our way through Arizona. I found a family-style restaurant to eat at with the kids and we stayed on the quiet side of a Walmart parking lot to sleep for a few hours before I pushed through into New Mexico as they slept.
When we woke up as we were getting ready things really started to hit the kids that we were moving and away from grandma.
Seeing the Grand Canyon was cool, but not without grandma kind of cool.
It was heartbreaking how many tears were shed in that parking lot that day.
We all just had to cry it out.
I decided to take them to a park and let them play a little bit and blow off some steam. It wasn't hot that day rather a bit overcast and muggy, like right before a light rain shower.
All of these distractions were eating at our travel time. It was so hard on all of us, they were crying and in terrible moods. Tired of being in the truck, hated not having all their toys and that there was no T.V.
I was losing them and fast, so I felt this pressure to drive safely but to get there as soon as possible.
I made my way through to Grants, New Mexico, we ate and cleaned up, I got them in warm jammies and bought a DVD player at the truck stop, (best move ever).
Obviously, this was before they were commonplace in the back of headrests.
The boys were content and then asleep in no time and I was making time to get to our new home. It was about 9 p.m. or so on the 3rd night when I got to Sante Fe and I was so irritated because I had planned on taking the boys to a museum and buying a painting, but couldn't because they were closed at night.
There was also no way the boys were going to let me drag another day onto this trip, even if it was something I wanted to do more than anything. On we went.
Or not. I wanted to do this!
I mean the only thing I had planned to do for myself, I couldn't because circumstances put us out there at night and not on the schedule I had so meticulously planned. Lame.
So I figured I'd get a room, stay the night, go to the museum in the morning and keep heading northbound. I was getting pretty tired anyway. I found a motel just down from the museum and asked if they were pet-friendly getting my hopes up for some rejuvenation.
She said "absolutely no cats". Great. I said, "well, I can leave them in their carriers in the vehicle and make sure they are safe and warm, and pottied but would need to leash walk them; I need a place to lay my head down before we haul on, please. I'll pay extra".
She replied, "that's illegal leaving them in the car, I think you should find somewhere else to stay". Zero heart, and the worst customer service to date.
Wow, just wow I thought, she really climbed under my skin and I was so mad I decided to just drive on and get home.
Screw New Mexico, I thought to myself. I filled up on some coffee and candy, I think I even got some of those nasty energy drinks as well as some stay-awake goodies. What I forgot was to fill up with gas out of my frustration. So I ended up some quick miles down the road at this random place named "Rainbow.. .. ." something or other.
This gas station place meets a truck stop that had a bodega-style casino in it was rather off in the middle of nowhere on a New Mexico highway, weird. Seedy types selling bootleg DVDs in the middle of the night. I was pretty sure the only rainbows around here were the flags, not fairytales and if you saw a rainbow, chances are you'd gotten dosed waiting in line at the register.
Although this place had a native culture museum and some very alluring aspects of the natural native American culture, not Chinese-made Kachina dolls.
I did wander and look at some things with the boys in tow. Once legs were stretched and eyes were amused it was time to set off into the night once again.
Which, that place was quite unique but dirty and felt seedy only because of the people who were hanging around watching everyone so late. It was not a comfortable place to be alone, let alone with two kids using a restroom in the middle of someplace we had never been or would come back to. This is where I feel like I bought trouble I didn't pay for or even notice I had intended to purchase, follow me.
Needless to say, I was paying attention while here, or as much as I possibly could. But obviously not enough in retrospect.
I was tired and out of it with my responsibilities that anyone could have made a bad decision and I could've been swallowed very quickly without even knowing while I was "suppose" to be on my toes. I loaded up and headed back northbound, the kids fell asleep quickly again and I stayed busy driving.
There are things now I look back on that I would've changed. I would've paid attention too, and things I would see now if this happened. How vulnerable we were was hard for me to grasp also.
Red flags.
One, sleeping properly.
Before I knew it, it was close to 3 a.m or after. and I was just plain exhausted, thinking unclearly, red eyes so heavy they burned and suffering from brain-fried zombie syndrome had definitely set into motion.
I had to sleep and knew it was dangerous to keep going if my eyes sank. I could feel it and knew.
I called my parents and they said there was a small town ahead where I could park in the truck stop parking lot and get a few hours of sleep.
I thought it was perfect and I would tuck out to stay safe. Once sunlight cracked my oldest would be awake with the sun so he could keep a lookout while I finished another hour of sleep and we could end this drive to a new life. I saw the exit that matched the exit number my parents said it was a small town called Wagon Mound.
I saw the lights exiting off the highway, some street lights, and some residential street lights going down the main frontage street. Going far off down the way into country life living.
This was definitely a country stop for people who knew it existed and wanted a quiet place to disappear for the night. I saw a truck stop sign that was unlit and knew this wasn't going to be open for a couple of hours. There were a few stray semi-trucks along the side road and in the large mud parking lot south of the "truck stop". No one was moving around and it seemed as if we all had the same idea, sleep.
I remember finding a corner spot in the lot that faced the highway off-ramp and on-ramp to the northbound route I was taking. I had a wide viewing point and no one behind me. I felt safe enough to pass out and rest. So we were as safe as we could be, children asleep, pets asleep. I had no one near us and locked everything up, I was bedding down to get some sleep and everything seemed like a new "mobile normal".
I was relieved this trip was almost over.
I was asleep in no time at all and completely dead to the world confined in our rolling tin can. I had no idea how long I was even asleep but I woke up for some reason with my heart beating so fast and I felt panicked to my core.
I may have gotten about 15 minutes of sleep before I woke scared.
I immediately sat up and assessed the whole situation. I thought 'what the hell' because nothing was going on and no one around us at all.
No one was awake or even moving. I again thought to myself, 'I am being a spook, go back to sleep and calm down. Stay composed Allie'.
I had kids looking to me for guidance and safety, I needed to be sleeping and keeping my wits about me, not wasting my time staring out an empty window expecting what doesn't exist to come knocking at 5 a.m.
I couldn't shake that feeling, there was a reason in my core being I felt like something was wrong, or unsafe. I just felt like I needed to pay attention.
Tired or not.
After 20 minutes of this, I convinced myself I just needed some sleep and went to lie down in my nook. I saw a set of headlights coming in off of the off-ramp as I fluffed my pillow back down.
It was no big deal, except, he was coming in fast and it was out of place enough to watch.
This stop seemed like a ghost town only other truckers knew of and utilized. No one else pulled in or off here since I did.
So I watched him come into the lot and as you could expect with my luck; he parked directly across from me facing me about 400 yards out and I thought "how convenient, turn off your damn lights man".
He turned off his lights for a few moments and then flicked them back on, as his brights.
"What the hell?" I thought.
I was getting a bit annoyed but was just ready to go back to sleep while the kids were still sleeping.
This guy just seemed like an unnecessary intrusion in my bubble and I was losing my patience. I thought about turning my lights back onto him but opted to be passive.
He started moving closer to me; I saw he was slowly creeping up next to us and started to pull up on the right side of the Uhaul, my stomach was in knots, I kept thinking "what am I going to do, the kids are asleep and right there?"
I reached over the pile of kids and blankets, rolled the window down about three inches and he pulled up with our passenger windows side by side with his rolled down all the way.
'Why did he pull up to my passenger side' I thought to myself.
I remember saying very sternly to him "can I help you"?
He responded to me smiling "do you need any attention tonight"?
I couldn't believe he even had the gall and actually said that to me.
I replied "No, you better just go. My husband is going to wake up and he wouldn't appreciate your offer too much at all".
The look on this man's face was an intense blank look from the two dark holes that replaced his eyes.
He looked strung out, cheeks sunken in and dark circles around his eyes. I could see he was wearing what seemed to be a black leather jacket over a dirty shirt with disheveled brown hair and his vehicle was very unkempt.
The following words he spoke scared me right down my spine.
"There ain't no man in there, I know that much sweetheart", he replied to me with such a challenging calmness in his tone.
And the look of, "nice try" in his eye.
I was mad as hell he called my bluff so I said to him "you get the fuck on before I shoot your sorry ass".
He looked me dead in my eyes and said "I also know you ain't got no gun either".
I yelled 'fuck you, get the fuck out of here I'm calling the cops" as I went to find my cell phone completely panicked at this point but didn't want to take my eyes off of him.
By then my oldest sat up from under the pile of blankets and coats asking what was going on looking dazed and scared.
As soon as that man saw my son in the cab sitting up, he was mad; I could see it in his eyes my sons were in his way.
A fire of rage blanketed his expression and I could see he was angry as if lying was the straw that broke the camel's back.
He hit the gas and lit up his tires while doing a donut around my Uhaul and the tow dolly I was towing with my Envoy on it and everything we ever owned. He went around us a second time and I thought is there any way we are all going to get out of this alive? Who does this to a woman, or children in the wee hours of dusk?
I was terrified, why in the holy hell is some strange man talking to me like that and kicking up rocks and dust all over my SUV... Is this a dream? what the hell is going on? This can not really be happening, can it?
After he circled me twice and dug up a dust wall he drove back across the lot and sat in front of me again, this time about two hundred feet in front of me and with his brights on lighting up my entire cabin. I scrambled to get my sons in their buckles and car seats as fast as I possibly could to get them safe.
I said "to hell with it" and tired or not I put the keys in the ignition and put her in drive as fast as possible. I flew toward the onramp heading northbound, I needed my cell phone, and now.
"Where the hell is it?" Fuck.
He was right behind me and if you have driven a Uhaul you know that speed on an on-ramp is not its forte, for sure.
Speed expectations in general with a rented moving vehicle are quite ostentatious expectations anyway.
I was screwed and attached to a whale.
This man could have rear-ended and hit me at any point without my control of anything he was so close to us.
I felt completely threatened and unsafe. He was taunting me, backing in and falling behind to speed up and get close. I was in serious trouble.
I guess you would have to have seen the look in his eyes like I did but I can tell you that man wanted nothing but trouble and the fact I lied to him, twice. Had set him clean off.
I kept on the gas and making progress forward but he was right behind me no matter how slow I was going, or fast. I had my son find my cell phone and immediately called my parents telling them what was going on. I was in such a panic and I remember my mom going from sleeping to instant freak-out mode. I had to tell her to calm down because the two of us panicking were going to get all of us killed.
My stepfather was always amazing under pressure as a former drill sergeant in the Army. He told me to make my way without stopping for any reason to the next town with a police station in it.
To call back and get the information of where to stop and that they'd call authorities.
I remember saying "I love you" to my parents and when they said "I love you" back they both had this fear in their voices that scared me even more.
That's what I was doing one way or another, I will wreck this damn tin can keeping my sons' safe. We hung up and they called state patrol for New Mexico and told them what was going on with us or what they could from all the fast rambling I spewed in a hurry to get advice on what to do.
I had my son dial grandma back and put her on speaker, I was heading to a town called Springer to the police station there. According to the signs I had about 16 miles to go and he was hot on my trail going a whopping 75 MPH.
The eeriest thing was he never flashed his lights, he never touched us, he never fell further back than fifteen feet from our rear end, he never tried to pass us or anything - just stayed right behind me.
It felt like being stalked in a desert.
Nowhere to run or hide, just the coy dance between prey and predator.
Like I was the prey and he knew I would wear out and tire, leaving him exactly what he wanted on a platter. I was no different than a zebra in the savannah being stalked by a crocodile without even seeing it coming; until the iron jaws were wrapped around my throat, clenching.
I came into town speeding and pulled right up to the police station parking lot with no concern for proper parking. I don't even recall when I lost his Cherokee on the road behind me but being in the police station parking lot was sweet relief for me. I was too scared to even get out of the Uhaul, I started honking and just called the police station number my mom gave me to tell them what was going on.
They sent a younger deputy out to us and I told him everything, he said that the state patrol contacted them and told them my parents had called in and they had the description of the vehicle and plate number I gave.
They offered for me and the boys to come inside but I was so damn scared I refused to get out of the vehicle even feeling like I was going to throw up. He let me park it on the side of the building where I was out of the way and they could keep an eye on us as well.
I was so freaked out I refused to even go to the bathroom. I just said I wanted to sleep for a bit and get back on the road to our new home and create some safety for us.
They kept telling us to come inside and I flat-foot refused.
The boys were exhausted and not even cognizant to much of what just had happened. Thank God.
So I just laid back, closed my eyes an just fell into sleep mode.
When I woke up the boys and I all had to go and get cleaned up, use the restroom, and get back on the road.
When we went inside the police station to use the restroom there was a woman there with three orange juice containers and bagels on the counter.
I just started crying, I said "thank you for caring, and helping us". I told her mostly, but the men officers were closely listening to how the whole situation unfolded.
That I had no idea how he even knew me, knew I was without help, or what had even happened to entice him. I was so exhausted and my brain was most likely somewhere back in Arizona.
The officer who took my statement said they drove the highways and never found a Jeep Cherokee that matched the plates or the description but a truck driver off of the Wagon Mound exit had radioed in about four forty-five in the morning and said that there was a dark painted vehicle resembling a Jeep Cherokee harassing a Uhaul and that we had both taken off heading northbound.
So it really wasn't a dream.
Someone else had seen it too. I sat there and talked with them for a while, drinking coffee and fueling up on love, care, and assistance over terror.
I knew I wasn't crazy that it had really happened, but I couldn't believe how close I had actually come to the same danger, again.
I called my parents to check in and make sure they knew we were safe and heading out to the new apartment during the safety of daylight.
Half of me felt like turning around and running right back to my mom but I stayed strong and kept heading northbound to Colorado.
I mean I had a lot to lose by turning around and going back home.
Plus, I absolutely hated Las Vegas and the environment. Also, realistically I was less than one hundred miles from the finish line and it'd be ridiculous turning around and driving that danger all the way back to Las Vegas.
We left the police station and as I drove in silence listening to the kids play together I thought to myself are these situations ever even avoidable? I mean this can happen to anyone out there.
How would anyone know where to look or even start to find their loved ones if lost like that in the wee hours of a morning?
It seemed very scary to think that such a simple thing as driving across the country could be so risky.
Did he see me at that sketchy truck stop and decide to follow me all that way to Wagon Mound? That's miles and miles. How did he know that there was no man with me and that I didn't have a gun? What type of person would be so brazen as to follow me and scare me so bad if they didn't have malice in mind? Especially with my children on my hip and very much in need of their mother to even survive at that time. And what on Earth was that reaction from him when my son sat up wondering innocently what was going on?
I had chills down my spine for years after this happened.
In fact, I didn't even drive by myself for a while when we arrived in Colorado Springs. I felt so much anxiety and fear still it was hard to settle into our new life. When I went to the grocery store to stock up on the new place I was looking over my shoulder, for whom? I had no idea.
I didn't really even have a clear view of his stature, I could barely remember his face and couldn't pick him out in a crowd if I had to. I found myself looking over my shoulder for a while after that had happened and I never really got over that I had scattered away from three very life-altering situations. What if the events had been changed even slightly in the bad guy's favor, I doubt you'd be reading this.
To think, these are only the times I knew about and was put into danger directly. How many times have I stood next to someone at the grocery store or in my daily travels that is responsible for taking someone else's life?
It is far too easy to become a victim nowadays that's for sure. We can't live our lives in fear and stay hidden away.
That's also not a proven method of safety either. Every police department has a case where perpetrators break into homes and are their own style of homeland terrorists.
Live your life to the fullest, keep your eyes open and your wits about you.
Trust your gut.
Take safety precautions and never ever think that this couldn't happen to you too.