Dixie Missed the Boat, but Keeps on Swimming

Driving the hour and a half it took to get back to her Mother's house, Dixie had plenty of time to reflect on the past few days. She had to admit, barring the horror of almost getting raped, she had a wonderful time at the farmhouse, and now, had a renewed sense of purpose.

She wanted that farm, and would do whatever the attorney wanted to get it. She was already scheming inside her head of how to renovate the place into a Bed and Breakfast.

Turning onto the circular enclave of her Mother's street, she saw a familiar car in the drive. She smiled to herself "Well, if he ain't the eager beaver", noticing Detective Benning standing beside the black sedan.

Pulling the Miata to a stop beside him, Dixie opened the door and smiled coyly, stepping out of the car deliberately slowly, letting Pete get a  good look at her long shapely legs as she rose.

"Mercy, Detective. When you said you'd be in touch, I didn't know you meant so soon." She said.

"Well, Mizz Black, you said you had an urgent matter to discuss, and I didn't want you to think the police in this town were all bad apples. What can I do for you?" he asked.

"First of all, you can start by calling me Dixie. You look like you're about to choke on that Mizz thing every time you say it. Second, come inside and I'll show you what I found before I left for the farm.That is what I wanted to talk to you about. "

Detective Benning followed Dixie into the house and Dixie pulled the note from her purse and read it once again:

This is not Random

Handing him the note, she was aware that his eyes never left her face.

"I found this on my bed on the day I left for the farm. It scared me, because of all the disappearances around town in recent weeks, and.."

"What disappearances? I only know of two missing persons on the books right now, so I'm kinda lost."

He looked at the note and laughed, a hearty belly laugh.He laughed until tears were trickling down his cheeks.  Dixie looked at him, puzzled at his response.

'Oh honey, You've been had. This so-called note, is an invitation. Didn't you hear? A new TV reality show came through here recruiting people to appear on it. It wasn't in the papers because of the secrecy clause the network imposes on the contestants until the show airs. The name of it was "This is Not Random".  What they do is, leave a note in the potential contestant's house, and then call with instructions for the contestant to meet them somewhere, and they are whisked off for some wild kind of adventure, with the prize being a million bucks, if you're good at remembering details. Guess you missed the news, huh? Not to mention the phone call."

"You mean to tell me I've been worried sick for days about what's going on in this town, and it was a stupid reality show? Oh shit fire. Not to mention I missed out on winning a cool mil."

"Yeah, and all I know is, my neighbor, a nosy old  busybody named Leona won the million and moved to Florida. I used to see her peeking out her windows with binoculars at anyone who was out in their yard. Now she can buy better surveillance equipment than the Feds have. I guess it DOES pay to pay attention to detail." Pete laughed, and wiped the tears which were inching down his rugged cheeks.

"Now, Dixie, I have a question for you. Would you consider having dinner with me tonight?"

"Why, Pete, I do believe you're blushing, but yes, I will go out with you. Pick me up at seven?" Dixie said, leading him to the door.

Watching him walk down the drive, Dixie noticed
that he had a pretty fine ass for a man in his fifties.

Turning, and opening the car door, he leaned on the door frame and asked, "Do you like steak?"

She responded before she had time to think. "I sure do, the rarer the better." Then it hit her. There was only one steakhouse in a fifty mile radius., Billy's.

"Oh Shit.What the hell am I going to do now?" She thought as she closed the door.