Squirmers: A Nap Lapkin Story (Part 4)

The next morning Nap picked up the phone and called his assistant. “Listen Dan, I need you to look into the word Walcott. What it means and if there is anything significant about it.”
Dan, always excited to be of service, responded with an eager “You got it Nap!”

Less than an hour later Nap’s phone rang and it was Dan. “Walcott is a place. In Iowa.”

Nap replied with a disappointed sigh. “Iowa?”

“Yes, Iowa. Home to the world’s largest truck stop. Iowa 80 it’s called. 220 acres of truck stop with 5,000 visitors a day.”

Nap struggled not to hang up the phone. Finally he inquired, “Any particular reason I should have the name popping up in my head?”

On the other end of the phone there seemed to be a man trying desperately to control a burst of enthusiasm. “I’m glad you asked Nap. Turns out there is an archeological dig that has been going on and causing some distress to the owners of said truckstop.” How could Nap tell that Dan was a bit too excited about the reveal? Because he pronounced truck stop as truckstop.

“And that’s relevant how?” inquired Nap.

“Because a couple days ago the man that was leading the dig suddenly disappeared.”

Nap took in the information. “I fail to see how a simple missing persons case would cause me to be thinking about truck stops.”

“Life is indeed strange boss” said Dan.

“Aren’t you even going to ask me why I inquired about Walcott to begin with?” asked Nap.

“I figured you’d tell me if you wanted me to know” replied Dan.

“Fair enough. One last thing… what were they digging up at the truck stop?”

Nap could hear papers being shuffled around. Finally Dan said “It was apparently an Indian burial site. Lots of important artifacts and such.”

“Of course it was” said Nap and hung up the phone.