Ransom on the River: Deep River Inn

by Bettie Jane

  “Oh for God’s sake, Daniel,” she said, exasperation evident in her voice.

  “I think you mean for Mark Twain’s sake…just swear, Sadie.”

  “Fine. I solemnly swear to find Jemmie and break no laws in the process. Or to let anyone else break the law either.”

  “You just cannot do what you are told, can you?” There was a hint of exasperation in his voice, but a smile reached his eyes.

  “I swear to uphold the law of—well, everywhere. Good enough?”

  “Yes,” he said, finally sounding satisfied. “Now get yourself over to Brix House. Oh, and Sadie, put a sign on the door so nobody will come in who hasn’t had the flu.”

  “As soon as you call Olivia. I’m not leaving until I know she’s coming to look after you.”

  The Sheriff was quite a bit older than Sadie and he had a daughter that was just a bit younger than Sadie. It was, she suspected, one of the reasons the townsfolk—especially the women—had such a hard time accepting her.

  Someday, maybe she’d win over Sadie’s adult children but it wouldn’t be this day. Today was going to be about finding Jemmie and nursing Daniel back to health.

  3

  Daniel called his daughter Olivia as promised and while Sadie waited for her to arrive—she didn’t trust Daniel not to send her away—he went over some basics that she’d need in her new role as temporary deputy.

  He went over where the extra ammunition was stored in the police headquarters housed in the courthouse building and went over some basic search and rescue procedures. “William and Gus are no strangers to search and rescue so you can rely on them as resources, but when it comes to the arresting—if that becomes necessary—that will be up to you, Deputy Andersen.”

  He winked at her and she was pleased to see that his energy seemed a bit restored. Work was good for the Sheriff’s soul—as it really was for most everyone. She couldn’t remove the worry deep down that this was a bigger problem than the sheriff let on, but for now, he seemed to be well enough to allow for her to assist in finding Jemmie Brix. With the weather turning as it was, Jemmie was the priority.

  She gave her husband a mock salute and winked back at him.

  “Should I wait for Olivia to arrive?”

  “No, get on over to Brix House and be sure and call me with an update before you head out on your search.”

  “Don’t forget to eat the food I brought you from William. It’s your favorite.”

  He shook his head. “Olivia will make soup for me if I get hungry but I have no appetite right now. Pack it and take it with you. There’s no telling how long you’ll be out searching for the boy.”

  She nodded, seeing his point. She turned for the door and stopped when he called out to her.

  “Sadie, be sure and check in every few hours. Otherwise I’ll worry and worry isn’t good for me.”

  He grinned again and winked, letting her know that he was serious, but relaxed. It made her even more nervous that he was trying so hard to reassure her with his levity.

  “Take care of yourself, Daniel.” She kissed him on the cheek and tucked him in. “And listen to Olivia. Don’t be a stubborn fool.”

  She went downstairs and donned her thick coat assuming she’d be out in the elements for a good portion of the day. She was glad she already had pants on. Once she was ready to go outside, she stood in front of the mirror to pin on the badge she’d just received. She felt foolish wearing it, but decided that her best bet for being taken seriously was to show up with it on.

  If the ladies in town saw her this way or even heard about it through the rumor mill which was more likely than not, she’d never live this down. She shrugged, looking at her reflection in the mirror and decided it didn’t matter much since they hated her anyway. She doubted she could live here long enough to change their minds about her, the godless tavern wench from the city.

  She chuckled at the the thought of the women clutching their pearls and then gathered her long, waist length chestnut brown hair and quickly braided it so that it hung straight down her back and wouldn’t be a bother.

  She packed a leather satchel with extra ammunition and put the bag over her shoulder. Lastly, she scribbled “Flu Inside” on a piece of paper and tacked it to the door. Satisfied that she’d done all she could for now for Daniel and that she was as prepared as she could be for an afternoon and evening out in the woods, she stepped outside, pulled the door closed behind her, and walked briskly toward Brix House.

  She felt a bit nauseous as she approached the intimidating three story historical home. This family was one of the wealthiest in town and she felt suddenly terribly under-qualified for this role that Daniel had just placed on her head. The sheriff badge suddenly felt like she had a piece of granite pinned to her chest and she wondered if Daniel often felt the weight of the responsibility of his position.

  She climbed the stairs, willing her hands to stop trembling. Her nerves were betraying her.

  “Get a grip, Sadie,” she whispered to herself. Her boots echoed on the steps and then on the broad front porch. She stood in front of the door for nearly thirty seconds before she was able to summon the courage to ring the bell.

  Only moments passed before Anna Schreiber, the Brix’s housekeeper answered the door. Her hair was in disarray and she unconsciously smoothed it while welcoming Sadie into the home. Her eyes rested on the badge for a moment, but didn’t say anything or make any kind of expression that might give away her thoughts on the subject.

  The badge felt heavier still. All she wanted to do was to take it off and throw it in the river.

  “Come in, Mrs. Andersen. I’ll show you to the parlor where Mrs. Brix and the others are waiting. Will your Sheriff be joining you?”

  “Thank you, Anna. No, unfortunately, Sheriff Andersen is under the weather.”

  Sadie noticed a slight cloud pass through her eyes at the mention of the Sheriff’s illness. It passed quickly, but it was a peak into the bleakness that the so-called Spanish Flu had blanketed the town with.

  “I hope he feels better soon,” she said, quickly recovering, and led Sadie into the front room.

  “Mrs. Brix, Mrs. Andersen is here to see you.”

  Sadie took a quick inventory as she stepped in the room. Both of Henrietta’s parents were in the room, one on either side of their daughter on a large chesterfield sofa facing the window. Henrietta was staring out the window with a vague, glassy look in her eyes. She barely turned to acknowledge Sadie. William and the others he was rounding up hadn’t yet arrived and Gus sat near the fire with a comforting arm around Joel who stared, probably without seeing, at the crackling flames.

  If Henrietta and Joel were in some kind of shock, Henrietta’s mother and father seemed to be handling the tragedy in a different way.

  As Sadie was announced, Mrs. Birnie stood and stalked across the room to stand in front of Sadie. “Henrietta isn’t accepting visitors just now, Mrs. Andersen.” There was an iciness to her voice that Sadie was sure in the right circumstances would kill.

  Before Sadie had a chance to speak, Mr. Birnie captured her attention. He too approached her and took an imposing stance next to his wife as if to protect her. She was only barely taller than five feet and he towered over her, she’d guess he was at least six foot three. He raised his hand and pointed at the badge on her chest and said, “What is the meaning of this. Where is the Sheriff?”

  Sadie took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. This was to be her first test.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Birnie, the Sheriff sends his apologies. He’s under the weather today and he has deputized me to aid in the search for young Jemmie.”

  “Deputized you?” Mrs. Birnie cried out. “Why, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I knew the Sheriff was going senile when he married this young thing, but now we’ve got absolute proof. Where is Deputy Fisher?”

  She addressed Sadie, but she was looking at her husband. This was Sadie’s chance to behave like the law would beh
ave.

  “Mr. And Mrs. Birnie, Deputy Fisher is in Portland for the next few days and my husband is in bed with what might be the Spanish Flu. It seems that I—however unlikely or unwelcome—am the option that you have to help find your grandson. Now, you don’t have to like it, but I’m here to find Jemmie. I’d like to speak to Joel.” Sadie waited a moment for them to process what she’d said then drove the point home. “Sheriff Anderson said anyone who has a problem with his decision to deputize me should give him a call. I’m certain he’ll be thrilled to get out of his sick bid to explain himself to you directly.”

  She held Mr. Birnie’s stare for a moment then turned to look at the newest arrivals.

  Sadie noticed that Anna had escorted William and a couple of other men in during Sadie’s rebuttal. She hoped they couldn’t see the heat she could feel in her cheeks.

  Before either of the Birnie’s had a chance to speak a rebuttal, William—bless his soul forever—spoke first.

  “Deputy Andersen. The Sheriff called me and told me that he’d deputized you. I spoke with Mrs. Fisher and she confirmed that the deputy is already halfway to Portland by now. We are—all of us, I’m sure—grateful for your help.” He gave a pointed look at Mr. and Mrs. Birnie. I’ve brought Enoch and we’ll conduct a search. Where would you like us to start?”

  Sadie flashed William a quick, but grateful smile and nodded in Joel’s direction. If he wasn’t already her favorite person in town, he definitely was now.

  She spoke quietly. “Let’s see what Gus was able to get from Joel. Then we’ll go from there.”

  Mrs. Birnie rambled on, just barely under her breath and loud enough for Sadie to hear.

  “This isn’t the last you’ll hear about this Sadie Andersen. Mark my words…”

  Sadie walked out of earshot, deciding not to spend a minute more wasted on the likes of Mrs. Birnie. She was Margaret Butler’s best friend and one of the women who disliked Sadie the most and had since her first day and today was about finding Jemmie as soon as possible. There was no room for town politics to have a role here.

  “Gus,” Sadie said, kneeling down in front of Joel, but keeping a respectful distance and using a soft voice so as to not frighten the child, “Were you able to get any more information from Joel?”

  Gus shook his head in defeat. “I’m afraid not.”

  “Do you mind if I ask him a few questions?”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Joel,” Sadie started, “I heard you had a frightening day.”

  The boys eyes were glazed over and he looked so small sitting next to his brawny uncle Gus. He made no response to her question.

  “I’m sure you must be so worried about your brother.”

  He sniffled and she could see tears well up in his eyes. Maybe she was getting somewhere.

  “Would you like to help us find him?”

  A slight nod, barely discernible. She might have missed it if she’d blinked.

  “One very important way that you could help us is by telling us where you saw him last. Do you think you could do that?”

  Another very slight nod, but fear bloomed in his eyes even as he agreed to help.

  “Where were you adventuring today, Joel?”

  Silence. And his eyes were stony and distant again. His posture told her that he was closing himself off from the memory of what happened out there. She tried to think of a way to reach him before he got too far away again.

  His voice surprised her. His eyes flicked to her badge and he looked up at her with big eyes that were re-engaged again. “Are you the law?”

  She smiled warmly at him. “Yes, but just for today while we try to find your brother. The sheriff is feeling sick and asked me to help your family. You aren't in any trouble. You understand that, right Joel?”

  Tears spilled over the rims of his big brown eyes. “I lost my brother.” He started sobbing and his uncle wrapped him up in a strong embrace. Sadie knew that Gus had a sensitive side and that he loved his nephews but his meticulous care for little Joel in this moment endeared Gus to her even more. Sadie spoke in a calm and what she hoped was a soothing, voice.

  “Little boys sometimes get lost. It’s not your fault, Joel.”

  He sniffed again and pulled out of his uncle’s embrace. He looked at Sadie and just stared at her, as if his little brain was debating whether to say anything else.

  Struck with an idea, she unpinned the badge from her coat and held the shiny silver star out to Joel.

  “How would you like to be my special deputy?”

  His eyes lit up and a smile played at the corner of his mouth. He nodded and sniffled again.

  She very carefully pinned the badge to his shirt.

  “Now, Junior Deputy Joel Brix, you are officially on the case to help us find your brother. What can you tell me about what happened today?”

  She held her breath, hoping she wasn’t moving too quickly but she couldn’t forget that the passage of time was their biggest enemy right now.

  He sat up straight and looked right at Sadie.

  “We were headed down toward Elochoman Creek. Sometimes we like to play down there.”

  “Like Huckleberry Finn?” Sadie asked.

  He smiled wider. “Yes, ma’am. Exactly like.”

  “That’s one of my favorite stories, too.”

  “We were working on building our own canoe so we could follow the river to the ocean just like Lewis and Clark did.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mr. Birnie’s face go red in fury and open mouth. Before he could speak, Gus shook his head in his father’s direction and Sadie went on talking before the child’s grandfather undid all she’d accomplished getting the young boy to talk.

  “That sounds like a real fun adventure, Joel. Once we find Jemmie, maybe you could show your canoe to me.”

  Joel nodded, blissfully unaware of his grandfather’s apoplectic response behind him.

  “Sure thing, Ma’am.”

  “What’s the last thing you saw Jemmie doing today? That might give us a clue.”

  Joel got real pale and Sadie could see his hand start to tremble. Me too, little man, she thought to herself. Me too.

  “It’s okay, whatever you remember. Any little thing might be a clue that helps us solve the case. I think that would make you the youngest lawman to ever solve a mystery. That sounds pretty great, don’t you think?”

  His eyes lit up once again and he started talking.

  “We were racing through the woods and Jemmie kept hollering at me to slow down so we wouldn’t tear our Sunday clothes. I got ahead of him somehow—I feel real bad about that—and when I went back for him, I found him in the clearing.”

  The room held their collective breath while they waited to hear what came next. Sadie allowed herself to glance quickly at Henrietta who by this time was on her feet and now leaning into her father who seemed to be the only thing holding her up.

  All eyes were on Joel. Sadie hoped she wasn’t about to hear something awful.

  She turned her focus back to Joel before he lost his momentum and smiled at him. “That’s very good, Joel. You’re doing great. What happened next? Was Jemmie hurt?”

  Joel’s eyes filled with tears again but this time he kept talking.

  “There was a man. He had Jemmie up over his shoulder and was walking away with him…into the woods toward Old Man Ostervold’s cabin. He saw me, Jemmie did. He put his hand up to shush me and shook his head. I could tell he was telling me to be quiet. Then he was gone, just like that.”

  He broke down into inconsolable sobs then and his mother made her way to him. She scooped him up into her arms and held the young boy while he cried.

  “Joel,” Sadie continued. “That’s very good. You did real good. By coming back here and telling us, you gave us just what we need to help find him. Do you know what the man looked like? Was he tall?”

  Joel broke out of his mother’s embrace and looked up at Sadie, a very determined look on his face.


  “I’m not positive but I think it was Carl Collins.”

  Henrietta let out a gasp and looked at Sadie.

  “Someone took my son, please help me. Please help me.”

  Her cry of anguish touched Sadie in her soul. She knew in that moment that she’d do whatever it took to find Jemmie and reunite him with his mother and Joel, whatever the town thought of her.

  Jemmie Brix was not just lost. He’d been taken.

  4

  Sadie stood, her knees aching from kneeling down to talk with Joel, and looked at Henrietta and then Gus before focusing her attention on William.

  “Let’s get a search party out in the woods. It’s raining and has been for more than an hour now but I suppose you might still be able to pick up a trail?”

  William nodded in agreement and Sadie was again grateful for his support. “I know someone who can help us follow a trail even in inclement weather. I’ll track her down.”

  Mr. Birnie stared at Sadie, his expression filled with something like derision if she had to guess. “Search party? We already know the Collins fellow took him. We should be trying to find him, not returning to the scene of the kidnapping.”

  A sob escaped Henrietta’s mouth at the word kidnapping.

  Gus broke in to the conversation.

  “Mother, will you take Joel into the kitchen for a snack?”

  To Sadie’s surprise, Mrs. Birnie didn’t resist. Instead she complied with more grace than Sadie would have assumed was possible for the persnickety Mrs. Birnie.

  “Are you hungry, Joel? Let’s have a sandwich and warm you up with some more hot cocoa.”

  The grandmother took his little hand in hers and slowly led him from the room.

  Sadie waited until he was out of earshot before she continued. In the meantime, her mind raced. She needed more information and she needed it now.

  “According to our 8 year old witness, it’s a good guess that the kidnapper may have been Carl Collins, but we need to consider the possibility that it wasn’t him as well, just in case the boy is mistaken. I need to learn everything I can about Carl Collins in case it was him, but we should also send a search party out to the Elochoman Creek to see what we can learn at the scene. Maybe talk to Mr. Ostervold to see what he knows. Perhaps he saw something.”