by C J Murphy
“No.” Noeul explained the supernatural elements related to the capsules and watched her skeptical friends try to digest the information. “You can stop worrying about Jordan’s character. I called Cornell last night and talked with my former colleague that sent her to Kearneysville. She gave Jordan a glowing recommendation and vouched for her character. Elle is the dean and a very old friend. I have no concerns about my safety.”
“Are you sure about this, Noeul?”
Noeul took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m not sure how to answer that, Kelly. I asked for a sign for what I should do. I got one that related to that scripture I told you Aggie quoted me. It’s too much for coincidence. For now, I’ll follow my gut instinct and see where it goes. Aggie never led me down a path I regretted.”
***
Jordan sat at the desk and waited for Dava to pick up, realizing that her sister wouldn’t recognize the number. She hoped the location would be enough for her to answer.
“Hello?”
Jordan smiled at the sound of her sister’s reassuring voice. “Hey, little sister. Calling to check in.”
“Are you at Noeul’s yet?”
“Close. We’re at her friend’s house, getting ready to go up the mountain…on horseback.”
“You’re kidding right?”
“After everything on this journey, this is the least weird thing I’ve called to tell you about. Noeul lives in the Quiet Zone near Green Bank, West Virginia. There’s no passable road up to her place and once we get there, no communication.”
“I beg to differ, big sister. The fact that there is a place with no roads and no communication sounds way too weird for me. How am I supposed to get in touch if I need you?” Dava’s voice had turned from teasing to concerned.
“I’ll give you Miranda and Kelly’s number. From what she’s told me, it’s a short ride up to Noeul’s place. I’ll do my best to come down and make contact as often as I can. I’ll talk with her friends to see if they’d be willing to run an emergency message up if needed. We’re going to Noeul’s soon to start work. This is what I’ve been searching for, Watson. I’ve got to take a chance.”
Dava whispered into the phone. “What if she’s an axe murderer?”
“Dava!”
“Well?”
Jordan laughed. “I love you, little sister. Tell Mom and Sarah hi for me, and I promise, I’ll check in with you in a few days.” She gave her sister the number that was printed on the business cards that sat on the desk, then said a final good-bye before walking back out to the kitchen. She stopped short when she heard voices. After hearing the concern from Noeul’s friends, Jordan wondered if this was a good idea. She knew she’d been drawn here. At this point, it would be impossible to deny her excitement at finding Noeul. There was no doubt that Noeul agreeing to help had fueled Jordan’s spirit. She leaned against the wall, trying to come up with something that might ease Miranda and Kelly’s concerns. Maybe some humor.
Jordan was smiling as she entered the kitchen, her hands in the pocket of her jeans. “My sister is concerned I’m going off with an axe murderer. I told her I’d ask you to make sure.” The comment sent roaring laughter reverberating off the walls of the kitchen, and Jordan watched as Noeul shook her head.
Noeul pointed to her friends. “These two are in agreement with your sister, although I think they are more concerned about you wielding the axe.”
Jordan tried to make sure her smile revealed everything about her. “I can promise you that the only thing I intend to take from Noeul is the knowledge she’s willing to pass on to me. I have great hope that she’s the missing link.” Jordan looked at a red-faced Noeul and stammered a bit. “I mean, her research, that’s what I’ve been missing. Not to say…I’ll shut up now and go pull some of my gear out of the Jeep to take with me.” Jordan stood to leave the kitchen, her face burning.
Miranda tipped her coffee cup at Jordan. “As long as she doesn’t go missing. If that happens, Lord help you.”
Jordan slowly shook her head up and down. “Noted.”
***
Bandit was lying on the porch with Kyo as if they’d been friends forever. Jordan had watched them playing through the window, while she was on the phone with Dava. The dogs had made fast friends as soon as they’d arrived and now seemed inseparable. Both followed her out to the Jeep, rough housing along the way, chasing and play fighting behind her. Occasionally, they’d dart right in front of her, nearly causing her to trip.
“Okay, you two. I see you.” She stopped and scratched them both under the chin. She sorted through her belongings. Clothes she could wash, and from the sounds of where they were going, she was sure that fashion would quickly lose out to function. Her backpack could serve to carry plenty. Some things would have to wait for a second trip if she stayed very long. Jordan wondered, as she flipped through her selection of paperbacks, if Noeul had a library. She stuffed her worn copy of the complete works of Henry David Thoreau and two of her favorite Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series in her bag.
Once she had her items sorted, she set the bag beside the Jeep and looked up to see Noeul leading two beautiful horses in her direction. “Our Ubers I presume?”
Noeul patted the side of each horse’s neck, as she stopped by Jordan. “Meet Thor and Athena. Thor is a good bit bigger, but he’s gentle in nature. He’ll be your trusty steed. I usually use one or both horses to pack goods in and out. Fortunately for you, I brought them both down with me. We’ll come back down in a few days, so you’ll be able to bring more of your things. You ready to go?”
Jordan raised an eyebrow and tilted her head toward the house. “Have their fears about my intentions been sufficiently assuaged?”
“For now. If we don’t show up back here in two days, the cavalry will be coming in force.” Noeul kicked at the gravel under her feet.
“I promise not to give them anything to worry about. I’m ready if you are.”
Noeul handed her the reins. “Will Bandit be okay to walk?”
Jordan nodded her head. “He’s an excellent trail dog. I’ve had him on day hikes with me before. As long as there’s water along the way, he’ll be fine. And he’ll sleep tonight.”
“I’m sure, once we get there, he’ll catch his second wind and want to explore. We’ll see how it goes.” They mounted the horses and rode up to the house where Miranda stood with her arms around Kelly.
“You two be careful riding up,” Kelly said. “We’ll see you in a few days.”
“Or sooner.” Miranda grumbled before Kelly could jab her with an elbow. “Ow.”
Twenty minutes had gone by when they stopped to let the horses and dogs drink. Jordan looked around at the dense forest. Oaks and maples made broad canopies and offered cool shade from the summer heat. The temperatures weren’t unbearable, given their current altitude. She looked around and it gave her little doubt about the season. Green was the predominate color, complimented with splashes of white in the occasional flower on the forest floor.
“How long have you lived up here?”
Noeul stopped to think about it. “About nine years I think. The house was finished in 2010. I didn’t move in right away. I was still traveling.”
Jordan decided to keep the conversation going. “What made you decide to build here?”
“Aggie and I had started thinking about retirement, so we looked for property in a place where we could do the things we enjoyed, hiking, biking, and exploring. Some of Aggie’s family is from the area, and she had a distant relative that owned this property. We worked out a deal with him for a down payment and hunting rights. After her death, I went forward with our plans.”
Jordan thought about the daunting task of building up here in the mountains. With no road, she wondered how they’d done it. She decided to hold that question until they reached the house.
Everything around them on the journey up the mountain harkened back to a simpler time. There were no cellphone towers, no power lines, and no skyscrape
rs spoiling the view. Other than the trail they were on, there were no visible signs of human existence anywhere. The trail was worn earth, probably created by the years of travel Noeul did back and forth to Kelly and Miranda’s, and them to her.
Jordan looked up to see Noeul holding up her hand for her to stop and silently pointing off to her right. Three deer stood grazing near the creek bed. Jordan smiled at their seemingly disinterested postures. A few yards past that, Noeul pointed again to where a red fox dug at the earth beneath its paws. They watched the fox stick its nose into the earth, stop and dig some more. Eventually, the fox came up with a field mouse in its jaws and sprinted off.
Jordan looked at Noeul’s smile and thought how beautiful the woman was. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, pulled back from her face in a silver clasp. The tiny crease lines at the edges of her eyes were a small sign of her age. Get a grip, Jordan. Focus.
After about two hours, Jordan found herself approaching an opening from the forest they were exiting. The sun was reflected off the glass front of a house set back into the hillside. The roof was covered in greenery that hid most of the structure. Off to one side, there was a paddock. A man was walking out of some type of shelter with a bucket in his hand. He threw up his arm in greeting, as he passed through the gate and walked closer to the house.
Noeul called out to him. “Hey, Leo, you just milk her?”
“Yes ma’am. Got some this morning too. I put it in the glass jars and labeled them like you said.”
Noeul climbed off Athena and made quick introductions. “Leo, this is Jordan Armstrong. Jordan, this is Leo Tiggs, Kelly and Miranda’s ranch hand. He helps keep things running down there and occasionally helps me up here.”
Leo set the bucket down, took off his hat, and shook Jordan’s hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Jordan felt the strong grip and the rough texture of his hand in hers. Working hands. “Pleasure to meet you too, Leo.”
Leo put his hat back on, picked up the bucket, and began walking toward the house. “Glad to see you made it home. I enjoy coming up here and staying, so don’t ever worry about that. I’m sure Miranda and Kelly miss me fussing around the place. I’ll admit, a stay up here is like a vacation. I’ll put this away and be on my way down the mountain before dark. I’ve got an appointment with the eye doctor in the morning. This getting old sucks.”
Noeul called out thanks and pulled her bags off Athena, setting them by the door. Jordan took hers off too and placed them nearby. She followed, as Noeul led the horse through the yard and over to the paddock. Once there, Jordan watched her remove the saddle and start to brush down Athena. Following suit, she pulled off Thor’s saddle and patted the horse’s neck while she stroked his nose. Noeul finished, and Jordan led Thor over to her.
Jordan reached for the brush. “If you tell me how, I’ll be happy to do it. I watched you take care of Athena. Do you have any suggestions about anything I should avoid?”
“Anyplace bone runs close to the surface, be gentle, there isn’t much padding on those spots. Other than that, they generally like it. Be careful. When you have your back turned, he’ll nose you unexpectedly to watch you jump.”
Jordan began brushing him down the way she’d watched Noeul. She’d done trail rides on horseback before. In those cases, she was a tourist and not a caretaker. Determined to do this right, she used broad firm strokes, removing the dirt, mud and debris from his coat. When finished, she took off the bridle and let him wander over to his mate, while she leaned on the fence near Noeul to watch them.
“Come on, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the inhabitants.” Noeul took her hand and pulled her toward the barn. She seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly dropped Jordan’s hand and looked at her own.
Jordan felt the spark and looked at Noeul, whose blush was apparent. “Was that me?"
Noeul looked at her own hand. “I don’t think so.”
Jordan rubbed a hand around the back of her neck. “Lead on.”
***
Noeul rubbed her palm. The shock still tingling through her hand. Most likely it was nothing more than built-up static electricity from currying the horse’s coats. She continued to walk over to the barn area with Jordan following behind.
“This is Pip, who provides me with more goat’s milk than I can use. Maybe with you and Bandit here, we won’t have to turn so much of it into soap and lotion. I have a few more goats out in the pasture and a small number of sheep I keep for meat and wool. I have chickens for the eggs and…” Noeul held her finger to her lips. “Shhh, don’t tell them, they are my poultry supply too. Out this way is the walipini, the greenhouse and my lab area. I do grow some vegetables outside. It’s challenging, because it’s hard to keep out the scavengers that live around here. Don’t touch the fences, they’re always electrified to keep the predators back. Coyotes are a problem, so the electric fence is a must.”
Jordan scratched her head. “I can imagine. If you don’t mind, I need to ask one thing. How in heaven’s name, did all this get built without a road up here?”
“They flew everything in by helicopter. The crew stayed onsite for almost six months. I know what you’re thinking. It did cost a fortune. Thankfully, money wasn’t an issue because of Aggie’s foresight. I’ll let you figure that part out on your own. Welcome to your new lab, Professor Armstrong.”
Jordan stepped through the door Noeul held open. Warm, moist air met them as they moved further in. Raised beds held leafy greens, and other plants grew on elevated tables. Vegetables and fruits of every color hung heavy on vines all around them.
“This place is fantastic. I’ve been in some of these over in Bolivia. They’re rare in the United States. High tunnels are becoming more and more popular.”
Noeul smiled and was strangely pleased to be talking with someone who understood everything around them without having to explain the basics. “For my purposes, it’s a lot more practical. Saves me from replacing plastic since I went with heavy duty panel design for the roof. My snow load here is substantial. I needed it to be sturdier than plastic sheeting. I can harvest root crops all through the winter when I can’t get off the mountain to get to a store. I had them bring in the supplies to do this while they built the house.” Noeul watched, as Jordan walked through the structure examining the plants like a scientist. It wasn’t long before Jordan spotted her experimental grafting plants.
The shock and joy on Jordan’s face caused Noeul’s heart to jump. Obviously excited, Jordan dropped down on her hands and knees to examine the grafts. The smile Jordan displayed warmed Noeul in strange ways, and once again, her side had that irritating tingle.
“These look great. What else do you have grafted?” Jordan gently examined the plant.
“Follow me.” They walked to an area where Noeul had her experiments set up. “This is what I’ve been working on. Even before I started reading your research, I’d been working on some simple cross grafts, perfecting technique and testing them out on different soil mediums and environmental settings. I think, if you look at lot twenty-seven, you might find something interesting.”
Jordan moved down the rows of grafted plants until she came to the wheat stems crossed with another root stalk. “Noeul, if anything ever told me I was on the right track when I decided to find you, this proves it to me. If you can do this, we'll be in the right ballpark with what I’m trying to do.”
Noeul walked to where Jordan stooped, and bent down beside her. “It’s not Cornell with all its resources. It can’t hurt to give it shot.”
Jordan’s smile lit up her face. “That’s all I can ask.”
“Come on, let me show you the house and your room.”
“Great.”
The pair made their way into the house, and Noeul watched with amusement as Jordan looked around. The younger woman made a beeline for her bookshelves, examining the titles with her head tilted.
Jordan pointed to the books. “You’ve got quite the collection here.”
Noeul nodded. “With no TV option, it’s my main form of entertainment. I do have plenty of movies and TV shows on DVD. It’s never been my thing. Most evenings, you’ll find me curled up right there with a book.” She pointed to the leather couch in front of the fireplace.
“I’ll be joining you. I brought a few of my favorites with me, because I wasn’t sure about options.”
“Feel free to read anything on the shelves. The movies are in that cabinet, and your room has a combination TV/DVD player. I didn’t put one in here.” Noeul shrugged her shoulders and clapped her hands. “Let me show you to your room. Bandit is welcome inside. Kyo sleeps with me at night.”
They walked down a hallway, and Noeul pushed open a door. “All the creature comforts of home.” She flipped on the light and moved across the room. “Bathroom is attached.”
Jordan looked around and set her bag on the floor. “This place is as nice as any hotel. Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure. I’ll let you get settled in. I’m going to get some supper started. You know where to find me.”
“Let me put my stuff away and I’ll come and help. I’m serviceable in the kitchen. Even my mom lets me help when I’m at her place. I have a few recipes she and Jida taught me.”
Noeul looked back at Jordan. Her smile was broad and almost enchanting. Leaning against the doorframe, Noeul smiled back. “Jida?”
“Oh, sorry. Grandmother. My family is Jordanian, thus my name.”
“Ah, I can see the Middle Eastern features. Well, I’m grateful to her if your cooking is even close to edible. Living up here alone, I get pretty sick of my own cooking.”
Jordan laughed and shook her head. “We won’t starve, as long as I have my stash of Nutella and Teddy Grahams. I don’t travel anywhere without them.” She went back to unpacking.
Noeul stood silent in the doorway, then turned and walked to the kitchen. She thought about the supply of the chocolate hazelnut spread she too indulged in. Coincidence, it has to be a coincidence. Then again, nothing about this whole thing seems to be coincidence.
