by Joan Davis
Sam shook his head as he met Conner at the curb and they crossed the street to get to the diner. “All Bill said was that it was the sound of the motorcycle. He said his daughter had been through a tough time, but he had thought it would be okay to take her out today. He thought she would be alright, but he realized it may have been too soon for her,” Sam finished as they both took a seat across from each other in one of the diner’s booths. “I didn’t even know he had any children,” Sam muttered to himself.
Conner snorted. “Damn, man, ‘a tough time’ is a bit of an understatement, wouldn’t you say? That girl looks like she been to hell and back.”
“She was taken by that cult over in Cloverdale and tortured. That’s what happened to her.”
Sam and Conner swung their heads around when they heard the wizened voice of Maybell Frank, who owned Maybell’s Diner, in which they sat. Maybell was everyone’s stereotype of a southern diner owner. She had bottle-red hair, stacked in a bouffant about a foot high, with two or three pencils sticking out of it at various angels. Bright red lipstick, pink blush, blue eye shadow and liquid black eyeliner were expertly applied and would have looked right at home in the 1950’s. Her tight leopard-print spandex leggings fought to outdo the bright red, gold belted, gypsy shirt. Sam noticed with amusement that Maybell was sporting expensive white walking sneakers- an odd combination with her outfit. He mentally shrugged and thought it made practical sense. After all, Maybell was a woman on her feet most of the day.
“A cult . . .?” Sam asked suspiciously. Maybell was known to tell a tall tale, given half a chance, but she was also the town’s voice. If you wanted information, Maybell was the one to see. People could count on her to know the latest gossip and information on any subject.
Maybell thrust out her chin. “Look, all I know is that a few years back Bill Landau’s daughter was kidnapped by some crazy cult. They did God only knows what to her for years. Torture, starvation, I guess. It was a freak set of circumstances that led the cops to find her. They weren’t even looking for her at that point. Long story short, there was a raid at a compound and people got killed. Bill’s daughter was found near death in a dog cage in the basement. She was hospitalized for months. Besides his daughter, only the cult leader and one follower were left alive and they’re sitting in jail. Like I said, it happened over in Cloverdale. It was all over the news. You can check it out if you don’t believe me.”
Sam looked at Conner, but his friend just shook his head. “You know I’ve been working out of town for the last few months. I guess I missed this little bit of drama,” Conner said, shrugging.
Sam nodded in agreement. “Well, what the hell is my excuse? I’ve been right here the whole time, and I know Bill Landau,” he said in frustration. “Jesus, he has lived down the road from me for a little over two years, right? You said they found her five or six months ago?” Sam asked Maybell.
“Yes, but she was in the hospital for most of that time. Bill just brought her home a few weeks ago, from what I hear.”
Sam considered Bill a respected friend. They had gone out for beers a time or two, and Bill had done carpentry work on Sam’s house and for his company several times in the last two years. Sam frowned. “You know, come to think of it, Bill has been turning down my job offers for several weeks. I guess this explains why,” he said absently. It didn’t sit right that a friend was going through all this and he hadn’t known.
Images of the girl still haunted Sam. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed protection. Having seen Bill’s obvious exhaustion and stress, Sam felt frustrated that he let a friend down. He should have been paying attention. Even though he hadn’t been involved in bounty hunting for years, he should have known about the changes going on around him.
“Sam, you’ve had your hands full with the new construction company and the shit that went down with LuAnne. You’ve had your head buried so deep I thought you’d never come up for air,” Conner said with an arched brow. “How’d Landau end up here in Dalton?” Conner asked curiously.
Maybell shrugged. “Rumor has it the Mr. Landau came here to Dalton a couple of years ago when the press refused to leave him alone over in Cloverdale. It got pretty bad with the media continuing to run follow-up stories on Risa Landau’s abduction. I guess Dalton was far enough away to stop the local press but close enough for him to keep up the search for his daughter.”
“Risa . . .?” Samson asked.
Nodding Maybell said, “That’s the daughter’s name.” She then shifted her hip and pulled out her order pad. “What can I get you boys today?” she asked, done with the speculation, at least for the moment.
Sam sat silently after Maybell left with their orders. A sick feeling came over him as a sudden memory surfaced. When Bill had first moved to town and began doing jobs for Sam, he had asked Sam about his bounty hunting days. Sam had given him vague answers. He said that he was retired and didn’t have much to do with the business. Jesus, had Bill been looking for my help to find his daughter? Samson wondered to himself.
Over the last few years, Sam remembered the times that Bill had asked him to pick up his mail and check on his house while he went out of town. Samson never thought anything of it until now. He had assumed that since Bill’s master carpentry skills were so in-demand, that those trips out of town were for work-related reasons. Had Bill been searching for his daughter during those trips? Sam gritted his teeth in anger. He hated letting people down, especially friends. He wondered if he had seen the news about Risa Landau and blew it off as just another sad news story. Sam sat back and turned his attention to Conner.
“I know that look, Sam. What are you thinking?” Conner asked cautiously.
Sam stared at his childhood friend for a moment. “It pisses me off that a friend may have needed my help and I wasn’t there for him,” Sam growled. “I know it’s a little late, but I need to find out what happened to that girl. If for no other reason, I need to try and do something for Bill.”
“Sam, there’s nothing you can do . . .,” Conner began, knowing it was too late. He could see the focused look on Sam’s face, and he knew Sam wouldn’t stop until all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. “Fine, what can I do?” Conner sighed in acceptance.
Sam grinned at his friend. “I need a little information, brother.”
Conner grunted and began to eat his lunch. When Sam dug his heels in it was never about a little bit of information.
*****
PRESENT DAY
The crystal-clear water flowed around Risa in a comforting blanket. She floated in the large lake that sat behind her dad’s house. Her short black hair swirled around her head as she slowly maneuvered in the cool liquid. The weightlessness of her body felt freeing and peaceful. Risa gazed up at white puffy clouds drifting overhead and imagined herself one of them. Even after six months, Risa loved the feeling of rejuvenation that the water gave her.
Looking back on it, Risa still marveled at how different she felt compared to a few months ago. She had her dad to thank for the change. When therapy had continued to fail to bring her out of the isolated world she had been trapped in, her dad had become desperate to try anything to help her. He told her later that he had been afraid that if he didn’t do something, he would lose her.
From the moment of Risa’s release from the hospital, her dad made sure to make her life as normal as he could. He would lead her out to the end of their lake dock every day. He told her he wanted her to breathe in the fresh air and relax. He’d tell Risa that he would return for her in a while. She always ended up standing or sitting where her dad deposited her. She remembered thinking that if she was very still, the dream of her freedom would continue. It was hopeless. Risa waited for the dream to end and her nightmare to start again, but her dad always returned and took her back to house. He often spoke to her, but she never responded, unless it was to obey a simple request. She also never looked him in the eyes- It was too hard. Instead, she stared off into the distance at
something only she could see. Inside, Risa knew that sooner or later reality would return and she’d wake up and have to face the horrible prison her life had become.
Her father’s desperation had finally reached its limits. One chilly October morning the trip out to the dock had been different. It was a turning point in Risa’s life. It was the day her dad decided to commit a desperate act. His decision had been impulsive and drastic, but for Risa, it was lifesaving. Bill Landau had led his daughter out to the end of their lake dock. As he had released her, she heard the word “Sorry” before she was shoved off the dock. Icy water surrounded her. For a split second Risa thought the dream had finally ended. She was back in that cold, gray basement and being blasted by water, as they washed her and her cage. In the next second she realized she couldn’t breathe and was choking on water. Harsh awareness flooded her body, and she realized she was under-water and drowning.
A desperate rage filled her as her instinct for survival rushed into every cell of her body. She looked above her and saw light. Risa started clawing her way to the surface. Her lungs were burning. Though she was weak, she fought for her life. As she broke the surface, she was coughing and gasping for breath. She felt two strong hands grab her and pull her up onto the dock’s surface. Even in her weakened state she began to fight those hands. She swung wildly and contacted flesh several times.
“No!” she screamed and lunged up and began clawing and punching with the small amount of energy she had left. Words of rage and pain spilled from her mouth and vengeance was her intent. “I hate you, you bastard!” she screamed hoarsely. Risa raged and fought for several minutes, until she collapsed in exhaustion.
Risa then felt strong arms surround her and begin to rock her back and forth. Her father’s tearful voice kept repeating, “I’m so sorry, baby. I had to do something and this was the only thing I could think of to get you back. Don’t hate me. I love you so much, Risa.”
Her dad’s words were so clear to her that she jerked back from him in surprise and stared. Risa’s senses flared and she took in everything around her, as if for the first time. Every sound and everything she saw was clear and vivid. She felt the chill of her wet body. She saw her dad’s beautiful face, felt the rough wood of the dock as it bit into her hands. She breathed in the crisp early autumn air. It was so clear to her now. “You’re real,” Risa breathed out in awe. It was real and not a dream. It wasn’t a trick. She was safe.
Risa shuddered and took a deep, cleansing breath. With what little strength she had left, she threw herself at her dad and he once again enveloped her in his comforting arms. Despite the chill in the air, she felt warm for the first time in years. Tears of happiness and grief poured out of both of them, as she lay curled against her dad. At that point, her dad carried her back to the house. Her first question to her father had been about her mother, but the look on her father’s face had said it all. He held her tight as they both grieved the loss together. From that day forward, Risa began her new life.
Today, months later, she lay suspended in the sun-soaked water and relaxed. The lake was her safe haven. It was large and crystal clear. Risa could see a few other houses that dotted the banks of the lake, closest to her dad’s home. She rarely saw other people, but when she did, she often retreated to her father’s house. A few of the homes along the lake had simple docks that jutted out into the water, while other homes sported more sophisticated docks with platforms and boat moorings. Trees crowded close to the lake in bursts of color and size. One of the most vivid memories after coming back was the autumn foliage. The intense colors of reds, oranges and gold’s highlighted everything around her. It was beautiful, vivid and real. She was no longer living a nightmare.
Although Risa couldn't think of this house as home yet, her father’s house was a beautiful place to live. It was a single-story ranch style house with large, though outdated, windows. The house blended into its woodland location and felt welcoming and warm. It had three large bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The updated kitchen, dining room, and living room were open to each other and felt bright and airy. Sliding glass doors off the dining room led to a small deck and large, grassy back yard. A stone path led straight out to the dock that sat above the cool lake water. Risa loved to sit on the dock and breathe in the fresh air for hours.
Risa frowned as she maneuvered her body in the cool water. She needed to retreat at times to gather her emotions and self-control after spending so much of her time in intense therapy, or meeting with the District Attorney of Cloverdale. Now that she was venturing out with her father on occasion, she found that meeting people in this new town was daunting. Her dad warned her that because of the press coverage, everyone in town knew their story. They either looked at her with pity in their eyes, or discomfort, when they didn’t know what to say. It was hard to fight her instinctual need to hide away from these strangers. After five years of constant verbal and physical torture, it was hard to be near anyone without suspicion and fear. She always wondered if the person she was meeting belonged to the cult. Because her captors had always worn masks, there was no way to know for sure. Could some of them still be out there? Risa knew it was irrational thinking, but it didn’t stop her fear from surfacing each time someone new approached her. It was getting better, but it took a great deal of her energy and self-control to do this every day. At times, her fear was overwhelming. The one good thing about living in Dalton is that the news coverage was almost non-existent.
She had therapy only to two times a week at this point. She was so tired of having to pick apart her horrendous past. The grief over losing her mother was the worst. She was working through feelings of guilt and self-hatred. Everyone kept telling her it was not something she ever had a part of or control over, but the pain was still very close to the surface. She tried very hard to hide her grief from her dad. She felt he had been through enough of his own. When the pain became too heartbreaking for Risa, she just wanted to get away. The lake had become the only place she could grieve without an audience. The water took her tears and allowed her a chance to center herself. Afterwards, she could sit outside and breathe the air and relax. So, she spent most of her days outside, finding herself feeling claustrophobic at times if she remained inside for very long.
“I think you may have floated out further than you intended.”
Risa jerked convulsively as she heard an incredibly deep voice behind her. Her reaction caused her to submerge briefly, and she swallowed a mouthful of water. She came back up coughing. When she caught her breath again, she found that she was clinging tightly to a very large man. Her arms were around his neck and her legs were wrapped around his waist. He was gently patting her back.
“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you. I wanted to make sure you could make it back to your dock. You’ve floated out pretty far.” His hand flicked out and indicated the strange dock with a large platform at the end of it behind him. Risa looked over her shoulder towards her home and realized she had floated to the other side of the lake. “Are you okay?” the man asked again in concern.
Risa dropped one of her hands to rub her chest. His deep voice was like the thump of a bass drum. She looked up and gasped at what she saw. Long, wet black hair hung like a silk sheet past enormously wide muscled shoulders. His face was a study of planes- high cheek bones, strong jaw, and a strong eagle-like nose. By contrast, his lips were full and sensual, and his eyes were the color of the bluest turquoise, with thick lashes and brows as dark as his hair.
Risa opened her mouth to speak several times, but nothing came out. She could only stare at the man in fascination. His arms bulged with muscle and sinew. She couldn’t tell how tall he was, but she could see his body. He had a massive build. He’s a giant, Risa thought to herself, at least compared to her. Still clinging to him, and shocked by that fact, Risa noticed the contrast between her pale skin and the deep copper of his.
“You’re beautiful,” Risa breathed out, the sound of her own voice foreign to her ears.<
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The man stared at her with a stunned expression, and then he threw back his head and laughed. She realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud. Heat stained her face and she sought to jerk away from him. Risa finally realized her circumstances and she reacted to being in a stranger’s arms.
The man was gentle, but he kept his hold on her until she slowly settled against him again. “Please don’t be afraid. I’m sorry I laughed, but of all the things I thought you would say to me, “You’re beautiful” was not one of them.” He smiled gently at her, showing his bright white teeth.
His voice pumped against Risa’s chest. It was such a unique feeling that she looked down at her chest as she rubbed it again. She felt as if she had seen him before, but couldn’t place him. Her brow wrinkled as she tried to understand her reaction to this man. Shouldn’t she be afraid? Why was she not struggling to get away from his touch? Why did the thought of his nearness cause her heart to beat with excitement rather than fear? “I should go home,” She spoke in a distracted voice, as he caught her gaze again.
“Okay, Risa, we’re almost there,” he said gently, causing Risa to look behind her. He had been slowly maneuvering them closer to her side of the lake. They were only a few yards from her dock. Using his free arm and legs he had gotten them across the lake and back to her dock. She stared at him in awe.
Risa looked back at him. “Who are you?” she asked, amazed she could even ask the question.
“I’m Sam,” he said. “Samson Knight to be exact. I live in the house across the lake. We are next door neighbors. If you walk through that wooded area far enough you would reach my home. I was sitting on my dock when I saw how far out you had floated. It worried me, and I wanted to make sure you got back safe,” he explained.
“I like Samson better than Sam.” Risa said, and blushed furiously at his raised eyebrows. She ducked her head and winced, realizing she had spoken her thoughts out loud again. “Thank you for helping me,” she said quickly, masking her embarrassment. She took a deep breath and gave Samson a small smile. It felt very brave to her, as she released him and grabbed the dock’s ladder. She climbed up to stand on the dock and turned to look down at Samson. God he was beautiful, or maybe he was a beautiful god. Risa couldn’t quite decide.
