Visions of Hope

by Candace Murrow

  She was out the door before Kipp had a chance to turn off the motor. Reluctant to go any further with this, he stayed put.

  She came around to his side and opened the door. "You need to come with me. This is important."

  "What's the point?"

  She crouched and came face to face with him, her eyes lasering into his. With no questions asked, he immediately got out of the car.

  On both sides of the sidewalk, the grass was matted and dried from the summer's heat. They climbed the three concrete steps to the front porch, and Libby knocked. A gray kitten ran up the steps and rubbed against Libby's leg until a woman who appeared to be in her forties answered the door, and the kitten darted inside.

  By the woman's looks and demeanor, she'd had her own struggles in life: Her hair was unkempt. She had dark circles under her eyes. She was too hunched over for her age. They introduced themselves. She introduced herself as Grace and asked them in.

  A table that had been moved into one corner of the kitchen took up most of the floor space. She asked them to sit at the table while she made an effort to neaten up a stack of papers and push them aside, out of the way. She offered them coffee, which they declined. She dragged a stool over from a corner of the room and addressed Libby. "You said on the phone you wanted to talk to me about the group living in Grand."

  "As I mentioned, Sergeant Dubing at the police station gave us your number," Libby said. "He told us you were helping some of the girls leave there."

  "Can I ask why you need to know?"

  "We're trying to find a missing girl," Libby said.

  Kipp wondered why Libby was being so forthcoming with this stranger, but he remained silent and let the dialogue continue.

  "I doubt if you'll find her there."

  "Can you tell us something about the group?" Libby said. "Why are you trying to help these girls?"

  Grace reached across the table, snatched up a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, and pulled an ashtray close. "Do you mind if I smoke?"

  Kipp wasn't thrilled about it, but said no, as did Libby.

  Grace opened the door a crack, returned to her stool, and lit up. She took a drag and blew out toward the door. "Have you ever heard of sister wives?"

  "No, but from what the sergeant said, we can guess."

  "My sister and I were given to a fifty-eight-year-old man for marriage when she turned fourteen and I turned fifteen," Grace said. "We belonged to a polygamist group south of here. I escaped my situation, but my sister remained behind. She's still there. She has ten kids."

  "Are these two groups related?"

  "The one in Grand is an offshoot of the one I came from. Same principles. The men need at least three wives to secure a place in heaven. It's nothing but child abuse. There's another offshoot in Canada."

  "So, you came here to help these girls escape their fate?"

  "I've helped at least twenty so far."

  "How do they get away?"

  "It's tricky," Grace said. "The men watch over them like vultures. The girls sneak out at night, and we pick them up on the road. It doesn't always work. There's hell to pay if they get caught."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Retribution. Beatings."

  "Why can't the women just leave?" Kipp said.

  "Some have." Grace sucked a drag on her cigarette and sloughed off the ashes in the ashtray. "But you've got to realize these women have been brainwashed into believing the men have sole authority. They aren't given education after the age of thirteen. They just follow along like sheep and bear as many children as they're told. It's slavery to the max. Plus, they have nothing if they leave. Where are they going to go? They don't want to leave their children behind. That's why it's important to get them out when they're young before they're given to the older men."

  "Jesus," Kipp said. "What about the authorities?"

  "They have a live-and-let-live attitude. Some of them even belong to the group. It's all kind of incestuous."

  "That sounds about right," Kipp said. "We were in Grand yesterday and practically got run off the road."

  "We've been pushing for an investigation, forcing the state to put pressure on them. We want convictions for child abuse, something to break up that cult. That's why they're a little edgy right now."

  There was a patter of little feet above them, then a clomping down a flight of stairs. A toddler came around the corner, squealing. He ran into Grace and grasped onto her legs. A young woman in braids wearing jeans marched into the room, disentangled the boy, and hoisted him onto her hip. After glancing at Kipp and Libby, she backed against the wall and lowered her gaze.

  "This is Rebecca and her boy Samuel," Grace said. "She left the community a week ago. She was lucky to get out with her boy before the transfer."

  "What's a transfer?"

  "Every once in a while they move some of the younger women to one of the other communities to be given to the men there."

  "You weren't already married?" Libby said to the girl.

  Rebecca kept her head lowered, nodded, and let Grace answer for her. "Her mother died three years ago, and her husband died last year. She was going to be transferred south and given to a man down there."

  "What about the younger kids? Do they ever get transferred?"

  "Not usually." Grace snuffed out her cigarette, her index finger yellowed with nicotine. "They stay with their mothers. But because of the pressure coming from the state, Rebecca told me some of the younger men are taking their wives and children to parts unknown. That's to happen next week."

  "You don't hear about this on the national news," Kipp said.

  "No one wants to touch this because of the religious aspects," Grace said. "We've tried to get the word out, but I'll be honest with you, when it comes to the plight of women, there's no real interest. So, we keep working behind the scenes, and do what we can do to save these girls amidst the threats."

  "Threats?"

  "I've been threatened many times. These men don't want people to mess with the good thing they've got going."

  "That's unbelievable."

  "But these people don't take kids. They have enough of their own. So, I don't think you'll find the girl you're looking for there. How long has she been gone?"

  "Two years."

  "How old was she?"

  "Four. She'd be just over six now."

  Grace let out a sigh. "That's sad. Where'd you say you were from?"

  "Washington State, but she was abducted in Connecticut."

  Libby nudged Kipp's arm. "Show her Kelly's picture."

  Kipp pulled the photo from his wallet and handed it to Grace. Rebecca leaned in to get a look, then left the room with the toddler.

  Grace handed the picture back to Kipp. "Your daughter? That's a sorry shame. Have there been any leads at all?"

  "It's like she vanished into thin air."

  Rebecca returned without Samuel.

  "Did you put him down for his nap?" Grace said.

  Rebecca gave a sharp nod and asked Kipp if she could see the photo again. She studied the picture as if she were trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle together. She met Grace's gaze. "That looks like Sarah."

  Kipp and Libby exchanged questioning looks. Kipp opened his mouth to speak, but Libby beat him to it. "Tell us about Sarah."

  "Sarah is one of Jed's little girls."

  "Are you related to Jed?"

  "No. But he got this new little girl."

  "What do you mean 'new'?"

  "He got her from someplace else because a car came one day that had New York license plates. I remember everyone looking because they was different."

  Kipp felt a sinking in his chest, and he could not muster enough breath to utter a word. Libby seemed to read his anguish and grasped his hand.

  Grace glanced at Kelly's picture again. "Why do you think Sarah looks like the girl in this picture?"

  "That's what Sarah looked like when she came here, except..."

  "Except what?"


  "Her hair was cut off and she had a dark brown wig on. The people who brought her said she had lice, and they had to cut off her hair. But underneath the wig it was blond."

  Kipp's hands were shaking, and he bowed his head to hide his emotions. Libby knelt by his side.

  "It has to be Kelly," he said. "You were right all along."

  Grace brought him a glass of water. "Right about what?"

  "I had a hunch she'd be somewhere around here," Libby explained. "That's all."

  Kipp wiped the corners of his eyes. "Why wouldn't they question the people who brought her there? Wouldn't they want to find out if she was a missing child?"

  "They don't care to have any contact with the outside world. They don't watch TV. They don't read newspapers. If it was in the media, they wouldn't have seen it," Grace said. "It's unlikely they questioned where she came from."

  "What about the locals? Wouldn't they have seen her and questioned them?"

  "They don't let the children out of the complex," Grace said. "Once they got her there, that would be it. She'd be sheltered from everyone. A great place to hide a kid. Besides, I doubt they want to draw attention to their own illegal world."

  "I thought they didn't take kids from outside," Kipp said.

  Grace glanced at Rebecca, her face clouded with concern. "You know what I'm thinking? Two years ago a flu epidemic hit that community pretty hard, and it was rumored they lost several members, especially women and children. They could have been trying to increase their numbers. I'm just guessing."

  Kipp addressed Rebecca. "Is that true?"

  She shrugged. "Another girl came later, then the sheriff came out one day. He seemed to know one of those people who brought her and Sarah. I saw him give them money and tell them they had to leave."

  "What are they doing, offering money for kids?"

  Rebecca looked to Grace, uneasy, and Grace said, "She wouldn't have known that. That would have been a man's business."

  "Do you know?"

  "I have no idea. All I know is several members may have died of flu."

  "Why would they condone something as atrocious as kidnapping?"

  "Why would they have relations with children?" Grace countered. "None of it makes sense, except that once a child is in their compound, no one would ever locate her. It's a religious cult, and that means hands off."

  "We need to find a way to see if the girl is really Kelly," Libby said.

  "They're leaving soon."

  "Who's leaving, Rebecca?"

  "Jed and his wives and their children and Sarah. To Canada or somewhere else with the others."

  Kipp lowered his fist to the table. Libby jumped, and the others fixed their gaze on him. "They're not taking her. We've got to find a way to get her out of there."

  "That won't be easy," Grace said. "The Falls police won't overstep the authorities in another jurisdiction. Forget Grand. They're in cahoots. By the time we convince the FBI to get involved, and that's even if we can, they'll be long gone."

  "Then we'll go there ourselves," Kipp said.

  "Those people won't let you or anyone else in the place."

  "I'm not talking about asking them," Kipp said. "I'll break the goddamned gate down if I have to."

  "You don't know where she is or if she's really your daughter." Grace reached for another cigarette. "They'll be all over you. They have guns, and don't be fooled. They'll use them to protect their own."

  Rebecca stepped forward and said in a gentle voice, "I'll help you."

  Kipp and Grace continued their discussion, unaware of Rebecca's offer until Libby said, "Did you hear Rebecca?"

  When all eyes were on the dark-haired girl, her face reddened. "I can help you."

  "How can you help, dear?" Grace said.

  "I know a way in off a back road through some trees."

  "They'll have that road watched like everything else."

  "Not on Sunday night." She turned to Kipp. "They have the Sunday night meeting where everyone over ten years old has to go. The little kids stay in another building near the edge of the trees. I could take you there."

  "Aren't they being watched?"

  "Usually by one of the younger girls."

  "You'd have to go in and try to find her," Grace said. "That could take time. In the meantime, the older girl could warn the others."

  "I could go in and get her and bring her to you," Rebecca said. "I could make up a story. The girls know me."

  "I don't know," Grace said. "That might be too dangerous for you, Rebecca. What if they caught you? You'd never get out again."

  No one spoke.

  Finally, Kipp said, "I can't ask you to put yourself in harm's way."

  "You have to think of your own boy," Grace said.

  "I know, but Sarah don't belong there."

  "Why are you so sure about that?"

  "I knew something was strange when she came here. She kept crying and asking Jed where her daddy was."

  The thought of his daughter crying out for him pierced Kipp's heart. Covering his mouth, he hunched over to stifle an anguished moan.

  Grace handed him a Kleenex. "What can we do to help?"

  "I need to get in there," he said and Libby nodded in agreement.

  Grace turned to Rebecca. "Do you think you can get them into the complex?"

  "I can try."

  "When does the meeting start?"

  "At seven and lasts till ten."

  "If you leave here at seven, it'll get you down there by eight. Should be dark enough by then. How long does it take through the trees to get to the building?"

  "Fifteen minutes or so."

  "That should give you enough time to get her out before their meeting breaks up."

  "Are you sure you want to do this, Rebecca?" Libby said. "What if they catch you and make you stay?"

  "It don't matter," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "I can get my boy back, but he should have his little girl."

  Kipp thanked them, and he and Libby departed for the hotel with the promise of picking up Rebecca on Sunday.

  * * *

  CHAPTER 24

  Still reeling from Charlie's visit, Ellen waltzed into the laundry room with a load of sheets spilling over each arm. Even though he'd only been gone an hour, she awaited his call with anticipation. He had errands to run and promised to call later in the afternoon.

  Who would have guessed this would happen to her after all these years of sexual starvation? And who would have put Charlie in the picture? Thinking back to high school, she remembered the boy in her English class being shy and quiet, nothing like the confident lover he'd grown up to be.

  Her mind drifted back to the bedroom when the phone rang. She dropped the sheets on the couch and hurried to answer the phone, anticipating Charlie's earlier-than-expected call. "Hello, big boy."

  "Ellen?"

  Her heart sank. "Mel?"

  "Who were you calling big--"

  "Oh, well, you know, we've been having a lot of crank calls here lately, and I decided to give them a dose of their own medicine."

  "Do you think that's wise, honey?"

  She held the receiver away from her ear. That term of endearment, or any other for that matter, had not been a part of his vocabulary in a very long time. When she held the phone to her ear again, Mel was saying her name. "I'm here. What do you want?"

  "I want to take you out to dinner tonight."

  "Dinner? Why?"

  "Whatever happens between us, we need to talk. Don't you agree?"

  "I guess."

  "Fine. I can be down there by five-thirty."

  "Mel..." Before she could voice her objection, he hung up. He was always in command of the situation.

  She settled in the chair, dumbfounded. Confusion began to seep in, confusion about Mel's surprise call and Charlie's surprise visit. She had no time to clear her head because the phone rang again. It was Charlie.

  "How're you feeling, babe?"

  "Fine."

  "Are
you all right?"

  "I'm fine."

  There was a pause long enough to fit in another conversation.

  "Ellen, what's wrong?"

  "I don't know. I just got a call from Mel. He's taking me out to dinner tonight."

  "Dinner? What for?"

  "He wants to talk to me."

  "Couldn't he talk to you on the phone?"

  "I don't know."

  "I thought we were going to get together tonight. Why are you seeing Mel?"

  "We need to talk. We need to straighten things out."

  "I thought you knew what you wanted to do. Get a divorce."

  "I'm just having dinner with him. After all, he is the father of my children. We need to discuss the family and what we're going to do."

  "What are you going to do?"

  "I don't know."

  "You don't know? Christ, Ellen. Didn't last night mean anything to you?"

  "Of course it did. We're just going to talk."

  "He wouldn't come all this way if he just wanted to talk."

  "You're just saying that because you're a man."

  "Damn right. I know what he wants."

  "What's done is done. He's coming at five-thirty."

  "Do what you want."

  "I'll call you."

  "Go ahead. I won't be home."

  "Charlie..."

  There was another long pause, and she wasn't sure if he was still on the line until he said, "I'm sorry, Ellen. That was childish. It's just that I care about you."

  "I care about you, too."

  "But not enough to tell Mel to take a hike."

  She was silent.

  "Later." He hung up.

  Ellen rubbed her cheeks dry. She thought about calling him back but decided against it. Everything was too mixed up.

  * * *

  Mel seated Ellen at the Bayview Restaurant with a gentlemanly push of her chair--another act that amazed her. It was unlike him to be so attentive. He ordered steak dinners and wine for both of them. Immaculate in his suit and tie, he looked as if he were about to make a presentation. The waitress pulled the blinds partway down to shield them from the angle of the late afternoon sun reflecting off the water.

  Ellen smoothed the wrinkles of her black sheath. She chose to leave her new dress home.