by JR Thompson
Remington had a pretty good idea what that word “it” meant when Dad said he was “going to get it.” It wasn’t something he wanted to get. That was for sure.
Collin signed the note and watched Remington put it back in his backpack.
◆◆◆
The next morning, Brock woke up before Collin came into his room; he appeared to be excited about going to work. His back was getting stronger by the day. He knew what he was doing and seemed to be respected by management as well as by his peers.
He and Collin got in the old Wagoneer and headed out to the tree nursery. All the way to work, they talked about the mysterious disappearances and the dinner conversation they had with the pastor and his wife the night before. It was all either one of them could think about.
After dropping Brock off at the tree nursery, Collin went in to Just Right early. He didn’t clock in or start working; he just unlocked the doors, went inside, and read his Bible for a little while.
Eventually, Nikki meandered into the office.
“Well, how about that?” Collin said, glancing at her feet.
“How about what?”
“You actually have something on your feet besides those crocs. Miracles never cease, huh?”
“That is beat up, Collin! Why don’t you shut your face and listen to me for a change?”
Nikki told him she had become so intrigued by the disappearances that she had been doing more research. She was beginning to think Malachi was lying about his allegation. The other disappearances appeared unrelated to cannibalism. She feared a human trafficker may have been working the area. It was just a hunch — she had no way of proving it. Nikki insisted she would continue digging until she found out exactly what had been taking place for the last ten years.
Around 2 pm, a customer came into the shoe store ecstatic. “Have you all heard about Dr. Fennell?” she asked.
Collin and Nikki were both acquainted with Dr. Fennell. Everyone from Clayville knew him quite well; by far, he was the best eye doctor in town. Not only that, but he was the only eye doctor the Russell family ever patronized. “No. What about him?” Collin asked.
“He’s vanished without a trace. Rumor has it, he went out to lunch around 11 am and didn’t come back. The police say they can’t do anything about it until he’s been missing for at least forty-eight hours.”
Nikki pulled out her smartphone and looked it up online. Sure enough, people were blowing up her social media accounts. Everyone was asking if anyone had seen Dr. Fennell. Apparently, he had appointments scheduled at noon, at 12:45, and at 1:15 and he hadn’t shown up or called any of his patients to say he wasn’t going to be in. Something smelled like moldy cheese.
Feeling queasy, Collin borrowed Nikki’s phone and walked outside.
“Clayville Tree Nursery, this is Stephen,” the manager answered.
“Stephen, hi, this is Collin Russell. There is a family emergency and I need to speak with Brock Pearson right away.”
“He’s already aware of the emergency, Mr. Russell. He left here around 10 am and said he was heading over to the hospital. He borrowed a co-worker’s car.”
Dropping the phone, Collin thought he was going to hurl again. He had to hold it in. How could Brock have done something like this?
He had just started to believe him. All of the pieces had been coming together to show he was innocent. Now this!
CHAPTER 14 – SAY WHAT?
Going back inside, Collin tossed the phone to Nikki, briefed her on what was going on, and insisted he had to leave immediately. He had to make sure his family was safe.
“Collin Russell is going to skip out on work? You’re going to risk losing a sale just in case Brock was involved in a crime that may or may not have taken place?”
“Nikki, I can’t take any chances,” Collin told her.
“I understand. Just don’t get into a habit of it,” Nikki nagged.
Collin told Nikki to call the police if Brock showed up and not to trust him, no matter what he had to say.
“Sure thing, Daddio,” Nikki teased.
◆◆◆
Collin was relieved to find Alayna folding laundry. “Why are you home so early?” she asked.
Instead of answering her question, Collin fired off one of his own, “Has Brock been here?”
Hearing the concern in her husband’s voice, Alayna worriedly asked him what was going on. She hadn’t heard anything about Dr. Fennell. Shocked at the news, she said, “Doc Fennell? No way! When? What happened?”
Collin told her the details were currently unknown. “But that’s not the worst part,” he continued. “Brock isn’t at work. I think he might have something to do with it.”
Alayna was speechless. I told you so. I knew there was something about that man that wasn’t right. But you’re the leader of the home.
“Let’s pray,” Collin said.
Still unable to find her words, Alayna knelt on the floor. Collin knelt next to her.
“God,” he said, “we might be in trouble. What should we do? I don’t expect you to answer me audibly, but, Lord, we need some direction. The guy we took into our house may very well have taken another man’s life today. God, I don’t even know what to ask for. Just please keep my family safe.”
The Russells stood back up and began pacing the floors nervously. Things were hitting too close to home. Kidnappings and disappearances were supposed to happen in highly populated cities. Not in places like Clayville that were barely big enough to even earn a spot on the map.
◆◆◆
A short time later, Remington’s bus stopped out front; Collin and Alayna strolled out to meet him.
“Why are you home so early, Dad?” Remington asked nervously, hoping it had nothing to do with the discipline he was supposed to be receiving.
“Don’t worry about it, son,” Collin responded. “Sometimes a guy just needs to take a little bit of time off.”
What else could he say? He definitely wasn’t ready to upset his son with the news about Doc Fennell. Remington loved the man to death. He idolized him. Only a year or so had passed since Remington had finally stopped wanting to grow up to be an ophthalmologist.
Once inside, Remington slapped some peanut butter on an apple for an after-school snack while Mom poured him a glass of Kool-Aid and waited to hear about his day.
As soon as he swallowed his first hunk of apple, the stories began to roll. John and Seth had gotten into a major fist fight and had both gotten suspended. At lunch time, Allison spilled her milk and got it all over Becky. Most importantly, Shelby had a thing for nerds and she thought his newly designed glasses made him look as cute as a bug’s ear.
About fifteen minutes into his story-telling, Alayna interrupted by asking Collin how Brock was going to get home. “I mean, if he goes back to the tree nursery to return his co-worker’s car, isn’t he going to be expecting you to pick him up?” she asked.
Collin hadn’t thought of that. In all of his excitement, that idea had never even crossed his mind. He ran to the Jeep, jumped in, threw his seat belt on, and bolted to the tree nursery. He arrived right on time.
Sure enough, Brock walked out to the jalopy as if nothing had happened, “How was work today?” Collin asked him.
“Identical to other days of my employment,” Brock told him.
Are you kidding me? Collin thought. Somehow, he wasn’t surprised that Brock hadn’t volunteered any information.
Giving him a chance to dig himself into a deeper pit, Collin asked, “Did anything unusual happen today?”
“Something unusual occurs every day.”
“True, true. What happened today?”
“Stephen hired a new guy on. I believe he’s an illegal immigrant and I think Stephen’s planning on paying him under the table,” Brock said matter-of-factly.
Collin was quickly growing impatient, “Really? You didn’t have to leave due to a family emergency?” he asked.
“So what? You are spying on me now
? Yes, if you must know, a brief absence from work was necessary. It does not need to become a concern for you.”
Collin told him about Dr. Fennell and asked what he knew about the disappearance. Brock claimed he had heard nothing about it and had never even heard of Dr. Fennell.
Collin questioned him intensely. Brock admitted to leaving work early. He said he had been awake all night Sunday night thinking and worrying about the outcome of the investigation they were completing. He thought it strange that the pastor and his wife seemed so opposed to their investigative work.
He claimed he left the tree nursery to do some more digging at the library. At first, Collin didn’t believe him. That is, until Brock continued his story.
“Did you know Pastor and Mrs. Brown adopted a troubled lad nearly a decade and a half in the past?” Brock asked.
“He’s never mentioned it.”
“That would be evidence of an intelligent man. He was a troubled kid whom some would refer to as a brat. One decade ago that boy, Donovan, left his comfortable nest. Would you like to share your theory of what town he relocated to?”
“Harmony?”
“Ding, ding, ding! A winner has been found! The story takes on one more point of interest! Donovan has been bathed in legal trouble. He’s been arrested for drunk driving, shoplifting, physical assaults, and more. Incredibly, he has gotten off the hook with no charges being filed for any of those offenses.”
Brock could not have made up all of those details. Collin could tell he had truly been at the library. However, he had watched enough movies to know that a true investigator would not stop there. Dr. Fennell had disappeared on the same day that Brock had left work for a “family emergency.” Even though Brock had gone to the library, who was to say Brock hadn’t had a run-in with Doc Fennell either before or after? It was even possible the only reason he had gone to the library was to give himself an alibi.
When Collin and Brock returned home, they found Remington mowing the lawn. That’s right, Collin reminded himself, that boy is owed some discipline.
He and Brock walked past him and went inside. There, together they told Alayna about Pastor Brown’s adoption.
“Gentlemen,” Alayna said, “I’m afraid you might be barking up the wrong tree here. Let’s not be so quick as to judge a book by its cover.”
Looking irritated, Brock said, “With all due respect, isn’t that what you’re doing?”
“What I’m doing? I’m not the one making accusations here.”
“No, but why are you so hasty to conclude I’m blameworthy and yet so quick to discredit the potential guilt of any member of the pastor’s family? Who is judging what book by what cover?” The more Brock spoke, the louder his voice was becoming.
“That’s enough,” Collin said. “You will not speak to my wife in that tone of voice ever again.”
Afraid of being homeless again, Brock closed his mouth and walked to his bedroom.
CHAPTER 15 – NOT THE BELT
With a few beads of sweat popping up on his forehead, Remington entered the house. Remembering Dad’s warning from the night before, he nervously approached him. “Dad, I’m finished with the lawn,” he said with his eyes involuntarily gluing themselves to Collin’s tan colored leather belt. In a quiet voice, he managed to squeak, “I’m ready for my discipline.”
Alayna nor Brock spoke a word.
“Let’s step outside,” Collin said.
I was right, Remington thought. I am going to get it.
Walking out the door, Remington half expected to hear the ghastly sound of Dad fumbling with his belt buckle. He hadn’t been spanked for at least two years, but he could feel it coming and feared Dad had no intentions of taking it easy on him.
Once off the porch, Collin put his Daddy voice to work. “There is no excuse for you consistently staying up past your bedtime. It is ridiculous that you are ignoring your teacher in school. You are long overdue for some harsh, and I mean, very harsh discipline.”
Remington cringed. Dropping his eyes to the ground, he felt a tear forming in his right eye.
“Look up here at me, boy,” Dad snapped.
Remmy didn’t hesitate. He looked Dad right in the eye.
“Before you get what’s coming to you,” Collin continued, “you need to get that Jeep clean.”
That not right, Remington thought, as he glanced at the Wagoneer. It hadn’t been washed for months. The dirt road had done a number on it. It looked like someone had taken the stupid thing mudding.
That wasn’t the part he was upset about though. If he was going to get the belt, he wanted to get it over with. He didn’t want to think and worry about it for however long he was washing the Jeep.
Glancing at the belt again, Remmy said, “Yes, Sir.”
Remington filled a five-gallon bucket with water, put some soap in it, and got a rag out of the shed. He decided to scrub that Jeep down with all of his might. If he did a good enough job, perhaps that would dissuade Dad from letting him have it. If nothing else, maybe he would at least go a little easier on him.
Where do I even start? Deciding to spray it down first in hopes of knocking as much dirt off as possible, he dragged out the garden hose and began spraying down the driver’s side.
Oh, no! he said to himself. How had he been so careless as to not see Dad’s window was down?
I’m dead. I am so dead, he panicked. So good to getting Dad to go easy on me.
Remmy stood there, staring at the Jeep in disbelief. Maybe, just maybe, he convinced himself, I noticed it before anything got soaked.
He nervously approached the vehicle and looked inside. It was damp, but it could’ve been worse. Hoping it would dry out on its own, Remington rolled the window back up and closed the door.
Starting over, he sprayed down the entire Jeep.
He filled his cloth with soapy water and began scrubbing the hood. In less than one minute, the rag had changed from yellow to brown. Instead of cleaning, it was beginning to transform the dirt into mud.
This is going to be harder than I thought. Remington knocked the dirt out of his rag, got it soapy again, and repeated the process.
After scrubbing the entire body of the Jeep, he gave it a good looking over. The rims. I didn’t get the rims.
He scrubbed the rims, the tires, and even the mud flaps. Walking back up on the porch, the teen turned to look at the Jeep one last time before announcing the job had been completed.
Oh, man! he said to himself. How could I be so stupid? He hadn’t touched the top of the Jeep. With his back already killing him, he tried to just spray it off with the hose.
Boy, was that a mistake. Mud ran off the top alright. It streaked pretty much every inch of what he had already cleaned.
Remmy was about to cry. He didn’t have the strength or even the desire to start all over.
Before he could come up with a plan, Dad came out the front door. “Are you about finished yet, son?” he hollered.
Remington panicked, “Not yet, Dad. I’m doing the best I can.”
Dad gave him an evil glare. “You better do a lot better than that, Remmy. It looks like you’ve barely even touched the thing and you’ve already been out here for an hour and a half. Hurry it up!”
I can’t do anything right, Remington cried as Dad went back inside. I’m a complete idiot.
By the time he finished cleaning the Jeep, it was nearly dark out. Not only was his back hurting. He had worn blisters on both hands. He was sop and wet. His feet were tired of being stood on. He sure hoped Dad would be impressed with his cleaning skills.
Nervously, he reentered the house to find his father sitting on the sofa.
“Finished, Dad,” Remmy said sheepishly.
“Good. Let’s go back to my room,” Dad said sternly.
Your room? What about all the work I did? Remington’s body began to tremble — he wasn’t sure if the trembling was because of being cold, because he was scared to death, or because he was starting to get a l
ittle hot under the collar.
“Don’t you want to see how I did with the Jeep first?” Remmy asked.
“Nope. It’s time for you to learn your lesson. Come on,” Dad told him.
Remington’s eyes hit the floor as he followed his father into the master bedroom. Dad closed the door behind them and sat on the edge of the bed. Remington glanced at that thick, wide belt again and thought his heart was going to explode.
“Why do you think I brought you in here, Remmy?” Dad asked.
Looking at his feet, Remmy mumbled, “Because of the note.”
“I’m not on the floor, kiddo. Look at me,” Dad snapped.
Remmy looked up, trying his hardest to not look at that belt anymore. Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine.
“I brought you in here to teach you a lesson,” Dad scolded. “A lesson about unconditional love. Come here, boy.”
Unconditional love? Remington knew exactly what he meant. The last time he had been spanked, Dad read him a passage from the Bible. A passage that basically said a father who loves his son punishes him before his behaviors get too far out of control. Not so sure he wanted to be the recipient of such unconditional love, Remington took a couple baby steps closer. Dad grabbed him and hugged him tight. “Life is short, kiddo, make the most of it.”
Remington freed himself from the embrace and looked Dad in the eye, waiting for the punishment to take place.
“That’s it, kiddo. I hope you learned your lesson,” Dad told him.
Collin didn’t have it in him to give Remmy the discipline he knew he should have given him. He understood Remington was surrounded by so much drama that nothing in his life was normal. No, it wasn’t a good excuse and no, he didn’t want Remmy to grow up playing the victim card. But he couldn’t take the belt to him either — not for letting his mind wander.
While they were alone, Collin thought he had better tell Remmy about Doc Fennell before rumors started circulating at school.
