Time-Travel Duo

by James Paddock

  Anne got into the back seat. “Thank you for bringing me out here,” she said as James started turning the car around. “I still don’t feel right about you having to make this drive every week for who knows how long?”

  “We don’t mind, Dear.”

  “And eventually it’s going to be hard, especially once we leave daylight-saving time.”

  “What is that?” Ruth asked.

  “What?”

  “Daylight-saving time.”

  Anne blinked at Ruth who was peering back over the front seat. “Oh... Stop! Stop!”

  James stopped, not having moved more than a few yards.

  “What time is it?” Anne demanded.

  “I don’t know. You’re wearing your time piece.”

  Anne looked at her watch and then across the field to the gravestone. “It’s almost 8:00. Of course! That’s why my watch was an hour off. Why did I never think of that?” She got out and with Elizabeth Anne in her arms started running across the field.

  Ruth and James arrived at the gravestone seconds behind Anne. They asked no questions, but stood with her, breathing hard, staring down at the bare spot on the ground.

  Minutes passed.

  Not even a breeze disturbed the air.

  Finally Anne said, “Okay. We can go now.”

  “Please tell us what just happened, then,” Ruth said.

  “Daylight-saving time.”

  “What’s that?” James asked.

  “I don’t know when it was started, but in April of every year the country sets their clocks forward one hour to give an extra hour of daylight. That’s daylight-saving time. Time is returned to normal, called standard time, in October. So Steven is an hour different. I never even thought of it until it just popped out a few minutes ago.”

  “That’s strange,” Ruth said.

  “It makes sense,” James said. “How do they do that though and keep people from becoming confused?”

  “It’s well publicized, on the calendars and all. It happens, I think, on the last weekend of the month... 2:00 a.m., Sunday morning.”

  They all got back into the car.

  James didn’t start it yet. “Then that means if Steven started the time machine at 7:00 that would actually be 8:00 for us?”

  “Right...”

  Spring forward – fall back. That’s right. That means at 7:00 it’s... No!

  “No! It’s spring forward. When it’s 7:00 there, it’s 6:00 here.”

  Ruth creased her brow. “Then actually, we missed it?”

  Anne slumped back in her seat. “Yes. I guess so. I had it backwards.”

  James started the car. “If something was sent, it would have still been here. We’ll be out here at 6:00 next week.”

  Anne rode in silence all the way back home.

  Chapter 42

  Saturday ~ September 18, 1943

  Anne awoke to a tingle running down the back of her neck, the same feeling she had as a young girl when she was out alone at night and imagined someone was watching her, following her.

  A tingle of fear.

  She lay awake on her side, facing the wall, trying to shake off the dream but couldn’t think what she was dreaming, if anything.

  Nothing.

  She puffed up her pillow then settled herself back into sleep, felt the darkness close in around her mind, and then once again felt the tingle. She opened her eyes and listened for Elizabeth Anne’s breathing.

  It was there... but there was something else... something different... different... a smell... strange smell.

  Elizabeth!

  In one quick motion Anne threw back the covers, rolled out of the bed and came to her feet. It was two steps to the crib, but before she was able to take the second step, a dark shape loomed around her and something was over her face, against her mouth, her nose; an arm came around her chest like a vice.

  Don’t breathe... don’t breathe... fight.

  But to fight meant breathe. She remembered self-defense and drove her heel down as hard as she could onto the instep of the man, but all she got was a jolt of pain as her bare heel struck the floor.

  Elbow... hand straight out then slam the elbow back into his sternum... contact!

  He grunted but the iron hold didn’t ease.

  His balls! Get a handful, squeeze and don’t let go.

  Got to breathe now... first swing hard down and back, between his legs... make a fist.

  Wham!

  Another grunt, deeper... the grip eased a little – not enough – have to breathe.

  Grab with the hand and squeeze... pull... twist.

  Breathe.

  Darkness... squeeze... dark... twist...

  Stop fighting. Let him rape me. It’s no big deal as long as he leaves my baby alone. She tried to say what she was thinking through the darkness and cottonmouth. She could feel his hands on her, lifting her – so gently. Please don’t touch Elizabeth. Do with me what you want.

  She felt the bed against her back and waited for the press of his body on top of hers. It didn’t come. A glare of light penetrated her eyelids, and she opened them to look into the face leaning over her.

  “James!”

  Her bold accusative utterance of his name sent him staggering back away from her.

  “James!... Why?”

  Then she saw Ruth standing behind him, holding Elizabeth Anne. “What?”

  “You were attacked,” James said.

  Anne came to a sitting position. “Is Elizabeth...?”

  “She is fine,” Ruth said. “Slept through it.”

  “Good.” She lay back down and put her hand up to her head. “I’ve got a headache. Whatever he put over my mouth knocked me out.” She looked at James. “I’m sorry I accused you. Who?”

  “It’s okay. He got away.”

  Ruth said, “Something woke me, so I came out into the hall to listen. When I heard sounds coming from your room, I saw your door was ajar. When I pushed it open and called your name a man came running out, almost knocking me down the stairs.”

  “Did you see him? Did he hurt you?”

  “I’m fine. Just scared the daylights out of me. It was dark and by the time I recovered, he was gone. I didn’t see anything except a dark form.” She looked at her son. “James, could you excuse us for a moment please?”

  James looked between the two women. “Sure. I’ll be downstairs.”

  After James closed the door, Ruth sat on the bed. “Did he do anything to you?”

  “You mean did he rape me? No. I don’t even think he tried, nor could have. The last I remember was having a crushing grip on his balls.”

  Ruth’s eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped.

  “If I hadn’t of passed out, I might still have them – put them in a jar.”

  Ruth laughed.

  Anne felt a shiver, laughed as well, and then said, “He’s probably painfully sorry he tangled with me.”

  Bronson didn’t know how he got out of the house let alone the two blocks to where he parked. Once in the car he couldn’t sit and wait for the pain to subside. In case he was seen, he had to get out of there. It hurt to manipulate the clutch and brake but he managed, and drove slowly until he was over the Ashley River Bridge, out of Charleston. He pulled over in a field, turned off the car, and lay down on the seat. Just thirty minutes, he told himself.

  There was little pain as long as he lay still. What woke her up? Just five more seconds and I would have had her pinned down on the bed and she wouldn’t have had enough leverage to do anything before the gas took effect. Not only did she wake up, but she came flying out of the bed – like a wildcat – impossible to control. And then Jesus all mighty she got a hold of me and I thought I was going to pass out before she did. How could she possibly keep at it like that with an ether-soaked rag pressed against her face?

  He slipped his hand under his belt and gently felt around his scrotum. The balls were tender, sending small shoots of pain in all directions, but it wasn’t nearly as
bad as it first was. He was no longer seeing red.

  Now what? Go back to the beach house and figure out what to do. Is there any chance she or the old woman recognized him? Too dark and I didn’t say anything. Not one word. There should be no reason to suspect me. Why would they? Just a burglar or a would-be rapist.

  But then, so what if they did? My face is already posted everywhere. “Extremely dangerous!” He passed by two women studying the poster the other day when he had to go get provisions. His disguise was good but he left quickly when one of the women said, “Yeah, he’s handsome, you’re sure right about that, but a good lookin’ rabid dog is still a rabid dog and I’d shoot him like a rabid dog, on sight.”

  Bronson got out of the car, walked around for five minutes, and then headed out to the beach house.

  “Is there anything missing?”

  “I don’t really have anything worth taking,” Anne said, “except my money and it’s all there.”

  Ruth said, “I’ve looked around the rest of the house, but there doesn’t seem to be anything. Apparently I left the back door unlocked.”

  James scowled at his mother and bent back over his report.

  “I’m sorry, James.” She stood and lifted the pot off the stove. “More coffee?” When neither Anne nor James said yes, Ruth filled her own cup. “Do you think he was wandering around looking for something valuable when Anne surprised him?”

  James said to Anne, “You said he held something over your mouth that knocked you out.”

  “A rag soaked with a gas of some sort.”

  “I did smell something after he had gone. That’s why I opened the window,” Ruth said.

  James lay down his pencil. “I’m going to go up and look around.”

  “How’s your headache?” Ruth asked after James left the kitchen.

  “Better. Almost gone. Do rapists walk around with knockout gas in their pockets?”

  Ruth shook her head. “Don’t know. Never heard of such a thing. I guess it’s possible though.”

  Anne stared for a while at her hands wrapped around the coffee cup. “The coffee is good. Thank you.” She sighed. “I’m sorry this happened.”

  “What do you have to be sorry about? I should be apologizing to you for leaving the door unlocked.”

  “A knockout gas all right,” James announced as he walked back into the kitchen. He set a nearly full bottle of clear liquid on the table. “Ether. He left it lying on the floor, next to the door. He went into your room planning to use it.”

  “Ether?” Anne thought about that for a moment. “Who uses ether besides doctors?”

  “Automobile mechanics,” James said. “But, what they use is spray cans. This would do them little good.”

  “A doctor then,” Ruth concluded.

  “And there’s only one doctor I know who would have reason to come after me. Doctor Bronson.”

  “The spy!” Ruth exclaimed.

  “He wasn’t here for rape or burglary. He was here to kidnap me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he knows who I am, what I am. He probably thinks I have knowledge that could help Germany.”

  James and Ruth looked at each other. “Do you?” Ruth asked of Anne.

  “More than you can imagine, Ruth. More than you could ever imagine.”

  Almost exactly twenty-four hours later Nathaniel Bronson tapped out his message to the waiting U-boat.

  Kidnap attempt failed. Reschedule pickup. Will not fail second time.

  He waited for the return message, scowled at it when it finally came and then sent the acknowledgment. A month or more. What is he going to do for a month?

  Chapter 43

  Tuesday ~ September 21, 1943

  The three of them stood around looking at Reverend Nelson’s grave marker, the trees, the sky, each other. There was no breeze. Not even a bird broke the silence.

  Anne sighed. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to pay a visit to Danny and Gertie.” Of course they wouldn’t mind. They would do anything for her including agreeing to what she was about to propose to Danny Thigpen. But they won’t like it, and the thought of bringing it up twisted a knot in her stomach. It won’t necessarily be easy for her either, but under the circumstances it was the wise thing to do.

  “Of course, Anne. Anything you want.”

  “You’re not going to like what I’m going to say and if there were any way for me to say it, to do this without hurting you, I would in an instant.”

  Ruth turned to fully face Anne. “You’re leaving!”

  Anne wasn’t able to look Ruth straight in the face. Instead she looked down at the grave of Reverend Nelson and worked up moisture in her dry mouth. “If I had to be anywhere except back in my time, I would choose to be with you. It isn’t like you’re like family. You are family, and I love you, Ruth, just like I loved my mother. In fact, sometimes I want to call you mom. James, you’re my brother and I love you just as dearly as I would love a brother of my blood. I’m sorry if that hurts you because I know you want something else but until I know for sure that I can’t go back, I’ve resigned myself to my fate, and I cannot offer you anything more than a sister.

  “Because of me your home was broken into. For three nights now I have not slept well, waking to every little noise, and it doesn’t look like the two of you have done much better. James, I don’t know how many times I’ve heard you and Roger going by. It’s affecting your duties.”

  Ruth interrupted, wiping away tears. “You said we’re family; that I’m like your mother. Would I ask my daughter and granddaughter to leave? We would take care of them, protect them.”

  Anne held up her hand. “Let me finish. I’m not proposing going very far, and really when you think about it, it makes sense. Right down the road here is a cabin and I’m sure Danny would let me stay in it for a time, at least until spring when he has his field hands coming in. If I haven’t heard from Steven by that time, I probably never will. Also, with you two and the Thigpens being the only ones who know where I am, Bronson can’t possibly find me. And I would be close to this place. Never a chance of a break down or a flat tire not getting me here. I hate putting that kind of pressure and responsibility on you, and I would always be nervous.”

  Ruth turned away and looked into the trees for a full minute. When she turned back she asked, “Would you allow us to come anyway?”

  Anne’s face spread into a grin. “Yes! I can’t imagine standing here and waiting without you.” She gave Ruth a hug. “Thank you. I know it’s the right thing to do. Danny and Gertie are good people.” She turned to James and gave him a hug. “I’m sorry,” she said into his ear.

  James returned the hug. “I only want what will make you happy.”

  They stood crowded in the small, furnished living room of the cabin with Gertie, Charlie and Heather. The kitchen was adequate with a small table that could seat three, four if you squeezed, and a wood stove. Anne looked out the back door to a stack of split wood under a rain cover.

  “There’s only abouts a month of wood there so Danny wills be happy to splits ya up some more.”

  “Thank you, Gertie. Show me an ax and I could figure out how to do that.”

  “Not with two men around you won’t,” Ruth said. “It’s fine if you know how to do it but that’s what men like James and Danny are made for.”

  “That right,” Gertie said.

  “They may have to fight for the privilege,” Ruth added.

  Anne laughed her embarrassment. “Okay.”

  Just like the living room, the two bedrooms were small but adequate; two single beds in one, one in the other, which would obviously be her room. She wondered about a crib and decided to make do instead of asking to bring up Ruth’s. Besides, she was thinking of spending some nights in Charleston so she would need a crib there as well. Then, as if reading her mind, Gertie solved the problem.

  “I gots a spare crib for you can use.”

  The bathroom was larger than she expected with a smal
l potbelly stove.

  “A stove? In the bathroom?”

  On top of its flat top sat a large bucket of water. A spigot hung over the top and another ran from the side into the bathtub. Anne analyzed it and then said, “Oh!”

  “Ain’t this great?” Gertie said. “Danny’s mother really liked her baths so he built this sose she coulds heats her water easier. He mades me one too. Dares even some of her soaps and bubble bath still. Ya can uses whatcha like.”

  “No. That’s not necessary,” Anne said but was also excited about taking a luxurious bubble bath. Then she laughed at herself and realized how everything was relative. In 1987 she wouldn’t have thought that heating water in a bucket on a wood stove was luxurious.

  “How much is the rent?” Anne asked.

  “Good Lordy, Annie. We don’t needs no rent from ya. You just bees a guest. Dis is likes a guest house.”

  “Thank you, Gertie. But I don’t want to take advantage.”

  “Why nots? It don’t costs us any to have you in it. Actually it better for us than standing vacant, sose you does us a favor.”

  “I’m doing you a favor? You’ve a funny way of looking at it, but I’ll take it.”

  They found James outside telling Charlie about how he and Roger apprehended the burglar, Roark.

  “Roger must be really smart.”

  “If it wasn’t for him, the burglar might have gotten away.”

  “Wow! Is he still in jail?”

  “He sure is. He goes up to see the judge tomorrow. But the judge might go lenient on him because he helped us identify a spy.”

  Charlie and Heather’s eyes opened wide. “A German spy?” Charlie said.

  “A real German spy,” James said.

  “Wow! Did you and Roger catch him too?”

  “Not yet, Charlie. But everyone is looking for him.”

  “Is that right, Mister Lamric?” Gertie said. “There’s a spy around?”