“I’m so glad that they found you so fast, Doc. What sort of sick bastard just lies in wait to shoot you? Did you see anyone?”
“No, Alexa. As I told the police, I have a vague impression of a metallic noise, maybe a boot scraping metal, from somewhere down the alley. But, I didn’t see anyone. The cops think that whoever shot me could have been hiding in the shadows on the fire escape behind the Brenneman building. The calls were from people who live in those apartments.
“They also think that I might have been followed from my home. There’s no way that anyone would know that I’d be visiting the clinic after hours. Heck, I didn’t even know I was going down there until a few minutes before I left the house. I rarely return to the clinic after I leave for the day. Even on those evenings when we do terminations, I usually just stay at the clinic and have dinner brought in.
“If I was followed, I certainly wasn’t aware of it. The police theory is that when I went into the clinic, my assailant found his position on the fire escape and just waited for me to come back to the car. The bullet they recovered from the scene was from a high-powered rifle. It was dark, and our parking lot isn’t very well lit. This guy must be a pretty good shot.”
“You seem awfully calm about nearly getting killed. Aren’t you furious? I am. I’m furious and scared for you, all at the same time.”
Doc paused a minute to take a sip of water. “This has been a sobering experience, Alexa. As you get older, you begin to realize that your time on this earth is limited. But, it’s easy to ignore that looming inevitability. Getting shot in the chest and waking up in the hospital with part of your lung gone is a real reality check. Of course, any one of us could be gone in an instant. But, at my age, the odds of that increase rapidly.
“To focus on your question, yes, I am angry at this coward who hid in the shadows and shot me without even showing me his face. It saddens me that there is such hate in the world that a stranger would shoot me because I help women end unwanted pregnancies. But my focus right now is on my recovery, my family, and making sure I’ve got my priorities straight for the brief time I have left.”
Alexa didn’t quite know how to respond to Doc. She wanted to respect his emotional reaction to the near-death experience, but she was concerned about what he might be implying. “Doc, are you saying that you’re going to quit the clinic?”
“No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. The clinic is and always will be one of those priorities that I just mentioned. But, when I get out of here, I want to better balance my work at the clinic with the rest of my life. More trips to Hawaii. More time with Alice, my kids, and grandkids. That’s all I’m saying, Alexa.”
“You had me worried there for a minute. I can’t imagine the clinic without you. I hope the police catch this SOB who shot you.” Alexa grasped Doc’s hand. “Now, I’m going to let you rest or get back to your adventure novel. I just wanted to say hello.”
As she left the room, she saw Doc put the book down and close his eyes in exhaustion. It hurt Alexa to see this good and decent man in such pain.
Chapter Twenty-Three
By noon on Friday, Alexa had received eight additional voice messages at home and work from Caleb. She ignored them all. When he called yet again that afternoon, she sighed heavily and instructed Melinda to put the call through. The continuing phone calls were becoming a nuisance.
Caleb started off with the litany of apologies and excuses that had become familiar from the barrage of voice messages over the past week. He asked, “Have you thought about meeting me?” His voice took on an unattractive pleading tone that Alexa would never have envisioned from this man. “Talking on the phone is not a good way to resolve this, Alexa. Please just spend a little time with me so we can talk it through.”
As she listened, Alexa reached an unwelcome conclusion. The only way to convince Caleb that she wanted nothing more to do with him would be to meet face to face. With a grimace, she assented. “OK, Caleb. I’ll meet, but don’t expect much from any discussion. Like I said on Wednesday, I might be able to forgive you, but I am not interested in dating you anymore.”
“Can we get together tomorrow?”
Anxious to get this over with, Alexa agreed. “Yes. I could meet you for a few minutes in the afternoon. I have some errands to run in Carlisle.”
“I was hoping we could have some privacy. I know it’s a drive, but could you come to Kingdom Lodge around two o’clock?”
Alexa was so surprised at this request that she didn’t know how to respond. She had envisioned a fast cup of tea at some diner while Caleb said his piece. Then, she would make a quick exit. Driving over to Kingdom Lodge was an entirely different proposition. Alexa’s frustration edged into anger as she paused, speechless at this outrageous request.
Caleb seemed to sense her hesitancy. “I don’t want to impose on you, but I’ll be there in the morning hunting with the guys. By the afternoon, it should be calm there and we would have a chance to talk.”
Alexa surprised herself when she abruptly consented. Now that she had agreed to meet Caleb, she didn’t want to put this off any longer. If this was the only way to get it done tomorrow, she would make the trip to the lodge. It was clear that Caleb would keep pushing until he spoke to her. Alexa would rather that conversation take place soon so they could both just move on.
Alexa acknowledged that she shared some of the blame in this disastrous flameout. Nothing excused Caleb’s anger or his rough behavior in their final sexual encounter. But, Alexa had to admit that she might have led the guy on. Her willingness to meet Caleb on his terms, she decided, was a way of taking accountability for her part in the relationship debacle.
“OK. I’ll drive over to meet you, but I’m going to bring a friend along.” Alexa wasn’t so remorseful that she’d lost all reason. She was reluctant to be alone with Caleb in a place like Kingdom Lodge. She couldn’t risk a repeat of the violent anger of last weekend. Having someone along would also make it easier to leave.
Alexa remembered Reese’s offer to ride shotgun if she met with Caleb. She hoped Reese wasn’t working tomorrow afternoon.
Reese answered his cell on the first ring. Alexa said, “I have a favor to ask if you are free tomorrow. I just agreed to have that discussion with my old boyfriend. He wants to talk at Kingdom Lodge over in Perry County. It’s a place that his family owns. I wondered if you would be willing to ride over with me. Of course, the conversation is between Caleb and me, but I don’t want to go alone.”
“What time? I have a shift that ends at noon, but I can go after that. Meeting with him is your call, but it’s not a good idea to go on your own. Driving over there will give me a chance to see some of Perry County.”
Alexa arranged to meet Reese at her cabin the next afternoon. Before she turned back to work, Alexa thought about her instinctive decision to turn to Reese. She could have asked either Haley or Melissa to go along, but she had already confided more about her blow-up with Caleb to Reese than to her two best friends. She knew that Caleb would be hurt that she would bring another guy to this attempt at reconciliation. Although she was past caring much about Caleb’s feelings, she would ask Reese to hang outside while they spoke.
When Reese arrived the next afternoon, Alexa asked, “Is it OK with you if I take Scout along? I’ll drive the Land Rover so you don’t get dog fur in your Jeep. I just hate to leave him alone on a Saturday.” Scout bounded around the Land Rover in anticipation.
“The more the merrier,” Reese said, laughing as Scout leapt into the back compartment of the Rover. “I’m just along for the ride, anyway.”
Alexa tried to thank Reese for coming to Kingdom Lodge, but he brushed aside her words. He spent the ride commenting on the scenery, talking to the dog, and generally trying to distract Alexa.
The scenery on this November day was very different from the vivid fall colors of her first trip to Kingdom Lodge. Today, nearly all the trees were bare. Brown and shriveled leaves clung to a few forlorn pin oak
s as if these trees couldn’t face the coming winter without some attempt at armor. The cloudy afternoon accentuated the shadowy gloom of the forest. Alexa thought the gray tone was fitting for the mission she was on today.
“You’re not seeing this area at its best,” she said to Reese. “In the spring, summer, and fall, it’s beautiful over here—just forest and farmland. The towns are few and far between, and very small. There are only a handful of traffic lights in the entire county. The place we’re headed to, Kingdom Lodge, is lovely. It’s a beautiful old lodge, built for hunting, fishing, and social events. Caleb’s father is minister of a church in this area. It’s privately owned, I think by the congregation. Caleb’s family is part owner.”
Alexa nearly missed the lodge. Catching the small sign out of the corner of her eye, she slammed on the brakes a few yards past the entrance. They hadn’t seen any other cars on this stretch of road, so she backed up carefully and turned into the drive. When Alexa turned off the car, she said, “The lodge is just behind this hedge. I’m going to go in and find Caleb. Do you mind taking Scout for a walk while I talk to him? There’s a beautiful lake in front of the lodge.”
“You don’t want me to go inside with you?”
“I think I should speak to him alone. But, if I need you for some reason, I’ll find you or call on your cell.” Alexa glanced quickly at her cell to verify reception.
“I’d rather be inside with you, but I understand that this is a private conversation. I won’t wander too far.”
As Alexa opened the car door, she heard gunfire in the distance. “Hear that? There’s a shooting range out there to the right somewhere. Another good reason for you and Scout to keep close to the building.”
Alexa moseyed along the lodge’s wide porch. She felt like Daniel at the entrance of the lion’s den. Then, she laughed.
There must be something in the air around here, she thought. Soon, I’m going to start speaking in Bible verses like Caleb’s mother.
She paused a moment to look out over the lake. With the exception of a few Canadian geese, the wide span of water was empty. Everything was a shadowy gray, so misty that the dark mountain flowed seamlessly into the murky lake. For a moment Alexa fancied that the yawning expanse looked like a giant open mouth. Spooked, she stepped back from the railing.
“My, you are on edge, aren’t you,” she muttered. “Let’s just get this over with.” The disturbing atmosphere evaporated when Reese and Scout walked into view, headed for the lakeshore.
Turning away, Alexa walked to the front door. She drew a deep breath before reaching for the knob and pushing the heavy old iron and timber door inward. Pausing briefly inside the door to allow her eyes to adjust to the gloom, Alexa focused on the fire crackling in the huge stone fireplace in the center of the room. A scent of creosote hung in the air as if the chimney wasn’t venting properly. Caleb rose from one of the deep chairs in front of the fire and walked a few steps in her direction.
“Thank you for coming, Alexa,” he said, almost diffidently. “I know that it wasn’t easy for you to agree to see me. Let’s sit here. I was out most of the morning. The fire really takes off the chill. Weren’t you going to bring a friend?” He reached out to touch Alexa, but she avoided him and walked to the chairs.
Caleb wore camouflage hunting pants and a brown waffle-weave Henley. A canvas camouflage coat hung over the back of his chair. She took in Caleb’s dark good looks and his silvery eyes. On a primal level she was still attracted to this man, despite the way he had treated her. Perhaps that’s really why she had agreed to drive all the way over here to Perry County to meet him. But, she knew that this attraction, no matter how strong, didn’t outweigh the disillusionment and distrust she now felt for Caleb; nor had she changed her mind about breaking up.
She balanced on the edge of the chair facing his. “Hello, Caleb. My friend, Reese, is outside with Scout. I asked him to wait on the lawn since I thought we should have this discussion alone. I’m here because things ended things badly between us, and I didn’t feel comfortable leaving things that way. But, I don’t want to mislead you. I’m not looking for reconciliation.”
“First of all, I want to apologize to you. I was way out of line with the things I said to you. Not as an excuse, but I would like to explain my reaction.” Caleb leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “I was shocked to find out that you were part of the clinic and even more shocked that you never mentioned this in all the months we were dating. Abortion is something that my family and I are strongly opposed to. Learning that you were part of this awful thing just threw me for a loop.”
“Look, Caleb. I’m not really sure why we never discussed my work at the clinic. To be honest, we didn’t delve too deep in any of our conversations. We always kept things light. I wasn’t hiding my volunteer work at the clinic from you. It’s public knowledge. It just never came up. But, the clinic is about so much more than abortion. That facility provides family planning and general medical services to thousands of low-income women. Abortion is only one service that we provide to a handful of women in need.”
“Alexa, I know that you are a very caring person. When I thought about it more, I wasn’t surprised that you volunteer your time to help poor women. And, of course, I know that your upbringing was much more liberal than mine. Now that I hear you talk about the clinic, I can see how you overlook the abortion aspect because of the other services.”
Alexa raised her hand and shook her head. “Stop right there. You are not understanding me, Caleb.” She enunciated each word carefully as if speaking to a child. “I strongly support a woman’s right to choose, including abortion rights. I am at the clinic because I believe in all of the services that it provides.”
Caleb’s expression became even more somber. “Alexa, I like you. Our relationship started out as casual dating. You’re right; we had a lot of fun together. At first, I found our differences in politics and our approaches to life intriguing. I’ve never really known a woman as smart and independent as you. Then, I found myself developing real feelings for you. That’s why I brought you here to Kingdom Lodge to meet my parents. I would like to think that we could move beyond this clinic issue.”
“Even if we could get past our differences, I’m not interested in trying. Last week, you stepped over the line. I’m not just talking about your excessive anger and name-calling. I’m talking about the physical abuse. I won’t go so far as to call it rape, but it certainly wasn’t consensual sex.” Alexa was starting to get pissed off all over again. She wanted to end this conversation. Coming here and trying to end things amicably had been a mistake.
“Caleb, we dated for a few months. We had a good time, and now it’s over. Let’s just leave it at that.”
When Alexa put her hands on the arms to push out of the deep armchair, Caleb leapt to his feet and stood in front of her. “Don’t go yet. Give me just a few more minutes. You came all this way. Just a few more minutes.”
“All right.” Alexa sank back into the seat. She’d give him five more minutes at most. Concerned that Caleb seemed to be getting worked up again, she wrapped her right hand around the cell phone in her pocket. She had already set Reese’s number on speed dial.
Caleb sat back down slowly. Instead of continuing the conversation, he wrapped his hands behind his head and looked at the floor. Alexa sighed but let Caleb gather his thoughts. Finally, he looked up but didn’t meet Alexa’s eyes. As he looked past her, Alexa heard footsteps approaching behind her chair. Reese, coming to check on her? When she turned, she blanched to see that it was not Reese, but Reverend and Mrs. Browne.
“What’s this?” she said to Caleb. Instead of answering, Caleb rose to his feet and pulled two chairs closer to Alexa.
“Hello, dear,” Mrs. Browne said as she lowered herself into a chair.
Reverend Browne continued to stand, towering over her. When he nodded, Caleb sat back in his chair. The reverend spoke, “Hello, Alexa. Caleb told us of your disagreement and about
your connection to those godless baby killers at the clinic. He asked us here to pray for you. It is not too late. God forgives those who repent and acknowledge the error of their ways. In John 8, Jesus told the woman who had been brought to him as a sinner, ‘Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.’”
Without waiting for a response, the reverend raised both hands in the air. “Let us pray. God, our Father, we are here today to save the soul of this young woman, Alexa Williams. In her innocence, she has unknowingly strayed down the sinner’s path, but her heart is pure. Our son has chosen to have this woman in his life, and we ask for Your guidance in saving this woman and washing her clean of her transgressions. Father, please show Alexa the way to Christian living and the redemption that only You can bestow. Blessed is the name of the Lord, Amen.”
Stunned to see Caleb’s parents appear, Alexa had been paralyzed. She had assumed that she and Caleb were alone. Now, it was clear that his parents had been here all along. Having the discussion with Caleb here had been a setup for this religious intervention by Reverend Browne.
When Reverend Browne drew his prayer to a close, Alexa bolted out of her seat. While Caleb and Mrs. Browne spoke their Amens, she stepped away from the Browne family circle by the fireplace. “I believe that you are acting with the best of intentions, but I don’t share your beliefs. I am proud to be involved with the clinic. I have no plans to stop my work there. Caleb, we’ve said everything that needed to be said between us. Please don’t contact me again.” Alexa turned and raced to the door.
Spying Reese and Scout by the lake, Alexa called that she was ready to leave. Instead of waiting, she rushed toward the Land Rover. Just before she stepped through the hedges into the parking lot, Alexa glanced over her shoulder and saw Caleb watching her from the back window. Perhaps it was a reflection on the glass, but at this distance, Caleb’s eyes had become the same lifeless gray as the afternoon sky.
Dead of Autumn Page 17
