Dead of Autumn

by Sherry Knowlton

  “Alexa, we are just so thankful that you are OK,” her mother said for the umpteenth time. “When the police called to say you were missing, we were out of our minds with worry.”

  “I picked up Graham and we raced out to the cabin. By the time we got there, the police had taken Caleb and the other three into custody. But, no one knew where you were. Those four thugs wouldn’t say anything to the police and were asking for lawyers. Graham and I were frantic.”

  “Yeah,” Reese chimed in. “I got there not long after Trooper Taylor. We heard the automatic rifle fire out in the woods a few minutes later. I was so worried that you might have been shot. The state troopers, who had been first on the scene, headed out in the direction of the gunfire, and I went with them.”

  “Thank God Graham and I weren’t there yet. I don’t know how we would have coped, hearing those gunshots. But, it was bad enough to arrive and find that you were still missing. We imagined that you could have injured yourself out there in that dark forest.”

  “Or worse,” Graham chimed in. “She could have been lying out in the woods somewhere, bleeding from a gunshot wound. It was pretty scary, midget,” he said to his sister.

  “It wasn’t too great from my point of view either,” Alexa observed drily. “I’ve had better evenings.”

  “You were so brave, darling,” her mother said. “I must say that it was wonderful how many of our friends joined the search. When your dad called and told us the situation, Kate and I got on the phone and called the Pattersons, and Kate’s brother, Jimmy, and Pat O’Donnell. Pat must have been the one to call some of the other people from the law firm. I understand that Melinda and her husband came out. Also, wasn’t Brian Stewart there with his girlfriend, Norris?”

  “Yes, he was. It turns out that he’s dating that intern we had in the office last summer. I should give him a lecture about that. The relationship clearly violates our non-fraternization policy. After I thank him for joining the search party, of course.”

  “Intern?” Alexa chuckled. “He’s dating Jessica, the pretty blonde student from the law school?” That must have been why Brian was nervous about his girlfriend, she thought. The girl was not jailbait as Melinda and Tiffany had speculated. But the firm did have a strict policy about office dating. Alexa wondered when they had started this little romance.

  “Give him a break, Dad. It can’t violate the policy because she doesn’t work in the firm anymore. I’m amazed that Brian actually came out to look for me, given our working relationship.”

  After dinner they moved into the living room with Scout on Alexa’s heels. The dog had shadowed her all evening, limping after his mistress on his bandaged paw. “We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?” Alexa said, hugging the big beast. “Caleb’s crew shattered the glass window that injured you. Now, look what they’ve done to me.”

  The conversation soon lagged. It was clear that the entire family was worn out. Reese, her father, and Graham had spent the entire night as part of the search party looking for Alexa. Meanwhile her mother and Kate had waited at home by the phone, desperate for news.

  Although none of them spoke the words aloud, Alexa knew that everyone had feared that they would not find her alive.

  The outpouring of love from the Williams clan warmed Alexa’s heart and eased the terror that she had experienced the night before. The evening dragged on, however, and she was glad when Graham and Kate left to relieve their babysitter. Soon after, Mom and Dad went upstairs to bed. Even though they were very active, she could tell that the lack of sleep combined with the strain of the last twenty-four hours had taken their toll on her parents.

  Finally, Alexa was alone with Reese. They had not really had any time together since he had pulled her from the cavern. Reese rose from the chair by the fireplace and walked over to Alexa, who was snuggled under an afghan in the corner of her parents’ huge leather couch. He sat down beside Alexa and gathered her in his arms, saying, “You must be absolutely exhausted. Why don’t you go to bed?”

  Instead of going to bed, Alexa settled into Reese’s arms and moved over to give him more room on the couch. With their heads together as they lay on the big sofa, Alexa and Reese carried on a conversation in low tones.

  “I’ll sleep better knowing you’re here,” Alexa said warmly. Her parents had invited Reese to bunk down in Graham’s old room, recognizing that he had been awake all night as part of the search team. “I am tired, but mostly I feel relieved. This reminds me of how I feel when I’ve completed a really complicated and lengthy legal case. I feel a sense of accomplishment but am so glad that it’s over.

  “In this case, I’m so glad that Elizabeth Nelson’s killer finally has been found and arrested. It also looks like the police are now on track to make arrests in Emily Baxter’s murder and Doc’s shooting. Who knew it would be the same group of suspects? I don’t know if I’ll ever get over the fact that Emily was probably killed because she was mistaken for me.” A tear slid down Alexa’s cheek as she thought again about the young mother whose life had ended so senselessly.

  Reese didn’t say a word but held Alexa a little tighter until she recovered her composure.

  Alexa continued, “Another thing. You have no idea how glad I am that Caleb Browne is out of my life. My biggest regret is that I ever got involved with him. I thought he was a nice guy, even though we didn’t have a whole lot in common. We had fun for a few months. Now I find that I really never knew him at all.”

  “Look, Alexa, don’t be so hard on yourself. Caleb lived two separate lives. To most people he was the respected business owner who lived a fairly unremarkable life. Only his best friends and his church knew that he was actually a dangerous religious fanatic crusading against abortion.”

  “I actually think he tried to break away from all of that, but his father’s pull was just too strong,” Alexa replied.

  She propped herself on her elbow and turned toward Reese. With a smile, she said. “There’s one more thing that makes me glad. Do you want to hear about it?”

  “Sure,” he answered with a goofy grin. “Let’s get all this glad stuff out on the table.”

  “I’m so glad that I met you. The circumstances in which we met were awful, and these two months that we’ve known each other have been pretty tumultuous. But, in some ways, I feel that all the turmoil has actually brought us closer together. Who else would have thought to look in the Underground Railroad site for me?”

  Alexa took Reese’s hand and looked into his clear blue eyes, “We still need to take it slow. We still need to get to know each other better. But, I am so grateful to have you in my life.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Thursday, November 22, 1934.

  Babes in the Woods

  Dewilla hated this new road. Tall charcoal trees pressed in on both sides of the car and blocked any glimpse of the sky. The big trees loomed like evil giants and grabbed at the puny vehicle with twisted claws. The Pontiac’s tires rolled over the rough gravel with angry pops. The Noakes were alone in this bleak wilderness. They passed no houses, no cars; nothing but endless trees.

  Daddy had turned onto this narrow road early this morning. With each mile, the dark forest pushed farther into the car until it became a silent passenger. Daddy and Winifred hadn’t spoken for hours. Norma drifted in and out of sleep. Even Cordelia had stopped fretting, too worn out to even cry. Instead, she curled against Dewilla with her thumb jammed into her mouth. Mama would have given her the devil for sucking her thumb, but Dewilla was just happy that Cordelia could find some comfort.

  For a few promising moments, the landscape changed to lacy evergreen trees with long needles that glistened with sunlight. Dewilla wasn’t sure exactly what these trees were, but they reminded her of the tall evergreens in Utah and California. She smiled when they drove through a stand of mammoth old evergreens. The huge sentinels encircled the car with their enormous branches, turning the road into a warm green tunnel.

  Then the Pontiac reached the
top of the mountain. Dewilla’s heart sank when she saw another never-ending mass of gray giants on the far side. A thick mist rose from the dark forest. As they descended into the ominous fog, Dewilla imagined that she saw forbidding faces peering from the dripping trunks.

  Daddy broke the silence when he said to Winifred, “This looks like as good a place as any.” He pulled the car to the side of the road. “Girls, we’re going to stop here for a rest. You can go to the bathroom and we’ll have a drink. Get your coats on and bundle up tight.”

  They piled out and Daddy fished an old wool blanket out of the trunk and spread it on the ground. When she walked toward the blanket, Dewilla faltered as a wave of dizziness swept through her. She felt so weak.

  The girls took turns going behind the bushes. Winifred went first and returned to sit stiffly on the blanket. Soon, all three girls took seats beside their cousin. Daddy passed around a canteen with water and they each took a sip. Dewilla thought that it was around noon, but she knew there would be no picnic lunch today.

  Tendrils of cold fog slipped beneath Dewilla’s wool coat and slithered down her spine. She pulled her soft fur collar tight against the chill. But her legs, bare above thin white anklets, were exposed to the November air. Cold seeped through the thin soles of her patent leather Mary Janes. Dewilla wrinkled her nose at the sulphurous odor of damp and decaying leaves.

  Daddy paced back and forth. When the girls had finished taking turns with the canteen, Daddy did something very strange. He pulled Dewilla and Cordelia up from the blanket and into his arms. Daddy hugged them so long that his rough coat scratched Dewilla’s face. Daddy called them his little darlings. When he released them, he looked so sad.

  “Girls, I am so sorry that I couldn’t provide for you like I should. Norma, perhaps I should have let you go to your family after Mary died. But, I loved you too much to let you go. I love you all. It hurts me to see you suffer for my sins.” When Daddy fell silent, Winifred stood and put her arm around his shoulder.

  “Be strong, Elmo Noakes. You know what must be done,” Winifred said in a stern voice, speaking to Daddy like he was a wayward child.

  Dewilla was confused. Daddy never talked like this. Mostly, he told the sisters what to do, quizzed them on their lessons, and punished them when they were fractious. Before Mama died, Daddy had been a bit of a cut-up, laughing and joking sometimes. But lately, Daddy was always solemn and stern, except when he was making doe eyes at Winifred. The only time Dewilla had seen Daddy emotional like this was when Mama went to Heaven.

  Dewilla sat back down on the blanket and looked at Norma for an explanation, but Norma seemed tense and had a very worried look on her face. The same awful feeling of dread that she had experienced at the roadside spring seized Dewilla. Something wasn’t right with Daddy, and Winifred was as pale as a ghost.

  Dewilla said a silent prayer to Mama in Heaven, “Please, come and save us from this hunger and cold.” It seemed as if misery had stalked the Noakes since the day they left California.

  Daddy shuffled over to Norma and held out his hand. Daddy looked as gray and tall as the trees. “Norma, child, walk a ways with me. I want to speak to you about something in particular.”

  Norma rose reluctantly, and with a fearful glance at Dewilla, followed Daddy over a ridge into the deep forest. A gust of icy wind blew down the mountain, and the giant gray trees erupted into a horrible frenzy of clattering branches.

  Winifred started talking loudly, and said, “Why don’t the three of us read some Bible passages. I miss going to church on Sundays with traveling and all. Why don’t I read you the Twenty-Third Psalm?”

  Winifred lifted Cordelia onto her lap and wrapped her in an ugly green blanket with purple trim. She read from a small Bible, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” This was one of Dewilla’s favorite Bible passages. Hearing Winifred recite the familiar verses helped ease Dewilla’s dread.

  Winifred began a new psalm, but Dewilla couldn’t concentrate on the words. Daddy and Norma weren’t back yet. She thought she heard crashing in the distance and Norma shouting, “No!” At that moment, Winifred raised her little girl voice like a preacher on the pulpit, “A time to weep and a time to dance.”

  Dewilla couldn’t be sure if she had heard Norma or just the wind. She hoped that Norma wasn’t fighting with Daddy. Daddy didn’t like sass or backtalk.

  Winifred’s voice grew thick with tears and she began to falter. She broke off abruptly when Daddy staggered out of the dark forest alone.

  Shoulders hunched like an old man’s, his expression was a frightening mix of anger and sorrow.

  “Where’s Norma?” Dewilla asked with alarm. She jumped to her feet. “I thought I heard her shout.”

  “No, you didn’t hear anything. We found a pretty little stream back in the woods and she wanted me to bring you to see it.” Daddy looked long and hard at Winifred and gave a slow nod. Then, with a heavy sigh, he reached for Dewilla’s hand.

  When Dewilla looked up at Daddy, she saw evil in his eyes. This was not her Daddy; this was some monster inhabiting his body. The gray trees had claimed him.

  “No,” she screamed. “I won’t go with you. What did you do with Norma?” Before Daddy could react, Dewilla twisted from his grasp and raced into the woods toward Norma.

  “Norma, Norma, where are you?” she called as she sprinted through the dark trees with Daddy hard on her heels.

  When she flew down the other side of the hill, Dewilla came to an abrupt halt. Norma was lying on the ground, still as death. There were marks around her face and neck. She looked like a broken doll.

  In the instant that Dewilla realized that her sister was dead, she felt Daddy’s big hands on her shoulders. Dewilla was terrified, tears streaming down her face. Daddy turned her around to face him. He reached forward to gently brush the tears from her cheeks and said, “Dewilla, I didn’t want it to be this way. I’m sorry.”

  When Daddy’s big hands circled her neck, Dewilla let out a single sob. Then she closed her eyes and flew to Mama and the angels.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Alexa would stay in her old room at Mom and Dad’s house until they could repair the cabin. For the next few mornings, Alexa was barely able to climb out of bed. The emergency room doctor had been right about the way her body would react to her ordeal. Alexa thought she was in good shape. However, she had abused every single muscle in her body with the drop out of the cabin window and desperate dash through the woods. Her shoulder throbbed where the bullet had nicked it. Bruises covered her entire body.

  She took the entire week off work. Brian continued to surprise her with his compassion and had quickly agreed to complete some of her outstanding work.

  Alexa’s story caught the attention of the national media, which descended upon Carlisle in full force. For several days, reports about the “Abortion Clinic Killers” dominated the 24-hour news cycle. Corporal Branche appeared on all the news shows. Reporters and their camera crews invaded the clinic and pursued Doc Crowe all over town.

  Although the press camped outside her mom and dad’s house for days, Alexa avoided them. She gave a brief statement to the assembled reporters on Tuesday afternoon, her dad by her side. Shortly after, Alexa agreed to a single interview with Rachel Maddow. She was relieved when a breaking political story drew the media to Washington, D.C.

  The state police stopped by on Friday to update Alexa on their investigation. Corporal Branche’s face wrinkled in concern as he asked, “How are you coping with all this, Alexa?”

  “I’m trying to get back to normal, but it’s been hard. My aches and bruises are healing, but I’m not sleeping very well. I’m still having nightmares about being chased through the woods.”

  “Things will get better with time, but you’ve been through a traumatic experience. I wish I could tell you that it’s all over. But, it’s going to be months before you can leave Caleb Browne and his friends totally behind you. You will almost certainly be called to testify in some of the crimi
nal trials.”

  Trooper Taylor chimed in. “We’ve charged Gabriel with Elizabeth Nelson’s murder and Daniel and Joel as accessories. Daniel drove the van when he and Gabriel dumped Elizabeth Nelson’s body in Michaux State Forest. We’re still trying to determine if Caleb had a role in Elizabeth’s death.

  “We’ve also charged Joel in the death of Emily Baxter as well as the shooting of Doc Crowe.”

  “Joel? Not Gabriel?” Alexa asked in surprise.

  “No. We learned that Joel was a marksman in the army. We matched his high-powered rifle to a bullet embedded in Emily’s car and another removed from Doc during surgery.”

  “How sad,” Alexa commented. “His wife, Leah, will be raising their new baby without a father.”

  “Of course, they’ve also been charged with several counts related to the night they rammed your car and attacked you at your home. It will be a long time before these guys see the outside of a jail, if ever.”

  That evening, Reese arrived with more news. “I told you that I heard automatic rifle fire that day at Kingdom Lodge. My boss just found out that the place is linked to our militia investigations. The murder cases led police over to the place, where they found evidence that Kingdom Lodge was hosting militia training for right wing extremists. Apparently, some members of Reverend Browne’s congregation were involved.”

  The following weekend, the Williams family threw themselves into getting the cabin back in shape. Her father had gotten a professional cleaning crew to vacuum the shattered glass and a contractor to repair the damage to the door. On Saturday, the family and some of their friends finished the job. Alexa’s parents invited Graham and Kate, their kids, Reese, people from the law firm, and Haley and Melissa. Reese brought his roommate, Jim, and Alexa made good on her promise by introducing him to Melissa.