Strangers in Their Midst

by Patricia H. Rushford

  “I’d love to visit, Renee, but I’ve got a bit of an emergency.” Kate told her about Claire.

  “You mean the countess?”

  “You know her?” Kate stared open-mouthed.

  “I met her briefly. Mama and I picked her up on the way to the Bristol for our Red Hat Ladies tea almost two weeks ago.”

  Aha! “So that’s why Claire disappeared so quickly that day. You had tea with her?”

  “She was part of our group. Why does that surprise you?”

  “I...No reason. Anyway, I don’t mean to rush you, Renee. I saw her go into the woods, and I’ve got to try to find her.”

  “I’m coming too,” Renee insisted.

  “All right.” Kate explained her plan to walk the trail.

  “How about I come in on the other side, and we’ll meet up in the middle.” Renee headed toward her car.

  Kate nodded. “Good idea. Just be careful.”

  Renee smiled. “I walk that trail once a week.”

  A few minutes later, Kate was back on the trail again, equipped with her cell phone, wondering why Claire seemed so fixated on the woods. She’d pointed in that direction several times when Kate asked where she lived. Was she, as Kate had surmised, confusing the woods around Copper Mill with those she had on her estate in England, or even the home in Nashville?

  But suppose that wasn’t the case. Suppose Claire and Ellen really did live out there? She and Ellen could be camped in these woods. Homeless?

  “That makes no sense,” Kate muttered. Claire’s fur cape was a little worn but had to have cost a fortune at one time. The jewelry looked authentic, and she had some impressive clothes.

  “On the other hand, I suppose it’s possible,” she said. “That would explain why Ellen evades my questions and hasn’t given me a phone number or address.”

  About ten minutes later, something purple caught her eye. Stuck in a branch just above her head hung a feather as purple as the plume on Claire’s red hat. Kate plucked the feather off the branch. The trail veered off at that point, and Kate opted to go in that direction. She thought about calling Renee to tell her she was going off the trail, but decided not to unless she found Claire.

  She pressed forward along the narrow, almost nonexistent trail. She’d gone only a few yards when she came across an old cabin. The dilapidated porch had been cleared of moss, and it looked as though someone had recently propped it up with a couple of two-by-fours.

  In her mind’s eye, Kate could see Claire pointing toward the woods when she’d asked where she and Ellen lived. Kate shook her head. She couldn’t have meant here, could she?

  Kate bent to pick up a piece of rotting, moss-covered shingle similar to the one she’d found at the pharmacy. She ducked under the eaves. The door stood slightly ajar, and she pushed it open all the way. She hesitated at the threshold. Someone had been living here, and she was trespassing. The cabin looked surprisingly well kept. Claire wasn’t there, but Kate suspected that both Claire and Ellen had been staying in the dilapidated structure.

  Kate stepped inside for a closer look. A baggie, containing an assortment of pills, lay on a small oak table. Pills stolen from Fred Cowan’s pharmacy?

  Kate laid the feather she’d found on the trail on the table, along with another one she’d picked off one of the cots. In the closet, Kate discovered several pairs of colorful shoes that matched Claire’s dresses. She also recognized the brown knit top Ellen had worn on her first visit.

  Kate lowered herself onto one of the small folding chairs to process her discovery. As she looked around the room, her gaze landed on a photo. Upon closer examination, a huge piece of the puzzle fell into place. This wasn’t at all what she had expected. Kate’s heart thudded at the find. As she hurried back to the main trail to continue her search for Claire, Kate placed a call to the sheriff and left a message for him to get in touch with her as soon as possible. Kate reached the main trail and had walked at least a half mile when she spotted Claire’s red and tan cane just off the trail about a foot down a steep ravine.

  Kate scrambled down the ravine, grabbing roots to keep from falling. She held her breath and prayed. Please, God. Let Claire be all right. Claire’s hat lay just beyond the cane. Oh, Lord, please, please.

  Kate moved slowly now, taking care to steady herself and secure her grip as she descended. She ducked under some low-hanging branches and spotted Claire lying at the base of a tree, several more feet down. To Kate it looked as though she’d fallen about twenty feet. Claire’s pallor, the bloodstained clothes, and ripped stockings gave evidence to the gravity of her condition. And worse, she wasn’t moving.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  When Kate reached Claire’s side, she lifted Claire’s right hand to check for a pulse and heard a faint moan. Claire was alive.

  Kate pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called 911, hoping and praying for a signal. In some areas around Copper Mill the signal could be weak or even nonexistent. “Yes,” she breathed when she heard ringing.

  “911, what’s your emergency?” Kate told the emergency dispatcher about Claire’s fall and asked for an ambulance. “I think her left wrist is broken, and she has a gash on her head. Her clothes are torn and there are a lot of cuts.”

  “Can you give me a location?”

  “I’m not exactly sure.” Kate did the best she could to relay that she was about halfway down the trail.

  “It’s all right,” the dispatcher told her. “Leave your cell phone on, and we should be able to pinpoint your position.”

  Then Kate noticed a chain around Claire’s neck with a MedicAlert tag. “Oh, she’s a diabetic.”

  The calm response came back immediately: “Stay with her. I have the response team on the way.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Hold on Claire. Help’s coming.” Kate didn’t dare move her for fear of causing more injury. She took off her jacket and draped it over Claire’s chest and shoulders. Claire had a number of scrapes and bruises. The worst seemed to be a gash on her head that had stopped bleeding.

  Lord, I’m so thankful I found her. But Lord, please let her be all right. Kate swallowed past the lump that had situated itself between her throat and her heart.

  Time dragged as Kate waited and prayed. Claire’s breathing seemed shallow and at times nonexistent. Finally, twenty-five minutes later, she heard voices on the trail above her. Kate stepped out from under the tree and yelled to show her position. Four paramedics descended the ravine.

  Paramedics had to be the most efficient people around. Within seconds they had immobilized her neck, started an IV and wrapped a blood-pressure cuff around Claire’s right arm. One medic wrapped Claire’s left wrist in a splint to keep it stable while they transported her. One took Kate aside and asked questions. Kate told them all she could and promised to try to find Ellen.

  Because of Claire’s critical condition and the rugged terrain, they airlifted her out and transported her to the hospital in Pine Ridge. When Kate got back to the trail, she looked around for Renee. In all the excitement, Kate had forgotten about her.

  She called Renee’s cell phone, and Renee answered. “What happened to you?”

  Kate explained the situation.

  Renee gasped. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Not really. She’ll be in the ER for a while. I’m going to look for Ellen and then head over to the hospital. I’ll keep you posted.”

  KATE WENT BACK to the cabin, hoping to find Ellen there. She tried calling Paul again, but he still wasn’t answering. Kate left a detailed message with Millie, who promised to keep trying to reach him. Kate glanced at her watch surprised to find that it was only three thirty.

  Kate had been in the cabin only a few minutes when she heard rustling outside. The door pushed open, and Ellen stepped inside.

  “What...? What are you doing here? Where is Mother?”

  Kate’s stomach wrenched at the alarm in Ellen’s eyes.

&nbs
p; “Claire’s been hurt.” Kate placed an arm around Ellen’s thin shoulders.

  “Oh no,” Ellen’s face crumpled, and her eyes filled with tears. “What happened? Is she...?”

  Kate tried to break the news gently. “She’s alive but unresponsive. She fell down a ravine and had to be airlifted out.”

  Ellen covered her mouth. “What have I done?”

  “Come on.” Kate nudged her forward. “I’m going to take you to her.”

  Once they were in Kate’s car and on the road, Ellen gave Kate a sidelong look. “I suppose I owe you an explanation.”

  Kate offered her a warm smile. “Only if you want to tell me.”

  Ellen looked down at her hands and nodded. “How did you find us?”

  “I spotted Claire heading into the woods a couple of hours ago.” Kate’s arthritic knee twinged from the hours of walking she’d done. “I thought I’d better try to find her. I found a feather and took the trail to the cabin.”

  “And I suppose you’re wondering why we’ve been living in the woods.”

  Kate sighed. “I must admit, I’m curious about that.”

  Ellen closed her eyes. Tears slipped beneath the lashes.

  “There was nowhere else to go. We lost our estate when my father died. We were being evicted. The hunting cabin belonged to my father.”

  “I think I understand.” Kate patted her arm. “Charlie couldn’t very well let you stay. He had to run and, since he was afraid for his life and yours, he felt he had no option but to take you and Claire with him.”

  Ellen gaped at her. “H-how do you know about Charlie?”

  “Is Charlie your son?” Kate asked.

  Ellen nodded. “He’s gone to Chattanooga to look for work.”

  “Then you don’t know?” Now Kate wished she hadn’t mentioned Charlie. She hated giving Ellen more bad news.

  “Know what?” Alarm showed in her eyes. “Is he okay?”

  “Ellen, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but Charlie is in jail.”

  “No!” Ellen stopped. “I told him not to go to Chattanooga. I told him not to run, but...”

  “I don’t think Charlie felt he had a choice, Ellen.”

  “How did you know about him?” Ellen leaned back against the seat, tears running down her cheeks.

  As a mother, Kate could imagine Ellen’s pain. “He came into the diner about two weeks ago when Paul and I were there. He introduced himself as Troy Eaton and said he was looking for a job. We collected money for him so he could buy food and medication for his family and get to Chattanooga to look for work. What I didn’t know until a few minutes ago is that you and Claire are his family.”

  Ellen pulled a tissue from the small box on the seat to dab her eyes and wipe her nose. “The money you folks gave him was an answer to prayer. Charlie bought us groceries and the medicine for Mom.”

  Kate wished she could just wrap her arms around this woman. “I hate to ask, Ellen, but if Charlie bought medications for you, why did you steal more from the pharmacy?”

  Ellen dipped her head. “You know about that too?”

  “I guessed. I saw the pills in a baggie on the table.”

  “Somehow Mother lost her pills. I looked everywhere thinking they had to be here, but I couldn’t find them and she couldn’t remember where she’d put them. I had no choice, Kate. Mother also has diabetes and would go into a coma and possibly die without her pills. And she has a bladder infection, so I had to get her an antibiotic.”

  She turned to face Kate. “I never dreamed Mother would start wandering off. I thought once she started taking the medication, she’d be okay. She just kept getting worse.”

  “I wish you had confided in me.” Kate wrapped her hands more tightly around the steering wheel as she took a corner a little too fast. “We would have found some way to help.”

  “I wanted to, but I kept thinking Charlie would come back.”

  Kate prayed that the Lord would give her the words to say. “I’m sorry you’ve had to endure so much. And now to have your mother in the hospital. I want you to know I’m with you in this. I’ll be here for you and Claire—and for Charlie.”

  Once they’d parked, Kate took Ellen’s hand and led her in a prayer. “Lord, we know you’re holding Claire in your arms as we speak. Keep her safe and let the doctors know exactly what to do. Lead them, Lord; give them insight and wisdom. And Lord, give Ellen peace and the strength to cope. We pray for Charlie and ask that you would lead me to the real thief.”

  “Thank you.” Ellen lifted her face, red and blotchy from her tears.

  Kate wanted to get home to shower and change and take care of the multiple scratches and scrapes she’d received from her climb into and out of the ravine. Ellen, however, appeared to be in no shape to face her ordeal alone.

  IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, Ellen gave the triage nurse the required information. The nurse then ushered them back into Claire’s exam cubicle. Claire was lying on a gurney, with two bags of fluids hanging on an IV hook at the head of the bed. Her torn clothes had been replaced with a hospital gown, a sheet, and a warming blanket.

  Dr. McLaughlin, who stood beside Claire looked up as they entered.

  “Kate, I wondered if you’d show up.” The doctor came forward to shake her hand. “I heard you found our patient here.”

  “I did.” She turned to Ellen, whose hands gripped the gurney rail where the doctor had been standing. “This is her daughter, Ellen.”

  “Ah.” He turned his attention back to Claire. “This young lady is perking up...At least her vital signs are. She’s been asking for Harold.”

  Ellen’s eyes didn’t leave her mother. “Her husband. He died six months ago.”

  He nodded. “She’s awakened a few times but drifts off again.”

  “She’s been confused for a couple of weeks now,” Ellen said. “I thought maybe it was her diabetes or a bladder infection. She hasn’t been getting her meds as regularly as she should.”

  “Ellen...is that you?” Claire spoke in a hoarse whisper.

  “Yes, Mother, I’m here.” Ellen took the frail hand Claire offered up to her. The left one had been packed in ice and elevated. Someone had removed the rings from her swollen fingers.

  Tears rimmed Ellen’s eyes. “Are you sure she’s going to be all right?”

  Dr. McLaughlin pinched his lips together. “We’ll know more when the tests come back. She’s been catheterized, and the nurses sent a urine sample to the lab. I’ve ordered blood work, X-rays, and a CT scan. We want to make sure there are no internal injuries. I heard some rattles in her chest, so I suspect pneumonia.” He touched the small IV bag piggybacking the larger one. “I’ve already ordered an antibiotic.”

  He nodded toward Claire’s left hand. “Looks like a wrist fracture, but no other broken bones that we can see. She’s fortunate to be alive.”

  ONCE ELLEN HAD REGAINED her composure, Kate excused herself, saying she’d be back after she’d had a chance to clean up.

  “Thank you.” Ellen smiled as she rose. “It’s funny, isn’t it? Of all the people in Copper Mill to hone in on, my mother picked you.”

  Kate returned Ellen’s smile. “She didn’t exactly pick me. I’d say it was a God thing. Of course, it could have been because my house is the first place she came to when she went on her walks.”

  Ellen nodded. “Maybe a little of both? I think God must have known we needed you.”

  Kate hugged her. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Once in the car, Kate checked her phone, which she’d turned off in the emergency room. Paul had called. She called him back, feeling relieved when he answered.

  “Kate, I’m glad you called. I got your message about Claire and am on my way to Chattanooga to see Charlie.”

  Kate stared at the phone for a moment and then put it back to her ear. “What did you say?”

  “I’m going to see Charlie. It’s a long story, honey.” Paul’s voice started breaking up and Kate couldn’t cat
ch anything but snatches before the line went dead. She thought he’d said something about danger and Jake.

  Frustrated, Kate closed the phone. She’d have to wait until Paul was out of the dead zones before she could find out what was going on.

  Before heading home, Kate placed one more call to the sheriff and this time dispatch put her through. She hated having to tell the authorities, knowing it would mean more hardship for Ellen, Claire, and Charlie, but what choice did she have?

  “Sheriff Roberts,” she said after she’d told him about Ellen, “do you think maybe you could hold off arresting her, at least until Claire is better?”

  “I’ll do what I can, Kate. But she did commit a crime. I can’t turn my back on that.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Once home, Kate found a note from Aleeda saying she’d gone with the boys to a school concert. While she was worried about Paul, she had to admit it felt good to have the house to herself. All she really wanted to do at the moment was to get out of her grungy clothes and take a shower.

  Fifteen minutes later, Kate emerged from the bathroom feeling refreshed and almost normal again.

  Kate noticed the blinking red light on the phone. The first message was Paul saying he was heading to Chattanooga to see Charlie. He couldn’t go into details, but he assured her he’d tell Charlie about his grandmother.

  The next message was from Ellen. “Dr. McLaughlin is admitting Mother. She has pneumonia and a bladder infection. She’s stable and a little more alert. No internal injuries, no concussion, but she has a lot of scrapes and bruises. Her wrist is definitely fractured, and they’ll outfit her with a cast as soon as the swelling goes down. Her blood test showed some electrolyte imbalances, which might account for some of the confusion.”

  Kate would head over to the hospital after she gave Paul an update. She called him and gave him the update on Claire so he could pass the information along to Charlie. “I’m just into the jail now,” he said, “so I’ll call later.”

  Kate gathered up her handbag and a sweater and headed back to the hospital. She drove by Valley Trust and noticed a flood of lights in one of the offices on the third floor. The lights silhouetted two figures. Though she didn’t recognize the men, she did recognize two vehicles in the parking lot—a black Escalade and Joe’s dirty pickup. Jake had apparently bailed Joe out of jail.