When The Wind Blows: A Spruce Run Mystery

by Mark Mueller

  “A year later, another man decided to buy the house and fix it up. When he went inside he saw the five-dollar bill on the kitchen table. He put it in his pocket and started fixing up the house. A little while later he heard a scary voice: ‘I am the ghost of Mable Crable and that five dollars belongs on the table!’ The man threw the five dollars back on the table and ran out of the house.

  “Later on, a third man bought the house, and when he went inside and saw the five-dollar bill on the table, he put it in his pocket and started fixing up the house. A short time later he heard that voice: ‘I am the ghost of Mable Crable and that five dollars belongs on the table!’ The man looked around and didn’t see anyone so he went back to work. A few minutes later he heard the voice again: ‘I am the ghost of Mable Crable and that five dollars belongs on the table!’ The man got angry and shouted back, ‘Well, I’m the ghost of Davey Crockett and that five dollars belongs in my pocket!’ The man never heard from the Ghost of Mable Crable ever again.”

  With a timid laugh, Charlie responded as if she didn’t fathom the story.

  I nodded, understanding that maybe the Ghost of Mable Crable was perhaps an inappropriate story, given what she had just been through. I made a note to learn what was appropriate and what wasn’t with a five year old.

  The room began to darken. I turned around and caught sight of the hospital corridor lights dimming for the night. I looked at my cell and was surprised that it was after nine o’clock. Times flies when you’re having fun.

  A nurse came into the room. “Visiting hours have ended,” she said.

  “So I see,” I replied.

  “It’s time to gather your belongings and say goodnight.”

  I gaped at her. “Aren’t parents allowed to stay?”

  “Yes, that is our policy.” She stood in the doorway waiting.

  “I’m her father.”

  “Excuse me,” she said and left the room.

  “Are you gonna leave?” Charlie asked. Her eyes were wide with fear.

  “No, kiddo,” I said. “Not without you.”

  “Can you stay with me?”

  “Yes, I was planning on it. Tell you what, why don’t we get you comfortable in that bed and I’ll tell you another story.”

  “Goody!” She sat up while I fluffed the pillow. When she leaned back on it, I tucked the blanket around her and then sat down on the side of the bed.

  “Where will you sleep?” she asked.

  “On the chair.”

  “Oooh, that’s not as nice as a bed.”

  “I’ll get by.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “It’s a place called Spruce Run. It’s north of here.”

  “That’s a funny name.”

  “Yeah, I suppose it is.”

  “What’s it like there?”

  I told her all about Spruce Run and about some of the people in my life. I told her about my mom and dad, who were her grandparents, and Ducky and about the library ghost. I told her about Mattoon’s and the Spruce Run reservoir.

  When I finished talking, Charlie’s eyes were closed. I could tell right away she was asleep. I kissed her on the cheek.

  The nurse came back into the room and confirmed that I could spend the night if I wished. I thanked her and sat down on the chair next to the bed. I thought I was going to have a difficult time going to sleep, but I didn’t. I went comatose right away, after having just kissed the second most beautiful girl in the world.

  In the morning, I’d visit her mother, the most beautiful girl in the world.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  I woke up before dawn the following morning tight and sore from sleeping in the chair all night. When I stood up I felt like a hunchback for a few minutes until my blood started flowing to all the right places. I soon loosened up and saw that Charlie was still asleep. I decided not to wake her. Instead, I snuck out of the room and went down to the hospital coffee shop for something to eat. I was in luck, they had diet Dr. Pepper. I bought five cans and drank two of them while I waited in line. I also grabbed two bagels with cream cheese and a single-serve carton of orange juice.

  I wolfed down one of the bagels and drank another can of soda as I went to the front desk to ask where Maddy’s room was. The desk attendant gave me Maddy’s room number without a word after I had passed her a twenty-dollar bill. It was too early for visiting hours.

  Maddy was asleep when I got to her room. I was taken aback when I saw her with all of these tubes and wires sticking to her body. It was the same panic-stricken feeling I had when I had seen my grandmother in another hospital bed, all of those years ago.

  Once more, someone I loved more than anything was fighting for her life, and my mind was screaming. It was killing me to see her like this, but there was nothing I could do. I started to hyperventilate, and for a fleeting moment I considered going out to find a liquor store. I recognized at once where my mind was going and put a stop to it. I knew I wouldn’t be of any help to Maddy or Charlie if I went out and got drunk.

  So, I sat down on a chair next to Maddy’s bed and considered my next course of action.

  There was something I could do for her. I could take care of Charlie and keep her safe until she was able to go home. After all, I was Charlie’s father.

  I stood up and kissed her of the cheek. “Maddy,” I whispered. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but Charlie is safe with me and I’ll bring her to you.” I stood up and turned to leave, but then turned back around and kissed her on the lips. “I love you, Maddy. I always have and I always will.” I kissed her again on the cheek, and then went back to Charlie’s room.

  When I got there, she was awake and a woman was talking to her.

  “I’m Dr. Babich,” the woman said when I entered the room. “You must be this little girl’s father.”

  “Yes I am.” I held out my hand. “Louis McMurphy. Nice to meet you.”

  We shook hands.

  I turned to Charlie. “Hey, kiddo.”

  “Hi Daddy!” she said.

  Music to my ears.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Pretty good. I’m hungry.”

  I handed her the bagel with cream cheese and the carton of orange juice.

  “Mr. McMurphy,” Dr. Babich said. “It’s hospital policy that your daughter’s meals come from the menu on the nightstand.”

  I locked eyes with her and stared her down, daring her to make me blow a gasket.

  Dr. Babich picked up on my body language and her face turned red. “We can make an exception in this case.”

  “Thank you.” I looked at Charlie. “Eat up, kiddo.”

  As Charlie opened the orange juice carton and began to drink, I focused back on the doctor.

  “So, when can she get out of this hotel?”

  “You can take her home today. But—” She hesitated.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I’d like her to have a visit with Dr. Rodgers as a precaution before she’s discharged.” She said it as if she thought I might resist.

  “Who’s Dr. Rodgers?”

  “She’s a psychiatrist on staff. Your girl’s been through a lot the past few days, and—”

  “When can we make an appointment?” I interrupted.

  “Dr. Rodgers will be in at about eight. I’ll make an appointment for you.”

  “Thanks, Doc.”

  “You’re welcome, Mr. McMurphy. You have an extraordinary little girl.”

  I smiled. “Yes she is, thank you.” I had to agree. Charlie was a terrific kid. Maddy was a first-class mom.

  Dr. Babich left the room and I turned my attention to Charlie.

  “What’s a psyatrist?” she asked.

  “Psychiatrist,” I corrected. A psychiatrist is a doctor you talk to if anything’s bothering you.”

  “Oh.”

  “It’ll be okay. You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”

  “Okay, Daddy.” Her smile showed strain. I could tell she was
stressed out. Though I was glad Dr. Babich had recommended that she talk to a psychiatrist, I had begun to hope that, in time, Charlie would be comfortable enough to open up to me.

  When she was finishing the orange juice and bagel, a nurse came into the room and took her blood pressure and temperature. Her blood pressure, not to my surprise, was elevated but not dangerous.

  After everything checked out okay, the nurse informed us that Charlie had been cleared for discharge and that Dr. Rodgers could meet her in fifteen minutes. That pleased me. I wanted to get home, and I knew Charlie did, too.

  The nurse left the room. I got Charlie’s clothes from the nightstand and handed them to her. I pulled the privacy curtain around her bed to give her some camouflage while she got dressed. While I waited by the door, the nurse came back with the discharge papers for me to sign. I didn’t know if Maddy had insurance so I made a note to get her on my own policy when I got home.

  * * * *

  Forty minutes later, Charlie was sitting alone in Dr. Rodgers’s office and I was headed back to the hospital coffee shop for some more diet Dr. Pepper. I’d spent the first twenty minutes of Charlie’s appointment giving Dr. Rodgers the rundown on everything that had happened since the will reading in New York. When I was done recalling the past couple of days, Dr. Rodgers asked to talk with Charlie alone. I went to the coffee shop while they spoke.

  A half an hour after leaving, I returned to the psychiatrist’s office and conferred with Dr. Rodgers. She said that Charlie was in good spirits, considering everything she’d been through. I agreed to bring Charlie back in three days for the first of six more sessions. I agreed to the sessions, though I wasn’t convinced that any more visits were necessary. To be sure, I’d run it by Maddy as soon as I could. After all, she was Charlie’s mother and was accustomed to making unilateral parental decisions. I hoped she’d bring me aboard that ship now that Charlie and I were together.

  When we left Dr. Rodgers’s office, Charlie said she wanted to see Maddy. I knew she’d want to sooner or later. They hadn’t seen each other since before Maddy and I had gone to New York together.

  I wasn’t sure if the floor she was on would let Charlie in to see her. Hospitals were notorious for keeping younger children away from recovering patients. But, I decided to take a shot, anyway.

  After all, I wanted to see Maddy as much as Charlie did.

  * * * *

  Five minutes later we got off the elevator on the sixth floor and encountered Maddy’s sister Peggy. When Peggy saw Charlie she burst into tears. Charlie also began to cry as Peggy hunched down to hug her. They held each other tight.

  “I was just coming down to see you,” Peggy sniffled when they released each other.

  “I guess we beat you to it,” I said. “So, how’s she doing?”

  “She’s hanging in there, Mac. She’s been asking for Charlie ever since Detective Duckworth stopped by last night to tell us you had found her.”

  “Ducky was here?”

  “Yeah. He went to see you but you were asleep in Charlie’s room. I had gone to see you too.”

  “So, she knows, then. Good.”

  “Yes she does.” Peggy hugged Charlie again.

  “Peg?” I said.

  “Huh?” She looked up at me.

  I nodded toward Maddy’s room. “We should get her in there. Sorry.”

  “Oh, you’re so right. What was I thinking?” She laughed with delight and hugged Charlie one more time.

  “They’ll let her in, won’t they?”

  “Like they’d have chance to stop us.”

  “Good to hear. You coming in with us?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

  “How about showing us the way?” I decided not to tell her I had been to Maddy’s room earlier.

  “Come on, let’s go.” She took Charlie by the hand.

  I followed.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  We stopped at the door when we got to Maddy’s room. I hesitated. Like before, it was unsettling to seeing her lying there with all of those tubes and wires sticking to her. My hesitation lasted for a split second, long enough for Charlie to break free from Peggy’s hand and throw herself at Maddy.

  “Mommy!” she called out.

  Maddy opened her eyes. “I’m dreaming,” she whispered.

  “Hi Mommy!”

  “Is that really you?”

  “I missed you, Mommy.”

  Maddy started to cry. “My baby.”

  Charlie started to cry, too. So did Peggy. Hell, I almost started to cry.

  Charlie tried to climb into bed with Maddy. I went in after her and suggested she climb onto the other side. I knew it would be impossible to keep the two of them away from each other, but Maddy’s right side was all bandaged up. If I didn’t move Charlie to the other side of the bed, she might exacerbate Maddy’s gunshot wound. Charlie lay down on the bed with Maddy, who had wrapped her good arm around her daughter. They kissed each other, and Charlie burrowed herself into Maddy’s side. They were both crying.

  A few moments later Maddy looked at me as I stood next to the bed.

  “Thank you, Mac,” she whispered.

  I smiled. “You’re welcome, Maddy.”

  “You got me my baby back. How can I ever thank you?”

  I smiled, but said nothing.

  “You saved her life. And you got her back to me. You saved my life.”

  Charlie sat up and looked at me and then at Maddy. “Daddy saved me from Grandpa.”

  Maddy’s eyes went dark.

  “Charlie,” I said, “maybe we can talk about that after your mom gets home.”

  “Grandpa was mean to me.” She started to cry.

  Maybe she does need to see the psychiatrist a few more times.

  Maddy looked at me. “What’s she talking about?”

  “It’s a long story, Maddy.”

  “Tell me, Mac. Who took her? Where was she?”

  I hesitated.

  “Come on, tell me.”

  I took a deep breath. “Your father. He had her.”

  Maddy grimaced and turned away for a moment.

  “Grandpa scared me,” Charlie said between sobs. “He wouldn’t let me go home.”

  Maddy turned back and wiped her eyes. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” she whispered. “I’m here. And you’re safe.” She focused on me. “And your dad is here, too. He will protect you. I know he will.”

  I held Maddy’s gaze and nodded. “Always. From now on, she’s protected.”

  Charlie’s sobs lasted a few more moments. When her tears subsided, she looked at me and then at Maddy. “Can Daddy come live with us?”

  Maddy and I locked eyes. I felt something good communicate between us.

  “Maybe you both can come live with me, kiddo,” I offered.

  “Can we?” Charlie asked. “Oh, boy! My Mommy and my Daddy!”

  Maddy took Charlie’s hand and then beckoned me for mine. We all three held hands, with Charlie’s in between Maddy’s and mine. She looked at Charlie and then at me. Her eyes began to well up.

  “How can I ever thank you, Mac?”

  “You already have.”

  “You got me Charlie back.”

  “I promised you I would, Maddy.”

  “I owe you.”

  “Thank you, Maddy, but you’ve already paid me back. You gave me Charlie. That means a lot.” I felt as if a huge weight, about the size of a Volkswagen, had been released from my heart.

  I was, in that moment, so high that I would have needed a stepladder to scratch my nose.

  Maddy squeezed my hand, returning me from my brief reverie. “I love you, Mac.”

  I kissed her. “I love you too, Maddy. I’ve always loved you.”

  “I know you have.” She grimaced in pain, then smiled. “I want us to be a family.”

  “Mommy and Daddy and me,” Charlie said, matter-of-factly. “That makes a family.”

  I chortled as Maddy and I looked
at each other. She tried to chuckle, but I could see she was still in considerable pain.

  “Family,” I said.

  “Family,” Maddy said.

  I kissed Maddy again and then I hugged Charlie. Then, I hugged them both together, careful not to put pressure on Maddy’s right side. For the next several moments the three of us held each other. No one said anything. All we did was hold each other.

  For the second time in as many days I couldn’t find words to describe that moment or how I felt. Though I was someone who made a living with words, there were none I could express that could describe what I had felt. There was nothing I could say. There was nothing that needed to be said. All language had left me.

  I was in love with the two most beautiful girls in the world.

  And my heart was full.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Several months had gone by since that day at the Hunterdon Medical Center. Maddy recuperated in the hospital for close to three weeks and then spent ten days at the Hunterdon Rehabilitation Center for intensive physical therapy. Charlie stayed with me, and we visited her in the hospital every day without fail.

  It took several weeks for the dust to settle after the cabin nightmare. Ducky took his time in investigating Charlie’s kidnapping and the shootings that surrounded it. It took so long because it seemed as if every cockroach in the county came out of the woodwork to offer unsubstantiated leads, conspiracy theories, accusations, or explanations. Crimes like this didn’t happen in Spruce Run, and it seemed that people had way too much time on their hands. It’s as if they all thought they were living an episode of CSI.

  As expected, Ducky’s investigation concluded that Paula Wuhrer’s will was the starting point for everything. And Hugo Wuhrer was at its fulcrum.

  Hugo Wuhrer had known about the Lachweiler Stone since childhood, when his Aunt Polly had gotten married. The Wuhrers had been working class people for generations and money had never come easy for them. When Polly married Werner Krause, the Wuhrer family had assumed their financial problems were over.