“Sheriff—Ethan, we’ve got a bad thing here.” Chip’s breathing broke off and Ethan heard him gagging, then vomiting.
Ethan waited. He heard Chip gasping for breath, heard a man say something behind him, heard him chug down some water, spit it on. Finally Chip came back on the line. “Ethan, it’s a dead man, he’s been savaged by a bear, but it’s not right, just not right. Please come fast.”
Ethan drove his Rubicon as far as he could into the wilderness on the fire road, Big Louie in the passenger seat, his head out the window. Then he and Big Louie ran the quarter mile to the southern fork of the Sweet Onion River.
It had taken fifteen minutes, and every one of those minutes, Ethan was thinking, A man savaged by a bear? How was that possible? There was plenty of game, no reason for a bear to seek human prey. It didn’t make sense. It happened rarely, but sometimes some brain-dead idiot would bait a black bear, just to see what happened.
“I don’t think so, Big Louie,” Ethan said, petting his head as they neared the sound of muted voices. “I don’t believe in coincidences, way too convenient. It’s Blessed, Big Louie, I know it.”
Everyone in uniform within fifty miles was looking for Blessed Backman. Ethan had spoken personally to as many of them as he could and had given out the facts he had, that Blessed had tried to kidnap a young girl and had shot at several police officers. He also told them Backman was a powerful hypnotist, so you couldn’t look him in his face, told them the safest course was to shoot him on sight. If some of them doubted that, they didn’t say so. He knew they would use deadly force, and whatever the legal rules, he knew it was righteous. It was the only way to bring the man down.
Big Louie began to whine, low in his throat. He pressed against Ethan’s leg. The four people, rangers all, stood in the water reeds that grew wild beside the Sweet Onion River, two of them actually in the water up to their ankles.
Big Louie whimpered.
Chip Iverson called out, misery in his voice and in his eyes, “Over here, Sheriff. We haven’t touched anything.”
The four rangers moved aside for him. Ethan looked down at the devastated remains of a man who’d probably been alive and laughing twelve hours before. His body was sprawled beneath a huge willow tree. He indeed looked like he’d been savaged by a bear.
Big Louie backed away, then stopped, threw back his head, and yowled. One of the rangers went onto her knees and hugged him to her, and spoke to him, tried to calm him.
Ethan swallowed the bile that rose in his throat, accepted the handkerchief a ranger handed him, and tied it around his face against the overpowering stench. He went down on his haunches and forced himself to study the man’s face, what was left of it.
Chip was right. This man had been torn apart. One of his eyes was gone—ripped out by teeth or claws—and his other eye stared up at Ethan, sightless, filled with black blood. His throat was torn open, his chest flattened, his entrails ripped out. His clothes were shredded.
“This isn’t right,” he said aloud, twisting back to look up at the four faces. “You can see for yourself—tracks, claw marks, a bear for certain, but here’s the thing. A bear ripped him apart, but why would he do that without devouring him? There are no major parts of him missing.”
Four voices, hollow, terrified, sickened, agreed this wasn’t right. A moment later Ethan saw the tangled threads of a skinny rope beneath one of the man’s mangled wrists. A rope? No animal he knew of could tie a man’s wrist, except the two-legged variety. Blessed, he thought again. Of course it was Blessed.
Ethan looked at the man’s feet and nearly dry-heaved. The man’s feet and lower legs were mangled nearly beyond recognition. The rest of him was bad, nearly unendurable, but not like his feet and lower legs. Thing was, they weren’t feet any longer, but gore and bone, the ankles nearly gnawed through as—what? As the bear pulled and jerked his body down. Ethan heard Big Louie still whimpering heard a soothing voice. He continued to breathe lightly into the handkerchief. He said aloud, “Look at his feet. Why would a bear do that?”
The four voices were silent.
Chip said, “We found pieces of his boots. They were ripped off his feet and chewed to bits, covered with blood.”
Ethan nodded, then leaned down to gently remove the threads of the rope beneath the man’s wrist.
“What’s that?” Chip asked, staring down at that frayed rope, wet and black with blood.
Ethan showed him. He rose to look up into the thick branches of the willow tree. It didn’t take him long to find the branch someone had tied the man up to. The branch was hanging low, nearly broken off, because the body that had hung from it had been pulled and jerked down. He could picture it happening. Someone tying his wrists together, throwing the rope over a low branch, and hauling the body up, but not too high up, no, only high enough so a bear would have to stretch himself to grab at his feet and ankles, to pull him down.
This was what the killer wanted to happen, what Blessed intended to happen.
Chip said, “The bear must have jerked and pulled until the rope tying his wrists gave way. See, the bear pulled him nearly to the water’s edge, about ten feet from the tree.”
“A bear doesn’t feed like this,” said Primo, a ranger from Montana who’d been at Titus Hitch six months. “Animals eat what they kill. If the bear wasn’t ready to eat him, he wouldn’t have mauled him like that. He’d have just come back later. The sheriff’s right, this doesn’t make sense.”
Chip was shaking his head. He said, “What doesn’t make sense is why anyone would do this to another human being. I mean, what’s the point? Only a monster—”
Chip broke off as he studied Ethan’s face. “You think Blessed Back-man did this, don’t you? He went to all this trouble to kill this man and set him up for the bear to obliterate him?”
Ethan stood up. He still held the rope. “Oh, yes, Blessed did this.” He looked at each of the rangers. “Have any of you ever seen an animal wreak this kind of damage on a human being”—he forced out the words—”without some sort of encouragement?”
Paulie Burdett had been in the Park Service for twenty-four years, and was usually unflappable. But not now. Now he was mad. “In the Serengeti I remember a guide was savaged like this, but he’d been reduced to bones. I’ve never seen animals who went to the party but didn’t eat the cake.”
No one laughed.
“Thanks for that image, Paulie,” Chip said.
Ethan checked the man’s pockets. No ID.
Ranger Junie Morgan said, “We’ll have to check the camps, see if he was out hiking, whatever. So far we haven’t had a report of anyone missing. Listen, Sheriff, if you don’t need all of us, I’d sure like to get started tracking that bear.”
“He had to be dead, didn’t he?” Chip asked all of them and no one. “I mean, no one would haul a guy up and tie him to a branch, then eviscerate him so the animals would come and finish the job... No, I can’t believe that.”
Ethan said, “There’s so much devastation, I can’t even guess the cause of death. The ME will have to tell us that.”
Ethan got the man covered, called his deputies to the crime scene called the county ME. Then he pulled out his cell and called the Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. He was surprised when he was put right through to Special Agent Dillon Savich. He’d expected— what? To be told to leave another voice mail, since the big man was too busy?
A man’s deep voice said, “Savich.”
“Dillon Savich?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Sheriff Ethan Merriweather from Titusville, Virginia, and I’ve got myself a huge problem here.”
“Hello, Sheriff. I gather you’ve already spoken to Autumn this morning?”
30
ETHAN STARED AT HIS cell phone, felt his flesh ripple. “Ah, no, I got called out early. I haven’t seen her yet this morning. I was out of the house before she and her mom were even awake. I, ah, gather you’ve met her?”
“Let’s just sa
y we spoke. She told me what’s going on out there. She even told me about Big Louie, Mackie, and Lula. What’s happened, Sheriff?”
No, he couldn’t accept this, he couldn’t, but Autumn’s ability was staring him right in the face. “Well, what’s going on right this minute is that I’m looking at the mangled body of an unidentified man in his sixties, in torn hiking clothes, lying beside the Sweet Onion River in the Titus Hitch Wilderness, about fifteen minutes from my house The body’s an ungodly mess. For whatever reason, a bear savaged it. If Autumn told you anything about Blessed, you know why I think he was responsible for this.”
Savich hummed a moment, then, “Do you have a good forensic team available to you, Sheriff? An experienced ME?”
“We’ve never had the need before for a hotshot medical examiner. I called the county ME, and he’s okay, as far as I know. I guess the best ME would be in Richmond.”
“I’ll make some calls, get some people up there. Don’t let your deputies trample on the crime scene, Sheriff, otherwise these folk from Richmond will kick your butt. They’re very serious about what they do.”
“You got it,” said Ethan.
“Is there something else you’d like to tell me?”
“Yes. Blessed is still free. Since Saturday night we’ve been scouring the area for him, and believe me, everyone understands how dangerous he is. I know he’s here, hiding in one of the hundreds of caves that pock those mountains. And I know he won’t leave without Autumn, and that’s why I’m keeping the search parties in close to the house. But to find him out here in the Titus Hitch Wilderness—the chances aren’t that good.”
“If he wants Autumn, he’ll come out. As I said, Autumn told me everything she knew about Blessed. The only thing is, she’s seven years old, so a linear presentation isn’t her forte. I’ve still got lots of questions.
“I’m hoping Autumn’s mother, Joanna Backman, has more to say. If she’s having trouble facing it, I can’t say I blame her.”
Ethan said, “Actually, I’m the one who can’t bring myself to accept it. Joanna’s been a trooper. She’s told me a great deal already I can fill you in on. And there’s Autumn, her actually calling you telepathically—well, I have lots of questions for you as well.”
“I’ll be there sometime today,” Savich said. “Sheriff, you’re completely sure that Blessed Backman did this?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t you find it strange he’d select this particular time to commit this gruesome murder, a murder, I might add, that isn’t all that close to Autumn?”
Ethan exhaled a curse. “Damn me for an idiot. Blessed knew I’d he called right away, knew I’d be tied up with this mess. He wanted me out of the house. He had to be watching the house, waiting for me to leave. There are only two deputies there guarding her.”
Ethan punched off his cell as he ran through the forest and back to his Rubicon, Big Louie barking and racing beside him. They jumped in and Ethan floored it, barreling down the rocky dirt fire road.
He didn’t know Joanna’s cell number, so he called the landline at his house. There was no answer.
He called again a minute later. Still no answer.
Curse him for a moron. Blessed had delivered up a horror to him, and he’d been sucked right in. He’d gotten him away from Autumn.
He called Larch’s cell. Three rings. Ethan was ready to panic when Larch came on, his good-old-boy voice deep and rich.
“Larch, it’s me. What’s happening there?”
“Nothing at all, Ethan. Everything’s quiet.”
Ethan thought he’d pass out with relief. “Larch?”
“Yo.”
Typical Larch, the fewer words spoken, the better. Nothing hinky sounded in that “yo,” nothing of Blessed. “Put Glenda on.”
“Can’t, Ethan. Glenda’s turn to check the house and grounds. Then I think she was going to the little girls’ room.”
“She’s inside the house? How long?”
“Well, now that you mention it, she’s been gone a good ten minutes. She’s probably talking to Joanna and Autumn. You want I should get her?”
“Put a call out and get people into the woods around the house. I’ll be there in a minute.” Ethan turned into his driveway at that moment spewing dust. Larch jumped out of his cruiser when he saw him.
“What’s up, Ethan?”
Ethan’s cell phone rang. He ignored it. “If you see Blessed, Larch— don’t forget—do not look at his face or what happened to Ox will happen to you. Get out your gun and stay behind me.”
The front door was unlocked. Ethan quietly eased through, his Beretta at the ready, Big Louie behind him.
He heard Larch whisper, “You think Blessed got to Glenda?”
They heard a woman’s low, gravelly voice, Glenda’s voice. Ethan put his hand up, waved Larch back, and moved quietly toward the kitchen.
Glenda yelled, “Stop trying to creep up on me, Sheriff. I know you’re out there; you made more noise than a herd of elephants.”
Joanna called out, “Ethan, stay back. She’s got a gun.”
“Yeah, right, lady, and if you try anything, I’ll blow your head off. I don’t need you.”
Joanna said, “You’re going to shoot me anyway, aren’t you?”
“Well, now, let me just say I’m doing things like I’m supposed to. You’re not enough to stop me anyway. Sheriff, you stay out of here, you hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you.” Ethan heard the low murmur of their voices, but he couldn’t make out the words. Then he heard Autumn’s voice, clear and loud. “I don’t want to go back with you—I won’t go back! And I don’t touch my mama—”
He heard Glenda scream, “You shut up, you hear me? Shut up!”
Joanna yelled, “Big Louie!”
Big Louie bounded past Ethan, barking wildly, lost traction, and careened into the kitchen doorway, and bounded straight toward her, his nails a mad tattoo on the kitchen tiles. He heard Glenda yell, heard a gunshot, obscenely loud in the small kitchen. Ethan raced into the kitchen after him.
He saw Joanna hit Glenda in the jaw with a hard right jab. Glenda’s head snapped back with the force of the blow. Big Louie was barking his head off, his jaws locked around Glenda’s leg. She rolled her head, trying to get clear again. Autumn grabbed a pot and swung it hard at Glenda’s back, and got her good.
It was all Joanna needed. She hit her again, hard, in the temple. He watched Glenda’s eyes roll back in her head, watched her hit the center island and slide to the kitchen floor. He eased his Beretta back onto his belt. “Big Louie, that’s enough, lad. You did good.”
He picked up Glenda’s gun and stared at Joanna standing over his only female deputy, rubbing her knuckles.
She looked up, and he couldn’t believe it. She was grinning like a loon. “I hope that was hard enough to snap her out of it. Thanks, Big Louie, you’re a prince.” She went down on her knees and hugged the big Lab against her. He licked her face, then turned his head to take a couple of licks at Autumn’s face.
He hadn’t been needed, but his dog had been a nice addition.
He said, “Usually Big Louie hides under my bed at the first hint of trouble. But he didn’t this time.” Ethan scratched Big Louie’s head.
Glenda moaned. Ethan went down on his knees beside her, checked her pupils. Her eyes opened. “Ethan? What happened? Oh, goodness, my head hurts.”
“It’ll be okay now, Glenda, just hang in there. Larch, get Glenda to Dr. Spitz’s house as soon as the others arrive. Don’t leave her, okay?”
“Jeff’s gonna freak,” Larch said.
“Yeah, he will, but she’ll be okay.”
“She’s going to have a big shiner. Jeff’s not going to like that. They’ve only been married six months.”
“I’ll talk to him. Go, Larch. Glenda, you take nice light breaths and stay awake, okay?”
Glenda nodded and moaned.
Joanna said, “Glenda, I’m sorry I hit you so hard, but I ha
d to. I had to break you free of Blessed.”
“I don’t know,” Glenda whispered, her hands pressed against her head. “I can’t remember.” Larch nodded as he pulled Glenda up against his shoulder and walked her out of the kitchen.
Ethan hugged Autumn against him. “Did you see Blessed? Do you know where he is?”
Joanna said, “No, Sheriff. But when Glenda came into the kitchen through the back door, I knew Blessed had gotten to her—her walk was different, and she had this look, scared me to death. That sounds stupid but—”
“No, it doesn’t. Autumn, if your mom leaves anything out, you just pipe up, okay?”
Autumn pressed even closer, nodded against his waist.
Joanna said, “She had her gun already against her side, but the thing is, like Ox, she didn’t want to hurt Autumn, and that meant I could act.”
Ethan said with a calm he wasn’t close to feeling, “She could have shot you between the eyes in an instant.”
“But she didn’t,” Joanna said, giving a sideways look at Autumn.
Autumn pulled away a bit. She smiled up at him. “Mama slammed her twice, Ethan, right in the head. Did you see her? She was awe-some.” She sent her mother a beaming smile.
Ethan heard his deputies outside, and relaxed. He picked her up and hugged her until she squeaked. “I’m proud of both of you.”
Joanna scooped her daughter out of Ethan’s arms and kissed her face a good half-dozen times, until the little girl was giggling. “We’re a good team, sweetie. You got her in the back with that pot—what a swing. I think I see a Yankee in the making.”
Autumn patted her mother’s cheek. She looked over at Ethan. “I’m glad you came back, though, Ethan. I was a little worried.”
Joanna said, “Why did you leave, Ethan? It was really early when I heard you drive off.”
He looked at Autumn, shoved the horrific words back in his mouth and shrugged. “I had something pretty urgent to take care of.”
He saw her stiffen. She guessed, he thought, that Blessed had done something to get him away from the house, something awful. She swallowed. She didn’t want to know, at least not yet.
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