by J. Reichman
They consumed the scanty meal in silence. Wade whistled for the horses which soon appeared out of the mist. Brett moved a saddle out of the rough shelter onto open ground.
“We need to pack up, Andy. I want you to wear this jacket.” Brett helped the boy put on the jacket and rolled up the sleeves. “A little big for you, but it’ll do, and this stocking cap will help keep your head dry.” He fitted the cap onto Andy’s head and led him to the saddle. “Now sit here on this saddle while we pack.”
Out of earshot of the boy, Brett told Wade about Andy during the night. “And he’s hardly said a word today. He stares around like he doesn’t know where he is.”
Wade tied another pack to the horse. “Probably don’t know where he is.”
"He doesn’t remember." Brett lifted another pack.
"I seen it happen durin' the war," Wade said. "Memory's too painful. Gets blocked out."
"What'll we do?"
"Get him to Woodburn." Wade picked up a saddle. "He'll know what to do."
Though the sun had yet to show itself, they broke camp. Brett handed Andy up to Wade who put him on the saddle in front of him. He wrapped his slicker around the boy and buttoned it. They set off for North Fork Glen.
SIXTEEN
Nick’s eyes felt grainy from lack of sleep and he didn’t have time to shave. He longed for a shower. The flash flood before noon on Thursday destroyed his plans to run for mayor. Now on Saturday morning, the futility of it all descended upon him. What’s the point of collecting salvageable items when we’ll all be leaving? Why hasn’t anyone shown up to rescue us? Surely the authorities can get organized in two days. He chided himself. These were the very thoughts he wanted everyone to avoid. He must be upbeat and positive. He must keep everyone busy so they didn’t give in to despair. He parked in the school’s lot, got out of his truck, shook himself to muster his flagging energy, and strode into the school.
May stopped him at the door. "Danielle?"
"A beautiful, healthy boy. Born at two twelve."
"Weight?"
Nick shrugged. "No scales."
"Lyn stay with her?"
"Yeah. I'll take breakfast up to them."
"Tell Danielle her children are fine," May said. "She should stay with you a day or two."
Shannon clutched Nick's arm. "I need to see you."
"Is there a problem?"
Nick watched Shannon twist a strand of her hair. "Frank Fleener. One eye is droopy and the left side of his mouth pulls down. He doesn't speak clearly. I think he's had a stroke."
Nick felt his eyelid twitch. "Sounds like it. What did you do?"
"My emergency book said to give him aspirin."
"Correct. I don't have the drugs to treat a stroke. Give him a full-dose aspirin every so often. Follow the bottle's label. That's all we can do until help arrives."
“Will it be today?"
"I think so. I'll be over to see him after breakfast."
Nick filled his tray and sat beside Cooper Stone.
"Good work on the baby," Cooper said.
"How'd you find out?"
"May announced it."
"Oh. I was talking to Shannon. Frank Fleener's had a stroke."
"Good thing we have you. Shannon still here?"
"No. Back at the Lodge."
"We've got water but no showers here at school," Cooper said. "Kids have been in the same clothes for two days now."
"I could use a shower, too. I’ll talk to Shannon when I go over to see Frank."
Steve Myers leaned over Nick's shoulder. "Say, Nick. I'm going to look for that generator Lockhart says his neighbor has."
"Breaking in?" Nick said.
"No. Come to find out, Jeff has a set of picks. Knows how to pick locks."
"Hey," Cooper said. "I can use Jeff, too. I got eleven kids who need a change of clothes."
Chuck clapped his hands for attention. “Wonderful breakfast, ladies, and I understand we’ve had an increase in our population. Nick, please give our congratulations to Danielle.”
Nick nodded. “I’ll do that.”
“I believe we need to check houses again today. Using the same teams, Nick?”
Nick stood. “I need to replace Frank Fleener. Doak, you busy today?”
“I was going to help Steve.”
“I’ll get the generator,” Steve said. “Join me at Striker’s when you’re finished.”
“Good. Doak, let’s put you with Henri and Zenia, you pair with Cooper. Wade and Brett will be back soon. Then we’ll know if checking houses is necessary tomorrow. Henri, you worked with Herb on the pet problem. What have you come up with?”
Henri stood. "Me and Herb talked about it. Dogs are pack animals, so we’ll put them all in one location. The school has a large fenced playground. Lots of grass. So, we’ll put all the dogs there. Make it easy to feed and water them. I’ll do that morning and night. We'll collect dog food and dishes, too. If you know of a dog in your neighborhood, see me after, and those checking houses, note where the dogs are. Herb’ll tell you about the cats.”
Herb got to his feet. "Cats are a different problem. They ain’t pack animals. They’re pretty solitary. Some are friendly to strangers. Others hide. If we find signs of cats—like litter pans, food bowls, you know—we'll just leave food and water. I'll make rounds every day to feed them. If you know who has cats, tell me after breakfast."
"How will you get into the houses?" Chuck said. "I don't approve of breaking in."
"Breaking in would make it impossible to know if the . . . the man in the blue car is holed up in one of the houses," Nick said. "But Jeff has a solution."
Everyone looked at Jeff who blushed. "I can pick locks."
This admission caused a stir.
"My dad taught me," Jeff said. "I don't make a habit of it."
"You can help us then," Henri said.
"Well, Steve already asked," Jeff said. "And Cooper, too. Maybe this afternoon."
"Help the pet people first," Cooper said. "Lives are more important than a change of clothes."
Zenia stepped from the kitchen. "Dinner tonight at six. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Pie for dessert."
Red Palmer rose. "Would some of you give up your umbrellas? We need them for the kids' outing today. They all want to see the damage along the highway, then we'll go up to Murphy's stable."
“I don’t understand why we’re doing this,” Stella said, her voice rising. “Stockpiling food. Checking houses. Corralling pets. It’s all pointless, busy work.”
“You got plans for the day?” Nick asked.
“Saturday I clean house and buy groceries.”
“Can’t do either of those,” Henri said.
“But don’t you see what’s going to happen?” Stella was close to tears. “They’ll fly in here, take us out. Probably with only a suitcase. Then what do we do? No job. No home.”
Steve tried to quiet his wife.
Defeatism. Nick’s greatest fear, had reared its head.
“You’re right, Stella,” Nick said. “We don’t know what the future holds. We may have to leave for a while, but we’ll be back. We do know what’s happening in the present, and we can deal with it. We’re here together, well-fed, safe and warm. Help will come today. I feel it. Sure, we still have a little rain, but the clouds have lifted.”
“Working together is important, Stella,” Cooper said.
After running breakfast up for Lyn and Danielle, Nick checked Frank Fleener. He and Shannon arranged a shower schedule. He helped Steve take a generator to Striker’s to pump gasoline from the underground tank, then worked with Chuck to empty the freezer in the general store.
Believing things were going well, he stopped for lunch at Brett’s cabins. Sandwiches and chips. After spending two days in the school, kids, fresh from their survey of the flood’s destruction, chased each other, screaming and laughing with freedom.
"I've never seen such deplorable conditions," Henri said as Nick jo
ined the group.
"Lots of people live messy," Herb said.
"Why one house had things stacked so high, there was barely a path to get around." Henrietta put her hand over her head. "And cats everywhere."
"Must be a hoarder," Herb said.
"What'd you do?" Nick said.
"Left food and water," Henri said.
"No way they can be rescued," Chuck said. "They'll have to be turned loose to fend for themselves."
"I imagine a shelter will take them in," Nick said.
"Red's loading the kids." Chuck nodded toward the school's ten-passenger van. "That's got to be illegal."
By the time they were all in, little kids were sitting on the laps of the older students and many stood in the small aisle. Two students sat on the steps and Cheyenne stood in the door.
"It's only a mile to the stable," Herb said. "Ain't no law around here."
"They left sandwiches." Henrietta hurried to get one.
"Think I'll have a beer with mine." Herb detoured to the Bud truck.
"Brett!" Jeff called and pointed up the hill.
Brett Jackson slowly angled his mount down the hill as the group dashed to meet him with a cacophony of questions.
"Did you find the car?"
“Any sign of Charlie’s truck?”
"Where's Wade?"
"Is the murderer on the loose?"
"What about Andy?"
Brett swung to the ground and led his mount to the horse trailer. "We found the car and Andy. Wade's taking him to your place, Nick. He has a broken arm." Brett loosened Cruz's girth and swung the saddle down.
"What about the man?" Henri said.
Brett stowed the saddle in the horse trailer. "From the tracks we found, he may have headed this way."
"Oh, my God!" Henri threw up her hands. "I want my gun. You kept it, Nick."
"I'll bring it with me to dinner," Nick said. "Shannon may not want it in the Lodge."
"I don't care what she wants." Henri marched toward her truck. "I'm gettin' my gun right now. I ain't checkin' another house without it." Her truck fishtailed in the mud as she left.
"Nick." Brett motioned with his head for Nick to join him. "We saw Charlie’s truck. Crushed. Hung up midstream. And don't let that dingbat anywhere around Andy. The poor kid thinks we've just been on a camping trip. He talked about his mom as though she was alive. He doesn't remember."
Nick sprinted to his truck, backed around and threw mud as he left. After her initial outbursts and complaints, Nick thought, Henri’s worked well with the group. Now she’s off again. I’ve got to control the situation. He pulled up beside her vehicle, vaulted from the truck, grabbed Henri’s arm and pulled her away from the door where Lyn stood.
"You stay right here, Henri." He pushed past Lyn. "I'll get your gun."
"But I wanted—"
Nick heard Lyn’s voice. "You heard what he said. We've got a newborn and an injured boy here. I'll not have you disturb them."
Nick unwrapped the gun and gave it to Henri. "Here you go." He shut the door in her face. "She'll probably shoot someone." His eyelid twitched again. "Where's the boy?"
"Nicki's bedroom." Lyn brushed her hair back. "Wade told me about his not remembering. I checked the arm. Compound fracture. We can't set it. We'll need ice from the school. I gave him a Tylenol."
"Did he ask about his mother?"
“He wants to go home. What do we do?”
“I don’t know.” Nick shook his head. “Not my field of expertise.”
“Wade said he might’ve had a concussion. Was unconscious for hours.”
“That could cause memory loss.”
“Or his not remembering could be some stress disorder.” Lyn looked up at him. “Do we tell him?”
“It could make it worse.” Nick wished he could call a colleague for advice. “Traumatize him further.”
“But not telling him. It doesn’t seem right to lie to him.”
“We’ll let him believe what he wants to for the moment. Help has got to come today.”
“Keep it secret, then.”
“I’ll go up and see Andy.” Nick turned toward the stairs to find Andy standing there.
“Oh,” Nick said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“You going to take care of my arm?”
“Sure am.” Nick took Andy’s hand, gave Lyn a questioning glance, and led the boy back up the stairs. “Give you a thorough examination.”
“You have a secret. Huh, Doc?”
“Only a little one. Nothing for you to worry about,” Nick said. “Now sit here in this chair and let me look at you.”
How much had the boy heard? Nick tried to review the conversation. He was sure they hadn’t mentioned Brook’s name. Had they said anything that would make him suspect they were discussing him?
SEVENTEEN
But help didn’t come, and Nick, feeling dispirited, drove home from Saturday night’s dinner with Zenia.
“Why, Nick,” Zenia said, “Everyone’s performed admirably. And you? Why you’ve taken charge. Done what Chuck should’ve done.”
“But another day,” Nick said. “It’s ridiculous that no one’s come. Can everyone face another day? And now we might have a killer in our midst. We’ve got to get Wade’s radio operational.”
Zenia opened the door for Nick who carried take-out cartons. “It’s really only been two days. Friday and today.”
“Seems longer.”
“I’m sure we can all take another.”
"Oh, good," Lyn said. "Dinner's here." She rose from the breakfast table where she and Danielle played Monopoly with Andy to keep him entertained.
"My arm hurts." Andy whined and fiddled with the sling Nick fashioned for him.
"Nick will take care of it." Lyn brushed a hand over his hair.
"Why can't I go home?" Andy's lower lip protruded.
Nick wanted to hug the boy, comfort him.
"We've explained that, Andy," Lyn said patiently. "Your mom isn't there."
"Where is she?"
To forego another question, Nick said, "I hope it's still warm."
"I'll get plates." Lyn hurried to the kitchen.
"Napkins, too," Danielle called.
"How's the baby?" Nick said.
"Sleeping, finally."
"And you, Andy? Feeling okay?" Nick felt his forehead.
"My arm hurts."
"Let's have our dinner," Lyn said as she opened the containers and distributed the food onto plates. "Then the doctor will look at your arm."
"I'll give you something for the pain," Nick said. "I brought ice. We'll have you sleeping fine."
Later, Nick sat with Lyn and Zenia drinking wine in front of the fire as they gave Lyn a blow-by-blow of the evening.
“Gun racks were full,” Nick said.
“People standin’ in line for dinner. Guns on their hips,” Zenia said.
“They’re nervous. Scared,” Lyn said.
“Chuck says everyone should check houses tomorrow,” Nick said.
“And Henri pops up. Says to do it packin’ heat,” Zenia added.
“Brett told all about the search, finding Charlie’s pickup and the blue car and Andy,” Nick said.
“Louise at dinner?”
“No,” Nick said. “Shannon said she’s taking it hard.”
“Nick updated everyone on Andy’s condition,” Zenia said.
“They’ve been told not to mention his mother?” Lyn asked.
“Yeah.” Nick sipped his wine. “I need to gas up the truck and ATV tomorrow.”
“Steve got the pump running at Striker’s,” Zenia said.
“What about the pets?” Lyn asked.
“All taken care of,” Nick said, “but we need to hunt up more food.”
“You sign up for a shower?” Zenia asked Nick.
“Couldn’t get in,” Nick said. “I got you a four o’clock tomorrow, Lyn.”
“Ah, a shower.” Lyn raised her wineglass. “Here’s to
cleanliness.”
The dogs, outside in the run for their evening constitutional, ran back and forth setting up a racket. Nick grabbed his flashlight. At the patio door, he could see them focused on something to his left toward the screened porch. Dolly howled. Duke pawed at the fence and dug at the soil beneath it. Nick swung the light to the left, but the stone chimney cut off his view. A deep growl followed by a high-pitched cry raised the hairs on his neck.
“Stay here.”
Nick dashed to the screened porch and ran the light over the back. Teddy’s pan was overturned, bear tracks all around it. Food littered the ground. The dogs continued their frantic barking. His heart pounded. His hand shook as he searched further away from the house. Nothing. He moved to the left along the tree line. No bear. Nothing moved. The dogs paced. Maybe I should have a gun. Three women and two children in the house and a killer on the loose.
Lyn looked over his shoulder. "What was it?"
"Teddy was here."
“Dolly doesn’t bark at Teddy. That growl sounded like him. But that shriek afterward?"
Nick shrugged. "An owl, maybe?"
"It sounded almost human."
"Let's get the dogs in and lock up for the night." Nick swung the light over the area once more. He couldn’t let the women know how frightened he’d been.
All four bedrooms in the Woodburn home were occupied—Zenia and Logan in twin beds, Danielle and her baby in another room, Andy and Duke across the hall. Candlelight flickered in the master bedroom.
"Nicki," Lyn said softly. "She planned to come up this weekend with her friends. We were supposed to talk yesterday. She's probably frantic."
"No. She's as level-headed as you are."
"But she knew we were on the road. She may think we've been washed away."
"I wonder what tomorrow's forecast is. If only—"
A scream cut through the night.
"It's Andy." Lyn vaulted out of bed, grabbed her robe and took the flashlight. Nick could hear her across the hallway in Andy's room.
"What is it, Andy?"
"A monster." The boy sobbed. "He came to get me."
"There's no monster here . . . just me and Duke."
"But . . ." Andy hiccuped. "He was so real."
"Dreams can seem real."
