Portals of Time

by Vicky McCracken

  Lori nodded. “I think you are right Jessie. The Animal Control said they thought the animals were poisoned. We need to get back to the ranch. It’s hard to tell what he will do if he knows we can travel through time too. Besides, Bo needs to know what’s happened.”

  “I agree, we should go back Lori. We have to stop Trace before he kills all your livestock and I believe he would do it,” Jessie said.

  “Okay.” Lori stood and was back on her horse before Jessie could stand. Once he was on his horse, he looked at Lori.

  “Go ahead Jessie,” she said.

  They moved close together and Jessie moved the car on the watch forward. In just a few minutes, they were back on Lori’s ranch. As they slowly rode toward the ranch house, Lori was wondering how they went to where they could find out what they needed to know when they needed to find out something from time travel. Then it dawned on her. She knew she had been thinking about seeing her mother and father the last time they had jumped. She had also been wondering how Trace fit into all this. That must be it. It had to do with what you were thinking at the time.

  “Jessie, when we jumped time and you moved the car, what were you thinking about?”

  “I was thinking I would like to see Missy one last time, why?”

  “I was just wondering why we are going back to where we are and that’s it. See, the last time we jumped, I was thinking of Mom and Dad. Then you were thinking about seeing Missy and of course it took us to the very last time you saw her alive. That has to be it. Whatever we were thinking of was where we went.”

  “I think you are right. Look, there is Bo coming toward us.

  “Hey Bo,” Jessie was glad to see the older man. “What’ you doing out here?”

  Bo smiled. “Glad you two are back. We have lost eight more animals Lori. The Animal Control knows now that it is poison. We need to find out who is doing this.”

  Call Animal Control Bo. Tell them to search Trace’s room. We are sure he’s the one,” Lori said.

  Bo raised his eyebrows and took out his phone. He talked quietly to Sam before he hung up and said,

  “What did you two find out? I know you know something or you would still be back there.”

  “You are right Bo. Let’s wait until we get back to the office. I’m afraid to talk here,” Lori said. “How long were we gone this time?”

  “Only a few hours this time. You’re getting better,” Bo told them.

  The three of them rode back to the ranch and left their horses at the barn. Walking into the house through the back door, the smells from the kitchen were good to Lori who found she was always hungry anymore.

  “Where is Trace, Bo,” Lori asked.

  “Don’t know. He’s been gone all day.”

  “Do you think,” Jessie looked at Lori and she nodded.

  “He is time traveling.”

  “Do what,” Bo said as he closed the office door behind them. “Tell me everything you know.”

  Lori did so starting with when they arrived at the ranch. When she finished, Bo looked at Jessie who had a sad look on his face.

  “I’m sorry Jessie. What a thing to learn. I wish it could have been different.”

  “Me too,” Jessie said. “The doctor should have told me about the baby being taken, but he didn’t.”

  “Yes, he should have, but for now we have to stop Trace somehow,” Lori said.

  Before they said another word, there was a knock at the door. Lori opened it to one of the house keepers.

  “Sorry to bother you Miss Lori but the Animal Control man is here to see you.”

  “Thank you,” Lori said as she turned to Bo and Jessie. “Be right back.”

  She left the room only to return later with Sam in tow.

  “Come in Sam,” she waved the man into the room and closed the door behind him. “You know everyone I think,”

  Sam nodded. “Yes, how are you?” He nodded to Bo and Jessie.

  “What did you find out,” Bo asked.

  “As I told you before, your animals are being poisoned and when you called and asked us to check out this other young man’s room, I found a needle in the trash and it is being tested as we speak. I feel sure it was used to give the shots of poison.”

  “Can you do a background on Trace,” Lori asked.

  “You have a computer?”

  “Yes, right here,” Lori stood from the chair she was in and let Sam sit down.

  “I have some contacts so I’ll have something for you in just a second. What’s the name?” Sam’s fingers were flying on the keyboard.

  “Trace. I don’t know what the last name is that he would be using but you could try McCoy,” Lori replied.

  Sam worked quickly at the computer. After a minute he said, “I found some people named Trace McCoy. Let’s see, one is a female so that’s out. Here’s two more. Their ages are two and ten so they are out. Okay, here is one but I can’t be sure without a social security number.”

  “What about Trace Clarke,” Jessie spoke up.

  Sam’s fingers were flying again. Everyone was quiet until Jessie asked in a puzzled voice, “What is a social security number? What is a background check?”

  Bo answered his question. “A background check is when you can go back and see what a person has done, like if they have been in trouble with the law or what school they went to. A social security number is a number given to each person when they are born. It is a nine digit number and was started back in 1935. In other words, our government knows us as a number not a person. You can find out anything about anyone if you have their social security number.”

  Jessie still didn’t quite understand. “Everyone’s known as a number. Who picked the number?” He shook his head. Maybe he would find out later. Maybe he needed a history lesson. The sound of Sam’s voice brought him out of his thought.

  “This Trace went to veterinarian school for a year and a half. He also took history classes. It’s a strange combination.” Sam said looking up from the computer.

  Lori looked at Bo and Jessie. “I think that’s our Trace. It all makes sense to me. What else can you tell us?”

  “Let’s wait and see, okay? This is funny- it seems until two years ago, this Trace was nowhere to be found,” Sam told them.

  “Thanks Sam, you may not know it but that tells us a lot. When will you know about the needle,” Bo asked.

  “It should be in an hour, maybe less.”

  “Sounds good,” Lori said.

  Sam stood up. “I better go. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”

  “Okay,” Lori said.

  “You all have a good evening, if you can.”

  Lori closed the door behind him and sat down in front of the computer. “So,” she said. “We know Trace can jump time. It’s probably why he’s so young. He stayed in this time long enough to go to veterinary school. He’s been planning this for a long time.”

  “But he doesn’t know me, does he,” Jessie asked.

  “I don’t think so Jessie. In fact, I think if he hadn’t jumped into our time, we would never have figured out all this. In other words, you messed up his plans without him knowing it.” She looked at Bo. “Do you think we should confront him?”

  “Could be dangerous but we need to find whatever it is he’s jumping time with.”

  “At dinner, if he’s at dinner, I will keep him talking about something and Bo, you go through his room,” Lori said.

  “Can do, Miss Lori,” Bo replied.

  Jessie stood. “I am tired. I think I will rest a little before dinner.”

  “Okay Jessie, I’ll come get you,” Bo stood also. “I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”

  Bo and Jessie walked out of the house and once in his room, Jessie laid down on his bed going over in his mind the last events. Trace was his and Missy’s son. It had been hard for him to re-live Missy’s death again and also to see what happened afterwards. If only he had stayed in the room with Missy. Then the Indians would have prob
ably killed him to get to the baby. He knew he should feel close to Trace somehow if for no other reason than he was his and Missy’s son, his blood. But he could not ever like Trace. The boy must have grown up there but he wondered when he had realized he wasn’t an Indian and when he began to jump time. He must have fallen asleep, for the next sound he heard was a knock at the door.

  * * * * * * * *

  Lori sat alone after Jessie and Bo left the room. She closed her eyes wondering how she was going to confront Trace about what was going on. She thought of everything. How much her life had changed since she had found Jessie asleep against the tree? If someone would have told her this would happen, she would have laughed and asked them what drug they were on. Then there was the baby. She still had no earthly idea what she was going to do with a baby or how she would raise it.

  The sound of her phone caused her to jump and she realized she must have fallen asleep. “Hello,” she said answering it.

  “Lori, this is Sam. I have the results back from the needle and it is the same thing we found in your dead animals. He has been using a high dose of rat poison. You were right. Trace is poisoning your animals. I’m bringing out the police to arrest him. I will call them when I hang up.”

  “Good, I’m glad we found out what was going on. I just need to find out why he’s done this.”

  “Don’t do much Lori, the man could be dangerous.”

  “I hear you. I’ll be careful.”

  “Okay, see you a little later.”

  “Bye.”

  “Good-bye Lori,” she could hear as Sam hung up his end.

  Lori then called Bo. “Hey,” she said when he answered. “Get Jessie and come up to the house. I need to talk to you both.”

  “Will do. See you in a few.”

  * * * * * * * *

  Jessie opened the door of his room to Bo and the older man was smiling. “We better get up to the house. It’s almost time for dinner and Lori has news.”

  Together the two of them walked slowly toward the house and they entered the office minutes later.

  “Sit,” Lori waved them to seats. “We got him, Bo. Sam is calling the police as we speak. They will be here in a while but I’m going to confront him first. I want to know why he’s been doing this.”

  “I would like to know that myself,” Bo said.

  “Right now, let’s go eat. Then we will talk to Trace,” Lori said.

  The three of them filed out of the room and into the dining room where everyone was already seated as well as Trace.

  “Here you are sis. Where’ you been,” Trace asked.

  “We had some business to take care of,” Lori said. “But we need to talk after dinner.”

  “Good, we need to get to know each other better, sis.”

  Jessie saw Lori flinch at Trace calling her sis. He was afraid of Lori’s confronting Trace about this. They had no idea what the man would do. It was hard for Jessie to think of Trace as his son. He suddenly wished Missy were here with him but he knew Missy would never come back and he really liked being around Lori.

  Bo stood up from the table as Lori kept Trace talking about nothing and brought Jessie out of his thoughts. He only hoped Trace didn’t miss Bo and go back to his room. He need not have worried. Trace didn’t notice Bo was gone from the room. It was also very apparent Trace didn’t know who Jessie was.

  About the time Lori, Trace, and Jessie finished eating, Bo came back in. Jessie saw him wink at Lori and Lori smiled standing up.

  “Let’s go into the living room. No, let’s go outside. It’s so nice out this evening.”

  “Alright.” Trace stood and followed Lori with Bo and Jessie on their heels.

  Once the four of them were outside, Trace realized Bo and Jessie were there.

  “What are they doing here? I thought we were going to talk,” he said to Lori.

  “We know who you are Trace. We also know you time travel. I also know you are the one poisoning my animals. What I do want to know is why?” Lori stood in front of Trace without backing down.

  A sneer came over the young man’s face. “So you think you know who I am, do you? Well, I don’t think so. What if I time travel, that proves nothing. You don’t know who I am.”

  “I’m afraid we do,” Bo told him. “You were born in 1886 to Missy and Jessie McCoy.”

  “Jessie,” Trace’s voice wandered off as he put two and two together. “How?”

  “Maybe you should sit down Trace,” Lori said. “I’ll tell you. See, somehow Jessie transported himself here from 1888. By the way, Trace, he is your father. I think you just figured that part out. We kind of had to figure out the rest of it. We pieced it all together but then when Jessie and I went back in time and saw you born, then we knew. But we still don’t know why you are poisoning my animals?”

  Trace looked at her. “You don’t know the whole story. I was raised by the Indians until I was eight. Then I began to realize I wasn’t like them. My skin was white and my hair wasn’t black. I started asking questions.”

  Jessie spoke up, “You weren’t born. The Indians cut you out and took you.”

  “Whatever,” Trace pulled a gun from the back of his pants. “Since my plan didn’t pan out, I will have to take what’s mine.”

  chapter 9

  Lori caught her breath and backed up a little for she had not expected Trace to have a gun. But as usual, Bo took control of the moment.

  “Whoa, hold up son, you don’t need a gun,” he said.

  “Listen old man, I have the upper hand and the three of you will do what I say, now!” Trace was pointing the gun at all three of them. “We are going to end this where it all started. The cabin, is it still standing?”

  “No,” Lori told him. “My father and Bo tore it down when I was eight.”

  “But you know where it was, don’t you,” Trace pointed the gun as he spoke.

  “I do, but why?”

  “The four of us are going to ride out there. Now, let’s all go to the barn and saddle us up a horse.” Trace waved the gun again.

  Lori was scared. She had never had anyone point a gun at her before. It was like something in a dream. Only this wasn’t a dream.

  Trace had a gun pointed at them and she was afraid of what he might do. As the four of them began to walk toward the barn, Jessie was shocked. He hadn’t expected Trace to have a gun or to be so bitter and act as if everyone owed him because of what he had been through. All Jessie could think about was trying to catch Trace off guard so he could get the gun.

  They reached the barn and Trace saddled his horse first then watched closely as the other three saddled their own horses.

  “Lori,” Trace told her. “Lead the way and the two of you follow. If any of you try anything, I will shoot the other two.”

  Without a word, Lori led the way out across the ranch toward the place where the little cabin used to be. No one spoke until they arrived at the oak tree and Lori stopped her horse.

  “Is this it,” Trace asked.

  “Yes,” Lori answered. “This is the tree Jessie and your mother planted when they first moved here.”

  “How do I know you are telling the truth?”

  Jessie spoke. “Our names are carved in it, there,” he pointed.

  Trace rode close to the tree and said. “Okay, get down,” he spoke as he climbed off his horse.

  Once they were all on the ground, Trace spoke again. “Now tell me what you know about me and all this. You say you know who I am, right?”

  “Okay,” Lori said. “ Jessie and I time traveled back to the day you were born. I told you all this. Your mother died in childbirth and it broke Jessie’s heart. Lori reached out and took Jessie’s hand. “He left to go get the doctor and by the time he returned the Indians had already taken you. You see, Jessie couldn’t go back into the house because he knew Missy was already dead and the doctor saw how upset he was. He didn’t tell him about the Indians taking you. He never knew anything about all this until we went back
and saw it happen. He thought you died too. The Indians watched him leave and they came in and cut Missy to get you and took you back to their village. Why did they do that by the way? Why did the Indians take you Trace?”

  “The Indian chief told me that a few years before they took me, Jessie and my mother had helped the chief’s son. He had gotten shot and Jessie had befriended him and nursed him back to health. The chief never forgot that. He was only trying to help, to pay you back in his own way I guess.”

  Jessie spoke up. “I had forgotten that. I had no way of knowing the Indians had you or that you were alive. If I had known, I would have taken you and raised you. After all, you are mine and Missy’s son and I loved her with all my heart.”

  All this didn’t seem to matter to Trace. “Yeah, yeah, let’s finish my side. The Indians were good to me, treated me like I was one of them until, as I said before, I began to ask questions. Then they sat me down and told me my mother died and my father had left me to die also. I found out who you were when I went to live with my Grandfather, my mother’s father. In fact, the Indians helped me find him and finally took me to his house. He was a nice man and took me in and raised me. I don’t guess you know this but Grandfather was a smart man. You see, Grandfather liked to invent things. He took the watch before my mother gave it to you and made another one. He had always wanted to travel through time and I helped him make it happen. Somehow after my mother gave you the watch for Christmas, he had learned what it was and had learned all about it. Once I came to stay with him, the two of us worked on it trying to make it better. Grandfather Frank made a total of two more watches. He taught me to time travel and we used to go everywhere. That’s how I found this place. I was about ten when I first saw this ranch, in this time. Even though I was a child I knew what I had to do. I came back here after I found out it was the same ranch. I had this woman bring me to the ranch saying I was a long lost son. How was I to know Lori’s old man would get a DNA test, but I didn’t give up. I waited till I was older. The same ranch with the same name. It had to be the same one and after checking I found it was. By rights, it should be mine. After all, I am your son.” Trace stopped and looked at Jessie and spoke again. “Let me ask you Dad, why did you leave me really?”