Preying in Two Harbors

by Dennis Herschbach

  After he’d made his disclosure, Jeremiah sat still, continuing to stare at the horizon, apparently lost in thought. He added, “I think it’s the men of The Sanctuary who are going to burn in hell. If they don’t, there’s no such place.”

  Deidre was shocked. She understood the message on the piece of paper dropped by the girl who was hoeing in the garden the day she had visited. With the note as evidence and with what Jeremiah had told her, she knew the next step was to visit a judge and procure a search warrant.

  “Jeremiah, what you’ve told me is very important, but now I need your help, those girls and women need your help. Will you come with me and tell a judge what you saw? He needs to know. And if people are arrested, I’d like you to stand up and tell a jury what you saw. Will you do that?” He nodded. “Do you have a place to stay for a few days?” This time he shook his head. “If I find a place for you, will you use it?”

  Jeremiah answered, “S’pose so.”

  Together, they walked back up the trail to her car, Deidre contemplating what her next move would be and Jeremiah showing little emotion at all. She handed him a twenty-dollar bill and dropped him off at a restaurant called Judy’s on the main drag of town before returning to her office. First she called the judge to set up an appointment, then phoned the Salvation Army to make arrangements for Jeremiah. She prayed to God that he would not leave, at least not without talking to her first. Only then did she remember she was supposed to meet her daughters for lunch. It was early yet, but she knew her day would stay busy.

  “Hello, Megan? Oh, Maren, are you and Megan at the café?” She heard the answer. “Good. Listen, sweetie, something really important has come up, and I can’t make it for lunch. Here’s what I want you to do. Walk up to Inga’s, Mrs. Olson’s, house. I’ll call her so she’ll be expecting you. I want you to spend the afternoon with her. She’ll like the company.” Before the call was ended, Deidre heard an audible grumble on the other end of the call, not loud enough that she could understand it, and she smiled as she brought up Inga’s number.

  By nine thirty, she and Jeremiah were in the judge’s chambers, and by ten she had a search warrant for The Sanctuary, to be executed at nine o’clock the following day.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Deidre dialed the number for Social Services as soon as she got off the line with Maren. “Hi, Jan,” she said when she heard a familiar voice answer the phone. “How’s life treating you?”

  Deidre remembered the day they’d met, the day she, herself, so desperately needed Jan’s help. Deidre was a teenager then and was trapped in a violent home situation with an abusive stepfather. Jan had helped Deidre’s family escape the situation. Jan was now past the age when most people retired, but she was still going strong. To Deidre, it seemed the larger-than-life social worker had more energy now than when she was new on the job.

  “Hey,” Jan answered. “If things were any better, I’d have to pay them for letting me keep this job.” She laughed. “What’s up, girl? I assume this isn’t a social call, because you’ve got to be up to your eyeballs with work.”

  Deidre had to admit that it wasn’t. “Jan, unless I’m way wrong, you’re going to be slammed with I don’t know how many psych evaluations in the next few days. We have a probable situation up north involving a number of teens and preteens who have had some rough treatment. And there will be several adult women who are going to need help as well.” Deidre went on to explain what Jeremiah had stated in a deposition he had given to her and the judge. When she was finished, there was silence on the phone.

  Finally, she heard Jan say, “Is this never going to end? Seems the world just keeps getting crazier and crazier all the time. Okay, we’ll be ready. Thanks for the head’s up, Deidre. I’ll get the staff together before quitting time this afternoon. How soon can we expect our first clients?”

  Deidre had already planned her action and could answer without hesitation. “The judge issued a search warrant a few minutes ago, as well as a warrant that will allow us to remove the children from the compound. I suspect the women won’t be cooperative, so my deputies will probably be bringing them in against their will. If there are any of the men still at The Sanctuary, they’ll be placed under arrest for suspicion of child abuse.” She realized she hadn’t answered Jan’s question. “Be ready by three tomorrow.”

  The rest of Deidre’s day was spent drawing up a plan for how they would approach The Sanctuary the next day. She calculated that about thirty persons would be detained, more if the men were still there. She didn’t know why, but she had a premonition that the men would be gone. Perhaps it was because of a similar incident in the central part of Minnesota that had occurred a little over a year before. An enclave had been operating in that area for several years before someone reported to authorities forced marriages between underage girls and older men.

  When the authorities made a raid, they found that the leader, a self-proclaimed minister, and most of the men had fled to a similar group living in the mountains of Oregon. To Deidre’s knowledge, none of them had been arrested. At any rate, she knew she had to be prepared to haul the men in, just in case her gut feeling was wrong.

  She sent out a call to six of her most trusted deputies, most of them remaining from when she had been sheriff. They were getting older, but they were experienced, less likely to respond with force when it wasn’t needed. She also called the superintendent of schools and requested the use of one of their busses. The logistics of moving so many people at once was a problem. After assuring him that the district would be reimbursed and that they would use the district’s drivers, he relented.

  By five o’clock, Deidre was exhausted, but the plan was set. It was time to pick up her daughters at Inga’s. She braced herself for gripes and complaints about the boring afternoon.

  *****

  “Mom, you won’t believe what our afternoon was like!” Maren blurted out the moment she hit the back seat of the car. Deidre rolled her eyes, waiting for the bombast. “We had the best time ever.” Deidre almost swerved off the road as her head spun around so she could see who was in the backseat.

  “Yeah,” Megan chimed in the way she usually did, taking the conversation away from Maren, but this time there were no complaints. “We just got to Inga’s when she took out this fancy tea set and said, ‘Girls, we’re going to be grownups today. Choose what kind of tea you’d like.’ Then she put two platters of food on the table, one with cheese and crackers, the other with different kinds of dessert.”

  Maren interjected her comments. “She treated us just like grownups. We sat down, and she had these fancy napkins at our places. We didn’t know what to do, so we watched as she poured us tea, and offered us the cheese and crackers.”

  Megan took her turn. “She asked us questions about ourselves, what we liked, what songs, movies, and all sorts of things. I think she was really interested in what we had to say.”

  “After dessert and tea, Inga took us out to her garden,” Maren continued the story. “She had an interesting history about each flower. Do you know she’s lived there since 1965? How old is she, anyway?”

  Before Deidre could answer, Megan added, “We spent the rest of the time in her house. She had old pictures of her husband, Eric, and told us stories of what it was like to live in Two Harbors in the olden days and what Eric was like. Then she told us about when you moved in next door. She thought you were too cute to be a sheriff’s deputy.” The girls became somber for a second. Maren spoke next.

  “She told us about the night John was killed. Mom, we’re so sorry that happened to you. Inga told us lots of things.” Deidre was startled to learn that Inga had picked at some scars she thought were long healed, and the car went silent.

  They drove up their driveway. No one had talked for many minutes. The girls got out before Deidre and waited by the driver’s-side door. As Deidre
placed her feet on the ground, both girls wrapped their arms around her and began to cry. “Mom, we’re so glad you’re our mother,” Megan sobbed, and Maren murmured something Deidre couldn’t understand. All three stood there, arms entwined, for several seconds. Deidre laughed and pulled out some tissues to share with them.

  “I love you guys. Come on, let’s go in the house before your dad gets home and wonders what happened.” She gave the girls an extra squeeze and led the way.

  *****

  After the supper dishes were cleaned up and the leftovers put away, the girls asked if they could go to the family picnic site by the river. Ben gave them the go-ahead with an admonition to be home no later than eight thirty. He didn’t want them walking on the path in the dark, knowing how difficult traveling in the woods at dusk could be. He and Deidre decided to take a slow walk up the road. The evening was peaceful—no wind, no traffic on the country road, and the birds were beginning to sing their settling-in songs. They held hands as they strolled, and Deidre felt Ben’s strength.

  “I’m facing a real problem tomorrow morning,” she began to unburden herself. “You know that place up north called The Sanctuary?” Ben said he did. “Well, I’ve got a witness, not a terribly reliable one, I’m afraid, who has signed an affidavit stating that girls as young as twelve are being forced into marriages with older men of the group. The thing that scares me the most, though, is I fear what he’s saying is true. We’re going up there tomorrow with search warrants and child protection orders. I don’t know what to expect as far as resistance. No matter what, it’s going to be a pretty traumatic day for the kids who are part of the group.”

  They walked a few steps in silence before Ben spoke. “Do you think that group is responsible for the crimes that have plagued the area since last spring? I’m wondering if you might find something more dangerous than what you’re expecting.”

  They took a few more steps. “I don’t know,” Deidre answered pensively. “At first I thought they were our prime suspect group, but lately, I’ve come to believe they haven’t had anything to do with the crimes in town and in the county. Something’s going on even more sinister than the reverend and his crew. They’re screwed up, but in my gut, I think we’re dealing with some force even more dangerous.”

  By this time they were at the gate that blocked the driveway on the neighboring property, and they stopped to look up the trail. “Looks like they’ve been doing some hauling in and out of here,” Ben observed. “Have you seen any trucks going by our place?” He answered his own question before Deidre could respond. “Of course, none of us have been home during the day lately. It looks like a lot of truck traffic has been moving. Maybe they’re logging the back of the property. Somebody, I can’t remember who, told me there are some really nice stands of timber in there. Hope they don’t clear-cut the whole tract. I think they own almost eight hundred acres. Oh, well, not much we can do if that’s what they decide.”

  The two of them wandered up the dirt road for another half-mile before turning back home. Deidre felt better for having talked with her husband, glad for his unwavering support.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Deidre slept fitfully, with nightmares filling her mind, occasionally waking in a sweat. She folded her pillow, changed position, tossed off the blanket on her side of the bed, and then repeated the process. When the clock radio came on, signaling time to get up, she was more tired than when she went to bed. Even a tepid shower did nothing to bring her to a state of readiness for the day. Megan commented on how rough she looked at the breakfast table. On the ride to her office, she tried to play out in her mind how the morning would go.

  Six deputies waited for her at the Law Enforcement Center. A large school bus idled by the curb, its diesel fuel exhaust forming an acrid, invisible cloud while the bus driver dozed in the driver’s seat. Six department SUVs were lined up, ready to roll. Deidre’s vehicle would make seven, enough to transport twenty-one of the reverend’s followers, if need be. At eight o’clock, the caravan of law enforcement vehicles started up the road, heading to the church in Toimi and The Sanctuary. At exactly eight fifty they pulled into the church parking lot. There wasn’t a soul visible.

  Deidre walked up the drive, past two of the gardens, and proceeded to the first building where she had seen children peeking from the windows during her last visit. She knocked on the door, softly at first and then more loudly. She could hear movement inside, but no one came to open the door.

  “Whoever’s inside, open this door immediately. I have a search warrant signed by Judge Walters, and if you don’t open the door, I’ll be forced to have my deputies break it down. The choice is yours: open the door or have it smashed in.” She stepped to the side, in case whoever was inside had a gun, and listened for movement. She heard a latch being slid aside, and the door opened a crack. Deidre saw an eye peering out at her through the narrow opening. By its distance from the floor, she assumed it was a child.

  “Please let me in. I’m not going to harm you. I just want to talk to you and your mamma.” The door opened a little further, and Deidre was greeted by the sight of a six-year-old girl grasping its knob. Her large, blue eyes were opened wide, searching the sheriff’s face, seeking an answer to what was going to happen. “Can I come in, please?” Deidre asked. The little girl nodded, then stepped back. Deidre gently pushed the door open and stepped across the threshold. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room, but when they did, she was shocked by what she saw.

  Three women stood against the wall. In front of them were children, twelve of them, crowded back against the women as though they believed they were about to meet their doom. One girl, who Deidre figured to be about eight or nine, turned and buried her face. She began to cry while the older woman stroked her hair. Every member of the group looked terrified.

  “Is one of you in charge?” Deidre spoke quietly. No one made a move. “I need to speak to one of you about your situation. Will someone please come with me?” From where she was nearly hidden behind the group, a young woman stepped forward. Deidre recognized her as the one who had dropped the note on the ground during one of her first visits. Turning to the others, Deidre calmly said, “I want you to stay inside until I get back. There are deputies outside, and I don’t want them to have to restrain any of you.” She placed her hand on the volunteer’s elbow and guided her to the door. When they were outside, she asked, “Is the chapel empty?” The answer was a slight nod and together they walked across the yard and entered the building.

  “I know you’re the one who dropped the note for me, asking for help. What is your name?”

  “Anna,” the girl answered. Deidre smiled at her.

  “My name is Deidre, and I want to thank you for being so brave. Now, what do you need help with?” Deidre waited for a reply while the young lady fidgeted with her fingers. Finally, she drew in a deep breath and looked Deidre square in the eye.

  “I . . . we need help getting out of here. We’ve been held like slaves long enough, and I want to be free. Anything will be better than this.”

  Deidre didn’t flinch. “Are there any men around?” The girl shook her head.

  “They left yesterday. Reverend Isaiah told us that you would be coming any day. I didn’t think it would be this soon, though. He said God told him he and the men were to leave immediately to find another place. He said they would send for us when it was safe.”

  “Do you know where they went?” Deidre asked.

  The girl shrugged. “He said they would be looking to the mountains, that God’s people had always sought the mountains when they were in danger. He quoted from Psalms. ‘I will lift up mine eyes to the hills.’ Are we in danger?”

  Deidre smiled as warmly as she could and shook her head. “No. You’re safe with me, with us. I promise you we’re going to get you and your group out of here and to somewhere
you can get whatever help you need. First, I want you to help me by answering some questions. How many women and children are in the compound?”

  “Thirty-two,” Anna said, her voice becoming more confident. Deidre continued.

  “Do you think any of the older women will balk at being taken into town?” Anna abruptly stood up.

  “Only Sarah. She’s Reverend Isaiah’s wife, at least that’s what she calls herself, although he hardly ever stayed with her.”

  Deidre stood up to be beside Anna. “What’s your biggest concern?” Once again Anna looked Deidre in the eye.

  “That the men and the reverend will come back for us.”

  Deidre scanned Anna and judged her to be about fifteen or sixteen. “Are any of the children yours?” she questioned.

  “I have a two year-old son who I left with one of the other women, and I suspect I’m pregnant again.”

  “Who’s the father of your child, and of your expected child if you’re pregnant? Do you know and will you name him?”

  Anna squared her shoulders. “Reverend Isaiah.”

  Deidre put her arm around Anna’s shoulders and steered her outside. “I need you to show me which buildings house the others and to help me convince them to come with us into town. Can you do that?” Anna’s answer was to head for the building from which they had come.

  She marched in and announced in a firm voice. “This woman is here to help us. I want you to do what she says. She’s promised me that no one is going to hurt you and that she has people who will give us shelter, but we have to go into town. Go with the officers who are waiting outside. I’ve been out there with them and they did me no harm. They’ll treat you with respect, I promise.” Deidre thought the others looked at Anna as their leader, and she wondered from where the young lady’s authority came. Perhaps it came from nowhere. Perhaps she had just grabbed it.