Blue Ridge Breeze

by Ed Robinson

  I was out of ideas. I felt for the man, but he’d put himself into an impossible situation. A trial wouldn’t go well for him. He’d go to jail for a very long time, possibly the rest of his life. He wanted to regain his manhood before he left this world. I didn’t think he was going to give himself up. I wanted to believe that he wouldn’t shoot his pursuers while I was watching over him. I’d made it clear that he’d gain another enemy if he did. He was right about me complicating things. Shooting me wouldn’t prove a damn thing, except that he was a crazed killer.

  I’d tracked him down twice in one day. He knew I was better at this game than he was. He couldn’t possibly believe that he could escape. Certainly, he heard the team approach. It was now or never.

  Four

  I saw Rominger move from tree to tree. Another man moved ahead of him and took cover behind some rocks. They were within rifle range.

  “He’s right down here,” I yelled. “Stay behind cover. He says he won’t give up.”

  I didn’t know what else to do. I figured the troopers must have some training for these situations. I’d let Rominger figure it out. I’d done my job. I eased back deeper into cover and kept my sights on where Shook was hidden. Rominger spoke to him.

  “Tom Shook,” he said. “Our priority is to get everyone down this mountain alive. That includes you.”

  There was no response.

  “I’m going to move a little closer now,” Rominger said. “I want you to stand down. We’ll all live to see another day.”

  He was either brave or stupid, but Rominger exposed himself for several seconds while he moved forward. No shots rang out. He motioned to his men, and they spread out, moving around to flank Shook’s position. A cornered animal was at its most dangerous. The energy in the air foretold a bad outcome.

  Bam! The shot came from Shook. Each man on the team reported himself safe. I knew that it wasn’t a rifle shot. It was a big handgun.

  “I think he offed himself,” I said loud enough for all to hear.

  We all stayed put and waited. It didn’t take long before I smelled the products of released bowels. I knew he was dead.

  “He’s gone fellows,” I said. “Relax.”

  The men still didn’t move, so I got up and started moving in on Shook’s position. I was careful, but I knew what I would find. He was lying face down under a stone arch of sorts. It was a good spot to wait and ambush the team. He’d chosen to end his own life instead of taking theirs. I supposed there was some nobility in that.

  The pool of blood around his head was still increasing in size. He’d put the gun to his temple and blown half his skull off. It was not a pretty sight. I didn’t bother to check his pulse.

  “All clear,” I yelled.

  The team gathered just outside where I’d found Shook’s body. Rominger went in to have a look. He came back out shaking his head.

  “Hell of a mess,” he said. “How are we going to get him down from here?”

  “We need a body bag and some fresh legs,” I said. “I’m not volunteering to lug that down the mountain.”

  “I’ll radio the commander,” he said. “Everybody relax. The crisis is over.”

  I sat down and drank a bunch of water. I was hungry, but my appetite had been adversely affected by what I’d just seen. The other men broke out jerky and snacks, glad that the ordeal was behind them. They were all much younger than I, and less worn out by the day’s trek. I was physically exhausted and mentally pushed to the limit. At least I could let down my guard. I tried to erase the image of Shook’s exploded head from my mind.

  “We’ve got replacements on their way to the church,” Rominger said. “I can lead them back up here. The rest of you can stand down. Nice work, Breeze.”

  “Thanks, I guess,” I said. “I didn’t want it to end this way.”

  “You did your job,” he said. “You can’t hold yourself responsible for his ultimate choice.”

  “I’ll keep telling myself that,” I said.

  “I’ll be sure to tell the commander what a fine job you did tracking him,” he said. “Maybe he can send some freelance work your way.”

  “I’m going to need some time off after today,” I said. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said. “Hey John, you stay here with the body. Sorry, but you’re low man.”

  “What’s to guard?” asked John. “He’s not going anywhere.”

  “We don’t need the bears to find him,” Rominger said. “He’s messed up enough already.”

  “You’re just leaving me here in case you get lost,” he said. “I see how you are.”

  “All I know right now is which way is down,” Rominger said. “I’ll leave some markers to follow on the way back up.”

  I led three troopers down the mountain. I didn’t bother backtracking to take the easy road down from the old Banner place. Going downhill was so much easier than hiking up. By the time we arrived at the church, there was a large gathering of cops and emergency personnel waiting for us. All I wanted was a ride home, but I had to suffer through a debriefing from the State Police Commander first. I replayed the incident as best I could remember, leaving out no details.

  Rominger made a quick turnaround and led three fresh men up the mountain with a body bag and portable stretcher. I didn’t envy those guys. Finally, The Commander released me and assigned a trooper to drive me back to my cabin. Brody looked concerned when I came in the door.

  “You look like Hell,” she said. “You okay.”

  “Fried, pooped, spent,” I said. “But it’s over now.”

  “What happened?” she asked. “Did they catch him?”

  “Not before he killed himself,” I said. “I was there. I had him cornered. I tracked him down twice, and he knew he couldn’t escape. The team was closing in. I kept talking to him, trying to get him to give up, but he blew his brains out instead.”

  “That’s awful,” she said. “Did you see him do it?”

  “No, thank God,” I said. “But I feel responsible.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “I’ve got mixed feelings about it,” I told her. “He was going to shoot the team. That’s why I stayed on him, to try to prevent that. I wasn’t part of his plan. I screwed things up for him. When I found him the last time, he had no place to run or hide. He told me some unpleasant stuff about the Banner Elk Chief and his officers. I explained that the guys hunting him weren’t the Banner Elk PD. It gave him pause.”

  “You didn’t talk him into killing himself,” she said.

  “No, but I made him realize his situation was hopeless,” I said. “If he fired on the team, I would take him out myself. I’d proven I was better than him. It was one last blow to his manhood.”

  “You can explain that further later,” she said. “Hop in the shower, and I’ll make you a hot meal. You need some rest after a day like that.”

  “It’s so nice to be home,” I said. “And to have you here.”

  “Stay awhile this time, okay?” she said.

  “Sure thing,” I said. “Looking forward to some downtime.”

  A long hot shower gave me just enough vitality to stay awake through dinner. Weariness overtook me soon after. Our big comfy bed was never more inviting. I apologized to Brody for turning in so soon, but I was powerless to fight off sleep. In my dreams, I saw Shook putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger. I hadn’t seen it happen, but my subconscious wanted me to see it for some reason. I saw a tear in his eye and a grimace just before he ended his life. I saw brains and gore splatter on the rocks next to him. I saw his body go limp and slump to the ground. It was a haunting scene that I could have done without. Brody wasn’t in bed to wake me from my nightmare. It replayed a half-dozen times.

  I was no stranger to death, but that fact didn’t insulate me from its effects. It reminded me of my mortality. It reminded me of all of those that I’d seen die. It brought back a sadness that I’d worked hard
to bury. I didn’t even know Tom Shook, but I mourned him nonetheless.

  I could not force myself out of bed in the morning. My back hurt, my muscles were stiff, and I was quite comfortable under the covers. It was nearly ten o’clock before my bladder betrayed me and forced me to rise. I’d allowed myself to become dehydrated over the past several days. Part of my mountain discipline called for not taking a leak until absolutely necessary. It made one vulnerable and could give away your position. I could smell the coffee brewing, but I opted for a bottle of water first.

  “Good morning, mountain man,” said Brody. “I’d thought you’d sleep all day.”

  “Thanks for leaving me be,” I said. “I’m still tired, and also hungry.”

  “Breakfast is coming up,” she said. “What’s on today’s agenda?”

  “As little as possible,” I said. “I can’t remember being so worn out.”

  “Did you ever think you might just be getting older?”

  “I think it’s more than that,” I said. “The constant vigilance, holding my awareness so high for so long, it saps my energy.”

  “Like a superhero who has to recharge his batteries,” she said. “Breeze retreats to his lair to replenish his powers.”

  “What minimal powers I have could certainly use a break,” I said. “I see a nap in my future.”

  “I may take the opportunity to go into town and do some shopping,” she said. “Leave you in peace.”

  “Fine by me,” I said. “I’ll be on the couch.”

  I decided that a nice blaze in the fireplace would ease my aching joints and enhance the napping experience. I stepped out on the porch to get some wood, and the cool, crisp air enveloped me. The temperature was in the low thirties, promising to approach forty in the afternoon. For a Florida boy, it felt like single digits. I made three trips and stacked a day’s supply of wood on the hearth. Brody kissed me on her way out.

  I got some kindling burning before gradually adding bigger logs. Once the fire was good and hot, I retired to the sofa with some good music on the radio. Lying there felt like mountain heaven. I let my worries slip away and relaxed. I soaked up the warmth and drifted in and out of sleep. It was the perfect recipe for what ailed me.

  It all went to hell when someone knocked on the door. We didn’t get visitors to our isolated cabin. I didn’t appreciate the interruption. Whoever it was would go to the top of my shit list.

  “Who’s there?” I yelled.

  “Banner Elk Police Department,” was the reply.

  It was the Chief. His presence couldn’t be for a good reason. I doubted he was there to present me with an award.

  “Hang on; I’m coming,” I said.

  I put some shoes on and threw a ball cap over my messy hair. I looked around the cabin checking on things before letting him in.

  “Sorry about the mess,” I said. “I wasn’t expecting anyone. I was napping by the fire.”

  “Didn’t mean to disturb you,” he said. “I thought mid-day would be a good time.”

  “For what, Chief?” I asked. “A friendly visit?”

  “I’ll get right down to it,” he said. “I need to take a look at the handgun you were carrying while you were tracking Shook.”

  “I can’t imagine why,” I said. “Should I ask to see your warrant?”

  “I don’t have a warrant,” he said. “If you’ve got nothing to hide I won’t need one.”

  “What’s this about Chief?” I asked.

  “Can I see your weapon, Breeze?” he asked. “Shook had a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson. Rominger seems to recall that’s what you were carrying.”

  “That’s the only handgun I have,” I said. “Not uncommon. I understand lots of cops carry the same thing.”

  “No one else on the mountain was carrying one,” he said. “No one else saw Shook shoot himself.”

  “Hell, I didn’t see him shoot himself,” I said. “We had him surrounded, but he was concealed.”

  “It’s possible that you were the one to shoot Shook,” he said. “That’s why I’m here.”

  “If you thought that was true you’d have backup with you,” I said. “You have Shook’s gun. It’s that simple. You don’t need mine.”

  “I checked,” he said. “You don’t have a forty caliber pistol registered in your name. Brody does though. I need to see your weapon to determine if it’s the same one registered to her.”

  It was not. Brody had her own weapon. She went through the background investigation and purchased it from a licensed firearm dealer. I hadn’t. I bought mine in a private sale, paying cash. That’s how I always operated. My conversation with the Chief was not going well, but what was his motive for harassing me? He had to know this was a wild goose chase. There was no way he could prove something that didn’t happen. My weapon hadn’t been fired recently. Shook’s had. There was a bullet somewhere that came from the dead man’s gun. I was completely in the clear, so I gave in and handed him my pistol, still in the case.

  “I bought it in a private sale,” I told the Chief. “Brody has her own.”

  “Let me see that one too,” he said. “Have you cleaned either weapon since yesterday?”

  “No, neither has been fired,” I said. “You’re welcome to check.”

  “I’ll be taking both of them with me,” he said. “I’ll let the experts decide.”

  “I’m going to have to object to that,” I said. “You’re leaving us unarmed.”

  “The weapons are potential evidence,” he said. “I can come back with a warrant in a few hours.”

  “This isn’t exactly the thank you that I expected,” I said. “You came to me for help, remember?”

  “I didn’t want you to kill the man,” he said. “But I should have known better. Your record isn’t exactly spotless.”

  “This is bullshit, and you know it,” I said. “Harassment pure and simple. I think it’s you that has something to hide.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. “But I’ll be leaving here with both weapons. I’d advise that you don’t impede my investigation.”

  I took his advice. I knew that no legitimate law enforcement agency would suspect me after they inspected our pistols. They were clean. Shook’s gun had been fired. That’s all there was to it.

  “Did you recover that bullet that killed him?” I asked.

  “It rattled around in the rocks so much that we couldn’t reconstruct it enough to match ballistics,” he said.

  “But you know that his gun had been recently fired,” I said.

  “Lots of shots fired yesterday,” he said. “No way to sort out the when or where of each one.”

  I almost blurted out that no one had fired a single shot except Shook until I remembered that I’d fired my rifle at a tree. I kept my mouth shut. The Chief hadn’t asked about my rifle. All I could do was let him leave with our pistols.

  Five

  My nap was ruined. So was whatever respect I had for the Chief. He knew I was innocent. He was giving me a hard time to keep me in line. I was a wildcard on the outskirts of his domain. He ran his little fiefdom down in Banner Elk with intimidation and scare tactics. He hoped I would fear him and not cause any further trouble. He didn’t know me very well.

  When Brody returned, I had to tell her of our sudden lack of handguns as a result of a visit from the Chief.

  “This is ridiculous,” she said. “They have the spent casing, and whatever was left of the bullet. They have the man’s gun. They have all they need to rule it a suicide.”

  “I started to tell you what Shook revealed about him,” I said. “His wife was banging the Chief. The police department was used as a tool to harass and intimidate him. That’s what drove him over the edge. Chief Hogan was responsible for the man’s actions and ultimate death, in my opinion.”

  “Now he’s taken our guns,” she said.

  “Temporarily, I hope.”

  “If we don’t get them back soon we need to get a lawyer,�
� she said. “Our rights are being violated.”

  “No doubt,” I said. “I’m just trying to figure out his motivation.”

  “He’s the big man on campus,” she said. “You’re a threat to that.”

  “He can be whatever he wants down in town,” I said. “But this is my mountain. He can’t dominate me up here.”

  “We have to get groceries somewhere,” she said. “He can make life miserable for us.”

  “If he persists I’ll take action,” I promised.

  “How?”

  “I don’t know yet,” I said. “It will have to be proportional to whatever he does to provoke me.”

  “Why is it that we constantly move from one crisis to the next?” she asked. “I know you didn’t ask for this, but can’t we just have some peace?”

  “I was taking a nap for crying out loud,” I said. “This shit isn’t my fault.”

  “Yesterday you were hunting a fugitive on behalf of the Chief,” she said. “He was quick to bow out, and now we know why. Shook wouldn’t have hesitated to shoot him or his men.”

  “Exactly.”

  Chief Hogan was a bad apple who’d infected the whole bushel in Banner Elk. I wondered what the State Police would have to say about him confiscating our weapons. I think the guys that were on the mountain would respect me. I couldn’t imagine any of them accusing me of killing our fugitive. Maybe I needed to get in touch with Rominger, at least let him know what was going on. I shelved the idea for the time being and helped Brody bring in the groceries.

  After dinner, I built a fire, and we sat together admiring the flames. It was good to finally get back to enjoying our home and being alone together in the woods. It was what we came here for. The cabin was perfect for us. It was a little on the rustic side, and not very big, but it was cozy and comfortable. The fireplace was more than adequate to heat the interior to a comfortable level. As transplanted Floridians, we needed the extra warmth. We hoped that our bodies would adjust as winter progressed.

  I’d gotten enough rest to adequately perform my husbandly duties that night, but I was deep asleep soon after. No dreams of dead people interfered with my rest. I was able to put the Chief out of my mind and fall off into Neverland for an extended period. It was just what I needed.