Luis bent down to pick up his son. About to stretch out his hands he stopped himself. He took a moment to admire his son as he slept.
Luis felt a tinge of guilt. Having a baby in a tugboat, out in the middle of the ocean wasn’t exactly what you’d call responsible parenting.
He promised himself to take better care of his son after he loaded Ian and Megan’s body into the box before pushing it overboard.
****
The unfurling chain of the anchor as it dove to the depths brought Clarence out of his slumber. He’d done the forbidden by falling asleep. Blinking a few times to get his eyes unstuck, Clarence felt around the floor of the metal box for his .45 caliber pistol. Clarence thought he was lucky for not having been discovered.
****
Luis had no idea he was being watched. He turned from his son to reach for the diaper bag to get a bottle of milk. The way his son was moving and stretching his limbs was the little fella’s preamble before he woke up wailing for breakfast. Luis would be ready.
Luis was standing up with his son in his arms when the cries for food began.
Luis smiled as he put the nipple of the bottle in his son’s mouth. “Okay buddy here you go. Let’s try and make this quick. Daddy’s got work to do.”
****
Clarence watched as Luis fed the baby from a bottle he got from the diaper bag.
Luis looked to be completely unaware of his surroundings.
Clarence’s stomach was crying for food and his brain was screaming for coffee. He had to put those things on hold because he couldn’t get them out in the middle of the ocean and he had something more pressing that needed his attention.
The fact that Luis was feeding the baby was an advantage he had to use. Clarence got up on his elbow and pushed on the lid of the box with the same hand he was using to hold onto the .45. As he did he kept his eyes on Luis through the holes in the box. The lid moved up unhindered. He was glad the Hasp Latch hadn’t caught. Clarence braced his legs before shot up; the metal lid of the box banging against the cabin wall behind it.
****
Luis held his mouth open as he hugged his son to his chest, unable to contain his surprise. Staring back at him was a tall white man with a disheveled mass of flaming red hair and a bushy beard of the same color. The man with the deep set green eyes was unfamiliar to Luis.
“Don’t fucking move. You just keep feeding that baby.” Clarence ignored the pins and needles crawling up and down his left leg.
He leaned against the open lid of the box to keep his balance. Standing up fast like he did, made him dizzy as the blood fluctuated throughout his body.
“Are they still alive?” Clarence asked, not knowing what if anything he’d missed while he slept.
Luis smirked before he looked down at his son. “Who are and what are you doing on my boat?”
“I asked you a question. Are they still alive?”
“What are you talking about?” Luis keep his eyes on his son.
“You got Megan and Ian in those fucking bags you sick fuck.”
Luis couldn’t hide his rage as he clenched his teeth, the muscles on his jaw contracting.
Clarence stepped out of the box. “Is he yours? Did you rape Megan?”
Luis lifted his chin in the air defiantly as he curled his lip in a grin.
“You sonofabitch, if you weren’t holding that baby I’d crack you over the head with this pistol.”
Ian and Megan started moving around in the bags.
“They’re still alive.” Clarence said almost to himself.
“Were you going to kill them before you put them in the box?”
“I was going to put them in the box alive before pushing it overboard.” Luis lifted his chin the air. He looked down his nose at Clarence. “Let them die on the way down to the ocean floor.”
“Move out of the cabin, you sick fuck.” Clarence kept his pistol aimed at Luis.
Luis sauntered out of the cabin.
Clarence moved his body so that his center was in line with Luis’s center. Just in case he had to shoot.
Luis stood right outside the entrance to the cabin. He kept his eyes on Clarence.
Clarence bent down and unzipped the canvas bag where Ian was.
Ian looked at Clarence with fear in his eyes. As far as he was concerned this old man with the wild red beard was Luis’s accomplice.
“Relax son, I’m here to help. I knew Tom, you’re daddy. I’m a friend.”
Ian looked from Clarence to the cabin around him trying to get a sense of where he was. He wondered where Luis was. Maybe, this man had saved them and he was in some safe place along with his mother.
“Everything is going to be fine, don’t worry.” Clarence put a hand on Ian’s shoulder before he moved over to the bag where Megan was.
Clarence undid the zipper to reveal Megan’s face. She let out a whimper when her face was visible; her eyes wide with fear. She was expecting to see Luis instead she found herself looking into a familiar face.
“It’s been a long time, but, you haven’t changed much.” Clarence smiled.
The scared look on Megan’s face gave way to tears of joy as she recognized Clarence. She’d seen him during her trips up to Sparrow Lake when Tom was courting her years ago.
“Sorry to interrupt, but, may I burp my son?” Luis looked at Clarence with a grin on his face.
“Put the bottle on the floor and go about your business right where you stand.” Clarence said.
Luis bent down to put the empty milk bottle on the deck. He stood up and began patting his son on the back. He looked at Clarence in the eyes to let him know he wasn’t scared in the least.
Clarence looked down at Megan again as he pulled the zipper the rest of the way down. Megan was wearing a gray nightgown. Her hands were tied in front of her. Clarence undid the rope around her wrists. Clarence helped her sit up. Megan took in a deep breath.
Clarence held onto a corner of the duct tape over her mouth. “I’m going to do this fast. It may hurt a little.”
Megan grimaced as Clarence pulled on the tape. It felt as if the skin on her lips had been ripped off.
Megan turned at the waist and put her arms around Clarence’s neck. She hugged him with such force that he felt the nerves on the back of his neck protest.
Clarence kept his eyes on Luis as Megan hugged him.
“Okay, okay, I know you’re feeling relief, but, we need to get you and Ian off this boat.”
“Ian?” Megan looked around for her son.
“Ian is safe. He’s right next to you. Clarence smiled at Megan. “Untie the rope around your ankles then help Ian get free.”
Clarence stood up.
“I think you should let me and my son into the cabin. It’s not quite summer yet. My son might get sick.”
“You stand right there.” Clarence pointed his .45 at Luis.
Megan was oblivious to Luis’s presence until she heard his voice. She stopped untying her son and ran full hilt out of the cabin toward Luis.
“Megan, no.” Clarence made a grab for her, but, missed.
Luis turned his back on Megan seeing as she was lunging for him with hands outstretched, her fingers bent like claws ready to tear at his flesh.
Megan enveloped Luis’s face with both her hands from behind.
Luis closed his eyes when he felt Megan’s hands on him. He gritted his teeth as she raked her nails across his face.
Megan pummeled his back with her fists.
Luis hunched his back to protect his son. Turning his head he saw Clarence coming through the cabin doorway.
“Megan, step away from him.” Clarence warned.
Using an underhanded throw, Luis tossed his son overboard.
Clarence couldn’t believe what he just saw even as the baby hit the water with a splash.
“Oh my God.” Megan yelled out as she jumped into the water.
“Mom.” Ian screamed from inside the cabin of the tugboat. He had finished
untying himself.
Ian ran for the door.
Clarence turned to look at Ian then back at Luis. He knew Luis was trying to divide them so he could strike.
In one swift motion Clarence lifted his .45 and shot Luis in the leg.
“Agh.” Luis grunted as he grabbed at his leg. He limped to the hull near the stern and sat down.
“You don’t fuck around, do you old man.” Luis said.
Clarence blocked the entrance to the cabin with his body. He wanted to keep Ian away from Luis. He was still dangerous even though he had a leg wound.
“Calm down son. Listen to me. It’s a ploy. He wants to get the upper hand by breaking us up.” Clarence stood firm as Ian tried to get passed him.
Megan went for her baby without a second thought. He landed about five feet from the boat. Thanks to the bradycardia response he was flailing in the water, making him seem like he was swimming as he held his breath.
Megan swam to him after she jumped in the water. She lifted him out of the water as she kicked her legs in the water to keep herself afloat. Her son coughed a few times before he broke out crying.
Megan brought him close to her left side putting his face against hers. She held his head above water with her left hand. Kicking her feet with all her might and using her right arm she swam as best she could. At first it felt like she wasn’t moving before she gained momentum reaching the side of the boat.
“I’m here. Help me. I’m here.” Megan used her legs and her free arm to tread water.
“Ian, your mother needs help. Now settle down.”
Clarence felt Ian stop his struggling. His breath coming ragged. He stepped away from the doorway to look at Ian. He kept an arm up just in case he lunged for Luis again.
“Help me.” Megan called out again.
“Ian, your mother needs you. Are you calm?” Clarence spoke in a low voice.
Ian looked nodded his head.
Clarence allowed Ian to pass.
Ian quickly went to the side of the boat and looked over the side.
“Grab the baby, honey.” Megan sounded out of breath.
Ian scooped up the baby and set him on the deck of the boat. He turned to help his mother out of the water.
Luis watched the scene unfolding before his eyes. As soon as Ian turned to help his mother Luis shot his body forward reaching for his son.
Clarence aimed his pistol, but, didn’t take the shot for fear that he would hit the baby. Luis quickly got to his son and took him in his arms; leaning against the hull again.
Ian pulled his mother out of the water and into the boat.
“No!” Megan yelled when she saw Luis with the baby in his arms.
She was about to lunge for him when Luis put a hand across the baby’s face.
“I’ll snap his neck just like I threw him in the water. You won’t save him this time. Try me. Go ahead.”
Ian grabbed his mother by the waist.
Megan listen to him. “We’ll work this out.” Clarence said.
Megan slumped to the ground, Ian following her, not letting go of her as she wailed.
“What are you trying to accomplish? I can easily shoot you in the head, put your corpse in that box then throw you overboard.”
“Do it, Clarence. Please.” Megan cried out.
“Yeah Clarence, come on, right here.” Luis touched the middle of his forehead with a finger as he smiled.
“Shoot him.” Megan yelled.
Clarence lifted his pistol.
“I’ll break his neck.” Luis yelled as he looked at Clarence with eyes devoid of fear.
Clarence gritted his teeth before he lowered his weapon. He couldn’t risk the baby’s life.
“Somebody get me the diaper bag. I need to change my son out of these wet clothes.” Luis said out loud.
“Ian. Please get it for him.” Clarence kept his tone neutral. He didn’t want to come off boss like.
Ian looked at Clarence then at Luis. He didn’t want to get the diaper bag. His half-brother, although, he preferred not to think of him as such was keeping him from going home.
Megan spit Luis in the face as Ian went to fetch the diaper bag.
“You make me sick.” Megan crawled to the other side of the boat across from Luis and sat up against the hull.
****
Luis changed his son’s diaper and his clothes. Good thing he had packed extra. He mentally patted himself on the back. He was getting the hang of being a father.
Luis cradled his son in his arms after he changed him. He put his mouth close to his son’s ear to whisper to him. “Sorry, about throwing you into the water. I knew one of them would jump in after you. Besides, I was trying to set things up so it’d be just the two of us. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for those you love.”
Megan and Clarence watched Luis as he whispered something to the baby, the both of them thinking he was crazy.
Luis took a sideways glance at the diaper bag at his side. From where he sat he could see a portion of the shiny steel of his Redhawk Alaskan sitting at the bottom of the diaper bag.
He had to wait for the right moment to pull it from his bag so he could blast away at Clarence. The old man wouldn’t take his eyes off of him. Luis didn’t know that a cop’s number one rule was to never take his eyes away from his perp.
He thought his only chance to get the upper hand on Clarence was to loosen him up with conversation.
“So tell me Clarence, how did you find me?” Luis shrugged his shoulders and looked around as if to signal the wide expanse of the ocean. “Come on, tell me.”
Clarence studied Luis. He kept the 1911 at waist level pointed at him.
“From the looks of things you planned well, but, you didn’t count on Orange County having video surveillance that includes the vicinity of Sparrow Lake. My longtime lady friend, Madeline Simmons works the night shift at the OCVS.”
Luis looked confused.
“OCVS stands for Orange County Surveillance Center. I worked off the knowledge that Russell, Susie and Tom were nowhere to be found, I had her look for the possibility of the same vehicle or person near Kats, the road leading to Tom’s cabin and the roads near Sparrow Lake.”
“Why would she do something like that for you? Isn’t that illegal?”
“Not when you’re the Orange County Chief of Police. Well I was at the time. I’m retired now.”
“I see.” Luis laughed. “Now I know why you didn’t shoot to kill. You’re used to doing right by the law. That’s the bad part about following protocol all the time. You can’t take the kill shot even when it would be in your best interest.”
Clarence felt the weight of Luis’s words. Being in the middle of the ocean gave Clarence the opportunity to kill Luis with no one the wiser. Yet, Clarence had to do the right thing and come up with a solution that would work for all involved. He couldn’t just kill Luis in cold blood.
“Getting back to how I found you. After a few hours Madeline had a copy of the different video feeds showing a white cargo van at the exact locations I had given her. Madeline also had a still picture of the driver and the van’s license plate.” Clarence smiled when he noticed the muscles on Luis’s jaw tense.
“Madeline showed me the video of what she had on her computer. She had bookmarked one video feed in particular. The one showing Russell coming out of the woods and onto the road further down from Otters Nook. He flagged down a white van. A figure stepped out from the van and followed Russell into the woods, after getting a pair of bolt cutters from the back of his van. The man on the video was you; Luis Concepcion. The very same man I’ve been watching for the last ten months. The white van is tucked away in your garage. I don’t understand why you never got rid of it.”
“I was a few months shy of retirement when Russell, Susie and Tom went missing. While I was still the acting Police Chief of Orange County I went to have a look of what was left of Tom’s cabin. I scoured around for a while before I found the darkened cast iron
ring to the trapdoor. It took me some time to find it because the cabin had burned to the ground on top of it.”
“I lifted the trapdoor and found the recently done basement. I looked at the three sets of chains on the wall and I figured you had carried out some kind of vile act against Tom and his family. I already knew they were missing. Using a contact I have in the NYPD I learned Megan and Ian had been reported missing by Megan’s mom Dorothy, who had also reported her younger daughter Sheila, missing months before. ”
Luis shifted his weight, his movement was sudden.
With lighting fast reflexes Clarence took a combat stance as he pointed the .45 at Luis with both hands.
“Move like that again and I swear I’ll put a bullet in your other leg.”
Luis didn’t respond. He showed no emotion. He was sure Clarence wouldn’t shoot while he was holding onto his son.
Clarence could tell Luis wasn’t scared. He had to be ready at all times. He couldn’t afford to slip up. Clarence knew that a man like Luis would take advantage of the slightest mistake.
Clarence relaxed from his stance; putting his pistol back at waist level and pointed at Luis.
“Seeing you go into the woods of Sparrow Lake with Russell and coming out alone wasn’t what cinched it for me. It’s what you left at the bottom of Sparrow Lake that made everything clear. Not seeing Russell come out of the woods made it obvious that you disposed of his body. Going with my gut feeling I figured you used the lake to hide his body and I was right. Only I didn’t expect to find four bodies.”
“On further studying the videos I saw Susie make her way into the woods with a shotgun after she parked her car on the shoulder of the road. She didn’t make out of the woods either.”
“I was just a few months away from retirement when you killed Tom, Sheila, Russell and Susie. However, I didn’t find them until after my pension kicked in. I was hoping to find them before I retired, but, it didn’t work out that way. It wouldn’t have worked in my favor to reveal what I’d found at the bottom of Sparrow Lake after I retired? I kept looking because I just knew they were there somewhere. I didn’t come forward when I did find them because a retired Police Chief has no business doing police work. There’s chain of command and things of that nature that has to be followed. I bought a new lock for the metal box you left at the bottom of Sparrow Lake. I secured it and left the key in the lock just in case the Orange County Police figures out what happened. I doubt that they will. Those boys are looking to slide their way to retirement.”
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