SUMMER OF EVIL
Page 13
Caller ID showed Mike was returning his calls.
“Mike, finally. I thought you might be out with Rita, but I can’t get a hold of Taylor or Kellie.”
He listened to Mike while punching the air.
“What if they found the evil Kellie mentioned? I’m not waiting any longer. I’m taking the dogs and going back to Lydia’s house and the monastery. I know if they are lost you have search dogs, but none of them will find them as quickly as Rufus and Penny. I’m leaving now.”
He hung up on Mike, opened the front door and called to Penny. She ran outside, and he used his extra key to open Kellie’s door and let Rufus out. The dogs jumped, barked, and ran in circles until they saw Hunter head for his car.
He called, “Road trip,” and both dogs bounded into the garage and his car.
Hunter sped toward Lydia’s property while Mike and Rita raced out of their house and headed in the same direction. Hunter didn’t see Taylor’s car in front of the house and made a U-turn and headed back toward the road that led to the monastery. He met Mike driving into the property.
He rolled his window down and called out to Mike, “Taylor’s car isn’t here. They might still be at the monastery.” He took off, and Mike followed.
“I knew it,” he said and hit the steering wheel when he saw Taylor’s car still parked in front of the monastery. By the time Mike pulled up, Hunter was out of the car and looked in Taylor’s trunk.
He looked up at Mike, “Both of their purses are in here and so is Taylor’s cell. They must have locked them in here before they went into the monastery. I don’t think they left for Lydia’s after we left them earlier. Something has happened.”
Mike nodded and noted, “The sun is setting, and we need to look for them. I’ll call in for a few officers to help after you and I check out the building. Rita can wait with the dogs.”
Rita sat in the front seat of Hunter’s car and talked to the dogs as she watched Mike and Hunter enter the monastery building. Ten minutes later she saw them return alone, and her heart began to pound. Her hands were shaking as she opened the car door.
“You didn’t find them, where are they?” She strode up to Mike. “You have to find them.” Her stomach flipped, and her head felt light. She grabbed his arm.
“I will. I’m calling in for a couple of officers to help us search.” He slipped his phone back into his pocket. “They’re on the way.”
Rita said, “Look at this place, how can we find them. It’s almost dark.” She grabbed Mike’s arm again. “Do something.”
Hunter said, “Rufus and Penny will find them.”
Before Mike could tell him not to let the dogs loose because they could get lost, Hunter opened the car door, and Rufus and Penny bounded out. They barked and ran into the field behind the monastery. Hunter followed.
Mike opened his trunk and pulled out two flashlights and a LED lantern. He handed one of the flashlights to Rita. “It’s going to be dark soon and you’ll need this. You should stay in our car. You aren’t dressed to search the fields or woods. Let the engine run and turn on the headlights. You’ll be safer. If anything makes you feel frightened just drive away. Call me, and you can pick me up later.” He kissed her and ran after Hunter.
Rita nodded with tears in her eyes. “Find them, please.”
#####
Taylor asked, “Are you sure we’re going the right way. It is dark in here, and I can’t see the path any longer.”
“I think so; let me see if my phone flashlight will help us find our way.” Kellie pulled out her cell and took a step forward. She stepped on twigs that snapped beneath her foot. She slipped on damp leaves, and fell dropping her phone.
Kellie cried out in pain. She and Taylor watched the light from her phone fade from its resting place in a puddle next to where Kellie sat.
“Taylor, I can’t move my left ankle. It hurts more than the last time I sprained it.” She rocked back and forth trying to rub her ankle, but her face grimaced.
Taylor dropped to her knees next to Kellie. “Do you think it’s broken? I don’t know how to get you out of here. I can’t see the path, and I think your phone is dead.”
Kellie pulled the phone out of the puddle, and it dripped water, but wouldn’t do anything else. “I think you’re right. If we could see the path, maybe I could hop.”
Kellie tried to get up, but let out a small yell and dropped back down. “It hurts too much. You’ll have to go alone.”
Taylor waved her hands frantically. “I can’t go. Even if I found my way out, there are no lights. How will I figure out where to get out of the field and find my car? Oh no, my car. My cell is in the trunk of my car.”
“It’s not supposed to rain tonight and it’s warm. We could wait until morning, but if we’re lucky Hunter will call Uncle Mike and they’ll find your car and maybe us.” She rubbed her shin hoping to ease a bit of the pain. She fought tears back refusing to let the pain win.
“Okay,” Taylor replied. “We wait here either for Hunter or morning. The ground is a bit damp, but it’s warm. I think we’ll be okay.” She reached out for Kellie’s hand. “I wish I could see better.”
“Me, too. Listen do you hear barking?” Kellie asked.
“Oh no, it can’t be wild dogs or hellhounds.” Taylor began to shudder.
“No, I recognize the bark. I think it is Rufus and the second bark…”
“That’s Penny,” Taylor exclaimed.
Taylor and Kellie began to call out the dog’s names. The barking grew louder.
In the filtered moonlight coming through the trees, a dark shape bounded toward them. Taylor screamed, and Kellie laughed as the shape jumped on top of her and knocked her down.
“Okay Rufus, calm down.”
A second shape followed, and Taylor laughed as Penny did her best to remove Taylor’s face with her tongue.
She pulled Penny away for a minute and said, “If the dogs are here, so is Hunter.”
Taylor began to call out Hunter’s name, and Penny and Rufus howled. Kellie laughed at the dogs and moaned in pain. After about ten minutes they heard Hunter and Mike calling out their names.
“They found us,” Kellie said. “Maybe I’ll get help with this pain. I can feel my ankle swelling.”
“Hang in there, I think they’ll find us soon,” Taylor said. She then began calling Hunter’s name as loud as she could.
“Kellie, look. Flashlights,” Taylor pointed, but Kellie couldn’t see where Taylor indicated. She did see the flashlights. In minutes, the lights were in front of them along with Hunter and Mike.
“Are you okay?” Mike assessed Kellie’s injury, called for an ambulance, called Rita to let her know they found the girls, and notified the officers to direct the paramedics into the woods.
Mike peppered Taylor and Kellie with questions until they heard the siren. “Looks like your ride is here,” Mike said.
“If you helped me hop, you could have taken me to the hospital. I don’t want to ride in another ambulance.” Kellie bit her lip and scowled at Mike, but he wasn’t paying attention. He was watching the searchlights draw closer.
Hunter led Taylor and Penny out of the woods. He insisted she hold the flashlight in front of her to be sure she didn’t fall. He walked behind her, and Penny followed. When they reached the field, Taylor walked as far as the small house and dropped down on one of the tree stumps.
“I’m staying here until I’m sure they bring Kellie out safely.” The flashlight bounced up and down on her leg along with her hand casting weird flashes of light on Adelaide’s house.
#####
Taylor watched the paramedics have a brief discussion with the officer standing at the edge of the field. They began to walk in the direction he pointed toward the second officer waving a flashlight.
They stopped for a moment and asked Taylor, “Do you need assistance?”
“No,” she said shaking her head. “The only person hurt is Kellie and she’s still in the woods.”
Both men carried emergency lanterns on their chests and found Kellie and Mike quickly. Kellie covered her eyes. The lanterns were bright in the dark of the woods.
One of the paramedics dropped to one knee. “I heard you injured your ankle.”
“Yes. I twisted it when I slipped on some twigs.” Kellie winced when the paramedic touched her ankle.
“I can’t tell if it’s broken or not. We’ll put it in a temporary inflatable cast to hold it in place until you can get it x-rayed at the hospital. We’ll carry you out to our van.”
“I can hop on one foot. No one needs to carry me.” Kellie said.
He smiled and said, “You could fall and get hurt, and then it would be my fault. You’re our responsibility, and we’re going to carry you. You could sign a release. Then I won’t place your ankle in the cast, and you can walk on your own. It’s a legal thing.” He smiled at her again.
“Fine,” she said crossing her arms.
“This may hurt a little,” the paramedic with the name Noles embroidered on his shirt said.
Kellie inhaled sharply, scrunched her eyebrows, and bit her lip. Catching her breath she said, “You call that a little? What do you consider a lot?”
“You don’t want to know. Ready for a ride?” He smiled again.
Kellie was annoyed by his happy demeanor. She was clearly in pain, and he kept smiling.
“Yes.” She mumbled.
The two paramedics lifted her onto a backboard and strapped her in place.
“I’m placing this strap under your arms so you can cover your face with your hands protecting it from low hanging branches.”
She glared at him.
“I could strap them down and cover your face with a blanket, but you might not be able to breathe. Which would you prefer?” He smiled again.
“I’m fine,” Kellie said.
Time seemed to stand still for Kellie as they slowly carried her through the woods. When they arrived in the field, she took a deep relaxing breath.
As they neared Adelaide’s house, Kellie could hear Taylor and her Aunt Rita. Once they knew she was okay and in good hands, Rita said, “Let’s go meet them at the hospital. Mike can get a ride with Hunter.”
As they transferred Kellie from the backboard to the gurney, she could see Noles clearly in the light from her Aunt Rita’s headlights. Their eyes locked for a moment, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Then she was being pushed into the ambulance, and he was sitting next to her. The doors slammed, and the ride to the E.R. began.
She looked at him and smiled.
“She smiles,” he said exaggerating his surprise in voice and movements.
“Yes, I know how to smile. Is Noles your name?” She asked looking into the deep blue pools he was using as eyes.
“All my life. Noles, Max Noles. How are you feeling?” He checked her blood pressure and pulse.
In the light of the ambulance, she noticed his hair was light blonde. It was a shade or two lighter than hers. “Are you related to Kyle Malone?”
“No, why do you ask?”
“You have the same hair and eyes.” She smiled at him again, and her mind wandered to running her hands through his hair.
“Knock it off, Kellie,” she thought. “He's nice because it’s his job. He’s so handsome. I wish Taylor were here.” She closed her eyes and concentrated on the ride to the hospital.
#####
The paramedics didn’t need their siren or excessive speed to transport Kellie. Taylor and Rita arrived shortly after she did.
While Kellie was being taken to an exam room, Rita was arguing with the admitting nurse that she be allowed to see her immediately.
Rita put her hands on her hip. “Her parents are dead and I’m her aunt. She needs family right now.”
“I’m sorry, but you and the young lady will have to wait. When Miss Conley gives permission, you can see her.”
Taylor strode up to the desk, “How long have you worked here?”
“I moved here three months ago. What does that matter?” The nurse set her pen down on the desk and stared at Taylor.
Taylor tapped her fingernails on the admitting desk. “I guess you don’t know who that is back there. It’s Kellie Conley Malone. Like in Malone Springs. I want to see my friend right now. Her mom used to be the head nurse here.”
The young nurse stared at Rita and Taylor her eyes wide and confused. She turned to find her supervisor when she walked up.
“Hello, Rita and Taylor. I know you’re both worried, but taking it out on Nurse Collins isn’t going to get Kellie back from x-ray any quicker. Please take a seat, and someone will call you as soon as she is back in the exam room.” She turned, said a few words to the young nurse, and headed back into the E.R.
Taylor walked back to the admitting desk and said, “I’m sorry. We were both stuck out in the woods. I’m worried, and I panicked.” She lowered her eyes. “I’ll wait over there.”
“Wait, if you were with her, are you okay? Did you get hurt?” She assessed Taylor with her eyes looking for visible injuries.
“No, I’m okay. Thanks for being so kind after the way I treated you.” Taylor smiled.
“It’s my job and I understand.” She smiled back.
Taylor dropped into a chair next to Rita and said, “One of these days they’ll ban me from this place.”
Rita laughed for the first time all evening. She patted Taylor’s hand. “You’ll be okay. You two are sisters-of-the-heart and will always be close.”
#####
Mike knew Kellie’s fall was an accident and nothing a police officer needed to handle. He sent the two officers on their way, looked at Hunter and said, “Rita left with Taylor in my car. I need to ride with you.”
Hunter laughed. “We’re lucky they left us a vehicle at all.”
They walked into the E.R. waiting room to find Rita and Taylor waiting impatiently.
“Hi, what’s going on?” Hunter asked.
“Nothing,” Taylor said sitting back and yanking down on her shirt. “We have to wait for Kellie to get back from x-ray.”
“That makes sense. You can’t go with her to x-ray.” He sat next to Taylor and Mike sat across from them.
“No, it isn’t fair. I’m her sister and Aunt Rita is her aunt. I hate waiting.”
“Patience, Taylor.” Hunter patted her hand.
She pulled it away.
A nurse no one had seen before walked out and said, “Taylor O’Neil?”
“That’s me,” Taylor said popping up from her chair.
“Miss Conley would like to see you.”
Taylor hurried with the nurse ignoring the others waiting.
#####
“Oh, good they found you,” Kellie said. She looked around the room. “Are we alone?”
“Yes, is something wrong?” She scrunched her eyebrows as she pulled a chair up next to Kellie. “Is your ankle broken?”
“I don’t know. I needed to talk to you.” Kellie smiled.
“About what. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I want to talk about Max Noles.” Her smile grew.
“Who is Max Noles?”
“The most gorgeous man I have ever met. He was the paramedic who took care of me and rode with me in the ambulance.” Kellie exhaled and sunk deeper into her pillow.
“What was so special…?”
“Hi, am I intruding?” Max Noles stuck his head in the doorway.
“No, just waiting for the doc to tell me if my ankle is sprained or broken.”
“My opinion is sprained,” he smiled.
“I hope you’re right,” Kellie smiled back.
Max pointed his thumb over his shoulder and said, “I have to get back in case we get a call. I just wanted to know if you wanted to get coffee sometime.”
&
nbsp; “Umm, yeah, that would be great. You need my number,” Kellie said.
He winked and said, “I snagged it off your info sheet. I’ll call you.” He turned on his heel and was gone.
Kellie murmured, “That’s Max Noles.”
Taylor’s mouth was still open, and she swallowed before she spoke. “You didn’t tell me he was a Greek god. You both have the same eye color and his hair is lighter than yours.”
“I asked him if he was related to Kyle and he said no, so we’re not related. He’s gorgeous and asked me out for coffee. My ankle doesn’t even hurt.”
Taylor stood and whispered to Kellie. “I believe you saw heaven. You saw your mom, and she said we were going to have babies. I think Max could be Mr. Right. He sure is Mr. Perfect. The two of you would have the most beautiful blonde haired blue eyed babies in the world.”
They were giggling when the doctor arrived.
He raised his eyebrows. “Am I needed here or did your sprain heal already?”
“Hello, doctor. No, it still hurts, but Taylor can make me laugh no matter what.” Kellie smiled at him.
“Laughter is good medicine, but so are rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Remember the word RICE and the sprain should feel better in three to six weeks. I also want you to use crutches. No pressure on it even in the shower. Use a shower chair and sit. The nurse will be in to wrap it for you. If you don’t feel some improvement in a week, call me, and you might need physical therapy, but I think you will heal well. Be careful, this is the second time you injured that ankle. Allow it to heal completely before jogging this time.” He jotted notes in his chart and looked over the top of it at Kellie.
“I will doctor; I promise.” She shrugged and gave him a small smile.
“Okay, after your ankle is wrapped, you’re free to leave. You have a group of people waiting for you I understand.” He nodded and left.
Kellie bit her lip and scrunched her eyebrows. “Umm Taylor, if I go out and have coffee with Max, will people think I’m horrid since Randy died a few months ago?”
“No. Everyone knows you and Randy were not going to get married or even engaged. The only person who might wonder is Mrs. Jensen, and she is grieving so she might feel this way a year from now. Life is short. We know that all too well. Try and find happiness if you can.”