SUMMER OF EVIL

by Marianne Spitzer

“I also think about Max’s blue eyes,” Kellie added. “I wonder if he thinks I’m ignoring him. We had a connection, I could feel it.” She sighed.

  “Okay, I’ll lay here and think about Hunter. You dream about Max. I’m sure we’re on the news and Max has heard about it. He also rubs elbows with the police. I know they’re talking about us.”

  “I hope you’re right. Good night,” Kellie whispered.

  Kellie could hear Taylor’s quiet cry, and she did her best to relax and fall asleep hoping Taylor would soon sleep, too.

  #####

  Hunter poured food and water into Rufus and Penny’s bowls. He walked around the kitchen table three times punching the wall each time he passed. The last time he noticed blood on the wall. He glanced at his hand and muttered, “Damn.”

  He rinsed off his hand and wrapped a sheet of paper towel around it.

  His fist doubled again but there was nothing to hit that would make him feel better. He grabbed his cell and punched in Mike’s number.

  “Mike before you say anything and try to tell me everyone is doing all they can, please listen to me. It has been over ten days. Statistics say after three days the odds of their being alive drop. Be honest with me. You think they’re dead which is why no one has found any clues.” He yanked out a kitchen chair and sat down. Rufus and Penny ran to him, and each put a head on a knee.

  Hunter listened patiently and was tired of being polite. “I’m sorry Mike, but the police aren’t doing a damn thing to help me here. I’m going to offer a reward and hire a Private Investigator. Why? Give me one good reason to wait another forty-eight or even twenty-four hours. What can you do in that amount of time that you haven’t already done?” He pushed the red cancel button and set the phone on the table.

  He lifted the lid of his laptop and powered it on. He stared out the window at the setting sun until the beep drew him back to the screen. He logged on and searched for Private Investigations Malone Springs.

  The search engine produced four possibilities. Two were in Oaklin and two in Malone Springs. One had a twenty-four hour number. He read over the man’s credentials and decided he might be a good choice. He picked up his cell and the doorbell rang.

  “Who the hell is here now?” He stood, slammed the chair under the table, strode to the door, pulled it open, and yelled, “What.”

  His parents and Mike stood on the porch. Hunter dropped his head and unlocked the screen door. He turned and walked back into the kitchen to retrieve his phone. He closed the lid on the laptop before his parents and Mike could see the screen.

  Mrs. O’Neil walked up to Hunter and hugged him. “I know you’re worried son, but don’t do anything rash. Detective Stellion told us what you wanted to do could put them both in more danger. It might make Wills Berner do something drastic.”

  Hunter pulled out a kitchen chair again and sat. He had fought tears for so long he couldn’t stop them. He brushed them away as quickly as they fell and looked at his mom.

  “I can’t just go to work, come home, feed the dogs, and sit here, Mom. I need to feel as if I’m helping.” He stood and walked to the counter. He placed his hands palm down on the counter, closed his eyes, and counted to himself. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out. Turning, he knew he would face three people who would try and stop him from hiring anyone.

  Hunter motioned toward the living room, and everyone sat down.

  He quietly listened to Mike’s reasons and with gentle prodding from his mom and some harsh words from his dad; he agreed to wait. When they had his promise, the three left him alone with his worries and thoughts.

  Hunter walked back into the kitchen and opened the laptop. He copied the investigator's name and number down and slipped the paper into his wallet. He decided to give Mike until after work the following day.

  “Nineteen hours is long enough for me to give him,” he muttered.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Taylor rolled over and immediately woke when she felt the tug where her leg was connected to Kellie’s.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake us both.”

  “That’s okay,” Kellie whispered. “I prefer to be awake before Wills. I never know what he’ll do if we’re still asleep.”

  Taylor’s heart began to race when she thought of another day with Wills and knowing this could be the day she might die. She turned her face away from Kellie to hide her tears. The sun was just beginning to rise, and a thin strip of light filtered through around the battered window shade. Something under the couch caught her eye.

  “Kellie,” she said her voice barely above a whisper. “I think I see a razor blade under the couch.”

  “Could we be so fortunate? Are you able to reach it?”

  “I think so.” Taylor’s hands moved together to slide under the couch. “I can’t reach it; move over a little with me.” Kellie scooted her body closer and Taylor reached further under the couch. Her fingers touched the rusty piece of metal. “I almost have it.” She pressed her shoulder against the couch ignoring the pain and pulled the piece of metal closer with the tip of her fingernail. Her fingers reached it and she picked it up.

  Pulling it out, she said, “I got it, but I don’t think it will help. It’s old and broken in half.”

  Kellie sat up and took the razor blade from Taylor. “Pray this works.”

  She began to saw at the zip-ties that connected her ankle to Taylor’s. After a few minutes and a deep cut to her finger, Kellie sliced through the plastic on the first tie. Ignoring the blood, she ripped at the second zip tie until it broke.

  Taylor’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle an excited squeal. Their legs were free from each other’s.

  “Now what?” She asked.

  “Now we’re going to get Wills. He should be awake soon, and he always walks out here to check on us. I’m going to stand just around the kitchen entrance and get him when he turns his back.”

  “How? He’ll grab you and strangle you. Remember he likes to strangle girls.”

  Kellie shrugged. “Just shove my pillow under the blanket as best as you can to make it look like I’m still under there.”

  Taylor nodded and watched Kellie push herself to her feet and stand. The chain around her ankles made noise if they dragged on the floor. She did her best to keep them taut and waddled to her position in the kitchen. She had stood silently in the same spot for nearly a half-hour before she heard Wills stir.

  Wills stumbled into the living room wiping sleep from his eyes with his left hand. His right was holding his gun.

  Taylor was shaking. She struggled to control her breathing and fight her tears. Her thoughts repeating the same words over and over—“please God.”

  Wills stopped with his back to the kitchen entry. “Hey, get up it is morning.”

  His brow wrinkled and his lower lip protruded when he looked at the sleeping bag. “What the…”

  Before he could finish, Kellie took a half step forward and threw her arms up and over Wills’ shoulders. The chain hung in front of him for only a second. Kellie crossed her arms and pulled them back to her.

  The gun flew from his hands as he clutched at the chain around his neck. Taylor crawled to retrieve the gun.

  Wills struggled with Kellie. Taylor aimed the gun at Wills’ leg and fired. He crumbled to the floor with Kellie still holding a death grip on the chain.

  When Kellie was sure Wills was unconscious, she released the chain and fished his car keys from his pocket. She stood, grabbed Taylor’s arm and said, “Let’s go.”

  They hobbled to the front door. The shrill alarm from the small device Wills had attached echoed in the house, but they ignored it as they ran to the car.

  Taylor handed the gun to Kellie. “Take this. I can’t believe I shot someone, not even Wills.”

  Kellie took the gun and handed her the keys. “Okay, but you drive, and I’ll keep guard. Hurry, Taylor, Wills is getting up. Taylor hit the unlock button and opened the driver’s side door while Kellie kept watch.
Taylor’s head jerked toward the cabin when she heard three rapidly fired shots.

  Kellie ran and jumped in the car. “Drive now. He was heading toward the door. I fired, but it was dark in there. I don’t know if I hit him.”

  Taylor raced the car down the drive and turned onto the highway heading for what they hoped was civilization.

  #####

  Wills lay on the cabin floor cursing to himself. “I can’t believe those brats both shot me.” His left leg was bleeding, and he tore his shirt to make a tourniquet. His right shoulder hurt, but a quick check let him know it would be okay. He pushed himself up onto his right leg and hopped to the back door. With each hop, he swore. “I’ll get them and kill them slowly for what they did to me.”

  He managed to hop down the path behind the cabin to the lake where he had hidden a stolen motorboat. It took most of his strength to push the boat far enough into the water. Pulling himself into it, he started the motor and moved out into the lake.

  “I’ll go to the other side of the lake and hide out until I heal. If I push it back into the lake and let the motor carry it to wherever it wants, they’ll think I drowned.” His laughter caused the lake birds to take flight. It also caused him to feel a pain in his head. Reaching up to rub the bump he must have gotten when Kellie and he fell to the floor he discovered his hand was full of blood. “Damn her, she shot me in the head.” Wills’ world went black.

  #####

  Kellie watched the trees fly past faster with each minute. She glanced at the speedometer and saw that Taylor was speeding along at near 70mph.

  “Slow down, Taylor. We’re free, and Wills is back at the cabin.”

  “What if he got out? He could have another car. What if he’s following us?” Her fingers were white where she gripped the wheel.

  The sun had risen and was casting shadows of trees on the road. They blended into each other as Taylor moved along the highway.

  Kellie said, “Taylor, he’s not here. You’ll get us killed. If he shows up, I’ll shoot him again.”

  “Okay, Taylor sighed. “She braked slowly until the car was doing the speed limit of 45mph.

  After five minutes of driving at the speed limit and not seeing a car behind them, Taylor began to relax. A few minutes later, Kellie spotted a squad car approaching from the opposite direction.

  “Taylor, flash your lights and stop. That’s a police car.”

  Taylor turned on the four-way flashers and pulled to a stop. She pushed the window button and it lowered. When she saw the sheriff deputy’s car stop across the road, Taylor burst into tears.

  Kellie dropped the gun to the floor.

  A female deputy walked across the road and said, “Good morning ladies, can I help you?” Her smile disappeared when she saw Kellie and Taylor shackled with zip-ties and chain.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “No, we were kidnapped. We just escaped,” Taylor said.

  The deputy called for backup and medical aid.

  She returned from her vehicle with a small pair of scissors. Within minutes, she cut the ties from their wrists and ankles while asking questions.

  Kellie blurted, “Taylor shot him in the leg, and as we tried to run away he began to come after us, and I shot at him three times. I might have killed him. The gun is on the floor by my feet.” The deputy reached in the car and bagged the gun.

  They heard sirens in the distance. A second sheriff’s deputy, a small ambulance, and a volunteer firefighter pulled up.

  Taylor explained where she had pulled out onto the highway the best she could. “I don’t know where he held us. I was speeding down this road for maybe 10 minutes then slowed a little before we saw you.”

  The deputy nodded. She said, “There are only a handful of abandoned shacks out this way. We’ll find it. This is Glenn. Since you don’t appear to need an ambulance, he’ll take you to our town clinic, and we’ll see if we can find the cabin. Sheriff Kolnik will meet you there.”

  Kellie asked, “Where are we?”

  The deputy answered, “About four miles from the state line as the crow flies.”

  “What state?” Taylor asked. “We were in his trunk for at least six hours.”

  “Minnesota’s just down the road. Mercy me, you traveled kitty-corner across the state in a car trunk.” She cupped her chin in her hand and added, “I’m surprised you aren’t hurt worse than you are.” She smiled and walked back to the car.

  Glenn asked, “Are you able to walk?”

  Kellie and Taylor nodded and followed Glenn to his truck.

  The drive to the clinic took less than ten minutes. Glenn walked Kellie and Taylor in the front door, made sure the receptionist knew they were there, tipped his baseball cap, smiled, and left.

  “Thank you,” they both called out.

  A nurse in blue scrubs walked out. “Hi, I’m Karen. Follow me, and I’ll get the doc to check you out.”

  Karen opened the door to what appeared to be a fully functional operating room. “Sorry, we only have one exam room and one trauma room. Doc is using the exam room.”

  Taylor said, “That’s okay, we’re closer than sisters. We can share. We’ve been tied together for nearly two weeks.”

  Kellie added, “We’re just happy to be free and alive.”

  Karen jotted down their general health information, allergy and medications. “Let’s look at those wrists and ankles. They don’t look too bad. We’ll bandage them, but your finger will need a couple of stitches. Did he hurt you?”

  “No,” Kellie said, “I cut it on a rusty razor blade Taylor found, and I used to cut off the zip ties.”

  “When was your last tetanus shot?”

  Kellie shook her head. “I know I had one with all my pre-college shots.”

  “Since the blade was rusty, doc will most likely order one.” She looked at Kellie. “One last question. Were either of you assaulted?”

  Both young women shook their heads.

  “That’s a blessing,” Karen said. “Doc will be in soon.”

  “I want to call my husband,” Taylor mumbled through more tears.

  “Sheriff’s on the way to talk to both of you once the doc examines you. The deputy called in your names and what happened. I’m sure the sheriff called your local authorities.”

  “That means Uncle Mike knows,” Taylor said. “He’ll call Hunter and my mom.” She hugged Kellie.

  #####

  Hunter hung up the phone and let out a whoop that made Penny bark and Rufus howl. “They’re okay and we’re going to get them. Thank you, God.”

  He pulled on jeans, a polo shirt, and his running shoes. Walking downs stairs, he filled the dog’s bowls with food and water and grabbed a breakfast bar from the box on the counter. On his way out the door to wait for Mike, he called Taylor’s parents.

  “Yes, they’re both safe. Mike said he got a call from the sheriff’s department up north a few miles from the Minnesota state line. Yes, they were that far away. It would be a long drive, but Mike’s arranged for us to get a flight from Oaklin County Field to an airstrip close to where they are now. I don’t know more than that. I’ll call when I know more.”

  He was relaying the same message to his dad when Mike’s car pulled up. “Gotta go, Dad. Do me a favor and call Cole. I know Andrea has been worried sick. Thanks. I will.”

  He phoned Peter from Mike’s car on the way to the airstrip.

  As they pulled into the airstrip parking area, Hunter remembered to call Becky and Kyle.

  Becky squealed with delight. “Kyle’s out in the field, I’ll let him know right away. Give them my love.”

  Hunter climbed out of the car and forced himself not to run toward the waiting plane.

  #####

  The door opened, and a tall, thin man with gray hair walked in the room. “Hello, I’m Doc Plummer. Let’s see those injuries.” He examined Taylor’s wrists and ankles. “Do you have any other injuries?”

  Taylor answered, “No.”

  “G
ood, good,” the doctor said. “Karen will clean and bandage your wounds. They aren’t deep, but you did lose some skin, and there are a few small cuts that will heal on their own. See your personal physician when you get home.”

  He turned to Kellie. “Your injuries are similar to Taylor’s and I’ll give you the same advice. I’m going to put two stitches in your finger. It won’t hurt, but the numbing shot will pinch a little.”

  Kellie winced, and her fingertip went numb. “As Doc Plummer placed the two stitches in her finger he said, “You’re also going to need a tetanus shot and Karen will bring you each a broad spectrum anti-biotic to ward off any infection that may have started. I’m assuming you’ll be heading home today, and your personal doctor can give you a prescription. If you find that the sheriff needs you in town longer, call the clinic day or night, and we’ll get you a prescription filled. Any questions?”

  Both young women said, “No, thank you” at the same time.

  The doctor smiled, “Good luck to you both and stay well.”

  He left, and Karen returned with a syringe and two small white paper cups holding one pill each. She handed them each the pill cup and gave them each a glass of water. She looked at Kellie and asked, “Are you right or left handed?”

  “Right.”

  “Okay, then I’ll give you the shot in your left arm; it may get a bit sore.”

  Kellie braced for the injection, but it didn’t hurt.

  Karen smiled at them and said, “If you’re ready, the sheriff is in the waiting room. He’ll take you to the station for whatever it is he does. If you need Doc, don’t hesitate to call. He’s on call twenty-four seven as long as he’s in town.”

  Kellie and Taylor lowered themselves off the exam table and followed Karen out the door.

  “Thanks,” they waved as they headed for the waiting room.

  #####

  Hunter gripped his knees as the plane taxied to the runway and began its liftoff.

  “Are you sure they’re okay?” His eyes held the worry he had been dealing with for days.

  “Yes, according to the local sheriff’s office, they’re both okay. They have a few minor injuries, but nothing life threatening or that will cause them to need hospitalization.” He patted Hunter on the arm. “Relax, the worst is over.”