Stranded at Romson's Lodge

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Stranded at Romson's Lodge Page 4

by J. L. Callison


  James laughed. “Jeff doesn’t think any civilian knows how to make good coffee. If it isn’t Navy style, it isn’t any good. I can’t argue, though. I learned to like Navy coffee when I was on the boats as a Marine. Seems like a different lifetime, though.”

  “You gotta put a little pinch of salt in it,” said the chief. He answered the phone before it finished its first ring. “What do you have? Um-hmm. Okay, thanks.”

  As Chief Washington hung up the phone, he said, “Diane said a car was picked up by the school just before eleven yesterday morning, registered to a Pete Richardson.”

  James visibly paled at the name. “Pete is our company pilot. Jed would have picked him up without question.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “I hope not, but I’m not sure. Pete was in to see me yesterday, wanting to borrow quite a large chunk of money. I refused to loan the money to him. I hope he didn’t do something stupid.”

  The chief nodded solemnly. “At this time, there is really nothing I can do officially, but I will pass the word to the force to keep an eye out. We can file the missing person reports later this afternoon if you don’t find them.” He took a business card from the holder on his desk and wrote a number on it. “This is my direct line. You know my home number. I want you to let me know whatever you find out just as soon as you know anything. Any time, day or night, do you hear me? I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night. You know how highly we think of Jed.”

  “Got it, Jeff. Thank you so much for your time.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Jed showed Lizzie how to light the cookstove. She was nervous, having never used anything other than the gas range at home. The biggest problem with the stove was it could not be turned off like a gas stove, so it stayed on and put out a lot of heat all the time. In the winter, heat was a good thing, but in the summer it could get quite hot in the kitchen. This model included a hot water tank, so heating water wasn’t as much of a chore. They just had to be careful not to let it run dry.

  “Come outside with me, and I’ll show you another fireplace for cooking. We use it in the summer to keep the cabin cool.” Jed led her outside to a brick fireplace, built much like the wood stove, but without the hot water tank. “It has a brick oven attached so we can bake or roast without roasting ourselves.” The best Jed could get from her was a wan smile.

  “Over here is a fire pit we use when we want to sit around a fire at night. We also use the spit to roast large pieces of meat. I think I’ll build a rack instead though to smoke and dry meat and fish when we get more than we will eat. We can make jerky, too. I know dried meat isn’t the most exciting thing, but there will be times we need it, and we can’t refrigerate anything.”

  “How do you make jerky? I’ve had beef jerky a few times, and I liked it.” Lizzie showed her first spark of interest, fleeting though it was.

  “Wait until I get a deer and I’ll show you. It’s not that hard. It just takes time.” Jed could tell Lizzie was trying hard to keep up a good attitude, but it was clear she was out of her depth.

  He led the way around the cabin to a built-on lean-to storage area where two canoes were stored along with fishing gear and tackle. In the back sat several boxes of clothing.

  “Most of these will be too big for you, and some of them will be too hot to wear during the day in the summer, but they might be good for evenings and mornings. We’ll just take them inside, and you can go through them and see what you can use. I’ll probably need a few things, too, although I have some stuff I leave up here. Come to think of it, I’ll bet I’ve outgrown them. Some of those might fit you.”

  They carried the boxes into the cabin and dropped them on an empty bunk. Jed said, “We can check these out later. Let me show you around the area while it is nice out.”

  Lizzie dropped into a deerskin-bound chair and buried her face in her hands. “I don’t think I can do this, Jed. I’m not cut out to be a Swiss Family Robinson character. I’m not an outdoorsy type of girl. This is all well and good for you, but you grew up with this stuff. I don’t have any idea what I’m doing.” Her voice was muffled by her hands, but her words weren’t what disturbed Jed the most. He was concerned about her defeated attitude.

  “Come on, Lizzie. It’s not that bad. We can do this if we do it together. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. What other choice do we have?”

  Obviously, that was the wrong question, for it set off a fresh round of tears and sobs. Jed sighed with frustration.

  CHAPTER 14

  Charles Sitton parked his car by the hangar and the three of them hurried from the car. They saw no sign of life around the hangar—no cars or people. James pulled his keys from his pocket and walked to the door, but he was puzzled to find his key would not fit into the lock. He checked to be certain he had the correct key and tried again. Again, the key would not insert. “Charles, did we have this lock changed? My key won’t fit.”

  Charles walked over. “Not that I know of. I didn’t get a purchase order from Pete. Here, try mine.” His key did not fit either. “I don’t like the looks of this. We’d better go back to the plant and get my tools.”

  Mary spoke up. “I think we should call the police. I don’t like the looks of this either. If Pete is up to something—though I can’t imagine what—we had better protect any evidence.”

  “Good thinking, honey. Let’s get Charles’s tools and a phone. I’ll call and get an officer out here.”

  They retraced their steps and drove the short distance to Romson Industries’ plant offices. James and Mary hurried to make the call while Charles went to the maintenance office and threw some tools into a bag to dismantle the lock. He also threw in a replacement door latch. Charles returned to the car shortly after James and Mary. James, visibly agitated, leaned across the seat. “We will probably have to wait a while. The sergeant at the desk didn’t seem very impressed with the need to have someone here. I don’t think he would have agreed to send someone if I had not said I would call the chief if he didn’t. He said, ‘Everyone is busy’; but there is busy, and then there is I-don’t-want-to-be-bothered-busy. I really don’t understand it. Normally, when we ask for help, they are very responsive.”

  After twenty long minutes, a patrol car cruised sedately into the drive at the hangar and eased to a stop next to Charles’s car. A young officer stepped out and introduced himself.

  “Hello, I’m Officer John Donovan. I don’t know what I can do for you. Didn’t the sergeant explain we don’t do lockout service?”

  “We didn’t ask for lockout service,” James exploded. “I didn’t think he was listening to me! We asked for an officer because our kids are missing and were last seen with my pilot. Now, the door to the hangar has been tampered with. We wanted someone to be available because something is wrong.”

  “I’m sorry! Sarge is usually better than that. It seems his mind just isn’t there all the time. It’s a personal issue he’s going through. When did you report them missing?” Officer Donovan pulled a notebook from his shirt pocket and started taking notes. “Please understand some questions you will be asked may seem offensive, but we have to ask. First, let’s take a look at the door.”

  The four of them walked over to the entry door, and James pulled out his keys. He handed them to Officer Donovan, who tried to insert the key into the lock. When it would not go, even though he jiggled it around and tried to force it, he knelt on the ground and looked at the keyhole. “Um-hmm,” he said. He pulled a small penlight from his duty belt and shined it at the lock. “I thought so. Someone squirted Super Glue, or something like it, into the lock. You won’t be able to open this lock again. Do you have a locksmith you can call to cut the lock off?”

  “No need,” said Charles. “I’ve got the tools right here.” He pulled a cordless drill from the bag and drilled the lock mechanism from the handle, and then using a small screwdriver, he reached inside the knob and retracted the latch. Carefully holding the latch open he pulled on the
door. James stepped in first followed by Officer Donovan and Mary. James flipped on the light switch and they saw Jed’s Bronco, but the plane was missing.

  Mary Romson wailed, “Oh no!” and sank to her knees on the floor. James Romson knelt down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his chest. He buried his head in her hair and whispered, “Hang on, babe. We’ll get through this. We’ll get Jed back.”

  Charles Sitton stood frozen, stunned at the development. He felt all alone. With his wife so recently gone, now to have lost Elizabeth was overwhelming. He felt as if he had been punched violently in the chest and found his breath hard to catch. His face went ashen, and his hands shook with emotion.

  Charles fell to the floor. Officer Donovan immediately checked Charles’s pulse while talking in his radio, calling for an ambulance and backup. Charles kept mumbling, “If I would have been there, she would be okay. If I would have been there, she would be okay,” while Officer Donovan kept telling him, “Take it easy. You’re gonna be all right” and “Stay with me.” It was only minutes, but it seemed like hours before an ambulance came screaming up the drive. Paramedics hurried through the door, followed by two other police officers.

  Charles Sitton was rushed to the hospital, although the EMTs felt it was not a cardiac arrest but only a panic attack that caused his collapse. One of the police officers went along with him. As soon as Charles was able, he would need to be interviewed.

  Officer Donovan got on the radio as soon as the paramedics took over Mr. Sitton’s care. “Central–76.”

  “76–Central.”

  “I need an evidence team, forensics, a detective, and a chaplain out here. If either the lieutenant or the commander is available, they would probably be a good idea also. The plane is missing, but the Romson kid’s car is here. We need to get some notifications out to be on the lookout. That is a little above my pay grade.”

  “Roger. On the way. Out.”

  Officer Donovan walked back over to the Romsons, who were still kneeling on the floor embracing each other. “Folks, I’m sorry, but we need to secure this site. We will take care of locking the door. I have people coming to investigate. I think it would be best for you to go to the station so we can talk with you. In just a few minutes, this place is going to be crawling with the press, and you don’t want to be here when that happens.”

  James Romson looked up. “Thank you. We’ll drive Charles’s car over.”

  “Really, I think it would be better if you rode with me. You’ve had quite a shock, and I think it would be better if I drove you.”

  “All right. If you think so.”

  Officer Donovan led them to his patrol car and seated them in the back seat. As they drove away from the building, James could see the evidence team cordoning off the area with yellow police tape.

  At the police station, Officer Donovan escorted them to an interrogation room and asked them to be seated. “You are not being arrested, but I must read you your rights before we talk. ‘You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. ’Do you understand this?”

  James looked up at him. “Yes, I understand. Does this mean we are suspected of doing away with our son?”

  “No, sir. At this time, we have to ask you some questions and try to determine where your children are, where the plane is, and where the pilot is. It is merely a formality.”

  “I think I understand, and I have nothing to hide; but under the circumstances, I believe it would be wise for me to have legal counsel available. Let me call Bernie Watson, our corporate counsel, and ask him to come over here. I wish also to make him available to Charles Sitton when he is able to talk with you.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Please, Jed. Could you hold me? I miss my daddy so much.” Jed knelt on the floor in front of Lizzie and tentatively reached his arms out toward her. The last thing he needed was a crybaby to babysit! He had more than enough on his hands just to survive if it was going to take as long to be rescued as he expected it probably would. Nevertheless, he knew he had to do what was necessary for Lizzie, too. If he was going to hold a girl in his arms, this was not the way he wanted to do it.

  Lizzie nearly lunged at him and wrapped both arms around his neck, and she wailed on his shoulder for a good five minutes, soaking his shirt with her tears. Without enthusiasm, Jed put his arms around her and instinctively rocked her and stroked her hair. He thought he should say something, but he had no clue what he could say to help. Of all the people to be stuck with, why did it have to be a girl and, of all girls, why her?

  Finally the tears stopped, leaving Lizzie gasping in great shuddering breaths as she tried to regain her composure. With great effort, she lifted her head and looked at Jed. “I’m sorry to go to pieces on you like that. Thank you.” She looked around as if looking for something.

  “What do you need, Lizzie?”

  “A tissue?”

  Jed got up from the floor, his knees aching from the hard wood, and walked into the kitchen and got a paper towel. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to make do with a paper towel. We don’t normally have tissues here.”

  Lizzie took the towel from him and shakily blew her nose and wiped at her eyes. “I’m not trying to be a baby, Jed, and usually I’m not. I’m sorry to be a burden to you. I’ll try to carry my end of the load, honest, but I don’t know what I’m doing. Please be patient with me?”

  A small smile and a hand extended to help her up gave his answer. “Want to take a look around now?”

  She nodded and sniffed once. “Thank you.” It was a whisper.

  Jed led Lizzie around the area the lodge occupied. He showed her the spring and how water was collected and piped downhill to the cabin. They walked into the woods for a short distance to a small grove of hickory trees. “Mom always wants us to gather half a bushel or so of nuts when we come up here for hunting, and we take them home. Personally, I like them better in cookies than walnuts.” He noted Lizzie’s eyes pool at the idea, so he quickly changed the subject and led her on further. “Here is a patch of blueberries! Of course, they won’t be ripe for a while yet, but they are sure good when ripe. Sometimes, the plant managers’ fishing trip is during blueberry season, and we get some. I like the wild berries better than the commercially grown ones. There are also some wild strawberries around here, but they are kind of tart.”

  Jed led Lizzie around a small copse of trees and came nearly face to face with a gaunt bear and her cub. The bear was about a hundred yards away, but the surprise was mutual, and they seemed much closer than they really were. Putting out a hand to hold Lizzie back, Jed whispered, “Just turn around, and go back the way we came. She won’t bother us if we don’t threaten her. No! Don’t run!” he hissed. “Walk slowly. You can’t outrun her.” He waited until Lizzie was around the trees and out of sight before backing slowly away. The old she-bear stood on her hind legs, watching carefully over her yearling cub as he went.

  “Whew! That could have been trouble. I’m sorry, but I wasn’t paying attention like I should have been.”

  “I’m scared, Jed. I want to go home!”

  “I know, Lizzie, but you know we can’t, so we just need to deal with things as they are. We weren’t in any real danger there, and turning around and walking away is the right thing to do. I’ve never had a problem with a bear up here. It’s times we startle each other like that that have a potential for trouble. If she had seen us coming, or if I had seen her first, it would have been no problem at all. Shall we take a look on the other side of the cabin?”

  “I’d rather go back if you don’t mind, Jed. I’m scared of the woods.”

  “Okay. We can head back if you like. You’ll get used to it before long, and it won’t frighten you any longer.” He grinned at her. “You never can tell. You might like it so much you want to move up here. I would in a heartbeat.” Jed led
the way back toward the lodge a different way, pointing out things as they went.

  “If you go about half a mile on the other side of the lodge, you will find a thicket of blackberries that are pretty good, too. With all of the marsh areas around here and all the streams and rivers, there is plenty of moisture, so things grow well. It is just a short season. North of us, they grow a lot of potatoes, but there haven’t been any planted around here.”

  Jed recognized Lizzie struggled with the whole situation in general. He was doing his best to keep her attention focused on things at hand and away from their situation. The problem was she was not the outdoorsy type. Finding things to keep her mind occupied was going to be difficult. There was going to be a lot of hard work for them if they were going to make it. Perhaps keeping busy would be the key. Without realizing what he was doing, Jed—by taking on the responsibility for Lizzie—was giving himself a focus to keep his mind off of his own issues.

  CHAPTER 16

  So, Mr. Romson, please walk me through everything from when the young people were determined to be missing until now,” Detective Sarah Summers said. She had joined Officer Donovan in the interrogation room, making it crowded in the sparsely furnished space. James and Mary Romson sat on metal seats affixed on one side of a metal table, bolted to the floor. Officer Donovan and Detective Summers sat opposite them, and Bernie Watson, the Romsons’ attorney, sat at the end on the only loose piece of furniture in the room. Though the door was not locked behind them for this interview, Mary still found the whole process intimidating.

  “Okay. I arrived home at approximately eleven-thirty or eleven-forty-five. Someone caused a breakdown and a small fire at the plant, and Charles and I, even though we had taken the day off because the kids were coming home, both had to go in to make sure it was repaired promptly.” He went on to detail all of the information he had from the students’ arrival time up until they found the doors tampered with at the hangar.

 

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