Stranded at Romson's Lodge

by J. L. Callison

  “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry to keep bothering you.” Discouragement was evident in James’s voice.

  “Hang in there, James. We’re trying.”

  “I know. I appreciate you letting me call you and bug you. You don’t have to do that, I know. Mary and I appreciate it.” He slowly hung the handset on the receiver and walked through the door to Tran’s office.

  James laid a stack of papers on Tran’s desk. “I’m sorry, my friend, but I need you to take care of these projects for me. I can’t keep my mind on work today. I think I’ll go home.”

  Tran rose from his desk chair and walked around the desk. “James, my friend, this will all work out.” Uncharacteristically, the smaller man put an arm around his boss and friend and gave him a quick hug. “Set your mind at rest. We have the office covered, and I have time to take care of the paperwork. Go home and take Mary out, do something fun, and take your mind off of things.”

  “I think I’ve forgotten how to do something fun.”

  “James, can worrying change things? Did we ask God to take care of matters? If we put things in God’s hands, don’t try to take them back out and hold them in your hands. You can’t fix things. Go find Mary and spend some happy time with her. She needs it as badly as you do.”

  James straightened his bowed head. “Thank you, my friend. That’s good advice. But it’s hard for me to do. I always want to be in control of things. I guess if I ask God to do it, He doesn’t need me getting in His way, does He?”

  James gave him a tired smile, walked out of the office, and headed home to find Mary.

  CHAPTER 53

  Jed heard Lizzie scream and the cub bawl and dropped his baskets. He ran toward her, unleashing the rifle from his back as he ran. He saw the bear cub running away and Lizzie curled on the ground, but he could not see the old bear. Jed could hear crashing in the leaves and brush, so he knew he had little time. There was only a small area open enough for a shot, and that would have to be a very quick one if he was going to have a chance. Jed dropped to a knee, wrapped the sling around his arm, and brought the rifle to his shoulder. He looked for a sight picture in the first open spot he would have. His odds of killing the bear with one shot were miniscule at best, and he breathed a quick prayer just as the old sow bear crashed through the last bush into the open space.

  Jed knew a heart or a lung shot was his best chance. He aimed directly behind the shoulder and fired. He followed the bear with the rifle but didn’t have opportunity for another shot due to brush. But he didn’t need one. His shot was deflected by a twig just enough that, rather than hitting the bear in the heart or lungs, it severed the spinal cord, paralyzing the bear. Her forward momentum was enough that her nose nearly hit the bottom of Lizzie’s shoe when the bear came to rest, snapping her jaws, but unable to move her legs. Jed’s prayer was answered!

  Jed ran forward, carrying his rifle at ready, anxious to protect the one he loved. The one he loved? The thought hit his mind, staggering him, and he almost fell.

  Yes, the one he loved. He had not noticed his feelings before now, having become accustomed to her presence, but taking her for granted. There had been a growing attachment and dependence on Lizzie for some time now. Whenever he was out and away from the lodge, he looked forward to getting back to the cabin and showing Lizzie what he had achieved. Wonder filled his mind as he knelt down next to the quivering and crying Lizzie. Gently, he lifted her from the ground and cradled her.

  “It’s okay. I got her. She can’t hurt you.”

  “I know. I knew you would. You wouldn’t let anything hurt me. I’m just being a baby.”

  “Honey, you are anything but a baby! I would have been frightened out of my mind if it was me.”

  “What did you call me?” Lizzie leaned her head back so she could look Jed in the eyes. “Did you just call me honey?”

  “I don’t know. Did I?”

  Lizzie looked up into Jed’s eyes and a wan smile crossed her tear-streaked face. “Yes, you did. Did you mean it?”

  Jed nodded. “Um-hmm. Lizzie, I love you. I just realized how lost I would be without you!” Jed’s eyes started tearing now. “I’m kind of dense. It took something like this to make me realize I really do love you! Do you think you could possibly love me, too?”

  Lizzie hugged Jed tightly. “Oh, Jed! I’ve been in love with you for quite a while now! I knew you wouldn’t let anything happen to me! I know you love me, too, but it just took you a while to figure it out. Guys are always slow about things like that,” she teased. Jed knew she was going to be all right if she could joke, even as she quivered from fear, but her faith in him was frightening. What if he failed her? Suddenly, the responsibility placed on him struck home.

  Jed’s voice was shaky, but he quipped back, “Well, I have wanted a bear rug for the lodge. If I would have known how easy it would be, I would have used you for bait a long time ago!” He leaned back quickly to avoid the swat on the arm she gave him but didn’t succeed.

  They huddled together on the ground for quite some time before the shakes quit and they could continue back to the cabin.

  CHAPTER 54

  The sound of an aircraft engine grew louder. The lookout was clear of the lake, and the men from the truck looked to the west. A float plane with all lights extinguished was approaching, but only visible as a shadow, obliterating the stars. At the last minute, a landing light flared on as the plane was on a straight-in approach to the lake. The pilot chopped power and splashed down in the water, quickly extinguishing the landing light as he increased power to taxi the plane to shore, guided by two lighted wands held by the lookout. The pilot nosed the plane to the bank and shut down the engine.

  While the men on shore pulled the back of the plane to the shore and secured the float, front and back, to the two anchor posts, the pilot jumped down from the plane and walked to the truck.

  Detective Summers was excited. The plane was a Beaver, and its color and markings matched the description of the Romson Industries aircraft. The N-number, close but different, could have been changed. Nervous, she looked over at the sheriff, waiting for him to make a move, but he just lay there watching intently. He lifted a hand slightly, signifying to wait. They watched, silent, as the cargo door of the plane was opened and the truck backed almost to water’s edge. The truck’s loading ramp was extended, but instead of putting it on the ground, the end was extended into the hold of the aircraft. Two men pulled bales of marijuana from the plane and carried them across the ramp into the truck. A third man jumped into the back of the truck and re-emerged a moment later, pulling a hose with which he started refueling the airplane.

  The pilot nearly ruined the whole setup. He walked into the woods, seeking to relieve himself, and almost stepped on the sheriff. Startled, with a shout he started to run back to the plane, but Sheriff Larson reached out and tripped him.

  “Take them down now!” he said into his radio.

  Detective Summers jumped on the pilot’s back, pinning him to the ground with a knee on the back of his neck, and yelled, “You are under arrest. Let me see your hands.”

  Each of the deputies jumped up and shined powerful, handheld spotlights on the smugglers. Sheriff Larson called out on a bullhorn, “You are under arrest. Get on the ground now!”

  The deputies converged on the suspects as engines and sirens could be heard and flashing lights could be seen as squad cars raced down the access road to assist.

  Only one suspect tried to flee. He ran for the woods but was promptly tackled by a deputy. All of the smugglers were cuffed and gathered at the truck where their rights were read.

  Detective Summers walked to the plane. Climbing into the cabin she checked the ID numbers, and her heart sank with disappointment. She knew the odds of it being the right plane were slim, but she had still hoped. Climbing out of the cockpit onto the float, she looked at the fuel hose in the tank and then followed the hose back inside the truck, where she saw two fifty-five-gallon drums of avgas and an electr
ic pump. So that’s how they did it!

  By the time the prisoners were processed and the crime scene secured, the sun was up and the day well begun. Detective Summers shook hands with Sheriff Larson and thanked him for allowing her to participate. She had not found the plane she was looking for, but she had some answers to other questions. Though tired, she knew she was way too keyed up to sleep. She would try to get some miles behind her before getting a room. She also needed to call and touch base with the chief. She would wait, though, until she returned home to talk with the Romsons and Charles Sitton.

  CHAPTER 55

  Jimmy was proud of the fish he carried into the house. He had not caught anything large, but for his first time he had not done badly. He had two bass between two and three pounds each and two bluegill about the size of Charles’s hand, and Charles assured him they were the perfect size for eating. Charles had caught half a dozen bluegill and another small bass. For him, it wasn’t much of a catch, but then they had been fishing from the bank with worms, and he had been focused on teaching Jimmy. Charles realized he had had more fun fishing from the bank and teaching than he usually did fishing for larger fish from a boat. Seeing Jimmy’s excitement whenever he got a nibble was contagious.

  After showing off Jimmy’s catch to Sue, Charles took Jimmy into the backyard to teach him how to clean fish. Though not the most enjoyable task, Jimmy insisted he be allowed to do it all. Charles carefully supervised and voiced his approval when Jimmy was done. Charles’s heart ached from not having Elizabeth there with them, but the pride on Jimmy’s face was payment in full for the day.

  Charles commandeered the kitchen when the fish were cleaned. Sue had a potato salad ready and some baked beans in a crock-pot. Charles mixed a coating for the fish with egg and corn meal and fried the fish in two skillets. Jimmy stayed close by, watching intently as the fish cooked. Sue slipped an arm around Charles’s waist and gave him a little squeeze.

  “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. “I haven’t seen Jimmy so interested in life in a long, long time.”

  “Hey, no problem! He’s a good kid, and I had as much fun as he did. I haven’t fished with a worm and a bobber in a long time, and I enjoyed myself. He’s kind of filling in for Elizabeth, and I sort of think his mother is special, too.”

  Sue blushed as she gave him another little squeeze. “I’d better be getting the table set.” She hurried into the dining room, wiping her eye when she didn’t think Charles would see her. The more she was around him, the more she wanted to be with him. She thought Charles was pretty special, too.

  When the fish were done, Charles carefully separated the first fish Jimmy had caught, one of the small bass, and placed it on Jimmy’s plate.

  “A man should always eat his own first catch. You will catch a lot of fish in your life, but there is only one first fish. Eat it in good health and enjoy.”

  Jimmy grinned broadly. “Thanks, Mr. Charles. Thanks for taking me! I really had fun.”

  “Mr. Charles?” Sue asked.

  “I got tired of being called Mr. Sitton, but he said you wouldn’t let him call an adult by his name, so we settled on Mr. Charles. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “I guess it’s okay. I want to be sure he is respectful.”

  “Oh, don’t worry! He is very respectful, but I know how to handle a young lad if he isn’t. I’ll never have to worry about Jimmy. You’ve done well with him.” He reached over and tousled Jimmy’s hair and said, “Right, Jim?”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Yes, sir?” Sue looked at her son quizzically.

  Charles grinned. “He asked about the Marine Corps and how he could become a Marine. I told him some things and stressed the importance of proper respect. I was just a grunt, not an officer, so I didn’t rate ‘sir’ in the Corps, but he thought it would be appropriate for me. I can’t argue with his thinking.”

  Sue leaned over and gave Jimmy a hug. “I think I like it. It seems my son is growing up all of a sudden.”

  CHAPTER 56

  Jed sent Lizzie back to the lodge with a basket of beechnuts while he started field dressing the old bear. He was glad for the meat. The fat would be good for them, but right now was an inopportune time if they were going to collect nuts and acorns for winter. One took what was available, though, and gave thanks. He would have to help Lizzie a lot over the next couple of days if they were going to preserve so much meat.

  Jed started planning even as he removed the entrails from the carcass. Finding enough containers for all the meat was going to be challenging, as well as cooking the meat and saving enough grease to smother and preserve it after it cooked. It wasn’t as good as freezing meat, but the weather was not yet cold enough to keep the meat from spoiling. He wished he could have waited another month or two so he could count on the weather being cold enough.

  Lizzie hurried back down the trail carrying nylon straps. Jed was in process of cutting down a sapling to go with another he had already cut to make a travois. After he trimmed the small branches, Lizzie helped him weave the straps loosely between the poles to create a platform on which to place the bear. Jed laid the travois next to the bear, and with quite some difficulty they were able to roll her onto it.

  There was no way to know for certain, but Jed guessed the carcass weighed close to three hundred pounds. Even with the hide still on the carcass and all of the fat, there was a lot of meat they could count on for the winter.

  Jed contrived a harness of sorts so he could use his shoulders to bear some of the weight; then, bending to the task, he began to trudge slowly, dragging the bear behind him. He had considered cutting out some of the better cuts of meat and leaving part of the carcass behind, but he decided wasting it would be wrong.

  Lizzie picked up one of the other baskets of nuts and started back ahead of him, hoping to be able to get the other basket before some of the animals took advantage of their work. She was able to walk the two miles to the lodge and back again before Jed managed to go a quarter of a mile. He was obviously tired but determined to make it. Jed was grateful for the bottle of water she brought back to him and drank it down greedily while rubbing his shoulders, which were sore from the straps cutting into them.

  Lizzie rushed to gather the spilled nuts from where she had dropped her basket, and back to the lodge she trudged. This much walking was more than she was accustomed to, but she was determined to return right away and help Jed with the bear.

  Lizzie hurried back as quickly as she could walk, which was noticeably slower than it had been, but a look of determination was on her face. She carried more strapping, with which she hoped to help pull the bear.

  Jed fastened the end of the strap to the travois, in front of the webbing on which the bear lay. Then he fashioned a harness of sorts, fitting it over Lizzie’s shoulders and around her waist. She had noticed Jed rubbing his shoulders where the strapping chafed at them, so she had also brought back some padding. Jed divided it between the two of them, and they started the long trek pulling the bear. By the time they reached the halfway point, the sun was setting and it was obvious they would not make it before dark.

  Jed directed Lizzie into a glade where he cleared grass and leaves from a large circle while Lizzie gathered small branches. Once Jed was satisfied the ground was bare enough, he laid down some crushed bark and dry grass and built a small teepee of small twigs over the tinder. Striking a match, he lit the tinder and blew gently to get a small fire started. As it caught he added more twigs and then progressively larger pieces. It was not yet cold, but he knew it would be quite chilly before the night was over. He tried to get Lizzie to go on to the lodge, but she insisted—if he stayed out with the bear, she would also. Jed knew he could not leave the bear out alone, or the coyotes and other animals would eat it.

  There was jerky in his pocket. He never left the lodge without some. When out in the woods, one never knows if something will happen to prevent a return when one expects to return, so he always made sure to have something
to tide him over. He pulled out two pieces and gave one to Lizzie, and together they chewed in silence. Jed could see Lizzie was exhausted, so when she had eaten he cleared another spot three feet from the fire and laid wood for a new fire. He moved the fire over to the new spot and brushed all of the embers away from the first place. After laying some evergreen branches in a small pile over the area, Jed said, “Lizzie, come lie down here where the fire was. The ground is warm and will keep you warm for a while.” He noticed she was already starting to shiver. Stress of the day, exhaustion, and the chilly air had caught up to her.

  Lizzie laid herself down and felt the warmth of the ground. She smiled up at Jed. “I learn something new from you all the time! I never would have thought of this.”

  “It’s nothing. Just because you’re out-of-doors, you don’t have to be uncomfortable. It would be nice to have something to cover up with, but we will be okay.”

  “Where are you going to sleep?”

  “I’ll lean against the bear. She still has enough heat to keep me warm enough. I don’t want to sleep too deeply in case coyotes or something comes.”

  “Coyotes? We won’t be safe?” Lizzie half sat up.

  “No, we’ll be fine. Coyotes won’t usually attack humans unless they are helpless. That’s why we have a fire, and I’ll sleep lightly. They won’t bother us.”

  Jed walked away from the fire as Lizzie settled down to sleep. He began to break branches off an old deadfall.

  CHAPTER 57

  James and Mary walked from the theater holding hands. They started the evening with dinner, followed by a romantic comedy James didn’t think he would care for but knew Mary would. Mary snuggled her head on his shoulder as they walked toward the car.

  “Thanks, James. I needed that. I think I had forgotten how to laugh.”