Secrets of Innocence

by V.

  “Followed him?”

  “At a distance. He never knew.”

  “You spied on him?”

  Alexander moved closer to Sarah. “No. I needed to make sure he was safe.”

  Sarah could sense the anguish in his soul, his desperate need to repair the damage he had inflicted on the young boy so long ago. “I sympathize with your plea Alexander, but how can I help him find relief if I don’t save him now.”

  “You will. In time, you’ll do both.”

  “Will you guide me?”

  Alexander smiled and walked toward the door. He turned to her. “You know I will.” He vanished. The room went dark as night, a pinpoint of light seeping through a tiny hole.

  The road that led up to Hank’s farm wound through the isolated hills away from everything. As Elisabeth drove, she felt a growing sense of dread. She should’ve waited for Williams. But she hadn’t heard from Sarah and wasn’t sure if she’d received the message to call him. Maybe she should’ve called Williams herself earlier, now it was too late.

  “But what if Daniel went of his own accord? What if he remembered his past and didn’t want me to find out how despicable it was?”

  Her insecurity grew with every turn of the road, her imagination taking her places she’d rather not go, but couldn’t avoid. No matter how frightened she was she needed to prepare herself for what might lie ahead.

  “What if Daniel is one of those bikers who fought one of his buddies for something or someone? His wife and daughter could be at Hank’s. And I might be driving into a bikers’ compound. They might attack me. But why would they? I’ve done nothing to them.. .I just want to find Daniel. On the other hand, what if Daniel was taken against his will? I have to help him. Regardless of the outcome, I must find him.”

  As her mind reeled, her body tensed, the clamminess in her palms intensified, and a slight tremor overtook her body. “Take a deep breath and calm down, Elisabeth,” she scolded herself. “Don’t get too worked up or you’ll be no good to anyone.”

  She dialed once more and it went directly to voice mail. “Sarah, I’m on South Fish Lake Road off of 97, north of Riverside looking for North Pine Creek road in an isolated area around Tonasket. I’m searching for Hank Ferguson’s farm and all these horrible scenarios keep playing in my head. I have no idea what I’m going to find, but I can’t stop myself. Call me. Please, call.”

  She then dialed 911. “This is Elisabeth Ralston, and I need to be transferred to Sheriff Williams right away.”

  “Is this an emergency?”

  “It sort of is.”

  “You can tell me and I can pass it on.”

  “Darn, it’s too hard to tell.”

  “You’ve called the emergency line, ma’am.”

  “Oh, what the hell. Tell him that there’s been a kidnapping and that I’m at Hank Ferguson’s farm on North Pine Creek road off of South Fish Lake road.” She hung up and sighed. “I hope I don’t go to jail for this.”

  When Conrad returned to Sarah’s hospital room, he found her dressed and ready to go.

  “Finally. Let’s get out of here.”

  “What are you doing? You heard what Doc said.”

  “Yeah, but I’m okay, and we need to find Daniel. He’s locked up somewhere. Oh, and Alexander paid me a visit. He’ll help. We’ve got to go.” She rushed to the door.

  Flabbergasted by the suddenness of it all, Conrad could only muster a weak, “Go where?”

  Sarah stopped and turned back to her husband with a shrug. “No idea, but I’m sure Alexander will show me soon enough. Can you believe that he refused to tell me where Daniel is because ‘writers don’t tell, they show’?’” “He said that? You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “Oh no, he was serious. In any case, I can’t stay here. What did Williams say?”

  “He’s on his way to the farm of a Hank Ferguson, the older brother of Walter Ferguson who was the caretaker of Alexander’s estate. The bloody fingerprints could be Hank’s.”

  He stepped close to her. “Where’s the farm?”

  “He didn’t tell me.”

  “We have to go and hope Alexander will help me pinpoint where Daniel is.” Conrad took her in his arms. “Sarah, this is police business. It’s not safe.” “You’ll be there with me.” She tightened the embrace and then broke it off. “C’mon, I’ll call Williams.. .where’s my cell? Where’s my purse?”

  “We left it in Williams’s office when you.. .when we came here.”

  Sarah stepped into the hall. “We’ll use your phone. Let’s go, please hurry.” “Wait,” Conrad called out. “We need to tell Doc you’ve left.” He walked up to the emergency room receptionist while Sarah rushed out of the hospital.

  Hank Ferguson opened the trunk of the car and yanked Daniel out of it, blindfolded, gagged, and with his hands tied behind his back. His face was crusty with blood and he struggled to stay upright as Hank dragged him by his hair away from the car.

  Unable to reach Williams on his cell phone, the Thompsons opted to go to his office to get the farm’s address and retrieve Sarah’s purse.

  “Mrs. Thompson.” The receptionist’s smile welcomed them. “I’m so glad you’re well.”

  “Thanks, Cathy,” Sarah said with a smile. “So am I. Nothing serious, a very bad migraine that took my breath away.”

  “Those are awful. My aunt Gladys gets those, and she’s got to lie down in a dark room for a day or two before she can be herself again. I’m happy you recovered so fast. I’ve got your purse right here.” She handed it to Sarah.

  “Can you contact Sheriff Williams? I can’t get him on his cell, and I need to give him some extremely important information. He’s headed to Hank Ferguson’s farm, but can you tell us where that it is?”

  Cathy appeared uncomfortable.

  “Sheriff Williams told me where he was going,” Conrad added, “but at the time I didn’t realize that Sarah had vital information for him, so I didn’t ask him for the address. I’m sure he won’t mind you telling us.”

  Cathy nodded. “It’s up north off 97, then off Pine Creek road, that becomes South Fish Lake Road, and veers off onto North Pine Creek Road.” “Hold on,” Conrad interrupted, “I have to write all this down.”

  “Sorry,” Cathy said, “I forget how confusing those double names can be. Anyway, the Ferguson farmhouse is on North Pine Creek Road. Reception for cell phones is pretty spotty in those hills and that’s why you haven’t been able to reach the sheriff. The dispatcher can tell him you’re on your way.” “Thanks,” Sarah said, “we’d appreciate that.”

  “By the way, Mrs. Thompson, your cell’s been ringing. You should have several messages.”

  Hank tied Daniel to a vertical wooden beam in the middle of a darkened underground chamber, lit only by a kerosene lamp. He removed the blindfold and gag, and then stood ominously above him.

  “I’ll ask you one last time, who’ve you told about me?” Hank glared menacingly at Daniel, his demeanor made even more frightening by the faint light illuminating his face.

  “No one.”

  “You think I buy that shit? I ain’t no fool?”

  “I told you, I’ve had amnesia. I don’t have any memories.”

  Hank paced before Daniel, his face contorted in anger. “Whatever this ne-sia is, I don’t buy it. What the hell were you doing at Pitman’s place anyway?” “I have no idea who that is.. .what you’re talking about.”

  Hank squatted in front of Daniel, his face menacingly close as he growled, “Listen, I left you for dead once, this time I’m making damn sure. So don’t you mess with me.”

  “I’m not, believe me. I can’t even remember who the hell I am.”

  “Bullshit. Then why did you come after me at the diner?”

  “I spotted your ring and it brought back memories of you hitting me. That’s all.”

  Hank stood up and spat on Daniel. “You must think I’m stupid.” He paced again, rubbing his head in frustration. “Did you call the cops? Di
d you tell them about me? Are they coming after me?”

  “I didn’t tell anyone. Believe me.”

  Hank slapped Daniel with the back of his hand. “Fuck you.” He grabbed the lamp and stomped out, leaving Daniel in the dark with only a faint ray of light seeping through a small hole in the rocks above him.

  CHAPTER 27

  Elisabeth turned on to North Pine Creek Road and, after a series of bends and twists, spotted an old mailbox marked Ferguson in faded paint. Next to the mailbox, a gravel driveway meandered onto the property. Elisabeth drove past the driveway and pulled off the road.

  She turned off the car, got out, and quietly closed the door. She headed toward the farmhouse, walking to one side of the gravel driveway on the overgrown dry grass.

  The only sounds were her rapid breathing and pounding heartbeat. The silence of the place coupled with her signs of panic brought a tremor to her body.

  Suddenly, three large dogs rushed toward her, barking and growling viciously.

  She stopped and turned sideways, keeping an eye on the dogs in the periphery of her vision, but making sure they couldn’t catch her eyes. She dropped to one knee, lowered her head and straightened her arms, made tight fists, and in a low commanding voice, making sure not to show her teeth, she ordered, “Stop. Down. Stop.” The dogs stopped charging, but continued barking and growling. After a few tense moments, they approached slowly, still growling but clearly having understood her stance.

  Once more she commanded, “Down. Stop.”

  The growling subsided and two of the dogs sat while the leader of the pack approached warily, sniffed her, and then circled around. She remained immobile, not showing her teeth, and avoiding direct eye contact with the animal, waiting for the dog to feel at ease with her.

  Satisfied, he sniffed her hand and licked it. Now that his scent was on her, she slowly sat down and offered her other hand to the other dogs. They approached with caution and sniffed her a few times before licking her hands in a tentative welcome.

  She sat for a while to allow the dogs to become comfortable with her presence. She petted them when they approached to sniff or lick her. After a few minutes she cautiously got to her feet and slowly resumed her walk up toward the farm with the dogs alongside. “I’ll be damned, that darned Humane Society training works,” she whispered. “C’mon, you beasts,” she said, “let’s go find out if that son-of-a-bitch master of yours has my Daniel.”

  She approached with caution, though the house looked empty. She peeked through the windows to see if anyone was inside. Two of the dogs lost interest and wandered off. One remained at her side, nuzzling up to her for a pat on the head from time to time.

  She made her way to the barn and peered through a crack. With no one in sight, she dared to open the door and step in. The barn was devoid of animals, but littered with old equipment, two rusty motorcycles, broken-down furniture, tires, a wrecked truck, and engine parts.

  She had just closed the door behind her, when she heard the roar of a car speeding up the driveway. The dogs took off barking, and she took cover behind the overgrowth to one side of the barn.

  Hank stopped the car, and without turning off the engine, rushed into the house. Moments later, he returned with a rifle, threw it onto the passenger seat, got in, and sped down the driveway, leaving in his wake a cloud of dust and three dogs barking for attention.

  Elisabeth bolted out of her hiding place and raced down the driveway, the three dogs barking behind her. But as she reached her car, Hank stood up from behind it, cocked the rifle, and aimed it at her head.

  “Looking for your boyfriend?”

  Elisabeth paled.

  At gunpoint, he led her to his car, which was concealed several feet away. “Get in the car, bitch.” He shoved her into the back seat and hit her on the temple with the butt of the rifle. She collapsed, unconscious. Hank pushed her in, shut the door, ran to the driver’s side, and drove away onto a dirt road that split off a short distance from his own driveway.

  Moments later, the sheriff’s car and two patrol cars approached the Ferguson farm. As soon as they spotted Elisabeth’s car parked near the property, they stopped.

  A couple of officers approached Elisabeth’s car, weapons drawn. They peeked through the windows. The officer on the driver’s side opened the door and popped the trunk lid open. The other officer searched it and found nothing. He gave the all-clear sign to the cars parked below.

  Williams got out and made his way toward the car.

  Robinson handed him Elisabeth’s wallet, saying, “Belongs to Elisabeth Ralston. She left her wallet and cell phone in the compartment under the armrest.”

  “Damned woman,” Williams spat out. “What’s she gotten herself into?”

  “No sign of force or violence around the car, sir.”

  Officer Collins approached Williams. “Sir, a woman’s shoeprints go up to the driveway.”

  He followed Elisabeth’s footsteps. “They stop here,” he yelled, “then nothing. The grass to the right appears to have been walked on, but it could’ve been anyone. There are tire marks in and out of the driveway and a couple of the woman’s footprints facing forward. It looks as if a car sped off across them.”

  “Okay,” Williams said. “Let’s pay a visit to dear old Hank. Be ready, but let’s try not to scare him. Robinson, you got that ultrasonic dog repellant?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Collins, make sure you’re ready to spray those dogs with the mace. I’m not sure this ultrasound business will keep them away from us.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  As expected, the moment they went up the drive, the dogs charged. Robinson utilized the repellant and the growling and barking quickly turned to yelping as the pack stopped cold. Collins used the spray, and the dogs fled, squealing and howling.

  “Shit.” Williams chuckled. “That stuff really works.”

  The officers cautiously made their way to the front of the house. Williams knocked.

  “Hank, this is Sheriff Williams, I need to talk with you.”

  There was no response. Williams signaled for the officers to go around the house and look for any sign of Hank while he continued knocking.

  “Hank Ferguson, this is Sheriff Williams. Open up. We’d like to have a word with you.”

  Silence.

  The officers returned, indicating that there was no sign of Hank.

  “Check the barn, look for him in the shack, or any other hiding place. Spread out.”

  Williams knocked again. “Hank, open up! Where’s Mrs. Ralston? Her car is outside your property. We need to talk to her.”

  Silence.

  Sarah tossed her cell phone into her purse. “I finally get a signal and she’s not answering,” she told her husband. “Why not pick up? I hope she’s not in any trouble.”

  “Williams should be almost there. He’ll take care of her.”

  “If he can find her.” Sarah looked out the window as they drove alongside Fish Lake Road. “How much farther is Hank’s farm?”

  “Well, we’re way behind both Elisabeth and Williams so we—”

  “Conrad, stop!” Sarah called out.

  Conrad pulled over and skidded to the side of that road. “What is it?” “That’s the road, the one we just passed.”

  “No, that’s not it. It’s a dirt road that—”

  “It’s not the farmhouse, but I sense that’s where Daniel is.”

  Conrad looked at his wife, a hint of disbelief betraying him.

  “Don’t look at me that way. I felt a strong pull when we passed that road. Then I caught a quick flash of a ray of light coming from a crack in a rocky ceiling, like a cave. We need to go through there. I bet you that Alexander’s showing me.”

  “I don’t like this ‘showing’ business of Alexander’s. He’s put you and me through hell. And let me tell you, making you feel what Daniel experienced was too much.”

  “Believe me, I understand. We’ll be cautious. Please, let’s turn
back.”

  Conrad recognized that he had no choice. With a reluctant nod he turned the car around and headed onto the small dirt road. “It doesn’t even have a name, Sarah. How can we tell Williams where we are?”

  Daniel heard Hank panting and puffing as he approached the underground chamber. He could see a faint glow from the kerosene lamp approaching. As the light grew brighter, the groaning and puffing grew louder. Finally, Hank emerged into the underground chamber with Elisabeth’s unconscious body slung over his shoulder. He dropped her to the ground, and she partially rolled toward Daniel, her face and head covered in blood.

  “Elisabeth! What have you done to her, you son of a bitch?” Daniel cried out, his face flushed with fury as he tugged at the rope that anchored him to the pole.

  “Not as much as I will if you don’t start talking,” Hank spat out between gasping breaths. He put down the kerosene lamp and cocked the rifle as he pointed it to her left foot. “I’m gonna shoot one foot first, then the other, then one knee, then—”

  “Stop!” Daniel shouted. “She’s done you no harm, let her go!”

  “You can’t tell me what to do, so start talking, you son of a bitch!”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you anything—only don’t harm her.”

  “Talk.”

  “I told Sheriff Williams. Have you heard of him?”

  “You’re doing the talking, not me. What did you tell good ol’ Billy Boy?”

  “I told him.. .well.. .let me think.. .first I described you.. .only I didn’t remember exactly how you looked.. .so give me a second.. .with this amnesia.. .I told you I have this illness, and it makes it difficult to recall things. But I can.. .let me see.I told him you were blond.. .and with short hair.. .but I was confused as you can well understand, so I don’t believe he’s looking for you, because, it’s clear that you’re not blond, and you don’t have short—”

  “You’re shitting me!”

  “No, it’s true, please.I’m ill. My memory is.. .give me a second.. .I’ll remember more, I’m sure.”

  Conrad’s truck emerged into a small clearing leading up to what appeared to be the entrance to an abandoned mine. They spotted a car parked by the entrance.