by Josh Olsen
“I am sorry,” the woman started, “The Ashley Clawson that was a patient here stated she had no children during our questioning, you must be mistaken.”
“She’s a goddamned liar!” Nate yelled, angry tears began to form on behind his eyes, his mind raced in confusion, “We had two sons!” Nate’s voice began to crack, “Owen and Wya-“
“Had?” the woman began.
Jason stepped in quickly, cutting him off, “Miss, we just had a few questions to ask the couple,” Jason could hear Nate fuming behind him as the word “couple” escaped his lips, “Can you tell us where they are?”
The woman's cooperation seemed to dissipate almost immediately, immediately resuming the stiff mold of her comrades, “I am sorry, I cannot divulge whereabouts, although it would do no use, Mrs. Clawson and her husband departed Whiteridge, nearly an hour ago.”
“Departed?” Nate thought to himself, with a sudden horrible realization, he bolted out of the room.
“Shit!” His voice echoed off the cold linoleum floor as his damp boots squeaked shrilly with each bound.
Jason confused, watched as the outside door burst open, thin snowflakes floated outside in the evening twilight.
He wasted no time, he turned back to the woman, trying to maintain his temper, he needed as much as he could get out of this woman, “Well, may I ask why you are interrogating this boy?”
The woman opened her mouth to speak as the outside door burst open once again loudly.
“Sheriff!” Nate yelled, “She took it! She stole my car!” he shouted as he bounded back into the room.
Jason’s attention shifted, “Are you sure?”
Nate yelled back, “Of course I’m sure, she’s the only one who had the other key!” I have my set right here, he said producing a set of keys from his pocket, jingling them.
Jason leaned into his radio, “Macklin I need you and 2 other officers to get down the canyon now, look for….” he looked back up at Nate.
“It’s a dark red Range Rover!” Nate said back.
“Dark red Range Rover,” Jason spoke into his radio again, “license plate number,”
Nate spoke again almost immediately, “49-Y2815”
Jason repeated the information just as he was interrupted by the Sanders woman, “I am sorry, you cannot do that, the Clawson’s have signed a confidentiality contract about yesterday’s events, any details divulged from them will forfeit their settlement, there is no use in tracking them down, they would simply refuse to cooperate.”
“Settlement! She wanted the money goddammit!” Nate shouted, he now paced the floor, seeming as if he would explode at any minute.
Jason spoke back to the woman calmly, almost smiling, “This isn’t for any details,”
“Then what, may I ask is it for?” the woman asked back calmly,
Jason looked up from his radio as Macklin’s familiar voice projected from it,
“Roger Sheriff.”
He looked straight at the woman and responded simply, “Car theft.”
Chapter 27
Nate had followed Jason up the street to the station, leaving Owen to drift away into sleep. He hadn't wanted to send him back to the hotel alone, after all, they were all either of them had left anymore.
He and Jason now sat on the old pine benches in the front room of the station. A storm howled as snow flurries swirled outside. The large flakes seemed to swarm in groups as if they were a flock of birds, swaying back and forth in the freezing wind.
They stared out through the large pane of glass, a thin wispy smoke billowed up from the cigarettes they held lazily in the "V" of their two fingers. Macklin sat in the worn office chair at the front desk, his head slumped back, asleep. The storm had come almost as soon as they had left the hospital. A storm that had brought the entire fury of the mountain with it. Snow, hard and heavy snow, fell from the sky, the wind howled and whipped in every direction that shook the building with each gust.
Even Jason or Macklin, two locals, seasoned in driving in the deep snow and ice, couldn't hope to maneuver the treacherous mountain pass in this blizzard.
Gone was Nate's wife, and gone was Jason's only witness and only hope to finally make sense of all of this.
The two men sat in near silence in the ever-present hum of the radiator that laid a blanket of stale heat over the damp wood floor, coddling them in the musty warmth of the police station. All others sounds were muffled through the soft descent of the snow just outside.
"The first heavy snow of the year and we get it today," Jason thought to himself.
"Ain't no use in waiting for it to stop anymore." he thought as he stared out across the pristine, white powder, that blanketed the town.
Across town, over the peaks of the tall pines and the swirls of the falling snow. Everett and Elroy Becker, trudged through the thigh deep snow, into the woods. Staying close to the tree line they used this unexpected cover to their advantage.
"I still don't know why we didn't put all this shit on the stretcher." Elroy said, struggling with the 2 bags that now hung off his back. The straps heavy, digging deep into the padding of his coat pinched his muscles with their weight.
"Cause you dumb fucker, you want to cough up a thousand bucks? I sure as hell don't," Everett hissed back, snowflakes clung to his dark red mustache, the smell of booze escaping into the chill of the night air . "Now keep up. Sooner in we're in the woods the better."
Slowly, they hiked into the woods. Everett taking frequent breaks to suck more whiskey from his rusted flask.
Finally, they came to a stop, with a muffled thud Elroy heaved off the packs down to the snowy forest floor. Pulling open the bag, he reached into it, producing a large bear trap. The chain hung limply, jingling quietly in the forest, the sound eerily echoing off the frozen bark of the pine trees.
Things went they always did, Everett slumped back against a tree, barking orders as his cousin worked on. Elroy shook his head, trying his best to block out Everett’s drunk nonsense as he worked. His skilled, trained hands set the trap, the muscle memory almost seemed to assemble it for him.
Everett continued his drunken noise, his arms waved back and forth in the flurries of snow, his slurred words echoed throughout the woods. Elroy thought about telling him to shut his mouth, knowing he would be scaring away anything that they hoped to trap out here, but he didn't dare, his cousin was a violent drunk.
The trap set, he walked towards Everett, now pointing at the sky, going on about some story he'd "Heard from some injun' in Smithfield" Elroy sighed and sat down next to him. Elroy rested on the ground near him, tuning out his mumbling. He scraped his foot on the forest floor, using his boot to gather all the snow into one dirty pile as he sat.
They hadn't even set the bait, but he didn't care, Everett was too drunk to notice, and if Everett didn't care, he didn't need to care. He sat staring out into the vastness of the snow-blanketed forest.
With the cream moonlight shining down upon the new fresh snow he almost didn't need the flashlight he now held. He sighed and switched it off, restoring it to his coat pocket. He laid further back against the tree, relaxed, and sucked in a deep gulp of the night air. The cold didn't have it’s usual bite, he didn't know why but it almost seemed as if whenever it would snow, the cold seemed to take a walk, leaving behind the warmth that the beauty of the fresh fallen snow radiated.
It was then, clear as day that he heard Everett speak, not the drunken, garbled nonsense he was accustomed to, but in a clarity that Elroy didn't know that his cousins alcohol soaked mind could still manage. Clearly, Everett turned to Elroy, looking off to the side of him staring, and said; ”Elroy?”
Elroy stared back, confused, he slowly turned his head around. "What are you staring a-"
He turned, his body paralyzed every muscle with fear, there, mere inches from his face was some ungodly monster standing on all fours.
It was something out of a nightmare. It's snarling teeth dripped forth a steaming saliva that fel
l upon the snow. A stomach churning stench emanated from the beast's snarl. With a guttural roar, it reared up on its hind legs, lashing out with one of its filth encrusted claws.
Elroy ducked quickly, the razor sharp claws passing just over his face as he ducked into the thick snow. He didn't see what happened next, but he didn't have to, the sound was enough. The creature, just missing Elroy as he ducked, skewered Everett against the tree with its menacing claws. Everett, his reflexes slowed from a lifetime of drinking, let out a sickening groan as the sound of ripping flesh filled Elroy's ears.
Elroy rolled around looking back up above him, the fresh fallen snow clinging to his warm face. The creature lifted Everett high into the air over him. Blood poured down onto the snow, blood that drained heavily from Everett's wounds. The sickening liquid showered over Elroy as Everett was lifted over him, causing him to sputter and gag.
Everett's screams were muffled by the snow that encased the forest. Though they were no less ear piercing to Elroy.
Higher the beast lifted him before bringing him down hard against the ground, right on top of Elroy. One of the beasts claws penetrating clear through Everett's thrashing body dug deeply into Elroy's arm. Elroy muffled his shout hoping the creature wouldn't notice him, he restrained himself as his mind begged him to call out to Everett, but what could he do?
Again the beast lifted Everett's body into the air, shaking violently. The blood had begun painting the snow a ghastly red. The beast roared, angry, it brought Everett down again hard, but this time directly into the center of the bear trap.
The armed trap’s metal teeth clasped hard down onto Everett's torso, the teeth digging into his ribs. His shrieks returned to their former ear splitting volume as his arms fumbled for the teeth. Pulling hard against the trap’s jaws, his legs writhed on the snow covered ground, attempting to free himself from this grisly trap.
With Everett now trapped, the beast wrenched it's hand free of it's grip on him, the claws making a grotesque sucking noise as they were ripped from his body. It’s mouth opened once more, the heated breath of it's snarl fogged the cold forest air. Its teeth, dripping with saliva, oozed upon Everett as he screamed.
His breaths were shallow and gurgled, the trap restricting his crushed lungs. In almost one motion, the jaws of the hideous monster clasped down on Everett's throat, Gurgling, he screamed. The beast shook him back and forth, tearing the trap from the frozen forest floor.
Suspended from the beasts jaws, Everett’s body hung limply like a rag doll as the beast shook him back and forth.
In moments Everett's horrified screams were replaced by the muffled snarl of the beast and the faint jingle of the frozen chain in the all encompassing silence of the forest. It's ghostly chimes broadcasting throughout the woods.
The snow was falling harder now. The wind howled and blew it into a blinding fury of white. Elroy wasted no time, the creature’s attention was elsewhere, gripping his wounded arm tight, he ran, disappearing into the storm, a macabre choir of chimes jingling faintly behind him.
Chapter 28
The police station was packed the next morning and well into the afternoon. The snow had still not slowed, but that didn't stop nearly everyone in the town with either a gun or a trap from trudging through, in some parts, nearly waist deep snow.
Jason had retreated to his office, his boots kicked up on the table, snow melting in the warmth of the room dripped upon his old pine desk, soaking into the wood.
He took solace in the sound of the muffled chaos outside his door. He smiled to himself, he was lucky he hadn't thrown out the old door that now hung from the bent hinges. Sure it squeaked and the water outside had gotten in and swelled it, but it was better than nothing.
He twirled the glass of whiskey in his hand, examining it as the melting ice cubes clinked against the fogged glass. He had poured it for himself nearly an hour ago but hadn't touched it, still he stared, far too deep in his thoughts.
Slowly, he brought the glass to his lips, the warmth of the liquor washed over him. The anger and frustration he had stewed on the past week seemed to melt away with each comforting sip. He pressed the cold glass against his temple, exhaling deeply. When a sudden knock at the door ripped him from his temporary state of bliss.
Hastily, he poured out the remaining contents of the glass into the trash can. Jason cleared his throat, ”Come in.”
The door opened to reveal Clark, standing in the doorway, his face pale and eyes bloodshot. Macklin stood closely behind him.
Jason stood up quickly, “Clark!?” Jason’s heart sunk, “Not again,” he thought.
“Jesus, you look like hell, what happened?"
Clark spoke up, but each word seemed to be a struggle, sweat secreting from his pores as he tripped over every syllable. "I've been uh...taking a few days to myself, trying to get cleaned up,"
Macklin spoke up, "Is he ok Sheriff?"
"Yeah he's fine, shut the door." Jason said. Waving away Macklin, he turned back to Clark. "What do you mean by getting cleaned up?"
"I mean I'm quitting drinking, for good." Clark said weakly but nonetheless proud. The swollen door struggled to shut behind him.
Jason sat back in shock. Who was this person that stood in front of him? Could it really be his old lost friend? Cautiously, he spoke.
“That’s…That’s great Clark.” his mind was empty, unable to think of what else he could say.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said, ‘bout me seeing my daugh-….Lizzie again.” Clark continued, his dry raspy voice struggling. His eyes squinted hard under the fluorescent light bulbs. “And I thought, I’d better be presentable.”
Jason thought for a moment, in the chaos of the past few days, he had nearly forgotten his offer to Clark. Jason sat still, thinking to himself. He wanted to open himself up, allow his old friend to return to him, but the wounds he had suffered in the past still lay raw and stinging. He needed more time, needed to see if this man who now stood in front of him, had in fact returned from the darkness of his past. He couldn't allow it, not yet at least.
“Clark, let’s talk for a minute,” Jason said, fishing through his pockets, he produced two cigarettes, bent and wrinkled.
Clark’s brow furrowed, but he listened. Accepting one of the cigarettes from Jason’s outstretched hand, he placed the warm, dry paper in his mouth.
“Over here,” Jason said gesturing to the window as he pried it open. The cold air rushed into the artificial warmth of the room. “Sandy will have my ass if she finds out I’m still smoking.” Jason said leaning against the edge of the window, lighting his cigarette. “Now, about your daughter,..”
Clark listened intently, joining Jason near the window.
“Now you’ve no doubt heard about this reward money,” Jason said, casually taking a deep drag.
Clark listened, confused. Unable to decipher Jason’s cryptic expression.
“Now I could get on the phone right now, and have the paperwork started to allow a visit. But like you said yourself, you want to be presentable…..stable.” Jason continued. Casually he blew the cloud of smoke out into the sea of shallow flakes that fell from the gray sky.
“Clark, you’re one of the best hunters I’ve had the pleasure of knowing in this town. I figure you got as good a chance as anyone of taking down that bear they’re trying to get, if not better. With my help I’ll get you a special permit. Go hunting any day you please.” Jason lowered his voice as he spoke, knowing full well the level of chaos that would ensue if anyone heard him in the crowd outside.
“$10,000 is a hell of a lot of money Clark, for anyone, don’t you want to be set up? Be…a different man than that little girl remembers? Be able to offer something? Jason said, examining Clark’s face closely for a response.