Renewing Lost Love

by Karen Ward

  Pinky says, “I really appreciate it. Thanks man.” Then he heads back to the house to be with Jasmine.

  ******

  The next afternoon Jasmine walks into the kitchen to get Timmy some cookies for a snack. She finds Samantha Wells sitting at the table drinking a glass of cold milk and eating homemade chocolate chip cookies. Sam says, “Jasmine, I’m really sorry about ...you know. I know that had to have been horribly painful.”

  At her words Jasmine freezes, turning toward the window to cover the tears that spring to her eyes. She is taking deep calming breaths and trying to think of an appropriate response when she hears Samantha screaming, “What are you doing, you brute? Take your hands off of me! Leave me alone! Put me down!”

  Jasmine spins around to see Stump walking out of the kitchen with Samantha thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She is beating him on the back with her fists and screaming at the top of her lungs.

  When Stump gets Samantha to the great room, he dumps her unceremoniously on the sofa and says, “Are you frigging nuts, woman? Jasmine just got out of the hospital from having a breakdown about “you know”. I swear, Sam, sometimes you are the most insensitive idiot I have ever met! Don’t you ever think before you open your mouth?” He turns on his heel and walks out the front door.

  Barry, watching from the door of the study grins and walks back in the study leaving Samantha sitting speechless on the sofa.

  ******

  A week later, Scoot’s cell phone rings and he answers, “Scoot.”

  “Mr. Drake, this is Tom Dawson with Texas Safe Search. We’re up here in Idaho and I wanted to let you know that this place is a veritable cemetery. We have found four bodies in the last six hours, all adults. We’ve called the FBI and they are sending a team up here to try to identify them. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from them soon.”

  Scoot shakes his head and says, “Damn, thanks for calling me Mr. Dawson. I wonder how many unsolved disappearances we’re going to resolve here.”

  “From what I’ve seen so far, it looks like quite a few. Most of these appear to my untrained eye to be young females. We haven’t found a baby yet. I’ll call you back in a few days,” replies Mr. Dawson.

  After he disconnects he hunts down Pinky and relays the information to him. Pinky shudders and says, “Damn, how did Jasmine and Melanie ever survive such a place?”

  CHAPTER 16

  A few days later, early in the morning, as Pinky steps out of the shower he hears Timmy screaming. He grabs a towel and wraps it around his waist and runs into the boy’s room where he finds him sitting in the middle of the bed sobbing. He sits down on the bed and pulls the boy into his arms, “Hey big guy, what’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”

  Sobbing Timmy says, “Mommie, Miss Jasmine, is hurt Mr. Pinky. A mean man hit her and she is laying on the ground bleeding.”

  A cold chill runs down Pinky’s spine as he remembers how accurate Timmy’s dream about Samantha Wells turned out to be. He looks up and sees Jasmine standing in the bedroom doorway and breathes a sigh of relief. Then he says, “What else did you dream Timmy? Where was Miss Jasmine when the bad man hit her?”

  Timmy thinks really hard and then says, “I don’t know, she’s outside and I don’t recognize anything. He’s being really mean to her. He kicked her and punched her. He asked her where you are Mr. Pinky. He wants to find you.”

  Pinky then asks, “Is there anyone else in your dream Timmy? Are you there?”

  Timmy shakes his head, “No, it’s just the mean man and Miss Jasmine. Don’t let him get her Mr. Pinky, please? I love Miss Jasmine and I don’t want her to get hurt.”

  Pinky says, “I don’t want her to get hurt either Timmy. I will do everything I can to make sure she is safe, I promise. Are you ready for breakfast or do you want to sleep some more?”

  “I’m ready for oatmeal!” Timmy jumps out of bed and grabs Pinky’s hand pulling him toward the stairs.

  Pinky grins and says, “Hold on Sport! We need to put on some clothes first.”

  Jasmine is laughing as she watches the two males in her life. Then she shudders. She is concerned about Timmy’s dream. Keith told her how accurately Timmy described what happened to Samantha Wells when she was kidnapped in Tennessee. She hopes he is wrong this time, a one on one encounter with James Bixby is the last thing she wants to face. She remembers how frightened she was the day he ran her off the road. She’ll just have to make sure she is not in a situation where he could grab her again.

  While Timmy is eating his oatmeal with raisins, Pinky discusses his dream with Barry. Barry shakes his head, “That’s definitely scary after how accurately he described what happened to Samantha Wells. We need to remember his first dream was after Samantha had already been kidnapped. This one hasn’t happened yet and we should be able to prevent anything from happening.”

  Jasmine walks into the kitchen and overhears the men. She says, “I have been thinking, maybe we should use this as a way to draw Bixby out into the open again.”

  Pinky adamantly says, “No! Absolutely not! I will not put you at risk again. The man is crazy and there is no telling what he might do.”

  Jasmine walks over to the table and sits down beside Pinky, lays her hand on his knee and says, “Please, listen Keith, it may be our only chance. If he disappears again we may not get a warning next time.”

  Pinky says, “He might hurt you badly too. I just can’t take that chance. If he’s around here we’ll find him. Bear can track anything. He’ll be able to find him.”

  Bear and Jesse walk into the kitchen just as Pinky is making his last statement. Barry says, “Bear, this is a surprise! What brings you over here so early this morning?”

  Bear looks at Pinky and says, “Tell me what you’re talking about first. Has something happened?”

  Pinky says, “Timmy had a dream that Bixby got Jasmine and hurt her. She wants to expose herself and see if we can draw him out.”

  Barry says, “What’s up Bear?”

  Bear looks at them, “It may be too late. That itchy feeling I get every time something is about to happen woke me up about an hour ago. He’s around here. I can feel it.”

  ******

  James Bixby is lying on his belly in the woods just outside the gates of the Rock Springs Ranch. His heart is pounding with excitement. Finally he is here and he is determined to succeed this time. It may take him a few days to figure out how to get inside but he is going to make those mercenaries pay. He has to admit this place appears to be protected better than Fort Knox. No problem, he’ll figure it out. No one escapes James Bixby when he sets his mind to it. With all of these reporters hanging around the main gate he’s going to have to make sure to stay out of sight, he doesn’t want his picture appearing on some newsstand.

  He slinks back to his truck and drives up and down the road looking for a possible entry point. When he sees the gate to the Murray ranch he thinks it may be a possibility. It has security cameras too, but no guards. Looking over the maps of the area he picked up from a local gas station he sees an old logging road that runs up the back side of both ranches. Bingo! He should be able to get in from that direction.

  He winds his way along the country roads to the backside of the ranches and turns up the old logging road. It is not long before he runs into the concrete barriers the Drake Security team erected to prevent vehicles from traveling up the old logging road to the back side of the Rocking J and Rock Springs Ranches. Damn! Well, he’ll just hike in. A way onto the property has got to be further down the road or they wouldn’t have it blocked.

  ******

  The Drake Security team watches James Bixby as he slowly makes his way up the old logging road. The snow is deep and progress is slow. Rage churns through Pinky’s veins as he watches the man. He is breathing heavily and flexing his fists at his sides. He wants nothing more than to get his hands around Bixby’s neck and squeeze the life right out of him. He has never hated anyone so much in his life. Visions of h
is lifeless son’s body are flashing across his mind and fueling his anger.

  Scoot has been watching Pinky and is getting concerned by his body language. He looks over at him and says, “Easy Pinky. If you can’t keep those emotions under control I’m going to have to restrict you to quarters.”

  Pinky cuts his eyes over at his friend and boss and says, “You wouldn’t dare!”

  Standing up straight Scoot looks him in the eye and says, “Don’t push me! You’re in no shape right now to be involved in any operation concerning Bixby. I can always send you out of town on another job. Now, get yourself under control! I will not let you jeopardize the other guy’s lives because you can’t control yourself!”

  Pinky takes a deep calming breath giving Scoot a curt nod. He admits to himself that Scoot is right. He needs to calm down. Jasmine and Timmy’s lives may depend on him.

  They watch Bixby all afternoon as he slowly makes his way through the deep snow up the logging road to the very back of the Rock Springs Ranch. He spends a few minutes looking up at the razor wire across the top of the ten foot fence. Then he then pulls a pair of wire cutters out of his backpack and begins to cut the wire mumbling to himself and grinning like a Cheshire cat.

  Just as he has the hole in the fence large enough to slide through he is completely surprised when he is attacked from behind by a huge grey wolf. The wolf knocks him to the ground and goes for his throat. Bixby throws up his arm as he screams like a frightened child. Fighting with all of his strength they roll from side to side in the snow. Finally, he manages to pull a big ugly knife from the scabbard at his side and plunges it into the wolf jerking it downward disemboweling the beast. As the wolf falls lifelessly to his side Bixby lies back in the snow breathing heavily, blood from his wounds staining the snow.

  The Drake Security team watches silently, entranced by the scene before them. Finally, Bear says, “I would be willing to bet that wolf was rabid. Look at the area around his jaws, they are white with foam “

  Stump says, “You are probably right. Wolves usually steer clear of populated areas. He was either very hungry or rabid.”

  Scoot says, “The area has been plenty of wild game. He shouldn’t have been hungry.”

  Pinky says, “If Bixby leaves the area, let’s get the animal tested. I would like to know if he’s been exposed.”

  Scoot says, “That’s a good idea. We want to know what we are dealing with.”

  After a few minutes Bixby sits up in the snow and wraps a cloth around the deep lacerations on his arm. He is mumbling but not loud enough for the team to understand what he is saying. When he has managed to stem the flow of blood, he glances over the pasture toward the house then turns back down the logging road toward his truck mumbling to himself.

  Barry calls their veterinarian, Dr. Franklin, who promises to pick up the wolf and have it tested for rabies. It will take about a week to get the report. In the meantime, the security service repairs the fence that Bixby had been cutting when attacked.

  ******

  James Bixby is angry and discouraged. Why is it that something always interferes just about the time he almost reaches his goal? Damn! Now he has to find somebody to sew up these cuts or he’s going to bleed to death.

  His only choice at this point is to return to the compound on Flathead Lake and hope they will let him stay with them for a few days. At least maybe they will sew up his cuts. It is only a day’s drive to the compound. With luck he can be back here before the end of the week. That is, if he doesn’t lose too much blood. Now that he knows the lay of the land, he’ll be able to make quick work of taking out those mercenaries when he returns.

  CHAPTER 17

  Three days after Bixby’s encounter with the wolf, the entire extended family and Samantha Wells from the Rock Springs Ranch travels into Cody Wyoming to watch Timothy Ronald Westbrook Thompson become Timothy Ronald Westbrook Thompson Williams as the adoption is finalized.

  Pinky is so happy when the judge announces the final adoption order and Timmy legally becomes his son. Tears stream down his face as he holds Timmy in his arms and answers the judge’s questions. Timmy says, “Mr. Pinky, why are you crying? You’re not sad, are you?”

  Smiling warmly, Pinky responds, “No, Timmy, I’m not sad. In fact I am the happiest man in the world today because you are now legally my son. I love you Sport.”

  Timmy grabs him around the neck and squeezes as hard as he can, “I’m happy too Mr. Pinky because I love you lots. You are the best Daddy in the whole world!”

  Keith pulls Jasmine to his side and with Timmy still in his arms he kisses her warmly, “Now, we just need to make Miss Jasmine your official Mommie. What do you think?”

  Timmy says, “Yes! When can we?”

  He looks deeply into her eyes, “As soon as she says she’s ready.”

  Blushing Jasmine says, “I’ll be ready as soon as all of this stuff with James Bixby is finished.”

  After the ceremony everyone returns to the ranch for a family celebration of Timmy’s favorite, oatmeal cookies and homemade vanilla ice cream.

  ******

  The group had just returned to the Rock Springs Ranch when Scoot’s cell phone rings and he steps into the study then answers, “Scoot.”

  “Mr. Drake, this is Tom Dawson with Texas Safe Search. So far we have uncovered the remains of twelve humans up here. This morning we found a baby. Have the mother and father submitted DNA to the FBI database?”

  Scoot says, “The father’s DNA is already in the database. I’ll make sure the mother’s gets added within the next couple of days. Thanks for calling Mr. Dawson.”

  “Good, I’m sure if they find a match, the FBI will be contacting him. We’ve still got about ten acres to search before we cover all of the ground up here. This has been very stressful for my team. We have never found this many different remains in such a small area except from a natural disaster. It is downright sickening to know this many people were murdered here.”

  “You’re right. Thank you for helping us,” replies Scoot.

  Scoot signals Pinky to come into the study where he tells him the search team found a baby’s remains. He asks him to get Jasmine’s DNA and send it to the FBI lab to have it added to the database. Tears in his eyes, Pinky nods and returns to the party where he scoops Timmy into his arms and squeezes him tight and says, “I love you Sport.”

  ******

  Late that same afternoon Barry’s cell phone rings, “Farrady.”

  “Mr. Farrady, this is Dr. Franklin. We got the results back on the rabies test on that wolf. It was rabid. Anybody that came into contact with it or the man’s blood that was attacked needs to take the series of shots.”

  “Thank you for your help Dr. Franklin. We thought it probably was rabid. I’ll let everyone know,” replies Barry.

  After he disconnects with Dr. Franklin he heads over to the Drake Security office where he finds Scoot and Pinky huddled over the computer. When he walks in the office he says, “Hey guys, Dr. Franklin called. The wolf was rabid. Have either of you heard anything about where Bixby went when he left here? Everyone that came into contact with him will need to take the shots.”

  Pinky says, “Richard Dean called a couple of days ago to let me know they believe Bixby went to the compound on Flathead Lake. I’ll call him and let him know they need to check and make sure and let those folks know of the danger.”

  Pinky dials Richard Dean’s number, “Mr. Dean, this is Pinky Williams. We got the test results back and the wolf that attacked Bixby was rabid. You need to let the folks at the Flathead Lake compound know so they can get the shots if they came into contact with any of Bixby’s blood or bodily fluids.”

  “I’ll send someone up to the compound today and I’ll let you know if Bixby is still at that location. I know those folks will be grateful to you for letting them know. Thanks for calling Mr. Williams,” answers Richard Dean.

  A few hours later Pinky’s cell phone rings, “Pinky.”

  �
��Mr. Williams, it’s Richard Dean. Bixby has already left the compound. In fact he only stayed with them for two nights. The folks up at the compound were thankful you sent word about the rabies. They are going to get the shots right away. They said to tell you, they owe you guys a favor and if Bixby shows up again, they will call.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Dean. I appreciate all your help,” replies Pinky.

  ******

  James Bixby is relaxing on the sofa at the vacant cabin where he spent so much time a few months ago. He still can’t believe he was so lucky as to run across this place. He is glad the guys at the Flathead Lake compound welcomed him and sewed him up, but he had no desire to stay at that compound when he knew this place was so close. He must be getting soft because he likes having indoor plumbing and a hot shower.

  ******

  Bear walks in the office, “I think Bixby’s back at my cabin. The security service just called to let me know it was broken into again. Pinky, would you check the cameras for me?”

  He brings up the cameras and find Bixby asleep on the sofa. Pinky says, “I’ll call Richard Dean. I don’t know what he’s going to want to do this time.”

  After a conversation with Richard Dean, Pinky tells the guys the FBI is going to pick him up. They are sending a team up to the cabin and should arrest him sometime this afternoon.

  The Drake Security team monitors the cameras at Bear’s cabin all evening and watches as the FBI approaches the house. Then, they see the moment Bixby realizes they are outside and watch as he sneaks out the back door and into the woods escaping again.

  Pinky says, “Damn! I am beginning to lose all faith in the guys at the FBI. How could they let him slip away again? Now we don’t know where he’s going!”

  Scoot says, “Keep that recording. They need to use it in their training to show what not to do!”

  The FBI impounded the truck and left Bixby on foot again. When Richard Dean calls Pinky he says, “Mr. Williams, I am embarrassed to tell you that Bixby got away again.”