The Dunn Deal

by Catherine Leggitt

  Talking to him wasn’t working, so I babbled to myself. “I think we should go see Deputy Oliver. We need help.”

  No reaction.

  “Jesse.” I reached a hand to his arm.

  He jumped. “What!” His head jerked to glance at me. The car careened into the wrong lane. “What?”

  As I righted myself, I pointed to the road. “I’m saying that I think we should go see Deputy Oliver. He was Baxter’s friend. At least he sounded that way.”

  “No. We’ve got to find Mary Wilson. She’s been out here. She’ll know how to approach these people. Mary can get in.”

  His idea sounded crazier than mine. I frowned my disapproval.

  But Jesse didn’t seem to notice. “Look, Christine. We can’t go to the sheriff’s office. We don’t know who we can trust there. Colter warned us to stay out of this investigation and had no interest in the black van. You don’t know this Oliver fellow well enough to know if he’s trustworthy. According to the newspaper, the guy heading the investigation released the information concluding that Baxter’s death was accidental. Obviously, there’s something wrong with his thinking. There’s no one left but Mary. Maybe Mary can get a message to Frankie pleading with him to give Molly back if we let this thing go. No more snooping. We’re in way over our heads and we have no muscle to back us up.”

  Dark possibilities swirled through my head. When Jesse steered toward Rough and Ready, I gripped the door handle with all my might.

  Mary Wilson answered our determined rapping quicker this time. Perhaps she’d been looking out the window when we drove in. More likely, she’d been preparing to go out. Her hair appeared better arranged in a messy up-do, piled on top with stray ends sticking out like feathers. She’d applied a deep red lipstick that made her mouth look bolder. Not exactly a style that enhanced her appearance, the brash mouth made her look like a little girl playing grownup.

  Her look of anticipation deflated significantly when she spied our faces on the other side of the screen door. “Oh, it’s you.”

  “Were you expecting someone?” How could we make that up to her? “Sorry. We won’t take much of your time if you’re on your way out.”

  “I am.” She reached for the door.

  Jesse pulled the screen door toward him, holding the rapidly closing door open. “Wait, please. We need to talk to you. It’s very important. Could we come in?”

  Mary hesitated. Seeing the serious set of Jesse’s jaw may have caused her to step out of his way. He can be formidable as well as dazzling. I followed Jesse, accidentally releasing the screen door so quickly that it flapped shut with a loud clap. This time Mary didn’t lead the way to the seating area, but stood defensively against the wall, arms folded across her chest as if she hoped we’d be quick about whatever we came to say.

  Jesse glanced at me and then at Mary. “We need your help. We went to the sawmill. The one you told us about. They took our dog.”

  “What?” The what wobbled out in a small laugh of disbelief. “How?”

  I released pent up air. “I was spying on them, looking for the black van. I didn’t think they knew I was there. Please. You’ve got to help us get our dog back.”

  Her eyes widened. “Are you crazy? They won’t give you the dog. No matter what you do.”

  A gasp escaped my lips.

  “Why would you mess with those people? I told you they were bad.” She raised both hands as if to fend off a predator. “I can’t help you.”

  Jesse stepped toward her. “But you know them. You know the layout of the place, where they might keep our dog. Please, Mary. We may not have much time.”

  Fear invaded her emotionally barren face. “No! I… can’t.”

  My eyes filled with tears. “She’s a wonderful dog, our Molly is. We’ve had her for thirteen years. She’s more like a family member than a pet. Molly’s a border collie, the best dog we ever had. Smart. You wouldn’t believe what she can do. I

  swear she knows what I’m talking about most of the time. I wish I’d brought a picture to show you. You’d really love her. She’s worth saving, I promise.”

  When my tears started to flow, her eyes softened. “You don’t understand these people. They’re cruel.”

  “Okay then. Just give us advice,” Jesse said evenly. “Maybe we should call them. Do they have cell phones out there?”

  Mary focused on the space between Jesse and me. “I don’t know. Honestly. I just don’t know.” Then she shook her head harder. “If they have phones, I don’t know any numbers. Cell phones don’t always work out there. There’s dead spots because of the mountains. I think they use radios.”

  Jesse pressed her. “Should we walk in with a white flag and announce ourselves and why we’ve come? Promise never to bother them again?”

  “I don’t think they’d let you in.”

  “How about if we write a letter? You could deliver it for us.”

  She shook her head, staring at the floor.

  I shrugged. “We should go right to the police then.”

  She looked up abruptly. “Police? Definitely no. Frankie has too many guns.”

  Jesse frowned at me.

  Mary crossed her arms over her chest like a shield and rocked slightly on her heels. “It’s…a huge place. Some of the buildings have dugout rooms underneath. There’s at least one that links up with an old mine shaft. I think that’s where they have their secret ceremonies.”

  A shiver passed over me. Secret ceremonies? What kind of group was this?

  Jesse keyed in on a different word. “Mine shaft? Where’s the mine shaft located? Maybe we could go in where it comes out to the surface.”

  “I think it links to the Star Mine; the shaft entrance is blocked. If I remember right, it’s close to the main entrance. But I don’t think you should try going in that way. They keep guards there most of the time.”

  I thought of the narrow, pot-holed road. “There must be another way out to the sawmill. You couldn’t get trucks loaded with logs over that curvy road, especially during a storm.”

  Her face brightened. “Sure. There’s another way. It takes a lot longer, that’s why they don’t use it much. That’s how you should go in. But you probably couldn’t find it all by yourselves.” She dropped her arms and gazed from Jesse to me. “Maybe I should go with you.”

  Had she forgotten her misgivings about these cruel, insane men? Once she decided to help us, her spirits perked up noticeably. When she pulled her black purse off a hook near the door, she actually smiled. I followed her to the Jeep, too grateful for her assistance to ask why she was helping us.

  In the twilight we passed through North San Juan, turning past the gas station to head north. From my seat in the front passenger side, I leaned around so I could see Mary in the back seat. She huddled against the side of the car looking out the window. Tight black spandex pants were partly covered by a long bulky burgundy sweater underneath a wide, mesh, bolero jacket. Was she trying to hide her figure?

  She turned her head and saw me studying her.

  I flashed my kindest smile. “You don’t seem like the sort of girl who’d get involved with folks like Frankie. How’d you meet?”

  “Frankie? He seemed fun, at first—wild and completely unpredictable. Had an unusual kind streak that appeared when

  you didn’t expect it. We met at a street fair a couple years ago. He was…nice to me.” She resettled herself, tucking her feet underneath herself. Heavy eye makeup gave her eyes a dark exotic appearance. “I was new in town then, came out to stay with friends. Things were…bad at home. So…I left.”

  Mary lowered her head and peered at me through thick eyelashes, perhaps waiting to see if I would censor her.

  Her vulnerability made me want to gather her in my arms instead. “Do you mind me asking how old you are?”

  “Twenty-one.”

  I knew she lied, but I didn’t call her on it. “So, you met Frankie and had lots of fun.”

  She glanced up. “Yeah, l
ots of fun. Then he started using more and more. When he gets high, he gets ugly. After a while, ‘God’ started talking to him.”

  My Miss Goody-Two-Shoes tone slipped out. I couldn’t help it. “Does he really think he hears God when he does drugs?”

  With a shrug, she shook her head. The bulky sweater fell off one shoulder. “I guess.” She tugged the sweater in place and pushed her little black purse out of the way to make room for her feet. “He started wearing this funny robe all the time and got crazier and crazier. I don’t know where the soldiers came from. Maybe he got them off the Internet. Frankie spent a lot of time on the computer. All of a sudden, men started coming. They’d have big meetings. Him and that curly-haired freak would get all heated up preaching to them. Really weird. After a while, I quit going to the meetings because it scared me, all the killing and torture talk. It was gross.”

  Jesse kept his eyes on the road. “What kind of drugs do they use?”

  With arms crossed, she dug her fingernails into her arms. “You name it, they used it. The curly-haired guy is some kind

  of scientist, I think. He runs the lab where they make drugs. That’s why they have guards. To protect the drugs.” She stopped talking and whispered. “I shouldn’t be talking about this.”

  Jesse glanced at me and raised one eyebrow. “Do you still want to go in there?”

  I nodded sluggishly, aware of a chill that started inside.

  Mary tapped Jesse’s shoulder. “Slow down. There’s a turn coming up. To the right.”

  Jesse maneuvered right onto another winding road that we never would have seen in the dark without her help. No one spoke, all eyes on the road. So far, even though unmarked, this roundabout route seemed better maintained and wider than the way we’d taken earlier.

  Mary stared out the window. “The superstitious parts scared me too.”

  I looked back at her. “What do you mean, superstitious?”

  She shrugged. “Friday the thirteenth’s always real important. So are black cats. Halloween’s like a major holiday, meetings always start at midnight. You know, stuff like that.”

  I couldn’t imagine what stuff like that might be.

  Jesse shot me a quick look. “What day was Baxter killed? Wasn’t it...?”

  “Friday the thirteenth. He died about midnight.”

  He glanced at me again. “That’s got to be significant. Don’t you think?”

  I stared at Mary.

  “Could be.” Mary nodded, dark eyes widening. “Maybe it means Frankie knows how Baxter Dunn died.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The headlights soon illuminated a large weathered sign announcing the Gleason Mill, and Mary confirmed we were nearing the sawmill grounds. Thick clouds covered the nearly full moon that should have provided light for our path. The darkness felt so dense I wondered how in the world we’d ever manage to navigate through the thick woods.

  Mary pointed. “Park there. In those trees.”

  Jesse complied and then turned to study her. “I hope you have a plan in your pretty little head.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that.” She paused, nibbling savagely on her fingernail. “I’ve been here a lot of times, but you realize they never let me roam around on my own, don’t you?”

  We nodded, not taking our eyes off of her.

  “One good thing is that Frankie’s a dog lover. If he knows they took your dog, chances are good that he will take care of her.” Mary extracted a cigarette pack and lighter from her black purse. “There’s a well-guarded tunnel under the lab where they store their valuable stuff. They might put your dog there.” She shook out a cigarette and tucked the pack back, her young

  forehead puckered with furrows. “Frankie has a lot of dogs. He would keep yours with the others, in the big dog cages.” She glanced at us. “But he moves those around sometimes. Twice that I know of. Last time I saw them they were in the tunnel behind that big car garage. You’ll know when you get close, ’cause you’ll hear dogs barking.”

  Jesse’s expression conveyed his reluctance. “Okay, I guess that gives us someplace to start.”

  “Do you think we can get in there without being seen?” I asked.

  She flipped her lighter over in her palm. “Maybe Jesse could if he wore fatigues. They might not question someone who looked like one of the soldiers.”

  “Where would I get fatigues?” he chuckled.

  I didn’t like this plan.

  “One of the bunk rooms usually has boxes of them. That’s on the other—”

  “I saw that bunk room,” I interrupted. “I could get in there. But wouldn’t the soldiers be there now?”

  “Could still be at dinner. They eat together in the sawmill building. There’s a big dining room in the back. The kitchen’s there, too.”

  “Okay.” I unbuckled my seat belt. “Point me toward the bunk room and I’ll be back in a flash.”

  “No,” they said in unison. Jesse grabbed my arm.

  “Why not?”

  Mary spoke first. “I’ll go. I’m younger and faster.”

  I frowned. Was she insinuating I’m old and slow?

  “No offense,” she said quickly. “It’s just that I can get in and out without any trouble since I know where I’m going.” In a flash, Mary had opened the door and slipped off into the night.

  Jesse rolled down the window and whispered, “Hey!”

  She didn’t come back. Would she smoke her cigarette out in the forest? With all the trees and dried needles? I should follow her and make sure she didn’t.

  But Jesse raised the window and turned to me, putting an abrupt end to my thoughts. “I was going to give her my penlight. It would give her a little light. But she didn’t stop, so, I guess our job is to pray for her now.”

  We asked God to protect Mary and roll back the clouds so she could find her way.

  Somewhere near the end of the longest hour I’ve ever spent, Mary opened the back door and jumped into the car. With a “Tah dah!” of triumph she held up the fatigues, hat, and boots she’d pilfered. Breathing quite rapidly from her race through the woods, she smiled. “Piece of cake. I didn’t bump into a single soul along the way.”

  “Then why did it take you so long?” I gathered the garments from her.

  She took a deep breath. “It’s farther to the compound than I remembered. I almost got lost before I found the buildings. Maybe I should’ve told you to park closer, but at least out here they’re not patrolling the road.”

  I patted her arm. “Thank God you have a good sense of direction.”

  “Well, that’s the funny part.” She chuckled. “I usually don’t. I get lost a lot. When I followed the dirt road, I walked too deep into the woods. All of a sudden, I got totally turned around. It really scared me. I thought of whistling to you. Maybe you’d come and find me. I know how to whistle real loud like a boy. My brother taught me. Anyway, then I felt someone guide me. Someone I couldn’t see.”

  Jesse and I gazed at each other.

  I smiled. “We were praying.”

  Mary shrugged. “Maybe there is a God, because at first I thought I got lost. But just when I started to get scared, the clouds moved away and the moon lit up my path. Just like someone pointed the way.”

  Jesse took the fatigues behind a tree to change by the light of the moon. To my surprise, the clothes fit, although he complained about the boots being a bit loose. When he secured the hat and stepped back for our inspection, the transformation was stunning. He could indeed pass for one of the soldiers.

  After I’d adamantly refused to be left behind alone in the car, we set off together for the compound. Mary lit our path with the tiny dot of Jesse’s penlight.

  God’s answer to our prayer and Mary’s favorable response made me think of the eternal state of her soul. “Mary,” I said, falling in step beside her. “We prayed for God to light your path and He did. Did you know God answers prayers?”

  “I guess I don’t know much about God.”

/>   I put my arm around her thin shoulders. “Let me tell you about Him.”

  She nodded, eyes bright.

  As we trudged through the forest, I started from the beginning. “God created a perfect world. Evil didn’t exist. Everything was good because God is good. God created Adam and Eve to live in His perfect world and take care of it. They could do anything they wanted except one thing.”

  Mary whispered, “God told them not to eat the apples.”

  “You’ve heard this story. That’s right. God forbid them to eat the fruit from a special tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. Do you know who came to talk to Eve in the garden?”

  “The Devil. Right?”

  I squeezed her shoulder. “Yes. One day Satan called to Eve. He told her God had lied. She could eat the fruit and not die. This is the sad part, Mary. Eve believed what Satan

  said and took a bite. She persuaded Adam to eat too. When they chose to eat, they disobeyed God. That’s what sin is, doing what God says not to do. Sin and evil entered the world. Ever since, people have been born sinners. All of us. God’s rule is that sin must be punished by death. Everyone deserves death because of sin.”

  In the small glow from the penlight, Mary kept her eyes on my face. “I’ve never heard it explained like that before.”

  Jesse continued. “The story doesn’t end there. God doesn’t want us to die. He loves us. He loves you too, Mary. God made a way for people to live with Him forever and ever instead of getting the punishment of death that we deserve. Do you know who God sent to die in our place? I bet you do.”

  Mary stopped. “Jesus?” She only whispered His name but neither one of us needed hearing aids to hear it. The Holy Spirit was at work.

  “That’s right, Mary. Jesus did everything that needed to be done so our sins are forgiven.”

  Tears trickled down Mary’s face. “I’m full of… bad things… things I shouldn’t have done. Sometimes I think I can’t do anything right, even when I try. I always feel guilty, like I’m a bad person. If I ask God to forgive me, will He do that? No matter what I’ve done?” She searched my face as if she knew that her life depended on my answer.