The Girl Who Loved a Killer

by Tilty Edin

  The man who owned the private property in the woods where Tod kept his prizes, Carlton Andrews, was charged for illegal animal traps placed in the woods, among other illegal acts such as fur trades and tax fraud. Ridley was quick to assume Tod had made a secret deal with Carlton at some point about owning a piece of his land for a large sum for his secrets.

  Alex slowly opened the door to Officer Ridley's honey brown hair and pale blue eyes.

  He kneeled to her, rubbing her back as if it made any difference. "We haven't found your daughter," he said. "We've found Tod Hagen’s car, but we haven't found her."

  Her face hardened. "Come in."

  He stepped in. "Just take a seat, Mrs. Robinson," he said.

  She sat on the couch, covering her face with her hands.

  "It looks like Tod was breifly caught in an animal trap and set himself on fire," he said. "He may or may not have burned alive, although it is very unlikely since we haven't found any other evidence that he could be dead. But we have a lot of woods to cover, and he did leave his car. As far as his records go, that's the only car he has."

  She blew her nose. "You mean you haven't found the son of a bitch?" she asked.

  "We suspect we found his clothing ripped a part and seared from flames," Ridley said. "We're doing a scouting of the woods to see if we can find his body, but it's likely an animal might have gotten to his remains first."

  "But you haven't found him?"

  He bit his tounge. "No Ma'm," he said. "We haven't."

  "Have you looked at Robinson's again?"

  "We're looking again once we're done scouting the woods. The broken window and his car miles away highly suggests he took her somewhere else around where he left his car."

  "Oh my God," she gasped.

  "I promise," he said. "We'll do everything we can to find them. Tod is a very, very-"

  Suddenly a cop car sped down the road and swerved into the parking lot. The front door swung open and an officer came rushing out to them.

  Alex started shaking profusely.

  Ridley kept looking back to her and the mustached cop who went by Thompson.

  "Mrs. Robinson," Thompson said out of breath. "Your daughter is alive."

  47

  Tuck stood in the seas of Sage. He watched mist settle into the forests, the ones he'd come to know his whole life struck bold against the grey morning clouds.

  A tear went rolling down his cheek.

  Just when he thought the world was over, he saw something in the distance. A figure. Who it was, he couldn't be sure. He squinted his eyes and neared it. A step after the other led to more curiosity, until he had to know. 20 feet out and he reconized the outlines of a face he'd give the world to see.

  "Leanne!" he screamed. "Leanne!"

  He could barely make out her faint smile, but pain was still written all over it. The way she struggled to limp, he knew right away she wasn't alright. She wasn't okay, but she was alive for God's sake.

  He didn't think to stop and ask all that had happened. He had a good enough idea, especially once her wounded leg came into view through a flat peice in the field.

  "Oh my god," he said to himself between labored breaths.

  Tears filled her eyes as she embraced him.

  He picked her up loosely and started running back. He met halfway in the middle of the field with the EMT and two other officers.

  "I think Tod brought me here to die," Leanne said to them in a voice barely audible. "But I lived?"

  "How?" Tod asked.

  "I never knew there was a gravestone in the field," she said. "For Sophia. He took me to the field and went somewhere. I hid behind it."

  "Do you have any idea where?" one of the cops asked.

  "No," she said. "Really not a clue. Maybe back to his car."

  "The whole city's looking for that son of a bitch," Tuck said. "And you better believe it. We're going to get you to a hospital. You're going to be just fine."

  EPILOGE

  It was there in the hospital Leanne received the news that she was severely dehydrated, bruised and broken, and that she was also pregnant.

  The doctors all agreed she was in too bad of shape to get an abortion if she so chose. It would only make the healing process more difficult.

  The good news though, despite the deep wound from the animal trap, she would not be losing any limbs. Still, the thought that some were growing inside her made her very uneasy.

  Flowers and cards had been left on her bedside from coworkers and distant family. Despite their differences, her parents, Tuck and Jean, and also Tracy, her sister, and her sisters new baby, gathered in the room to give a supporting talk about the rather disturbing matter.

  Jean put a hand on Leanne's IV hooked arm. "So you know for sure it's his?" she asked.

  Leanne nodded. "It has to be," she said with wet eyes.

  "The baby will be out of wedlock," her mother said. "How will you manage?"

  Tears rolled down Leanne's cheeks. "I don't know mother," she said. "I don't know."

  "Don't worry," Tracy said. "I know Leanne will find some other stud that doesn't murder. Won't ya?"

  Leanne gave a small laugh. "Yeah," she said. "Like I feel like dating anytime soon."

  "I know you'll get your trust back," Jean assured her. "Good people exist. People who really love you. You know that."

  But Leanne couldn't help but think for just the slightest moment that somewhere in the depths of Tod's heart that he loved her. He really loved her.

  Tracy's sisters baby cooed. "Here," she said, handing the big eyed, smiling baby over to Leanne. "It's not all bad."

  Leanne couldn't help but smile and laugh at the jolly infant in front of her. In near disbelief at her own feelings, she said, "Maybe not."