Momma Grizzly

by Kevin Hensley

  “So,” my mother began, “has all that business about forest myths been put to rest, then? Can we start talking about how you can move forward with your life?”

  She sounded so hopeful. I hated that I had called specifically to disappoint her. Maybe I could soften the blow, lead into it. “Mom, did you hear about what happened to Laylah?”

  “Who?”

  “Rachael’s daughter. You loved Rachael. She was your favorite out of all my friends.”

  “That’s right. What happened to her little girl?”

  “She’s been kidnapped, Mom.”

  “Oh, no, how awful! We hadn’t heard.”

  “Well, the county is on the case. If they haven’t already alerted the media, they will soon. But I don’t think they’re going to find her just by looking.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think you know. The forest has her.”

  “Oh, Kelly…”

  “I don’t care anymore if you don’t believe me. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. Come to town and yell at me in person. You can tell my husband to his face what a terrible person he is, even though I’d be dead now if he hadn’t come home last night. I want you to be present when everything goes to hell tonight.”

  “That’s it, Kelly. I’m calling the pastor. Your father and I are coming out there.”

  “Good.” I hung up, surprised at how relaxed I felt. I truly did not care how upset she was. I just wanted her here.

  I headed back through the house, beckoning to Ethan as I passed.

  He hurried after me. “How did it go?”

  “Well enough. They’re going to show up here. Forty-five minutes to an hour. Better make the most of our time.”

  ✽✽✽

  Five minutes later, we were on the next street and I was ringing Sammie’s doorbell. When she answered the door, my heart skipped. I could tell she had been crying.

  “Are you alright?” I demanded.

  She wiped her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Fine. We’re just so scared.”

  Rachael appeared over Sammie’s shoulder. Her face darkened with contempt when she saw me.

  I sighed. “Hey. I know you’re upset with me. You both are. But I’m working on getting Laylah back. Really. I’m actually glad you’re here. I came to flat-out ask both of you to believe me. That’s all.”

  Rachael rolled her eyes. “Yeah. That’s what I need. More insanity. Here’s Kelly, putting herself at the center of the drama once again. A drama she probably manufactured to begin with.” She turned and walked back into the house where I couldn’t see her.

  Sammie bit her lip, her eyes falling on the boy. “Who’s that?”

  I put my hand on his shoulder. “This is Ethan. The boy from the woods I was trying to reach yesterday. We rescued him last night.”

  “We, who?”

  “Garrett and I.”

  Sammie’s eyes went wide. “He is here. Phil told me he was in town and in the hospital. It sounded so crazy I thought he was probably just confused.”

  “Yeah… thank God he was here. He got hurt in the forest last night when we were getting Ethan and trying to get Laylah.”

  “The forest? Kelly, don’t tell me…”

  “I was right. The Axe-Man has her.”

  “God, Kelly. Enough of this.”

  “No, listen to me. Remember how Phil warned you not to take 138 through the Green Ravine after dark? Remember how your car was attacked? It all make sense now. The Axe—”

  “You listen,” Sammie snapped, stretching up on tiptoes to thrust her face into mine. “I never thought you’d be capable of something like this. You’ll have my gratitude forever for bringing Emma Lee home, Kelly, but enough is enough. I’m starting to think you did have something to do with Laylah’s disappearance. And dragging some kid along to back you up? You need help, honey.”

  “I’m calling the cops,” Rachael said from somewhere inside the house.

  Sammie nodded. “Just wait here,” she said to me and the boy. “We’ll get this all sorted out. It’ll be better if you just tell me what’s going on, Kelly. We can figure it all out. I won’t be angry.”

  “She’s telling the truth,” Ethan said. “Grunwald of one hundred years ago paid dearly for their failure to believe in the curse of the forest. Don’t repeat their mistake.”

  “It’s alright, sweetie. Whatever she told you to say, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Just wait here and some nice policemen will come take you home.”

  I shook my head. Somehow, Sammie’s disbelief stung far more than my mother’s. I turned away, wondering if I had done so fast enough to prevent Sammie or Ethan from seeing my tears.

  Her hand caught my upper arm—I jerked it free, guiding Ethan off the porch with my grip on his shoulder.

  “They’re leaving,” Sammie called out. But she made no move to pursue me. I heard her door close as Ethan and I retreated down the street, heading back to my house.

  Chapter 27

  I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket during the drive to the hospital, but I wasn’t about to answer while I had Ethan in the car with me. I looked at the screen once we had pulled into the parking lot. It was Cotton. I dialed back.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Clegg. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

  “I can talk for just a minute, Pastor Cotton.”

  “I bet you can guess what I’m going to say.”

  “My mom called.”

  “Yes, and this time I share her concerns. I’ve been told your husband is in the hospital. Can you come to my office?”

  “Um, I don’t know if I’m going to get the chance.”

  “At least do something for me. Dispel the horrible rumor that you had something to do with the kidnapping of this girl.”

  “Of course I didn’t. You know me better than that… don’t you?”

  “After what we discussed about your displaced maternal instinct, I find I can’t be sure.”

  I grimaced. “I’m trying to save the girl, Pastor. But no one believes me. I guess I don’t have your talent of figuring out what motivates people.”

  “I’m afraid it might be too late for that. Mayor Vintner is about to make a statement to the media and he wants to be able to tell them they have a suspect. I love the people of Grunwald, Mrs. Clegg, but they have a deep love for mob hysteria and scapegoats that I find off-putting.”

  “You have no idea how true that is. Anyway, I think the police were already called on me. You’re the power player in town. Call the mayor back. If you can keep the cops off me, I’ll be able to tell you all you like.”

  A long sigh. “I’ll do what I can, Mrs. Clegg.” Cotton ended the call.

  Ethan gave me a sideways glance. He looked tiny in my passenger seat, clinging to the sack lunch we had made for Garrett. “It doesn’t sound like that went very well,” he mused.

  “No, things are about to get more complicated. Come on. We’re going to need all the time we can get.”

  A minute later we were walking hand in hand through the front doors of the hospital. Ethan held the paper sack in his other fist and I had the prosthetic leg over my shoulder. The TV in the lobby was tuned in to the local news. The husky, sweaty mayor stood in front of the town hall in a rumpled dress shirt.

  “We believe we have a lead in the kidnapping of Laylah Flaherty,” Martin Vintner was saying, “and we are cooperating fully with the county. Yesterday’s search of the town and surrounding forest were not productive, so we are widening our net.”

  The woman behind the information desk stiffened when she saw me. I ignored her but quickened my pace. Ethan had to half-run to keep up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her pick up the phone as we passed.

  We rounded the corner and my gaze fixated on the doorway of Garrett’s room at the end of the hall. I was ready to talk strategy. Maybe he’d have some way of getting through to people that I hadn’t thought of yet.

  My husband’s face was drawn and pale when we arrived. His lit
tle bedside television also showed the mayor’s public address. He was covered with bruises and his right shoulder was secured with a plastic immobilizer.

  “I got to get out of here,” he said. “Marty’s got nothing. They won’t think to search the woods again tonight. The county’s search is focused on Canyon Lake and New Braunfels. They’re not going to find her in time.”

  “It’s worse than that,” I said, throwing the leg onto the bed. Ethan shyly held out the sack lunch.

  Garrett took it with a nod. “What’s happening?”

  “The lead they think they have… they’re talking about me.”

  “They didn’t name you.”

  “Because it’s not a solid lead, it’s just the town rumors.” I fought off a sudden urge to scream, instead taking a long breath to steady my voice. “Rachael and Sammie called the cops on me. They think I’ve gone nuts and kidnapped Laylah and Ethan. Rachael even thinks I manufactured Sammie’s accident for attention.”

  “That’s insane. Wait, who’s Ethan?”

  The boy waved.

  “The hospital clerk recognized me. I guess Rachael gave the police a description of Ethan and me. I’m guessing we only have a few minutes before they show up.”

  Garrett shook his head. “Certifiably crazy. I’m surprised at Sammie, but we knew Rachael is cracked. You’d think it was her who saw Mickey blow up right in front of her.” He put his hand over a face that was rapidly turning purple. “Damn it all. That girl’s going to die while Grunwald chases its own tail.”

  “It’s like 1915 all over again,” Ethan muttered.

  “Speaking of that,” Garrett said, “my parents left something for you. They spent all last night following leads in the archives.” He reached out for a folder full of papers on the windowsill. Just then, we heard footsteps in the hall. He turned and jammed the file under his bedsheet. “I’ll, uh, give it to you later.”

  Police Chief David Branchett and Officer Joe Collins came into the room, both in full uniform. Ethan took a fast step back from them.

  “Mrs. Clegg, we’re going to have to ask you to leave this room,” Branchett said, reaching out his hand. “I’d like to speak with you.”

  I didn’t move. “We can’t talk here? I would prefer to keep my husband in the loop.”

  “No, for everyone’s safety you need to come with me right now.”

  “Excuse me?” I bristled.

  Branchett’s demeanor changed. The affable man who had shared after-hours drinking stories with my father was gone. He had stepped into the lawman identity I had seen him take on with others. “Mrs. Clegg, I shouldn’t have to tell you that it is a crime to disobey the orders of a law enforcement officer in the course of an investigation.”

  Garrett gave a slow nod. “Just go with them, Kelly. We can’t afford for you to get in more trouble.”

  I rolled my eyes and let David and Joe lead me into the hall. Ethan followed. The chief reached back and closed the door to Garrett’s room.

  “What’s being investigated here?” I demanded. “I thought we already established that I didn’t have anything to do with this lost child. Or the previous one. Tell him, Joe.”

  The younger officer’s face turned red. “We received a tip. Concern for a domestic situation.”

  I scoffed. “This town… everyone’s lost their minds. Is it about this boy? I haven’t kidnapped him either.”

  Ethan nodded. “I’m here of my own free will. Really.”

  Branchett scowled. “No. There was a report of possible assault and battery. Mrs. Clegg, we need to bring you down to the station.”

  “My husband, abusing me? Did you look at him? He’s injured. He just got into town yesterday. Don’t be ridiculous, David.”

  “The allegation was against you, not him. Let’s go, Kelly.”

  “What?!” I shrieked. Branchett’s hand clamped on my upper arm and he began to pull me to the door.

  “We’re just gonna go talk down at the station,” Branchett added. “Keep you two separated until cooler heads prevail around here. We don’t need this kind of thing diverting police resources while the search is going on. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

  “No!” I shouted, planting my feet. “You don’t understand! Laylah is going to die tonight if you don’t listen to me!” I instantly regretted the words tumbling from my mouth. Both officers went wide-eyed.

  “OK,” Branchett said, “now we’re really going to have to ask you some questions. Let’s get her in the car, Joe. Come with us, son.”

  “You’re killing Laylah if you take me!” I yelled. “You’re killing the whole town!”

  Branchett did not turn or respond. I resisted with all my might, but I was not nearly strong enough to get free from the two men. The soles of my shoes squeaked along the tile floor as they dragged me. White-faced and meek with terror, Ethan padded after us. Somewhere, deep under my rage, I felt shame at how I was conducting myself in front of him. But I knew I’d have to sort that one out later.

  “This is a bull-crap arrest and you know it! You’ve got nothing on me! I’m a scapegoat to make the mayor look good! The real kidnapper is still out there!”

  Chapter 28

  They didn’t ask me any questions.

  They didn’t book me, take a mugshot, anything.

  They just put me in the holding cell.

  If they’d thought I was acting crazy at the hospital, I didn’t want to think about how I must have looked now. They were stashing me, they wanted no record of it, and I made it known what I thought of that. Garrett would have been proud if he’d been here.

  The young officer, Collins, sat at the desk and said nothing, his face as white as my hands gripping the cell bars.

  Branchett looked forlorn, beaten, but I didn’t care how he felt. He dialed a number on his cell phone, which finally shut me up. I wanted to hear this.

  “She’s here,” he muttered, turning away from me. “Yes sir, I’ll be back out to help with the search. Yes, she had the boy with her.” He bowed his head and spoke in a placating tone. “They’re not going anywhere. Collins will be here supervising.”

  I took a breath and let out a new stream of vitriol when Branchett hung up. “Nice, David. ‘Yes sir, no sir, may I shine your shoes, sir?’ Is this a public relations stunt? Do you even give a damn what happens to Laylah?”

  Branchett pointed at the boy. “Joe, don’t let him leave. He’ll be picked up in a few minutes.”

  Collins nodded. Ethan straightened up. “I’m not leaving Kelly’s side until this is resolved.”

  The chief frowned before turning for the door. Once in the doorway, he paused. “I’m sorry, Kelly.”

  “Not sorry enough to do what’s right,” I spat. “Let me out, David.”

  Branchett disappeared out the door without answering.

  I rounded on the other officer. “You going to tell me what’s going on? Why am I getting blamed for all this? Who made the complaint about me?”

  Joe sighed. “You know I can’t say.”

  “Where’s my phone? I need to make a call.”

  The officer motioned with his head and I saw my cell phone lying on the desk.

  “Give it to me, please.”

  “Soon,” said Joe.

  “Soon? What are we waiting for?”

  The door opened again. Collins jumped to his feet, followed closely by Ethan. My heart leapt. The sooner I could talk with Vintner or whoever it was that wanted me out of the way, the sooner we could fix this.

  It was my parents.

  “Mom!” I shouted. “Dad! Branchett just locked me up and left! Explain to this guy that I’m not crazy and I’m not beating my husband!”

  Collins let out a long breath and sank back into his seat. Ethan stood in the middle of the waiting area, looking unsure what to think. My parents walked past him, my mother’s eyes lingering on the boy for a second as they did so.

  I reached out as they approached the cell, and my mom took my hand. “T
hank God you’re here,” I said. “It’s very important that I get out of here now. There are lives at stake.”

  My mother squeezed my hand but didn’t meet my eyes. “This is all my fault.”

  “What? No, Mom. It’s not your fault these people are blaming me for everything. We can fix this.”

  “I went too far,” she said. “I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard to get divorced. I didn’t want you to hate Garrett. And now look what’s happened.”

  I let go of my mother’s hand and took a step back. “You don’t think…”

  She finally looked at me. “I’m so sorry, Kelly. Pastor Cotton called us. He told us everything about the police report, about what you’ve been doing around town, how you’ve been using this boy…” She glanced back at Ethan. “He suggested that, given your history and your mental state, you won’t be in too much trouble. But you would be better off staying here, just for the night, so they can find that little girl. It’ll be easier in the morning, after she is safe. Cooler heads will prevail once they know you weren’t responsible.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t believe what I’m hearing.”

  My father stepped back, his hand on my mom’s shoulder. “I’ll call Branchett in the morning,” he said. “Just cool your heels, Kelly. It’ll be alright.”

  “No, it won’t,” I about screamed. “Not if you leave me in here overnight.”

  My dad’s grip on my mom’s shoulder drew her away. As they turned for the door, Ethan grabbed my mom’s sleeve.

  “Think about this,” he implored. “You know your child better than anyone. Do you believe the accusations they have made against her?”

  My mother knelt and cradled Ethan’s face in both hands. “You poor thing. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. They’ll be here soon to pick you up. You’ll have a new home.”

  Something like contempt crossed Ethan’s face, but it was replaced with sadness. He laid his hands on my mother’s. “I wish there was some way you could understand,” he whispered. “Can you just trust her? You could expose this unjust arrest and get Kelly out. After tonight, you will know she was telling the truth.”