by Leddy Harper
I could tell by his slightly raised tone and increased speech that I had upset him, which wasn’t at all my intention. “I’m sorry, Drew. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I doubted what your grandmother said. I was just trying to put the puzzle pieces together in my head. That’s all. Like with the details of that family…was it widely known that they’d gone missing? Or was it just that your grandmother never heard from them and concluded something suspicious happened?”
“No one’s been able to prove anything, but when you have a husband and wife and their three sons who are never heard from again, you can’t help but scratch your head and come up with your own assumptions. They’d bought a piece of farmland about sixty miles from here and were set to close on it on the fifth—the day the dam opened. They never made it there to sign the papers. And considering the sizeable down payment they’d made, a last-minute change of heart isn’t probable. This all can be backed up by public records. I don’t need to hear anyone else’s account to trust that I was told the truth.”
“Okay…I believe you.” And I did. I didn’t say that just to make him feel better—although that was an important reason, too. The last thing I wanted was for my desire to have all the details to come across as doubt. Because that wasn’t it at all. If he said it happened, then it happened.
He waited a moment, acknowledging that I was through with my questions, and then went on to finish his story. “Anyway…the people of Chogan answered to the law, and the law answered to the Bennetts. If they wanted something, they got it. There was even a saying among some people that if you love it, a Bennett will take it, and there wasn’t anyone who could stop it.”
“They sound corrupt, like the mafia or something.”
Drew seemed to be calming down some. His spine was no longer ramrod straight. His shoulders were looser and hung forward more than before. However, the biggest sign that he had begun to relax was the way he unconsciously played footsies. It wasn’t much, but even the slightest bump of his shoe against mine was able to settle the air between us.
“Many people believed they were corrupt, yes. The problem was that no one could do anything about it. They seemed to own the officials, and if anyone was willing to stand against them, they would’ve been bankrupted by legal fees before their complaint could even be heard. Apparently, the Bennetts had more money than God.”
It was the apparently that had me stopping him this time. “How do you know how rich they were? Did your grandma know them? Was she a Bennett?”
Evidently, I’d hit a nerve, because at the mention of his grandmother being a Bennett, pure disgust crossed his face. He seemed to be more bothered by that than thinking I doubted her. “No, she wasn’t, but regardless, their net worth wasn’t a secret.”
Holding my hands up in surrender so that he would understand my motives, I asked, “How does she know all these things about the Bennetts then? I mean, is it mostly hearsay, or did she have personal knowledge of this family?”
“She dated the patriarch’s grandson.”
Well, that certainly filled in a few gaps. But there were still more…so many more. And I started to believe that, if it was left up to Drew, it’d take the entire week to complete the story. I wasn’t sure I could wait that long for all the information, so I helped him move it along some. “Were the Bennetts the family that went missing?”
“No. I’m getting to that.” A coy smirk shadowed one corner of his mouth, the flames from the fire flickering in his eyes. And all the while, the movie continued to play; the sounds coming through the speakers were now nothing more than background noise.
“Sorry!” I bounced on my bottom to animate my anticipation. “I’m trying to be patient, but the suspense is killing me!”
He dropped his chin and shook his head in amusement as huffed laughter floated past his curled lips. “I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel like we’re kids sharing ghost stories at summer camp.”
It started to feel like this story had begun when we were kids, and if he didn’t hurry it along, I’d need a walker to get off this dock.
“Anyway, back to what I was saying…” He grabbed another beer for himself and passed me a wine cooler. “One theory is that the dam truly opened by accident or oversight, and the authorities—probably shitting themselves—went to the Bennetts for help covering it up. Because money solves everything. It makes the world go ’round.”
My mouth opened and closed a few times, the words becoming stuck in transit from my brain to my tongue. I hated questioning everything he said, and I knew if I kept it up, he’d stop talking. But if there was one thing I couldn’t stand listening to, it would be derogatory comments or opinions based solely on the representation, or appearance, of a person. And I had to speak up. “I’m sorry, Drew, but I have to cut in here.”
He humorously rolled his eyes, but he did give me a chance to speak my mind.
“I can assume that you’ve never met these people, right?” When he nodded, no longer finding my interruption entertaining, I continued. “I get that your grandmother knew them and, based on her relationship with them—and the fact that you clearly despise this family—I take it she didn’t have a favorable opinion of them, either. Am I still on the right track here?”
“Yes,” he said, dragging it out until it sounded more like a snake’s hiss than a word.
“But so far, all I’ve heard about is how evil they are because they have money. I don’t understand what being rich has to do with anything. If you were loaded, wouldn’t you use it to your advantage? I don’t find it fair to attack a person’s credibility—or the reputation of an entire family—based on their social standing any more than, say, on what color bedsheets they slept on.”
A part of me regretted what I said, even though I believed he needed to hear it. Hell, a lot of people probably needed to be reminded that a person’s character isn’t defined by physical or materialistic things, but rather their actions. However, the way he regarded me, silently staring right through me, left me wishing I’d kept my opinion to myself.
“Maybe that’s because you won’t let me finish.” Thankfully, there was a hint of humor in his tone—it sounded more like a tractor dragging laughter over a gravel road, throaty and barely audible, but it was definitely there.
I rolled my wrist, gesturing for him to continue.
“The other theory is that the Bennetts were responsible for the dam opening early. My grandmother was convinced something happened, though she was never sure of what, and they covered it up by flooding the town a day early.”
“Are you saying your grandmother believed the Bennetts were responsible for the disappearance of this other family?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what she thought.”
“But why? I don’t even know who went missing, let alone why these people would have anything to do with it. I need a motive, Drew,” I demanded comically, showing just how into this I was. “I can’t get behind any conspiracy without at least a motive.”
“Okay, I’m going to do my best at painting the entire picture for you, but to do that, you’re not allowed to interrupt. Got it?” He pierced me with his stare until I nodded my agreement. Then he waggled his brows and smiled, as if he’d just won some sort of game. “So I told you the Bennetts owned the majority of the land in and around Chogan, but what I didn’t tell you was that another family, the Crowes, were the ones who worked the land.”
I had to concentrate extra hard to keep from asking the question that burned my tongue.
“Needless to say, the two families hated each other. Their feud went back generations, likely to the beginning of Chogan. Who knows? Anyway, it was very much a privileged-versus-pauper sort of thing, and without one family packing up and moving, there would’ve never been an end to it. The Bennetts would always own and run the town, and the Crowes would always work themselves to death on the land. So really, the flood was a blessing for one of them.”
My drink grew warm in my hand, because I was
so enthralled with his tale that I couldn’t do anything other than sit there and absorb every word he uttered. This could very well be an episode of Law and Order.
“In fact, the Crowes were the ones who coined the saying, if you love it, a Bennett will take it. Because that’s how they saw it happen time and time again. From what my grandmother said, it all started when the Bennetts somehow forced the Crowes to sell them their farmland. It happened long before my grandmother’s time, so she was never sure of the details, but apparently, there was some legal battle over the property, and in the end…well, I’m sure you can guess who won. Anyway, they could continue to live there and profit off the land, but they were no longer the owners.”
Evidently, I’d grown very invested in this story. Every muscle in my body coiled tight with the intense anger that I felt on behalf of people I’d never met, and I became convinced that it wouldn’t go away unless this family was given a happily ever after.
Except this was true crime.
Which meant that was highly unlikely.
“Rumor had it that one of the Crowe boys and the Bennett grandson had gotten into an altercation the night before the flood, during the final Chogan Fourth of July celebration. All over a girl. My grandmother was never able to get the specifics because, clearly, they all went missing less than twenty-four hours later—and she wasn’t there. But from what she gathered, it was all because Bennett’s girlfriend had left him for the Crowe boy.”
I could no longer keep my thoughts to myself. Like a rush of air, my words spewed from my mouth. “You think an entire family went missing, five people, all over a girl? What kind of animals were these people?”
Drew shrugged and offered me the last piece of chocolate, except I was too deep in this mystery to eat anything. So he tossed it into his mouth, and then made me regret my decision by taking his time chewing the treat. If I’d just taken it, he could’ve been carrying on with his story by now.
Finally, he finished swallowing the dessert, took a swig of beer to wash it down, and then leaned forward. That one move told me that what came next would be worth the wait, and as if being pulled by a string, I automatically leaned toward him as well.
“It’s really not that hard of a concept to grasp, considering they were used to getting everything they wanted. Losing something, especially to a Crowe, wouldn’t have been tolerated. But even so, Grans always believed that whatever happened, it was between the two boys.”
“How old were these kids?”
“Early twenties. So really, they weren’t boys, per se, but they certainly weren’t adults.”
“Well, that changes the picture in my mind somewhat. I imagined they were teenagers; then you called them boys, and I got even more confused. Still, I can’t understand how two guys arguing over the same girl could cause an entire family to disappear.”
He leaned closer, his fingertips dancing along my knees while his eyes held me hostage, threatening to pull me into their burning depths. “I don’t have all the details, and most of what I do know is speculative, but Grans believed it enough to dedicate her entire life to this place.”
“That just seems like such a massive sacrifice to make on a hunch.”
“Oh, I’m sure there are a lot more details other than what I just told you that would’ve convinced her beyond any reasonable doubt. The problem is…I don’t know what they are. Grans told my dad, and my dad’s not much of a storyteller; he prefers to stick to the simplified points. So, as you can see, more and more of the history gets forgotten with each generation, and without the history, this place loses its purpose. By the time I have kids—if I have any—there’ll be nothing left of the story. There will be nothing left for them to tell.”
Leaning even closer, Drew traced the sides of my face with his fingertips, tucking my hair behind my ear. With him so close, I was torn between begging him to kiss me and asking more questions. In the end, my decision was made when he pulled away, allowing me breathable air that wasn’t polluted with his intoxicating scent.
The space allowed my thoughts to return to the story, recalling all the things he’d told me. And suddenly, one thing stuck out—not just stuck out, it jumped out and smacked me in the face. “Wait a minute…earlier, when you were talking about the purpose of the resort, you said that your dad refuses to leave because he’s convinced that his family will return. Who’s his family, Drew?”
His eyes found mine, and I watched the light dance in them like stars in the sky.
“The Crowes.”
I sucked in a breath, surprise constricting my chest and making it difficult to breathe. “So…your grandmother was a Crowe?”
Just when I thought he couldn’t surprise me any more, he shook his head. “No, but my dad is.” He must’ve noticed the confusion on my face, because he added, “Grans left a Bennett for the Crowe boy.”
Chapter Five
July 5th, 1974
Dear Diary,
Last night was…I don’t even know how to describe it. It was heaven. It was perfect. It was the best night of my entire life!! I watched the fireworks with the hottest guy I’ve ever met. He’s older and rugged, the exact type Daddy would never let me date, which made him even more appealing. The weird part was, I should’ve been mourning my breakup. It’s only been a few days. My heart should be broken, but it’s not. This mystery guy might be just what the doctor ordered. Well, I’m going to wander around town today, and if my plan works, I just might bump into Mr. Fourth of July! I can’t wait to see him again.
The cool breeze swirled like a loose ribbon around Emily’s bare arms, causing her to hug herself as if she were a long-lost loved one. While the valley was known for its breezy evenings, the chill in the air on this particular night was unexpected, and it left Emily wishing she’d brought a sweater.
She ignored the way the hem of her skirt caressed the smooth skin of her calves while she sat on the back steps of the town’s one and only church. Her friends were expected any minute so they could all head down to Main Street for the Fourth of July festivities, where she would undoubtedly be warmer. Without a watch, Emily wasn’t sure how long she’d been there, or how much longer she would have to wait, but the darker the sky grew, the more impatient she became.
“Two more minutes, and then I’m gone,” she muttered to herself, growing increasingly more annoyed with her friends with every second that passed. After all, it had been their idea to drag her out tonight. With her recent breakup still fresh, Emily had no desire to be around anyone, let alone a crowd of people. However, Jan and Holly had refused to take no for an answer and told her to meet them at nine o’clock—a time that had come and gone.
Aside from the rustling of trees, the church had been rather quiet. Most of the townspeople were celebrating on Main Street. Anyone else would be at home, which was where Emily wished she was. I could be warm and comfortable in my own bed right about now, she thought to herself.
Tapping her fingertips against the gooseflesh along her upper arms, she began to slowly count to a hundred and twenty, giving Jan and Holly the two minutes she had promised. She made it to thirty-six when a noise nearby caught her attention. At first, she assumed her friends had finally arrived, but it didn’t take long for her to realize just how wrong she was.
Gravel grating along pavement and crunching beneath shoes extinguished every ounce of bravado she had. The heaviness of each unhurried step warned that whoever approached was only one person.
And it wasn’t a female.
A chill ran up her spine, though this time, it wasn’t caused by the breeze. It reached her neck before gripping her shoulders and spreading down her arms like slender fingers of terror. In an instant, her cheeks flamed red with heat, the first spark of warmth all evening.
An ominous echo caused by a knuckle against aluminum rang out to her right. Not wanting to move too fast and bring attention to herself, she slowly tilted her head in the direction of the interruption. Out of the corner of her eye, Emily noticed
a shadow appear along the side of the stone church. No features were discernible, though it was enough to prove her assumption correct—it was a man. The sight caused her heart to beat harsher and deeper while her chest constricted, making it difficult to breathe.
The shadow glided past the Keep off Grass sign—the likely culprit of the echo, she assumed—and rounded the back corner, moving so smoothly it almost appeared to be floating. Although, she knew that wasn’t the case because the gritty scratches of footsteps grew closer and closer.
Her tightened throat kept her from screaming.
Fear paralyzed her from the waist down, preventing her from running.
The only thing Emily could do was remain seated, silent and motionless. There was no reason to believe that this man had any idea of her existence, so she figured that if she held her breath and didn’t move, there was a good chance he would walk right past without ever knowing she was there.
Keeping to the top step, he put one foot in front of the other, reminding Emily of the balance beam exercise in gym class. She slowly craned her neck the other way as he walked behind her. He was at least twenty feet away, unable to see her sitting in the dark corner at the bottom, yet that didn’t stop the dread that continued to course through her veins—it didn’t even slow it down.
The man, who now resembled a person more than a simple shadow, stopped in the middle of the top step and took a seat. When he leaned back, propping himself up by his elbows behind him, it was clear to Emily that he planned to stay for a while.
Alarm bells resounded in her ears. Intense fear surged through her veins, releasing intoxicating levels of adrenaline into her system. It was so much that her skin was on fire, the blazing heat scorching every inch of her. She was no longer cold, although her hands shook worse than when she sat practically shivering a few minutes ago.
At this point, Emily no longer cared if Jan and Holly showed up. She doubted they would anyway. There were only two options in front of her: stay and wait him out or leave. Considering she hadn’t wanted to be there in the first place, waiting him out didn’t appeal to her, so she pulled in a deep breath, filling her lungs until they burned, and readied herself to escape.