“What we have is: the wind spins the blades which creates the power, and that power is stored in the twelve volt batteries. We can’t use twelve volts though, so it then goes into the inverter, which turns it into 120 volts, and that we can use. I hope everyone remembered to shut off everything in their domes. We don’t want a power surge.” Aaron faced the wall of breakers and started flipping switches. The first one lit up the generator room.
“Aaron,” Gwen said. “What if there isn’t any wind?”
“The batteries store the power for when there isn’t any input. That shouldn’t be a problem though, not here. It’s always windy at the level the propellers are. Plus even a small breeze spins them. My biggest concern was too much wind. However, these newer units have built-in governors, and they can’t go over a certain speed.”
“I would suggest we check out each dome,” Jeff said jubilantly.
“Just so you know, Jeff, I’ve only turned on the well pump and the two condo domes for now. The office and restaurant area can be tested later.”
In each dome, they plugged in lamps and switched on overhead lights. They plugged the refrigerators and stoves back in.
“Why aren’t those working Aaron?” Jeff asked.
“All the stoves have electronic ignitions, and the electronics have fried. I might be able to bypass the ignitions, I’m not sure though. The refrigerators are the same, too many circuits.”
“What about the water heaters?” Adele asked hopefully.
“First we need water,” Jeff said, standing by the sink. He turned the faucet on. It sputtered and spit. He turned it off.
“Leave it on, Jeff, there’s air in the lines,” Aaron said. Within a minute, the ice cold water was flowing. The group of seven people were mesmerized by the water coming out of the faucet.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, Aaron, but we’ll have to be cautious about using too many things at one time, right,” Jeff said, and Aaron nodded. “Since we are all heating with wood right now, I say we leave the furnaces off. Can we use the water heaters by lowering the heat and maybe shutting them off?”
“That would be a good solution. I was going to suggest rotating every six hours on the water heaters, alternating between the two units. That way the water doesn’t cool off too much and everyone has warm to hot water. I know I’m sure looking forward to a hot shower!” Aaron opened what looked like a closet door, exposing the water heating unit. He dialed it down and plugged it in. Nothing happened. He unplugged it again. “We’ll check out the schematics. There may be an electronic ignition in this too, I don’t remember.”
“Well, we have lights and we have water. Two things we didn’t have yesterday. I say it’s still cause for a celebration,” Chet said. “Plug the clocks back in. Dinner is at six o’clock.”
***
“I’m disappointed we don’t have the hot water back so you can take a shower,” Jeff said after the others had left.
“Me too, although I have another idea,” Adele said, sitting down at her drawing table. She pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and began to draw. Jeff leaned over her shoulder.
“Ingenious,” he said. “I’ve no doubt Aaron could make that in fifteen minutes or less. Let’s take this drawing over to him right now. Maybe we will all get showers before dinner anyway.”
“We better put more water on to heat, then!”
***
“This is so simple I don’t know why we didn’t come up with it before,” Aaron said looking at Adele’s design. “All we need is a plastic bucket, a hose, a clamp and a shower head.”
“And a strong hook for the ceiling,” Jeff added.
The two men, along with Walter, rummaged around in Aaron’s massive workshop and found everything they needed to construct two shower buckets. With a short length of tubing glued into the hole drilled at the bottom on the side of the bucket and a small shower head attached to the other end, they were done.
In Jeff and Adele’s condo, Aaron found a stud in the ceiling of the shower stall and secured the heavy duty hook that would hold the weight of the full bucket. Adele added the hot water and adjusted the temperature by adding some cold. Jeff lifted the bucket onto the hook and released the vise-like clamp on the hose, and water sprinkled out of the showerhead. He put the clamp back on to stop the gravity flow.
“Okay, men,” Adele said, giggling, “Out! I’m taking a shower!”
***
She came out of the bathroom toweling her hair and smiled at Jeff. “That was the best shower ever.” She kissed him soundly. “Your turn.”
***
Chet insisted on pouring the champagne himself. He raised his glass and said, “To Aaron and Walter, who have given us back lights!” Everyone raised their glass and toasted the two men. “And to Adele, who has given us back the civilized function of taking a shower!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Zeke? Where are you?” Sheriff Burns called into the dark Walstroms store. He flashed the weakening beam of light across the entrance, thinking he should replace the batteries soon. The light was strong enough though to catch on the shoe of the man lying on the floor. He knelt down beside the body and felt for a pulse. When he couldn’t feel one, he gently turned Zeke onto his back, exposing the long, jagged gash up his belly.
Claude stood and backed away, scanning the darkness beyond for any possible light. Not seeing any, he still pulled his service revolver before stepping into the gloom.
***
“Zeke is dead?” Henry gasped.
Claude ran his hand over his face. “Yeah, knifed in the belly. I also found the body of a kid by the pharmacy, also knifed. The kid was wearing a ski mask and may have been one of the attackers, who was then eliminated.” He stared up at the ceiling. “What’s happening to our town, Henry? These are peaceful, hardworking people. I’ve never known any of them to be violent, with the exception of the occasional bar-brawl, and certainly not killers.”
“People do strange things during a time of crisis, you know that, Claude. If that youngster was in on a robbery of some sort, likely the others are young, too.” The mayor looked past his friend to see Allison putting another log in the woodstove. “What is the status of the pharmacy?”
“Everything was moved to the hospital two days ago. It’s in a locked room with the hospital’s regular drug supply. Do you think we’re going to need to post guards?”
“Perhaps. If these kids were after drugs, they might get desperate enough to try anything.”
“Well, we certainly don’t want to lose one of our doctors or nurses to some druggie. I’ll set up a schedule and make sure everyone is armed. I hate this kind of shit.” The sheriff stood and went back to his own office.
***
Later that night, Sarah Hughes heard a knock on her front door. “Oh, how nice to see you, come in, dear, it’s cold out. Would you like some tea?”
***
Sarah Hughes’ body was found the next day when Mike Miller delivered wood to her house. Her throat had been neatly sliced open. There were no signs of a struggle.
***
“Sarah is dead now too?” Henry sighed, leaning back in his overstuffed leather office chair.
“Whoever did this wasn’t a stranger. She knew the person and let them in. There were two teacups at the table and the pocketknife used was left in the sink. It had Sarah’s initials engraved on the handle. Unfortunately there is no way for us to lift fingerprints, and somehow I don’t think there are any besides Sarah’s,” Claude said.
“I think we need to spread the news that everyone living alone needs to either pair up, or be ultra-cautious letting people in,” Henry suggested. “What’s the situation with the hospital?”
“I had a deputy there all night. With a lantern burning, he was real obvious to anyone that might have come around, so it was quiet. I don’t know h
ow long that can last, though. My men are complaining about the extra duty and being away from their own families,” Claude said. “And I think the sooner we finish getting the food out of Walstroms, the better. Without food or drugs in there, it will be less appealing.”
“Someone at the meeting suggested to me later that we could reopen that small grocery at Cliff and Main, and stock the food there. It’s more visible and less vulnerable than Walstroms.”
“I like that idea, Henry. I’ve been thinking too, that the people need to do more to help. What do you think about having all who are interested to meet us at Walstroms and they can fill a grocery cart with what they need? Then they can wheel the cart home to unload,” Claude suggested. “When everyone has a supply, we take the rest to that grocery. There’s a lot of food available and we can’t afford to lose any of it.”
“I like that. We’ll put the word out. I’ve set up a message board at the churches, the café, and of course here. Let’s do it soon, maybe tomorrow. That will give everyone time to shovel the snow off their walks. It won’t be easy pushing those carts if they don’t,” Henry said.
“Have you two noticed the sky today?” Allison asked from the doorway. “It looks like a storm is on the way, maybe another day or two.”
“We better get some notices up in the next hour, and schedule the cart-brigade for tomorrow early,” Henry said with a heavy sigh. “Without plows, any storm is going to be a bad one. People need to be ready.”
***
“Allison, honey, I can shovel the walk,” Claude said when he was leaving home after lunch.
“You go do the offices, I’ll do this. Now shoo!” She picked up another shovel full and tossed it to the side. He chuckled at her determination and hurried away. He stopped to talk with Mae, who continued toward her.
“Hi, Mae,” Allison greeted the waitress from the café.
“Hi. Was the sheriff just here?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes, dear, Claude has moved in with me, finally,” Allison laughed. “And the mayor is staying in our guest room. It isn’t good for anyone to be alone now.”
“I’m glad you have someone here. Now I don’t have to worry about you.” Mae looked up the street seeing others shovel their walks.
“What about you?”
“Oh, I’m okay. Dad is hanging on. I better go and help with the shoveling. There are a couple of people who need a younger back to help out. See ya.”
Allison watched the young woman leave, thinking it a strange visit.
***
“This is a good turnout, Henry. How did we reach so many people so quickly?” Claude asked the mayor.
“I gave a stack of notices to Allison to put up, and a bunch to Mae to pass out. Looks to be a hundred people, maybe more, and I see some brought wagons. It’s good to see people taking initiative,” Henry answered. He climbed up onto a chair to address the crowd. “I hope we have enough carts for everyone. If not, take what you can carry and come back for a second load. I want everyone to be polite about this and don’t take more than your share. There are deputies and volunteer guards in all the aisles to help you. Please shop quickly since there are more people coming.” He stepped down and people rushed into the store.
The process went smoothly, with only one or two arguments over an item. After an hour, the last person was leaving.
“That’s an interesting assortment, Mae,” Claude commented.
“Oh, this is for George Green,” she replied, looking at the basket full of soups, macaroni and cheese mixes, and tuna fish. “When I was helping him shovel yesterday he said he didn’t think he could walk this far, so I said I would get his share and he wanted things easy to heat or fix. That’s okay isn’t it? I’ll need to come back for things for me and Dad.”
“That was nice of you to help him out, Mae. The more people help each other the better off we all will be.”
“I’m still worried about him, Sheriff. Since he lives alone, I suggested he either stay with someone, or have a friend move in with him. He’s a stubborn one though, says he likes living alone. Maybe he would listen to you,” she said.
“That’s a good idea, I’ll talk to him.”
“If you don’t mind, with this storm coming and all, I’d really like to get my stuff early and get on home. Would you take this basket to George and talk with him?”
“Absolutely, Mae.” Claude turned to Henry. “I’m taking this over to George, and Mae is going back in for more for herself. I’ll be back in a half hour or so. Allison, wait up! I’ll walk with you.”
***
Claude and Allison wrestled their carts through the snow, and after Allison turned off Main Street toward her home, Claude continued another block.
“George? It’s Sheriff Burns. I’ve brought a cart of food for you,” he called out and knocked on the door. “George?” The house was unusually quiet. Claude tried the door, and, finding it unlocked like so many in town, he let himself in. In the small dining room, the sheriff found George’s body, still sitting in the straight back chair. His throat had been slit by something very sharp. In the kitchen sink was a bloody box cutter.
The bile rose in Claude’s throat at the smell of death: the coppery scent of blood and the stench of the body systems letting go. Lividity had already set in; death had occurred sometime during the night. He stepped back out into the fresh, cold air and closed the door behind him, pushing the cart back down street with a heavy heart.
“Sheriff!” Mae called out, wheeling her own cart and noticing the still full basket pushed by the sheriff. “Wasn’t George home?”
“When was the last time you talked with George?” he asked.
“Yesterday afternoon when I shoveled his walk. Why?”
“Don’t go in there; it’s now a crime scene. George was murdered during the night.”
Mae gasped and covered her mouth in horror.
“I’m going to take his cart over to the café. All this soup should come in handy for feeding a few people,” Claude told her.
Mae only nodded, and continued on to the home she shared with her elderly father.
***
Henry was shocked at the news of the friendly older man being murdered.
“It’s got to be the same person, Henry: same method, same disposal of the weapon, same lack of any struggle. We have a serial killer on our hands, and it’s one of us.”
***
The second half of the food dispersal was somber as the news of yet another murder spread through the town.
“Another cart full, Allison?” Henry questioned, seeing her back in the store.
“Henry Hawkins, you do recall that there are three of us in the house now and each of us are entitled to some of this food like everyone else, right?” she snapped at him.
“Yes, ma’am, I know that.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for snapping like that, it’s just…” she swiped at an errant tear. “I liked old George. He was my middle school math teacher and a really nice person.” She pushed the cart at Henry. “Here, you fill this one up and try for some meat if there’s any left. I’m going to fill this one for the church.” Allison wandered off in search of blankets and towels and to be alone.
Claude found Allison in the housewares department, sitting on the floor next to an empty shopping cart. He sat on the floor beside her and pulled her into his arms. The dam burst and she sobbed into his chest. When the tears subsided, he stood and helped her up. He reached into a display and tore open a package of cloth napkins, handing her one.
“Sheriff Burns, isn’t that theft?” she tried, failing at the joke.
He smiled down at her. “Rank has its privileges, Allison.”
“It will be strange when we are all equals,” she said. Squaring her shoulders, she began piling the cart with blankets, towels and pillows, all destined f
or the warming center at the church.
“We need one more cart of food for the church, Claude. I know there isn’t much left and that’s good, but they’re going to be feeding a lot of folks, especially during this storm.”
He looked out the large plate glass windows that covered the front of Walstroms. The sunlight that filtered in was starting to dim. “It looks like it will start soon. I think it’s time to wrap things up in here. You go on now, take that to the church and then go home and lock the doors. Don’t let anyone in, and I mean no one, I don’t care who it is, until me or Henry get there. Understand?” He looked hard at her. “Understand?” She nodded silently. “I know the church needs extra food, but so does the hospital. I’ll drop this cart off there and be home shortly.”
***
“Here’s extra food, Doc. I tried for soft and easy: soups, pasta, hot cereal like oatmeal,” Claude said, pushing the full cart into the emergency room.
“Thanks, Claude, I appreciate it,” Dr. Sam said. “Have a seat for a minute. I have an update on the man you brought in.” They sat on the hard plastic chairs that lined the large waiting room and faced each other. “While there was enough sunlight coming in, I did surgery on Mr. Polez. I’ll be honest, it made me really nervous doing such delicate work in a non-sterile environment. I had Ellen assist me and my only other nurse stood guard, making sure no one came in with further contamination.
“Anyway, I removed one toe from his left foot and two from the right. He’ll limp, but he’ll walk.”
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