by Becky Durfee
Rod focused his attention on the small building that appeared to be the office of the storage facility. “I suppose we can try to find out.”
The man behind the counter spoke with a thick accent, although Jenny couldn’t pinpoint where it was from. “Unit five-fifty-six. Let me see.” He pressed a few buttons on his computer before announcing, “Ah. That unit hasn’t been paid in five months.” Looking over his glasses at the trio, he added, “In another month we’re putting it up for auction.”
“Do you mind telling me who it belongs to?” Amanda asked. “It’s a bit of an emergency.”
The man sized Amanda up, presumably deciding she wasn’t a criminal. He looked back at his computer screen and replied, “It says here it belongs to a Mabel Landry.”
“Mabel Landry?” Amanda said with surprise. “That’s my great-aunt.” She turned to Rod and Jenny. “She’s the sister of the woman who took me and John in.” Focusing her attention to the man behind the counter, she said, “I can tell you why she hasn’t paid in five months…she died back in October.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” the man said. “But unfortunately there’s a fifteen-hundred dollar outstanding balance on the unit.”
Jenny took a step forward. “If I pay the balance, can we have a key?”
The man shrugged. “If I get my money, you get a key.”
Amanda turned to Jenny. “I can’t let you do that.”
Holding up her hand, Jenny said, “It’s a business expense. Don’t worry about it.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a credit card.
“But…” Amanda began to protest.
Jenny flashed a smile in Amanda’s direction. “Put that money in the twins’ college fund. Then we’ll be even.”
The clerk returned Jenny’s credit card to her, and after a quick signature she received the key to the unit. She handed the key over to Rod, noting, “I’ll let you do the honors.” They made the short walk back to the unit.
Turning the key and removing the padlock, Rod lifted the heavy metal door to reveal a unit full to the brim with what appeared to be mostly junk. “Oh my God,” Amanda said. “How will we find anything in this mess?”
Rod glanced at his watch. “To make matters worse, we need to be heading out of here,” he said. “We have to pay a visit to someone in the one-to-five window, so we should actually be hitting the road. If we weren’t on such strict time constraints, we would stay and help out.”
“But we can come back when we’re done,” Jenny offered. “This is too much for one person to go through alone.”
“I agree,” Amanda said pensively. “I think it’s about time I reach out to my long lost brother and see if he can help.” With a smile and a wink, she pulled her phone out of her purse.
Steering the car toward Benning Prison, Jenny posed, “I wonder what could be in that footlocker.”
“I’m just glad we’ll be able to find out,” Rod replied. “It’s scary to think that in a month it would have been auctioned off.”
“I know.” Jenny began to feel a pull, although for the first time she didn’t want to. She wanted to go to Benning and discuss her latest vision with Brian. However, she couldn’t deny the tug, which seemed to go stronger as she tried to resist it. “Sorry, Rod,” she said as she pulled onto a side street. Turning the car around, she headed back in the direction they’d come.
Rod said nothing as they drove. The roads began to look vaguely familiar as the landscape became increasingly desolate; soon Jenny was able to see murky water appear outside of her window. The tug subsided there, just as Jenny suspected it would.
She belonged at the pond.
Wordlessly exiting the car, she walked over to the edge of the water. There was an undeniable chill in the air, although she wasn’t sure if that was from the current weather or October eight years earlier. The trees were colorful around her; the sun was shining. She fiddled with some fishing tackle, selecting an appropriate lure, attempting to fasten it to the end of her line. The bait slipped through her fingers; she bent over to pick it up.
Then she became startled.
Jenny remained motionless, her head hung, as she absorbed the rest of the message. Once the vision subsided, she turned back toward Rod, who stood outside the car. She approached him, staring at him with awe.
“What’s the matter?” he said with concern.
She looked at him with wide eyes. “Things weren’t as they seemed.”
“What does that mean?” Rod posed.
“That means,” Jenny explained. “There are two sides to every story, and I just saw the other side.” She climbed into the car and turned the key.
Following suit, Rod shut the door behind him. “You’re going to have to be less cryptic.”
Jenny didn’t even know where to begin. “I’ll tell you on the way to Benning,” she said. “It will help me rehearse what I’m going to say to Brian.”
Chapt er 19
Jenny wiped her hand down her face, trying to alleviate the tension that filled her body. “I had a very interesting vision at the lake today,” she said into the phone. “I learned a thing or two that will help clarify what went on at the lake the day your mother went missing.”
Once again Brian didn’t reply, a notion Jenny was beginning to expect.
“I saw the image very clearly. I was enjoying a perfectly pleasant afternoon, trying to tie a lure to the end of my line. Your mother was behind me, and I assumed she was doing the same thing.”
A small twitch in Brian’s eyebrow showed he was trying to process what Jenny was saying.
“That’s right,” Jenny said compassionately. “I saw this particular vision through your father’s eyes.”
His shoulders lowered slightly in what Jenny interpreted to be disbelief.
“But apparently Patricia wasn’t getting her fishing rod ready, because before I knew it, I heard a gunshot.” Jenny’s voice remained soft. “Only the bullet didn’t hit me because I’d bent over to pick up the lure I dropped.”
Brian closed his eyes.
Jenny gently placed her hand on the glass, wishing she could comfort him. After clearing her throat she added, “Your mother’s last journal entry talked about how she planned to stand up to your father. I had just assumed she meant she’d have a talk with him, but apparently she meant something more than that.” She repositioned herself in her seat. “I believe she intended to put a stop to the abuse once and for all.”
While he continued to say nothing, Brian looked as if he was having a difficult time hearing the words.
In order to minimize the trauma she would cause, Jenny paused to consider just how many details she would disclose. “But it appears your mother was hardly the murdering type. When Aaron looked up at her after the gunshot, she was frozen, like she couldn’t believe what she’d just done…or, more accurately, what she’d tried to do. He was able to tackle her without much resistance…from what I remember she was a very small woman. He was easily able to overpower her, taking the gun from her.” Jenny looked down to shield herself from Brain’s reaction. “That’s when rage kicked in. He was very angry at her, so he dragged her over to the water and...well, you know the rest.”
She decided against telling him the remaining details, even though Aaron’s vision had provided her with more. Brian didn’t need to know that Aaron had originally panicked when Patricia’s lifeless body floated to the surface. At first Aaron had attempted to put her in the trunk of the car to drive her to a remote location where he could dispose of her body discretely, but when he opened the trunk, concrete blocks with eye hooks were already sitting in there, as were some thick metal chains. They had been part of the plan—Patricia’s plan to hold down Aaron’s body after she had shot him. Those tools ultimately served their intended purpose, only for the wrong person.
Finally Brain spoke in a soft mumble. “So the only reason my father didn’t die that day was because he dropped a lure?”
Jenny was amazed that something
so trivial changed the course of this young man’s life forever. “I’m afraid so.”
Brian clearly shared in that amazement. He looked as if he was considering what his life would have been like had Aaron held on to that lure.
Jenny released a deep sigh and continued. “I was planning to come and see you today anyway. I actually had another vision that I’d like to tell you about.”
Brian looked at her with only his eyes.
“Your mother showed me a scene when you were a little boy and she was offering you advice on how to handle a bully at recess. She ended the discussion by telling you to remember something, and I imagine she wants to make sure you still remember it.”
He looked sadder than Jenny had ever seen him.
Fighting back tears, Jenny whispered, “She said you are who God made you…”
“And God made me wonderful.”
Jenny was shocked that he had finished the sentence.
“She said it all the time,” Brain continued in a sullen voice. “It was like her motto.”
“She still believes that,” Jenny said, encouraged by Brian’s willingness to speak. “My father was able to channel her spirit, and he said that she’s full of love and pride—for you. And this was after the incident with your father. She still loves you and she’s still proud of you, even after everything that’s gone on.” Jenny looked at him imploringly. “Brian, she’s gone through so much trouble to help you. Can you please help yourself by telling me what happened the day Aaron was killed?”
“There’s not much to tell,” he said with a shrug.
Jenny sat silently and let him continue.
“I had moved out of his house on my eighteenth birthday. I didn’t want to spend any more time living with that asshole than I needed to. I was perfectly happy with him completely out of my life; the only problem was my job sucked. I was able to get an apartment with a roommate, but I was only able to pay my bills and that’s it. I was tired of working my ass off and not having anything, so I decided to go back to school. But you’ve got to pay for that, and I didn’t have the money. I needed to get a loan. But I didn’t make enough money to qualify for the loan without someone to co-sign. I went there that day just to get his fucking signature on a piece of paper. That was it. And of course it turned ugly.”
“Did he attack you?” Jenny asked.
“He grabbed my throat.” Brian’s gaze didn’t move from the desk.
“So then it was self-defense,” Jenny said rather triumphantly. Inside she wondered why it had taken so much to get him to admit that, but she was pleased nonetheless. “Brian,” she said excitedly, “with the journal documenting the abuse your case stands a decent shot. You could be out of here in a very short time.”
At this point Brian lifted his gaze to meet Jenny’s. “Have you met my lawyer? I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”
Jenny and Rod arrived back at the storage facility expecting to find John helping his sister unload the unit; instead they found Amanda with three other men. Amanda approached their car as they pulled up. “Hey,” Jenny said as she climbed out. “No John?”
“Nah,” Amanda said. “He didn’t answer his phone. But this is my husband Kevin and his brothers Alex and Curtis.” She gestured to each man as she spoke his name.
Kevin approached with an extended hand. “My wife told me about your abilities,” he said as he greeted them. “That’s amazing.”
“Thanks,” Jenny replied with a modest smile. “Have you had any luck finding the foot locker?”
“We just found it,” Kevin explained. “All of this junk was in front of it.” He referred to the countless items that littered the parking lot. “We can see the locker at this point, but we still can’t get to it. But give us a few more minutes here and we should be able to get it out.”
By then Rod had positioned himself next to Jenny, and she playfully smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “Zack should be here helping. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”
“It’s a little too late now, I think,” Rod said. “They look like they’re almost done.”
After several minutes and a little bit of Rod’s help, all of the items that had blocked the locker had been removed. Kevin’s brothers each took an end and lifted it out into the parking lot. Amanda approached the locker with a distinct look of optimism, which quickly faded as she announced, “It’s padlocked. Is there a key floating around anywhere?”
Amanda searched the foot locker itself while the others looked around the storage unit. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, Amanda said, “We’ll never find it. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“That may or may not be a problem,” Jenny stated, glancing at Rod out of the corner of her eye. “So what do you think, Goldilocks?”
With a sigh of defeat Rod knelt down and examined the lock. He lifted it so he could see the keyhole, declaring, “It looks easy enough. Just give me a minute.” He disappeared back to Jenny’s car.
“Pay no attention to what you’re about to see,” Jenny said to the crowd.
Kevin spoke with a smile. “If he can get the thing open, then I didn’t see anything.”
“See what?” Curtis joked.
“That’s the spirit,” Jenny replied as Rod returned. Using the same tools he’d used to get into John’s house, Rod manipulated the lock until it popped open.
“That’s amazing,” Kevin announced with awe. “How did you do that?”
Rod smiled sheepishly. “I’d rather not share my secrets. I’m not exactly proud of that particular talent.”
Patting Rod’s shoulder, Kevin said, “I have a whole new respect for you, man.”
Amanda seemed more concerned with the contents of the foot locker than the strategy involved in opening it. She immediately removed the lock and lifted the lid, revealing the innocuous-looking trinkets inside. Pulling out a framed eight-by-ten photograph, she sat on the concrete and folded her legs underneath her. Tears filled her eyes and she covered her mouth with her hand as she looked at the image. Kevin squatted next to her, rubbing her back, also taking a look at the picture. “Wow,” he commented softly.
Curiosity brimmed within Jenny, but she knew she needed to respect this moment. Amanda would share the photograph when she was good and ready.
Hugging the picture to her chest, Amanda stood up off the ground with a little help from Kevin as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She regained her composure with a sigh. “I’m sorry,” she said to everyone. “It was just a little upsetting to see.” Without another word she spun the picture around.
The photo inside the frame had been taken by a professional and was made to look like a sports magazine cover. A young boy of about ten wore a helmet and held a bat, looking like he was ready to hit one out of the park. Jenny could tell right away the boy was John, and the large print next to his face proved to be incredibly ironic.
“Future All Star.”
A sickening rock formed in the pit of Jenny’s stomach. John could have been anybody’s son in that picture, and now he was a menace to society. It amazed Jenny how one single careless instant could make somebody’s life take such a dramatic turn for the worse.
Jenny’s eyes wandered to the open foot locker; it looked like it was full of sentimental items. This was going to be a long and bittersweet day for Amanda.
“I guess your parents wanted John to see this,” Jenny finally said. “Maybe seeing how he used to be will have an impact on him.”
Amanda nodded. “I think you’re right,” she said. “And I hope it does.” She spun the picture back around to look at it one more time. “You know,” she said to everyone and to no one, “I remember this picture now that I’m looking at it. I had totally forgotten it even existed.” A painful smile graced her lips. “Look at him,” she whispered, tearing up again. She touched her fingers to his innocent face. “He was such a good little ball player.”
Jenny blinked away her own tears. This whole episode was brutal
.
“What else is in the locker?” Kevin’s booming voice was mercifully unemotional, snapping Jenny back into a more professional state.
Apparently his words had a similar impact on Amanda. Handing the framed picture to her husband, she bent back down to the locker, pulling another piece of paper out of the pile. “Fifth grade honor roll,” she said sadly as she looked over the document. “He was a smart one, too.”
Kevin looked at Jenny with awe. “How did you know all of this would be here?”
Jenny smiled modestly. “Amanda’s parents told me.”
“That’s absolutely amazing,” Kevin said, turning to his wife and adding, “How did this foot locker with all of your stuff come to be in this storage unit?”
Amanda looked up at him. “I guess my grandmother had all of this stuff when we lived with her. But then when she died, she must have given it to her sister. I imagine Aunt Mabel didn’t look at it; she must have just put it in storage with the rest of Grandma’s stuff.” She placed one hand on her hip and used the other to scratch her head. “I have to get John out here to see this. I don’t think this message is meant for me. He needs to see what’s in this foot locker.”
“Good luck with that,” Kevin said. “He won’t even answer his phone.”
Amanda tapped her chin, clearly immersed in thought. She looked around at each face in the crowd before stating, “I wonder if you can all help me with something.”
“Sure,” Rod said. “What is it?”
Taking one last glance at the honor roll certificate in her hand, she declared, “I think it’s time for an intervention.”
Chapter 20
As the convoy of cars—which now included Zack’s—pulled up to the house, Jenny immediately noted John’s red car was parked along the street. As had been previously arranged, the group drove past his house, congregating down the road so they could remain unseen as they finalized their plan.
“Okay,” Amanda said nervously to the group once everyone evacuated their cars. “Kevin and I will ring the doorbell, with the footlocker. You all wait outside for Kevin’s text, then you come in.”