South River Incident

by Ann Mullen

When Claire found out I was going shopping, she insisted on coming, too.

  “I need to do something to make myself feel better and take my mind off everything. Mom said she would watch the kids. Do you mind if I tag along? We could make a day of it.”

  “No, I don’t mind. If you’re sure you’re up to it, I’d love to have you come with me,” I said. “Where do you want to go first? I was thinking about going to the mall and then maybe heading over to Stanardsville. I want to stop at that pottery place and buy something for the house. If I’m going to marry an Indian, I need some pottery in my house. What better way to learn a little about his culture?”

  “Mom and I stopped by there a couple of times. It’s called the Noon Whistle Pottery, and a lady about my age runs the place,” Claire said. “The building used to be a gas station a long time ago. She has some really nice stuff. I’m sure you’ll be able to find something of interest. Hey, maybe we can have lunch at the Lafayette Hotel. Did you know that the Lafayette was used as a hospital for the Confederacy during the Civil War? It’s now a bed and breakfast, with a restaurant.”

  “Is that so?” I asked, trying to sound interested.

  “And that’s not all. At one time, the Lafayette...”

  “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’m ready to leave. You can tell me all about the hotel in the car.”

  “I’m ready whenever you are,” she said.

  While I waited for Claire to get her coat, I had a chance to think. I realized I was not looking forward to spending my day at the mall with a shopaholic. Claire’s shopping binges were notorious. Mom always said that Claire was the queen of shoppers. She loved a good bargain.

  “Why don’t you take my pickup?” Billy asked as we were about to walk out the door. “It’s higher off the ground than your Jeep, and I’m sure you’re going to run into some flooding.”

  “What about you?” I asked. “Don’t you have some errands to run?”

  “I do need to go to the office for a while.”

  “We’ll be fine in my Jeep,” I said, taking Claire by the hand. “Besides, you don’t have a camper shell. Where will we put all the stuff we’re going to buy? We’ll have too many bags.” We giggled like two school girls as we ran out the door, leaving Mom to watch the kids, and Billy scratching his head. Life was getting back to normal.

  “Where do you want to go first, the mall or Stanardsville?” I asked Claire as we climbed into the Jeep, shivering.

  Even with the temperatures in the upper forties, it still felt cold as a freezer outside. My boots were covered in mud, and my fingertips felt like ice. I rummaged through my purse for a pair of gloves.

  “Claire, look in the glove box and see if my gloves are in there. I can’t seem to find them.”

  “Sure,” she mumbled, opening the box.

  A scream blasted the interior of the Jeep. Claire bounced around, throwing her arms up in the air and making faces like she’d just seen a slimy animal head.

  “Calm down, Claire. What’s the matter with you?”

  Words would not come out of her mouth. All she could do was point to the box. I leaned across the console and looked in.

  Both of us jumped out of the car at the same time and ran back toward the house.

  “Billy!” I hollered. “There’s a dead animal in my car.”

  Billy came running out of the bedroom, one boot on his foot and the other one in his hand. “What do you mean, there’s a dead animal in your car? What on earth...”

  “Somebody put something in my glove box, and it’s dead.”

  I had one of those spine tingling feelings you get when a possum runs across your grave. That’s what Mom called it when that shiver ran down your spine. It made me twitch and jerk.

  Billy went to check out the situation while Claire and I stood by the fire, trying to get the ice out of our bones and the fear out of our souls. Mom made us a cup of hot chocolate in an attempt to soothe our nerves. Coffee, hot tea, or hot chocolate were her remedies for everything.

  “Here, drink this,” she said. “It’ll make you feel better.”

  We obeyed. Who could argue with a nice cup of hot chocolate when your stomach was tied in a knot?

  “What’s taking him so long?” Claire asked, just as Billy was walking through the front door. She looked up at him and said, “We were beginning to worry about you.”

  “What was that thing in my glove box?” I jumped up and went to Billy. “It looked like a dead, mangled bird, but I didn’t take the time to get a real close look at it.”

  “It was a crow. Somebody plucked its feathers and gutted it. Then they wrapped the body with the feathers and tied the bundle together with jute string. I buried it in the woods.”

  “That’s awful!” Mom said. “Why would somebody do something so cruel and vile?”

  “It was a warning—a sign of death to come,” he said to her, and then looked at me. “It comes from an old tale carried down over the years to scare evildoers. There’s nothing to it. Whoever did this was just trying to scare you.”

  “I hope it wasn’t anybody in your family,” Claire commented.

  I turned to her in a rage and said, “That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever come up with, Claire. I can’t believe you’d think someone in Billy’s family would do something like that. Besides, they like me.”

  Claire’s accusation had cut deeply into his heart, and he couldn’t hide the pain. “I can assure you it was not someone in my family.”

  “I’m sorry, Billy,” Claire was quick to offer. “When you said... aw... it was some voodoo spell... I just figured... oh, never mind.”

  “Forget it, Claire. I think we know what you mean,” I hissed, tired of listening to her drivel. “I’m ready to go shopping. Are you coming?”

  “After all this, you still want to go shopping? I don’t know if I can ever get back into that car again. What else are we going to find, a dead rat?” Claire wrung her hands together and then wiped them on her jeans. She was obviously appalled at the idea of being close to something so nasty.

  “Well, suit yourself,” I said. “I’m driving my car and I’m leaving with or without you.” I gave her a minute to make up her mind and then I headed for the front door.

  “Here,” Billy reached into his coat pocket and removed a pair of gloves. “You might need these. They were in my truck.”

  “Thanks,” I said. I took the gloves and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  Ah, free at last! Now I could do my shopping in peace. I smiled as I got into my car and drove away. The thought of having a little time to myself was so pleasing. I could do whatever I wanted to do!

  The stores were filled with people doing their Christmas shopping. I thought the weather would have kept them at home, but it hadn’t. They were accustomed to deep snowfalls and the aftermath of melting snow. The mushy, muddy snow and the overflowing streams that ran across the roads, making driving hazardous, were not a deterrent. The mall was packed. People loaded down with packages were pleasant even though they had to shuffle through the hoards of other shoppers. They all had a smile on their face, which I found quite delightful. The atmosphere was just the opposite of what I would have encountered if I was in a shopping mall in Newport News. There are so many people living in Tidewater, you can’t turn around without bumping into someone. And they were always in a hurry. People in a hurry have a tendency to be rude. Mountain folk are never in a hurry. I spent two hours going through many of the stores at Fashion Square Mall. They had everything I needed. I picked up toys for the kids, a sweater for Claire, a bathrobe for Mom, and a pair of insulated coveralls for Billy. The guy in the store said all the hunters wore them. Billy was a hunter and a warrior, I explained as the guy tried to sell me a blaze-orange vest... which I did buy. The salesman also talked me into buying a knife. He said all warriors carried them.

  By lunchtime, I was famished. Since Claire hadn’t joined my shopping excursion, I wasn’t going to go
by myself to the Lafayette for lunch. The trip to Stanardsville could wait until another day. Instead, I decided to stop at the Rising Sun. Robert’s restaurant was one of the best in Charlottesville, and being almost a member of the family, I was sure to get a table. He always kept a special one set aside just for his family, and now that family included me. Unfortunately, Robert wasn’t at the restaurant and the new maitre d’ didn’t know me. After standing in line for fifteen minutes, I gave up and turned to leave. I had my hand on the door handle of my car when a waitress called out and motioned for me to come back.

  “I’m sorry,” the pretty blond said.

  I couldn’t remember her name, but I recognized her face from the last time I was at the restaurant with Billy.

  “Our maitre d’ is new and he didn’t know who you were. Dr. Nesbitt and his wife would like you to join them for lunch.”

  I followed her back inside and was led to a table by the window. Adam and Beth greeted me with a friendly smile.

  “How are you, Jesse?” Beth asked, motioning for me to sit down.

  “Tired,” I responded. “I’ve been Christmas shopping all morning. What a madhouse. The mall was hopping. I think everybody has the Christmas spirit. It was kind of nice.”

  “Would you like something to drink?” the waitress asked, placing a menu on the table in front of me.

  “Yes, I would like iced tea, please,” I answered. I took off my coat. “I don’t need a menu, just bring me a salad, please.”

  “So,” Beth got right to the point. “Mom says you’re pregnant.”

  “That’s what I hear,” I muttered.

  “You don’t know for sure? Haven’t you been to the doctor?”

  “Come on, Beth,” Adam butted in. “Give her a break. Can’t you see she’s tired and doesn’t want to talk about it?”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, “but I don’t think there’s anything to talk about. I’m not pregnant.”

  “That’s what I said both times the chief told me the good news. He’s always the first to know. You might want to give some credence to his words.” Beth giggled.

  “I’m sorry, Beth, but I find it a little hard to believe that the chief can predict such things.”

  “Oh, don’t be surprised if he’s right. You just never know sometimes.”

  “How are things going at the clinic, Adam?” I changed the subject.

  “We’re busy as usual,” he answered. “How’s Thor?”

  “He’s recovering, thanks to the chief. Of course, he’s such a whiner. He demands way too much attention. He’s always been such a needy dog, but now that he’s been injured, he’s really bad. He wants every minute of my time. I walk out of the room, and when I look down, he’s right there beside me. It’s as if he doesn’t want to let me out of his sight.”

  “It could be that he senses what the chief sees,” Beth said. “Dogs can be very perceptive and protective. Thor wants to protect you but he feels like he can’t because he’s been injured. He’ll stay on your heels because he wants to be close by in case anything happens, and then he can run for help. Once he’s better, he’ll give you some space.”

  “You sound just like Billy,” I said.

  “We are alike in many ways; all of us are.”

  Actually, I didn’t quite understand how she could interpret the feelings of a dog, but who was I to question her ability? I understood the meaning of her assessment. I believe that dogs were meant to share their lives with humans. They live for the companionship.

  “I heard he was a real hero,” Adam said. “Billy says he probably saved your life. He was first on the point. That shows that he’s a true protector.”

  “Yeah, and he’s also good at distractions. If he hadn’t come around the corner when he did, I don’t know what the outcome would have been. You should have seen the way he tore into that guy. The whole scene was unreal. One minute everything’s fine, and the next thing I know, I’m staring down the barrel of a gun.”

  “Speaking of which,” Adam said, “how are you holding out? If you need someone to talk to, I have a friend who is a psychologist. After a traumatic experience, sometimes it helps to talk about it with a professional. You need to release your pain.”

  “Thanks, but I have everything under control. I’ve had a couple of bad dreams, but other than that, I’m doing okay.”

  “Well, if you change your mind, her name is Dr. Tanessa Rose. She has an office on Rio Road. Billy has talked to her a couple of times.”

  “Billy has talked to her?” I asked. My heart skipped a beat.

  “Yes,” Beth blurted out. “He needed to talk to someone when Ruth left him. He was so upset.”

  Needless to say, the conversation slowed down after that statement. The thought of Billy seeing a shrink because of a broken heart, broke my heart. The food arrived, and the rest of our lunch was spent with the three of us making small talk. Pleasant as it was, I was glad when the meal was over. I dug into my purse for my wallet so I could pay my share, but Adam wouldn’t hear of it. He insisted on paying for my meal.

  “If you need help with the wedding plans, don’t hesitate to call,” Beth offered. “I love weddings.”

  “I’m sure there will be plenty to do,” I muttered, and then thanked them for lunch, before hurrying out of the restaurant. For some reason, I was getting claustrophobic. I had to get out of there. Something inside was eating at me, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. That’s what I kept telling myself as I sloshed through the snow to get to my car. The truth is, I had one more stop to make before heading home. I was tired and still had to go to the drugstore. It was time to do the deed. I stood by the car door fumbling for that little black gadget on my key chain to unlock the door, when a stranger walked up.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” the young girl said. “My car won’t start and I was wondering if you could give me a ride to the car lot where my boyfriend works. It’s only a couple of blocks down the road past Wal-Mart, but in this weather, it’s just too cold to walk. I’d really appreciate it.”

  She looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old and in desperate need of a helping hand. Blond ringlets of hair spilled out from around the hood of her jacket and her nose was red and runny. At any minute, I thought she was going to cry.

  “I have a cell phone, if you want to call him,” I offered, digging into my purse. “I know it’s in here somewhere.”

  “No, thank you,” she said. She lowered her head and whispered ever so sadly. “That won’t help. You see, I don’t have the money to have it fixed. It’s just going to have to sit for a while. All I need is a ride to the dealership to get my boyfriend’s car.”

  “Sure, jump in,” I said.

  I was going in that direction, but I’d have to backtrack to the drugstore. I wasn’t about to take her with me. This was private. Call me old-fashioned, I don’t care. There are some things a person has to do alone and this was one of them.

  “Thank you,” she replied. “I was afraid I was going to have to walk. Nobody wants to help someone they don’t know.”

  “Yeah, I know just what you mean.”

  I hit the button on the remote and the door locks clicked open.

  “Thankfully, not everyone’s like that.”

  Once we were inside the car, her attitude changed. “Maybe they should be. They probably would be better off.”

  Confused, I looked at her as I put the key in the ignition. “Why would you say that?” I asked.

  Her hand came out from inside her big, bulky handbag. She pointed a small handgun at me and made a snorkeling sound.

  “They thought I couldn’t pull it off. I guess I showed them. Start the car and let’s get on down the road.”

  My first thought was to jump out of the car, but after a quick assessment, I decided against it. A teenager with a gun was not someone to mess with. They were young and impetuous. They had no idea what the consequences of their actions were, or if they did, they just
didn’t care. No, I would play along with her for the time being; just long enough to gain control of the situation.

  “I guess we’re not going to the car dealership after all, huh?”

  “Hey, you learn fast. Get moving,” she said, waving the gun in my face. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  I started the car and backed out of the parking space, my mind racing.

  “Will you at least tell me where we’re going?”

  “Just get on Rt. 29 and head south. You don’t need to know anything else. You’ll find out all in good time.”

  “It’s my life; I think I have a right to know. Why are you doing this, and what did you mean by they didn’t think you could pull it off? Who are you talking about? Don’t you realize you could go to prison for what you’re doing? It’s called kidnapping.”

  “I’m not kidnapping you! I’m just hitching a ride.”

  “Oh, is that what they told you?” I pulled up to the stoplight and made a right hand turn onto Rt. 29. “How many people at the restaurant saw you get into my car? Have you considered that possibility? If anything should happen to me, it’s the first thing the police are going to ask. They aren’t stupid. They know how to handle situations like this.” I tried to reason with her by putting doubts in her mind. She was young and I knew that young people could be easily swayed. Unfortunately, that makes them such easy targets for predators.

  “The people I had lunch with were sitting by the window. I’m sure they watched me leave. You’ll never get away with it. If you let me go, I’ll forget this ever happened. You can go your way and I will go mine. That’s the best offer you’re going to get. It’ll keep you out of jail.”

  “Shut up, and keep driving,” she demanded, fidgeting with the gun.

  She was getting nervous, and I could tell she might be having second thoughts. I kept plugging away.

  “You’re young and have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t mess it up by doing this. It’s a crime to hold someone against their will. The crime becomes really bad when you use a gun. If you kill me while you’re in the process of kidnapping me, you’d get the death penalty.”