Heart of a Runaway Girl

by Trevor Wiltzen

  “Yes!” Kerry said, pumping her fist, and got up quickly to run upstairs.

  “But I’ve got to leave now!” Mabel shouted after her. “Don’t take too long!”

  Mabel called the Sheriff, but there was no answer, so she left a message on his machine to meet her there. Despite her plea to hurry, it still took Kerry five minutes to change and grab her things. By then, Mabel had the boys in the car. She started the engine as Kerry came tearing out of the house putting on her jacket and hefting her backpack. Then Kerry came up to the driver’s side window hands held in mock prayer as she pleaded to drive. Mabel gave her a look, then nodded and got out of the car.

  “Thanks, Auntie!” Kerry said sweetly, kissing her on the cheek.

  Mabel couldn’t help but smile as she went around to the passenger side. “Book it, though,” she said. “We’re late.”

  “It’s too hot back here,” Hector pleaded from the back. “Can you open a window?”

  Mabel cracked hers as they took off and breathed in the fresh forest air. Having been on the go all day, it was good to collect her wits before meeting this girl.

  When they pulled up to the mill, only one other car was in the parking lot. The office lights were off, and only a few scattered dim security lights were on in the processing building, which had no walls and a peaked roof, and only the black profiles of vast machinery and tall stacks of lumber visible inside.

  “You said she wanted to meet you at the mill, right?” Kerry said, now fully realizing the seriousness of it all. Mabel nodded. “You sure you want to go in there?”

  Mabel tore her eyes from the scary darkness and put on a brave front for the kids. “No. But I called the Sheriff to meet me here so don’t worry, dears, I’m only going to wait out by that car for Dan to show up.”

  “You sure?” Kerry asked, concerned. “This place seems pretty spooky.”

  “What? With all I’ve been through?” Mabel tried to laugh it off. “I don’t seem to scare so easily anymore. Here—” She patted Kerry’s arm. “Go to Lisa’s, call the Sheriff, and tell him that he needs to pick me up right away. I’ll be waiting outside. If this girl shows up, great, if not, I’ve only wasted some time. Deal?”

  “If you say so,” said Kerry, hesitant.

  “Mom! Aren’t you coming too?” Fred pleaded.

  “Yeah, Mom!” Hector said. “I don’t want to go to stupid Lisa’s!”

  Mabel turned around. “Boys! This is an emergency. Go to Consuela’s, and I’ll be there in no time. Make sure you listen to her and to your cousin too. And Kerry, don’t you forget to call the Sheriff.” Before Mabel had completely shut the door, she noticed their frightened little faces and added in a softer tone, “Be good. I love you.”

  The station wagon’s tires kicked up dust and gravel as Mabel watched them turn onto the highway. The distant engine’s sound faded under the chirping of crickets and the soft whistling of the wind through the logs and cutting machinery. A chain jangled lightly then went silent. She shivered and crossed her arms, but not just from the cold. Creepy Friday the 13th Jason horror hockey masks covered the office windows and the dark depths of the open-air warehouse were eerie.

  The messy contents of the lone car offered no clues as to the identity of its owner. Mabel wondered if the girl’s instructions, ‘to meet where Karen had died,’ actually meant inside the mill. She checked her watch. The Sheriff might be another twenty or thirty minutes. She felt foolish just standing there when the girl might be inside. Plus, she was getting more impatient — and colder — by the minute.

  She moved closer and peered through the open entry leading to the processing facility.

  “Hello?” she called out timidly.

  Her soft voice disappeared into the darkness.

  She huffed, a little angry for having come. She rechecked her watch. Ten minutes had passed alone. The Sheriff must be on his way by now, she thought. Feeling this was a waste of time, and wanting to get this over with, she decided to head in, check around quickly and then go back up to the road to wait for Dan.

  Mabel stepped into the mill, which seemed far bigger and creepier at night. Her vision had trouble adjusting to the widely spaced, dim security lights, and the long, deep darkness between the machines and tall stacks of lumber. She got lost almost right away. After a few twists and turns, she eventually spotted the conveyor belt where she’d confronted Lee Wallach, and beyond that, the large sawing machine where Karen’s broken, abused body had been found. A chill ran through her.

  “Hello?” she called out weakly.

  A chain rattled loudly by the conveyor.

  A figure wearing a Halloween horror mask materialized.

  “Oh dear Lord! You scared me, Luv!” Mabel said, her heart racing. “Come out in the light girl, and take off that horrid thing and let’s talk.”

  The mask fell to the floor.

  Lee Wallach grinned.

  Mabel gasped, terrified, and backed up a step before another man’s voice sounded behind her. “Got ya.”

  Mabel whirled around to see Don Sigmundson coming out of the darkness, a lecherous grin on his face. “I told you I was coming for you.”

  Lee Wallach stepped forward, a knife glinting in his hands.

  “Don’t you dare touch me!” she screamed, backing away, her breath coming in gasps until she bumped into something sharp and metal — the cutting machine.

  Don laughed while Lee warned him, “We’re taking too long. Let’s get this done.”

  “Nah, we can take our time. Let’s enjoy this.”

  Mabel looked between the two, her lungs screaming for breath. She tried to frighten them. “The Sheriff’s outside!”

  “We waited too long.”

  Don shook his head. “The bitch is lying. We would have heard him drive up.”

  Mabel glanced everywhere for a way out. She was blocked on either side except for a slight gap at the base of the machinery behind her.

  The two men edged closer.

  “That girl!” she cried out. “She knows I’m here.”

  Don laughed. “She does what I say, and no one will miss her.”

  “I’ve called the Sheriff! I’ve collected evidence on you. You’re going to jail.”

  Lee swore and then growled at Don, “Let’s get this done.”

  Don waved him off. “What evidence?” he asked Mabel. “What are you talking about?”

  “Fingerprints. Lab samples. And Karen’s diary — with Lee’s name in it. It’s all there. The lawyer has it.”

  “Which lawyer?” Don growled, eyes ablaze.

  Mabel dived under the sawing machine, landing hard on a dirt floor covered in sharp woodchips and slivers. A rough hand grasped her leg. She screamed and kicked.

  His grip eased, and she yanked it away just in time as the knife sunk into the dirt. Heavy smells of machine oil and pine suffocated her senses. She crawled deeper into the narrow passage, dark and claustrophobic under the machine, until she dragged herself out from underneath into a small open space where twin cutting blades violently sheared massive logs.

  Trapped by the serrated steel, she heard footfalls around her. Then a flashlight beam blasted through a gap underneath at the far end, blinding her. It was Lee. He shouted in a rage, “Come out, bitch! You can’t get away.”

  Still on all fours, Mabel shuddered, almost hyperventilating, and edged away. She turned toward her right, but a long sharp sawblade nearly cut her face, and she backed further underneath the machine.

  “I got her!” Don called out and reached down from above. She dodged his grasp, then struggled to get away in the ever-narrowing space beneath the machinery. Frantic, she clawed at the wood chips and slivers to drag herself forward as something sharp nicked the back of her leg, drawing blood. She could hear the men climbing up and over the machinery as they hunted for her, but she changed directions to get away. Fighting back sobs to stay quiet, she dragged herself forward, in pain, terrified, and finally emerged out one side. Don and Lee were no
where to be seen, but she could see the parking lot ahead in the distance. She scrambled out, got to her feet, and ran.

  “There she is!”

  Heavy footsteps sounded behind her. She screamed, then stumbled, but held her balance and kept running toward the parking lot, screaming as loud as she could, and — not believing her eyes — saw Dan’s cruiser pulling in, red and blue emergency lights flashing, followed by her car with Kerry and Consuela inside.

  Dan got out of his car with his gun drawn. “Freeze!” he yelled toward the sawmill as Mabel ran past him and straight into the arms of the two women.

  “Freeze, dammit,” shouted Dan, and the three looked back to see Lee, knife in hand.

  “I’ll shoot!”

  Lee let the knife go and dropped down onto his knees, putting his hands behind his head, his eyes never leaving Mabel.

  “You’re hurt,” came Consuela’s voice from what seemed like a million miles away. “Are you all right?”

  Covered in dirt, dust, and blood, Mabel started to feel the pain in the gash on her leg and where the splinters in her hands had dug deep. Cold and faint, she started shaking violently.

  Consuela’s voice came again. “Kerry, help me put her into the car.”

  As they guided her in, Mabel saw Dan putting handcuffs on Lee.

  “There’s two of them!” she called out.

  Dan pulled Lee to his feet. He glanced back, but no one else was in sight. Mabel grabbed Consuela. “There’s two of ’em. The other is Don.” She shouted hysterically, “They’re murderers!”

  Kerry pulled Mabel in. “It’s okay, Auntie, it’s okay.”

  “Kerry,” Consuela said again, “get Mabel in the car now and lock the doors.”

  Mabel shivered uncontrollably as Kerry wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sat close to keep her warm.

  A sharp rap on the window. Mabel screamed.

  It was Dan.

  Kerry unlocked the door and Dan opened it. “You okay?” he asked Mabel. She nodded but couldn’t speak. “You said there were two of them, right?”

  Mabel stuttered. “D-don-on. Don-n Sigmund-son.”

  “Don Sigmundson,” Dan repeated.

  “And-d Lee… Lee… Wall-a-ch.”

  “I got him, Mabel. He’s in the car. And we’ll get Don, too.”

  Mabel closed her eyes and nodded, feeling faint. She sunk back exhausted into her seat and then rested her head onto Kerry’s shoulder and burst into tears.

  CHAPTER 39

  Tuesday, November 4

  Two days later, Mabel was resting in her den, feet up on pillows, a quilted comforter over her legs. The cut on her leg looked worse than it was but had still required stitches. The doctor had put a couple of stitches in her hands too, where the worst of the slivers had dug deep. Mabel was proving to be a terrible patient, worrying too much about all the work not getting done and getting grumpier by the second. And though Sally had stepped up to take her shifts at the diner and Consuela had dropped off pre-made dinners, it was Kerry — who’d taken time off school — who’d proven to be the biggest godsend.

  The boys didn’t know the full extent of what had happened, just that their mom had gotten hurt at the mill and needed time to get better. While Fred had accepted this explanation, Hector was suspicious. He’d hang around whenever someone showed up, eavesdropping to get the real story.

  Dan’s cruiser pulled up, and Dan got out with a wave at her. He’d been alternating with the State Police keeping watch outside since Don Sigmundson was still on the run, and they were worried he’d come for her again. Mabel almost wished he would. Between her protective customers and the police presence, if Don tried anything here, he would be caught pretty quick.

  Dan opened the door and admonished her as he knocked the dust off his boots. “You should really lock this door.”

  “Just come in and mind your business.”

  Dan smiled, took off his cap, and rubbed his unruly hair. “Got some good news for ya,” he said. “I know where Don Sigmundson is hiding out — in a remote trailer in back of one of them Larson’s farms.”

  “That’s great news!” Mabel said. Then after a pause, added, “So what are you doing talking to me? Go get him!”

  Dan cleared his throat. “Well, them Staties are doing that. Sending two units over now.”

  Mabel crossed her arms. “Any of them working on Larson’s team?”

  Dan looked a little uncomfortable. “Some, but they’re going to bring him in, I got assurances on that.”

  “Will they really bring him in?”

  “Have to. This is murder.”

  “Bet they’ll avoid the drugs on the farm.”

  Dan played with the brim of his hat before he nodded. “Thought I’d tell you the good news.”

  Mabel huffed. “I’d sleep better with Larson and his gang in prison too.” She shook her head, looking out the window, not too happy how this was turning out. “So how do you know he’s even there?”

  “Well now,” the Sheriff said, perking up. “Barbara — his girlfriend — called it in.”

  “I told ya, Dan! She’s the one who called me that night and set me up.”

  “Well, about that… It couldn’t be her because she was with her mom. So I don’t know who made that phone call to you. But it sure wasn’t her.”

  Mabel wrapped her shawl tighter around her. “Are you sure?”

  He nodded. “Talked to both Barbara and her mom, together and separate. Barbara is plain furious — and, to be frank, she’s pretty upset that her boyfriend was involved in Karen’s murder, not to mention the attack on you. She passes her best wishes to you, by the way.” Dan paused for a reaction, but when Mabel said nothing, he cleared his throat and continued. “Don had called her to bring him some food to his hideout, secret-like, and as soon as she got off the phone, she called me and told me where he was.”

  Mabel shifted in her seat. “Well, that girl who called me that night sure sounded scared. If it wasn’t Barbara, which I don’t quite believe, those two thugs threatened someone else. You better ask Lee or Don when you get them, cause a girl could be in trouble.”

  “Will do,” Dan said. Then he cleared his throat again and nodded. “Well, I better be off then,” he said and rose heavily to his feet. But before he left, he looked down and said, voice raw with emotion, “Mabel, I… I sure am glad you made it out of that mill. ’Cause I don’t know what this community would do without you.”

  Mabel softened and reached out to grasp his hand and squeezed. “Dan, I owe you so much. Not just for me, but for helping with Hector. Thank you.”

  Dan blushed, stammered a quick, “no problem,” and then lumbered out the door and down the steps.

  Mabel watched Dan get in his car to take off and said, “Kerry, bring me the phone,” and when Kerry dragged the phone over, she added, “And don’t you listen, child.”

  Kerry shrugged, put on her headphones, and turned up her music.

  Mabel dialed the number Lavi had given her.

  It rang multiple times before a gruff voice answered. “Tyrone Jackson.”

  “Tyrone. The name is Mabel Davison in Blue River. I think Lavi Arronson spoke to you about me.”

  “Mabel! Nice talking to you. I hear you’ve been dealing with one of my star criminals — a Karl Larson. He’s a tough character.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Mabel drawled out.

  Tyrone laughed and said, “Mr. Arronson spoke very highly of you. Said you were one of his best investigators.”

  “Well, I… I don’t know about that. But thank you.”

  “So, what can I do for you?”

  “Are you going to follow the law when it comes to Larson?” Mabel asked, getting right to her point.

  “That’s a strange question.”

  “Not if you know that Larson has some influence on the State Police. So if I tell you things, are you going to ignore them or act on them?”

  “Ma’am, Larson has a lot to worry about from me.
My team and I represent the whole northwest region, and I know the man well, trust me. Karl Larson is the number one a-hole on my shit list, pardon my language.”

  “Good,” she said. “Because I know something you don’t. The State Police are going to raid one of his farms to arrest a murderer, but they ain’t going to do anything about the drugs.”

  “What murderer? I never heard about that!”

  “Well, then that’s a good thing we’re talking, Luv.” She told him about what she’d seen at the farm, how it was connected to a murder investigation, and how Larson and his skinheads were harvesting marijuana. “If the State Police don’t see all the marijuana in the fields, they’d be blind.”

  “Okay, Mabel,” Tyrone replied. “I’m very glad you called. Here is what I’m going to do. First, I’m going to get a search warrant and send my team out there as fast as I can.”

  That surprised her. “You will?”

  “I’ve wanted to have a look at one of Larson’s farms near Blue River for a while now, and I’m not giving up this chance.”

  Mabel felt a little faint, not used to being treated so seriously. “Well, that’s good to hear.”

  “Second,” Tyrone said. “I’m going to need you to make a witness statement. I can keep you off the record before the court date, but if it goes to court, you’re going to have to go on the stand, and I’ll be honest, Larson plays rough to witnesses. I don’t want to sugarcoat it, but I will do everything in my power to keep you protected as a witness. Do you understand?”

  Mabel pumped her fist in delight, ignoring the risk. She said wistfully, “Oh Tyrone, if you could help clean up this community, that would be fantastic.”

  “Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” he said, gruffly but with a touch of pride. “Raiding the farm is only the first step.”

  “Just get him, dear. You’ve got my full support.”

  “Then don’t tell anyone about this call. Neither your Sheriff friend nor the State Police.”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  “I look forward to meeting you. Mr. Arronson, he, uh, may not have played you up enough,” Tyrone said before he hung up.

  Mabel danced in place on the couch, ecstatic. Kerry took off her headphones and smiled at her aunt’s enthusiasm.