As they sat around the table, the children trying to fish the miniature marshmallows out of their cocoa with their fingers, Ben pulled out a bright yellow map marked with blue patches, red dots, and black lines. Deidre recognized it as a Fischer Map, one commonly used to navigate in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
“I’d like to take the kids on their first canoe trip,” he said. “Would you come with us? I’d really like that.”
Deidre had been into canoe country a few times, and each time she was thrilled by its remote beauty. She jumped at the opportunity. The rest of the evening they studied the map, choosing routes and picking out possible campsites.
“I’ve been to this lake so many times,” Ben said, pointing to a blue area on the map labeled Bald Eagle Lake. “This campsite has a sand beach.” He placed his finger on one of the red dots. It’s really isolated. We might camp there for three of four days and not see another person. “I think it would be a perfect place to take the girls.”
It was bedtime for the soon to be campers, and Deidre and Ben performed the often repeated ritual of carrying them upstairs and tucking them into bed. Life was comfortable for the four of them.
Easter was late that year, falling on the last weekend of the month. Deidre, feeling a natural part of the family, helped pick out outfits for the girls. They dyed Easter eggs, and she helped cook Easter dinner. She even sat in the pew at church with them. Church was not seeming so foreign to her.
The Easter Bunny was good to everyone, and Deidre was at peace with her world.
*****
The first day of May was a rarity for Duluth. The wind was from the west, not off Lake Superior, and the temperature soared into the low eighties. Buds on tree branches were swollen and ready to burst, and robins seemed to be everywhere, cocking their heads sideways in search of unaware earthworms.
Deidre had come to Duluth in the middle of the week and was at Ben’s. While she waited for him to come home from work and while the girls were upstairs playing with their doll house, she made a cup of tea and sat down. The TV had been left on, and she thought she’d watch the five o’clock news. She instantly became absorbed.
Gerald Colter II was seen exiting the Federal Building in downtown Duluth. He was flanked by his attorney on one side and his wife on the other. A reporter blurted out a question. “Mr. Colter, is there any truth to the rumor that you’re being charged with being accomplice to a sex trafficking ring?”
Before he could answer, his attorney answered for him. “Mr. Colter has nothing to say at the moment.”
“Then, is it true that authorities have searched your home and have confiscated your personal computer?”
Once more his attorney answered in his stead. “I’m sorry. Because this case has not been resolved, Mr. Colter will not be able to answer any of your questions at this time.”
The same reporter pressed on. “Mrs. Colter, do you have anything to say at this time?”
“Again, due to the point we are at in this case, Mrs. Colter has nothing to say.”
“Oh, but I do.” The attorney and Colter were taken by surprise, and they looked at her incredulously. Mrs. Colter had a demure smile on her face.
“No. Don’t you dare say you are standing by your man,” Deidre blurted out, not realizing she had verbalized her own feelings.
“I’ve been married to this man for twenty-five years,” Mrs. Colter said, the same naive smile on her face. “And during those twenty-five years, I have never known him . . .” She paused for effect. “. . . to be anything but a complete ass.”
The attorney looked like he was about to have a stroke, and Colter’s jaw clamped shut. There was nothing they could do to shut her up, and the camera kept rolling.
“He is an arrogant SOB who tries to dominate everyone around him, and I’m not going to take his philandering and lying anymore. This is for you, Gerald.” She handed him an envelope she had discreetly carried in her hand. “It’s notice that I’ve filed for divorce. Have a nice day, sweetie.” She confidently strode down the steps of the courthouse, holding her head high and still wearing a smile.
Deidre applauded the performance, and the girls came running downstairs to see what the excitement was about.
“It’s nothing, girls, just an old friend of mine getting what he deserves. Go on up and finish playing. Daddy will be home soon.”
She turned off the TV, and contemplated what she had just witnessed. Gerald Colter had his tail in a ringer, and it was pulling him ever closer to disaster. Then she thought of the judge. He had taken care of his problem in his own way.
LaTourell and Jameson were in jail, not able to post bail, their trials set to take place during the coming summer. The thought hit her that she should make good on her promise to look up the girls she had rescued. Not only that, she wanted to visit with Melissa and her daughter, and she hadn’t heard from Jill for many weeks.
Chapter 35
The last time Deidre traveled to Thunder Bay, the roads were covered with snow, and the trip had taken four hours. Today, the sun was shining brightly, the temperature was in the seventies, and she was cruising along a little over the posted speed limit. As she rounded a curve, she was treated to the sight of a bay of Lake Superior, and she thought how lucky she was to be able to enjoy the scenery without having to be worrying about a murder or kidnapping.
Two days before, she had called Charles Freeman, the chief of police for the Nishnawbe Aski Cree Nation. He had given her information about the girls: Allison, Jean, Kimi, and the others who had been rescued. After calling the people at Social Services, and with the aid of Charles, Deidre was able to set up a meeting with the six of them. A picnic had been scheduled in one of the parks near where they were receiving care.
She parked her car in a small lot, and walked across the newly mown lawn, and the smell of the cut grass reminded her of how sterile winter was in the northland. Across the park, she could see a group readying a table for a picnic, and she recognized Kimi, who was waving at her.
“Deidre! Deidre, over here,” the girl called out excitedly. She was beautiful, Deidre thought. The others turned and all waved at her.
When Deidre was closer, she could see the meal she had ordered from a caterer had arrived, and the girls and a social worker had everything laid out.
They hugged and stepped back to look at each other. A few tears were shed, and finally, the social worker said, “I think it’s time we ate this great looking food.”
One of the girls extracted a pinch of tobacco from a pouch hanging from a lace on her belt and, scattering it in the breeze, gave thanks to the Creator for his provision. She felt a kinship with the girls who bowed their heads for an instant.
Then everyone rushed for her plate and began loading it with standard picnic food. Deidre watched as they giggled like school-age girls should, and she marveled at how healthy they looked. Someone, probably many people, were making a difference in their lives.
Time passed swiftly. Too soon, Deidre had to say it was time to leave.
“Will you girls clean up the area? I want to talk a moment with Deidre,” the social worker said. They walked toward a paved path, and the girls began their task.
“I know you came here to find out how they are doing. Kimi is having the most trouble. She still has nightmares, and at times becomes very withdrawn, but she’s getting better. Allison and Jean carry a great deal of guilt, because they think if they had been courageous enough to leave with Anna and Kimi, they might have been able to overcome Jason Leder when he grabbed Anna.
“The three you found at the camp don’t know you as well. One of them had a terrible urinary tract infection that had traveled to her kidneys. It took a while, but with antibiotics, the infection was cured. Doctors think there was no permanent damage done.
“All of them are receiving psychological hel
p, and two will be going home to their families next week. The other four have become wards of the state because their parents can’t be located or are deemed unfit. Their psychologists agree that it will be years, if ever, before they can put this behind them. Each of them will have to exorcise their demons in their own way and in their own time. All we can do is walk with them on their journey and give them all the support we can. I know you might have wanted better news for all of them, but we think they are far ahead of the game.” She was silent for a few steps, then she stopped and faced Deidre.
“Our nation owes you a great deal. We struggle every day, trying to undo the damage that’s been done to our people going back two hundred years when our tribes were conquered by the Europeans. But we are making progress. As you saw when an offering was made to Manitou, we still hold onto many of our beliefs, at the same time living in the twenty-first century. People like you are making it possible for us to gain back our lives.”
For a moment, Deidre was speechless. She shrugged. “They are strong, aren’t they?” The social worker nodded.
*****
Deidre made arrangements to meet Jill at a cozy eatery off Waterfront Drive in Two Harbors, Louise’s Place. She arrived earlier than intended and was browsing the collection of rolls and cakes in a display case when Jill walked in. Deidre would not have recognized her had she not anticipated Jill’s arrival.
Jill’s hair, which had formerly been rainbow colored and then light brown, was dyed black, as were her eyebrows. For the first time Deidre noticed that she had dark-brown eyes.
“Jill. It’s great to see you,” she said. Then added, “I wouldn’t have recognized you with your new hair color.”
Jill selected a chair at a corner table. “Yeah, well, it’s a long story if you’re interested.”
Deidre could tell there was something Jill needed to say.
“I know I looked a mess when you met me. You must have known I was hiding behind my weird hairdo and dress. I really hated myself for what I was doing.”
A waitress asked them what they wanted to drink, and they both ordered coffee. Deidre asked Jill if she wanted anything to have with it, and they both ordered a Danish pastry.
“There’s something I’ve tried to hide since I was a little girl, and it nearly destroyed my life.”
The waitress returned with their order, and Deidre’s mind conjured up a raft of thoughts, including incest, rape, or an alcoholic mother.
“My mother is a full member of the Anishinabe Indian Nation. She’s a good woman, but I was always ashamed of her and my heritage. In high school, kids, especially the boys, called me smoked meat and said I was a tarpaper blonde.”
Deidre looked at her former secretary. With her black hair, her skin color did appear more swarthy than most. But so did some Finns of Saami descent, or even some whose relatives had immigrated from the northern part of Norway.
“What hurt almost as much were the kids from the rez, who called me an apple, red on the outside, white on the inside. I became rebellious and bitter. Look where it got me.”
Deidre reached over and touched Jill’s hand. “I’m sorry. But it seems as though you’ve pulled things together. Right? Are you going to take Melissa up on her offer to help you apply at the BCA office?”
Jill smiled. “No, I’ve decided against it.”
Deidre looked startled.
“As we worked on this trafficking case, my eyes were opened to the plight of those girls and the uphill battle they were fighting. See this black hair. It’s dyed, but when it grows out, this will be its natural color. After seeing you work so hard to help those kids, and after seeing their will to survive, I thought, ‘Who am I to deny my heritage? I am Anishinabe. We were a noble people once, most still are. Those who look down on us are wrong. Why should I be ashamed of my heritage?’ No, I’m not going to go to the Cities to be a secretary. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a secretary. It’s just that I need to be close to my mother’s people. I’ve enrolled for next semester’s program at the Tribal College near Duluth. Because of my Anishinabe blood, I’ll receive quite a bit of financial help. In the meantime, I’ll do temp work and continue to volunteer at the women’s shelter in town.”
Deidre asked about the guy Jill had seen over Christmas, her former classmate.
“Him,” Jill said with scorn. “All he was after was a quick fling while he was in town.”
“I’m glad you turned him down,” Deidre consoled her.
She wholeheartedly endorsed Jill’s plan, and for the remainder of the time they spent together, they talked about their hopes and dreams, Deidre not being explicit about hers.
*****
After spending the weekend with Ben and the girls, on Monday morning Deidre drove to Minneapolis. She was to meet Melissa and Jessica at a small, out-of-the-way eatery, and they were already seated in a booth when she arrived.
Jessica looked refreshed. The black circles under her eyes were gone, and she had a smile on her face.
Melissa slid over to make room for Deidre, and took her hand.
“So, how are things,” Deidre asked, not quite sure how to begin the conversation.
Jessica shrugged, but smiled. “It’s been an adjustment—for both of us. The difference this time is that when one of us is bothered, we talk about it without snapping at each other.”
“I have to remember that Jessica has seen more of the street scene than I ever will.”
“And I have to remember that mom runs the house,” Jessica finished her mother’s sentence. “But it’s working, getting better every week. I can’t say every day, because we have our moments. But it’s going to work.”
Deidre didn’t quite know where to go from there, but before she could say anything, Jessica continued. “I want to thank you for being there for me. I know, without a doubt, I couldn’t have returned home on my own. During the ride down, I wanted to open the door and jump out. If you’d have stopped at a rest area, I planned to make a run for it.”
Deidre was surprised. She knew that Jessica was struggling with her decision, but she hadn’t been aware just how much.
“I don’t think I could screw up the courage to do it again.” Jessica fished a tissue from her pocket and blew her nose. “Anyway, thanks for being there when I needed you.”
Up to that point, Deidre had said nothing. Now she asked, “What are your plans? School? Sports? Music? Right now, what interests you?”
Jessica looked a little embarrassed. “I’m so far behind in school, there’s no way I’ll ever graduate with my class. I’d be an old lady of twenty-one if I went the conventional route.” She smirked at the thought.
“I’m attending an alternative school, trying to make some progress, although most kids at that school are just killing time. I might be able to attend summer school and take extra night classes. If I can’t graduate by the time I’m nineteen, I’ve decided to go for my GED. From there, maybe a community college or tech school. But who knows, I might even continue on to a four-year school. My life is up in the air, and I’m not sure where it is going to land.”
Deidre slouched a little so she could look Jessica, who had her head bowed, directly in her eyes.
“Everyone messes up sometime. You’re one of the lucky ones. You screwed up early, and you have a lifetime ahead of you. You have the support of your mother. You have a short-range plan in place. You’re sheltered, fed, clothed. You have a second chance. I have confidence you’ll complete your schooling, you’ll find your niche, and you’re going to make a difference to others. You’re a strong young lady, a survivor.”
The three of them sat in the booth for a long time. The clientele turned over at least twice. Before Deidre knew it, she had to wish mother and daughter the best and say her goodbyes.
On the way home she wondered if Jessica would
adjust or if the day would come where some voice called her to bolt again. For Melissa’s sake, she hoped that all would be well, but Deidre knew that the recidivism rate among runaways was high. In an awkward way, she said a prayer for the two of them.
Chapter 36
Deidre labored under the straps of a Duluth pack, a traditional way of carrying supplies and equipment over the portage trails of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Mosquitoes bored holes in her bare arms, deer flies became entwined in her hair, and sweat streamed down her face. It was June sixteenth, and through breaks in the overhead canopy, the sun was beating on the four campers.
A refreshing breeze was blowing, but for those on the trail, the trees and brush didn’t allow it to reach the hikers, and the humidity from the decaying duff on the ground created a sweltering microclimate.
“Are we almost there yet,” Megan asked, and she stumbled over a root in the trail.
“Almost,” Ben encouraged. “Look. You can see the lake through the trees. If we walk over the next hill, we’ll be there.”
“You said that two hills ago,” Maren complained.
“This time I mean it,” Ben chuckled. “We’re almost there.”
Deidre licked her lips, and wished she had an ice-cold bottle of anything to drink, but just when she thought she could go no farther, she crested the hill. A panorama stretched out before her that stopped her in her tracks. It was one of the most beautiful lakes she had ever seen. Bordered by jack pines and cedar trees, it was the purest blue she could remember, and the breeze moving across its surface caught her sweaty hair and blew it off her face. Deidre picked her way over the rocks in the trail and descended the drop. She drew in a deep breath, enjoying the smell of the lake, and set the pack down by the water’s edge.
Ben lifted the canoe from his shoulders and set it down on shore, the twins shed their small packs, and all four campers flopped down in the green grass of the canoe landing. They lay on their backs for several minutes, and then the girls jumped up, raced to the waters edge, and began trying to catch minnows with their hands.
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