Fogbound: A Lin Hanna Mystery

by Sharon Canipe

  Now the young girl was upstairs napping, and Lin felt like she needed a respite also. She grabbed a new mystery she’d actually begun reading the week before and went out on the porch to relax and enjoy the summer afternoon. Her intentions were all the best, but the lounge chair she’d chosen was very comfortable and she was nodding off almost immediately.

  She woke with a jerk to the ringing of her cell phone. Grabbing the instrument, she saw that it was Deputy Winkler calling.

  “I wanted to let you know that I’m bringing Stefan Kovich in this afternoon. He’s being charged with the threats he made last night at your place and with harassing Ellen Clark. I’ll probably be able to keep him locked up overnight, but he’ll likely make bail by morning. I’m going to question him about the other information Ellie revealed—his having guns and her thinking she might’ve recognized his voice—but right now I don’t have enough information to charge him with anything more than the threats and harassment.” Wicker sounded tired and discouraged, “Another thing, as you know, the DA wants Ms. Clark to testify at the competency hearing for Eustace Hinson. That’s going to be on Thursday. I don’t need to talk to her again since she came in today, but I just wanted to remind her. I tried to call her but got no answer.”

  “I think she’s asleep upstairs,” Lin replied, “She probably has her phone silenced. I’ll tell her about all this.”

  “You know,” Dave Winkler continued, “these questions she’s raised may jeopardize our entire case here. I’m sure old Eustace will be found incompetent, but if there’s any doubt he actually did this crime, he’ll simply be turned back over to his family to care for. His sons will probably get guardianship, but the state’s not going to send him to a secure facility unless it can be established that he did this thing. It’ll fall back on his family to care for him.”

  “I take it they might not be too happy about that,” Lin pressed.

  “Probably not,” Winkler sighed, “but I can’t help that can I. Meanwhile, Stefan Kovich is also probably going to be free on bail and none too happy about your young friend’s accusations. If I were you, I think I’d get her out of town—after Thursday that is.”

  “Thanks for calling,” Lin replied. “I’ll let her parents know the situation and they can discuss this with Ellen. They are planning to come up on Thursday anyway to take her home after the hearing.”

  She ended the call and went back into the house. Ellen had evidently come downstairs. She was in the kitchen pouring herself a glass of soda. When Lin told her about the call from Deputy Winkler, Ellen started to cry. “Look what a mess I’ve created,” she sobbed. “I should have just kept my mouth shut about all this.”

  Lin put her arms around Ellen’s good shoulder and drew her close. “It’ll be alright Ellen. You’re doing the right thing, and it will all work out. Just hang in there. Your parents will take you home after Thursday’s hearing. You might want to tell them about our meetings today, though.”

  “I’ll call them, but I want to talk with Sue first,” Ellen said. She was regaining her composure. “I want to see if she can help me remember more of what happened, especially if I’m going to have to answer questions at this hearing thing, but I promise I’ll talk to them tonight.”

  ***

  The beautiful summer weather continued into the next day. Lin was really looking forward to getting back to work on the parkway, and Ellie seemed happy to be going out to help.

  “It’s good to have something to do besides worry about that hearing on Thursday,” Ellie admitted. “I wouldn’t want to stay home. I’d just fret about it all day.” The previous evening Sue had led Ellie through a series of relaxation exercises and then guided her to think back to the day she was shot. Ellie had been able to remember some additional information but still had no clear image of who had shot her or how it had all happened. One thing had been clear, however; she was still convinced that the shooter’s voice had been deep and full and that whoever it was had shoved her over the edge at the overlook and shoved her quite hard. She was still convinced that Eustace Hinson was not the assailant, even though she’d not been able to positively identify Stefan Kovich or anyone else for that matter.”

  “I wish I had been able to remember what the shooter looked like,” Ellie lamented. “I know that I have more information inside my head, but it just won’t come out. Everything is fuzzy in there still.”

  “You’re doing great,” Lin tried to reassure her, “after all you suffered a small skull fracture and a concussion. These things take time to heal, and, don’t forget, it’s possible that you never got a good look at this person. Try not to worry. Just do the best you can. Tell the truth, but don’t try to guess.”

  Ellie had received a call from the DA’s office about testifying in the hearing on Thursday, and her parents were planning to be with her for that. They were planning to take her home to Charlotte following the hearing. It was now certain that Stefan Kovich would be released on bail soon. Lin was actually quite relieved that Ellie would be leaving. She was fond of Ellie and wanted to help her, but she realized that she would be much safer in Charlotte with her parents. Ellie would be leaving, and Lin and Sue were both eager to get back to a more normal routine.

  Wednesday passed pleasantly and without incident. Lin enjoyed talking with the numerous visitors who chose to come out for a drive on that beautiful summer day. She even spent part of the morning out on the trail that led up under the viaduct, stationing herself near the big rocks at the end to answer questions and talk with guests. She also relieved Rachel at the desk for a couple of hours. Ellie worked all day in the back office; by the time they were ready to leave, the files were in much better shape. Rachel was very pleased to see what Ellie had accomplished.

  “You can come back anytime,” she complemented Ellie. “We need someone full time to do the kind of work you accomplished today, but it’ll never happen with our budget. Thanks so much.”

  “I’d be glad to come back tomorrow,” Ellie said, “but I have to attend a hearing in court and then I’m returning to Charlotte. Maybe, if I get to come back later, I can volunteer more. I enjoyed what I did today and I’d like to continue.”

  “Anytime, just let me know,” Rachel responded.

  Clouds began to gather in the afternoon, signaling another change in the weather. Ellie’s parents arrived Wednesday evening, having decided to come up early as they planned to leave immediately after Thursday’s hearing. They invited Sue and Lin to have dinner with them. Afterward they came out to the house to get Ellie’s things as she was spending the night at their hotel.

  Lin felt a deep sense of relief when she and Sue finally said good-bye to their houseguest. Extracting a promise from Ellie to call them Thursday evening to let them know the results of the hearing, they went inside to relax and try to enjoy their new lodgings.

  The clouds that had gathered that afternoon finally brought rain. A light mist lingered bringing dampness to the surrounding woods. Visibility wasn’t as bad as it had been on Sunday when Stefan had come to their door, but visibility was limited and promised to get worse.

  “I really enjoyed getting to know Ellie,” Sue said, “but I must admit it feels good to be alone once more, especially knowing she’s safe with her parents. I was worried about what might happen with Stefan released and the hearing tomorrow, especially if the Hinson’s are unhappy with the results.”

  “I agree,” Lin responded. “Besides, you came here to work and to write, not to baby-sit. Neither of us bargained for that. Why don’t I make us some coffee and then you can catch me up on what you’ve found in your research. You’ve told me a little, but we really haven’t had time to talk much about it.”

  Sue agreed and went down to her office while Lin prepared the coffee. Soon they were both relaxing in the basement room, and Sue was sorting through pages of notes she’d taken when she’d spent time at the newspaper and library the previous week.

  “I really need to do a lot more—get more de
tails on some of the stories I uncovered, but I haven’t had time. I can do a lot on the Internet, but I’d also like to talk to some of the folks who experienced these crimes, if they’re still around.”

  “I thought you were focusing on the historic Tom Dula case and it’s similarity to the more recent death of that pregnant girl, 2009 wasn’t it?” Lin asked.

  “That’s where I started,” Sue said, “but I’ve uncovered stories about other unsolved murders along the Parkway, some in similar areas and conditions to the case of the girl. There’s even one case that was solved and apparently led authorities to think that killer had done an earlier crime but, after doing the reading I’ve done so far, I’m not sure that’s the case.”

  “OK, so what have you learned? Do you have a timeline for these cases?” Lin was intrigued.

  “I’ve tried to outline them in chronological order—those of recent years, of course. They go back to 2008 as far as I can tell. Here, look at this.” Sue handed Lin a sheet on which she’d listed the crimes she’d read about.

  1) August 2008. A graduate student, Sandy Hill, was shot and died while exploring the woods taking photographs of wildflowers for her classes (at least according to her friend Jack Davis that was her plan). Her camera was never found, though her car was parked at a nearby overlook.

  2) September 2008. A young man hiking alone near the same area was also shot and killed. His car was stolen and apparently driven to Florida where police had a standoff with the car thief that resulted in his being killed. It turned out he was wanted for at least two other shootings in Virginia. Authorities believed he was also responsible for the death of Sandy Hill a month earlier near the same location.

  3) October 2009. The naked body of a young pregnant female was found shot to death near the area where Tom Dula had buried his pregnant girlfriend shortly after the Civil War. Her boyfriend was a strong suspect; however, no conclusive evidence was found and he was never charged. The case remains unsolved.

  4) February 2010. The body of a man was found along the Parkway. It appeared he’d been killed elsewhere and dumped there. He’d been shot and partially dismembered. Again, case unsolved.

  5) March 2010. A man was reportedly seen sitting at a picnic table in Jeffress Park with a long gun of some sort. Visitors were concerned, called the park service, then went on a hike to the Cascades. The man was described as wearing overalls and boots with a wide-brimmed hat. Witnesses thought he had a beard but didn’t really get a close look. The ranger who came to investigate was apparently shot to death. No one saw the shooting, but when the visitors returned from their walk and came upon the scene, the man they’d seen earlier was gone, and the ranger was already dead.

  “Those are just the basic facts,” Sue reported. “I have more information but nothing that points to a solution in any of these cases, except that the first two have been closed by authorities. They feel that Sandy Hill was killed by the same man who killed the hiker a month later.”

  “This is amazing,” Lin said. “I can’t believe there’s been so much violent crime in this peaceful place.”

  “I was surprised too,” Sue replied. “I knew of the case involving the young, pregnant woman, but I’d never come across the others. After we found Ellie and learned about what happened to her and to Pete, it really made me wonder about these other killings when I read about them. They happened more than two years ago; however, all of them involved a shotgun as a weapon and all occurred in similar environments along the road.”

  “Do you think we have a Parkway serial killer out there?” Lin was aghast at the prospect.

  “I really don’t know what to think,” Sue said. “It’s been a long time since the earlier killings occurred; they may not be at all related to what happened to Ellie and her friend. Shotguns are pretty common in this area. I’d imagine lots of people have them, so that might not be at all significant—but it does give you something to think about. I definitely want to learn more about all of these crimes.”

  “Dave Winkler mentioned that Eustace Hinson had ‘confessed’ to several other killings in some of his conversations.” I wonder if any of these were among them. Of course, he also denied killing anyone at times, too,” Lin said.

  “I’m afraid Eustace’s word is not very dependable, given his dementia,” Sue responded. “However, it does give one something to think about. It’s certainly possible that the old man has been involved in other violent acts that his family may never have known about.”

  It was growing late and they had to work the next day; they decided to call it a day and head upstairs. Lin gathered their cups and headed up to the kitchen as Sue declared she was going to take a hot shower before she went to bed.

  ***

  Thursday proved to be a rather routine day on the Parkway. The weather showed signs of worsening once more, but a relatively steady stream of visitors still came out to enjoy the sights. Lin enjoyed having more time to spend interpreting the exhibits for visitors now that much of the office work had been accomplished. From time to time she thought about Ellie and hoped that the hearing was going well. She was looking forward to talking with her later and learning what had happened. Mostly, she felt happy that the young girl would be returning home with her parents, away from Stefan and the threats he presented. It was a relief to know that she and Sue wouldn’t be responsible for the girl’s safety any longer.

  After working all day, Sue decided that they didn’t need to cook, so they decided to stop at Foggy Rock, a restaurant and pub in Blowing Rock, for an early dinner before going home. They unwound with delicious sandwiches and tall cold glasses of beer.

  “This is more like it,” Sue commented, “more how I’d pictured our summer in the Blue Ridge when we made our plans.”

  “And, hopefully, this is how the summer will go from now on. Of course, this thing with Ellie may result in charges filed against someone, and there may be a trial if that’s the case. We might have to be witnesses since we found her,” Lin commented.

  “We can cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose,” Sue added, “after all, such things can take a long time and, if Eustace Hinson is actually guilty, it may never happen.”

  “I know,” Lin replied, “Ellie seems pretty sure that the voice she heard was not his, but I’m sure having a deep voice is not enough to substantiate charges against Stefan Kovich. Who knows what will happen there?”

  They finished their meal and then headed for home. The weather was definitely shifting and light rain was falling by the time they arrived.

  “I’ll make some coffee,” Lin offered, heading back toward the kitchen while Sue went upstairs to shower and change. “I’ll put it on before I go up; it should be ready by the time we come back down. Hopefully, Ellie will call soon. I want to know what happened in today’s hearing.”

  Lin noticed from the kitchen window that the fog and mist had returned much like the first of the week. She turned off the lights for a moment to minimize the reflection, but she still couldn’t see much beyond the back porch. Flicking the switch to illuminate the kitchen once more, she began grinding fresh beans for their coffee. She’d just finished and was heading back toward the front of the house to go upstairs when she heard what sounded like a rustling somewhere near the front porch. The sounds were eerily similar to those made the night Stefan had come.

  Lin quickly doused the lights and moved to the window beside the door. She just caught a glimpse of a hunched figure moving down the steps. She only saw the person from the back, and whoever it was appeared to be wearing a hooded jacket of a dark color. There was no way to recognize who it might be although size and height suggested a man. The figure was visible for only a second before it disappeared in the swirling mists, but this time Lin clearly heard the sound of a vehicle starting up and driving off.

  She realized that her heart was pounding, and she was hyperventilating. Whoever the person was, he hadn’t tried to enter the house, hadn’t called out, and hadn’t even rung the
doorbell. Why was he here? What did he want?

  She sat down on the lower step leading upstairs. She could hear the sound of the shower running above her. Finally, she felt her heart slowing and her breathing was easier. Whoever it was was gone now, she reasoned. No reason to stay frightened. We’re all locked up here. She decided to open the door and check the front yard.

  As she pushed the screen door aside, she felt it drag on something. Looking down she spied a piece of ragged cardboard that appeared to have been cut from a box. She stooped to pick it up. The cardboard was damp from the mist. There was some sort of writing on it, but it was too dark to see it clearly. Lin looked out into the yard. The shapes of the trees emerging from the fog seemed to threaten her. The fine, swirling mist bathed her in dampness and she shivered, even though the temperature was quite moderate. She hastily went inside, locking the door firmly behind her, glad to face the bright lights of the comfortable rooms surrounding her. She hated the fogs, hated the feeling they gave her of being bound—confined within an island. They seemed to turn the world into a surreal landscape.

  Mentally chastising herself for giving in to the eeriness of the outside surroundings, Lin took the cardboard into the brightness of the kitchen where she sat down to examine it. A note had been crudely lettered—it looked like a child’s scribbling in black crayon.

  You need to be careful. I will not forget what you have done.

  You need to leave this place before something bad happens to you too.

  There was no signature of any kind. Lin thought for a moment the writer might’ve thought Ellie was still present; however, something bad had already happened to her—maybe the threat was directed to her and to Sue. Even though there was no signature, she felt certain the writer must’ve been Stefan Kovich—now released on bail and ready to take his revenge.