The Chardon Chronicles: Season One -- The Harvest Festival

by Kevin Kimmich

  “It’s the Sheriff and the judge.” She sneered.

  “Holy shit. Dirty dirty.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  They stopped before the Chalet driveway. She said, “look, this is some nasty shit. If you don’t want to get involved, I won’t blame you.”

  He thought a moment, “Thanks, brah. I’m good. Let’s do it.”

  Chloe asked, “Got any ideas?”

  “How about I walk right up to the car, you follow right behind, like hidden. Then pop pop.”

  “That’s crazy… What if there’s more in the car?”

  “We could just wait…” He said.

  “What if more come?” she said.

  “I say element of surprise. We’ve got the initiative, now.”

  “OK. let’s go.”

  Richard loped toward the car. Chloe followed him across the expanse. The lot was completely dark and the Sheriff’s car was a black lump on the far side. Richard knocked on the window. It buzzed down.

  “Get in.” Chuck hadn’t really been able to see them and assumed it was Saul and Yuri.

  Chloe shoved the gun in his face. “Hey asshole. You breathe wrong you’re dead.”

  Chuck sighed. “This was a gen-u-ine clusterfuck.”

  “Who are you people?” Chloe demanded.

  “It’s just a job.” Chuck shrugged. “Just a really fucked up job. Nothing personal.” He shifted the car into drive and tried to step on the gas but she unloaded the rest of the clip into his head. The car accelerated over the ski hill and roared down the grass, crashed through the dock fence and dropped into the lake. They watched the car’s interior lights bob in the water.

  “Whoa!” Richard said.

  “You have a phone?”

  He pulled it out of his pocket and offered it to her. She shook her head, “Ick. Can you dial? Unless you want it smeared in blood?”

  He put it on speaker. Her father answered.

  “Dad, something horrible happened. Get to Punderson immediately.”

  “I’m coming! Be there in five minutes.”

  They started jogging back toward the lodge.

  Richard said, “You know what happened here, right? Those two dead guys, they shot the sheriff and then came after us. I wrestled the gun away while you kicked ass.”

  “Then we ran outside to get help.” Chloe said.

  “Then your dad picked us up here, and we noticed the car in the lake.”

  She nodded. Keith roared down the road and Chloe waved him down. He slammed on the brakes and stopped. He jumped out of the car.

  “Holy cow!”

  “Hey Mr. Marte!” Richard waved. Chloe and Richard were pretty relaxed considering what happened, so Keith chilled out. They heard an ambulance wailing in the distance.

  Chloe said, “Let’s get down to the lodge.”

  She filled him in on the story. He said, “Hey give me the earpiece.”

  He unmuted it. “Hey Ralph.”

  “Who is this?” Ralph said.

  “Whatever you were trying to do here tonight, it totally failed. Chuck’s dead. Saul’s dead. Yuri’s dead. Guess what chuckles, the county prosecutor has a file that links you to all this shit.”

  Keith heard an angry sob. “You can’t prove a fucking thing. You’re in way over your head.”

  “Does the name Reichstaff mean anything to you, asshole?”

  Keith heard a click. “Guess he shut it off.”

  They walked into the lodge. Two ambulances roared into the drive and EMTs ran into the building.

  Tracy and Demetria saw them. Chloe asked, “How’s Morgan?”

  Demetria sobbed. Tracy held her. “He was completely out of it and in a lot of pain, but I think he’s basically OK. They’re loading him onto a gurney, now.”

  “Why don’t we all regroup at the farm?” Tracy said. “Will you come, too Demetria? Richard?”

  “Absolutely.” Richard took her arm.

  “Ride with us?” Chloe took Demetria. The EMTs rolled Morgan by.

  “Wait!” Demetria hailed them. They stopped. She kissed Morgan on the forehead, then they continued on.

  She sent Marta home, and rode with Chloe and Keith. Demetria fell asleep in the back seat.

  “Who’s that?” Keith whispered.

  “Oh that’s Morgan’s ‘friend’… I think they’re in love. She’s possibly the nicest person I ever met.”

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Chloe showered and changed into some of Tracy’s most comfortable clothes. They had to help Demetria change. She was almost inconsolable. They led her down into the library. She sat on the couch and wept softly.

  Johnny was listening in on a police scanner. He said, “Responding to shots fired… at a familiar address.”

  Keith asked, “The judge?”

  Johnny nodded. He said, “10-56?” then scanned through a list of codes.

  Keith nodded and spit out the word, “Suicide. Thought so.”

  Demetria stood up and wiped her nose with her sleeve. Her hair was matted down. She said, “the Brotherhood wanted me to steal two books from you.”

  Robbie was startled, “What?”

  “It’s a very long story.” she held up a hand. “But maybe if you knew which ones, it would be useful.”

  Robbie nodded. She led him over to the case.

  She sniffled. “It was these two.” she touched the jackets.

  Robbie grunted, “Matt’s notes and Johnny’s plans”

  “I apologize. I didn’t want to do it in the first place.”

  He said, “Thanks. I’m sorry you had to go through all this.”

  “Believe me, I’ve been through worse. I’m just very attached to Morgan. When he’s not here, it’s like death. He needs me, too. I should go see him. I tried calling Marta, but no answer… that’s bad. I loved her.”

  Keith offered, “Hey, why don’t I take you to see him.”

  Her eyes lit up and she hugged him.

  “Yes. Yes. Let’s go. Can we stop by my house first? I think it’s not too far out of the way. I just need to know…”

  Keith nodded.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  She saw the fire from far away. “Oh no.” she said in a whisper. “It’s too late.”

  Keith stopped the car. She sobbed. “Keep going. Let’s see it. It’s better to know.”

  Her house was engulfed in towering flames. The fire department had not arrived. Keith tried calling 911, but the phone kept hanging up. He pulled into the driveway. She got out and walked over to a dark form in the yard. She patted Marta’s hair. Her back was marked with bloody red bullet wounds.

  “At least it was quick.” she said a prayer in an ancient Greek dialect.

  “Let’s go see Morgan.” she mumbled. ”There’s nothing more to do here.”

  Keith helped her back into the car and they drove to the hospital.

  Chapter Twenty Four

  As the clock ticked away into the wee hours, Richard finally got up from the couch. “I really need to go home.” he said to Tracy.

  “Why?” She asked matter of factly.

  “Let me call my mom. She’s probably crawling the walls with anxiety. She’s not chill.”

  “I would like it if you could stay here. With me.” She said.

  He smiled. “I would like that too.” He dialed his phone. A groggy voice answered, then shifted into hysteria.

  “Mom, I’m fine. Sorry I didn’t call earlier. I’m gonna stay at Tracy’s. Nah. It’s all good. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.”

  She led him up to bed.

  “This is the most amazing night of my young life.” He announced. “I need to tell you all about what happened!”

  “Not right now, tell me later.” She wrapped her arms around his head and gave him a kiss.

  They made love for a long time. Finally, they both just passed out.

  She dreamed she was on a white sand beach. The ocean was crystal clear and blue. The sun was hanging
in the sky like the lamp on their wall.

  Richard was next to her on a blanket. His skin was the color of a leather belt and his hair was shocking blond. He had white sunblock on his nose. His surfboard had a bright yellow sun on it. He scrubbed the wax with sand, then trotted out into the surf.

  “Oh hey dad!” she said. Matt was sitting on her other side on a long green blanket. The green reflected onto his skin.

  Matt pointed out to Richard, “He seems like a nice guy. He’s standing tall in those waves.”

  Telia leaned forward out of nowhere next to Matt. “He’s beautiful.” she smiled.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “We just want you to know we’re OK. Everything is good.”

  “Why’s that big black serpent out there?” Tracy said.

  Matt sighed, “Yeah, sorry. We’re still working on that, but see how far away it is.”

  Tracy said, “Yeah. Man it’s big if it’s far away.”

  Telia leaned back and enjoyed the Sun. “I’m not worried.” she said. “You shouldn’t be, either.”

  Matt said, “I love you Tracy.”

  Telia patted her back. “We’ll see you again soon.”

  “Bye, Baby. Tell him we think he’s cool.” Matt kissed her head.

  She woke up to the morning light streaming through the window.

  Richard was awake already, “Your parents seem like really nice people.” he said.

  “My parents? Did you ever meet them?”

  “I had a dream.”

  She grunted, “Hmmm… Me too. Well, that happens to us. They like you.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  ~End of Episode Eight~

  ~End of Season One~

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