by Lee West
“Wow. Nice place. How did you find it?” asked Jane.
“I met Doris at a Porter fire department BBQ last summer. She mentioned she lived on the horse trail. I knew about the horse trail and had gone for long runs on it, but never this far. When the shit hit the fan, I ran until I got here, hoping to find Doris,” said Charlie.
“Looks like she’s far enough from both towns to keep her out of harm’s way.”
“That’s my hope. Looks like things are fine. That pink geranium is our signal. Let’s get the others,” said Charlie, motioning to Jane.
She glanced at the porch again, chuckling at the simple signal that could mean the difference between life and death. When they returned, a robust-looking woman with gray hair stood on the covered porch. She walked down the stairs to meet them, obviously alerted to their presence.
“Charlie! Gosh, am I glad to see you,” said Doris, in a thickly sweet Southern accent. “I thought I saw something moving on the trail.”
“Were we that obvious?”
“No. I’ve been waiting. Figured it was about time for another group.”
Charlie stepped forward and hugged Doris.
“Glad to see you’re doing well, Doris. Let me introduce you to Mike and Jenny Sparr. Mike is Porter PD. We also have Jane and Sam Archer. Jane is Evansville PD.”
“Evansville PD? Are we moving the Evansville PD out now too?” asked Doris.
“No. They wandered into this mess from a camping trip,” said Charlie.
“Where are my manners, please do come in. Make yourselves at home. The more the merrier,” said Doris, opening the front door for them.
The group moved into the coolness of the neatly appointed farmhouse. Gleaming pine floors and antique furniture greeted the weary travelers.
“Your house is beautiful!” exclaimed Jane.
“Thank you, dear. I’m kind of partial to it, as you can imagine. I can prepare a nice snack while you all rest. Charlie, you can stay in Travis’s room. Mike and Jenny, why don’t you take the front room. Jane and Sam can take the blue room in the back. You can get your things settled and wash up. There are fresh water basins in all the rooms,” said Doris.
“We’re fine. We don’t want to use your water for bathing,” said Sam, shocked that Doris would offer such a precious commodity.
“Don’t worry about that, honey. I have a well with plenty of water,” Doris said proudly. “Take your time and wash as much as you need.”
The prospect of washing and eating seemed to revive the exhausted group.
“Doris, I’ll wash up and then help you in the kitchen. We have some dried grains we can offer to the group for food,” said Jane.
“No need. My garden has done so well this year that I can hardly eat it all fast enough. You all will be doing me a great service by eating your share of the harvest,” said Doris.
“Real food! Can we eat, Daddy?” begged Jenny.
“Yes, after we clean up,” said Mike.
“Aw…” was the only protest the tired Jenny could muster.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jane dropped her heavy, dirty backpack onto the pristine wide plank pine floor. The bedroom had an antique cherry wood four-poster bed and a matching bureau. A jug of water sat on the bureau, next to an old-fashioned porcelain washbasin. The lace curtains fluttered silently on a slight breeze, filling the serene blue room with earthy scents.
Stretching out on the bed, Sam sighed. “Wow, does this bed feel nice. I think I’ll sleep like the dead tonight.”
“Bad analogy, given what we went through today,” said Jane.
Jane yanked her sweat-stained T-shirt off and stood at the basin, washing herself with the precious well water. A cake of homemade soap sat beside the washbasin. Jane lathered the bar into a sudsy froth, filling the room with a homey lavender scent. The clean feeling was a welcome change from her usual dirty state.
“Now that we can talk freely, what really happened when you and Charlie found the other New Order guy?” said Sam, moving from the bed to stand behind her.
Jane stopped splashing her face and grabbed a thick white towel to dry herself. She leaned back into Sam’s strong arms, allowing herself to close her eyes and forget the day for just a second. After breathing deeply for a moment, she responded, “I’m not even sure where to begin. I’m still trying to process everything.”
“That bad?” said Sam. “I figured as much given how the two of you looked when you came back.”
“It started off fine. We found the dead guy’s partner in a car on the side of the road. Charlie took the driver’s side and I approached from the passenger side. We ordered the guy out of the car and onto the pavement, but before he got all the way out of the car, Charlie shot him at point-blank range. He just dropped the guy right there. No warning or provocation. I’ve never seen anything like it. He put the end of the suppressor against his head and that was it,” said Jane.
“Shit. That is bad. But then again, Charlie saved Jenny and the rest of us from the first guy. Who knows what would have happened if he didn’t come along. From my vantage point, I think Jenny was just the first to be killed. Who knows what else he would have done to us. I think Charlie’s actions are extreme, but also spot on,” said Sam. “The rules have changed.”
“That’s what Charlie said,” added Jane. “What really bothers me is that I think he’s right, and I’m not sure I could have done the same thing myself. Who knows, I might have tried to drag the guy along with us. I could have endangered all of us,” said Jane, rubbing her forehead with her free hand.
Sam led her to the bed, where they took a seat.
“You’re a good person and this is an unusually dangerous situation. Charlie has been dealing with this since it started, and he’s seen things we can’t even begin to imagine. For Christ’s sake, just a couple of days ago we were still on a pleasant backpacking trip, oblivious to all of this,” Sam reminded her.
“It was just a shock to see everything I thought I stood for evaporate in a second,” said Jane.
“Charlie wouldn’t have done that unless it was absolutely necessary to keep us safe,” said Sam. “We have to trust his judgment.”
Jane nodded. “I hope I never reach the point where I could put a gun up to someone’s head and pull the trigger.”
“It won’t come to that as long as we play it safe,” said Sam.
“If it does come down to that, I have to be ready to pull the trigger—for you and Lea.”
“You are not alone in this. I need to be ready, too,” said Sam as he pulled her into him, cradling her in his arms.
Jane closed her eyes and allowed him to hold her a little longer. After a quiet minute, she reluctantly disentangled from Sam’s embrace.
“I’m going to help our hostess while you get washed up.”
“With your dirty bathwater?” said Sam, followed by a wink and quick kiss on her cheek.
“Slightly used water,” she said.
“I stand corrected.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mike and Jenny sat at the large farmer’s table in the kitchen. Looking around the kitchen, Mike guessed that Doris spent most of her time here. The clean white Formica countertops and large white farmer’s sink dominated the functional kitchen. Doris appeared to be in her glory, preparing refreshments for them. Her ease and welcoming nature finally persuaded him to relax and enjoy the hospitality. He finally felt like a welcome guest instead of a fugitive relying on handouts.
“Can I have more of this?” asked Jenny, holding up an empty bowl.
“Slow down, princess. At this rate you’ll eat Ms. Doris out of house and home,” joked Mike.
“Not a chance. You eat as much as you would like, sweetie,” said Doris.
“Food has been a bit of an issue for us. We’ve been living off the generosity of people like you for the past couple of weeks. Generosity most could barely afford. Jenny and I tried to eat as little as possible, so as not to overstay our welco
me—if you know what I mean.”
“I won’t have any of that kind of thinking around here. My house is your house, and I need hungry mouths to keep it running,” she said, taking a seat next to Jenny. “It’s hard for me to believe what’s happening. I’m so far removed from anything like that here. Nothing has changed for me except I can’t watch my shows in the evening. But that’s probably for the best. TV rots your brain, right, Jenny?”
“You have a TV? Can I watch it?” Jenny asked excitedly.
“Did I hear someone mention watching TV?” asked Jane while walking into the kitchen.
“Don’t we all wish. Can I get you some peach salad, honey?” asked Doris.
“Sure, I would love some, but please let me help,” replied Jane.
“No need. I have it all right here,” said Doris, scooping a large portion of sweetened peaches from a handmade ceramic bowl.
“Your home is just lovely. How long have you lived here?” asked Jane.
“Almost thirty years. The place is such a part of me, I just can’t imagine moving anywhere else. I know in the long run I’ll have to move closer to town or maybe hire help for the farm, but right now I’m happy to stay put. Do you live in Evansville?”
“I do. Sam and I live with our daughter, Lea, on the eastern side of town,” said Jane.
Mike saw Jane’s expression change after she mentioned Lea. Now he understood why she’d pushed them so hard on the trail. It must be killing her inside to be out of contact with her daughter.
“Things are different in Evansville, judging by what we heard. I’m sure she’s fine,” said Mike.
Jane nodded silently, clearly not wanting to explore the topic any further. An awkward moment passed before Doris broke the silence.
“Jenny, you look like your peach-stuffed face is about to fall sound asleep. Go ahead and take a nice long nap. We won’t be having dinner for a couple of hours.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. Come on, sweetie. I’ll get you settled,” said Mike, turning to Doris before getting up from the table. “I really can’t thank you enough.”
“Seeing her stuffed to the gills with peaches is thanks enough.”
~ ~ ~
Charlie waited at the top of the stairs until Doris excused herself to pick some vegetables for dinner. He hoped Jane wouldn’t join her. They needed to have a frank discussion, without Doris. When he heard the back screen door slam shut, he descended the stairs and took a seat at the table. He was glad to see Mike and Jenny were gone, too.
“We need to talk about something before Doris returns.”
“What’s up?” said Jane, pushing the bowl of peaches in his direction.
“Thank you. I’ll have some in a minute,” he said. “I was just thinking that Doris might not be safe out here anymore.”
“What do you mean?” asked Sam.
“Well, my friend Johnny tried to communicate with me right before my house was raided. He must have heard that the New Order was going to hit my home, or he wouldn’t have risked a daytime communication. Then we run into those guys on the road, or they run into us, however you want to look at it. It’s only a matter of time before they find the car and the bodies.”
“And the horse trail,” added Jane.
“Exactly.”
“Shit. We can’t just leave Doris out here alone,” said Sam.
“I know. But she won’t want to leave. I’m sure of it. And if the New Order is not looking for us on the horse trail, I need to keep Doris in place until the last person is out of Porter,” said Charlie.
“Maybe Marta will know more. Can you contact her tonight?” asked Jane.
“I can try, but all I have is the small handheld CB. The range isn’t great. The unit is more for close-range communications,” said Charlie.
“Maybe Doris has a radio?” asked Sam.
“She might. I never really asked. We never coordinated her accepting runners. They were just instructed that if the plant was not visible on the porch rail, they needed to keep moving. I guess we can ask her. What do you two plan to do from here? This is probably the closest the trail gets to your house.”
Looking at Sam, Jane said, “We plan to leave before dawn. Hopefully, we can make it back to Evansville before dinnertime.”
“You should plan to take it slow and very careful-like. You might end up going through some populated areas before reaching home,” said Charlie.
“Yeah, we’re worried about that. Do you have any updates on the current situation in Evansville?” asked Jane.
“All I know is that the cops are gone. We managed to move everyone out. You will have absolutely no backup out there,” said Charlie.
“We’ll have to be extremely cautious,” said Sam.
“I’m not so sure it’s a good idea for you to go back, Jane. The New Order might have figured out you’re blue. If they did, they’ll be looking for you,” warned Charlie.
“We have no choice, Charlie. We have to get Lea out of there,” said Jane.
“I know. I’ll do everything I can to help you with any supplies or routing information I can provide,” said Charlie.
“Thanks, we can use all the help we can get,” said Sam.
The trio sat silently in the kitchen. The warm evening sky slowly turned a brilliant orange as the shrill of cicadas filled the space between them.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sam stirred to the sounds of voices just outside his bedroom window. He had intended to lie down for just a few minutes, but the comfortable bed, cool breeze and sheer exhaustion knocked him into a deep sleep. Upon awakening, he was not exactly sure of his location. Am I in a hotel? A friend’s house?
“Can we roast marshmallows too!” shouted an excited child.
He recognized the voice, which jumpstarted his brain. They were at a house in the middle of nowhere, waiting for tomorrow. Waiting to get back to their daughter. He opened his eyes to the reality he had briefly forgotten. The light of a roaring campfire shone into the dark bedroom, reminding him of his more immediate need. Dinner. He hurried down to join them outside.
“Wow, this looks amazing,” said Sam.
Kissing Jane on the head, Sam took a seat next to her on a log bench. Everyone lounged around the campfire, anticipating dinner.
“Honey, I could make good food anywhere so long as I have my secret ingredients,” said Doris proudly.
“What are those?” asked Mike.
“Well, if I told you, then they wouldn’t be a secret, now would they. Jenny, be a dear and pass me those bowls—the campfire stew is ready,” said Doris.
Doris passed each person an oversized bowl with roasted potatoes and a hearty stew made in a cast-iron pot suspended over the fire by a tripod. She’d also made some sort of cornbread, although Sam was not too sure how she managed to pull that one off on an open fire. He could not remember being so excited about a meal since he was a child and his mom made Thanksgiving for the entire family.
“Do you think it’s okay to have a fire going? Maybe someone will see the smoke and come looking,” said Mike.
“It should be fine. Plus, we’re so far out of both towns that the likelihood of anyone seeing or smelling the fire is pretty slim,” said Charlie.
“I’ve been lighting fires since the whole thing started, with no problem. In the beginning I had no idea what was happening. I went about business as usual, which included burning all of the scrub I cut from the clearing. Believe me, with the amount of smoke I’ve been putting out, if they were going to find me, they would’ve,” said Doris.
“This is amazing, Doris. Thanks so much,” said Jane, eating a hearty spoonful.
“My pleasure.”
“Doris, you don’t happen to have any sort of communications devices, like a CB radio or a shortwave radio, do you?” asked Charlie.
“I don’t, but Travis did. I haven’t really cleaned out all of his things from the shed. He used a section of it for his hobbies. Said he liked some privacy. You know how kids
are. I’m pretty sure he had a radio, although I’m not sure it still works.”
“You mind if we have a look at it? I need to touch base with Marta in Porter,” said Charlie.
“Sure, you go right ahead. There’s a separate generator out there too. Again, I haven’t needed to use it, so I’m not sure the generator works. But it should. I have a helper come by to cut and chop firewood,” said Doris, with a nod toward the extensive row of cut and stacked firewood. “If I recall correctly, he ran the generator to power his chipper, so I think it’s probably still fine. Just pull the generator outside and run a line inside. I don’t want anyone getting hurt from the fumes.”
“Will do, thanks. Is there anything you need us to help you with while we’re here? I’m sure you could always use an extra set of hands around the farm,” asked Charlie.
“If you don’t mind hauling some water from the well into the house, that would be a tremendous help. I have large containers inside. So far I’ve gotten into the habit of bringing one jug in per day. It would be great to have a little stockpile to give my old bones a break.”
“We can do that, no problem,” said Mike.
Turning to Charlie, Sam said, “What’s your plan for tomorrow? Jane and I will be leaving around the same time we left your house. We would like to get home before dinnertime. Like you said, we have no idea what we’re walking into and need to leave extra time in case we need to slow our pace considerably.”
“I think we need to leave around the same time, maybe 4:45 a.m. Does that work for you and Jenny?” Charlie said, looking at Mike.
“It sure does. We can be ready when you’re ready to leave. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the escort to the next safe house. How far away is it?” asked Mike.
“It’s about the same distance as we walked from my house to here. So if all goes well, we should be at the next house before dinner. Then, the following day, we can reach the new HQ,” said Charlie.