by JJ Ellis
“Huh, that’s strange,” Johnny murmured as he got out of the car and grabbed the bags. “Maybe she overcame the fear at camp this summer. She’s great with campfires but in something that can get blocked like a chimney she refused to do it.”
“She did say camp helped her grow a lot,” Riley agreed. But the feeling of unease returned full force.
The front door was slightly ajar when they made it onto the porch. Johnny pushed it open. “Adella sweetie. We’re here.” But the only one in front of the fireplace was a man in a tool belt.
“Oh, hey there Mr. Johnson. I stopped by to see if the young miss needed anything but she wasn’t here so I started up the furnace and got the fire going.”
“Addie’s not here yet?” Riley asked trying to stamp down the sense of dread that just kept growing.
“No, sir. Not yet. Since you’re here I’ll let you be settling in. Give me a holler if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Mario,” Johnny said as he moved through the cabin to search for his daughter. When he came out of the back bedroom the worry was etched on his face. “She should be here by now.”
“I know,” Riley said. “That’s what I figured. Why don’t you call her and I’ll try Anna?”
Ten minutes later they still had no clue where Addie was. Johnny couldn’t get past voicemail and Riley had a quick conversation with Anna who said Addie had spent a couple of nights with them then went to an appointment before heading to the cabin. It was quickly decided that Johnny would retrace the route Addie would have taken and Riley would stay at the cabin in case she returned. “So, where did Anna say her appointment was at?”
“She didn’t know,” Riley said. “Do you know what kind of appointment it was?”
Johnny thought about it. “No. It’s all kind of strange. Unless she made a specific time to visit an old friend or counselor or something.”
“Well then are you just going to retrace her route up the mountain then?”
“Yeah, I’m going to have to, I guess.”
Two agonizing hours later, after driving old routes in Denver plus up the mountain, Johnny arrived back at the cabin at the same time as Sheriff department vehicles claimed the surrounding area. The department official who seemed to be in charge pulled them aside to get their statements and while Riley was giving his, Johnny stepped away to take a phone call from Ben Harper. His face was grim when he returned.
“Some news that might help?” The official asked at his approach.
“Maybe. It appears my daughter is pregnant and was talking about going to Denver to...to take care of it. Her boyfriend wasn’t sure if she would really go through with it but...we might want to check clinics anyway.”
“And hospitals,” the official added. “Just in case there was some sort of complication.” He talked into his radio then sent them into the cabin out of the cold. He assured them they’d be the second to hear if they got any news.
Over the next four hours, Riley paced, Johnny paced, they made food together, and then barely ate a bite.
“Mr. Johnson?” came the voice of a deputy from the doorway. “They’ve found your daughter’s car. It was towed from the mountain road hours ago. There was no one in it. A local called it in because it was in the way, sticking out onto the road.”
Riley felt his heart soar then crash. “She knew better than to leave the car, right Uncle Johnny?”
“Uh...yeah. But if panic triggered a meltdown, there’s no telling.” He turned to the deputy. “Could they tell which way she went? Were there foot prints or something?”
“You’ll have to talk to Sergeant Parker about that. He should be right behind me.”
“I’m here Jameson, you can go now.”
Johnny repeated his question and waited patiently for an answer.
“There were footprints, Mr. Johnson. Two sets of them. They were obscured a bit near the vehicle but then they straightened out for about twenty yards before disappearing. After that, they only appear occasionally until the ground hardens further into the woods.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” Johnny growled.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson but either your daughter was lured away into the woods by someone on foot or she willingly left her car to follow them.”
“Are you saying Addie could have been kidnapped?” Riley asked unbelieving.
“It’s a possibility. Can either of you think of someone she would have willingly met up here?”
“No,” they both answered.
“Addie didn’t have a lot of friends. We’ve talked them all over the last six or so hours. I have no idea who she would have been with,” Johnny explained.
13
RESCUE HER
IT WAS A LONG NIGHT as the Sherriff’s department moved operations back to their headquarters leaving only two deputies patrolling the area.
Exhaustion finally claimed Johnny at two a.m. Riley covered him with the quilt from the back of the couch and stepped out onto the porch.
“He getting some rest?” one of the deputies asked.
“Yeah, finally. I napped for a while and now I’m restless. Mind if I get some fresh air down by the lake?”
“Have at it kid. At least one of us can move around a bit.”
Riley stepped off the porch and waved. He had a feeling he knew where Addie was and if the cops came pouring in, she would die. He had to rescue her himself. It was her only chance.
Halfway to the lake, he cut back behind his uncle’s cabin, making it to the road in record time. If he remembered correctly, it was only a mile to where he would find Adella. It was a good thing he had a good sense of direction and traumatic memories were something he tended not to forget.
As he walked, keeping track of his senses at all times, he knew he was close enough to turn off the flashlight he’d snuck out. And sure enough, he saw a dim light shining just ahead.
The cabin looked the same as it had two years before when they’d hiked past it during boy scout camp. He just hoped they hadn’t done any major renovations to the inside so he could get in and then get Adella out without any issues.
Thank goodness all of the cabin yards were kept nice with grass so he wouldn’t have to worry about making any noise as he snuck up to the kitchen window. Taking a deep breath, he moved to where he could peek into the kitchen. There was a low light burning but his father was nowhere to be seen. And then suddenly he heard his voice. Oh, how he’d hoped he was wrong but now he knew he wasn’t. His dad had kidnapped Adella and lord knows what he was doing to her.
Riley walked carefully along the path at the front of the house that would take him to the bedroom. Praying for no creaky boards, he took a step onto the porch. And then he took another and another as he made his way to the window. Another deep, silent breath calmed his nerves as he peered into the window. What he saw took his breath away and sent him spiraling off the porch and into the woods where he lost the contents of his stomach.
“Who’s out there!” Terry Johnson yelled from the sliding door in the bedroom, just off the side of the house. “Show yourself!” After a moment, he mumbled something about wildlife and went back inside.
“You disgusting son-of-a-bitch,” Riley whispered. “How could you rape your own flesh and blood?”
Riley prayed that the noise he’d made had shifted his dad’s interest completely. Sneaking up onto the porch he steeled himself for what he might see but this time, thankfully, his dad was sitting in a chair across the room from where Addie was tied to the bed. Unfortunately, he could hear every word his father said.
“I’m quite disappointed that you weren’t pure – thanks to that damn Croft kid. I hate him almost as much as I hate you and your daddy.” He paused just a moment before talking again. “He’s the spittin’ image of his queer daddy. Kind of like my son looks just like your daddy. Do you think maybe your daddy did to my wife what I’ve done to you? If I find out he did, I’ll kill him too.”
Riley’s head spun, and he s
unk to the porch floor under the window. Mrs. Harper had just pointed out that he looked like his uncle. He’d never noticed, probably because Johnny was a dark blonde and he had black hair like his mother. Something new in his dad’s voice brought him back to the window.
“You are such a pretty little thing...for a retard. You ready to party with uncle Terry again, baby?” Adella just laid there. Was she conscious, was she even alive? Riley knew that it was now or never.
Scrambling off the porch, Riley grabbed the biggest rock he could see and smashed the window of his dad’s truck. He grabbed the matchbook off the front seat, lit one and set it down on the newspaper sitting there. Just as he thought he heard the door open, he scurried around the cabin to the sliding glass door that led to the bedroom. Thank God, in his drunkenness, Terry had forgotten to lock it.
“Addie, it’s me, Riley. Don’t move and don’t make any noise.”
She looked up at him with tear reddened eyes and nodded.
Riley grabbed a knife from the collection Terry had spread out on the night stand and cut her lose. “Come on sweetie. I need you to be strong for me. Help me get you dressed then we’ll go hide in the woods until the fire department gets here.”
Adella numbly pulled her clothes on but didn’t acknowledge Riley.
“Hey cuz. Did you hear me? I need you to follow me.” He picked a pistol up off the night table. It might come in handy when they were in the woods.
“I heard,” she whispered through fresh tears. “I’m ready, let’s go.”
Riley took her hand and pulled her to her feet. A few more steps and they would be outside and a few feet after that, they would be safe.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going you little traitor bitch.”
Riley looked up to see his dad standing in the doorway, his shaking arms holding a rifle. “You’re the bitch. You’re the one who kidnapped and raped your own brother’s daughter.
“Yeah, well he raped your mother. I’d say we’re even.”
“You make me sick, ‘Dad’. Get out of my way.” He pulled the pistol from his jeans and pointed it at Terry.
“You don’t scare me you little pissant. I think it might be time to take out all my brother’s trash. I’ll kill you first then I’ll have a little more fun before I kill her. But don’t worry, you’ll both be reunited soon – in Hell!”
Riley used his arm to push Adella away just as a flash lit up the room. Pain seared his arm and in slow motion, there was a recoil and then another. But this time it came from his gun. And then there was quiet inside his head. Outside, screams pierced the early morning as sirens sounded until they took over everything and that was all he could hear.
Dropping to his knees, he looked across the room and cried. His dad’s lifeless eyes stared back at him. “I killed my dad.”
“RILEY. RI, LOOK AT me.”
He looked up and into his uncle’s kind eyes.
“Can you walk?”
“I...I think I can.” He stood and took a few steps before asking to sit again. “Where am I?”
“You’re still in the cabin. But we need to leave now. I’m going to drive you to the hospital.”
“Okay. Is he really dead?”
“Yes,” Johnny answered.
“I killed him?”
“It seems that way. Everything is going to be okay, though.”
“Addie?”
“They had to sedate her. We’ll meet her at the hospital and be there when she wakes up.”
“Why didn’t they take me on the ambulance?”
“You refused so I promised I’d get you there. You’ll have to talk to the Sheriff’s department while you’re there.”
“I figured,” he sighed. “I had to do it. He tried to kill us.”
“I know. Everything will be okay,” Johnny answered him as they made their way to the truck. They both got in and silence reigned for most of the ride down the mountain.
As Riley became more and more aware, he found he needed to talk. “Will Addie be okay?”
“I think so. Physically at least. She won’t speak.”
“Son of a bitch! How could he?”
“What did he do to my daughter, Ri?”
“I...”
“It’s okay, son. Don’t worry about it. I’ll let the doctors tell me. I don’t want to drive us off a cliff.”
“I hate him, uncle Johnny. I hate him so much.” Tears that Riley had thought were all dried up came back in a flash of anger and grief. By the time they reached the emergency room, he was hysterical and combative. The staff had no choice but to sedate and admit him for observation. His superficial arm wounds were the least of their worries.
14
TWO LIVES, NEVER THE SAME
“DAD?” RILEY MURMURED. “Dad?”
“Hey. It’s Uncle Johnny. Everything’s okay.”
Riley opened his eyes then closed them again. “Where am I?”
“In the hospital in Denver. Do you remember what happened?”
“I...” He cleared his dry, scratchy throat. “I killed my dad and then you brought me to the hospital. Was my wound that bad? I feel like shit.”
Johnny helped his nephew sit up and take a couple of sips of water then urged him to lay back down. “You went kind of nuts there for a while and they had to calm you down.”
“Ah, so I was living up to my dad’s expectations again? He always said I was insane.”
“Is that a hint of humor I hear in your voice?”
Riley just smiled and closed his eyes. “How is my arm?”
“You got some superficial cuts from a shattered lamp. You’ll have some antibiotics to take but you’ll be fine.”
“And how is Adella?”
“She’s in rough shape. two bruised ribs, a lot of cuts and abrasions, a significant amount of bruising and she still won’t talk.”
“How long has it been?”
“Two days. Today is the 26th.”
“I can’t believe I seriously slept through Christmas.”
“Apparently, you needed the rest. I’m going to go check on my daughter, will you be okay?”
“Yeah, I think I’m going to sleep some more. I feel like they gave me a tranquilizer fit for a fucking elephant.”
“Language, Ri.”
“Sorry,” he said, his face going red. “I think my filter is out of whack, too.”
Johnny chuckled and gave his arm a quick squeeze. “I’ll be back soon.”
BY THE TIME JOHNNY returned, Riley was sitting up in bed, had eaten lunch and was playing a video game.
“At least they a have something to keep you busy. I guess I’ll have to buy one of those for us now.”
“I have one at my dad’s.” His voice wavered. “I’ll bring it over.”
“I’d like that. You’ll have to teach me to play these new-fangled games on these new-fangled machines.” He took the controller from Riley and studied it. “This is nothing like the old Nintendo I used to play on.”
“You’re showing your age there, Uncle Johnny,” Riley teased.
“Smart ass. How would you like to get out of here late this afternoon?”
“Yes, please!” His face lit up. “What about Adella?”
“She’s the same. She’ll be here for a while. She panics when Ben has to leave her so they have her sedated off and on.”
“Did they tell you?”
“Yeah.” His voice was quiet and angry.
“How can you look at me knowing what my father did?” A memory stirred in Riley, uncomfortable yet exciting at the same time.
“You’re not your father. He and I will have it out when I get to Hell.”
“I don’t think you’ll go to Hell unless...Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course. Ask me anything.”
Riley took a deep breath. “Did you rape my mother?” The breath released in a hiss.
“Jesus Christ. I don’t believe he told you that.”
“So, you didn’t?”
“No, Ri, I never raped your mother...I.”
“He said we look alike so you might be my father.” The words came out in such a rush that it took Johnny a moment to decipher them.
“Oh, Riley, I...”
“Are you my father?” His gaze caught Johnny’s and held.
“It’s possible.”
“I can’t believe my mother would have cheated. I know for sure that one of her biggest faults was that she loved my father.”
“It wasn’t like that and yes, she loved your father more than anyone.”
“Please, can you tell me what happened? I need to know.”
“It happened right after I moved to Denver. I wasn’t even eighteen yet. Your mom and dad broke up and Aunt Jeannie and I broke up. I came home to Harper’s Rock to try to get my girl back but she was away and my first crush was here and single. It was just one night and we both regretted it.
“Within a week, your parents made up and ran off to Vegas to get married, and not too long later when I was back in Denver, Jeannie moved down and told me she was pregnant. We got married a short time later. I knew you could be mine, but your mom didn’t want Terry to know about us. Hell, I didn’t either, so I backed away. I was sure you’d be well taken care of.”
“And then mom died.”
“Yes, and it turns out your dad had known all along. And he did everything in his power to keep you away from me.”
“That’s when we stopped coming to Denver,” Riley gasped. “And when he started badmouthing you to me and Uncle Joseph.”
“And that’s why I kept such a close eye on things. If there was the slightest chance you were mine, I wanted you taken care of.”
“Do you even want to know?” Riley asked as tears slipped slowly down his cheeks.
“Oh God, I do. Of course, I do, now more than ever. Having you with us has been torture not knowing.”
“Can we find out. I mean could they tell the difference between brothers?”