The boy hesitated but finally said, “Ma called me ‘Boy,’ but I’m Richard, like my Paw, ’cept they call me Ricky.”
“Do you live around here?” Sarah asked, hoping not to scare him away like before.
Again he hesitated but seemed to decide to respond. “Yea,” he said simply without elaborating. Sarah decided not to pursue it. He seemed to be getting nervous so she decided not to ask him any more questions.
“It’s pretty out there,” she said, looking out over the valley.
“Yea, … long way down,” he responded.
I wonder if he lives down there. “I wish I could climb down there,” she commented hoping to get more out of him. “Do you think I could make it?”
The boy smiled. “I don’t think so,” he responded. After a few long pause, he added, “I fall sometimes.”
Now she knew he climbs up and down the valley wall and she wondered if he lived in one of the shacks along the river below. “I’d like to go down to one of those houses,” pointing toward the river.
“Why?” the boy asked looking guarded.
“Oh, just to visit … maybe have a cup of tea and say hello.”
Frowning, the boy said, “Addie May ain’t got no tea.”
“I could bring tea,” she responded casually continuing to look out over the valley and wondering who Addie May was, but didn’t ask. “Maybe even cookies,” she added, watching the boy’s reaction out of the side of her eye.
The boy didn’t respond but was studying her carefully. A few minutes later, he turned toward the woods, and said, “Gotta git home,” and he was gone.
Sarah sat for a while thinking about the young boy named Richard-like-his-Paw. He was barefoot as usual, his clothes were soiled, and he was in dire need of a good scrubbing. She wondered who takes care of him. She thought he had used the past tense when he referred to his mother, but wasn’t sure.
She had so many questions. Who is this boy?, she wondered. And is this who’s been watching me? All she knew about him was that he was cautious and secretive, but also gentle and kind. So young, she thought sadly. So very young. She wanted to know his story and hoped she would have the chance.
Sarah’s wall hanging was complete and displayed in the classroom. After a few false starts, she caught onto the machine appliquéing technique and was pleased with the final result. She took a picture of it with her cell phone and sent it to Charles. Her quilt top was finished and her binding was made. The only thing left was to buy the back when she got home and have it quilted.
The next day would be the last day of the retreat and several activities were being offered. Brenda was taking the minivan into Gatlinburg for anyone interested in sightseeing, souvenir shopping, or spending time at the fabric shop they had missed earlier in the week when Genevieve was missing.
Coby was offering a bus trip across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, stopping at Clingman’s Dome for those willing to hike. “It’s the highest point in Tennessee,” Brenda had said, “and not for the faint-hearted, but it’s a spectacular view.” She explained that the lodge was providing a bag lunch for anyone interested and requested that the quilters sign up today so the lodge will know how many lunches to prepare.
Cheryl stood up and added, “Some of you haven’t finished your projects, and I’ll be here for anyone who needs help and wants to stay behind tomorrow.”
Sarah wasn’t sure what to do. She was reluctant to sign up for a trip since she hoped to see young Ricky again. She didn’t know what it was, but something about him left her feeling that she was needed in some way.
In the end, she decided to sign up for the trip through the park. If she didn’t go, she could always pick up the bag lunch and eat it in the lodge’s picnic area.
* * * * *
It was early evening and Sarah was strolling around the grounds enjoying the beauty of the mountain ridges and realizing that her retreat was about to come to an end. The sun was setting and the sky was aflame with brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. She sat on a rustic bench that had been placed facing the setting sun. She wished Charles was by her side enjoying this miraculous sight.
At dusk, she stood and headed back to the lodge. As she was approaching, she heard voices coming from the side door. She could make out two figures: a woman and a small child. At first she assumed it was Mary Beth and her sister, but then she remembered seeing Sissy leaving with Coby earlier. She walked closer and could see it was, in fact, Mary Beth and she was talking to a child. The boy? Sarah moved closer.
As she approached, it was clearly Ricky standing at the back door as Mary Beth handed him a large parcel. Sarah stepped into the shadows and watched curiously. A moment later, a car pulled up and the boy hurried to the passenger’s side and got in. As the car sped off, Sarah recognized it as Coby’s car, the same car that had left earlier with Sissy. What’s going on? She asked herself, completely baffled by this turn of events.
Once inside the building, Sarah headed for the kitchen door and pushed it open. No one was there except Mary Beth who was putting the last of the clean dishes into the serving rack. She looked surprised when she looked up and saw Sarah.
“Sorry to startle you,” Sarah said. “I’m wondering if you have a few minutes? I’d like to talk with you.”
Mary Beth looked around nervously and asked, “Have I done something wrong?”
“Oh no, Mary Beth. I’m just hoping you can help me with something.”
“Of course,” the young girl responded with a relieved smile. “I’m just finishing up here. Would you like me to come to your room?”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll see you upstairs whenever you’re free.”
A few minutes later there was a meek knock at her door. Sarah greeted Mary Beth and offered her a seat by the open window. There was a gentle breeze moving the lace curtains ever so slightly. The evening air smelled fresh and clean.
“What did you want me to help you with, Mrs. Parker?” Mary Beth asked.
“It’s the young boy, Ricky.”
Suddenly Mary Beth looked frightened, and her eyes darted around as if she were seeking an escape.
“Mary Beth, it’s nothing to worry about. I just met the boy on the trail and he looks like he needs some sort of help. I saw you talking with him, and I was hoping you could tell me if there’s anything I can do.”
She saw Mary Beth begin to relax. The girl looked directly at Sarah before she spoke, took a deep breath, and finally said, “He needs help, but I don’t know if there’s anything you can do.”
“Tell me about it, Mary Beth. I might be able to help.”
“Well, his mama died in childbirth a couple of years ago, and his dad is raising the kids alone. At least he was up until a few months ago.”
Sarah saw that Mary Beth’s eyes were filling with tears and she handed her a box of tissues. She wanted to ask questions, but decided to remain quiet and let the young girl tell the story. After she blotted her eyes, Mary Beth continued. “They were doing okay until he lost his job when the mill closed last year. He was out of work for a long time. He finally got a job, but it wasn’t close by. Addie May, that’s the oldest one, thinks he’s doing strip mining up in West Virginia somewhere. He was gone all week but came home every Friday night and took care of the family until really early in the morning on Monday when he left for work again. He always brought a week’s worth of food and some money when he came home.”
“Where do they live?”
“Down yonder in the holler,” Mary Beth responded. “Not far as the crow flies and about a mile by road. Coby drives me over sometimes.”
Sarah noticed Mary Beth was lapsing into mountain vernacular and she smiled to herself, knowing that the girl was beginning to feel more comfortable.
“It’s pretty rundown,” Mary Beth continued, “There are four kids: the baby, she’s almost three, I guess; a boy around six; Ricky who’s eight; and there’s a thirteen-year-old girl. She’s holding the family together
by herself.”
“The thirteen-year-old? But you said the father’s there weekends, right?” Sarah still wasn’t clear just what the problem was.
“He doesn’t do that anymore.”
“What?” Sarah responded thinking she must have misunderstood. “He doesn’t come home weekends anymore?”
“No. A couple of months ago he just didn’t show up. They don’t know why. After a while they ran out of money and food. That’s when I met Ricky. I caught him taking food out of the dumpster. He was scared when I caught him, but I told him it was okay. He came every day and after a while I started packing leftovers for him to take home. Sometimes Coby drives him home. It’s really a sad situation.”
“Can’t the county do something to help them?” Sarah asked and was surprised to see Mary Beth’s shocked reaction.
“No, Mrs. Parker,” she pleaded. “Please don’t turn them in. The county will separate them and send them Lord knows where. They’ll be okay until their dad comes back. He mustn’t come home and find them gone. He loves those kids more than anything.”
“Then why isn’t he there with them?” Sarah asked, sounding very judgmental and was immediately sorry. She could see Mary Beth withdraw. “I’m sorry, Mary Beth. Of course, he loves them, and I’m sure he’d be here if he could. Something must have happened to keep him away.”
The two continued to talk for another half-hour until Mary Beth looked at the clock and reached for her jacket. “Coby’s waiting to drive me home,” she said.
“I’d like to go to their house,” Sarah said as she stood and walked the girl to the door. “Do you think that’s possible?”
“I think so. Ricky seems to trust you,” Mary Beth responded. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.” With a quick hug, Sarah promised to do everything she could to find some way to help the children.
After Mary Beth left, Sarah tried her cell phone but there was no signal. The lodge switchboard was closed for the night and she thought about heading out toward the overlook, but immediately dismissed the idea. “I’ll call Charles first thing in the morning,” she told herself aloud as she headed for the shower.
Her sleep was disturbed by dreams of young barefoot children running loose in the mountains.
“Charles. I’m so glad you’re up. I need to talk to you.” It was early morning and Sarah had been pleased to see that she had a strong signal and could call from her own room.
“You sound upset, sweetie. What’s going on?”
Sarah could imagine him moving to the nearest chair and sitting down to give her his full attention. He always did that when someone wanted to speak with him, whether on the telephone or in person. There was never any question that he was listening. In fact, as a detective he had perfected the skill of listening to the words, the body language, and especially the things not said.
Sarah took a deep breath and began. She told him about the movements in the woods the night she arrived and her experiences on the nature trail. Then she told him about the boy, how he came to help her when she fell. …
“You fell?” he interrupted with a voice filled with anxiety and concern.
“It was nothing, Charles. I just turned my ankle. I’m fine now … and that’s not the point.” She went on with her story, telling him about the night Genevieve wandered off and about the massive police search. She knew this was another point he wanted to interrupt, but he managed to hold back. She told him about Ricky leading Genevieve out of the woods, about him getting leftovers from the lodge, and about the things she learned from talking with Mary Beth. “I’m worried about the children, Charles. I want to help, but I don’t want to cause trouble for them. Mary Beth said they are afraid the county will come in and separate them.”
Charles sat quietly for a few moments, then asked, “Do you think the father just ran off?”
“I don’t think so, Charles. Everything I hear about him is good. He was nearly destroyed by the death of his wife, but Mary Beth says he threw himself into caring for the children. Her father went to school with Richard, that’s the father, and Mary Beth grew up around him. Her family thinks the world of him.”
Again, Charles remained quiet for a few moments, then said, “I think the best way we can help the family is to find the father. Does Mary Beth have any ideas?”
“No, just that he was working somewhere in West Virginia doing strip mining. Maybe Mary Beth’s father knows exactly where. I’ll have her ask him.” There was a long pause before Sarah said, “I want to go to the house, but I don’t want to be seen as interfering. I’m hoping I can get Ricky to invite me.”
“How would you get there?”
“I think Coby would take me. …”
“Coby?”
“He’s Mary Beth’s brother. He drives for the lodge. He brought us here from Knoxville last week.”
Charles remained very quiet. Sarah wondered what was going through his mind, but didn’t ask, knowing that he needed time to think a situation through. Finally he spoke saying, “Do you think you can keep your room at the lodge for a few days?”
“I’m sure I can, but …”
“I’m thinking about coming there and helping you with this. There’s a good chance I can make some headway toward finding out what’s happened to the father. I’ll have to get the police involved. …”
“No Charles. I promised I wouldn’t do anything that could lead to the county coming in and taking the kids away.”
“Sarah, they may not be safe there in the long run, but okay, I’ll try to find the father on my own. …” He paused again, but then added, “Sarah, we might have to involve the authorities at some point. They’re just kids. …”
“I know, Charles. I know.
* * * * *
The van was ready to leave for Gatlinburg and Sarah was still ambivalent. She wanted to see the town, but didn’t want to miss an opportunity to talk to Ricky. With Charles planning to come the next day, she needed to make sure the family was going to accept their help. She waved the van away and turned to return to the lodge when she saw Mary Beth hurrying toward her.
“I talked to Addie May about you going over to see them,” she said. Coby had taken his sister to the Abernathy house early that morning so she could talk with all the kids. Addie May, Mary Beth had explained, was very reluctant, fearing it could cause the county to come out, but Ricky had argued on Sarah’s behalf. “He trusts you, and I assured them you wouldn’t contact the county.”
Sarah felt a twinge of guilt, remembering what Charles had said. They would have to contact the authorities if the children weren’t safe. She knew she might not be able to keep that promise, but she prayed they could find the father.
“Okay, so what happens next?” Sarah asked.
“Coby will drive you over there this afternoon. Are you leaving tomorrow?” Sarah told her about her husband coming and their plan to stay on a few days. She didn’t mention that he was a retired police detective. On the one hand, that information could be encouraging—they stood a better chance of finding the missing father with a detective on the case. But, Sarah feared, they could also become mistrustful and not let them get involved at all.
“In that case,” Mary Beth added, “let’s wait until morning. We have lots of retreat activities going on here this evening, and I’d really like to go with you if that’s okay with you. I think it would make things easier.”
“I agree. Let’s plan it for early tomorrow. I don’t know when Charles will be arriving, but I think this first visit should be just you and me.”
“Coby is making several trips into Knoxville tomorrow taking folks to the airport. Maybe he can pick your husband up as well.”
“That would be terrific! I’ll let you know his schedule just as soon as I get it.”
Sarah walked up to her room feeling good. The pieces were falling into place, she was thinking. But suddenly she realized that none of their plans ensured the father would be found. In fact, all they had accomplished was getting
permission to visit the children. We have a long way to go, she told herself as she arrived back at her room.
“Are you going to the park?” Holly asked when Sarah answered the door a few minutes later. “I’ve decided to hike up to the dome.”
“Really?” Sarah scanned through her mind and determined there was nothing she needed to do the rest of the day except find out when Charles would be arriving and she’d have her cell phone with her. “Why not!” She quickly changed her shoes and grabbed her purse and the two women hurried out to the parking lot where the bus was loading. As she got on, Coby smiled at her and quietly said, “Thanks for helping.”
“What’s that all about?” Holly asked as they were choosing a seat toward the back. Not wanting to tell anyone her plans, she just shrugged and starting talking about the cocktail party and farewell dinner the lodge had planned for the retreaters that evening.
“We’ll be driving through the park for about an hour,” Coby announced over his microphone once they were on the road. “We’ll be stopping at a few overlooks and we’ll get to Clingman’s Dome around noon. There’s a picnic area right there and I’ll pass out the lunches. You can decide if you want to hike on up to the observation tower after lunch. For the ones that don’t go, I’ll drive around for a while and show you a few other attractions. We’ll get back to the dome around 2:00 to pick up the hikers.”
“How’s the hike?” one of the quilters in the front of the bus asked.
“Well, it’s only a half-mile hike, but it’s all uphill and a fairly difficult walk at this altitude unless you’re in pretty good shape. Of course, there’re benches along the way so you can rest. You can even turn around and come back; it’s downhill coming back, you know,” he added with a grin.
They rode slowly down the park road through forests and past peaceful streams and gentle waterfalls. Occasionally a curve in the road would bring them to an overlook high above a spectacular view of a valley with seemingly endless layers of blue mountain ridges beyond. As he drove, Coby gave them the history of the park and some interesting information about the wildlife and vegetation.
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