25
May
She was certain that the baby sitter was walking around. That had to be the source of the footsteps.
Yes.
The babysitter.
Mom and Dad would be home soon and she could fall asleep knowing she was safe. Still, that was little comfort for her right that minute. She had been startled awake by a loud thud and now her heart was racing. The rumors at school flooded her mind.
It HAD to be the babysitter. Please let it be her.
The steps were coming toward her room now. They were heavy. She wanted to scream.
The doorknob made a slight rattle and then a click as it opened.
She closed her eyes and started counting.
One
Two
The door shut.
Three
Four
Someone was in the room with her
Five
Six
She heard breathing.
Seven
Eight
Then he spoke.
“Hello Theresa.”
Nine
She screamed. No one would come.
Ten.
-MRC
17
May
Lynn flew out into the porte cochere only to realize Gerald wasn’t following.
“Prick,” she muttered to no one in particular. She hailed a cab.
The driver knew where the Hatchery was, fortunately. Because she certainly didn’t. And she was mad. Mostly at herself. Then her phone rang.
“WHAT!” It wasn’t Gerald.
Her sister was barely understandable. She was sobbing.
“Hil? What? I can’t hear you honey. Are you crying? What’s wrong?” Lynn felt her heart beating hard now.
“It’s Mom. She wants to leave the hospice and come home. She told me not to tell you. But I couldn’t do that. She’s going to kill me. Where are you?” Hilary was sobbing but making sense.
“In Washington State. What do you mean she wants to leave? I don’t understand what you want me to do about it.” Lynn was pretty sure the taxi driver saw her roll her eyes.
-MRC
15
May
Jeannie walked out of the Niagara Falls Lodge into the brisk fall air. Her breath hung heavily. She was not sure what to expect at the reading of her uncle’s will. She never knew the man but, apparently, he knew her. The attorney responsible for the will had forwarded a letter to her room. In it, her uncle described his fruitless search for her after the accident 37 years before. He had tried for several years to make contact with her but kept running into red tape. After a while he gave up. It wasn’t until he lay dying in the hospice that he “found” her. The private investigator he hired located her through her work at the county library. She had no idea. The PI never made his presence known to her. He had reported his findings and then disappeared. Her uncle left instructions that on his death, a letter be sent to his only niece. Now she was about to “meet” him. She was a little excited, so she picked up her pace.
-MRC
13
May
Gerald seemed to know his way around the Casino property pretty well. Lynn was still unsure as to the reason for this visit. Sheriff Ransom was waiting for them at the hatchery.
“Agent Kwan.” She didn’t like the way he said Agent. “This is the future of the Indian tribes in the Puget Sound. It is a renewable resource with unlimited potential. Fishing is a dying industry. ”
“Your point, Agent?” Lynn stopped walking.
“The point is that the Salmon are a non issue. This is a pointless investigation. It isn’t going to matter how or why those fish died, in the long run.” Gerald stopped too. He looked at her directly, perhaps for the first time. “Don’t waste too much of the Bureau’s time on this. Find a reasonable explanation and leave it at that. That is my advice.”
“Well, that’s all well and good, but I didn’t ask for advice. Can we go to the Hatchery now, please?” Lynn didn’t wait for an answer. She turned on her heel and headed for what she hoped was the exit.
-MRC
5
May
Lynn wasn’t entirely sure where Gerald was taking them. She never was a good passenger and today was no different. Gerald was a daredevil driver. He pushed his Lexus pretty hard in what appeared to be a rural area. The “Entering Suquamish Tribal Reservation” sign went by in a blur. She white knuckled the door arm rest but made sure he never noticed. Lynn had called Tribal Sheriff Johns ahead of time so he could meet them at the hatchery. She was surprised when Gerald pulled into the Tribal Casino parking lot instead.
“Um, ok. Why?” She gestured toward the Casino.
“Why what?” Gerald asked as if he didn’t know.
“Shouldn’t we be going to the Hatchery?” She kept her voice in check.
“What’s the rush? I want to show you something first. Loosen up.” He was enjoying this.
-MRC