Coming Home (Norris Lake Series) (31 page)

"Help!" she cried over and over, hoping someone would hear her screams.  Terror flooded her entire body making her feel both hot and cold at the same time. 

"Let me go!" she screamed hysterically.  Her mind couldn’t form a thought.  A weight pressed her down until she couldn’t move at all. 

“Don’t hurt me please."  Tears coursed down her cheeks as she thought she felt the cold slime of the cavern floor pressed against her cheek.  The weight on her chest was crushing her so hard that her breath came in small gasps.  She stopped screaming and tried to concentrate on each breath she tried to expand her lungs over and over again.  Her arms were pinned at her sides and she couldn’t move them.  Her eyes were still closed unwilling give in to the darkness that threatened her from the outskirts of her mind. 

"You must not give in” she recited over and over. “You must stay awake...It is the only way that you have a chance of living," she pleaded with herself. 

Her mind moved closer to the darkness as the pain grew.  She grasped at the darkness trying to pull it closer, knowing that it held an escape from this torture.  It grew darker, the walls of the cave pressing against her arms as the passageway narrowed.  A new terror grew inside her suffocating her with claustrophobia.  It was too much for her to take and the sweet release of unconsciousness overcame her sweeping her away.  She embraced it gratefully. It was her last thought; realization that there wouldn’t be anyone looking for her. 

“Stay with me,” she heard at the edge of the darkness. “Don’t go. I can’t lose you, baby.”  She felt the weight move off her chest and the terror start to subside.  The darkness started to fade in and out and she opened her eyes.  There was a startling whiteness.  It took her a moment.  The whole world was a blur.  She blinked several times and a face came into focus. She recognized the face full of concern.

“You called me to come back.” Cat tearfully breathed in a faint gasp.

He squeezed her hand. “I called you back to me and you came.  You came back.  I knew you would.” 

Dominic stood from the chair he’d pulled to the side of Caitlyn’s hospital bed. He tucked the sheets up around her.  Her head was swathed in bandages and she was covered with dark purple and yellow bruises.  Her otherwise unblemished skin was marred with long scratches, while her hands were red and raw.

“Where’s Sarah?”

“We haven’t found her.  Cat, she may be dead.”

Tears filled Caitlyn’s eyes.  She sobbed uncontrollably, her face pressed to the pillow.  He leaned over and put his face against hers, then stood there waiting for her crying to subside. 

“Cat, what happened and who did this to you?” Dom asked quietly.

“Dom, I don’t know.  I remember being out on the houseboat with Sarah, but the rest of the time is blank.”  She had woken up in pain, now she closed her eyes in pain.

“Don’t try to remember.”  He put his palm on her forehead.  She nodded, closed her eyes and sighed.

Dom’s face faded and she sunk into unconsciousness once again but un-plagued by the nightmares of moments ago.  Dom laid a cool cloth across her forehead and eyes. 

The hospital door swung open and Sheriff O’Donnell quietly entered the room, Robert Tarlington following closely on his heels.

Dominic still sat at Caitlyn’s side. “I found her.  I thought she wasn’t going to make it. They said she could die. I can’t remember the last time I asked anyone for help. I’ve been praying that she’d be all right and I don’t even believe in God.” He paused, “Well maybe now I do.”  His eyes reddened as tears filled his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.  He picked up her hand and held it close to his cheek. ”I am glad she didn’t die.  I couldn’t have gone on without her.  I have come to realize that she is my whole world.  Without her nothing I have is worth anything. We were married a long time and grew apart. I regret it.  God knows I want a second chance.  I know she isn’t sure about us, so I’ll wait until she is, but I will never go away.  She woke up for just a minute then was gone again.”  He turned to the window and looked up.  Neither man could tell but Dom had his hands folded in prayer.  He looked over at Robert and Ben. “What did the doctor say? Tell me she’s going to be all right.”

“Get out, you good for nothing bastard,” Robert Tarlington fumed.  “She doesn’t need your kind here.”

“Now, Bob.  This isn’t the time nor the place.”  Ben put one hand on Robert’s shoulder.

Robert Tarlington ranted on, “Do you even know what happened to her?  She was beaten, raped, strangled and hit from behind.  Someone tried to kill her.  If those old fishermen hadn’t found her when they did, she would have died.”

Dominic angry now, literally screamed, “You tell me if she’s going to be all right.”

“The doctor said she has a concussion and some sprains, but she’s going to be fine…and so will the baby.” Ben said.

“Baby?  She’s going to have a baby?  I’m going to be a father?” Dominic sat down heavily almost missing the chair.  Robert Tarlington also slowly sat down in a chair next to his daughter’s bed. “A baby?”

“Yes, to both of you, I talked to the doctor and I already knew.  She didn’t want to tell you. Dominic, she didn’t want it to be the only reason you wanted her back.  And to tell you the truth I wasn’t sure I wanted her to go back to you.  I’ve loved her longer than you have and I thought I might have had another chance with her.”

Robert grasped Caitlyn’s hand.  “You mean I am going to be a grandfather?”

Both Ben and Dominic looked at Robert, startled at the sniffle and tears that threatened behind the old man’s eyes.  They both stood still utterly astounded.  If they didn’t act fast, they’d be the only living souls to ever witness such weakness in a man otherwise said to be made of stone. 

Ben stood and stepped out to the hospital door and waved to a nearby figure.  “Jesse, can you take Mr. Tarlington down and get him a cup of coffee.  He just learned that he’s going to be a grandfather and needs a moment with a sympathetic soul.”

“Of course,” she said, as she helped Robert Tarlington up and took his arm in hers.  “Let’s go talk about your new responsibilities as a grandpa, Bob.  I can call you Bob can’t I?”  She led him out of the room and down the corridor.  Bob meekly let her lead him away.

Dominic turned once again to Ben. “Who did this to her?”

“I don’t know.  We don’t even have any circumstantial evidence to go on.  The houseboat was sitting moored to a stump on the island untouched.  There are no witnesses and we haven’t been able to locate Sarah. If we can find her, maybe she’ll be able to shed some light on what happened, but I am not hopeful.  Sarah was supposed to be home last night to have dinner with her mother and never showed.  Whoever did this to Caitlyn probably also attacked Sarah. I have a couple of deputies over scouring the island looking for her.”

“I can’t just sit here.  I am going to go find out who did this.  I have my connections,” Dominic shouted in frustration.

“Don’t take this into your own hands.  I will prosecute you just as quickly if you break the law.” Ben warned.

“I’ll take my chances. Screw the law!  You’d better hope to find them before I do.  Whoever did this tried to take not only Caitlyn but also tried to kill my child.  I can’t let that go unpunished”.  He stood up shoving his chair backwards angrily.  He grabbed his suitcoat and strode from the room the door slamming behind him.

Ben walked to her bedside and sat next to Caitlyn’s side.  Sitting down he resolved to wait until Jesse and Bob returned. 

An hour later, as he flipped through a magazine, her eyes fluttered open.  “Ben”, she moaned.  “I feel awful and my head hurts.”  

“You’ve been unconscious for two days.  You had quite a bump to the head.  They had to relieve some pressure on your brain.  But, yes, you’re going to be fine Cat.”

“The baby?”

“The baby’s fine too.”

“How did you find me?”

“Two old fishermen who go out regularly every weekend near Point 19 found you.  Dominic was out looking for you too and brought you here.” 

“Dominic was out looking for me?  Are you sure?”  She wavered in and out of consciousness.  “Where’s Sarah?”

“I don’t know.  We haven’t found her.”

Her eyes welled up with tears. 

“You need to tell me what happened.”

“I can’t tell you.  I don’t remember.  It’s just bits and pieces.  While I was asleep I had a nightmare.  I was being attacked by two men.”  She sobbed.  “They….they raped me.  They were trying to kill me.  I remember the pain and someone’s hands around my throat.  They were squeezing…..”  Ben held her hand in his and squeezed. “There, there, darlin’.  Try to rest now and we’ll sort this out later.  Go to sleep, girl.  Ben lovingly put his hand on her forehead and began to hum an old Tennessee lullaby as Cat drifted back into sleep.

“It will be okay. I’ll find Sarah and I’ll find whoever did this to you.  Just now you need to go to sleep.  Get some rest.” 

He thought she was out of it when she whispered to him, “I am so tired. I am just going to close my eyes for a moment.  Don’t leave me.”

“I won’t leave,” he said as she closed her eyes and once more into a restless sleep.

Robert Tarlington was back.  He walked into the room, his armor once again in place. “I’ll sit with her sheriff.  You go find the scum that did this.  If you need any of my resources you use them.  Money is no object.” 

“I’ll find them sir,” Ben said.  He walked to the door, stopped and turned.  “You should give him a second chance, Bob.  Dominic may not be the son-in-law that you expected or wanted, but I don’t believe he’s responsible for any of this or the other problems your family has had.  He loves Caitlyn.  I know because there was a time that I loved her too.”

“You don’t love her any more, son?”  He said watching closely the man that he’d also known as a boy twenty-odd years ago.  “I seem to remember there was a time that you two were inseparable.” 

“That was then, Bob.  We’re different people now.  We love each other but it’s not the same kind of love it takes to keep a marriage together forever through tough times.  We’ll always be close but you need to take another look.  She loves Dominic and he’s found out that he loves her.  Give him a chance.  Give them a chance.”

“You find out
who’s done this to my family first and I’ll think about it.”

Ben nodded and left.

Robert Tarlington, sighed and pressed Caitlyn’s hand to his lips.  “Get better, baby.  You remind me so much of your mother. I’d never say this to your face, but I love you and I need you.”

Chapter 32

"Thanks for the ride,” he said climbing out of the back of the battered red pickup.  Grabbing his tattered green duffel bag, he swung it over his shoulder and watched the truck take the Raccoon Valley exit.  It had been a good ride.  He had made it all the way from the Alabama state line midway through Tennessee.   Luckily the truckers used Interstate 75 as the main road going north to south.  With winter approaching, he sure didn’t want to get stuck in Cleveland and had packed his things and moved towards warmer climates.  Off the interstate to the left he could see a Stuckey’s and a Shell sign. 

"Probably some little town out in the middle of bumfuck, Egypt," he mused crossing the interstate towards the restaurant.  This morning’s breakfast had been sparse and his stomach couldn’t remember it at all.  "Shut up.  It ain’t dinner time yet." he sneered patting his grumbling stomach.  "You’ve been without before, get used to it."  Fishing in his pocket he pulled out two faded dollar bills and about fifty cents in change.  "It’s enough to get a cup of coffee at least.  I’ll need that to stay awake tonight."  Trudging up the interstate on-ramp, he crossed the parking lot. 

A fair number of pickups and low-brand cars tattooed with bondo, filled the parking spaces.  As he pushed through the double glass doors into the restaurant his nose was assaulted with the delicious smells of broiling meat and fresh brewed coffee.  Taking a seat on a barstool at the counter, he dropped his duffel bag onto the light-colored linoleum.  Taking a laminated menu from the counter, he tried to look as if he were going to order a sizeable dinner. He knew if he looked needy, the waitresses, who lived on little more than minimum wage, may not wait on him until it was absolutely necessary. 

"What’ll you have, hon?" the waitress asked him as she placed a coffee cup and glass of water in front of him.  Looking at the menu he made some quick calculations. 

"Just coffee,” he said, placing the menu back between a sticky ketchup bottle and an empty black napkin holder.  She stared at him, her black roots showing through bleach blonde hair, the white triangle handkerchief affixed with bobby pins to her upswept bouffant hairdo. 

"Hadn’t that style gone out in the sixties?" he mumbled under his breath.  "It’s about right though.  Looks old enough to be someone’s mom."  She continued to stare as she filled his cup, looking directly at his head. 

"Order up, Sherry," a male voice called from the kitchen. 

He put his hand to his head unconsciously.  With a sigh, he removed his ball cap dropping it on top of his duffel bag.  A ring where his cap had been encircled his long brown hair.  He reached for the sugar, stirred and then took a long sip.  It tasked kind of burnt, but he wasn’t picky.  It was warm and a hell-of-a-lot better than nothing.  He reached across the counter to his right and picked up a newspaper that had been left. 

"The Anderson County News," he read.  "Local homecoming queen....missing child....local high school football team wins double A series game.  Same shit you find in any two-bit town,"  he said to himself refolding the paper.  With one hand he ran his fingers through his beard and searched the restaurant for his waitress.  She pushed through the swinging door to his right carrying an armful of plates laden with food. 

"More coffee?" he mouthed at her as she went by.  She nodded and kept going.  He looked at the late afternoon sun stretching lengthening the shadows across the cars in the parking lot. 

"Money sure looks short around these parts," he thought.  "I’ve got to find something to make some extra bread or starve and it don’t look like anyone around here has that much to give for handyman work." 

"Clink. Clink."  The sound of a plate and silver ware being set before him caught his attention. 

"What’s this?" he asked his waitress. 

"I accidentally ordered one too many.  You want it?" she asked with a straight face.  "If you don’t take it I will l have to throw it out back to the strays." 

He hesitated weighing his pride against the growing hunger in his stomach. 

"To hell with my pride.  I can eat it,” he whispered to himself. 

"Thanks....Sherry,” he said glancing at the plastic badge affixed to the pocket of her polyester uniform. 

"Don’t mention it.” She grabbed a coffee pot, filled his cup, and then went to take care of her other customers.  The smell of the steak made his mouth water.  Within minutes he’d finished the meal and the apple pie that Sherry set in front of him.  Sipping his fourth cup of coffee, he leaned against the stool backrest and felt better than he had in weeks.  Sherry took his empty plate and wiped the counter in front of him while he held the coffee cup. 

"Thank you,” he smiled. 

"No problem,” she said looking into his haggard blue eyes.  "Everyone needs a friendly face.  There are pitiful few of them around these days.  I’m no Bible beater," she continued "but if everyone remembered that golden rule once in a while this world would certainly be a better place." 

He nodded, sipping the last of his coffee.  "What do I owe you?" he asked picking up his duffel bag and replacing his hat. 

"Nothing, son. You look like my eldest.  I don’t know where he is right now, but hopefully someone is making sure that he had a square meal." 

She walked towards her tables still filled with a host of truck drivers and local farmers.  He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out two dollars.  Folding them carefully, he tucked them under his coffee cup and then hurried out the door. 

“Hey Victor!  Come over here! “

“What’s up, man?” Victor yelled back from his post leaning against Tim’s 1980 maroon Dodge Mirada.

“You gotta come see for yourself, man.   I can’t tell you what it is.” 

“You are so full of shit!” Victor said loudly leaning in through the open driver’s window grabbing a Budweiser from the brown paper bag on the front seat. 

With one hand he twisted the cap tossing it into the thick bushes. Victor walked across the hard brown dirt to the edge of the cliff which rose about forty feet above the water and boulders below that made up the north shoreline of Norris lake.  It was a popular place for all the kids from the local high school to come and park and party. 

It was late summer and still plenty warm enough to swim, though no one was swimming tonight.  There were about three or four cars parked across the point, most with steamed windows and low romantic music.  He would have been in one of those cars tonight, if he and his girlfriend hadn’t broken up last week.  But, no, instead he was here with his best friend Tim, drinking a few brews and waiting for the rest of their friends to show. 

He peered through the trees, looking for Tim.  “Hey, where are you?” Victor called. 

A silent wind blew through the branches of the trees and splashed silver ripples against the rocks.  A beer hanging loosely in one hand, he walked down a well-worn path to the caves that bored into the walls of the cliff. 

With the other hand, he steadied himself against the large trees which rose up in the middle of the path.  “Jeez Tim, where’d you go now?” Victor said under his breath, the liquor making him stumble a bit.  He wasn’t angry just annoyed.  Tim was his best buddy, but still was one of those that would wander off without a thought to where he was going.  Skidding down the last few feet of the path, he put one hand against the cliff wall and peered into the darkness.  Even though the moon was full, the cave wasn’t letting any light enter or leave. 

“Boo”! Tim yelled jumping out of the cave.

“Aaaugh” cried Victor stumbling backwards so hard that he sat down hard. ‘Shit, man.  You asshole you made me spill my beer!”

Tim laughed holding his stomach.  “Boy, you should have seen your eyes.  They were this big around,” Tim continued choking and wiping his eyes. 

”Well that wasn’t funny man.  You could have given me a heart attack or who knows, I could have hit you in self-defense,” Victor said trying to regain some of his masculine cool. 

“Come on man, I have something to show you,” Tim said holding one hand out to Victor to help him up and still chuckling. 

“Yeah, whatever, but let’s make it quick.  I gotta go get another beer.”  Victor said brushing the dirt off the butt of his shorts. 

Tim flicked his lighter and held it out in front of him.  “Come on.  It’s just a few feet in here.” 

Victor followed Tim just inside the mouth of the cave.  Swinging the lighter out in front of him, Tim turned toward Victor and pointed towards a figure sitting against the wall. 

“Who is it?” Victor asked. 

“I got no idea.  Looks like some vagrant or homeless guy.  I thought it might be a lost hiker, but he smells like a bar and that’s a backpack he’s laying on,” Tim mused. 

“Yeah, well, he doesn’t look like he’s got anything I’d want,” Victor said.  “Let’s get outta here.  This place gives me the creeps.” 

“Wait.  He was awake a minute ago and had some weed.  I figured we could get him to party with us and trade him a beer,”  Tim suggested as a burst of wind blew out the flame from the lighter. 

“Oh shit.  Turn that damn thing back on,”  Victor shouted.  “I don’t want to get stuck in here.” 

Tim flicked the flame back on cupping it with one hand.  With one toe he nudged the sleeping figure.  “Hey buddy.  Wake up.”

“Mamma,” the figure groaned as he rubbed his eyes and sat up. 

“You want to party man or what?  We’ve got some beer in the car. “ 

“Sure” the man said as he held on to the cave wall with one hand and pulled himself to his feet.  Grabbing the backpack in one hand he followed the boys back to their car. Victor reached into the front seat of the car, pulled the cooler from the front seat and carried it to a nearby picnic table where the other two already sat. 

“What’s your name man? Tim asked the older man as reached for the Budweiser in Victor’s outstretched hand.

“Cliff,” he said curtly reaching out to accept the beer.  In the distance, the dull hum of a motor boat rumbled against the dark hills and lay as the undertone to the sound of rock and roll music. 

The group of teenagers sat around a fire talking and laughing. The soft odor of rotting fish and algae mixed with the taste of woodsmoke and autumn.  The three sat and listened to the night talking quietly every now and then about Vietnam and football as the sweet thick smell of pot hung loosely weaving its fingers through the leaves and around the legs of the picnic table drifting out toward the lake with the growing mist.

In the distance, the dull hum of a motor boat rumbled against the dark hills and lay as the undertone to the sound of rock and roll music.  A group of teenagers sat around a fire talking and laughing. The soft odor of rotting fish and algae mixed with the taste of woodsmoke and autumn.  The three sat and listened to the night talking quietly every now and then about Iraq and football as the sweet thick smell of pot hung loosely weaving its fingers through the leaves and around the legs of the picnic table drifting out toward the lake with the growing mist. 

A pair of headlights split the night pulling up toward the group of youngsters.

“Shit, it’s the law.  Wouldn’t you know it?” Tim tossed the beer bottle across the car and out into the woods.

Sheriff O’Donnell stepped out of the driver’s side of the Bronco leaving his door open.  Deputy Moore stepped out of the passenger side.  Sheriff O’Donnell reached back into his truck for a moment signaling the dispatcher his location.

“How are you kids doing?” 

Most of the kids just groaned and started towards their vehicles. 

“Man, what are you doing out here?”  Victor said.

“You got a problem with it, son?” Sheriff O’Donnell, replied.

“Naw man, he doesn’t have a problem with it,” Tim said. 

“You boys are too young to be drinking.  You know that.  Leave it where it sits and go home.”

He walked up to where Tim and Victor sat all the while eyeing Cliff. “You look a little too old to be hanging out with these kids.  Got any identification?”

Cliff sighed and putting his hands up palms forward.  “Don’t shoot me Mr. Law.  I’m reaching for my wallet.”  He pulled a black wallet out of his back pocket and handed it to the sheriff. 

Without looking at the wallet, the sheriff handed it to his deputy.  “Run the license.  Let’s see who we are dealing with.”  Deputy Moore walked back to the Bronco and began talking on the radio to the dispatcher.

“Your name?”

“Cliff.”

“Full name and occupation?”

“Clifford Harrison.  No occupation right now.  I am making my way back up to my parents place in Johnson City.  I just stopped here for the night.  I’ll be on my way in the morning.”

“Previous occupation?” Sheriff O’Donnell said shining a flashlight in to the front seat of the Mirada.

“You other kids go on home.  Victor, Tim.  That means you. No, just leave the beer.  I’ll take care of the fire.”  He turned back to the drifter.

“Marine corp. most recently Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.  Before that I was a truck driver.  I lost my ride when I went
overseas.  I just got back to Camp Lejune, N.C. a couple weeks ago after fighting the War on Terror.”