Fancy Gap (14 page)

“Good morning, sheriff,” Cohen said as he approached.

“Good morning, Scott. I can’t imagine what brings you to Devil’s Den so early on a Sunday morning.” The sheriff liked Scott, who had been fair to the sheriff and his deputies in the past, when the press had a legitimate right to know what was going on in criminal matters.

“Has anyone gone down to the cave yet?” he asked the sheriff.

“Just the two hikers who found the body. We’re waiting for the crime scene team to get here before we go down. We don’t want to screw up anything that might be used as evidence. And exactly how did you know something was happening here at Devil’s Den?”

“Sheriff, it didn’t take me long to find out where all of your deputies were going so early on a Sunday morning. Can I go down to the cave with you, sheriff ?” Cohen asked.

After a long minute, Pierce said, “Scott, not yet. I’ll let you know when you can.”

“Thanks, sheriff,” he replied.

Just then the CSI team arrived in their mobile lab. It was a fairly new unit that contained all of the latest scientific instruments needed to preserve evidence at the scene. The sheriff talked to the team before they headed to the trailhead for the downhill hike.

“If you don’t mind me asking, sheriff, will you let Cohen go down to the cave?” Levi asked.

“Levi, I’d prefer that Scott see what we see. I trust him to be truthful with his reporting. Besides, by allowing him to see it later, he sort of owes me a favor. Make sense, Levi?”

“Yes, sir, sure ’nough does.” Levi turned and yelled up to the crime scene crew, who were trying to navigate the trail, “Be careful as you go down. There’s still dew on the rocks and they’re slippery.”

Just then, Jim Craig slipped on a rock and fell on his butt. He was wearing leather-soled loafers, his church shoes. He recovered quickly and gave them the thumbs up. Levi snickered.

It took them a good fifteen minutes to get down. The CSI team stopped the convoy from time to time as they visually scoured all parts of the trail. The technicians slowed when they got to the bottom of the trail near the cave opening. They began taking pictures of the entire area. When they were through, they signaled the sheriff to come forward. He, Levi, and Craig walked carefully in a line that was marked by the lead technician.

The sheriff was the first to see the body. He choked back his vomit as he regained his composure. The taste stayed in his mouth.

The boy was tied spread-eagle to the gate. Some sort of wire held his arms and legs to the iron grate. His chin rested on his chest.

The sheriff looked closer. There appeared to be words written just above the boy’s belly button. From a distance, he couldn’t make out the words.

“Oh, my God,” Levi whispered as he got closer to the body. He stopped when he could make out the words. He turned and walked the few steps back to the sheriff.

“Sheriff, I think it says, ‘Death to those who disobey.’ At least it looks like that.”

“Lord God in heaven, bless that poor child and tend to his soul,” the sheriff whispered.

“Anyone call the M.E. yet?” asked Craig.

“Levi, you call the good doctor yet?” the sheriff asked.

“No, not yet, but I’ll call him straight away,” Levi said as he reached for his phone. “This is one sick motherfucker who deserves to die. He better hope someone else catches him before I do.”

After he finished the call, he huddled with the sheriff and Craig a short distance from the technicians. “I’ve got to call the parents. I’ll bet they went to church this morning for the ten o’clock service. I’ll call them after eleven.” The sheriff had an ashen look on his face as he spoke.

“I’m glad it’s you making that call and not me, sheriff “ Levi confided.

“
It won’t be an easy call
,” the sheriff whispered.

CHAPTER 22

Quinn woke with the rising sun. He was careful not to wake Louisa. He got the coffee pot going and started to set the table on the top deck. It was going to be a glorious day, and there was no better way to start it than by having breakfast in the great outdoors. He planned to whip up some omelets with Canadian bacon and bagels. He was getting hungry just thinking about it.

He was halfway thought his preparations when the bedroom door opened. Louisa emerged into the great room. She was wearing his flannel shirt and boxer shorts. She smiled as she came over to the stove. “Well, well, look who’s slaving away in the kitchen. He runs, he bikes, he knows the stars, and he cooks. So, tell me, what
don’t
you do?”

“I suggest that you save all kudos until you sample my breakfast creations. I’ve been cooking solo for the past two years. Since I like to eat, I figured I’d better start doing it myself. Which leads me to a very important question: Do you cook?”

“That depends on your definition of cooking. I’ve been single for a long time, and I worked fourteen-hour days seven days a week for, like, forever. That didn’t leave a lot of time for many gourmet moments in the kitchen. However, I did spend several vacations at a couple of cooking camps,” Louisa offered.

“Julia Child in my kitchen. Awesome! You get to cook dinner tonight,” he suggested.

Meredith suddenly bolted from her bedroom. She ran to Quinn and jumped into his arms. “That smells good, Grandpa, and I’m hungry. When are we going to eat?”

“Not long, sweetie. Just as soon as Miss Louisa finishes setting the table outside and you make sure Mommy is out of bed.”

“Looks like we have our work cut out for us, Miss Meredith. Let’s get going,” Louisa said.

Meredith jumped down to the kitchen floor and ran back into the bedroom. She pushed her Mother out of bed and convinced her it was time for breakfast. Natalie liked to sleep in.

The four of them spent the next half hour sitting in the morning sunshine, consuming the breakfast bounty Quinn delivered. They all enjoyed his cooking. He was pleased he had forced himself to learn how to cook.

Natalie and Meredith needed to leave by eight in order to get back to Winston-Salem by nine thirty.

“Thanks for having us, Daddy,” Natalie said as she loaded Meredith into her car seat. She hugged Quinn and Louisa. “I really enjoyed meeting you, Louisa! I hope you guys enjoy yourselves up here. And I hope you take it easy on Dad when you bike and run together.”

“Yeah, right, that’s if she gets the training wheels off of that bike of hers,” Quinn quipped.

“Miss Louisa, I need a kiss,” Meredith announced from her car seat.

Louisa hurried over to her and gave her a big hug and kiss. Quinn smiled.

As Natalie rounded the curve on the lower road, Quinn and Louisa waved from the upper deck. Natalie gave two toots on the horn to signal her last wave good-bye.

“They’re both awesome. I really enjoyed their visit. Meredith is a joy!”

“Well, I sorta think they liked you too. I could tell Meredith enjoyed being with you.”

“Listen, it’s a little after eight and our church service is at ten o’clock, so we have plenty of time to get ready.”

“Hold on there, Miss Hawke, who said anything about church?”

Louisa wrapped her arms around his neck. Quinn rolled his eyes because he knew what was coming.

“I want to see the stone church, and I need a driver. Besides, I know you would miss me for those long two hours I would be away from you.” She pulled him a little closer. Quinn knew that to resist was fruitless. He smiled as he started to rub his pelvis against hers.

“Hold on, lover boy, none of that before church. Plus, you’ll need your energy for our bike ride after lunch,” she said, smiling.

After kitchen was cleaned up, they showered and dressed for church. As they walked toward the truck in the driveway, Louisa asked, “Want to take the Volvo?”

“What Volvo?” he said as he opened the door of the Ram for her.

They laughed as the Ram negotiated the road out to the Parkway. Quinn hadn’t been to church since Ellen’s funeral in Winston-Salem. While he still considered himself to be a Catholic, his need to attend Mass had waned. He wondered if going to church today would rekindle the urge to attend regularly.

His thought was interrupted when Louisa turned on the radio and looked at him.

“I don’t even know what kind of music you like. I’ll bet you’re an old rocker,” she said.

“Correction, my dear. I have morphed into a new rock/pop lover, and I still love classic rock.”

“Wow, so tell me what you like or who you like?” she asked.

“Just push the Number One button on the radio. After all, this beast is equipped with a Sirius satellite radio subscription.”

Louisa pushed the button. The readout showed that the Pulse was playing. “What is the song that is on now?” she asked.

“Well, it’s actually Adele and her new song, “Someone Like You,” which is one of my favorites. She racked up at the Grammy awards this year. I also really like Chris Daughtry and his latest album. You remember Daughtry? He was on American Idol. I actually see him at the airport in Greensboro. He lives just south of Winston-Salem.”

“I can’t believe you, McSpain. You cook well, you parent well, you’re in great shape, and now I find out you’re up on the latest tunes. Is there anything you
don’t
do?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. I’m not real good at going to church or riding in Volvo’s,” he said as they turned in to the stone church’s parking lot.

Louisa and Quinn walked hand in hand across the parking lot. “Have you ever been here at all?” she asked.

“No, but I met the priest briefly at the deli about six months ago. I didn’t like him.”

“Excuse me, what did you say?”

“I don’t like men who are taller than I am. I’m six-two, and I’ll bet he’s six-seven or -eight. He’s a little younger than we are, maybe fifty-five.”

“How are his teeth?” she asked as they entered the church. He squeezed her hand.

They settled in toward the back of the church. As ten o’clock approached, about thirty people dribbled into the church. They were a mix of locals and Hispanics who worked on the various farms in the area. Quinn looked at a man and two women who sat in the front of the small church. He leaned over and whispered in Louisa’s ear, “Those are the parents of the abducted children. I saw them on TV.”

He turned to see Father Tony enter the front of the church from the sacristy. An altar boy accompanied him.

Louisa now leaned over and whispered into his ear, “The man is a giant.”

Quinn shook his head in agreement. He found it odd that Father Tony had an altar boy in such a small parish. It must certainly reflect the fact that Father Tony was so well liked that many people volunteered their young sons to be altar boys.

The Mass started with Father Tony blessing the gathered flock. He then directed his attention to the Prestons in the front row.

“ We are blessed to have Tim and Susan Preston with us today, as well as Susan’s sister, Mary. We share the sorrow they are so burdened with at this time. We all pray for the safe return of the children they so love. We ask the Lord for his indulgences in helping with the safe return of their children. Let us all stand, hold hands, and pray silently for the Prestons and their children.”

After a moment of silence, the service proceeded normally. Quinn realized that the time for communion was about to arrive. He was certain that Louisa would receive the sacrament.
Oh, well, time to make a decision,
he thought. He quickly reviewed his internal sin card catalog for the past two years and didn’t see anything even close to a mortal sin to worry about.
Guess boring was good,
he considered.

Louisa got up as the row in front of her emptied. She followed the woman in front of her, and Quinn followed right behind her. Quinn heard Father Tony greet all in the communion line by their first names. Louisa extended her hands to receive the Host as she approached Father Tony.

He looked at her and said, “The Body of Christ—and welcome.”

Quinn followed and put out his hands.

“The Body of Christ—and welcome, Quinn.”

Quinn blushed as he received the sacrament and returned to the pew. She leaned over and asked, “Did he know your name?” Quinn nodded.

As the Mass ended, Father Tony blessed the faithful and offered a special prayer for the Prestons. He then followed the altar boy toward the back of the church. The Prestons followed right behind as the church emptied from the front to the back.

Louisa and Quinn were almost the last to leave the church. They watched Father Tony greet all the parishioners as they departed. Everyone had a word of support for the Prestons, who stood by the Father’s side.

Father Tony abruptly excused himself and appeared to have a few terse words with the Hispanic altar boy, who was leaving on his bicycle. The young boy seemed very upset as he bicycled off. The exchange struck Quinn as odd.

Father Tony returned to the Prestons’ side by the time Louisa and Quinn approached them. He looked at the Prestons and said, “This is Quinn. I met him some time ago when he moved here from Winston-Salem. I don’t believe I’ve met your friend, Quinn.”

Louisa introduced herself. “My name is Louisa Hawke. My thoughts and prayers are with you for the safe return of your children.”

“Are you moving to Fancy Gap, Louisa?” Father Tony asked.

“I’ve lived in northern Virginia for a long time and just retired from the federal government. I’m really enjoying my visit to this absolutely wonderful part of the commonwealth.”

“What did you do in the government?” Tim asked.

“I enjoyed a full career with the FBI,” Louisa replied, blushing.

Tim’s cell phone rang.

“Hello, this is Tim.”

Tim listened for a minute before he said, “Hold on for a minute, sheriff. I have to talk to Susan.”

“They found Pete,” Tim said softly, his eyes filling with tears.

“Oh, God, where is he? Where’s my baby?” Susan screamed.

“I don’t know…” Tim sobbed. “The Devil’s Den…I don’t know what it is.”

“We need to go…I need to be with my baby boy!” Susan quivered as she spoke.

Father Tony answered, “I’ve heard of it, but I’m not sure where it is.”

“I know where it is,” said Quinn. “I’ve hiked there before. It’s not far from here. You can follow me, and we will be there in ten minutes.”