A Second Helping (26 page)

 

“Hey, Mr. Otis, you missed the turnoff,” Crystal said, a bit confused. “My house is back there.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to turn around?”

“Nope.”

Crystal started to get anxious but tried to stay cool. “Then let me out. I'll walk.”

“Nope.”

“Let me out! Now!”

He didn't respond.

She opened her purse to get her ringing phone, but he snatched it away and tossed it in the backseat.

Then she was scared. “Where are you taking me?”

“Don't worry about it.”

“Let me out!” She fumbled with the handle on the door, attempting to get it to open, but the lock controls were on his door.

He looked her way and smiled. “You might as well as just chill. You ain't going nowhere.”

Crystal grabbed the steering wheel. The car swerved. He cursed and backhanded her so hard she fell back against the seat and saw stars.

He yelled, “Do that again and I'll kick your ass! You hear me?”

He righted the car and after giving her a frigid look, kept driving.

A terrified Crystal put her hand over her mouth and sobbed silently.

 

Bernadine was also terrified. Crystal wasn't answering her phone. According to Rocky, Crystal had left the Dog around four o'clock, but it was now seven and no one had seen her. Otis Miller aka Ray Chambers had taken the day off to see about a car he wanted to buy down in Hays but was supposed to be back in time to start his evening shift at five. No one had seen him either. She'd notified Sheriff Dalton and he in turn notified law enforcement in the surrounding areas, but officially they couldn't classify Crystal as a missing person until forty-eight hours had passed.

It was maddening.

But the residents of Henry Adams were too worried to wait for the police to officially get involved. They were all fairly certain Crystal hadn't taken off on her own, so everyone who was able was out searching the roads, the fields, abandoned farms and silos, and any other place they could think of where Ray Chambers might have gone to ground.

Bernadine drove around too. It was getting dark and her fears were rising. Where had he taken her and for what purpose? Sheriff Dalton kept reminding them that there was no concrete evidence that Ray had taken Crystal—after all, Crys had tried to run away before—but Bernadine knew in her gut that he had her, and she was going to move heaven and earth if need be to get her daughter back home.

It was past midnight when her BlackBerry sounded. The caller ID identified the caller as Crystal and Bernadine quickly answered with equal parts worry and relief.

“Hey honey. Where are you?” Bernadine could see concern on the faces of the crowd of people in her office.

“I can't tell you,” Crystal responded in a voice that sounded like she was crying.

Bernadine's heart cried in response. “Are you hurt?”

“No. He says if you bring him a hundred grand, he'll let me go.”

“Can I talk to him please.”

“He just wants me to talk.”

“Okay. Getting the money is not a problem, but I need to know where to take it.”

The phone on Crys's end sounded as if it went to mute.

Her voice came back on a few minutes later. “He says he'll call you back, and that if you call the FBI or anybody like that, he's going to kill me.”

Bernadine shivered. “Okay, I won't call the FBI. Tell him I'll get the money together and he can let me know where he wants me to bring it.”

“Okay, Ms. Bernadine.”

“Stay strong, sweetheart. I'll get you back home as soon—”

The line went dead.

Bernadine took in a deep breath and after fighting off her tears, she let her anger have its head and made another call.

Lily asked, “Are you calling a bank?”

“No. The FBI. Ray Chambers can kiss my behind. A hundred grand. Lowlife doesn't have a clue how much she's worth to me.”

Mal nodded. “That's my girl.”

 

The next morning dawned gray and humid. The Weather Channel was predicting severe storms for later in the day, but Bernadine didn't pay the announcer much mind. She clicked off the flat screen and focused her attention on the FBI agents setting up their equipment in her office.

Harris, the female agent, said, “If your daughter calls again before the phone company calls back with the location of her last transmission, we need you to keep her talking for as long as you can.”

Bernadine nodded. She felt like a member of the walking dead. She was so worried about Crystal that sleeping had been out of the question. She and the rest of her extended family had been up all night waiting for Crystal to call again.

The agents had shown up about two hours ago. They reassured her that they'd find Crystal and she prayed they'd be able to keep their word. Rocky and Siz had sent over enough food to feed the army waiting for word, but no one
but the agents seemed to have much of an appetite. Marie had had Jack cancel school. The kids were all at the rec center under the watchful eye of Tamar, Bing, and Clay, and the three were armed.

Crystal didn't call again until noon; by then the phone company had pinpointed the location of her first call, but when the team of agents had descended on the motel in a strip mall off Highway 183 south of Hays, the room was empty.

“How are you, baby?” Bernadine asked, trying not to let the worry seep into her voice. “Tell him I have the money.”

A note from Agent Harris was slipped to her, and it read, “She's on different phone. Keep her talking.”

Bernadine nodded at the agent. “Did you hear me? I have the money.”

Ray was suddenly on the line. “I hear you. Bring the money to the Fort Larned Historical Site. Make sure you come by yourself and be here in two hours. I'd hate for you to take Crystal home in pieces just because you were late.”

And the call ended.

She looked over at the agents and they shook their heads. “The new phone threw us off. It's one of those pay-as-you-go kind. Harder to trace. Her phone, the one she used the first time, is apparently turned off.”

“So now what?”

“We send you to the meet and hope he's there.”

So she made some calls. A courier with the money would be arriving via helicopter within the hour, but twenty minutes later, Bernadine's pilot, Katie Skye, called.

“Ms. Brown, we have a real problem. The courier can't get here because of the storm, and we can't fly out to pick him up for the same reason.”

Mal, who had been monitoring the weather down near the drop area with his laptop, called out with alarm. “A tornado is moving through the Fort Larned area, right now!”

Gasps were heard and Bernadine's hand went to her mouth. She thought she might be sick. There was no way to get to Crystal now. She could only imagine how scared her daughter must be, and with storm on top of them, there was a possibility that Bernadine might never see her alive again. She ended the call to Katie without saying good-bye and prayed.

C
rystal was sitting in the car with the man she knew as Otis Miler and she hated him now. Her face was achy and swollen from the backhand he'd given her yesterday and she was hungry. “I need to eat.”

“You need to shut the hell up. She'll feed you after she gives me the money, and I'm gone.” Ray was nervous. He'd never done anything like this before. All kinds of things could go wrong before he got the money.

“You're gonna go to jail. The people in town gave you a job and everything and this is how you pay everybody back?”

“I told you to shut up!” He didn't need to hear no morality speeches.

The anger in his voice made Crys think twice about saying anything more. She focused instead on the sky. It was getting dark, real dark, and leaves were blowing around. She and Otis were sitting on the side of the road near the entrance to Fort Larned. Cars were passing by but they were all moving fast as if they were trying to get away
from something. “There's a big storm coming. That's a wall cloud and wall clouds bring tornadoes.”

“What are you, the Weather Channel?” he asked sarcastically.

“No, but I've lived here long enough to know that when the sky looks like that,” and she pointed to the ominous green hue, “it's time to go to the basement.”

“Yeah right.”

But she noticed he was starting to glance up at the sky now.

“We need to get out and take shelter,” she told him excitedly. “Maybe they have one inside.”

The wind was whipping now. Cloud to ground lightning flashed in and out of the black clouds and the responding thunder boomed angrily. The area around them was so dark the passing cars now had on their lights.

Knowing all hell was about to break loose, she frantically pulled on her door handle. “Open the door, fool! You want us to die!”

The car was beginning to rock from the rising force of the wind. Airborne debris was swirling around like a scene from
The Wizard of Oz
.

She screamed at him, “
Open the damn door!
”

An airborne trash can slammed into the hood and then flew on. They both flinched at the impact and the now alarmed Ray hit the switch on the lock. Crystal was out in a flash. The wind was so strong it stole her breath and tried to force her to her knees, but she knew she had to get to the ditch behind the car. It was her only hope. She bent low and fought with each step. Her ears began to pop
from the change in pressure. Stuff was blowing around her, smacking her in the face and body with dirt and twigs and gravel from the road's shoulder. Each step felt like it was taking her a million years but she kept going. The thunder and lightning strikes were so loud and so close, she could feel the ground shake. Rain was now coming down so hard it was horizontal, making it next to impossible to see. The wind was screaming and the force of it knocked her down. On her knees, she crawled and cried. She couldn't see the ditch, Ray, or anything else. Her entire world was owned by the raging storm. Suddenly she felt herself roll into a depression in the ground. Lying flat, she placed her hands over her head, closed her eyes, and prayed not to die.

The howl intensified until the wind blowing over sounded like a train. Suddenly she felt something hit her back, hard. It hurt so bad, she screamed, but the wind was louder. She wanted the pain to stop but instead it got worse, and then everything went black.

 

When Crystal opened her eyes, she felt really sleepy, but then she saw Ms. Bernadine standing beside her and she had tears in her eyes. Crystal wondered if she was dead and seeing her foster mother from heaven. “Am I dead?”

“No, baby, you're in the Hays hospital.”

“What happened?”

“You were almost a tornado snack.”

Crys grinned, or at least she thought she did. She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. “Am I okay?”

“You have some broken bones and some bumps and bruises, but looks like you're going to be okay.”

She nodded.

“Go on back to sleep. I'll be here the next time you wake up.”

“Okay,” Crys murmured. She felt Ms. Bernadine kiss her cheek and she drifted back into the void.

Tears in her eyes, Bernadine stepped outside the room and told the assembled crowd of Henry Adams residents, “She's awake.”

People clapped, cried, and everyone said thanks to the Lord for this much-needed blessing.

Bernadine hurried off to alert the nurses. What she hadn't told Crystal was that she'd been in coma for the past three days and everyone had been worried sick. Her injuries had been caused by the car rolling over on her. She had a broken collarbone and a broken right arm. She'd also sustained a major concussion, and the nurses had to shave her head in order for the doctor to stitch up the gash that had caused it. So it was finally good-bye to the gold weave, but Bernadine took no joy in it because of how it had come about.

Mal had been with her every moment of every day while she sat at Crystal's bedside. She knew that had it been necessary she would have been able to handle the vigil alone, but having him with her made the long wait more bearable.

When Bernadine returned with the doctors and nurses, they went in to check Crystal's vitals. Bernadine stood outside the door and wiped at more happy tears.

Amari, Preston, and Eli walked over to her. “Can we see her?” Preston asked. The boys' faces were lined with concern.

“Let's let the doctors finish up first.”

They'd been at the hospital the whole time as well. Roni was home with Zoey and Devon and was being kept up to date by phone. Reg was the town's liaison with the doctors, and Bernadine was grateful that he'd been there to break down the medical lingo into plain English so she'd understand just what Crystal was up against.

The doctor and one of the nurses stepped out to talk with Bernadine, and while they were consulting, the three boys slipped into the room.

The nurse inside looked up at their entrance. She was checking all the machines and tubing Crystal was hooked up to. “You boys family?”

Amari answered for them. “Yes, ma'am. She's our sister. We just wanted to see her.”

The lady looked at Eli. “She your sister too?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

She smiled softly. “Come on over, but you can only stay a minute.”

Without her makeup and with her head shaved, Crystal was almost unrecognizable. She appeared younger and more vulnerable. Amari thought her head looked like the head of the ducklings he'd seen on his Spirit Quest but he was happy to see her breathing. Preston too. To their surprise Eli bent down and kissed her cheek. Amari's and Preston's eyes went wide.

He saw their faces. “What?”

They both shook their heads in unison. “Nothing.”

Preston said, “She'd never let him do that if she was awake.”

“True,” Amari said softly, willing her to open her eyes and look at him so he'd know for sure that she was okay, but she didn't.

“Okay gentlemen,” the nurse said. “You'll have to go now.”

Preston surprised Amari by doing an Eli and kissing Crystal on the cheek. It made his heart tight to see the tears standing in Preston's eyes even though he tried to wipe them away before anyone could see.

Amari kissed her cheek too, and whispered, “Hurry up and get well, Crystal. We love you.”

When they stepped outside, their parents said it was time to head home. On the way out they waved to Ms. Bernadine, who was talking to Ms. Marie and Leo Brown, who'd just showed up.

“How's she doing?” Marie asked with concern.

“She's finally awake.”

“Thank God,” Marie said. “Everyone has been so worried. We've all been praying.”

“And it helped, so thank you.”

Leo asked, “Does she need anything, Bernadine? If we have to fly in an orthopedic surgeon or fly her somewhere to get more help, just let me know. I'll help with the costs.”

Bernadine looked at the concern in his eyes. “You really mean that, don't you?”

“Of course.”

Marie said, “I'm going to join the others, so you two can talk.”

When she was gone, Leo said, “This has to do with Crys
tal, not you and me, so if there's anything I can provide, it's yours. I know how much she means to you, Bernadine.”

She was touched. “Thanks, Leo.”

“And I meant what I said, I don't care how much it costs.”

For the first time in years, Bernadine was able to look him in the eyes and not want to feed him rat poison. “So it's going to be you and Marie?”

“I'm hoping. We're taking it a day at a time. She wants to go slow and I respect that.”

“She's a very special lady.”

“Yes, she is, but so are you. I'm sorry for what happened.”

“So am I, but we've both moved on.”

“Thanks to this town. Pretty good place you all have here.”

“We think so.”

“I may move in.”

Bernadine went still. “Really?”

“That going to bother you?”

“I don't think so.”

“Throw my millions in with yours, there's no telling what can be accomplished.”

“True. Just don't be mad when I send you the bill.”

“I promise I'll pay whatever it is with a smile.”

She held out her hand.

He grasped hers. “To second chances.”

“Let the church say amen.”

As Bernadine walked with him over to where the rest of her friends were waiting, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her soul.

 

Crystal came home a week later. Now, propped up in her own bed, her right shoulder and arm in a cast, she asked Bernadine, “So what happened to Mr. Otis?”

“Killed in the storm.”

What Bernadine didn't say was that the authorities had found him five miles away from where Crystal had been found by the National Guard. The storm had evidently swept him up and then thrown him down so that he landed face up and impaled on the wide jagged points of a large picket fence. All in all, a terrible end to a terrible man. Bernadine had also been waiting for Crystal to come home before telling her the truth about Otis Miller's true identity.

“I need to tell you something else, Crys.”

“What?”

“About who Otis Miller really was.”

“Who was he?”

So Bernadine began.

 

The morning of August First dawned sunny and bright. After the near tragedy with Crystal, who was still laid up, the residents of Henry Adams were looking forward to having some fun. Amari and Trent shared a quick breakfast at home, then jumped in the truck and headed to the parade staging area set up in the field across the street from the Dog.

On the drive, Amari said, “I think it's going to be a good day, Dad.”

“You think so?”

“I do.”

“Then let's have a good time.”

When they reached the field, marshals Jack and Eli were already at their posts and wearing the official blue and gold vests Sheila had designed.

“Morning,” Trent called out as he drove past them to find a place to park.

“Dad, look!” Amari said excitedly. “Some of the bands.”

It was 7:00 a.m. Parade participants had been asked to assemble no later than eight for the ten o'clock start. Three school buses were parked at the edge of the field. Kids in shorts and tees, their instruments in hand, were milling about.

“Looks like a parade to me,” Trent replied.

Trent parked, and as they got out, they were greeted by Malachi, wearing a sleeveless tee and the blue pants of his Tenth Cavalry uniform.

“Morning, you two.”

“Hey, O.G.,” Amari called. “You look like a real soldier.” Amari could see the other members of the troop a few feet away. They were laughing, talking, and getting their horses ready for the ride down Main Street.

“Gotta come correct,” Mal told him proudly. “The legacy of the Ninth and Tenth demands it. Everything from our saddles to our caps are as authentic as we could make them. We'll put our coats on when the parade starts.”

Amari knew from his class work tied to the history of the parade that the Black men of the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry patrolled the western United States from the U.S. Canadian border to the Rio Grande. The soldiers were the only law in a lot of areas that had no law back then.

“Come on and let me introduce you to my guys.”

Amari shook a bunch of hands and received lots of thanks for coming up with the idea for the parade.

Moments later, Lily and Ms. Bernadine rode up on individual golf carts. Preston was on the cart with Lily, and Amari would be riding with Ms. Bernadine. He got in, waved good-bye to his dad, and headed off to get things under way.

By nine thirty everyone was lined up and Amari, carrying a clipboard, was seriously beginning to question whether this parade had been a good idea. First of all, the kids who were marching in the pet parade had everything from geese to goats, both of which kept trying to mix it up with the horses. After a goose charged the horses for the third time, causing the horses to rear and almost throw their riders, Amari threatened to kick the goose's owner out of the parade if the bird wasn't controlled. The goose's name was Gus, but Mal said his name was going to be
cooked
if it charged his horse one more time.

The goat, named Buster, apparently didn't like dogs and kept trying to butt any canine that made the mistake of coming close. Buster's owner, a ten-year-old girl from Hays, had to borrow a leash from one of the dog people in order to keep Buster at her side. Even then, Buster was dragging her all over the place. Her teenage brother stepped in and took hold of the leash and Buster was no longer able to terrorize, but Amari vowed to keep an eye on him. He ran a weary hand over his fresh haircut and hoped Preston was having better luck with the humans on his end.