The Hermit (6 page)

They
sat in companionable silence while they ate.  He’d given her mostly thick broth
from the lunch stew and she ate all of it but still had problems with solid
foods.  “I think I have at least two teeth that will have to be pulled soon.  I
can’t chew on that side anymore.  I used to have such healthy teeth.”  Ryan
went to get a flashlight and crouched in front of her.

“Let
me take a look.  I should have worried more about your teeth.”  She opened and
he pulled the side of her mouth out to examine her teeth and gums.  “Oh yeah, other
than the broken teeth, it looks like you have an abscess and two cavities that
may need root canals.  The antibiotic has probably been keeping the infection
in check.  No worries, a dentist can get you fixed up quick.” 

He clicked
off the light and returned it to the drawer.  She sat with him while he ate
another large bowl of stew.  When he finished, he put the lunch dishes in the
sink, washing them and setting them in the drainer. 

As he
was turning back to her, they both heard the helicopter.  He gave her a big
smile that he didn’t feel even a little bit.  “It sounds like the cavalry has
arrived, Daphne.  Let’s get you some boots.”  He rushed into a storage room and
returned with a battered pair of hiking boots and another pair of socks. 
Kneeling at her feet, he pulled the second pair of socks over her feet and
stuffed a strip of cloth in the toe of each boot. 

Slipping
them over her feet, he tied them snugly before standing and holding out his
hand.  “See if that will work.”  She put her hand in his large one and stood,
smiling at the huge boots on her little feet.  He couldn’t help but laugh.  “I
know I have boats for feet.  Still, I don’t want to risk you going without
them.”  He grabbed the jacket off the back of the couch and held it for her to
put on.  She shrugged into it and they laughed again as it fell to her knees,
the arms ending six inches past the tips of her fingers.  “Well, you’ll
certainly be
warm
.  Come on.  Let’s go meet your ride.”

He
held the door for her and smiled as she passed him, stepping out on the porch. 
They made it to the edge of his clearing when they saw the rangers coming up
the mountain.  They stopped to wait for them, Daphne’s hand on his arm.  When the
men shouted out a greeting to them, her fingers dug into Ryan and she took a
step back.

“Daphne
Pierce!  My name is Ranger John Pico.  I’m here to take you to McArthur.  Your
friend Janice will be there tomorrow.”  There were three men approaching and
Daphne began to panic.  She put herself behind Ryan and held his coat with both
hands.  He could feel her shaking, nearing panic, and held up his own hands to
stop the men from coming any closer. 

“Gentlemen,
I’m Dr. Ryan Wallace.  This woman has gone through severe physical and
psychological trauma.  There isn’t a woman with you?”  The first ranger shook his
head, suddenly unsure how to proceed.  Ryan looked over his shoulder at Daphne. 
Her eyes were huge with unshed tears and her lip was trembling, obviously
terrified. 

Turning
back to the men, he asked, “If I go with you, can you bring me back?” 

“Yes sir,
Dr. Wallace.  If you think she’d feel safer, you can come with her and we’ll be
happy to bring you back.  I apologize, Ms. Pierce, we were so anxious to get
you off the mountain we didn’t think to call for a female officer.  I’m real
sorry.  We won’t come any closer.”  The man picked up his radio and talked to
the chopper pilot, explaining the situation.  “If you’re ready, we can head
back to the chopper.”

“Let
me grab my wallet and lock up.”  Ryan turned to head back to the cabin, not
surprised when Daphne followed him, her hand clutching the fabric on the back
of his jacket.  “It’s going to be okay, Daphne.  These men aren’t going to hurt
you.  I won’t let anyone hurt you.”  He stepped inside and moved to the small
table beside the sofa, taking out his wallet and a knife that he strapped to
his calf under his jeans. 

Daphne
watched him with her eyes wide.  “I can’t go anywhere in Alaska unarmed,
Daphne.  It’s too wild here.  I won’t bring a gun but I have to have
something.  Do you understand?”  She nodded.  Walking into the storage room, he
removed the evidence bag he’d collected the first evening and had almost
forgotten to send with her. 

She
stared at the tattered, dirty clothes inside for an instant before averting her
eyes with a grimace of disgust.  She said nothing, taking hold of his coat
again as he headed for the door.  Locking it, they joined the rangers,
following them down the mountain.

They
arrived at the helicopter following the other men.  Daphne was unable to have
them behind her.  Only when they were all seated inside, strapped in, did she
allow Ryan to lift her in.  He followed and helped her buckle in since her
hands were shaking too hard to manage it.  He took the seat beside her and
barely had time to strap in before they were lifting off.  He felt a small
sense of panic watching his cabin recede in the distance but managed to keep it
under control.

She
stayed plastered to Ryan in the helicopter, practically behind him as she
continued to tremble.  He held her hand and tugged her out a bit as he made
small talk with the other men to assure Daphne they wouldn’t hurt her.

They
arrived in McArthur after a short ride and he jumped from the craft, turning to
lift her down.  When she was on her feet, Daphne locked her arm through his.  A
quiet plea not to leave her.  One he couldn’t ignore; he followed the rangers
into the police station. 

An
older woman stood just inside the door, “Mrs. Pierce, I’m Noel Quincy.  I’m the
mayor here and I also help out the local police.  I know you’re probably
overwhelmed and I’m so sorry about that.  I need to know if I need to contact a
sketch artist.  Can you describe the men who took you?” 

Clearing
her throat carefully as she hid behind Ryan, she said so quietly they almost didn’t
hear her, “I…I can draw them for you.  I only know their first names.” 

Ms.
Quincy told her that was wonderful and gestured for someone to bring drawing
materials.  “Please, come sit in one of the small offices so you don’t feel so
exposed.  Can I get you some water, honey?”  Daphne nodded but wouldn’t let
Ryan go as she showed them to an office with a table, chairs, and a couch.

When
Ms. Quincy left them alone for a few minutes, Daphne whispered, “Please don’t
leave yet, Ryan. 
Please
.”  He placed his palm gently over the arm still
wrapped through his.  “Janice will come.  Don’t leave before then, Ryan.  I’m
scared to be here alone.”

“Okay…okay,
Daphne.  I’ll stay until Janice comes.  Ssh…don’t worry.  Everything is going
to be alright.  You’ll see.”  The elderly woman returned and Daphne took the
paper from her.  Removing her arm but staying plastered to Ryan’s side, he
followed her over to the table where she sat and began to draw.  She said
nothing but worked steadily and Ryan was amazed at her talent. 

The
first picture was of the three men together then she drew each one’s face
separately.  Two hours later, she felt she’d captured their likenesses
exactly.  Her hand started to shake again as she neatly printed their names
beneath the sketches.  Glancing up, she held the papers out to Ms. Quincy and
Ryan saw the tears on her face.

“Dan…Abel…Winston. 
Winston is dead.  I killed him with his knife and left his body in the cave
where they held me.  I don’t know where the other two are,” her voice broke and
Ryan held her hand firmly in both of his.

“I’m
so glad you got away, no matter how you had to do it, honey.”  Ms. Quincy
handed the sketches to one of the officers, “Make copies and get these over the
wire.”  Turning back to Daphne, she said, “We need to examine you and I can’t
tell you how bad I feel about it.  We have a makeshift exam room set up.  Dr.
Billings is going to examine you.  He’s our local MD and one of the nicest
people you’ll ever meet.  Kate, one of our local girls, is going to document
your injuries with photos.  I know you don’t want to go through it and I wish
there was another way.  I do.”

Daphne
looked terrified but she nodded.  They followed the woman into a small
interview room with no windows and only one door.  There was an exam table and
a small screen set up there.  The photographer was a young woman who looked sad
to have been given this assignment.  The doctor was an older man who had a kind
face. 

“Mrs.
Pierce, my name is Dr. Billings.  This young woman is Kate.  We know you’ve
been through so much, but we need to document what’s happened to you.  I
promise you’re very safe here.  No one is going to hurt you.”  Daphne’s
expression said she was unconvinced.  “We need you to get undressed and put on
a hospital gown.  We set up a screen for you.” 

He
motioned to the screen and she walked toward it like a zombie.  A short while
later, they heard her changing.  The older doctor turned to Ryan, “Dr. Wallace,
it’s a pleasure to meet you in person.  When the rangers told us who had found
her, we knew she’d be alright.  You saved her life.”

Ryan
shook his head, “No.  She saved her own life by surviving all this time and
escaping.  I just patched her up.”  Daphne came from behind the screen, her
arms tight around her midsection.  “Daphne, I’ll wait outside.”

He was
reaching for the door when she shouted hysterically, “No!  No, please…
please
don’t leave me.  Don’t go, Ryan.  I don’t want to be here alone.”  He turned
back with a nod and helped her sit on the table.  The elderly doctor moved to
pull back the gown and she cringed into Ryan with a broken sob, “
No, no, no…please
no…
”

Ryan
stepped directly in front of her, his hands on her quaking shoulders, “Daphne,
look at me, just at me.  The doctor has to examine you, honey.  No one is going
to hurt you.  I won’t let anyone hurt you.  I swear it.  Trust me to keep you
safe while you go through this.”  She stared at him for a long time before
giving a small nod.  He moved to the side and Dr. Billings carefully opened the
gown, causing a gasp from the photographer.  Without taking his eyes off of
Daphne, he said bluntly, “Young woman, do not make this worse.  Take the
photographs you need so she can get dressed.”

A
murmured, “I’m sorry,” came from behind him but he focused on Daphne. 

The
doctor dictated his exam in a recorder, confirming what Ryan had determined
that first day he’d brought Daphne into his cabin, “Severe scarring from
various implements.  Cigarette burns along the pelvis, razor and knife cuts on
arms and legs, an unknown object was used along the jaw line…”

“The
lid from a ca…can of beans,” Daphne whispered.

The elderly
doctor moaned softly and struggled to continue with a calm voice, “Multiple abrasions
on wrists and ankles, likely made from rope.  Evidence of gradual starvation
and exposure to the elements.  The loss of smallest toe on left foot due to
frostbite.  Two fingers appear to have been broken and healed without being
set.” 

She was
asked to lie down so the doctor could conduct a pelvic exam.  Daphne held on to
Ryan for dear life, her short nails digging into the skin on the back of his
hand.  “Evidence of repeated brutal sexual assault.  Vaginal and anal tearing,
scarring, and now-faded bruising on the inner thighs that likely went clear to
the bone.” 

Tears
flowed silently down her cheeks into her hair and Ryan reached out to wipe them
away.  “I…I need my medical bag.”  Ryan glanced at the doctor, the question in
his eyes as Kate brought over the doctor’s bag.  With a sick look on his face,
the man said quietly, “She…has…there are
splinters
inside her.  Either
wood or metal, I can’t be sure.  They’re becoming infected.  I…I have to get
them out, Dr. Wallace.” 

Ryan’s
eyes found Daphne’s and he saw she was biting her lip hard enough to draw
blood.  He smoothed his hand over her jaw, tracing his thumb over her bleeding lip,
“Let go, honey.  You’re going to be alright.  Bite me if you need to.  Don’t
hurt yourself.  Not yourself, Daphne.”  She released her lip and turned her
face into Ryan’s hand, crying quietly.

Dr.
Billings removed the long handled tweezers, Ryan crouched beside Daphne,
bringing his face level with hers, “Okay, Daphne, okay, honey…it’s going to be
alright.  There, there.  Don’t cry.  It’s almost over.”  He smoothed her hair
back from her face, “Tell me about college.  What did you study?”  Her teeth
were clattering together.  “What did you go to school for, Daphne?”