He’d turned it into a creamy, smooth, sweet mixture with an overdose of caramel flavoring and table cream.
“I just wish there was something we could do.” Jason admitted, finally succumbing to Bens probing stare.
“I have this feeling,” Jason tried to explain, “that she’s up there trying to get away but there’s nobody to help her.”
Ben felt a pinch in the area of his heart as he watched the sorrow and regret on his son’s face. His feelings were very much the same, but right now there wasn’t anything he could do other than look for a clue in the pictures he carried with him.
He pulled the newly developed photos out of the bag and started laying them out a few at a time, studying them carefully for anything out of the ordinary. He knew that oftentimes digital technology would capture objects or actions that the naked eye had missed, and he hoped there might be something here that he could take to the police.
Many of the shots he put aside, knowing they were perfect for publishing, and would send them in when they returned home. Three cups of coffee and nearly an hour later, they still sat and perused frame after frame of beautiful mountain landscapes.
When Ben laid out the first shots from Lost Lake they both sat up a little straighter and leaned over the table for a better angle. Jason picked up the second shot in the stack with a puzzled expression and moved over to the window, holding up the glossy card to the light where he squinted his eyes as if the picture were out of focus.
Ben looked up and watched as, without a word, Jason sat back down at the table and pointed to the upper left corner of the picture. Ben looked long and hard at the barely discernible speck of white that peeked through the dense trees above and far to the left of the cabin that was in the center of the photo.
He looked up and his eyes met Jason’s over the table with barely concealed excitement. “Is that what I think it is?” Jason asked hesitantly.
“I don’t know, but if we have this shot enlarged maybe we’ll be able to make out some detail.”
An hour later they picked up a single envelope from the one hour photo and sat in the Jeep looking over what appeared to be the rear end of a white Nissan. It was barely visible through the needles and branches of pine but it was there, and it was something they could offer the police as evidence.
Ben drove back over to the police station and walked into the detective’s area. The room was empty except for a receptionist who was seated at the first desk inside the door. When Ben asked for Detective Worth she explained apologetically that he was expected to be in the field most of the day, but that she would get him on the radio and let him know about Ben’s visit.
Ben showed her the photograph and asked her to please forward it to the detective as soon as possible.
She agreed to take care of it and thanked them for the information, smiling at Ben and telling him to be sure to call her personally if anything more should come up.
Ben didn’t know that the evidence failed to make it to Worth’s desk. No sooner had he walked out of the police station than the receptionist received an emergency call. Her son had fallen at school and suffered a blow to the head which had landed him in the emergency room. She subsequently ran out of the building without giving Ben’s visit another thought.
Ben couldn’t just sit around and wait for Worth to get his message, so he made the decision to drive back up to Mesa Lakes.
Ben knew Jason was going to be really pissed at him but he couldn’t possibly include him in his plans. It might be dangerous and he didn’t want to have to go through the same self flagellation that he had yesterday.
“Jason, do you think Mark’s folks would let you hang out there for a couple of days?” He asked without really even trying to hide his intentions.
“What for, where are you going?” Jason asked but thought he already knew the answer.
“I’m going up and rent a cabin on the Mesa. I’ll hang out there for a few days and see if I can find out anything.”
“You can’t go up there without me,” railed Jason. “We’re supposed to be on vacation together, remember? And what if something happens? You might need me to help.”
“Jason, don’t argue. It’s not going to do any good. If something were to happen up there and you got hurt, your mother would never forgive me.”
“Well what if Mark’s parents won’t let me stay?”
But they did. Mark’s mother ran a daycare and preschool from home where she was able to spend the day with their four year old daughter, and she was delighted at the prospect of having Jason there.
“I can always use extra help with the kids,” she teased with a wink at Ben. She knew how teenage boys loathed the idea of playing baby sitter. Ben had called them from the hotel while Jason packed a bag, huffing and complaining the whole time and generally being a pain in the ass.
Ben had the childish urge to cross his fingers behind his back as he lied through his teeth and explained that he had been called to do a job. Jason really didn’t want to go, he lied, and since they would be leaving soon he wanted to spend more time with Mark. He knew it was an inconvenience but would they mind? She explained that Mark was at school but would be home by two-thirty, and if Jason wanted, she would make arrangements and he would be welcome to attend classes with Mark tomorrow. They lived in a new neighborhood not far from the airport and it took only a few minutes for Ben to drop Jason off at Mark’s parents, thank them profusely for their hospitality, and give them the number of the lodge where he would be staying. He had called and reserved a one room unit at the cluster of cabins on Mesa Lake, then made arrangements to pick up a trailer so he could haul the bike up.
It was almost one o’clock by the time Ben finished with his shopping at the army surplus store. As he eased onto the interstate he was feeling impatient, not to mention a little foolish about his decision to stake out what was probably an innocent family enjoying their peace and quiet. But Ben’s instincts had always been good and he set aside any doubts about what he was about to do.
The Jeep seemed to be standing still on the long stretch of highway. The contour of the mountain looming far in the distance gave Ben the sense that he could drive for hours and never reach the lofty plateau. Ben stood hard on the accelerator until he realized his speed was at nearly a hundred miles an hour. He slowed down to eighty in hopes of avoiding a ticket. He could not afford the time it would cost him while he sat and waited for a trooper to process his paper work.
He tried to control the restlessness and anxiety that was tormenting his mind and instead focused on outlining a strategy that, with any luck, might keep him from getting his head shot off.
*****
Maeve and Glenn were working single mindedly on their own strategy when Carl entered the room to take them for their daily examination of Faye and Joe. A familiar routine had developed over the past few days. After being served breakfast each morning in their separate rooms, they were then escorted to the loft where they were expected to produce a miraculous change in the health of the Binyon children.
Then they would all gather in the kitchen to share a midday meal, feigning a domestic companionship that was bizarre and incongruous under the circumstances of their forced captivity.
Glenn went first to Faye who, by all accounts, was much healthier and more relaxed than she had been even a few short days ago. He was puzzled, but he put his questions aside to focus his attention on Joe. The boy didn’t seem to be any worse than he had been yesterday, but neither was he in any better condition. Glenn looked directly into Joe’s eyes, attempting to convey his fondness for the gentle young soul and asked softly, “How are you feeling today?”
“About the same,” Joe replied, giving his doctor and friend a small smile in return. Glenn thought for a long moment and then sat down next to Joe. His eyes turned toward the ceiling as if looking for the answer to an unspoken question.
“Let me ask you something,” he began, unsure of exactly how he wanted to approach his objec
tive. “Do you believe it’s possible to get better?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Joe said, his brows coming together in an expression of doubt and confusion.
“What I mean is, Faye seems to be getting better every day, yet your condition continues to stay the same. She believes she has the ability to get better. So she does. It’s the only explanation I have, Joe, and I’d like to think that together you and I can be strong enough to make you better, too.” Glenn didn’t know if he was making any sense and he wasn’t even sure he believed what he was saying. But he had come to admire and care very much for this young man and he realized that there was nothing he wouldn’t do to save him.
“I wish I’d had a son like you,” he blurted, tears of regret and concern burning his eyes as he wondered where this fountain of emotion had sprung from.
Joe reached over and grasped Glenn’s hand, squeezing it like a small child offering comfort to a troubled parent.
“Well ain’t that special,” Carl scoffed loudly, turning everyone’s attention back to his presence and the rifle that seemed to be continually pressed across his chest.
“Lunch should be ready about now.” Faye made the announcement in an attempt to break the tension. She calmly turned and led them all into the kitchen where the daily fare of soup and sandwiches was laid out, ready to be served by Joseph in his usual manner.
Twenty minutes later Maeve and Glenn were escorted to the loft where they immediately returned to the task at hand.
“It’s going to be a little difficult since we don’t have any idea where we are or where they’re going to be taking us.” Maeve thought out loud, trying to establish a starting point from which to build an action plan.
“I’ve been trying to get a look around when they move me out to the cellar,” Glenn revealed very quietly, “and it seems to me that we may be up on the Mesa.”
“What makes you think so?” Maeve probed, wanting to know what logic had led Glenn to believe they might be so close to home.
“We’re pretty high up, I can tell by the temperature, and we’re surrounded by pines and spruce. The cabin sits about forty yards back from the bank of a lake and there isn’t any sign of traffic or other houses around.” His observations seemed to justify his assumption and he added, “I wasn’t completely unconscious when they brought me here and it seemed like we only traveled for maybe an hour or so.”
“Okay, so we’re being held at a remote cabin by a lake somewhere on Grand Mesa. There are a million lakes up here but a lot of it is national forest, so we have to be on private land.”
Glenn picked up her train of thought and continued “If we were near the town of Mesa, or even anywhere close to the ski area, there would be other cabins around and they wouldn’t be so cavalier about moving me back and forth to the cellar. I’m going to say we’re somewhere between the rim road where Land’s End is and the back part of Mesa Lakes.”
“It’s going to be a long trip on foot in the dark when we manage to get away, but if you’re right we should head north and east if we want to find a main road.”
“That depends on where he takes us to perform our dramatic act of sorcery.” Glenn redirected, thinking bleakly that if they traveled in the wrong direction they might run for hours without ever finding any hope of rescue.
Maeve pursed her lips and blew out a big breath, making popping sounds like a motor that wasn’t running on all cylinders.
“I guess what we’ll have to do is stay together, no matter what, and do our best to find the nearest road out of here.” She finally concluded with an air of acceptance.
They used the bamboo circle and candles to set up the scene, making marks in the dusty floor to show where each of them would be standing, and then began choreographing the moves they would use to gain the upper hand.
“Maeve, we can’t do this!”
“What do you mean?” Maeve was baffled. Did he mean it was wrong of them to plan an escape, or did he mean they were incapable of doing what was necessary to get away?
“We’re not commandos, Maeve. I mean, when was the last time you overpowered a man three times your size, or cracked someone in the skull hard enough to knock them out?”
“I’ve never had to do any of those things, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do it if I’m forced to. And I sure as hell won’t be able to if I’m not prepared when the time comes. Now, you can either help me or you can stay out of my way because one way or the other, I’m getting my kids out of here.”
Glenn stared at her for a long time and finally gave up trying to think of an argument.
They spent the remainder of the afternoon practicing. Like Broadway performers preparing for opening night they replayed the action over and over, making small changes as they encountered potential problems, then ran over the scenario repeatedly until they were as certain as they could be that they wouldn’t fail.
Maeve and Glenn sat down in the middle of the bamboo circle, exhausted after a few hours of lunging and jumping and swinging their arms in a parody of the struggle they expected to encounter. They talked about the fear they felt for the kids, for each other, and lastly for themselves. Neither of them wanted to admit that they might be overcome with doubt and hesitate at a crucial moment, dooming their escape and sentencing them all to a horrible fate.
Glenn lowered his head to his knees and wrapped his arms around his legs in a posture of despair.
Maeve was wrapping her arms around his shoulders to hold him close and offer comfort when his shoulders began to shake and his head rolled from side to side.
She pulled back in astonishment when she realized he was laughing. His shoulders were shaking harder now and what had started out as a soundless chuckle evolved quickly into an infectious laugh that brought tears to his eyes and had Maeve joining in, giggling uncontrollably over the ridiculous sight they must have made in their zeal to prepare for the big show.
“If our situation weren’t so serious I’d say we were a couple of over wrought drama queens,” he stammered between breaths. His face was flushed and more relaxed than Maeve had ever seen him.
“We’re really sick,” Maeve observed. “Who on earth would be laughing at a time like this?”
“And we smell bad too.” Glenn added the obvious, pointing out the fact that neither one of them had showered in several days now. He suddenly reached over and clutched Maeve’s hand, then bounced it against his leg while he considered his next words.
“Maeve,” he started and then seemed to reconsider. Maeve sat patiently and waited for him to organize his thoughts.
“Maeve,” he tried again. “I don’t know why things come about the way they do, but you know they say all things happen for a reason.” Maeve nodded her understanding and squeezed his hand. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though we’re in a deplorable position here, I wouldn’t change it if it meant our paths would never cross. You’ve given me a gift, Maeve. I can see myself now for who I am, but I can see too the man I have the ability to be. I just want to say thank you and that no matter what, when the time comes, I won’t let you down.” He turned sheepish, surprising her for the second time by shedding the ego that had been strongly present since their first meeting.
“I know it sounds corny.” He shrugged and nudged her shoulder. “But not any cornier than your idea about creating our reality.” The teasing tone had returned and he let go of her hand.
Maeve started to laugh again and jumped to her feet, reaching down to pull him up with her.
“We’re going to do this.” There was such conviction in her tone that Glenn just had to believe her. “You just wait and see.”
*****
Chapter 23
Ben arrived at the cabin and spent some time unloading the Jeep. He removed the bike from the trailer and parked it by the side window where he could see it from the single window.
He hadn’t really paid much attention before and he had to laugh at himself and his surprise when he opened
the door. When he’d booked the one room cabin he hadn’t considered that it really would be only one room. There was a set of bunk beds on the back wall and just enough room for a tiny refrigerator that sat next to the sink and counter where a single burner hot plate perched precariously. Thank God the place at least had an indoor bathroom. He tossed his things in the middle of the floor and rummaged through the stack.
Grabbing a pair of high resolution binoculars, a hunting knife and short-barreled pistol, Ben shoved them through slots in a webbed belt that he strapped around his waist.
He was wearing camouflage cargo pants and green thermal long sleeved shirt, and now he added a heavy down camouflage coat to protect him from the rapidly dropping temperature on the mountain. He dropped two bottles of water into the deep pockets of the jacket and then left the cabin, locking the door securely behind him. He didn’t bother with the camera since he wasn’t going to try hiding behind the nature photographer persona. If the inhabitants of the cabin in question saw him hanging around there again it would be a clear signal that he was watching them. He also figured that even if they didn’t recognize him, there was no way they were going to allow a glimpse of their captives to any witnesses who might be traipsing around.
He kept to the tall trees. Using their thick trunks and low growing branches for cover, Ben moved swiftly toward Lost Lake, not bothering to keep the noise down at that distance. He planned to wait until dark to check out the area where the car had shown up in the photo. He hoped that Detective Worth would get a team up here pronto, but he wasn’t counting on the wheels of justice working at top speed so he proceeded as if he were on his own for the time being.
The sun was getting low when he reached the trees bordering the cabin, but he still had enough daylight to make a circuit or two, expecting to see some activity around the property.
Ben moved slowly among the trees keeping the doors and windows in his line of vision, but an hour passed without so much as a flicker of movement at the cozy looking outpost.
It was dusk now and it wouldn’t be long until it was full dark, so Ben circled once more behind the cabin, with the intention of heading into the woods in search of the car.