Fire Lake by J C Paulson

Author:J C Paulson [Paulson, J C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780995975651
Publisher: J.C. Paulson
Published: 2019-07-06T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

The truck bumped and lurched over the dirt road into the Raven River reserve. Despite the vehicle’s considerable size, Grace was forced to fight the steering wheel to keep from bouncing out of the ruts. Shitty roads were ubiquitous on Saskatchewan reserves, which Grace always thought was a result of very bad government policy and jurisdictional confusion. This road, little more than a trail, was exceptionally dreadful.

She glanced at Tillie. “How are you doing?”

“Okay. I’m a bit nervous about seeing Elijah, considering Tom, but it’s really time I expressed my sympathies, too. I assume he knows about Elias. Pretty tight grapevine around here, on the reserves.”

“How’s your back? This can’t be helping it.”

“I’m fine, Grace. Thanks, but don’t worry about me. Must be done. And I will be glad to see him again.”

“Any idea which house is his?”

“Oh, yes. Keep going up to that turnoff, head right. We’re almost there.”

Three minutes later, Grace pulled up in a tidy yard in front of a small, white house nestled among pine trees. The road sucked, but Raven River was one of the prettiest reserves she had ever seen, tucked as it was into the forest with a river flowing along its western boundary.

Would they find him at home? Grace’s shoulders tightened as she wondered if their trip had been for nothing, and what their reception might be. She climbed out of the truck and helped Tillie clamber down from its high running board.

The two women approached the door, took deep breaths together, and Grace knocked. No answer.

“He might be around the back,” Tillie said. “He has a shop out there.”

“Let’s go see.”

They walked around the south side of the little house, and Grace soon saw a large garage at the back.

“Hello!” Tillie called. “Elijah! It’s me, Tillie. Are you there?”

The door opened, and an incredibly tall, lean man with long, thick black-and-grey hair appeared, holding a wrench.

“Tillie,” was all he said, before he walked over and embraced her. The look on his face told both women he knew Elias was dead. Tillie hugged him back and wept.

“I’m so sorry, Elijah,” she said. “I’m so sorry about Elias.”

They stood like that for a while, until Tillie collected herself, stepped out of the hug and said, “I’ve brought you a visitor.”

“I see,” said Elijah. “You’re Miss Grace.”

Grace’s eyes widened. “Just Grace. Sir, nice to meet you. But how do you know me?”

“I know Elias found you in the forest. He described you perfectly, and I’m sure you haven’t changed that much. You were very frightened. He told me.”

“It’s something you shared, then. Saving us stupid children when we got lost.”

The big man just smiled, sadly, down at her.

“Come to the house,” he said. “I think you have something to ask me.”

“Yes, sir. If you don’t mind.”

Elijah led the way to the house, and once inside, put a kettle on to boil.

The kitchen and living room were small, but quite comfortably furnished and very tidy. Tillie and Grace took chairs at the dining table, waiting for their host to prepare tea.

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