Willow's Run by Robert Bockstael

Author:Robert Bockstael
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pender Lake Press
Published: 2022-05-02T18:14:20+00:00

PART 2

Chapter 26

She was on a group expedition exploring a deep cave. Reg was somewhere, lurking underground. As they went deeper, members of the team disappeared one by one. Soon, she was alone and being chased by her psychotic husband through a claustrophobic labyrinth. The tunnels narrowed and she got stuck. He called her name, his voice echoing through underground chambers. “Alcima! Alcima?”

“Alcima?”

She snapped awake. The voice was just outside Ravi.

“You in there?” It was a woman’s voice.

More knocking.

Alcima shouted, “Who is it?” She couldn’t see through the garbage bag windows. She slipped into a T-shirt and jeans and fumbled with her hiking boots. “Coming,” she said, as she went to the front of the RV and opened the door.

Sgt. Terry Gansworth of the Fall River Police Department stood outside.

“Oh,” Alcima said.

“Weren’t expecting the cops, huh? Hiding out here on Thompson’s Island just as snug as a bug.”

“I can explain.”

“Just so long as you weren’t trying to hide from me because, try as you might, you can’t hide from me in Fall River. Not for long, anyhow.”

“I went to the station yesterday and you weren’t there. That dragon lady tried to lock me in the lobby.”

“Mrs. Stinson was just doing her job. And she’s been doing it very effectively for a long time.”

“Define effectively.” Alcima rubbed her face.

Sgt. Terry looked tired, ragged. There were deep circles under her eyes and her uniform was rumpled.

“Did Lawrence turn up?” Alcima asked.

“You heard?”

“Yes.”

“Small towns, huh? News travels fast, bad news travels faster.” Sgt. Terry looked out at the lake, placid under low, blue-gray clouds. A fine drizzle hovered in the air. Alcima wondered what time it was.

“As far as I can tell, you were the last person to see him.” Sgt. Terry looked back at Alcima, hopeful. “He got you to Lakeview Park, right? That’s where you called me from?”

“Yes,” Alcima said, and sat on the step in Ravi’s doorway, sheltered from the light rain. Her knee ached. She had to stretch it soon or it would lock up.

“And?”

Alcima straightened out her leg. “He said he’d be back to turn on the power and hook up the water. Seemed to have pressing business.”

“Right. Did you see which way he turned when he left the park?”

“No. I went to the office later. It was empty. Then I tried you from the pay phone, but the storm hit and I ran for it.”

Sgt. Terry said, “I got your message, late. Sounded like you were hit by a train. I also got a report from your new friend Mrs. Stinson with the details of your visit.”

“How did you find me out here?”

“Last night’s strangest message was from a couple of half-drunk fishermen claiming an alien space craft hovered over the bay, then landed on Thompson’s Island. This morning, when I popped by the trailer park and found you gone, I put two and two together and came up with Booker Thompson.”

“I fell in with criminal geniuses,” Alcima sighed.

“I need you to think of anything Lawrence said or did that might be construed as unusual.

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