The Journal: Crimson Skies: (The Journal Book 3) (27 page)

Marsha selected another husband and wife team to
help inventory and stock the food supplies. She was one hundred
percent right that people need to make some of their own choices,
and that begins with food. Now that they can pick up a few staples
and cook at home, the Inn is less crowded at mealtime, and with
less wait, everyone seems to be in a better mood. The variety of
food prepared has expanded too, now that Marsha can see everything
that was brought, although much of is still locked in the
trailer.

The Sisters recruited help and had the Out Riggers
cleaned and rearranged in only one day. The transformation has been
a miracle.

*

“I had the ladies bring in a dozen boxes and
open them,” Sister Margaret laughed. “It was like Christmas. When
they saw what was in a box they put it in a designated room. There
is a room for sewing and knitting; another for outdoor activities;
another for games, toys, and puzzles and one for toiletries. Now
that one is a big hit! Just knowing there is soap and shampoo
available has everyone giggling like Sister Lynn.”

“Once there were a couple of boxes in one
room, we stopped bringing them in, and started putting things on
shelves or on tables,” continued Sister Doris. “When the boxes were
emptied, we went back for more. That way nothing got too
cluttered.”

“Sister Doris hates clutter,” Sister Lynn
giggled.

“Have you thought about how to keep track of
everything?” I asked Sister Agnes, who seemed to be the alpha of
the group.

“We’re going to try a card system, sort of
like what you had when we were all checking in,” she said. “The
first time in, a person will fill out a card, and when they leave
we mark down what they took and when, like a ledger system. If it
doesn’t work, we’ll try something else.” She shrugged a thin
shoulder.

November 1

The strange, mild weather was holding and no
one was complaining. I took the opportunity to walk around the town
and observe the changes. There were toys in the yards, clothes on
lines and hanging over fences. Moose Creek had a lived in look
again. As I passed the deserted community garden, Bradley’s
Backyard, a few green things caught my attention. Upon looking
closer, I could see the leafy greens were tops from beets planted
months ago! And dying vines foretold of hidden potatoes. I would
have to let Marsha know there were fresh vegetables to be had.

“Well, if it isn’t the pretty cougar out for
a stroll,” Kenny Marlow said, leaning casually against a tree, half
hidden by an old twisted lilac bush.

My heart stumbled and I looked around, only
to realize that although I could hear children playing at the
school, there was no one in sight. I tucked my elbows into my body
to feel the reassuring bulge of my Kel-Tec.

“Well, if it isn’t the little troublemaker
out from hiding under a rock,” I retorted.

He laughed and straightened up, taking a few
steps toward me. “I do know who you are, bitch. You killed my daddy
and then you killed my uncle.” He stepped closer. I backed up.

“Your father killed my brother and his wife,
he deserved whoever’s bullet ended his wretched life.” I backed up
two steps more. “As far as your uncle goes, he was executed by the
military; I had nothing to do with it, however, I would gladly have
pulled the trigger myself to end his pathetic existence after what
he ordered done to my friends.” I could feel the rage building
inside of me as the memories swamped my heart with all my loss at
the hands of this family.

He glowered at me. I could almost feel the
hatred rolling off this young man, and it was all aimed,
unjustifiably, at me.

A vehicle came around the corner and honked,
demanding my attention. I glanced then I quickly looked back and
Kenny Marlow was gone.

“Allex, glad I found you,” Jim Andrews said,
emerging from the Hummer. “Are you alright? You look pale.”

“Did you see him?” I asked.

“Who?”

“Kenny Marlow was just here. He surprised me
when I was checking this old garden spot,” I said shakily, trying
to get my breathing back under control.

“Marlow was here? Where did he go?” Jim
pulled his service revolver while scanning the area.

“When you honked, he slipped away, back into
the woods I guess,” I surmised.

“Did he hurt you or threaten you at all,
Allex?” he asked, obviously concerned.

“In so many words, yeah you could call it a
threat. He knows who I am, feels it’s my fault his father and uncle
are dead.” I let loose an involuntary shiver. “I don’t think he’s
going to be happy until I’m dead too.”

“We are not going to let that happen, Allex.
I’m assigning you and your family a bodyguard.”

I laughed nervously. “You don’t think Eric
and Rayn are enough?”

“Are they here right now?” Jim stated more
than asked. “No, they’re not. Allex, please, until we catch this
guy, you’re not to ever be by yourself, is that clear?”

“I don’t have a death wish, Colonel, but you
can’t give me orders.” I folded my arms over my chest. Why was I
being so belligerent? Maybe it was the adrenaline talking.

Jim sighed. “Let me at least give you a lift
back to the office. Please.”

“Sure, but I need to do something first.” I
grabbed the claw fork that was still hanging on the fence. After
sweeping away some leaves and the dying vine, I pressed the fork
into the soil and dragged it, pulling up a large tuber. I repeated
the procedure until I was sure I had all the potatoes from that
hill. I pulled out the hem of my shirt and piled the spuds in the
makeshift apron.

“Fresh potatoes?” Jim said in awe. “Can I
have one? Make that two, one for Tom.”

“Help yourself,” I said.

I was happy that Jim and Tom had decided to
share Bob and Kathy’s former home. The house was large and the two
levels were individually fully functional with two bedrooms and a
full bath each, perfect for two bachelors.

“The rest I want to take over to Marsha. I
think these will make a nice addition to the stew I hear she’s
fixing for dinner tonight.”

~~~

Jim pulled into the clinic parking lot next
to Mark’s gray compact car. When we didn’t find Mark at the clinic,
we walked over to the hospital.

“See, I told you she would come looking for
you,” Kenny Marlow sneered, holding a gun to Mark’s temple. “Now
that she’s here, I’m going to take from her what she took from me:
the person that means the most to her. You.”

When I heard that, my blood ran cold.

“Lose the gun, Colonel,” Kenny insisted when
Jim pulled his weapon.

“Not gonna happen, Kenny,” Jim said his voice
calm. “Drop!”

Within a second, Mark was on the floor,
giving Jim a clear shot. The Beretta discharged and the concussion
rang out, echoing in the room. Kenny slumped to the floor, a large
red blossom in the center of his chest.

I ran to Mark, afraid he’d been shot too. He
stood up, brushing non-existent dirt from his slacks with shaky
hands.

“How did you know to fall like that?” I asked
in amazement.

“Well, after that situation with Rayn at the
Rehab Center, she and Eric sat me down for a bit of a chat, and
drummed it into me that if or when someone with a gun tells me to
‘drop’ I am to go limp and fall to the floor immediately. That when
someone tells me that, there’s good reason and I’m to get out of
the way. So I did.”

I hugged him tight in relief.

“If you’re up to it, Doc, can you confirm
death? Then I’ll get this piece of garbage out of here,” Jim said,
all military now.

~~~

“I’ve been thinking, Allex,” Mark said as we
sat on the back deck having a pre-dinner cocktail. “Considering
that I’ve had a gun pointed at me twice in the last week, maybe
it’s time I learned how to shoot one.”

I grinned, even though I was shocked by this.
“I’m sure Eric would be willing to teach you what you need to know.
He’s already taught Emi, so I know he’s patient.” I leaned over and
gave him a kiss. “I think this is a wise decision you’re
making.”

JOURNAL ENTRY: November 2

We haven’t heard back from Collins concerning what
he may want or need, so I thought I would take it upon myself to
collect a few things. Mark and I should go see him anyway, and tell
him the Marlow threat is no more.

*

“I’m spending the day giving the children
school health exams, Allex. I should have told you that, I’m
sorry,” Mark said over breakfast. “It really can’t wait; everyone
is anxious to get the kids back in classes.”

“I understand. Do you need me or is this
something you can do on your own?”

“Doctor James is going to help out. I think
it’s important for the townspeople to get familiar with him,” Mark
said. “I don’t like you going alone though.”

“I won’t go alone. Even though Kenny Marlow
is dead, I’ve still promised Jim I won’t venture anywhere by
myself. That goes for
you
too,” I said seriously. “I’ll get
Rayn or Amanda to go with me.”

~~~

I stopped at the school first to pick out a
couple of textbooks. The library was a hub of activity.

“What’s going on, Sister Margaret?” I
asked.

“This morning a couple of nice young men
brought us boxes full of books from the university library. We’re
going through some now and putting them away. I’m setting aside any
technical medical stuff that I think Dr. Mark would like to keep,”
she answered. “Is there something I can help you with, Allexa?”

“Yes, I need a half dozen textbooks, grades
five, six, and seven. Maybe some fun reading too.”

Sister Margaret nodded and walked off. She
came back a moment later with a partially filled box and handed it
to me.

“When the children have finished reading
these young adult mysteries, bring them back and we’ll exchange
them for fresh material.” She gave me a knowing smile.

What a great addition to the community the
Sisters are. I may have to attend a Sunday service to see how
Father Constantine is fitting in.

The next stop for Amanda and I was the new
food pantry.

“Marsha, I need some flour and rice,” I
requested.

“How much?” she asked, without questioning me
why.

“A twenty-five pound bag of flour would be
good, and a big bag of rice. Is there any yeast? And can you spare
some oil?”

Marsha had her husband put the supplies in
the back of my car beside the box of books, and Amanda and I went
to the Out Riggers.

“I know all this is going to Mathers Lake,
Mom, but isn’t it taking food from
these
people?” Amanda
asked.

“Don’t worry, Collins is going to pay for it.
He just doesn’t know it yet, and the people won’t be disappointed.”
I had a plan.

“Good morning, Allexa, what can I do for
you?” Sister Doris greeted us.

“If it’s okay, I’d like a few things from the
toiletry room: some soap, a bottle of shampoo, not much,” I
replied.

“Here’s a shopping basket, take whatever you
need.”

“Where did you find these?” I asked, looking
at the plastic basket that many stores once used.

“It was a Godsend, really. In the truck,
there were several big shopping carts filled with these hand-carry
baskets! I would like to hug whoever thought of adding them. We’re
giving the baskets to each household so they can pick up things to
take home. They’re even using them now at the food pantry. It’s so
convenient, and it’s giving everyone a sense of ownership to be
able to keep it.”

“Do you want me to fill out a card?” I asked
the Sister.

“Oh, no, Mr. White and the colonel both said
your family is to have whatever you want. It’s our way of thanking
you for our… invasion,” Sister Doris replied.

I added a bottle of shampoo and six bars of
soap to the stash in the car.

~~~

The gate at the entrance to the Mathers Lake
compound was closed and locked; a pickup truck parked just inside.
A young man I didn’t recognize came from the back of the truck,
shotgun in hand.

I got out of my car and approached the heavy
metal gate. “Hello, I’m Allexa Smeth. I’ve come to see Mr.
Collins.” He silently backed away, pulled out a walkie-talkie, and
said something I couldn’t hear, then came back to the gate and
opened the padlock. He swung the gate open and stepped aside for me
to drive through. In my rearview mirror I could see him relocking
the gate.

~~~

“This is a pleasant surprise, Allexa,” Art
said after greeting us. “And it’s Amanda, right? It’s nice to see
you again. What brings you here?” He brought his attention back to
me.

“I’ve brought some supplies. I know you
didn’t request anything yet, but I selected what I thought you
might appreciate.” I said. It took Amanda and me two trips to bring
everything into Art’s kitchen.

“Twenty-five pounds of flour will make a lot
of bread. Here’s yeast, salt, a gallon of oil, twenty pounds of
rice, and,” I smiled as I opened the box, “I don’t know if you need
it, but we brought bar soap and shampoo. Oh, and books for the
kids.”

“This is very generous, Allexa,” he said, his
jaw twitching. “What do I owe you for it?”

“You don’t owe me anything, Art, however, you
do owe the town,” I stated. “I think a couple of deer would be a
good payment; they need meat. Unless you don’t want this, then I
can take it back.”

He looked at the array of items on the table,
then back at me. “I think we can spare a couple of deer.” He smiled
in relief.

~~~

“What ever became of the young man you warned
me about?” Art asked later over tea.