Chapter 2 #2
“Get them into the boat,” Nellie instructed. There was a weatherproof box on the dock. She knew a lot of boaters left a spare key in there. She looked around and found two dead potted plants at the end of the dock. She grabbed a pot and smashed it onto the lock.
Relief and disbelief that it actually worked surged through her as the lock broke. She opened the box even as Ingram slid to a stop at the dock. She couldn’t be distracted. She began tossing things from the box and there, at the bottom, was a spare key.
“Sue Ellen!” Ingram roared as his heavy feet began to pound the planks of the dock.
Nellie’s hands shook as she untied the ropes and jumped into the boat. “Push us off!”
Sue Ellen grabbed Tally and with James began to push the pilings while Nellie shoved the key into the ignition. The boat wasn’t anything fancy. It was just a cheap rubber dinghy that had looked as if it had been through a lot over the years. But the engine caught and that was all that mattered.
“Sue Ellen! You’ll never get away from me. No one leaves me and lives!” Ingram shouted from the end of the dock.
Sue Ellen tucked her kids into her sides to shield them from their father, but not Nellie. She turned halfway around and extended her middle finger and then gestured with exactly what he could do with that finger.
They were quiet as the boat raced down the river toward Charleston. The kids were softly crying into Sue Ellen’s sides. Nellie gave her a sad smile and Sue Ellen mouthed “thank you.”
Nellie was beginning to think they were going to make it as they passed by Shadows Landing and headed for the final stretch toward Charleston. However, she should have known it wouldn’t be easy.
First, the engines sputtered and then silence. Second, in the silence, she heard a hissing noise. And not the kind that came from an alligator. But the sound of air escaping.
“My feet are wet,” James said as they floated down the river.
“The boat is taking on water!” Sue Ellen cried out and Nellie cursed.
“That’s a bad word, Aunt Nell,” Tally said seriously as if the curse word was worse than the boat sinking.
They were too far from Shadows Landing to turn back, plus she didn’t know how she could steer the boat upstream. That meant—“There,” Nellie said, pointing to the river grasses that grew out from the bank of the river. “We can coast into that area and walk that little inlet to the shore.”
Truthfully, if they didn’t go to shore here, they’d be caught in the current of the river as the boat went down. This wasn’t their best shot. This was their only shot.
Nellie leaned forward and used her arms to steer the boat toward the marshy area. Her arm was shaking by the time the boat hit the grass. Not only that, but the water was up to their shins in the boat.
“Now, it’s just like when we play in puddles in the yard,” Sue Ellen was telling the kids as she grabbed James and hoisted him into her arms. Nellie grabbed Tally and the sisters shared a look and then nodded.
It was a hundred marshy feet to the shore.
They both knew they weren’t the only creatures in the water as they slipped over the side of the sinking boat.
Luckily the water was warm as it came up to their chests. The bottom of the river was muddy and it took a lot of effort to walk through it as it actively tried to prevent them from moving.
Hissssss
Nellie and Sue Ellen froze. That wasn’t the sound of air escaping. That was the sound of an alligator. Their eyes darted around, sweeping the area to try to find the apex predator.
“It’s between us and the shore,” Sue Ellen whispered. “What do we do?”
Nellie was about to say she didn’t know when the alligator went under the water.
She knew that wasn’t good. She screamed when she felt the gator bump her leg.
It was toying with them. Sue Ellen began to move as fast as she could through the water.
James, who had been silent, screamed suddenly.
It wasn’t a normal scream. It was one of fear and pure agony.
“Leave my baby alone!” Sue Ellen screamed, near hysterics as she pounded the water . . . water that was turning red.
A large figure appeared from the grasses in the marsh, rising like a ghost from the mist. A large knife glinted from between his teeth before he dove straight for Sue Ellen and James Avery.
Everyone screamed, even Nellie. The man was only a few inches under water, but it was clear he was locked in a battle with the alligator.
The water splashed and the gator’s tail slammed into Sue Ellen, sending both her and James flying backward.
“Sue Ellen!” Nellie gave up on running in the water and tossed Tally onto her back. “Hold on to my neck,” she ordered as she swam for her sister and nephew.
“I’m okay” Sue Ellen told her as she scrambled to her feet again. Then she let out another ear-piercing scream.
Nellie turned to see a hand with a large knife come up into the air before plunging down into the water. The gator thrashed and Nellie and Sue Ellen tried to run toward the shore.
The water went still and the large man lifted himself from the water.
He was in his mid-thirties, had a thick brown beard, and was massive.
He stood at least six feet five inches tall and three hundred pounds of solid muscle.
Not ripped, not fat, just thick, strong muscles.
He looked as if he could rip a tree in half, or, well, wrestle an alligator.
The sisters stood chest deep in the river and gaped at him.
“How’s the boy?” he asked, his brown eyes full of worry for them.
“I . . . I . . . I don’t know,” Sue Ellen stuttered as she began to walk backward.
The man instantly stopped, as if sensing her fear. “My friends call me Gator. I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe. I know alligator bites can hurt and our town doctor is away right now. I want to make sure I don’t need to get him to the hospital.”
“Griffith,” Sue Ellen whispered in panic. “We can’t go to the hospital. They’ll find us!” It had been a hell of a day and Sue Ellen was nearly hysterical at this point.
Nellie was trying to calm her down, but the giant man bent down and held out his knife, hilt first, to her. “Ma’am, will it make you feel better to be armed?”
Sue Ellen shook her head as she continued to back up.
“Ma’am, I swear, I will use this knife on any danger that comes toward you or these children. Alligator, or whoever this Griffith is. You have my word. Now, can I see the boy’s leg?”
“Sue Ellen, I think we can trust him,” Nellie said gently.
Sue Ellen’s wild eyes landed on hers, and they did their silent communication that sisters do.
Nellie turned to the man who looked as large as the gator he’d just killed and held out her free hand.
“I’m Nellie Katherine Hale. This is my niece, Tally. ”
Gator shook Nellie’s hand and then smiled widely when Tally held out her hand. Gator dropped down in the water and bowed to Tally. “Princess Tally, I am Gator, your warrior to command. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Tally giggled and Nellie smiled. The giant of a man made himself less intimidating as he pretended to ride a horse through water. He stopped in front of Sue Ellen and James. He pretended to take a hat from his longish brown hair and bowed before them. “And who might you be?” he asked Sue Ellen.
“Sue Ellen—” She stopped before giving him her last name.
“Queen Sue Ellen, I am but a lowly servant to you and this young prince.”
“Prince James Avery!” James said with more enthusiasm than a boy who had just been bitten by an alligator should have.
“Prince James Avery, you and Queen Sue Ellen were very brave fighting the dastardly beast. Can I see your battle scars?”
James lifted his leg from the water now that they were in shallower waters and Nellie had to hide a gasp. It could be worse, but he’d definitely have battle scars.
“If the queen might allow this humble servant to offer my chariot to take you to get cleaned up?” Gator gestured to the left and everyone turned. There, tucked in the thick marsh, was a flat-bottom boat.
“You’re named Gator, who wrestles gators, and you own a Gator Tail boat?” Nellie asked, relieved laughter bubbled up as she took it all in.
“Yes, ma’am. Now, your chariot awaits.” Gator held out his arms and James instantly reached for Gator.
“Wait!” Sue Ellen screamed. “We can’t go to a hospital,” she whispered as if trying for the kids not to hear.
Gator nodded calmly and scooped up James. Tally was already holding out her arms for him. Gator placed each kid on a shoulder and “galloped” to the boat. He placed them there and directed them to the cooler before turning back to Nellie and Sue Ellen. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Sue Ellen’s mouth snapped shut. Nellie guessed that meant it was up to her to decide whether to trust this man or not.
And if there was anyone who would never have a connection to the Fausts, it was this man.
“Her ex-husband tried to kill her today by blowing up her car. He’s a judge, his brother is the town doctor, his father is the mayor of Holland Springs, and a cousin is the sheriff. Do you still want to help us?”
“Ma’am, I already gave you my word. I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt you or those children—judge, mayor, or anybody else. Makes no difference to me. And I know exactly who can take care of your little boy. You only have to trust me.”