Ava
AVA
I can’t believe I took this job. I should’ve said no, but it’s been a long, dry spell. Truth is, I need the money.
My old Ford Bronco growls into town, and I head straight for the Waynesville Police Department. I want to know exactly where I don’t want to be. Then I drive past the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. That’s the other place I don’t want to be. I just keep powering through town to the far side and take a left at the first traffic light I see. Up ahead on the right, I see it—Craig’s Sporting Goods. That’s where I’m supposed to be.
A bell jingles as I step inside, and I look around. As sporting goods stores go, it’s specific. This is a place for hunters, not ball players. It’s full of compound bows, guns, camo clothing, fishing rods, and all kinds of hunting and camping supplies. There are a couple of really nice Rugers in the glass case at the counter, and I’m looking down at them when a voice asks, “Help ya, ma’am?”
“I’m looking for LeeMcCreary. I’m?—”
The man sticks out a broad paw. “I’m MikeCraig. You must be Ava.”
“Yes, sir. AvaMorrow.” His grip is strong, and I instantly trust him. “Here to serve. What’s going on?”
“Kevin, can you take over for me for a bit?” Mike yells toward a young man hanging up bags in the fishing lures aisle, and the kid waves back. “Come on back here.” I follow him and he opens a door, then ushers me in. It’s an indoor archery range, and on the front wall, to the left of the door, are a couple of chairs. When I point, he nods, so I take a seat. “Be right back.” And he disappears.
I think it’s been about ten minutes and I’m about to leave when another man steps in and sticks out his hand for me to shake. He’s definitely law enforcement. “DeputyLee McCreary. We’ve got a big problem.” I just nod. “Kids are disappearing.”
“What do you mean, disappearing?”
“Disappearing. Three so far. They just… disappear.”
That tells me nothing. “Disappearing. How? Not making it to school? Not coming back from school? Going somewhere and never coming home?”
“First one was KelseyTate. She said she was walking to a friend’s house and never came back. And CameronFranks told his parents he was going fishing. Hasn’t been seen since. And then IslaTompkins told her grandmother that she was going down to Carter’sLake to swim with friends, but they said they hadn’t made plans. She’s nowhere to be found.”
“And when did this happen?”
“Over the last two weeks. Everybody’s being really careful with their kids because we don’t know what’s happening.”
“And how old are these kids?”
“Fourteen and fifteen.”
“What do you think is going on?”
“No clue. But there’s somebody who might. There’s this guy, and he lives up on the side of the mountain. Nobody knows much about him. Of course, I don’t think he’s taking them.”
“Why would you rule him out?”
“Because… He doesn’t have anything to do with any of us and lives up there by himself. Doesn’t come down for anything. Just stays up there.” That kind of fits the description of every pedophile in the world.
“How does he get food?”
“I don’t know. I heard he comes down to the grocery sometimes, but I’ve never seen him. I think he might know something, or at least be able to find out something.”
“Why would you think that?”
“He seems to know a lot of what’s going on up in the mountains. He’s a mountain man type. You know, beard, long hair, all of that.”
“What’s his name?”
“All I know is Rand.”
“Is that his first or last name?”
“Last name. That was his grandfolks. That’s all I know.”
“Okay. I’ll get right on it and see what I can find out. I’ll get back to you in a couple of days, let you know how I’m doing on it. Will that work?”
There’s a look of resignation in his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. That’s fine. I’m sorry. I just get so… you know…” Now his eyes are reddening. Holy shit. I hope everybody around here isn’t like this.
“Yes, sir. I know. Losing kids is an emotional thing. Just please don’t go talking me up around town though. I need a little stealth, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah. Gotcha. And thanks, Ms.Morrow.”
“It’s just Morrow. Talk to you soon.”
“By the way,” he says, his face a mask of sadness, “thanks for coming. The rest of the force and the police department won’t help. They think they’re simple runaways and are ignoring the parents. I’m one lone officer in a department that won’t extend resources to me because they don’t believe there’s really anything wrong.”
“You won’t have that problem from me. I’ll help all I can.” I don’t wait for him, just get up and let myself out of the room. When the door opens, the temperature goes down about ten degrees, but I know it’s not real. It just feels that way because his emotional state was choking me.
Now I’ve got to find somebody who can tell me more about these kids. And I know just where to start.