Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
“...When enough time has passed,” the sheriff continues.
“However, you’re here because you care. The law says forty-eight hours before a person is declared missing.
I’m not here to tell the Thompsons or the Thornes our hands are tied.
I’m here to mobilize the people of Blue Gil and of Mills County. We look after our own.”
It is a rally cry. I look around and scan the faces of the men and women. They’re proud and determined. I have a flashback of when McKenzie Wilde disappeared. That was summertime and the fair was on the outskirts of town.
Do these people only mobilize for children? Did they band together when Craig went missing?
Sheriff Manes goes on, “You know your land better than any outside law enforcement. You know your neighbors. You know if something is unusual.”
“Yeah...” Murmuring rumbles through the air.
“Three weeks ago,” he continues, “we learned about a break-in of a house on Ruby Lake. The culprits were from Milltown, high school students. They were charged with criminal mischief. According to the owners, nothing was taken.” He turns toward his deputies.
“Deputy Ford has been doing some research and going back through complaints in the area over the last five years. It seems there is a trend of juveniles illegally entering houses where they don’t belong.
We don’t know how long they stay, but their intention doesn’t appear to be vandalism or theft, only to inhabit for a period of time. ”
According to Becky, this has been happening with consistency for a while. Is it possible that the sheriff was oblivious or didn’t care?
Sheriff Manes raises his hand to quiet the simmering crowd. “It could be that the Thompson and Thorne girls are in one of those houses. Could be they don’t even know they’re considered missing.”
As I look around, I see the affirmative nods of many around us.
“The more experience you have with this land, the more valuable you’ll be to our search.
We are going to form straight lines, each person roughly twenty feet apart, and will walk as a unit, covering the McKenna and neighboring properties until we find the girls or night falls.
In the meantime, I’ll ask the rest of you to go back to where you live and search.
You know that house, the one with the owners that are out of town.
You know the shed, garage, or barn that stays abandoned.
You can help by inspecting each of those structures for any sign that someone is there.
“If you find anything you deem useful, call the station. If you believe the situation is dangerous, do not enter yourself. Call. Georgia Lee is in the office manning the phones. She can get word to us. We also have messages and pictures going out on social media.”
“Can some of us help Georgia?” a woman asks with her hand raised.
“The Ladies Auxiliary has already volunteered...”
Questions continue as the deputies corral their volunteers.
I don’t move from my family as I listen and continue scanning the crowd. There are faces I recognize, those I feel are familiar, and those I don’t believe I’ve ever seen.
“Jillian,” Ollie says as he turns toward me.
“Hi,” I mutter softly.
In one stride my brother is next to me. The boy I left six years ago is a man I barely recognize.
“We’re going to find her,” he says softly. “This” —he peers around the crowd— “...it’s because of Coach.”
“Did they do this for him?” I ask.
Before Ollie can answer, Mom and Dad turn and we all come together. It’s the first time I’ve seen my father since their trip to California. In this moment, he appears older than I remember.
“Jillian, maybe some of that research you do can help,” he says, both acknowledging my presence and that I could be helpful.
Nodding, I peer between Liv and Ollie. As the most recent Blue Gil graduates, they would have the most insight. “What Sheriff Manes is describing, the phrogging, do you think Julie would do that?”
“Phrogging?” my mother questions.
“Yeah,” Liv answers, “it’s the term for what the sheriff was describing. The goal isn’t to steal or destroy. It’s to just use the house.”
“The real definition,” I say, “means to cohabitate without the residents being aware.”
Our mother’s eyes are wide. “I had no idea.”
Liv is the first to respond. “It happens a lot, Mom. I went to a few parties like that when I came back from college, especially the really big houses. Ollie?”
“Yeah,” he says. “But lately the big ones are off-limits due to better security systems. That leaves some of the older—”
He stops talking as Becky joins us.
“The cottages at Stark Lake are empty,” she volunteers, “other than the two being used. Hank and I checked before we came here.”
My gaze searches. “Where’s Hank?”
“He’s with Deputy Ford. Hank has been hunting this land since he was a boy. He thought he could be of more help on that search.”
“Shannon,” my dad says, speaking to my mom and reaching for her hand, “we should go home and wait.”
“No. I can’t sit at home.”
“Shannon,” Becky offers, “Crystal opened the Sunshine Cafe to feed the volunteers. I was going to go and give her a hand. Why don’t you come with me? That way you’ll be able to talk to people as they come in, maybe learn something.”
“That’s a great idea,” my dad says. “We can all get something to eat and then those who want to can come with me; I’m going to check listings for uninhabited homes.”
Though my dad doesn’t work as a realtor any longer, he is the co-owner of a local real estate firm. For the last fifteen years, he’s utilized his engineering degree, working for the city of Grand Rapids, developing new infrastructure.
“What about Julie’s car?” Ollie asks. “Shouldn’t we take it home?”
Dad looks around. “Let me check with Sheriff Manes.”
“Where is it?” I ask.
“Over here,” Ollie says, leading Liv, Matt, and I away, as Mom and Dad begin talking to the sheriff.
When we stop, I remember seeing this car at Brooks Park. It is a bright yellow bug, not exactly a car that hides in a crowd. “I didn’t know she drove a VW bug,” I say.
“It’s new for her,” Ollie replies.
“She was driving Dad’s old truck, like we all did,” Liv volunteers.
“Is that old thing still running?” I ask.
“Barely,” Ollie says, “but right now it’s in my garage for a little TLC.”
“TLC?”
“A few weeks back,” Liv says, “Mom had a close encounter with a deer.”
I make a face. It is what Dad warned us about since I first began to drive. “Was she injured?”
“No, just cosmetic damage to the truck,” Liv answers. “But Julie was left without anything to drive. I told you, Julie has had a rough time lately.”
“Mom wasn’t hurt,” Ollie answers. “The deer ran off. Dad and I went to where she said it happened. Hopefully, it wasn’t mortally wounded.
” He shrugs. “I hate to think of it lingering in pain. And like Liv said, the truck only had a bit of cosmetic damage. I’m waiting on a new headlight and turn signal.
Not easy to find for that early of a model. ”
I can’t believe that truck is still running. It was a relic when I was in high school.
Ollie was always the one who could fix anything. Even as a little boy, he would take things apart just to put them back together. “It’s great you can help,” I say as a memory returns to me. “Remember when you took Dad’s brand-new riding lawn mower apart?”
“He was so pissed,” Liv says with a smile.
“Hey, I got it back together, and it worked better than new.”
“It was working before you dismantled it.”
We all turn to see our father coming our way.
“Sheriff said he’s already checked the car. Said there were enough people who saw Julie and Marty arrive together that they didn’t need any special forensics.”
While I doubt the Blue Gil police force could do forensics, I don’t say that.
Dad tosses a set of keys to my sister. “Liv, drive the car to the house. Ollie” —he looks at my brother— “you follow your sister and once the car’s there, everyone can meet at the cafe.”
“Sure thing,” Ollie replies.
Dad takes a deep breath. “Thank you for being here for your mom.” He turns to me. “It’s good to have everyone here.”
As he turns around, Liv reaches for my hand and squeezes. My eyes fill with moisture as I turn to her and ask, “Julie’s all right, right?”
“I want to say yes.”