51: The Series

51: The Storm Chapter 16 Part 1

The storms had finally passed, and for that, everyone was thankful. Lindsay was in her office doing what she had been doing for what felt like years—reading files. She had gone through the ones her deputies had encountered and had marked them on the map that was now on the bulletin board instead of her office wall. Viktor and Annie had moved the map and marked every incident with new labels. While they did that, Cat entered each one of them into the new program she had written with the hopes of being able to predict the movement and prevent any future serious encounters.

Lindsay looked at the clock. Today was the day that Dillon would begin camping with the Jones kids. She had wanted to see him before he left, but that would not happen. She would have to settle for just calling him. Her day had been interrupted by a visit from one of the county commissioners.

Roy James had stopped by to update her on the previous sheriff and chief deputy. When she took over, she found that the former sheriff had not been filing things with the state of Missouri as required. Not only that, but there had also been some payroll issues, which were later found after the state had taken over the investigation. Roy told her that the state was also having difficulty locating both. They had seemingly dropped off the map, and other than that, there was nothing new.

Lindsay picked up her phone and called her son. It was no surprise that, instead of answering, her call went to his voicemail. She left a message for him to call her but had a feeling he would not. Just as she put her phone back in her pocket, Cat walked up to her door and leaned against it.

“What’s up, Cat?” Lindsay asked her.

“Nothing much except I think my brother’s brain broke during this storm,” Cat said, “Viktor, I mean.”

“He has seemed fine today to me. Do I need to talk to him when he gets back from the call he is on?” Lindsay asked, concerned.

“No, and please don’t let him know that I said anything to you. He is fine, but after the past week, he seems different. It isn’t a bad thing, but he is definitely different,” Cat explained.

Lindsay told her, “After this week, I think we are all at least a little different. If it wasn’t something that we saw or did, it was something we have read. I might seem relatively calm, but honestly, after this week, I want to beat my husband with a stick for not telling me about all this when it happened. My son will be camping only a few miles from my house overnight tonight, and I am completely freaked out about it because I don’t know what is out in the woods. Last week, I thought I knew, and this week, I know that I have no idea.”

“I guess you’re right. Viktor seems to be almost normal for him, but he has been reading everything he can get about the paranormal, folklore, and mythology. He is acting like Yuri instead of Viktor. Now that I think about it, Yuri has been more like Viktor, too,” Cat said with a laugh. She changed the subject, saying, “The program isn’t quite working the way I want, so I will be at my desk making a few tweaks to it.”

Cat left Lindsay’s office and sat down at her desk. Lindsay looked back at her computer and began to enter some information from the file she had finished reading. She created a spreadsheet to track what they had encountered and may still encounter as the weirdness continued. She heard the department door chime and looked up to see Andy coming in for his evening shift. He saw her in her office and waved. She waved back and went back to what she was doing. After a few minutes, she heard the door chime again, and Annie and Big Bob walked in. They were no longer riding together but usually arrived at the same time. She saw Big Bob say something to Annie and then head toward her office. He came in and plopped down in the chair across from Lindsay.

Big Bob asked, “Are you ready for that boy of yours to go camping?”

“No, not with everything that has been going on. Wren insists that everything is OK, and they have cleared the immediate area, but it still worries me,” Lindsay told him.

“If your Agent Gold says it is safe, it is safe. He would never let anything happen to Dillon or you. Is Dillon taking that dog of yours with him?” Big Bob asked.

Lindsay laughed, “No, that is one hound dog that is not interested in being outside any more than he has to be.”

“That’s what I figured, but I thought I would ask,” Big Bob chuckled. “If anything happens, or you need anything tonight, you had better call us. I think we would break your speed record on getting there.” He stood up, walked out of her office, and back toward his desk, where Annie was sitting and talking with Little Bob.

As Lindsay put the last bit of information into her computer, she saw Viktor come in and walk straight back to where Annie was sitting. He sat down next to her and started a conversation. Lindsay just smiled and wondered if Annie might also have something to do with the changes in Viktor that Cat had told her about minutes earlier. Annie was very open-minded about things like what had been happening. Maybe she, among other things, was encouraging those changes in him.

Lindsay had gotten up from her desk and begun to rummage in one of the boxes of files she had yet to look in. She pulled out a few files and heard a knock on her door as she put the lid back on it. She turned to see Viktor standing at her door.

“Hi, Viktor. What can I do for you?” she asked him.

“I was wondering if you would want to join some of us for dinner before you leave,” he told her politely.

“Thank you for the offer, Viktor, but I have to decline. My son is camping tonight with friends not far from my house, and I want to get home as soon as I can just in case there are any problems,” she said.

“Camping now? After everything that has happened? Why would you let him do that?” Viktor asked, seeming upset by the idea.

“My husband has assured me that the area has been cleared of anything and everything that could cause any problems. The weather has done what Missouri weather does, and after ice and storms, the forecast says there will be record highs today, tonight, and tomorrow. If even one of those things were different, he would not be going,” Lindsay assured him.

“It sounds like you have been thinking about this a lot.”

“Of course I have. It is my son out there with kids that I have known since they were born. Go have dinner, and I will see you on Monday,” Lindsay told him.

Viktor smiled and walked back to where the other deputies were. Madison had come in while she and Viktor had been speaking, so Cat would be leaving soon, too. Lindsay glanced at the files she had taken from the box and decided they could wait until Monday. It had just turned four o’clock, and it was time for her to go home. She hoped for a quiet evening at home with her husband. This would be the first time they spent a night together alone for a long time. As Lindsay got her things together and started to walk out of her office, she saw Viktor and Annie walk out of the building together on their way to eat.

“Uh... when did that happen?” Lindsay asked, pointing toward the door as she walked out of her office.

“Over the last few days, it would seem so, so don’t worry; you haven’t missed anything. This is the first time they have done this,” Little Bob answered her.

“I am so not worried about that right now. I would be happy if that were the biggest thing I needed to think about,” Lindsay said. “Does anyone need anything before I go home?”

“No! Go home and have fun tonight. It is just you and your hubby, isn’t it?” Big Bob asked her.

“Yes, but since we have been averaging less than four hours of sleep a day for over a week, I doubt we will do anything but try to watch some TV and fall asleep during the attempt,” Lindsay told him, shaking her head.

“Sounds like a good night to me,” Big Bob answered her.

“That sounds like every night and day that you aren’t here,” Little Bob told Big Bob.

“You’re just jealous that I have boys, and you have to go home to a bunch of noisy girls. Your oldest one is just like Annie when it comes to that talking thing. I would have tied her up outside somewhere and left her,” Big Bob laughed.

“I have learned to tune it out. I usually don’t even notice until I don’t hear it for a while and realize she’s gone somewhere,” Little Bob said. “Your wife is the one I feel sorry for, and it isn’t because you have boys either. It’s because she has to put up with you. That woman is a saint.”

Lindsay rolled her eyes. “I’m going before this goes any further. I will see all of you on Monday. Have a good weekend,” Lindsay yelled as she walked out the door.

Lindsay stepped outside into the sunshine. It was even warmer than had been predicted. She had to admit it was going to be a good night for Dillon and the Jones kids to be camping. Lindsay got in her car and began the drive home, thinking about what had happened over the past week. When she pulled up to her house and went inside, she was met by the smell of the supper Wren had brought home. She looked around, wondering why Crook had not met her like usual.

“Hi, honey, I’m home,” she called out.

“Perfect timing,” Wren said, walking to her from the kitchen and giving her a quick kiss. “Change clothes and come to eat. I have the entire evening planned for us.”

“OK,” she said, then walked to their bedroom. When she walked in and turned on the light, she saw Crook asleep on the bed. As soon as she sat down to remove her boots, he woke up, stretched, and wagged his tail until she rubbed him. She changed her clothes and returned to the kitchen, followed by the dog.

“So, what do you have planned for us tonight?” she asked Wren.

“Well, besides a few of your favorites from that little Thai place, I thought we could just stay home and sleep and try to watch a movie and sleep,” Wren told her as he began to make a plate for her. “And if we can’t sleep, we can cuddle up on the front porch together and watch the stars.”

“That sounds like a perfect night,” Lindsay said. “Have you heard from Dillon?”

“Yes, his cell phone had gone dead, so when he got to Jones’, he called from their phone. He also wanted me to tell you he was sorry he didn’t answer your call, and as soon as his phone has charged, he will call you,” Wren told her. “Don’t worry. I had my team clear the area. There is nothing out there more dangerous than a raccoon or opossum. He will be fine.”

“I know he will be, so let’s get on with our night, shall we?” Lindsay said, taking the plate, Wren handed to her.

They sat down on the couch and began to eat. Wren took the remote control and started looking for something to watch while they did, and before they picked out the movie to watch. He settled on a documentary on Roanoke while they ate. When they finished eating, they continued to watch until the end of the show.

“You know, I know what the experts say happened at Roanoke, but after what has been going on here, it does make me wonder a little bit about it and what did happen,” Lindsay said.

Wren had begun to look for a movie for them to watch. When Lindsay said that, he said nothing. He just turned and looked at her.

“You have got to be kidding. No, I do not want to know. I am happy with what they say happened,” Lindsay said, looking away from him and shaking her head.

They decided on a comedy. It seemed like the right choice after the week they had endured. Lindsay and Wren lay on the couch, cuddled together, and fell asleep within minutes.