51: The Series

51:The Storm Chapter 15 Part 2

Lindsay arrived at her house, not even remembering the drive she had just made. She threw the car in park and got out, leaving the car door open when she did, with Wren following close to her. When they reached the porch, they could see wet footprints covering it. There were handprints on the glass in the door and around it. They smelled that unmistakable odor that they had come to know and knew what it was that had been there.

“What happened?” she asked as she went inside. Dillon grabbed her and hugged her so tight she could barely breathe.

“Mom, something was out there! Rebecca saw it first, and then we all saw it! It was just standing there on the porch watching us,” Dillon said, almost in tears.

Lindsay looked at Rebecca and Nim. Rebecca had been crying but looked like she was beginning to calm down. Nim was sitting beside her, pale and shaking. Crook was curled up next to Rebecca with his head in her lap, looking at Lindsay.

Lindsay said, “Kids, I think you all need to go get your things. We are taking all three of you to the church.”

“What about Crook?” Rebecca asked. “That thing was big, and he wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Lindsay looked at her dog, cuddling with Rebecca, and told her, “Call your Mom and Dad and make sure that it is OK, and he can go with you. He would probably enjoy it anyway. Just remember he lives up to his name; he will steal anything and eat anything.”

The kids all got up and began collecting their things and everything that they thought they would need to stay at the shelter set up at the church. Lindsay had a sick feeling about what had happened. She knew what had been looking into the house and that it could have gotten inside if it wanted to. She turned to Wren and saw him hanging up his cell phone.

“Before you say anything, I have a team on the way here now. They are dropping everything to get here. They may even get here before the kids are ready to go,” Wren said, taking her hands. “Linz, take a deep breath and try to calm down. If that thing had wanted to come in, it would have. It was just curious.”

“Was it looking for me?” she asked, barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know, but I am not going to give it a chance to find you,” he told her. He moved her toward a chair at the kitchen table, and she sat down. “You’re shaking, and so am I, so we need to calm down before the kids are ready to go.”

“I know. The last thing I want is for them to know what it was or how bad it could have been,” Lindsay said.

They sat and waited for the kids to finish packing, trying to calm down and hide how unnerved they were. The kids walked into the kitchen and looked at Wren and Lindsay.

Dillon said, “We still need to pack a bag for Crook. Their mom and dad said we could bring him with us.”

Wren told him, “There should be an empty duffle bag in the hall closet if you want to grab it, Dillon.”

Dillon went to get the bag, leaving Nim and Rebecca to answer questions about what they had seen. Lindsay let Wren take the lead in questioning them.

“Rebecca, I hate to do this, but can you tell me exactly what you saw?” Wren asked her gently.

“Well, sir, I’m not entirely sure. We were watching a movie, and I saw something moving out on the porch. I thought it was my dad checking on us again, but when I looked out, it was this big hairy thing. I don’t know what it was, but I screamed, and Nim and Dillon saw it a little as it ran off the porch,” Rebecca told him.

“OK, thank you. Both of you go help Dillon pack a bag for that thing,” Wren said, pointing at Crook, who was sitting next to Rebecca, leaning on her leg. “We will take care of everything, so just try not to worry about it.”

The kids went down the hall to help Dillon find the duffle bag and pack everything the dog would need. Lindsay and Wren could hear them talking in the hallway about what he needed and what toys to take. They heard a knock on the door, and it opened before they could move.

“Is everyone OK?” Little Bob asked as he came in. “Holy cow, girl! How fast were you driving? I couldn’t even keep up with you.”

Wren smiled at Lindsay, then answered Little Bob. “Everyone is fine, Bob, and you don’t want to know how fast she was driving. My fingerprints are permanently embedded in the dash and armrest of her car. I almost kissed the ground when she stopped,” Wren told him. “A team should be here any minute, and as soon as the kids are ready, they and that poor excuse for a dog are all going up to the church that Abigail is running as a shelter until the storms are over.”

They looked at the dog, now lying on his back with all four feet in the air, looking at Little Bob, wagging his tail. Little Bob walked over to him and began rubbing Crook’s chest, making his tail wag faster.

“Well, you can’t leave the poor little pup to fend for himself. He might get scared with the storm going on. Isn’t that right, Crook? You might get scared, and we can’t have that,” Little Bob said.

“I think we’re ready, Mom,” Dillon said as the kids walked into the kitchen.

“Then let’s go,” Lindsay replied.

Just as she and Wren stood up from the table, there was another knock on the door. Wren saw who it was and stepped outside for a moment. Lindsay looked out to see his team had arrived.

Wren came back in and said, “I told these guys they could use the property for a training exercise. I will need to give them a few instructions so they don’t destroy anything. Nim, would you mind if I drive your truck to the church, and Lindsay and Bob drive you guys there?”

“That’s fine, Mr. Gold,” Nim said, handing Wren the keys.

“All right, if all that is settled, then everyone out so we can get to the church before the weather gets any worse,” Lindsay said, opening the door.

Dillon decided to ride with Little Bob while Rebecca and Nim rode with Lindsay, with Crook lying on Rebecca’s lap. The drive to the church was short and quiet. Lindsay could tell that Nim and Rebecca were still rather shaken by what had happened. They pulled into the church parking lot, and Lindsay braced herself for Abigail’s wrath. They went inside, where Abigail was waiting for them when they walked in the door.

“Sheriff, what happened?” Abigail demanded.

“Abigail, they are fine. Something looked through the front door at them. It was probably a bear. We have people checking the area to locate it,” Lindsay explained.

“So, no one tried to get in the house?” Abigail asked.

“No, no one tried to get into the house. It was an animal, and with everything that is going on, they got scared,” Lindsay explained. “I told the kids they needed to come here so they would feel safer, not because it is safer.”

“Nim said that you and Wren had been calling and checking on them, and Joe said Wren had stopped by to check on them. I thank you for that,” Abigail told her quietly.

“Of course, after all these years, you should know that I will always take care of your children as if they were my own. I know that you do the same with Dillon, and you have no idea how much I appreciate that, especially now with this storm,” Lindsay told her.

“That’s what friends and neighbors do,” Abigail said as Wren walked up to them, “And you, mister, what happened to you? Joe told me that when you came home and checked on the kids, you were covered in food,” she said to him.

“I was in a food fight of sorts,” Wren told Abigail with a sheepish grin. “You ready to go, Lindsay?”

“I am,” she answered, then turned back to Abigail. “Thanks again, Abigail. If you have any problems, either call the department or me,” Lindsay said as she began to walk to the church doors.

They got into Lindsay’s patrol car, and Lindsay just sat for a moment. She started the car and looked at Wren.

“I need to know why that thing was looking in our house and if I was what it was looking for,” Lindsay said.

She put the car in gear and began the drive back to the department. The rain was heavy again, and lightning filled the sky. The weather was getting bad again. She only hoped that was all she would have to deal with for a while.