51: The Series

51: The Beginning Chapter 10 Part 2

When Lindsay arrived at the department and went in, she saw everyone waiting for her in her office. On her way in, she quickly said hello to the evening dispatcher and Deputy Andy Baxter.

“Thanks for meeting with me, guys,” Lindsay said as she walked in and closed the door. “We have a problem. I am going to fill you in on what happened last night out in the national forest. Nim Jones and some of his friends decided to go camping, and they had some visitors. Nim’s friends got scared and took off without him. He called Wren and me because he didn’t know who else to call. We went out and got him, but it was not without incident. Something began throwing large rocks at us. One bounced up and hit Nim’s leg, and another hit a tree next to me hard enough to make the tree explode,” Lindsay told them.

Max said, “That explains a lot.”

“That’s not all, and that is not the problem,” Lindsay told him. “The problem is someone had a trail camera where this happened and posted the video online. Along with the video, there are all kinds of rumors. Wren has asked for our help while he is out of town dealing with an emergency elsewhere. He needs us to watch and listen to see if we hear where this came from. Cat, we need special help from you if you can. We need you to try to track down the person who posted the video and anyone else who has made a comment or supporting post to the video. Can you do that?” Lindsay asked, looking at Cat.

“I think so. It shouldn’t be too hard. Most people don’t take the time to try to hide their identity when they post things,” Cat answered.

“I want to make sure the four of you know that this does not go any farther than this office. This is all officially off the books because this is not a formal investigation. You tell no one what happened in the forest, and you ask no one any questions that would make them want to dig for information. Right now, the video is still up, and there is an active campaign going on to discredit it. I think we all need to see it because Wren said it could cause problems if too many people believe it and try to do their own investigation of the video,” Lindsay said.

Lindsay went online and quickly found the video. Cat, Max, and the Bobs stood behind her as they began to watch it on her computer. Thankfully, it was fuzzy and dark; unfortunately, it showed Nim and Lindsay rather clearly. It also showed the rock hitting the tree next to them and them being showered with splinters.

“Man, you weren’t kidding when you said that tree exploded. No wonder you look like you went nine rounds with a porcupine today,” Big Bob said.

“Oh yeah, this could definitely cause some problems,” Max said. “It also explains a lot about when you guys came in here with Nim. How is that kid, anyway?”

“He’s fine. Dillon saw him today. His leg is still bothering him, but that isn’t a surprise,” Lindsay answered. “Do all of you know what you need to do? Little Bob, you are pretty quiet. Do you have any thoughts about this?”

Little Bob straightened up from where he was staring at the computer screen. “No, but can you give me the exact location of where this happened? If that camera is still out there, there might be some other worthwhile information,” he said.

“Bob, you can’t take the camera,” Lindsay said.

“I don’t want to, but there might be prints or ID numbers that we can track down and find the i***t who put this online,” Little Bob said.

“I will not ask questions about anything like that you happen to obtain. I will tell you, do not go out there after dark or by yourself under any circumstance. If anyone goes out there, go with at least one other person, preferably more than one, and each of you needs to go armed for bears. I literally mean go armed for bears. If it will not bring down a grizzly, get a bigger gun,” Lindsay told them. “Does anyone have any questions?” she asked.

There was a chorus of no’s, and as she looked, everyone shook their heads.

“OK, then. I will let everyone get started on what you are assigned. Cat and Little Bob, your shifts are over, so you are welcome to start in the morning if you like,” Lindsay said as she stood up from her desk.

Cat laughed and told her, “No way am I waiting until morning for this. This is super-secret spy stuff, and I am Russian, after all. I may even be able to find out who posted it before morning.”

“Sorry, sheriff, but I’m with her on this one,” Little Bob said.

“Me too,” Max said. “Little Bob, you want to go ahead and run out to where this camera is and see what we can find? There should still be a few hours before dark. Big Bob, you want to come too?”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Big Bob said with a massive grin.

“Just make sure you can still respond to calls. I will text all of you the GPS coordinates, and please be careful,” she told them. “If none of you object, I will go back home and spend some time with my son. That plus, I think someone beat me with a club while I slept this afternoon.”

Cat told her, “Lindsay, some of those pieces of the tree that hit you were pretty large. I’m amazed you were not hurt worse.”

“That is the first time you have called me by my first name,” Lindsay said, smiling.

Cat smiled, walked out of Lindsay’s office, and out the department’s front door. She quickly returned carrying her laptop and set it down on her desk in dispatch. She immediately went online, found the video, and began writing on a pad of paper and typing simultaneously.

“She is remarkable,” Max said as he watched Cat.

Lindsay and both Bobs looked at each other before looking at Max.

“There are no rules against it if you choose to ask her out, but do not let it interfere with work,” Lindsay told Max.

“Oh…uh…I…uh…that’s not what…I a mean I…,” Max stammered.

“Come on, Romeo,” Big Bob said, putting a large hand on Max’s shoulder. “We have other things to do right now.”

Little Bob leaned over toward Lindsay. “I just hope that ‘they’ don’t think Big Bob is one of them,” he said.

“Hey, if ‘they’ do, it might be a good thing. Then ‘they’ might be a little nicer,” Lindsay said with a smile.

When Lindsay left the department, Cat was immersed so deeply in her work that she barely even noticed when Lindsay had said goodnight. Max and the Bobs were heading out to the forest before the sunset, hoping to find what they were looking for. Lindsay was just happy when she had made it home, and found her son Dillon had already finished his chores. She put on her T-shirt and shorts, grabbed some leftovers, and settled in on the couch to watch a movie with her son.

-

Lindsay was awoken by her cell phone ringing. She was on the couch, the movie was over, and the television was on. She picked her phone up and saw that Cat was calling.

“Hey, Cat, what’s up?” Lindsay asked.

“Were you asleep?” Cat asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry. It’s only seven-thirty in the evening. I thought you would still be awake. Anyway, I have the info on the guy who posted the video, including a home address. Would you like me to send it to you?” Cat asked.

“Oh, yes. Thank you. That was fast,” Lindsay said.

“The guy wasn’t very smart and wasn’t trying to hide. That makes it easy. Max and the Bobs also made it back from the national forest and have some additional information for you to look at in the morning. I will see you in the morning and go back to sleep,” Cat said and hung up.

Lindsay got the information almost at the same time Cat hung up. She read it quickly and then sent it all to Wren, hoping that was what he needed. Within minutes, her phone rang. It was Wren.

“Hello,” she said when she answered the phone.

“Hello, babe. How did you get this that fast?” Wren asked.

“Simple. Cat did it,” Lindsay said.

“Now I know why you said you would never be able to replace her at that department. I am impressed,” Wren said.

“You might be even more impressed. Max and the Bobs went out to where everything happened, and they have information for me to look at in the morning. I will let you know what it is as soon as I find out,” Lindsay told him.

“Thank you for all that. I have to go in a minute, but I want to tell you I love you,” Wren said.

“I love you too,” she said. Just as she finished, her phone beeped, signaling Wren had hung up.