Fancy Gap (9 page)

“Good morning, sheriff. Good to finally meet you. I’ve been meaning to get by your office.”

“Well, good to meet you, Quinn. Nigel has filled me in on your exploits as a corporate crime-fighting crusader.”

“Sheriff, I’m sure you would find my attempts to be a proficient gardener and house keeper a lot more interesting than my achievements on the corporate dole.”

“Now, hold on, Quinn. I’m trying to impress the sheriff with stories of all the bad guys you single-handedly sent to prison for stealing secrets and diverting profits to their own pockets,” said Nigel.

“Nigel, I’m sure the sheriff is up to his ears in things that are far more interesting than my old, boring life,” he replied.

Nigel looked at the sheriff and asked, “Speaking of hot topics how’s the investigation into the abduction of those two children?”

“It’s not good, gentlemen. I’m convinced they were taken by some pedophile, maybe two. We haven’t had any good information coming into the department.”

“Do you think they might still be in the area?” Quinn asked, lowering his voice.

“Tough for us to know right now, Quinn. There are a couple of registered sex offenders in Carroll County we’re keeping our eye on. But our local perverts aren’t really the type to kidnap or kill. We think someone passing through or someone who crossed the border up from North Carolina or even someone from another county in Virginia could be responsible.”

“How are the parents doing?” Nigel asked.

“As well as can be expected. The husband just lost his mother last week. The emotional strain is very real. It just so happens that they’re Catholics so I put them in touch with Father Tony, who’s our only Catholic priest here in Fancy Gap. He’s the perfect person to console them right now. He’s done a lot for many people in the county.”

“I’ve met him. We almost decided to go to his little church, but Kathy liked the Catholic Church in Mount Airy better as well as the priest there. For some reason, she got bad vibes from Father Tony,” said Nigel.

“I believe she might be the only person in these parts who doesn’t like that priest. Everyone I’ve met raves about the man. Even our conservative Baptists like him.”

“Now that’s truly scary,” Nigel said as they all started laughing.

“Are you Catholic, Quinn?” the sheriff asked.

“Well, yes, I am, so to speak. My wife, Ellen, was a serious church-goer. I found that the best way to keep the peace—and food on my plate—was to go to Mass every Sunday night with her.”

“Smart man, Mister McSpain,” Nigel piped in.

They ordered sandwiches and talked about the upcoming political campaign while they ate.

“Gentlemen, I hate to leave so soon, but I have to get my house ready for a guest who will be arriving shortly. Sheriff, it certainly has been a pleasure.”

“Likewise, Quinn. Let’s get together when we find those kids and the pressure cools off a bit.”

“Sounds like a plan. A great rest of the day to you both!”

Nigel looked at the sheriff after Quinn had departed. “You know, a few years back when Quinn and Ellen bought their house next to us, I did a bit of research to find out exactly who the new neighbors were. Well, it turns out that Quinn was somewhat modest today. He has a long track record of solving some pretty substantial financial crimes in the corporate sector that sent some high-fliers away for many years.”

“That’s very interesting, Nigel. Too bad he’s retired. I might need a deputy with those skill sets,” the sheriff suggested.

“Well, from my past conversations with the man, since his wife passed he’s leading a pretty low-key life.”

“I guess we’re fortunate to have him here in the county,” the sheriff said.

Nigel laughed and said, “Hell, I’m lucky to have him as a neighbor!”

They both smiled as they finished their coffee and left.

* * *

The red-eye from San Francisco to Dulles arrived early. Louisa woke up just as the plane went into its final approach. She was happy she had used some of her airline points to upgrade to first class. She had fallen asleep as soon as the wheels went up in California. It was a good day to be rested. The path before her was bound to be full of surprises.

Even before she arrived at her townhouse in Arlington, she had already decided what she needed to take with her. She really didn’t know how long she would be in Fancy Gap. It could be a couple of days, or it could be a couple weeks or even longer.

She was reminded of words she had read some time ago that suggested that great changes might happen when someone’s spirit goes wandering upon the unknown wind which was just where she felt herself heading to. She thought she knew which way her new wind was blowing…and that was west clear across the state of Virginia. She smiled at those thoughts as she threw a large suitcase and two backpacks into the back of her Volvo XC90 4x4. She strapped her bike to the roof rack and then looked around to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.

She decided to take state Highway 29 down from Fairfax through Charlottesville and into North Carolina. That would take her to Winston-Salem and up Highway 52 through Mount Airy to Fancy Gap. That would give her ample time to enjoy the scenery, as well as contemplate what the next twenty-four hours had in store for her. She anticipated a five-hour drive, her first long trip in her new car.

The miles passed quickly as she tried to sort out what was important in her life. The highlight reel contained clips of professional accomplishments and nothing else. She certainly had met all of the lofty goals she had set for herself so many years earlier. Yet she sensed the void in her life that could only have been filled with a solid relationship or a family. Her natural, womanly urges floated in and out of her life every so often when she saw or worked closely with a handsome man. But that’s where it usually ended.

But at what price,
she asked herself. Her focus on work had taken all of her time and waking efforts. Nothing was left for any emotional involvement. Yet, that was all by her own design and plan. Time and again she resisted the urge to get emotionally involved with anyone. She was not ashamed that she relied on her electric dildo to bring her to physical climax whenever the urge for release overpowered her. She also liked the fact that “Willy” required no upkeep or emotional support. She smiled at the thought that Willy did not make the trip.

So here she was, traveling down this new path. Her long years of self imposed chastity were about to get blown out the window, and she would live every waking moment of the rest of her life to the fullest. She wanted to share her new life with a man who would return the favor in spades and make darned sure she forgot all about Willy.

This was now more than a plan. It was her new commitment to life. When she added up what she already knew about Quinn, she realized he might be the man she could share it all with. After all, he was in a happy and committed relationship with one woman for a long time. He understood the importance of commitment. That was something she could learn. The thought of him as a teacher was appealing.

It was well over two years since his wife had died. From what she detected from the evening they were together, he seemed to be physically attracted to her. She would soon find out if he was ready for a new friend to enter his life. She hoped he was, and she knew she was about to find out.

The road sign on I-40 in Winston-Salem indicated that she was within a mile of Highway 52 north to Virginia. It was now a little after one-thirty in the afternoon. She commanded her brand-new iPhone: “Call Quinn’s cell.” The speakers soon came alive with the ringing tone.

“Hello, this is Quinn.”

“Hi, I’m calling about a room at the inn tonight.”

“Do you have a reservation?”

“Oh, I didn’t know I needed a reservation.”

“Well, you might not. Just tell me what you had in mind for accommodations.”

“Do you offer a great view, great meals, superb wine, backrubs, a hot tub, and a Willy?”

Quinn hesitated. “I think you’re good on the first five requests, but I’m not sure about the Willy thing.”

“That’s perfect. I should be there in thirty minutes, and I’ll explain the Willy thing later.”
Much later,
she thought!

“Now, don’t get lost in these here hills, cause some mountain man just might try to jump your bones and have his way with you.”

“Well, I thought that was part of the…package,” she responded.

“Oh, it sure ’nough is! See you in a bit,” Quinn replied.

A huge smile crossed his face as the line clicked off.

As she crossed the state line from North Carolina into Virginia, she pulled in to the Exxon station on the right-hand side of the road. She filled the tank and then moved to a parking space in front of the convenience store. She reached into her backpack on the front seat and took out some clothes, careful not to disturb her Beretta pistol in the bottom of the bag. A traveling woman could never be too careful.

As she entered the store, she was overcome with the stench of cigarette and cigar smoke. Men and women sat at round tables, smoking and scratching lottery tickets. She looked at the clerk, who pointed to the women’s restroom at the back of the store. An unfiltered cigarette dangled from his tobacco-stained lips.

She looked at herself in the restroom mirror before she slipped out of her comfortable driving clothes: loose-fitting cotton pants and a sweatshirt. She slid on a pair of Carolina blue shorts and unhooked her bra.

She cupped her breasts;
these sisters didn’t need a bra this afternoon!
she thought. The halter top she had chosen was perfect. Her round breasts gave way over the top. She tucked her hair into her baseball cap and applied makeup and perfume. She bounced out the door and headed right to the counter. The clerk looked up. His mouth opened in surprise and the butt hanging from his lips fell to the counter.

“Dang, girl, you clean up purty!” he exclaimed.

“ Ya think?” she said as she dropped a five-dollar bill on the counter. “Give me five random picks on the Mega Millions cause I’m feelin’ lucky!”

The clerk mumbled and fumbled as he punched the request into the lottery terminal. Louisa didn’t make it any easier for him as she leaned an elbow on the counter, giving him a bird’s-eye view of her creamy, white breasts.

He handed her the ticket and said, “Dang, girl, you look just like Ellie Mae Clampett!”

Louisa blew him a kiss and put an extra wiggle in her butt as she walked to the door. The clerk let out a loud whistle as she left, convincing her that her choice of outfit was perfect.

She sniffed the air in the car hard to see if any of the cigarette smoke smell stayed on her clothes. She didn’t think so. She began to laugh uncontrollably as she wondered what her FBI senior management team would say if they had witnessed her performance in the convenience store. There would be no doubt in their minds that she had lost it and gone mad.

Au contraire, mes amis,
she thought. This is but the beginning of my new life. The old snake skin is almost all gone.

She left her old life behind as she crossed into southwest Virginia.

CHAPTER 18

The children had now been missing for five days. The state police lab did recover DNA from the dried semen found at the motel, but a national database search didn’t produce a match. Many calls and tips had come in, to no avail. Sheriff Pierce knew the investigation was going nowhere fast.

He set up a meeting with Jim Craig and Levi Blackburn for nine o’clock that morning. He was not optimistic that anything new had turned up, but he needed to know if anything at all might be of interest. The political pressure was building for progress to be made on the case.

The sheriff looked at Jim Craig as he entered his office. Craig was not smiling. Levi entered the room a minute later.

“What have you got there, Jim?” the sheriff asked Craig as he sat down.

“It’s the new iPad. We just got these sent out from headquarters in Richmond. It’s a real dandy piece of equipment, sheriff. I use it as my daily computer now.”

“Well, you wouldn’t mind if I got to touch it, would you, Jimbo?” Levi asked sarcastically. “You state boys sure are the fat cats. Fancy this and fancy that is what I see from y’all. Hell, us county hillbilly cops are still peckin’ away on our fancy IBM Selectric typewriters.” Levi’s comment drew a grin from Sheriff Pierce and a scowl from Craig.

“OK, gentlemen, tell me some good news. The parents, the press, and the county supervisors are hot on my butt to produce some results—and soon. Do I have to remind you both that our beloved Flea Market and Gun Show is not that far away, boys? The county doesn’t need this right now. I don’t need this right now. So what have we got?”

“Sheriff, we ain’t got crap. No one has seen a darned thing. All of my sources and snitches are clueless. Those two kids could be in Alaska, for all we know,” Levi offered.

“Levi’s right for a change, sheriff. This has been a frustrating number of days. We’re working twelve-hour days. We’ve followed up on fifty calls, none of them worth a hill of beans,” added Craig.

“Progress with our registered sex offenders here in the county?” the sheriff asked.

Levi answered, “Sheriff, as you know, we only have two pedophiles who are registered in Carroll County. Dwayne Lee Raymonds lives at one end of the county, and Tyler T. Toms lives at the other end. I paid both Raymonds and Toms a visit. Dwayne claims he was at home on the night of the fog. I checked his story with his next-door neighbor. He said Dwayne’s pit bull barks like hell whenever Dwayne leaves his place. Neighbor says the dog didn’t bark at all the night of the fog.

As for Tyler, he claims he had a lady friend over that night that’ll back up his story. I tend to rule ole Toms out. Heck, I forgot that he’s got only one arm! He can hardly handle his privates, much less try to abduct two yelling and kicking kids at the same time.”

“Good point, Levi,” the sheriff said as he gazed out his window.

“Plus Toms is a real skinny fella with a weak handshake. I just don’t think he could have done it,” Levi suggested.