Leoti (13 page)

“Where is Josie?” he charged at Milton.

The Sheriff stepped in between them. “Whoa…slow it down.”

“Don’t know man, last week Elu came here asking about her. He looked around, touched her things and took her luggage then left. That’s all I know.”

Carlton frowned, “Elu? The Indian?”

“Why didn’t you mention this at the store?” Rogers asked.

Milton lowered his gaze wishing he’d kept his mouth shut.

“What the hell is going on around here? What kind of town is this?” Carlton snapped. He glared at the Sheriff. “Something is wrong. She wouldn’t go off with a stranger, and she sure as hell don’t know that Indian!”

“Son he’s a Native American. We don’t say Indian in these parts. It’s offensive.”

“Dammit! I don’t give a fuck! My lady is out there with some crazy ass mountain man keeping her hostage!” The sound of her phone chimed hollowly. Carlton stopped and looked around. “That’s her cell phone.” He walked around the sofa listening, and then dug in the seat cushions and plucked it out. His heart stopped. She had 17 missed calls. “Christ. He has her!”

“Is it her phone son?”

“Yes, and she wouldn’t go anywhere without it. It’s that In—Native American. He did something to her!”

“No.” Milton said shaking his head. “Sheriff—.”

“Ever’body calm down. Elu wouldn’t hurt anyone. There has to be a rational explanation for this.”

“I want to go back to the store. I want him to look me in the face and deny it. He has something to do with this. I know it.”

The Sheriff walked out with him. They were in the car racing towards town when he slammed on brakes.

“What is it?”

The Sheriff’s eyes went to the rearview mirror. The trees they’d passed were charred and broken. Carlton looked back and saw skid marks on the road.

“That looks fresh. An accident.”

“Accident?”

The Sheriff put the cruiser in reverse and backed up. He parked on the side of the road and then put the car in park. “Stay here.”

Carlton was out of the car before he could finish. He hurried to the edge. He could hear the Sheriff calling it in. The charred remains of a car lay amongst the burned away trees. It had to be a hundred foot drop. “No. No. No. This isn’t happening,” he stammered.

“Son, wait! Don’t go down there.”

Carlton slid down the ravine sideways using the sides of his timberlands to keep himself from tumbling. “No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no!” he wheezed. He stopped at the cliff’s edge and could go no further. But he could see the car, what was left of it. Could it really be hers? Even if she survived she was hurt, badly.

“Is someone in there?” The Sheriff called out to him.

“I can’t see a body, but it could be someone else’s car. Take me to the store.”

“Can’t. It’s a crime scene. We have to hang back.”

Carlton literally climbed his way out of the ravine. “Take me back! I have to find her!”

Sheriff Rogers shook his head. “I will take you back as soon as I get a man here to secure this area. Okay?”

The roads were congested with leaving and arriving tourists. It was quiet in Mission Creek on a weekday. But when the weekend arrived people from all walks of life crowded in and out of their town. That’s the problem with Route 23, it’s the one shot into town and the one shot out. Sometimes a bottleneck turned a ten minute drive into an hour long one.

“Hello?” she said in a winded voice that immediately alarmed him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I was outside and just ran back in to get the phone.”

“Outside?”

Josie wiped at her brow, “You checking up on me?”

A smile went over his lips, she was fine. “I’m on my way.”

“Why?”

“We need to talk, something happened that you should know.”

“What is it?”

“We’ll talk when I get there. We’ll figure it out together. I want you to stay inside and lock up the place. Don’t let anyone in. Um, just wait for me okay?”

“Okay, see you soon,” she said hanging up. Looking down at Po she winked. “We won’t tell him about Rex will we? A little omission of information isn’t a lie right?”

Po barked. Josie sighed. “Uncle!” she grinned. “I’ll tell him when he gets here. Jeez, who ever heard of a dog that hates liars?” She turned in the kitchen and saw the journal again. Walking over to it she ran her fingers over the cover. Should she take the plunge and read it? She would have to eventually.

Down the road from Elu’s Cabin

Carlton paced the side of the car. “It’s not that far, where are your deputies?”

“Got an accident on Route 23. It’s backed up the roads. Someone will be here soon.”

A truck drove toward them. Carlton looked up and the Sheriff’s head turned. A man in a cowboy hat rolled to a stop. The Sheriff approached.

“Everything okay?” Rex asked, arm hanging out of his window.

“Got a little trouble, be warned. The roads are jammed ahead from an accident.”

Carlton walked over to the car. He saw the direction in which he came. After spending all morning riding around in search of her, he realized that was the one area he hadn’t covered. This was a small town, maybe he knew something.

He plucked his wallet and removed her picture. “Excuse me, have you seen her?”

Rex and the Sheriff who were in conversation looked up. Carlton shoved the picture under the cowboy’s nose. “Her name is Josie and she’s missing.”

Rex snickered. “Josie huh?”

“You seen her?” Rogers asked.

Rex nodded. “Yep, feisty young filly. Just left her. Told me her name was Leoti.”

“What? Where? When?” Carlton’s heart raced.

“Up the road at Elu’s place.”

“Take me to her. Take me now!” Carlton hurried around the front of the truck. The Sheriff couldn’t object if he wanted to.

“I’ll be there shortly, Rex. Can you handle this?”

“No problem, Sheriff.”

Carlton slammed the truck door. His heart finally slowed from the erratic drumming through his ribcage. So the Indian had her! What had happened on the side of this road, and why was Josie staying with him? Who the hell was Leoti? What was really going on? If this Elu did something to her, anything to her, he’d wish he’d never laid eyes on her. He’d make sure of it.

Elu traveled a side road and went around the traffic. Turned out it was an accident. Well Leoti being at home alone with that man and the Sheriff looking for her was a disaster waiting to happen. When he neared the Sheriff’s parked squad car he slowed down.

Rogers walked to the window. “You got some explain’in to do, Elu.”

“Where is the man? The man that was with you?”

“Rex took him to your place. What happened here? That car in the ravine, the woman….”

Elu sped off throwing the Sheriff back.
This couldn’t be happening
.

Elu’s cabin

Josie took the journal to Elu’s chair and sat. She couldn’t run from her past any longer. And nothing about herself would change her and Elu. She was sure of it. Another thought occurred to her. The memory, the flashback of Elu at a lake, she forgot to mention it. She wondered how that happened?

Po stood there watching her. She couldn’t bring herself to open it. Not now. “Tell you what sweetie, how about we go for a walk.”

Po barked.

“I know. I know. He said stay inside. But I need some air. Besides you will guard me right?”

Po barked.

Josie laughed. “Good. Let’s do it.”

She tossed the journal. When Elu came home she’d read with him there. They’d face it together. The thought of it filled her with content.

“This is it.” Rex said parking. “Who is she?”

Carlton ignored him. He pushed the door open and slowly got out. His eyes swept the front of the log-style cabin. What was she doing here? Why would she stay with another man like this and give a fake name? The pain and insufferable feeling of betrayal gripped him. He walked to the door as if in a trance. He knew Josie, knew her heart, knew her spirit, and knew her faith. She wouldn’t abandon them like this. There had to be an explanation. Carlton started knocking on the door and no one came to answer. He peered in through the open windows and didn’t see her anywhere. “Josie!” he shouted. “Josie!”

Still she didn’t answer. He ran his hand down his face in a full state of panic. He blew out a heated breath and began to pace. Rex walked towards the porch.

“She’s there. Saw her just ten minutes ago.”

Carlton frowned. Was she hiding from him? He looked back to the window and inside. He didn’t see anything. He noticed the porch wrapped around the place. He walked the length and circled to the back. On the deck were lanterns over a hot-tub space and an empty bottle of wine. He frowned. Not willing to consider what the set-up implied. Turning he saw someone. Down at the edge of a lake she stood with a dog at her side. Staring out into the water.

“Josie!”

Her head turned, she looked back at him curiously.

“Josie!”

He hurried down the steps. She didn’t approach but the dog started after him. Growling and snapping his jaws. “Po! Don’t!” she yelled chasing him. “Wait! Po!”

Carlton stopped. The animal charged at him snarling.
Is it a dog?
The damn thing looked like a wolf. Black and white with crystal blue eyes, he’d never seen a dog quite like him. The angry snarl on the animal’s face revealed fangs instead of teeth. Its eyes were the color of rage.

“Po! Baby, stop it!” Josie walked up and petted the beast. She smiled. “Hi. Sorry about that. Are you looking for Elu?”

Carlton looked on in disbelief. She had a scar on her face, mending, but angrily bruised. She wore a man’s shirt.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Excuse me?” she said.

“Josie?”

Her smile faded. She stood there staring at him as if he was the one that was crazy. And he saw fear in her eyes. It was unmistakable, it was fear. “Josie.” he reached for her and Po attacked. Ripping into his arms and driving him to the ground. Carlton stunned, fought the dog. Josie was on the animal, struggling to drag him off, but the grip the animal had on him cut through his leather jacket and broke the skin.

“Stop! Stop!” she cried.

A shotgun blast fired and Po released him. Josie looked up, shocked to see the cowboy with a gun. He’d fired in the air. It was enough to get Po off of Carlton.

“I’m so sorry,” she said rubbing Po, trying to soothe the animal, who whimpered and licked at her face. “He was trying to protect me.” Tears streamed down her face. She seemed more distressed over the dog than him.

“Josie, sweetheart, it’s me.”

“You okay?” Rex asked with the shotgun aimed at Po.

“Get out of here! Leave us alone!” Josie shouted, glaring at the weapon. Po growled at them both. “Please, just go.”

****

Elu nearly jumped out of his truck before putting it in park. The shotgun blast sent birds from their perched spots in the trees, up into the air like a dark swarm. “Leoti!” he gasped.

Sheriff Rogers was soon to arrive next. But Elu didn’t wait. He ran around the cabin after them. His heart in his throat, fear gripped him so tight his legs felt like they both had twenty-pound weights on them.

“LEOTI!”

Carlton favored his arm, rising. He was still in shock. It came to him quick. She didn’t know him. He could feel the distance between them. “Josie, what happened to you?”

Rex tried to help him but he shrugged him off.

“LEOTI!”

Josie was holding Po, shaking her head at Carlton. Confused. Carlton heard the name Leoti and looked back. It was Elu and he was running fast at them. He stopped at the sight of Rex’s gun and his eyes narrowed. “Now wait a second, Elu—.” Rex backed up raising the gun. “I was just trying to help the boy. You need to put a muzzle on that wolf you call a pet.”

“Leoti?” Carlton mumbled. “Who the fuck is Leoti?” He looked between Elu and then to his girlfriend. “Your name is Josie sweetheart.”

She went to the Indian immediately, throwing her arms around the other man in front of him. It was enough to send him into a rage. “Get your fucking hands off her!” Carlton snapped. Elu held her face and checked to make sure she was okay as if Carlton hadn’t spoken. Then his eyes lifted above her head at Carlton. He drew Josie to his chest as she cried, with Po at his side. “She doesn’t have a memory. You have to go. The both of you! Now!”

“What? Josie! Look at me. Look at me damn it!”

Josie sobbed. She refused to lift her face from the Indian’s chest.

“Josie!”

“Leave! Come back later, you’re scaring her.”

“What did you do to her? What the hell is this?”

“That’s enough!” Sheriff Rogers yelled. Everyone stilled. He marched over with his hand on his gun, surveying the scene. “Rex disarm. Now!”