Chapter Seventeen
“What?” Caden interrupted his sister’s story. “You saw bodies, hanging from poles, at the blockade?”
Lisa crossed her arms. “I told you I ran down three men and you didn’t say a thing, but I say there were bodies at the blockade and you want clarification?”
Caden gestured, “Stop right there. When you hit those men you did what you had to do. I would have done the same.”
His mother nodded. “That’s what your father said.”
“How did you get home?” Caden asked.
She relaxed her arms. “I threw the car in reverse, turned around, and headed for the logging road south of the lake.”
Caden laughed. “We tried that road also. They must have pulled the culvert after you used it.” He thought for a moment. “I didn’t see any bodies at the blockade and I don’t remember any poles.” He turned to Maria. “Did you see anything?”
“No, there were no bodies, but we probably wouldn’t have noticed poles.”
“They were there,” Lisa said.
“I never saw it, but your father told me about it,” his mother added, “said it was a bad idea.”
Caden shifted on the bed. “I assume Sheriff Hoover is running town security.”
His mother and Lisa both nodded.
“I’ve never liked Hoover, but why would he hang corpses at the blockade? Has he gone crazy while I’ve been gone?”
“I think he’s desperate,” his mother said. “Nuclear bombs exploded in other parts of the country, and everyone was afraid it would happen here. People were fleeing south down every road from Seattle and Tacoma. I’m sure most were decent, but enough were willing to rob and kill….” She paused and shook her head. “Those that lived along the highway had their gas and food stolen. Cars were taken. The store and the church beside the freeway were both looted. Two deputies were murdered trying to restore order. The motel as you come into town is full of locals who lived near the interstate. They fled their homes, others were robbed and killed.”
Caden recalled his trip with the military convoy. “We saw the destruction along the freeway.”
“It started happening here. That’s when your father went to Sheriff Hoover and proposed the blockade. He suggested the locations and using heavy equipment or logs. He even helped man the blockade, in the beginning.”
Caden considered his options. Hoover had made it clear that interference was not welcome. Still, as the governor’s liaison, he felt he had some responsibility to inquire about the shootings.”
“What are you thinking?” Lisa asked.
I’m thinking I have no idea what to do about Sheriff Hoover. But he didn’t want to say that, so he smiled and said, “I’m thinking, is there any food in this house? Is anyone else hungry?”
With help from Maria he made it down the stairs from his bedroom to the dining room. There they ate and talked about family and home for several more hours. Only when the power failed, leaving the full moon as the only light, did they go to bed.
Caden woke to crowing. He looked at the window and mumbled, “It’s still dark you stupid rooster.” He had grown up on this farm and knew that roosters crowed when they would, but it still annoyed him. After more crowing he knew there was no going back to sleep, so slowly he slid his legs from under the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. He turned the knob on the lamp beside him and, as light filled the room, remembered the power had been out. The clock blinked on the nightstand.
Out of habit he looked for Maria. While he never actually slept with her, for the last two weeks they had not been far apart at night. With a smile he recalled that, as the evening waned, his mother suggested Maria share the room with Adam.
Carefully he stood looking down at his bandaged leg. Painful, but bearable. He hobbled toward the bathroom. By the time he got downstairs, he noticed a fire in the living room woodstove. When he limped into the kitchen his mother was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee.
“You’re up early,” he said sitting across from her.
“You’ve been away from the farm too long. Someone has to feed the chickens and pig.”
“I’ll help.”
“It’s already done.”
“I’ll help tomorrow.”
She reached back to the counter. “Your father got this after his leg operation.” She set an antique, carved, wooden cane on the table. “It’s been at the back of the closet for years, but I figured you might use it.”
He thanked her.
Still looking at the cane she said, “I pray Trevor is all right,” tears welled in her eyes, “and Peter and Susan.”
“I’m sure Dad is fine, he’s a survivor and Peter is a cop. He’s in shape, trained and armed. Neither of them would let anything happen to Sue. Still, I should probably head up North Road and look for them.”
“No,” she said firmly. “Two days ago I feared you were dead and then yesterday I got you back. I can’t lose you again. Your father is a survivor and so is Peter. If they are alive they will come home. If they are dead,” her voice choked, “then no one should risk their life to find them.”
Caden wanted to argue, but creaking stairs and floorboards announced someone coming. Maria entered wrapped in a robe and looking disheveled. “Adam’s still sleeping, but…well, I thought roosters crowed at dawn.”
Mother and son grinned as Maria sat at the table.
As the first rays of sunlight peeked above the eastern hills, Lisa joined the rest of the family at the breakfast table.
His mother cooked eggs and bacon and asked about Caden’s plans for the day.
“I’ll go talk to Hoover. I need his cooperation if I’m going to be a liaison for the governor.”
Lisa rolled her eyes. “Good luck getting him to cooperate with you. He has a looong memory.”
Caden shrugged. “I’ve got to try. Then I’ll go to the armory. Also, I need to meet with the county commissioners and the emergency manager.”
“Sounds exciting. Does anyone want more coffee?” Lisa stood and walked toward the pot.
Caden held up his cup, but looked at his mother. “I might be late getting back.”
“Do you need me to come along and,” Maria smiled, “help you get in and out of the car and up the stairs.”
Caden would have welcomed her company, but the day would be boring for anyone who tagged along. “No, I think I’ll just hobble along with my cane.” He didn’t want to leave the three most important women in his life alone on the farm, but was equally certain that they were safer together. Maria can shoot straight and Lisa can aim a car. He grinned at his own dark joke.
After breakfast he dressed in his uniform, complete with tattered pant leg, and limped toward the car with Maria at his side.
“Why don’t you and Sheriff Hoover like each other?”
“When I was in high school his little sister, Debra, had a crush on me.”
“It’s got to be more than that. What happened? Did you….”
“I did nothing,” he said a bit too harshly. “Well, almost nothing.” With a big sigh he continued. “She was two years behind me in school and flirted with me off and on for years. On the night of my graduation there was a party at a friend’s house. He let us know there would be ample beer.”
“Your mom doesn’t seem like the kind who would be okay with that?”
“My parents didn’t know.”
“Oh, this is going nowhere good.”
Caden nodded. “Beer, high school grads, loud music and then Debra shows up. I’d had one too many by then, which in those days was two or three. Debra started flirting with me again and we ended up making out like only half-drunk high school kids can. At the moment Debra took off her blouse in walked the newest deputy on the force, Hoover.”