In One Fell Swoop Read online

Julia let out a loud whimper as pictures from the campsite in the Green Swamps appeared. I literally stopped breathing.

  "A hiker in the swamps came by the campgrounds in the clearing earlier this morning, but found all the tents and one RV completely empty," the reporter said.

  She was standing on the other side of the police tape. Behind her, I spotted Sheriff Ivan. I had known him since third grade. Then they clipped to the hiker who had alarmed the police.

  "At first, I thought they were just all sleeping, but then I found this guitar on the ground. It was all broken and there was a trail of blood on the ground over there leading toward the trees. I thought it was very odd, so I looked inside one of the tents and found it empty. That was when I knew something was wrong here. I called the Sheriff's office."

  The camera turned back to the reporter, who said: "So far, no one knows where these campers have disappeared to…if they are in there somewhere in the deep swamps. But the trail of blood indicates that something might have happened to them. Park officials say there were two groups of people camping at the site and they are looking into alerting relatives. Back to you, Glen."

  Danielle turned off the TV and looked at me. I walked to Julia and grabbed her in my arms. She started weeping. "Oh, Mom. Sam’s not answering his phone and I haven't heard from him since yesterday morning. Greg isn’t answering either. Something terrible happened to him. I just know it did. I am so scared."

  I sighed, not knowing what to say. We knew too little to draw any conclusions yet. There were many campsites in the swamps. We didn't know it was them. At least not yet.

  "Grab my keys," I said to Grace.

  She took them from the table and threw them to me. "Why? Julia asked. "Where are you going?"

  "We," I said. "We're going to the campsite. All of us. We can't just sit here and do nothing, now can we?"

  Chapter 7

  We all fit in my pickup truck. It was a four-seater, and for that very reason, I rarely drove around on my own. My life was my children and grandchild and somehow I managed to always have at least one of them with me wherever I went. It was one of the benefits of living close together in the same small town. Someone always needed to be picked up or dropped off somewhere, or maybe they needed a cup of coffee at Irene's Diner and a word to cheer them up.

  "Go right at the intersection," Danielle said. "It's a faster way."

  I did as she told me. I knew my way to the swamps, anyone living in Webster did, but my daughters had spent the most time out there, especially when younger and hanging with the boys drinking beers in there, maybe hunting hogs and gators. It was what everyone did around these parts, especially the young ones, you know, for fun. There really wasn't much else to do.

  "Then take that little dirt road coming up on your left here," Danielle said and pointed again. "That'll get you to a small opening over there that'll lead you straight to the swamps and the closest entrance to the Gator Hole Campsite. This way you’ll get past everyone else trying to get there, all the police cars and TV crews."

  I smiled. This was just what we needed. "Thanks, hon."

  I turned the wheel, the tires screeched, and we ended up on the bumpy dirt road. We drove with water on both sides and I spotted a couple of gators lying lazily in the grass, enjoying it before it would be too hot for them in about an hour or so, and they would have to retire into the water to cool down. That was why gator hunting was best early in the morning. My third ex-husband Tommy and I used to do a whole lot of gator hunting in these parts. It was fun till he decided he would have more fun with Eloise from City Hall at that Christmas party two years ago. After that, he didn't think it was so much fun anymore, since I burned all his clothes while he begged me to take him back. And neither did Eloise when I ordered her that mountain of sand to block her driveway, which took her weeks to get rid of.

  "It's right over there; stop the car," Julia said and pointed.

  In front of us were three cars from the Sheriff's Office and two vans from the local TV stations. This was apparently turning into a big story.

  I parked the car, then jumped out. I spotted Sheriff Ivan in the crowd and walked quickly towards him.

  "Hey, Ivan!" I yelled, but he couldn't hear me. "Ivan, you little brat, you hear me?"

  Ivan was one year younger than me and had always been a grade level under me, which gave me the right to treat him like a kid.

  "You tell me what is going on here, right now, you hear me?"

  "I'm sorry, ma'am. Only police and paramedics can go beyond this point," an officer told me as I reached the police blockage.

  "Don't you tell me what I can and can't do," I said and lifted the tape, then walked under it. The young officer looked perplexed.

  "Ma'am, I am sorry, you can't do that."

  "This is my grandkid we're talking about," I grunted, "watch me."

  "But…but, ma'am?"

  "It's okay, Hanson," Sheriff Ivan said when he spotted me.

  He smiled. He was one of my biggest fans. Always in front of the stage when we sang at The Rocking Chair on Saturdays, cheering on us and lifting his beer to salute us.

  "Now, what do you know? Patty McGee. What brings you out here?"

  "My grandson," I growled. "I need to know if he is one of the missing people."

  Sheriff Ivan's smile froze. "You have reason to believe he was here?"

  "He went camping with his dad, Greg Kennedy, the day before yesterday. In the swamps somewhere. Now, there are many places to camp in the swamps, I told my daughter, but we need to know. We haven't heard from him since yesterday morning and he’s not answering his phone."

  "We're talking about Sam? Julia's boy?" Sheriff Ivan said and nodded in Julia's direction.

  She and her two sisters had stayed behind the police tape. Grace and Danielle were holding onto her like they were afraid she might fall. That was us McGee women for you. Always supporting each other, holding each other up when our feet couldn't bear us anymore. We could fight till the windows shook, but we always, always stood up for one another; we always took care of each other.

  "Yes. He came in here with Greg and Greg's colleague, John…something, I don't remember his last name. He's new around here, been here for about a year or so. They had his two kids with them."

  Ivan nodded pensively. An officer approached him holding a backpack in his hand. "We found this, Sheriff, in one of the tents." He lifted the backpack up so Sheriff Ivan could see it.

  I looked at it, then clasped my mouth when I recognized my grandson's bag. I turned and my eyes met those of Julia, whose legs gave out and she was now only standing by the strength of her sisters holding her up.

  Chapter 8

  They had sex on top of the toilet. It was the next morning and, since they were sharing their room at the motel with Emily, they had decided to do it in there, while she was still asleep. Billy didn't want to risk her waking up and seeing them like this.

  Billy was hung over and Darlene still drunk. They had hit the local bar when arriving in the small town the night before and watched the most amazing show. The Divas, or something like that, were singing on stage. Billy had always loved watching girls sing, but this was beyond anything he had ever seen. Not so much the three hot women dressed in short dresses—well at least two of them were—no, what had taken him completely by surprise was the old lady who was with them. She was shorter and pretty darn fat, but boy could she sing. She had that raspy soulful voice that he couldn't get out of his head. He did not see that coming.

  "I was thinking that maybe we should stay one more night," he said when they were done having sex and Darlene lit a cigarette. The smoke hit her eye and she closed it. She looked at her reflection in the mirror while putting her long pink hair up in a ponytail.

  "Another night? Why?"

  He shrugged and pulled his pants back on. "I don't know what it is. I kinda like it here."

  She turned to face him, then chuckled. "Like it? Since when do you ever like small towns like this?
"

  "I don't know. Maybe I’m just getting tired of driving. We've been on the road for days."

  Darlene shook her head and blew out smoke. "No. We can't do that. Someone might recognize us and we can't let that happen. That's how people get caught, you know. We got to keep moving."

  "Just one more day?" Billy said. "At least for Emily? She's sick of being in that old car."

  Darlene shook her head and snuffed the cigarette. Ashes rolled down the side of the sink and ended in the small pool of water gathered from the clogged drain. "No. No way."

  "Alright," he said, as he fastened his belt and held the door for her. "You're the boss."

  She smiled triumphantly and walked back into the room, cigarette in the corner of her mouth, one eye closed. "You bet ya' I am."

  They woke up Emily, handed her a bag of chips for breakfast, then started to pack up. Billy put their plastic bags with their few clothes in the trunk and closed it. Soon, Darlene and Emily trotted outside. Emily's hair was a mess.

  "You ready, baby girl?" he asked with a smirk.

  She rubbed her eyes, ate a handful of chips, then got in the car. Billy got in as well and looked at Darlene next to him.

  "We ain't paying?"

  "Nah. Gave him the deposit last night, that should cover it, am I right?" Darlene said indifferently.

  "You're not afraid you might leave a trail?" he asked.

  She shook her head. "We'll be long gone when he finds out."

  Billy started the car. "Okay. You're the boss."

  He drove onto Main Street and turned right. "Buh-bye, Webster. You were fun," he said, as they approached the city limit sign when the car started to sputter and soon came to a halt.

  "What the heck?" Darlene said. "Why ain't we goin' nowhere?"

  "It stopped," Billy said and turned the key in the ignition again. The car coughed and sputtered, but didn’t start. Billy looked at Darlene. "There's an auto shop right over there," he said. "Maybe we can push it over there."

  "Damn old crappy car," Darlene said and kicked it.

  "What's going on?" Emily said, sticking her head in between their seats.

  "Looks like we'll be staying a little longer, sweet pea," he said.

  "Yay," the girl exclaimed. "I like it here."

  "Well, don't get too darn attached to it," Darlene said and kicked her door open to get out.

  Chapter 9

  "We still don't know that anything bad happened to him," I said.

  Julia nodded with a sniffle. I had been talking to Sheriff Ivan for as long as he could before some guy in a strange suit pulled him away to look at something and I was told to leave the area.

  "They said there was blood," she said.

  "That could have been anything," I said. "I say, ain't nobody died till we see a dead body."

  It was meant to be comforting, but the thought of Sam's dead body made Julia whimper and cover her mouth.

  "What I’m saying is, we don't know anything yet, baby. Yes, he was here. No, they are not here, and yes, there was blood on the ground, but who knows? Maybe they just went for an early hike and will be back later, huh? Maybe the blood was from a hog they killed and ate, huh?"

  "How would that leave a trail of blood across the ground?" Grace asked.

  I gave her a look. "Not helping."

  "Sorry, just wondering."

  "Oh, my God, he's dead, isn't he?" Julia said. "My poor boy. He's gone."

  "Maybe it was a bear attack," Grace said.

  "Again. Not helping," I said.

  "Sorry."

  "If it was a bear, we would see dead bodies," Danielle said.

  "Thank you," I said. "Now that's helpful."

  Grace shrugged. "Maybe a pack of wolves or coyotes? They could have dragged their dead bodies into the swamps and eaten them in there."

  Julia whimpered again.

  "Grace! Will you stop it?"

  Grace looked apologetic. She never knew when to shut up. Julia cried helplessly. I comforted her.

  "Now, since we don't know anything yet, we might as well assume that Sam is fine," I said. "No one ever accomplished anything out of worrying. They have sent out search teams with dogs and everything. I’m sure they'll find Sam. Now, let's just wait here patiently and see, okay? It ain't over till it's over. The fat lady doesn’t even need to sing."

  Julia nodded. She was trying hard to keep it together and I was very proud of her for not giving in to the temptation of freaking completely out. Right now, she needed to stay calm and collected, well, at least as much as was possible in this situation. I was freaking out quite a bit myself but had to hide it and stay strong for my girl.

  The wait was unbearably long. We watched as the reporters did their pieces and the local TV station reported live from where the campers had gone missing. A reporter from Florida Today even approached Julia and asked her if she was a relative to any of the missing campers, but I chased her off like the vulture she was, trying to feed on my daughter's possible tragedy.

  Finally, after a couple of hours of waiting, we spotted the search team return. I saw my daughter's face light up as she spotted them, but the hope in her eyes immediately died down when she realized that they were alone. The guy in the front shook his head as the sheriff approached him. Ivan threw a glance in our direction, then turned to face him again, yelling loudly, "You won't find anyone standing there! Get back in there and continue. Don't come back till you find someone."

  I chuckled. Ivan had always been a good guy and I knew we could count on him not giving up till Sam was found.

  "I'm so scared," Julia whispered.

  I put my arm tight around her and pulled her close into my embrace. "I know, baby. I know."

  I held her close to me when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something in between the trees, or rather someone. "Who's that?" I asked and pointed at the figure. He seemed to be examining the trees and the soil and not caring much for what went on behind the police blockage. "Is that who I think it is?"

  Danielle turned and looked. She shrugged. "I don't know who that is."

  "Pete White," I mumbled, being suddenly taken back what felt like a thousand years. "Whitey, we used to call him, because he is so pale and it fits with his name."

  "That's Pete?" Danielle exclaimed. "The Pete? Your old high school flame?"

  "He was not!" I said.

  "You dated him, didn't you?" she continued.

  "Well, for a little while, yes. But it was nothing. I wonder what he’s doing out here?"

  "Didn't he become some sort of scientist?" Grace asked.

  "Yes, a botanist," I said. "I heard he lived outside of Orlando somewhere and was a professor at UCF. What is he doing here? I haven't seen the man in ages. Boy. Seeing him takes me back."

  "Another search team is coming back now," Grace said, and I turned my head to watch. Unfortunately, they too were alone. I exhaled and looked at Danielle. I handed her the car keys. "Maybe you could get us some coffee. Looks like we might be here a while."

  Danielle nodded and took off. As I watched her go, I looked in between the trees once again, but Whitey was gone.

  Chapter 10

  More people arrived at the scene during the day, and soon most of Webster was there, either watching or consoling the relatives. Or joining the search teams.

  Irene, Julia's boss and owner of Irene's Diner, brought everyone sandwiches and warm coffee. When nightfall came, Sheriff Ivan approached us and told us we should go home.

  "We'll be out here searching all night, but you should get some rest if you can," he said, addressed to us and the other relatives that had also shown up during the day when they realized what was going on.

  "We'll make sure to contact you if there is any news."

  I didn't like how he had gone from when there is news to an if.

  Julia shook her head. "I’m not going anywhere. My son is here somewhere and I have to find him; I have to."

  "You need some rest," I said. "Let me take
you home."

  "I…I can't, Mom. I can't just leave. I want to go in there and look for him myself. I know these swamps like the back of my hand."

  I forced her to look me in the eyes. "So do the sheriff's people. Everyone from Webster is here to help. Even Pastor Rick and Mayor Ingram. They grew up around here too, you know. They're doing everything they can. And since you know this place so well, you also know it is no place to be at night. The campsites are safe, or they used to be, but not in there," I said and pointed in between the trees. "These people are doing everything they can. There is nothing you can do. Now, you come with me and we'll drive back to the house. I'll pour you a whiskey that'll knock you out. I'll stay by the phone all night while you rest, okay?"

  Julia exhaled, then nodded. She stared in between the trees where flashlights flickered back and forth and dogs barked, probably warning the searchers of animals in the bushes.

  "He never even liked nature," she said. "As a matter of fact, he hated it. Why did I have to force him to go?"

  I exhaled, grabbed her around the shoulders, and started to walk. "Let's just go."

  No one spoke in the truck on our way back, and no one said a word when we got back to my house. All my girls threw themselves on the couches and recliners, while I went for the liquor cabinet. I wasn't much of a drinker. I hadn't touched a drop since my second husband, but today, for the first time in many years, I desperately needed it. We all did.

  I poured four glasses and handed them to my girls. They never drank much either and Grace smelled it, then made a grimace. Julia, on the other hand, grabbed the glass and downed it in one take.

  "Another one?" I asked.

  She nodded and I poured her a second glass that she downed as fast as the first, and then put the glass down. Minutes later, she was sound asleep in the recliner and I covered her with a blanket. Seeing how well it worked, my other two daughters downed their drinks as well, and about fifteen minutes later they were all asleep.