Chapter 6
Judge Monti Wagner was a confused man. He was like an old bloodhound dog. He could smell something wrong, but there was nothing to confirm it. His day had been uneventful after the sheriff had let him off at the courthouse, and he'd gone home to spend a lonely evening. His young son was never around, always off somewhere with his buddies.
He saw a hurriedly scribbled note that informed him that Stu was out with his friends. If only that kid was easier to handle, he'd be a happier man. It had been a hard time since Stu's mother had died and left him alone to train the headstrong boy. Monti knew he was a good Judge, but nothing meant anything to him after his lovely Sara had died. He'd tried to teach Stu right from wrong, but this day and age young people wanted freedom . . . freedom from parents and any sort of moral restraint.
Jittery and unsure of what was wrong, the judge had to grin once again as he thought of Sam Jansen's smart old hound dog being sprayed by a skunk last night. The dog had been deliberately set up, of that he was sure, but by whom?
The prowler at Ma Perry's really bothered him, and that new woman school teacher was too nervous she was scared about something. Everything about the whole damned event was all wrong! Nothing made sense! Here it was only nine o'clock in the evening, and he was too upset to settle down.
Quickly, he made up his mind to drive around and relax if nothing else. And, he just might find something to help him figure this thing out. Lights were on in the boarding house but Sam didn't seem to be home. His pickup truck wasn't parked in front of the house where it usually was. Thinking about last night, he decided to have a talk with Marie, if she was up, and maybe with Sam gone, he'd find out what really happened. Damn, he'd sure hate to be the man, or men, Sam was looking for. He'd probably blow their brains out! And then Sam would be up before him on a manslaughter charge of something.
He parked in front of Ma Perry's and sat listening for a few minutes before getting out. Everything was quiet tonight. Switching off his lights, he swung out of the car, loudly stamping his feet, coughing loudly, and making sure he was heard before he started walking up toward the boarding house. He didn't want anyone in the house taking pot shots at him. He knocked on the door and waited.
"What the hell do you want," he heard Sam Jansen exclaim from the slightly cracked door.
"Sam?" the judge said in surprise, as the door was swung open. "I thought you were gone! The truck?"
"Well, I'm not! I'm waiting for that son of a bitch last night to come back."
"Well, I was just keeping an eye on things. Saw the light and thought I'd make sure it was okay."
"Well?" Sam said questioningly. "Could I come in," Monti Wagner asked. "I want to talk to you."
"Come on in, then!"
"What happened to your pickup," the judge asked as he stepped into the hallway and followed Sam to the parlor.
"I loaned it to that young school teacher, but she ain't back yet."
"Where was she going?"
"I really can't say," he scratched his head, and added, "She said she was taking some books to some young'uns. But, she didn't say who."
"She shouldn't be running around alone in the dark, Sam."
"I know, but dammit, I thought she'd be back by now."
"Was she alone?"
"Yeah, sure! I saw her drive away," Sam said his face wrinkled in a frown. "I hope she's all right."
"Probably is," the judge said thoughtfully, "but I'll look around for her. Goodnight, Sam, watch out for prowlers."
"You bet I will. I'm gonna fill em so full of buckshot they'll be picking it out for the next six weeks."
Monti slammed the door as he stepped out into the night and he' heard Sam lock it behind him. He turned his thoughts back to the girl, wondering where the hell she could be this time of night. She could be in trouble if she treated everyone the way she had him! Her high and mighty ways could get her in bad trouble with the men around this part of the country. They didn't like to be put down, and she could do it just looking down her nose at you.
He drove slowly, checking the two bars, but they were both quiet and there was no pickup truck parked in front of either one that looked like Sam's. He stopped at a little truck stop and had a cup of coffee, his mind figuring out what to do next. It must be small kids she was visiting, since most of the older boys were out with his son.
Well, he'd just have to drive past some of the houses where there were small children and check it out! For some reason he felt worried about the beautiful young blonde.
After driving for an hour, Judge Wagner decided there was no need to keep running around like a dog chasing his tail. He'd take a run up into the mountains and check out the workers camp. Maybe he'd learn something up there about last night!
Unaware of the Judge's activities, Sandy Miller woke with a painful start. She opened her eyes to see the sun streaming through the truck windows. She gasped and jerked up in the seat, her cramped body felt like it had been beaten and torn from one end to the other. Her head ached and the sun hurt her eyes so badly she clenched them shut. She groaned as each movement sent piercing stabs of pain throughout her body.
Suddenly, everything began to overwhelm her, coming back like a heavy cloud to settle in her brain. She pulled her tortured body up and behind the steering wheel and opened her eyes again. She saw the high mountains and the thick trees all around her. She didn't know where she was, but she had to get back to the boarding house with Mr. Jansen's truck. He would be furious with her for keeping it for so long. He'd probably already called the law and reported it.
She struggled into her rumpled clothes and reached for the ignition. The keys were gone! Oh God, no . . . not that! The least they could have done after violating her body was leave the keys for her. And then she felt the hot tears fill her eyes, and she sobbed as she got out of the truck and began the search for them.
She saw the place where she'd lain, naked and obscene while the boys did every conceivable thing to her. . . and she to them! She was just turning away from the painful scene when she saw the keys lying in the dirt. Grateful for the means to get away from here, she sighed and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Exhausted from sexual satiation, her mind filled with horror and despair, and something too black to admit to herself, Sandy managed to back the truck down the narrow trail to the main road. She stared both ways not knowing which way they had come, and not knowing what to do.
Unfortunately, she turned the opposite direction of Ma Perry's boarding house. Her fright grew and she began driving as recklessly as though a ghost was following her. She didn't know the road and wasn't aware of the "S" curve up in front of her. She was going down hill too fast when she hit it and was unable to control the unfamiliar truck. She hit the dirt bank at the side of the road and lost control as the steering wheel spun rapidly. The pickup skidded across the ditch and landed in the bushes that lined the highway, forcing the door open and throwing her out into the dirt where she lay unmoving . . .
Judge Wagner had checked out the camp high up in the mountains, had a drink and played a little poker with some of the men who were half drunk, and drove into town again just about dawn. He'd had breakfast with the farm workers before coming back and he was satisfied they were innocent of breaking into Ma Perry's boarding house. Now, as he drove past the boarding house, he saw nothing of Sam's pickup. Jansen was sure up early this morning, he thought as he wondered what the Miller girl had been up to.
He drove home and found Stu asleep in his room. He stood there staring down at the boy's innocent features and then went to make a pot of black coffee.
He was on his second cup when the phone rang. It was his friend Steve Batson, the neighboring county sheriff and he was reporting an accident. Since he'd identified Sam Jansen's truck as being the car involved, and since a young woman was driving it, he'd decided to call the Judge first.
"The truck's okay, Monti, but the girl's in the hospital." the sheriff said.
"How badly was she hurt?" the judge asked.
"Minor injuries from the accident, but she's in bad condition, Judge. Who is she anyway?"
"She's our new school teacher, Sandy Miller, and she borrowed Sam's truck to go see some kids." Monti answered, his mind in a turmoil. "What do you mean she's bad off?"
"I meant something happened to her. She's in trouble of some kind."
"Yeah! How long do you think she'll be hospitalized?"
"It'll be a couple days anyway."
"Keep an eye on her Steve, and let me know when she's ready to leave." Monti said thoughtfully, then added. "I'll send Sam along to get the truck."
"You can tell me, Monti. What's she done?"
"Nothing that I know about. Seems innocent enough."
"Seems scared to death to me," Ken said firmly. "Almost crazy!"
"Watch out for her, Steve. I'd appreciate it." Judge Wagner said, and then added. "See ya, boy."
"Okay, Monti."
Judge Wagner just couldn't figure this thing out. Well, he'd better get going and tell Sam what happened. Old Sam was gonna be really pissed at this happening to his truck. He'd probably never loan it again.
After he reported the accident to Sam Jansen, he would forget the whole thing. It wasn't any of his business now, and he was pretty sure the young school teacher would not be back to haunt him. He stopped his car, got out, and then, he saw a strange car parked by the boarding house. It was a rented car and that was unusual for this town.
Just as he reached the front steps of Ma Perry's, Sam threw the door open, "Judge, I just called the sheriff. My pickup hasn't been brought back."
"I know, Sam. I got news for you." Judge Wagner said and began to explain about the accident.
"Shit, what happened, Monti?" He asked kicking the toe of his boot against the door jamb. No one knows, Sam, the girl's in the hospital but not badly hurt. You're truck's okay, the sheriff said."
"Come on in," Sam invited, looking relieved that his pick-up was okay. "I'll get you some coffee."
As they stepped into the dining room, Monti saw a strange young man seated at the table, "Judge," Sam said, "This is Mr. Simpson . . . "
But before he could finish the introduction, the young man stood up and said, "Paul.. . Paul Simpson. I'm Miss Miller's fianc'. She's the new school teacher for this . . . this place and I'm looking for her. Do you know anything about her?"