Mike Jr. was just coming in from his evening shift, his wife Lorraine had messaged him that Kate, her older sister, had some trouble at home and was going to stay for a few days. He didn’t think much of it and was preparing a time for a long range scouting party. There were a lot of details that went into these ventures and he wanted to make sure that everything was ready, mostly, because he wasn’t going this time. His Team was training a new leader and it was time for him to take the team out.
That night he got home late. Lorane and Kate were talking in the kitchen and he only passed through long enough to kiss Lorane and head to bed. He really didn’t want to get involved with the drama of someone else's family.
When Mike got up he found Lorane in the kitchen crying. He asked, “Did you sleep last night?”
She shook her head no.
“What’s wrong?” Mike looked at the kettle, it was cold.
Since there was not going to be hot tea, he just sat down.
“He hit her.” Lorraine said.
“What do you mean?” Mike asked.
“He backhanded her because she put soup in his thermos.” Lorraine said with anger in her voice.
“Oh.” Mike said.
Lorraine looked up, “She can’t go back there.”
“Well, Um…” Mike was unsure what to say.
“This isn’t the first time.” Lorraine said.
“Oh shit, really!” Mike let an explanative slip.
Lorraine shot him a look.
“Sorry.”
After a second, “Oh, yeah, they can stay. I’ll get some beds from the commons and… we will have to double up the kids.” Mike said as he was thinking, “Maybe I’ll look for some bunk beds.”
“This might be for a little while.” Lorraine stated.
“We’ll manage. I’ll talk to my dad and see if he can help.” Mike Jr. said.
“Our parents won’t help.” Lorraine said.
Mike caught the feelings in her words, “Why?”
“My dad.” Lorraine said.
“I don't understand. Why wouldn’t your dad help?” Mike asked.
“He…” Lorraine didn’t know how to say it, “He.. kinda arranged the marriage.”
Mike chuckled, “What do you mean, arranged.”
“Well, I’m not sure exactly what happened, but shortly after we started dating he brought Steve home and introduced him to Kate. I was barely home anymore, between work and the apprenticeship and us. I just wasn’t there.” Lorraine looked out the window, “The next thing I knew they were engaged. It seems strange, but here.” She looked around, “So many things are different, so I didn’t question it.”
“So she was told to marry him?” Mike was trying to figure out what Lorance was not saying.
“I think so.” Lorraine said. “Kate won’t admit it, but it’s the way she talks about him. I'm fairly sure she doesn’t love him.”
“They have kids.” Mike just couldn’t fathom having kids with a woman that he didn’t love. The idea was just too far out there. “They’ve been married for twelve years.” Mike shook his head. “No.”
The conversation just ended. Lorraine was a little disappointed that Mike couldn’t see her perspective and things got a little frosty between the two. Mike just put his head down and worked. With his team out, he had time to get things down around the house. He found some bunks and started rearranging the girl’s bedrooms. His son, Ryan was going to stay out in the barn, it was spring and the temperatures were mild. He actually was excited to be out of the house and away from all of the girls. Mike couldn't agree more and made a small bed for himself just in case things got too emotional in the house. Ryan thought it was cool.
During the day, Lorraine and Kate were down at the council chambers working with the arbiter. It usually didn’t last too long as Steve was being difficult. He kept insisting that he kept the house and that the girl would stay with him. She could come in during the day to take care of the girls and get them off to school. Then leave by the time he came home.
With Lorraine help, Kate resisted this idea and wanted Steve to move out.
It was Wednesday and Mike's oldest daughter, Melisa came home early from school, she was twelve going on seventeen. She was sad. Mike saw her coming in from the barn and called her over. She reluctantly came in. “What’s up?”
“Me and Sam got into a fight at school.” She said.
“Oh.” Mike put down his tool and looked at his daughter, “Over what?”
She didn’t want to say.
“Do they know you’re gone?” Mike asked.
“No.”
“So, you just up and left school?” Mike was getting upset.
“Yeah.”
“What was the fight about?” Mike asked again, this time his tone meant that she required an answer.
“She said you don’t love me.” Melisa blurted out.
“Oh?” Mike didn’t understand. He was always telling his kids that he loved them. “You know that’s not true.”
“She says her dad has a special hug just for them.” Melisa asked. “And a tickle spot.”
The hair on Mike’s neck stood. He needed to be very sure of what he just heard. “Did she show you what she meant?”
“Kinda.”
Mike sure wished Lorraine was here. His daughter was not yet a young woman, but he was thinking that this was dangerously heading in that direction. “Can you show me?” he said slowly
Melisa reached for her left breast and then put her left hand towards her crotch, “something like this.”
Now Mike's mind was racing, “I see.” he said as calmly as he could, “Are you sure?”
Melisa saw the alarm in her dad's eyes and said nothing.
“Melisa. Are you sure?” Mike said slowly
Melisa just shook her head yes and tears started down her face. Something was wrong and the look on her dad's face was starting to scare her.
Mike tried to calm himself. “Okay, just get your chores done. I need to head into town.
Melisa shook her head yes. She stammered out, “What’s wrong?”
“I hope nothing.” Mike said, but his voice betrayed him. He went in and got his gun and put it in his holster. Then strapped it to his hip and thy. It was designed so he could run. He then left the house. Melisa was cleaning in the kitchen and crying. She had made her dad mad and didn’t know why.
Mike ran all the way to town. About two thousand yards from the commons he slowed down to a walk. He needed to catch his breath. He felt for the gun. His mind was made up. But he needed his body to slow down and breathe. He walked calmly up to the commons and headed to the council chamber where the arbitration was ongoing.
He punched through the doors and pulled his gun, walked up to Steve and threw him to the floor putting the gun right to his forehead, “You sorry ass bastard. Molesting your own girls!!”.
Everyone was caught off guard. Mike senior yelled “Junior!”
Mike Junior didn’t look away, “This bastard is molesting his own girls and telling them that he loves them better than any dad.”
Lorraine looked at Kate for an answer.
Kate looked away.
The sheriff came through the door with two deputies and froze when she saw Mike Junior with this gun to Steve's forehead.
Mike Junior was getting frustrated. “Talk!” he yelled
Kate started crying.
Lorraine comforted her.
“Tell them what you are doing or I’ll end you right here.” Junior said coldly.
Finally Steve spoke, “He crazy!”
Mike looked him in the eyes, “They already told my daughter.”
Steve looked scared
Mike shoved the gun a little harder into his forehead.
Steve started to yell out in pain.
Mike senior did not move and put up his hand towards the sheriff to indicate not to do anything.
Kate finally said while crying, “I didn’t know.”
At this point, Mike Junior’s rage had subsided just a bit. The run, the encounter. The looked in Steve’s eyes. He was guilty. All they needed to do now was interview the girls and it would be over.
He heard Kate crying and saying, “I didn’t know.” over and over again. How could she not know? His anger was starting to swell again.
Next thing Mike Junior knew, his dad was next to him, “Put it away.” His words were softer than he had ever heard from his dad. And the tone was that of concern, concern for his well being. Mike Junior looked at Steve. The fear in his eyes. He reduced the pressure on the man’s forehead, then pulled the gun back and gave it to his dad. He then put his hands up in surrender.
Mike senior pulled his son aside.
The deputies rushed forward and grabbed Steve, who protested loudly that Mike Junior needed to be arrested for assault.
The sheriff stopped his deputies and said to Steve, “You want him in with you?” indicating Mike Junior.
Steve didn’t answer.
“Get him out of here.” The sheriff finally said.
The advocate finally said, “I didn’t sign up for this. I quit.”
Alan Scott had remained silent this entire time. Mike had it handled and he didn’t want to make a bad situation worse. He finally said, “This arbitration is canceled. We have more to investigate here. He looked towards Susan, she shook her head yes. No need to talk with Mike.
“Lorraine, please take Kate home and we will send an investigator to look into the…” Alan didn’t know what to say at this point. He looked at Mike.
“Well, we are going to have to investigate both parents.” Mike said.
“This was going to get ugly.” Jr said.
Then Kate said, “I didn’t know..” and cried even louder.
To the Sheriff, Alan stated, “Steve is to remain in custody until we have a better idea of what is going on here.” He looked at Kate, “You will return to your home, but your children will remain with Lorraine.” Alan then looked at Junior, “You can’t go home. Not yet.” Alan sat down. This is not what he needed right now. Planting was in just a few weeks. The rains have not been what they need and now they are in the middle of something so ugly that it’s going to be impossible to keep a lid on it. Someone molesting their own children. There was just no way to keep this quiet. His mind was racing on how to work all the issues.
Susan moved closer to Alan, “She’s going to need a guard.” she pointed at Kate.
Alan looked at Susan, she was right of course, they needed to protect Kate until the truth came out. He looked at Mike Senior, “Please have a detail go to the Martenson home and secure it.” He thought for a second then said, “Kate is to be confined to the bedroom and escorted to the outhouse and kitchen. She is not” Putting a huge emphasis on Not. ”to have access to anything else while the investigation is ongoing.”
There were a ton of other details that needed to be handled, but not while emotions were so high. Alan looked at Kan and Lopez, “Can you clear your schedule to look into this?”
Kan shook his head no, “I’m working on the plows right now. We have three hundred acres that need to be ready in two weeks.
Lopez spoke up, “I’ll get with Walk, I’m sure we can put our head together on this.”
Alan accepted the offer but by the next day, the security teams discovered what was happening in the “Shed” and all the arrangements of the previous day went right out the window. Steve’s assistance caved immediately about the little distillery and the speakeasy was broken up. The fact that all of this was going on right under the council's nose shows just how big a problem this was. They had spirits for consumption, but it was limited. The bulk of what was made at the distillery was for sanitation, medical and food prep. Some of it was biofuels for tractors and some vehicles. And all of this came at an extreme cost. Labor, wood for fuel and grains were being set aside for this purpose. The fact that people were siphoning off some for themselves was alarming. And how much of this was happening. Steve couldn’t be the only one.
A surprise inspection of the workers lockers and belongings showed that as many as ten people were taking product home and if this was happening on a daily basis, well that would be very expensive in a few months time. The bigger question was, how. How was so much walking out the front door without anyone noticing.
By Friday Alan was exhausted. They had six people under investigation with four arrested, a family shredded, a child molestation case or worse, two speakeasies uncovered and what looked like a crime syndicate growing in their midst. Mike was going to take the lead on the crime syndicate, Walk took on the investigation at the distillery, Susan and Allison were working with the girls for counseling and extracting information for a case against one or both the parents. Lawrence was trying desperately to ensure that people rights were not being infringed upon. Kan and Lopez were tracking down the trail of workers helping with the movement of illegal alcohol.
This had gotten way out of control and nothing was going to get resolved before the first planting, which meant that some of the rats were going to get away. Alan was beginning to wonder if this was just the tip of the iceberg or the whole thing. They had done their best to not keep secrets or hoard things. Container Christmas was all about the distribution of what was in the container. Nothing was held back unless it would be needed at a later date. And there was still a mountain of stuff near the commons that was for the taking. Yet here they were. Then he thought of the Martenson family. How much were they going to learn about them and was it bigger than just them. Alan hoped not. The fact that this deviant behavior was here, but was it bigger than just one family. Alan remembered a statement made by Lorraine, that the marriage was arranged by Kate’s father. That seemed so strange. Why would someone agree to that? The idea that this was the tip of a few icebergs made his head hurt. With the limit of their…government, what would take priority? And would he be the one to determine this? Most likely not. The council was going to have to do that.
It was late and Alan wanted to head to bed but as he came into the kitchen he found Allison crying. She was looking at some papers on the table and tears were dripping from her cheeks. Alan came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She did not respond. The papers she was looking at were drawings made by the Martenson girls and they were disturbing. Alan could see where Allison’s tears had hit the pages. “You need to stop looking at those.”
“I can’t help it. This man is a monster.” She said,
This was surprising to Alan as his wife was always trying to advocate for people. Something about their past and how they can’t think with their upstairs brain. Most are just trying to survive and much of the time it means that they use basic survival skills to ensure that they live another day. And many times, that can look very primitive. But this time, she labeled Steve a monster.
She explained, “He knew exactly what he was doing and how to groom his kids to say nothing. If it weren’t for the two older girls being jealous of each other, this may not have come out any time soon.”
“But it has and we have time to fix this.” I tried to be assuring.
“No, this trama, will follow them their entire lives.” Allison stated. She turned to Alan, “They were groomed to be sex slaves, if not to him, then to someone else. And I think she was too.” She stood up to look at her husband, “This is only the beginning and most likely these girls are going to lose both their parents.”
“What are you saying?” Alan didn’t like where this was going.
“She may not have known the details, but she knew what her husband was and that he was preparing the girls for a life like hers.” Allison was very sure of herself.
“So she’s a victim and a willing participant.” Alan asked.
“Not quite. She may have been molested and given to Steve to produce more children for their sick scheme.” She explained.
“How do you prove that?” Alan asked.
“We need to tear their place apart, board by board if we have to. We need to find evidence of what he was going to do with his kids once they were of age. And we need to make sure she doesn’t destroy any evidence. Then we need to do the same thing with Kate’s parents' house.”
“Wait, what?” Alan could not believe his ears.
“You heard me, this goes deeper than the Matherson's. And we need to do this tonight.” Allison said.
“Tonight?”
“It may be too late already, but I’m hoping not.” Allison said.
“Okay.” And Alan headed for the living room where he kept his radio. Within minutes both the sheriff and Mike were at his front door. Once Allison explained her theory they contacted Lorance and gathered two teams, they were going to strike both homes at once.
Lorance was invited in and was shown what they had. He looked at the pictures and read the testimonies. His hand was supporting his head. Alan had never seen Lorance like this. When he was done he looked up with tears running down his face and in a quivering voice said, “Go get these bastards.”
With that Alan spoke to his mic, “Go. Go. GO!”
By morning’s light two ledgers were found at the Matherson's house and one at Kate's parent's house. Both were coded. One ledger was done in liters, so that was set aside as it was most likely the alcohol activities of Steve and the speakeasies. The other two were broken up into two categories. One seemed to be that for kids, both girls and boys. The second indicated customers. It was suspected that some of the kids were being prostituted out to others. And these others were recorded in code.
Alan remembered a conversation with Jack Copeland, something about being able to get sex at a price. The hair on his neck lifted. Would Jack do this? He was an officer of the old law, could he participate in this? Alan looked at Mike, “These rats can’t get away. We need to stop them.”
Mike said nothing. Then like someone kicked him, “I shouldn’t have stopped junior.” Then shook his head. “It’s one thing to come across this out there. There’s no law. You just take care of it. This.” He flung his hands at the ledgers, “This… We need to destroy them. This is a capital offense and we just can’t let them go. That’s not good enough.”
“Are you talking about a public execution?” Alan asked.
“No. Not public, but execution.” Shaking his head, “Yes.” Mike stated. “And no bodies to bury. No grave to remember. We dump them in the sound.”
“Damn Mike. That’s…” Alan didn’t even have words for this.
“We need to destroy this.. All of it. Leave nothing behind and record it all. Everyone in this colony needs to know this will not be tolerated. We're not deviants. Those that are will be found out and…”
“Stop. This is not going to be a witch hunt.” Alan stated.
“I don’t want that either, but we need to find these guys and destroy them.” Mike stated firmly.
“I need to go talk to someone. But I don’t want you coming.” Alan said.
Mike looked at him, “Jack.”
“Damit Mike.” Alan said.
“I read every one of your reports. I know what’s going on here just as much as you do.” Mike said, “And I’m coming.”
“I need to do the talking.” Alan said.
“I’m just there to hold the gun.” Mike shot back.
“He can’t be involved with this, but he might know someone who is.” Alan said hopefully.
If you want to order the books, see below.
Book 2 is available in paperback or Kindle: "Graham Heights"
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