THE COTTAGE
Chapter 8
Written and illustrated
By Elaine Troisi
“Lower your voice, please.” Ned turned toward the cottage. “Caroline will hear you, and I don’t want her any more frightened than she already is.”
He started to walk away, but Tim placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
“Look, Ned. You promised me safe harbor up here in the boonies.” His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “Are we all in danger now? Caroline, too? What happened?”
“I wish I knew, Tim. There is no record of this cottage anywhere. I made sure of that.”
He stopped abruptly, his expression changing.
“Oh, my God.”
He swallowed hard. “They must have put a tracker on her car. They already know she’s my daughter.”
A flush of anger spread across Tim’s face. “How could you let this happen, Ned? For God’s sake, why did you send her here?” Tim drew a long breath and released Ned’s shoulder. “What do we do now?”
“We go back to the house,” Ned said quietly. “We act as though nothing’s changed. If someone is watching, I don’t want them knowing we’re on to them.”
Tim nodded reluctantly. “And Caroline?”
“I’ll tell her enough to keep her alert, but not enough to terrify her.”The two men walked slowly toward the cottage, forcing themselves to appear relaxed.
Every few steps, each glanced toward the tree line.
Inside, Caroline looked up from the brewing coffee.
“Everything all right?”
Ned forced a smile. “Just making plans. The house needs a lot of work, not just a paint job.”
“I already took care of electrical and plumbing in the bunkhouse,” Tim added, trying to sound casual.
Caroline poured coffee while listening. She didn't know who was the worst liar, but she had to play along. Smiling, she served her father’s favorite cake.
“Oh, Sweet Caroline,” he sang.
She laughed as Tim joined in.
Everyone relaxed a little. The conversation drifted to lighter subjects until, at last, it came naturally to an end.
“Goodnight, gentlemen. I'm off to dreamland,” she yawned.
Before leaving she leaned into her father for a hug. She studied his face a moment longer and whispered in his ear, “You’re a terrible liar, Daddy.”
He chuckled softly, but it lacked conviction.
Later, Ned and Tim sat on the patio with mugs of coffee.
“We’ll take turns standing watch tonight,” Ned said. “One sleeps while the other stays awake.”
Tim nodded.
“And tomorrow?”
Ned stared into the darkness beyond the yard.
“If they’re really here because of me, we’re beyond handling this ourselves.”
“You mean you will contact the Attorney General’s office?”
Ned nodded slowly. “I’ve still got people I trust.”
“You think they’ll send protection?”
“I don’t know.” He paused. “But if I make that call, everything changes. There’ll be no pretending this is temporary.”
Neither man spoke again.
Far beyond the edge of the clearing, unseen in the darkness, an engine started.
After a hot shower, Caroline was really sleepy. She climbed into bed, feeling safe, knowing that her father and Tim were watching over her. She smiled, closed her eyes and drifted off.
Sleep finally claimed her.
Then something pulled her back.
Tires.
On gravel.
She sat up. There was a car in the driveway.
She ran to the window and carefully parted the curtain. Two men exited the car. Soundlessly they retrieved something from the back seat.
Weapons, not pistols.
“Oh, no!” Her heart was racing, as she took the stairs two at a time. Out the back door in a second. She prayed Tim and her father were still on the patio.
But they had heard the sound as well and were already coming to get her.
Taking her father’s hand, they raced around to the barn.
The men had breached the front door. Flashlight beams passed by the windows.
“Daddy I'm scared! I don't understand what is going on! He squeezed her hand. “I'll explain it, just not now.”
“Follow me,” Tim whispered as he led them through the darkness of the barn.
It smelled of molding hay and dried manure. Something scampered across her feet. She jumped. Midway through her scream, Tim clamped his hand over her mouth.
Ned pulled her close. “Shh,” he whispered in her ear.
They stood leaning against the old, rusted out Chevy to catch their breath.
Then Tim knelt on the wooden barn floor as Ned and Caroline watched.
Somewhere beneath the truck, he pulled hard on something. The hatch lifted silently, revealing a ladder that suspended into darkness.
“No matter what happens, don't open the hatch until I give the say-so!”
Tim looked to Caroline, his finger to his lips. He motioned for her to go first.
A strong smell of damp and mustiness assaulted her nostrils. She pinched her nose closed.
Her father followed. Tim climbed down last and closed the heavy steel hatch.
Pitch black and nearly airless. “What the …” Ned began but stopped.
Tim turned on a battery powered lantern. He set it to low light, just enough.
Ned looked around the cramped room. “When did you build this?”
“Over the winter.”
“You expected this?”
Tim nodded once. “I hoped I’d never need it.”
Caroline gasped while a look of amazement spread across her father’s face.
“I'm just sorry I didn't make it a bit larger.”
“Air?”
“There is a vent hidden by a plumbing pipe, out of sight. It will get even stuffier with three of us, but we will be able to breathe.
Caroline said, looking around the room, “I see at least one sleeping bag and blankets, bottled water, canned goods, and even a first aid kit. Not a lot but enough for a few days.” She pointed to the corner. “And if I'm not mistaken, that's a compost toilet. Am I right?”
“Yes, and here,” he said, pulling a wooden box from the food shelf. He opened it, revealing a pistol, ammunition, and a satellite phone. “We have the basics.” He smiled.
Ned, still in disbelief, added, “Everything we need in a 6 by 8 safe room.” He paused to survey the concrete structure. “I'm amazed, son. You've done quite a job!”
Just then a shot rang out. All three jumped. “They've shot the lock off the barn door,” Ned whispered. Sit down. No talking and remain as still as you can.”
Ned looked at the terror on Caroline’s face, and his heart sank. It was one thing to be an agent in the field—quite another when your family is at risk. He put his arm around her shoulders. Tim nodded his head in silent understanding.
Then they listened. Heavy boots. Someone kicked a bucket. Another cursed.
“…look under that tarp…”
Bits of conversation whenever they were near the vent.
“ … upstairs…”
“… loft …”
Boots on the stairs to the bunkhouse.
“It's okay,” Tim signed to Ned.
Ned understood exactly what he meant.
That funny feeling crept up Caroline’s neck and she began to shiver. Shock.
Tim took off his coat, daring to move, and covered her, lingering.
“ …keep looking… “
A heavy boot scraped across the floors directly above the hatch.
No one in the safe room dared to breathe.