Dakota (Ch 13)

"I don't know who he thinks he is. I drive all this way and he treats me like dirt. I'm not dirt. Look at me. Just look at me. I have guys crawling over each other to get at me. I have options. And he goes and treats me like this. I don't deserve this. But he needs me. He can't go on without me. He's such a jerk, acting like he doesn't need me. Who is he kidding?"

She gripped the steering wheel as if her body dangled helplessly over a cliff. Her vision was clouded with tears and vanity. She maneuvered the vehicle down the winding gravel road, with no precaution. Her emotions were unrelenting, inexplicable, irrational. She swerved, creating a cloud of dust in her wake.

"Screw you Jake. I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving this no man's land until I get what I came for. I'm taking my man back. We're leaving this place together. Things are gonna be like they used to be. They're gonna be better."

She heard the muffled sound of her phone ringing from her purse. She reached her right hand into the bottomless pit of a bag and searched for it. Where was it? Maybe it was him. Where was the phone? She turned her head to look into the sack that was her purse. When her eyes returned to the road, she had just enough time to right the trajectory of the car. A low hanging limb caught the antenna and passenger side mirror. She didn't seem to care. She kept digging for the phone.

"Ah, got it. Hello? Mom, hi, yeah I was going to call you. Mom, calm down, I'm fine. I know, I know. I should have told you I wouldn't be home. Where am I? Well...don't freak out. Promise? OK, well, I uh, I...I'm in South Dakota. You said you weren't going to freak out. Shut up. No shut up. This is my life. I'll damn well do what I want. Mom, I have to do this. I have to. Stop. Just stop. Mom..."

Her attention had faded from her driving. She paid no mind to the road that stretched before her. Her speed increased. Her steering became more erratic.

"No you listen to me. I'm a grown woman. I'm not losing him. I won't let it happen. He's not perfect either. I don't care; we're going to be together. He misses me, I know it. He still wants me. He does. Stop. Stop it. He does. Mom don't..."

/ / /

Holt's right hand instinctively moved to his right hip. He was ready, if he needed to be. He glanced to Janie. Her head had slumped forward. She had passed out again. The figure before him stood still at the door. It was then that he noticed how large the puddle of blood beneath Jake's body had become.

"Please state your name, Miss."

He rose to his feet.

"Carolyn Murphy. Sheriff we spoke on the phone. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

He relaxed but dropped to his knees again. The amount of blood concerned him.

"This probably isn't the best time, Mrs. Murphy.

"I really didn't expect to walk in on something like this. I mean, I've never met Jacob Samuels, but I didn't expect this."

"Well he's had an eventful day."

Her calm demeanor struck an odd chord. This woman had just lost her husband. And she had lost him quite unexpectedly. He was murdered and dumped in the woods. Yet now, she walked into a house she didn't know and saw the body of man sprawled across the living room floor and she offered no reaction. This was abnormal. This wasn't right.

"After burying my husband, I stayed in for a while. I didn't do much, go out. I drove up today to talk to Mr. Samuels. I wanted to talk to him about our situation. You know, since his brother was also killed."

She spoke as though this sort of thing happened everyday. There was an air of nonchalance. The words came easily; they rolled off her tongue like a familiar story.

"Ma'am I'm sorry. But Jake's hurt. He's hurt real bad. I can't talk about the case now and clearly he can't either."

"Will they be taking him to County? Perhaps I can follow the ambulance."

"I don't think that's appropriate. I don't think this is the time."

"Hmmm. You might be right. But I drove all the way out here, I'd hate for it to be for nothing."

Did she really not get it? Look at him. He's lying on the floor. There is a puddle of blood growing larger by the minute. He can't talk right now. What needed to be explained?

"Like I said, now just isn't the time. He's gonna need some time to recover. It might be a while. I've got my hands full here."

She stepped past Janie without acknowledgment and took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa. Somehow it still hadn't sunken in. He reached for his radio.

"What's the ETA on the medics? The bleeding is getting worse here."

The muffled response crackled and faded. Holt's head dropped. Ten more minutes. Janie still sat lifeless on the couch. Jake was unresponsive, but still breathing.

"Are you sure there is nothing we can discuss about the case while we wait, Sheriff?"

"Not now. Look around. This isn't the time."

His patience was wearing thin. If she pushed him much farther, he was going to start yelling. He didn't want to yell at her, but it was quickly coming to that. His phone chirped. He exhaled.

"Holt. Go 'head."

"Holt. Kahle here. I've got something for ya."

He really didn't want to talk about the investigation. Especially not with Murphy's widow sitting across the room staring at him.

"Really. Right now Kahle?"

"What's going on? You on a call?"

"I've got my hands full over here Donny."

"Where you at? You need a hand?"

"No, no. I've got it under control. Nothing else that can be done. Medics on its way. Comin' up to the Samuel's place."

"What happened?"

"There's a sister. She's a drunk. She sent Jake flying down the stairs. It's pretty bad. He's lucky that I was here when it happened."

"Yeah, well about that. We need to talk. Is she there with you right now?"

"She's passed out on the sofa. Why?"

"You bringing her in to County too?"

"Yeah, they're both coming in when the bus gets here."

"Good. I'll meet you there. Just keep her in your sights."

"Kinda freaking me out Kahle. But don't worry. I'm watching."

"Alright Sheriff. I'll see you in the ER."

"10-4 Donny. Out"

"Over n'out."

He returned his phone to its clip on his belt. He reached for the radio on his shoulder. His eyes met Carolyn's. There was an excitement now visible. She wanted to know what had developed with the case. He knew she wanted to ask. He hoped she wouldn't

"Dispatch."

He thought he saw Jake's eyes begin to open. He squeezed Jake's left hand. No response.

"Dispatch. I'm still waiting on an ambulance. I need a paramedic up here. Where're they at?"

He waited. There was only fuzzy reverb that emitted from his radio.

"Dispatch."

"Sheriff Holt. The ambulance is reporting that Elk River Lane is blocked 1 mile North of the main road."

"Blocked? By what?"

"The crew says a car drove into a tree. The accident had just occurred. They pulled the driver out. She's going to be OK. But they requested a fire truck. The vehicle is fully involved. They fear the pines could catch fire."

"God dammit. I need an ambulance up here. Can you send it down Elk River from the North end."

"Negative, Sheriff. The county tells me they haven't cleared the road north of the bridge."

"Tell 'em they gotta hurry. They gotta get that car out of the way. They have to move it."

"The fire department is now on site. When the blaze is under control, they'll pull the vehicle out of the way if they can. Sorry, Sheriff."

"Keep me posted."

"10-4."

It was Rebekah. What else could possibly go wrong. Wessington wasn't the place it had been before Jake Samuels returned.

"Jake, can you hear me?"