The Secret Garden of Martha Grim
By Richard A. Lopez
(c) 1992
page 22




Willie Cole had grown up in Porters Crossing. He was born here. He knew ever back trail, and side rode there was. That meant short cuts, too. So it was no big thing to cut off Rudy at Chalmer's point, a spot on the main road that was once used for logging. The back roads would tear a regular car to bits. You had to have a truck.
Not just any truck, a four wheel drive, with a damn powerful engine, a truck like Willie's.
Not like Rudy's

He had caught up with them at the point, and was waiting. They never knew what hit them. Willie came out of that old logging road, caught them in the rear quarter panel of the truck. "Wham!" The huge re-enforced bumper of Willie's Dodge "Power-Wagon" sent Rudy's smaller Pick-up Truck for a spin!

Fighting to maintain control of the truck, and hold on to Tommy at the same time, Rudy was on the fine edge of panic as the little truck careened acrossed the road and into the ditch on the other side of the road. At the last minute he pushed Tommy back into the seat, as the airbags deployed and the truck came to a jarring halt!
Willie sat in his truck, looking back at the truck as it sat in the ditch. He was waiting, watching, to see if it would explode. He didn't think he hit it that hard, but he had to be sure. After all, the kid was in there, and he needed the kid. The whole plan depended on the kid.
When he was sure that the truck wouldn't explode, Willie got out and approached it, he had to hurry. someone might come by and see what was going on, then he'd be fucked.
The ditch was well below the road, and you would have to be coming from the opposite side to see the truck, so he was cool..no cars were coming. He had to work fast. Going into the ditch, Willie reached the passenger side of the truck, the window was smashed. he looked in to see the kid slumped down against Infano. Seat belts! Infano had sense after all.
Wasting no time, Cole pulled out his pocketknife, reached in and slashed at the belt that held Tommy. He pulled the boy from the car, like he was a rag doll, and placed him on the ground. Tommy groaned. "Good," he thought, "at least the kid was alive."
Raising the knife, Willie was going to make sure that Rudy didn't wake up from this accident, when he heard a car coming. "Dammit!" He said aloud.
Looking to the road, waiting for the car to stop. When it didn't he knew he was right about the placement of his truck and this wreck, but he had to get out. Screw Infano, he'd probably die before help came anyway.
Willie left him in the truck and picked up Tommy and climbed out of the ditch and towards his truck.
Opening the door, he tossed Tommy in and climbed in after him. Starting up the truck, he tore off down the old logging road like the devil himself was after him, with Tommy moaning by his side.
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Callie McDeal stood in the doorway, the expression she saw on both men's faces told her what she feared most. Somehow, Martha Grim had gotten to the boys. that had to be it. there was no other way they would not have arrived before her.
She walked quickly to the front counter and gripped John's shoulder, before she knew what she was doing, pleading with him to tell her where they were. That they had to have arrived before her, they just had to!

John stood at least a head taller then her, and looked down into her eyes. It was like looking into deep black pools and for a moment he lost his train of thought. Carmine's voice brought him back around to the land of the living.
"Miss Callie, what are you talking about, ma'am?" he asked, sensing John's loss for words, "What do you mean?"
Callie hesitated for a moment, returning John's gaze with the same momentary intensity, then broke away to face Carmine.
"Rudy was headed here with Tommy, Tommy had to speak with his father." she looked back at John, now realizing that she was still gripping his shoulder, which she let go quickly. John noticed just a slight blush to her cheeks as she did so.

She continued her story, "Your son saw something, something awful, John. He was having Rudy bring him here to get your help. John, your son needs you to believe him.." she looked into his eyes again, this time with a strong conviction.

Again, John was struck by the beauty of this woman's eyes. They were like deep pools of black ink, that took you deep into her soul.
He forced himself to focus. "What did he see, Callie" his familiarity shocked him a bit, the amount of times he'd talked to her, he could count on two hands, but now was not the time to stand on ceremony. "Why was my boy coming here with Rudy?"


Callie clasped her hands to her chest, playing the scene over again for the two men. Poor Sarge's death. That vine slowly reaching out for Tommy while he made for Rudy's truck. The leaves wiping and absorbing the blood. Even now, as she recanted what she and Tommy had seen, it sounded more incredible than ever. Had she not witnessed it, she'd think herself mad.
This was madness. Plants tempting animals to their doom. attempting to take little boys off the street! It was too far flung to believe, but she saw it, from her bedroom window, she watched it all. And suddenly the tears started to flow. "That stupid cat," she said, sobbing, "He was always going near that garden. He'd never go in, just near. Why John? Why my Sarge?" she looked at him, tears rolling down from those dark pools..
"God, she even cried beautifully" he thought" John put his hands on her shoulders, soft, but firm, he thought.."Stop that, dammit! focus" he thought to himself, "Hey now, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation..we just need to find it. We need to see what's up with Rudy and Tommy.."

"Yeah, speaking of those two, Rudy should have been here by now. Tell you what, I'm going to call him, that's what I'll do. We'll find out where he is right now!" Carmine said, and went to the phone behind the counter.
As Carmine dialed Rudy's number, John got Callie a bottled water from the case at the side of the counter. "There you go, drink that, you'll feel better." he said
She thanked him as she took the water. He had even opened the cap and then placed it back, so as not to spill, How could Ann give such a gentleman up was beyond her, but then that woman was a fool.
Carmine came back to them, "There was no answer. Now I'm starting to get worried." The fear was showing on his weathered features.

"You should be.." Came the voice from the doorway...
They all turned to look. Standing in the doorway, with the assist of Daniel Beck, the local UPS Carrier, was Rudy, holding a bloody rag to his head. "John, Willie took your son...right after he ran us off the road!"