The Hunter, The Dragon And The Smokey Mountain Angel
Chapter 20

The next morning, Julia awoke to a knock at the door. She rolled out of bed and shook off visions of the sheriff snatching her out of her home while naked again. She quickly put on some old clothes and looked through the peephole in the door. The same sheriff who had arrested her yesterday morning stood on the front porch. There were others behind him but she couldn’t make out who they were. The officer had a smile on his face and a new doorknob in his hand.

Julia kicked the crowbar she had wedged under the broken doorknob out of the way and opened the door. She smiled and said, “Welcome back and thank you for waiting for me to answer this time. I like meeting guest fully clothed.”

The sheriff’s smile widened and as he nodded, he swiveled his lower jaw holding back a full smile. He pivoted on his left foot and revealed a small army of men and women. They held power tools, hammers, shovels and other items.

“I thought I’d invite a few of my friends to help me,” The sheriff said.

“Julia leaned out the front door and waved at the waiting people. They smiled and waved back and she said, “Don’t ya think that’s a little over kill for a door repair?”

“Yeah, well, during my brief– visit inside your home, I noticed that this place needed some, repairs. We want to fix the roof, windows, garden, handrails and anything else we can. We need to have this place fixed up, so that when we replace your son he will have a nice place to stay.”

Julia’s smile grew so broad her face hurt. She could fix a few things, she was always good with her hands but she was no handywoman. She had been living in this drafty house with only the fireplace for heat and light, so she hadn’t noticed all the other things that needed fixing. Tears started coming and she fought to keep them back. She said, “The power company should be here in an hour.”

Then an old man stepped up onto the porch and Julia laughed, it was Jerry. She threw her arms around him and said, “What are you doing here Jerry?”

Jerry said, “Did I tell you that I owned a building company? No, I don’t think we ever got around to talking about that.” Jerry paused and looked around then added, “Anna was right; you sure are a special girl.”

Julia hugged him like the grandpa she never had. Then she stepped back and Jerry said, “Now these nice people are going to start fixing the obvious things. They’re just going to get started. But you and I are going to walk this house, inside and out– top to bottom and make a list. We’ll get a lot done today and everything else will be finished as soon as possible. Is that all right with you?”

Julia nodded, unable to speak. Jerry turned and smiled and the rest of the people with him fanned out around the house and got to work.

Jerry walked inside the house. A new TV sat in the foyer unopened and Jerry made a note on his list, He said, “Buy wall mount and install TV.”

Julia was a little embarrassed. The place was a mess. Bags of trash were stacked near the back door. She didn’t have a trashcan yet, nor a dresser. She had folded her clean clothes but they were lying on the floor not far from the pile of dirty clothes in the corner of her bedroom. There was no place for her few belongings.

Jerry missed nothing as he whispered to himself, “Bookshelf, dresser,” he glanced at Julia and asked,” is golden oak okay? I think it will go great with the overall look of the cabin.” Julia couldn’t open her mouth so she just nodded and Jerry continued, “Sofa and loveseat; drapes, shower curtain.” When they arrived in her bedroom, he saw that she had somehow drug a new mattress into the living room but the rest of the bed lay in pieces on her floor. He quickly added, “Assemble bed.”

Jerry saw everything. He thought of things she never even heard of and then they went outside.

Although spring hadn’t fully arrived, the property had a lot of overgrowth. They cut the grass, Sealed and repaired the windows and the power company arrived with her meter. Suddenly she had lights and heat.

Jerry tore his list into five sections and sent people out to buy the needed items as others continued checking the electrical wiring, HVAC, the roof and prepared the garden for flowers. They even converted the space next to the garage into a small green house complete with an automated irrigations system, emergency headlamps and a robot owl that flapped its wings and hooted with glowing eyes when something moved in front of it.

Julia giggled like a little girl as the owl swung from the corner of the greenhouse. The young man installing it said, “It’s the pest deterrent system.” Then as she left, they began planting vegetable seeds.

When she finished answering Jerry’s questions about her house they walked around to the front porch. The sheriff showed her the front door with its new knob and trim. Julia made a show of opening and closing the door, stepping inside, shutting the door and locking it and then opening it again.

The sheriff crossed his arms, rolled his eyes and then put his hand on the shoulder of another man that had just arrived. The sheriff said, “Julia, now that you have thoroughly tested the front door and have found it to be operational, I’d like to introduce you to detective Singer.”

Detective Singer looked to be in his late 30s. He wore a long brown trench coat and she saw one of the new smart watches, with a large digital screen, wrapped around his left wrist. She had seen others like it in the store. It made him look like a caricature of Dick Tracy. His tall form straightened when Julia looked him in the eyes. He said, “It’s an honor to meet you Julia. I reviewed the video footage of your actions against the robbers. Where did you learn those skills?”

“I was in the Air Force.”

The detective looked at the sheriff and then back down at Julia. He said, “I remember you saying that in your interview but I don’t think the Air force teaches aerial combat techniques like that.”

Julia laughed. She said, “No, not like that they don’t. What they did teach me about aerial combat is classified but, as I’m sure you know, they do teach us how to kick ass and take guns away from bad guys.”

The detective glanced at the sheriff then back down at Julia. “I understand that you were injured in the war. Can you tell me more about that?”

Julia shook her head, “Why are you here detective? I’m not sure you have the kind of clearance for those kinds of answers.”

“But you were injured in the war. You said you are an officer in the Air Force but the Air Force has no record of you. I checked into your background. You went to the local High school, worked at a few restaurants and got married young. I’ve seen your son’s birth certificate but then you disappeared a little over four years ago. Child Support received several payments but it looks like their data base doesn’t show where the money came from.”

“I went to the Air Force recruitment office, the same one I joined years ago but they also told me I had no records. They also said that my team and commanding officers have all gone missing. I think they would have arrested me, for what I don’t know, if I were still in the Air Force a few days ago. So, yes, if you want to do an investigation on me, go for it! I’d love to replace out what you discover.”

Detective singer chewed on something unseen and glanced at the sheriff then said, “We can talk about this in a more private place.”

Only the three of them were standing on the porch. She said, “It’s okay– just tell me.”

The detectives eyes softened and he said, “Andrew filed a missing person’s report. Andrew is your, boyfriend, is that correct?”

Julia looked toward the front door. She didn’t want a boyfriend but it did seem that Andrew had found a way into that title. She smiled and said, “Yes.”

Detective Singer nodded and continued, “From all your calls, I can only think that you are a mother desperately wanting to replace your child. The bank told us that your account, as of yesterday morning had been empty. I looked into your ex–husband’s DMV records and months ago, 9 months ago to be precise; the car was due a tag renewal. The foreclosure on this house happened around that same time and all the furnishings donated to goodwill but the car,” the detective shook his head and looked toward the woods. He inhaled deeply, “They found the car abandoned and empty on the side of the road leading out of town going toward Atlanta.”

Julia suddenly felt lightheaded.

The car was empty…

She felt someone’s arm around her as tears begin to well up in her eyes. The world could have ended and she wouldn’t care because her world had ended. Getting her house back, her new car, nothing mattered anymore.

Someone was hugging her, someone was whispering, “It’ll be all right Julia,” but it wouldn’t be all right.

Nothing will ever be right!

And just as she began to slip into the darkest places her mind could create the presence approached her. The feeling was soothing. It caressed her and then filled her vision with soothing colors but she was ready to scream. She was ready to run through the house and break everything. The very one she had sacrificed everything for was gone. She had lied, stolen, killed and leveled entire buildings for reasons that were higher than she could understand but what she could understand is that her son would be safe at home until she could come back to him.

“Leet yoUr harRt resst oon wngs thAt fly iN the suUn MY daRrrling. Youoo will see yoUur sOn agaon.” Then the presence receded.

Julia inhaled deeply. This was hope. She didn’t know how it could be. She didn’t know why she should believe this but she did believe it. Suddenly the sounds of the people working on her house returned to her. The sheriff and detective were waiting silently. She wiped away the tears from her eyes, looked up into detective Singer’s eyes, and said, “But, yall didn’t replace any bodies?”

Detective Singer shook his head slowly. “No bodies were ever located. I checked his cell phone records and found all electronic information about him went blank around the same time. It’s not as if Rand didn’t exist but rather it’s as if he and your son just vanished.”

Then a humming sound began growing and everyone looked up towards the trees to the right of the house. Julia could feel the hairs on her arms rising. The detective, sheriff and she walked over to the edge of the porch and looked up. The trees were swaying as if a big wind had just passed. Everyone around the house was looking at the same place in the sky. Fluffy clouds drifted by slowly but the humming changed pitch and the trees began swaying wildly.

Julia searched the sky for storm clouds but it was a beautiful day and all but this part of the forest was still.

Something has to be there, Julia thought as the humming began to go quiet and the tree’s motion returned to normal.

“What the hell was that?” Julia said aloud but no one answered.

That very moment the ground began shaking, more violently than ever before and Julia felt a different kind of humming. The voice grew inside her again and then the shaking stopped. Itsaid,

Wee R oUt off tIme. Tee HuntOr is heRe! Julia’s heart began racing but the voice passed.

“That damn mining company is up to no good,” A familiar voice said from inside the open window next to Julia, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Julia looked over at the window and said, “Frank! I didn’t see you come with the rest of the people.”

Jerry poked his head through the next window over and said, “He’s always late.”

Julia, Frank and Jerry all looked back up at the sky. She was sure they were all thinking the same thing. Nothing in the sky had changed but she had been in enough LZs to know when something overhead was about to land.

Did the Air Force or someone else have a total camouflage system she didn’t know about? She had seen the latest technology, had used nearly all of the available systems and they were nearly undetectable at 1000 feet or greater but this thing, this thing felt like it was hovering only feet above the trees and it was perfectly invisible.

She wished she had been mindful enough to fly up there and touch the space where something should have been but she was too startled.

The detective turned slowly toward Julia and asked, “What happened to your family?”

Julia looked away from the treetops and at the detective. Her mind spun as she tried to keep up with all that was happening. Everything was flying out of control again and at the same time, her life seemed like it was finally coming together. But now the sudden memory of her parents felt like a kick in the stomach.

Julia sat on the porch rail and took a deep breath then released it. The detective waited a moment then said, “Let me take you to lunch. Have you eaten today?”

Julia pursed her lips and silently shook her head.

Jerry said, “That is a good idea.”

Frank added, “We need some time to work without all her distractions.”

Julia looked at the two old men and scowled. Frank stuck out his tongue and Jerry nodded. Jerry said, “You should also go shopping. It’s good therapy and it will buy us the time we need so we can surprise you.”

Jerry took off his hat and then removed Frank’s big sunglasses and handed them to Julia. Frank started to protest but stopped. Jerry said, “It’s a disguise.”

Julia took the hat and glasses, put them on and then thanked the two old men. Jerry said, “You need any money dear?”

Julia laughed and said, “I could use a few hundred grand, but I think I will be fine with what I have for now.”

The detective said, “Follow me. I’ll take you somewhere we can talk alone without anyone hunting you down.”

Julia paused, blinked and then went inside, threw on some new clothes and then followed the detective. The windows on her new SUV held a dark tent but she also lowered the visors to help conceal her appearance. As they approached the mail box, she noticed that the crowd lined up along the road had thinned a lot but there were still dozens of people holding up signs that said, “We love you Julia, ” And “God bless the Smokey Mt. Angel.”

She was glad the police were still parked at the edge of her property. Most of these people seemed sweet but there were always going to be a nut or two in the crowd.

The police removed the barricade, the detective pulled onto the road and Julia followed. The people all waved at her but none seemed to recognize her in the SUV. She guessed that they were all expecting her to be flying not driving.

The detective took her to a restaurant overlooking the river in Gatlinburg. They sat in the back of the restaurant and after giving the server her order Julia said, “My parents died in a car accident when I was a little girl. I lived with my uncle until I graduated from High school.”

The detective asked, “Where is your uncle now?”

“He died,” Julia said softly. She squinted then relaxed her face and continued, “Then I moved in with a friend, got married not long after that, joined the Air Force and here we are.”

The detective said, “That story matches my records. What doesn’t make any sense is your service record. I visited the Air Force office before coming down here today.” He paused as if he were trying to put his thought in to the correct words. Then he continued, “When I asked about you– the officer on duty turned white. He said that he didn’t have any records of you on file.”

Julia started rising in her chair and the detective looked around the room to see if anyone could see her. Julia noticed what he was doing; saw herself hovering and then she lowered herself back into her seat. She said, “If I could tell you things, things only a highly trained special operator would know, I would. But–”

“But I don’t have clearance,” The detective finished for her. He went on, “I believe you, so now that the prime suspect has been eliminated or at least taken down on the list, I can focus on... Actually I have nothing.”

Julia started to speak but the detective said, “I’ve only been on this case for a few days when it became High priority–.”

Julia smiled, “When I gave that interview.”

“Yes, when you flew down from the mountains and gave that interview my lieutenant reassigned my other cases leaving me only you. However, you were our only lead but now I see that something bigger is going on here.”