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  “Carl? Yeah, he’s a good mechanic,” he replied. Another pause… “What did it do?”

  “I don’t know… I was driving on the interstate and all of a sudden the wheel started turning to the right… It felt like I didn’t have any control.”

  “Hmm, that’s strange. Did it make any noise?”

  “No, but it scared me.” She started to say something about the feeling she had that someone or something was in the car with her, but hesitated.

  Rushing ahead, Tom agreed, “I’ll bet. I don’t know anything about cars myself but Carl can help. Might be the steering, transmission…whatever it is, he’ll figure it out.”

  “Thanks, and, one more thing, where could I rent a car? Haven’t been to Brown County State Park in a long time and I was hoping to go there and hike.”

  Taking a drink of his coffee and trying hard not to show his excitement, “That’s not necessary. I can take you. I live near the park.”

  “Oh, no. I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  “No, really, I’ve been wanting to go hiking myself before all the beautiful fall colors are gone.”

  “No, I can rent a car. On the way down, I need to stop by the cabin, get my camera, cooler…”

  Betty arrived with their pancakes and heard the exchange. “What are you two arguing about anyway? Tom is a good guy. I’ve known him a long time and besides, the poor man works too hard. Even veterinarians need a day off once in a while! Let him take you, Logan. I’ll vouch for him. All he does is work, work, and work!” Shaking her head and mumbling something about ‘young people nowadays’, she poured them more hot coffee.

  Logan looked at him and noticed he was blushing. “Okay, okay, you’ve convinced me,” ducking her head to hide the smile forming on her lips.

  Tom gave Betty a ‘look’, conveying his embarrassment…and gratitude. “Thanks, you’re a real sweetheart for telling on me.”

  She just laughed and walked away, carrying the coffee pot to the next table, as if it was a done deal.

  Hovering in the corner of the restaurant, Jake watched the conversation between the three of them, not liking what he saw. This guy could be trouble and I don’t need anyone getting in the way. Watching their animated conversation, he could tell there was a growing attraction between the two and he worried.

  But what he didn’t realize was that Tom detected something, a feeling that gnawed at him and made the hair on his arms tingle.

  That was one reason Tom anxiously looked back as he followed Logan out of the restaurant. He didn’t say anything because he didn’t want her to think he was crazy, and he was pretty sure she didn’t have the same impression, at least she didn’t act like she did.

  Jake followed them out to the parking lot; no one else was around. He watched as Tom helped Logan into the car, felt a sudden rage and had to restrain himself from letting it take over.

  I need more time. She’s not ready to do it yet. Damn!

  Travis was in the vicinity too, attempting to guard against the hate, looming larger and closer to harming Logan. He said a prayer that Harry would arrive soon.

  * * * * *

  “Hey, Carl. Gotta minute?”

  Harry Parker was standing beside Carl Sexton, the owner of the Mobil station. He had just come in the office and was planning to ask for directions to favorite hiking points when he heard the voice behind them. Harry turned around to see a stranger and Logan Massey!

  “Sure, what’s up Tom?”

  Harry watched the conversation with interest.

  “This is Logan Massey. You remember? She was here yesterday.”

  “Sure, I do. Carl Sexton,” he introduced himself. “Tom chased you down to give back the credit card you dropped on the floor.” Shaking hands, he gave the pretty young woman a huge grin.

  Nice, he thought. If I was ten years younger, not married, had hair, and looked like Tom, I’d make a play for her too.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Well”, she replied, “I had some problems with my car on the way down yesterday and I thought maybe I’d better have someone look at it before I go hiking.”

  “What kind of problems?”

  “Oh, it’s probably nothing but my steering wheel acted like it wanted to turn when I didn’t want it to turn,” shrugging her shoulders, making light of the situation.

  “Did the car make any noises?”

  “No”, she hesitated, “but it really felt like it had a mind of its own,” feeling embarrassed as soon as she said it.

  Carl didn’t seem to downplay her concerns. “Okay, not sure what might be the problem but I can look at it if you leave it.”

  “Sure, I can do that.”

  “Do you need a ride back home?”

  “That’s okay, Carl,” Tom interrupted. “I’ve already offered to take her home and then hiking.”

  Carl had a big shit-eating grin on his face.

  ‘Don’t say anything’, Tom mouthed, standing behind her, playfully moving his hand across his lips in a zipping motion.

  Sarcastically, “Oh, that’s so nice of you.

  Looking at Logan, “When should I have it ready?”

  “We’ll stop by and check on it. Tom offered to bring me back here later,” she added.

  “Well, that’s very kind of you too,” raising his eyebrows slightly, smiling at Tom.

  Tom held the door open and gave him an extended middle finger behind his back as they exited.

  Snickering, Carl said under his breath, “Lucky son of a bitch”

  Harry had watched this interchange with great interest. So, she’s staying at her parents’ place! And this Tom might be someone to call on for help if needed.

  Harry thought about what she had said, having problems with her car…had to be Jake…without a doubt…and this worried him even more.

  “I’m sorry for the interruption, pal. What was it you needed?”

  Thinking quickly before responding, “Yes, I was wondering if you could give me the name of a good motel around here.”

  “The Travelers’ Inn,” Carl answered. “There’s not much in Nineveh but it’s just around the corner. Ask for Betty or Lou.”

  Right around the corner…Perfect! But now was not the time to check in. He needed to catch up with Logan first.

  He thanked Carl and walked to his car, got in, and quickly turned the key.

  Wheeling around, he drove in the opposite direction from the motel.

  That’s strange, Carl thought, watching. Maybe he decided not to take my suggestion. Shrugging his shoulders, he grabbed Logan’s car keys off the counter top.

  Strolling towards the garage with his head down, he didn’t notice the shadowy form, but he felt a chill and shuddered involuntarily. Fall breeze. Won’t be long before the weather turns cold for good. He pushed the button to open the garage bay door and, as light slowly filtered in he didn’t see what was lurking nearby.

  Walking outside to bring her car into the garage, in his hand he jiggled the key, unaware of the danger that awaited him, too busy mulling over the mechanical problem.

  As he drove into the stall, he never detected Jake. Never saw him when he went over to flip the switch raising the car on the pneumatic lift. Whistling, naively reaching for the switch, then, and only then, did he ascertain something, not sure what, but it made him feel uneasy.

  When he walked back toward the car, he heard a sinister laugh coming from behind the office door and turned his head, peering into the shadows. Turning pale, there, a few feet away, he saw a filmy image forming into a human-like shape, but maintaining its transparent quality, and even though Carl could not make it out clearly, he knew it was wicked. This time he shuddered out of fear.

  A scream caught in his throat when he looked up and saw the lift begin to come down. Finding himself standing right under it, he tried to run but couldn’t; he was frozen to the spot, forcibly being held there by some unearthly power. The lift came down slowly, taunting him to the point of madness, un
til a final burst sent it hurtling toward its goal with frightful accuracy.

  Thankfully, Carl never knew the full brunt of its impact, numbing fright and helplessness taking over, sparing him from the horrors of his last seconds on earth.

  A trickle of blood appeared under the car, growing, turning into a pool, mixing with oil that had occupied the garage long before Carl put his life’s blood into it. Rust red stain seeped into the concrete, ominously marking its territory, a permanent reminder of his tragic death.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “I’ll just be a minute.” Logan called from the bedroom. “There’s some drinks in the refrigerator, if you want; help yourself.”

  Tom looked around and liked what he saw…cozy…nice place. He glanced at the fireplace and noticed some family pictures. Curious, he went over to take a closer look. One showed a smiling Logan with two people who must have been her parents. They seemed to be at some kind of graduation. High school? College? He wasn’t sure. She looked so happy in the picture and her parents looked proud…what you would expect. Nice family, he thought.

  He knew her parents were dead but he wondered if she had any brothers or sisters. He looked at the other pictures, not seeing anyone else. He’d have to ask her about that, or maybe she would just tell him in due time.

  A dawning acknowledgement that he wanted to know this woman better and anticipated a longer-term relationship hit him. Since Jenny died, he hadn’t been out with more than three other women.

  Yeah, he admitted, he tried the dating scene but it just didn’t mean anything. He thought at the time it was because he wasn’t ready yet. Smiling, his thoughts racing ahead at a fast clip, slow down, guy! You just met this woman….

  Re-entering the living room, “Ahh…that’s Mom and Dad at my high school graduation. Sighing at happy days long ago, clutching her camera, she continued, “I guess they were pretty proud of me… only child …” her voice trailed off.

  He watched her expression change from dreamy happiness to abject sadness, remembering her loss.

  “One can see here,” sweeping his hand around at the pictures and trying to lighten her mood, “they were…and I’m sure you were proud of them too.”

  “Yes,” she spoke softly, remembering the good times she had shared with her parents, as well as all the happy memories they had here at the cabin.

  And, the more she thought, the better she felt about her decision to stay here instead of going camping.

  What happened on the way down, and the cold she felt yesterday, were just due to anxiety, nerves playing tricks on her…because she was returning to this place, and all its memories, after such a long absence? Maybe it was a fear of reminiscing?

  No! How stupid is that! I love this place!

  “Logan?”

  Her reflections ceased.

  Jolting her back to the present, Tom asked, “Are you ready for some hiking?”

  “Oh! I’m sorry. I must have been daydreaming.”

  Better than having nightmares, she thought as they prepared to leave.

  * * * * *

  A soft breeze brushed lightly across Logan’s face as she surveyed the beauty of the fall foliage in Brown County State Park. They had found an isolated area, not far from a trail, and had already taken one hike into the woods.

  Tom had driven her to one of his favorite spots in the park and was delighted when she told him that this was exactly what she had in mind and that she remembered this as one of her favorite places to hike too. They had plopped down in a clearing to rest.

  Bursts of gold, red, orange, and all the different hues of each, emblazoned the leaves and permeated the surroundings already rich with the deep, earthy colors of fertile ground. A variety of birds gaily displayed their bright and muted feathers as they gathered in trees nearby or flew overhead. Together, the scene painted a picture taken straight from the pallet of a Brown County artist.

  Tom murmured, “I love fall.”

  Gazing around at the colors of nature, “I agree. It’s my favorite time of year.”

  Logan lifted her head up higher, taking in the panoramic view. She looked around and noticed Tom staring at her, embarrassed and touched at the same time.

  Glancing at her watch, “I think I’m going to take another walk if you don’t mind.”

  He knew she wanted some privacy. Nodding, he patted the ground. “I’ll be right here when you come back.”

  Giving him a little wave, she took off on her own and a few minutes later she was deep in the woods in the middle of another bombardment of sensual delights. The colors of the leaves were so bright as to hypnotize her; the smells were pungently aromatic, the sounds soothing. She closed her eyes, giving total attention to the wonders of nature all around her, so vibrant yet subtle. Leaves rustled in the slight wind and she could hear the soft babble of a brook close by, water trickling through the rocks in the stream.

  “Logan.”

  Her eyes flew open when she heard a voice calling her name.

  Whose voice is it? Tom? No, it doesn’t sound like him. My imagination? Questions raced through her with fervor, causing trepidation.

  Looking around, cautiously at first, quicker as she became more desperate, she thought she saw something up ahead by a tree. Peering closer, she felt the first quickening of her heart and her pulse.

  It can’t be! It looks like there’s something leaning up against the tree!

  She blinked but it was still there.

  No, it can’t be, she thought again.

  But yet, it was there, a diaphanous form, and as it began to take shape, Logan found herself staring at Jake Turner!

  She tried to scream. His face was so horrible! Already the ruins of death had invaded his soul and transformed him into an ugly image.

  No longer denying the obvious, screaming this time, she realized that it had been him all along-in her apartment, in the car, in her parents’ cabin.

  Feeling her legs grow weak, she heard footsteps approaching. Someone grabbed her. Startled, she felt another scream forming, but it was trapped, stuck in her throat, too afraid to come out.

  “What’s wrong? I heard you screaming.”

  Logan collapsed into Tom’s arms when she heard his voice, quivering and gulping back tears.

  He held her tightly until her breathing became more regular and the tension left her body.

  “I don’t know”, she finally said. “I… I think I saw something, but I’m not sure.”

  “What did you see?”

  Her eyes darted back and forth; her hands were trembling. “I…I saw someone leaning up against the tree. He was … awful.” A shudder ran through her body; Tom felt it too.

  Taking a step back to look into her eyes, “Where did he go? Do you want me to go after him?”

  But before she could answer, he saw something or someone out of the corner of his eye.

  “Hey!”

  The figure ran off through the woods.

  He turned to give chase but Logan grasped his arms tightly.

  “No”, she said, I…I guess I was wrong. It was probably just another hiker. Just forget about it. I probably scared him when I screamed,” making an excuse, hoping to lessen the tension…but it didn’t convince him.

  In time maybe I can tell Tom about it…but not yet, no, not yet, she decided, walking away, oblivious to the fall wonderland that had captured her attention just a few minutes before.

  He thought about the retreating figure, wondered who it was and why he ran. Logan might not realize it but this is a fairly remote place. Someone would have to be familiar with the area in order to find it…or, someone is following us, he theorized. Frowning, why would someone be following us? That doesn’t make any sense.

  Shrugging his shoulders, it’s probably just a coincidence, he decided. Taking another look and hurrying to catch up with her, maybe she’s right-maybe she did scare the guy.

  Wow! That was close!

  Harry paused to catch his breath. He had followed Log
an and Tom from the gas station, hoping to create an opportunity to meet up with them and explain who he was and why he was here.

  I’ve really screwed up now! Logan saw Jake Turner’s ghost! Coming from the opposite direction, I saw it too! I don’t think that guy Tom saw it…but he sure saw me!

  I wonder if he recognized me? If so, maybe he thinks I want to hurt her. Now what can I do? If I tell them why I’m here, they might not believe my story.

  Harry continued to ponder questions and implications as he walked back to his car.

  Jake knew Harry was there, and he was not happy.

  Goddamn old man! Why did he come?

  He knew the answer, of course, continuing to seethe, but smiling as he remembered the incident in Harry’s car. His heart had pounded so fast. Just a little more jolt and he would have been a dead man, same as Carl.

  Yep, the look Carl gave just before the lift came crashing down was something to remember!

  Considering the consequences for meddling too much, he thought, don’t try it, old man! A heart attack would be easy to cause and the next time it might be fatal.

  “Yeah, you’d better just keep out of my way.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Back in the small town of Nineveh, a crowd gathered outside the Mobil station. Word gets around fast any time something newsworthy happens.

  Travis observed the shocked looks on faces as onlookers came to grips with the tragedy.

  Even strangers were included in time of need. Everyone felt drawn to others, whether they were a friend or outsider. People comforted each other, tried to make sense of the unthinkable, but were left with the numbing reality that one of their own had died in a most horrifying way. Mumblings of sympathy could be heard amongst the cries of anguish, all directed at the ghastly scene inside.

  The light from the ambulance reflected off the grimy front window, causing bright red splashes like the pools of blood coagulating on the garage floor. Yellow crime tape surrounded the building, keeping the onlookers at a respectful distance.

  Travis relived the human sadness over death and the frustration of not being able to prevent it.