Sins of Another Father
By phillydi
Chapter 7
November 20, 1960
From the Journal of Karl Brandel
Winter has arrived early this year as harsh winds have enveloped the land, keeping the farmers from gathering the remnants of their fall crops. Lately the mood of the town's people has matched the dark skies and cold air that has blown down from the north. The Amish have always isolated themselves from the outside world, but now they have segregated themselves even further from their neighbors. When I pass them riding in their horse and buggies on the streets of New Eden, they use to wave and smile…now they avoid my greetings and pretend I'm not there. I hear from other neighbors that they no longer report any incidents of discrimination or crimes directed at them. I fear they have circled the wagons and have gone deeper into their private world.
Today, I overhead Chief Williams speaking in one of the interrogation rooms. I didn't know who he was talking to but he was animated and I could feel his anger from all the way down the hall. He was yelling out "I tell you they are un-American. They won't fly the flag or serve our country or vote. Now they refuse to send their kids to high school! I'd run them all out of here if I could…Commie Krauts!" He was referring to a group of Amish families who were taken to court over their refusal to educate their children past grade school. All were tried and convicted and served jail time. I know their ways are strange to us but our ancestors came to this country to flee religious persecution. They have a right to their beliefs. Chief Williams' words frighten me. I begin to wonder if the enemy is closer than I originally thought.
Kenis sat in the airport lounge waiting for her plane to board. She has left Deeks numerous text messages on the way to the airport and tried calling but only got his answering service.
"Something's not right," Kensi murmured to herself. Her woman's intuition was on full alert.
The overhead speakers crackled, "Flight 45 now boarding at gate 16 for Philadelphia. We will be boarding shortly. Please have your tickets ready."
Kensi tapped in Deeks phone number one last time before she headed to the gate.
"Come on Deeks. Pick up!" she commanded.
"Helloooo?" a shaky voice answered. Kensi could hear a lot of static and movement in the background.
"Who's this," Kensi demanded.
"Who are youuuuu?" The voice sung out the question.
"Deeks, is that you?"
"No Deeks here," the voice laughed wildly and the phone went dead.
Kensi's chest tightened and her breath caught in her throat.
Either that was a very drunk Deeks or someone else was now the new owner of his cell phone. Kensi contacted Hetty to let her know about the call and that she would be needing the GPS location of his phone when she touched down in Philadelphia. The speaker announced that her row was boarding and Kensi rushed up to the check-in desk and handed her ticket to the attendant. She couldn't get on that plane fast enough!
"Damn!"
Deeks patted down his jeans' pockets. His cell phone was gone. After he left the chapel, he slipped quickly into his SUV and headed out of town. He must have lost it in the cemetery, he reasoned. He'd have to pick up a burn phone later because he couldn't chance going back to the church again.
Deeks drove around town for awhile. He filled up his car at a one-pump gas station off the main road and picked up a local road map. He finally decided it was time to head back to the Inn and check out of his room. He parked about a quarter mile from the house and went the rest of the way on foot. Deeks followed the road via a parallel path in the woods. If anyone was waiting for his return, he was going to take Remy's advice and keep himself as inconspicuous as possible. He stopped to grab the journal before he left the car and shoved it behind his back, next to his weapon.
Deeks looped around behind the house avoiding anyone who might be waiting for him on the front porch. He quietly sneaked up the old stairs and tried the back door. The glass knob gave no resistance as he heard the lock click into the place. Deeks look around before he gently pushed the door open and stepped into the kitchen. The breakfast dishes were long retired and put away and the room spelled clean like it had been wiped down with lavender and bleach.
The rest of the house was uncharacteristically quiet. He continued into the dining room and then through the living room and up the stairs to his room. As he reached the third floor, he felt for his gun and unlocked his bedroom door slowly. He waited as the door swung wide open giving him a clear view of the room. Deeks remained off to the side of the door before taking his first tentative steps inside. Everything seemed to be in place as he looked around the room for any signs of unwanted entry. He began to cross the room to gather his travel bag when he heard the floor creak behind him.
"Hey, Marty! Where have you…."
Deeks pulled his weapon out as he whirled around to face the door.
The look of terror in Lindy's face intensified as she slowly backed out the door. Deeks lowered his gun and hid it behind his back again.
"Lindy, I'm sorry! Forgive me. I didn't know it was you," he held open his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise!" Deeks pleaded. He saw the girl begin to relax and nod her head. The fear was still evident in her body posture though. Her hands were clutched in two tight balls as she pressed them close by her side.
"I'm a cop, Lindy. I thought someone was following me," Deeks tried desperately to make her understand.
She looked down the hall and back at Deeks again. The color returned slowly to Lindy's face as she stood in the door way, still not knowing how to respond.
"Are we ok?" Deeks asked. His eyes pleading with her as he tried to gain her trust again.
"Sure," she said timidly. "Ah...Chief Williams was looking for you about an hour ago."
I bet he was, Deeks thought to himself.
"I told the Chief you weren't here," she said with a hint of uncertainty to her voice. "Did I do the right thing?"
"You did good, Lindy," Deeks smiled at the girl and turned around to pick up the journal which had fallen when he drew his weapon. The back page of the book had flipped open on the floor displaying a large round symbol. The colorful design featured a small star nested inside a larger star and it was surrounded by alternating tulips and wheat sheaves.
Deeks hadn't paid much attention to it before thinking it was merely decorative.
"Hey, that's a hex sign," Lindy said as she pointed to the page. "You can find them all around here, mostly on barns."
"Now that you mention it, I have seen them around," Deeks said as he reached to pick up the book. "Do you know what it means? "
"Hold on," Lindy went running out the room and returned a few minutes later clutching her lap top.
"I found a web site that shows all the signs," she said as she rushed back into the room. She put her lap top on the bed and knelt down besides it. Deeks stood behind Lindy as she scrolled through the signs.
"They are mainly for decoration but some associate them with magic," she explained still looking for the specific sign in Deeks' journal. "Here it is!" she cried. "It's called the sign of abundance and goodwill."
"Goodwill and abundance are brought by the stars and wheat," Deeks read out loud behind her. "The tulips bring faith and trust in mankind."
Deeks looked closer at the hex sign in his grandfather's book. As he ran his hand over the picture he noticed it was a glossy sticker. In the middle of the star the words Lodge 44 was written.
"Have you ever heard of Lodge 44?" Deeks asked Lindy.
The young girl rolled her eyes upward showing she was trying to search her memory. She finally shook her head. "No, not really. Maybe Mom knows."
"That's ok. I got to go now, Lindy." I'll write your mom a note that I'm checking out and leaving New Eden. I've got to get back home." Deeks picked up his carry-on bag and threw the last bits of his belongs inside and stepped into the hall. As he reached the top of the steps Deeks turned around to look for Lindy.
"It was nice knowing you, Marty," Lindy said standing in the middle of the hall with her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.
"You too, kiddo. Hang in there," Deeks smiled back. "Sorry about scaring you back there," Deeks pointed at the room.
"Are you really a cop, Marty?" she asked hesitantly.
"Twenty-four - seven," Deeks answered soberly.
"Cool!" she gushed.
Deeks laughed out loud at her enthusiasm and rushed down the stairs. He found paper and pen and wrote a short note to Jesse that he had checked out and was heading back to LA. If Williams and his goons were still following him, Lindy and her mom were in danger too and he needed to get out of the area quickly.
Callen sat in Hetty's office across from her desk reviewing his notes on the day's proceedings.
"…and after we contact the DOD and let them know the location of the arms shipment we should be able to find out who our contact within the agency will be and then…." Callen looks up to find Hetty staring down at her hands.
"…and then we will have this enormous party at the Staples Center for the entire Pacific fleet, tons of booze, strip club dancers and circus elephants. How does that sound?" Callen cocked his head to the left and waited for the Ops Manager to reply. Silence.
"Hetty! You haven't heard a word I've said in the last ten minutes," Callen scolded his boss.
"I would leave out the elephants, Mr. Callen. They can get extremely messy," Hetty replied without missing a beat. She raised her head and smiled at Callen.
"I'm a bit worried about Mr. Deeks," she explained. "He may have found himself in the middle of an FBI sting and now he's missing….Kensi is on the next flight out, as we speak."
"What's this all about? I thought he went back East on vacation?" Callen asked.
"He went there to clear up some family business, actually. But things seem to have gotten out of hand."
"Well, I'm sure Kensi will get a handle on things when she gets there," Callen tried to assure Hetty.
"I do hope so. I just got word from the FBI that their undercover agent has missed her daily check in call as well. This is not good." Hetty let out a long sigh.
Deeks sat in the seedy tavern at the far end of the bar, tapping his foot to an old Willie Nelson song playing on the juke box. His ball cap was tipped way down over his eyes and covering as much of his face as possible. He swirled his beer slowly watching the gold liquid circle the bottom of the bottle and thinking what his next move would be. Two hours before, he had checked into the motel that Remy had recommended. Deeks was pretty sure it was the worse flop house he ever stayed in and he guessed the devil would think twice about following him into this god-forsaken place. The staff behind the desk looked like extras from the movie Deliverance and he couldn't wait to get into his room and barricade the door behind him.
After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Deeks looked out the dirty motel window and watched as patrons filed in and out of the tavern across the street. Outside the bar he spied a pay phone hanging on the wall under a neon sign that blinked Schlitz. Since his room didn't have a TV let a lone a phone, he ran over to the bar to make a quick call to Remy. He still hadn't had a chance to find a store that sold burn phones. He was afraid to show his face in one of the malls and outlet stores he drove by as he made his way out of Lancaster. He had no idea how far the Williams' reach extended beyond New Eden. Remy agreed to meet his at the bar in an hour.
Deeks moved over to the juke box in the dark corner of the room to kill time and perused the songs behind the glass display case. He smiled when he eyed Footloose by Kenny Loggins. He used to love driving Kensi crazy when they were on stakeout by playing that song over and over again and singing along at the top of his lungs. What she didn't know was that he was really a House at Pooh Corner kind of guy. Wait until she finds that song in his tiny CD collection.
"I doubt if you'll find your type of music coming out of that old box," a familiar voice whispered in Deeks' ear.
Deeks smiled and replied without turning around. "Yeah? And what is my type of music?"
"Coldplay, Decemberists, Shins? Am I getting close?" she cajoled. Deeks turned around to face Remy. Her long red hair hung in large curls around her face and down her back. Her green eyes twinkled in anticipation of his answer. The uniform didn't do her justice. Her tight jeans failed to hide her curvy hips and long legs. Deeks was a little caught off guard at the beauty standing in front of him.
"They're ok." Deeks was also a little freaked out that she had identified his taste in music so quickly. No even Kensi knew he liked the Shins. He quickly changed the subject. "You want a beer?" Deeks asked. Remy didn't respond at first. She was staring in the mirror over the juke box.
Without warning she flung her arms around Deeks and locked lips with a force that knocked him back up against the wall. Deeks grabbed on to her waist to steady himself.
Remy looked up again in the mirror and back at Deeks, keeping his face hidden from the rest of the room. "We got to get out of here now," she whispered in his ear. She grabbed his hand and led him out the back door.
Thanks for all fun reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far. Sorry the update has taken so long. There are just not enough hours in the day! Promise to be back soon...
