Resolutions
Chapter Twelve
Izzy patted down the first fisherman. Checking jacket pockets, snow pants pockets, and boots before handcuffing the man. He pulled a small revolver out of the man's inside pocket.
"You think we'd come in these woods unarmed?" One of the men said.
"No one said you had to. But you have to register each and every gun before doing so." Matt handed Izzy another set of cuffs when he found a berretta in a shoulder holster and a large hunting knife. "Okay boys that's two for two. And by the sound of things we're going to find at least three more guns if not more. If one of you shot your friend and dumped the rifle I'm telling right now it will be found." Matt shifted his weight form one leg to the other. "See my brother here will follow your tracks back to where ever it is you dumped it and all five of you are headed for some heavy duty time."
"We didn't kill Charlie."
"Maybe you did or maybe you didn't but right now it doesn't look real good for any of you. My brother can find a piece of chewed up gum in this forest if he had to. Now make it easier on all of us." The third man had a colt tucked in the back of his pants. Cody threw his cuffs to Izzy. Matt shook his head. "Boys I'm not in the mood to play games. And that woman standing at the chopper has an itchy trigger finger."
"She wouldn't shoot us."
"Let's not find out now." The forth man hand a knife and a small pistol in his boot. Matt took another set of cuffs off his belt. "Not looking good at all boys." He his radio. "Jess, call Frank in, I want these guys out of our hands before nightfall."
"He's already on his way." Matt turned off his radio.
"So boys what's it going to be. Is my brother going to have to go find your toy you lost along the way or will you just tell us where your stashed it?" None of the men said a word. Cody handed his second set of handcuffs to Izzy after the man took a forty five out of the fisherman's shoulder holster. Frank landed his helicopter behind Jess. "Cody you take two and head out with Jess. Izzy and I will take the other three and meet you at where the sheriff's set up. The man Izzy had patted down last started to pull away. A shot rang out. They could almost see the bulled graze the older man's head. Cody looked at Jess.
"Mister you try that again and she'll make the next one go in one ear and out the other." Cody pushed the man toward the helicopter. Izzy gathered the guns and put them in a duffle they had on the rack attached to his snowmobile. They lead the men into the helicopters. Jess took off with Cody and two fisherman then Frank, Matt, Izzy and the other three followed. "You okay Jess?"
"Never better." She flew toward the fire road where the sheriff, State troopers and CHP were waiting. Cody watched the men in the back. "We're not going to make it back."
"We'll leave the sleds at the pass and come back tomorrow for them. I can back track from there if I have to. Unless these two want to tell me so I don't have to tramp though the woods all day tomorrow." Cody glared at the two men. Both looked away. "Guess not. I really wanted to sleep in tomorrow." Jess looked at him.
"I'll find the gun you have my morning sickness."
"If I could for one day Jess I would." She smiled and put his sunglasses on. "Maybe next time." Jess laughed.
"If next time is anything like this time it's the last time." She flew over the landing sight once to clear the pad and she swung around and landed effortlessly and started shutting down the chopper. "Last chance boys?" Jess looked at the men. "If you save Cody a walk in the woods he'd talk nice to the DA for you." Neither man said a word as the sheriff's deputies pulled them out of the chopper. "To bad. I would have liked to sleep in tomorrow too." She got out and followed Cody to Sheriff Mac standing by his cruiser.
"I'd like to thank you folks for cleaning this up for us." Cody looked at the two men being put in the back of the squad car.
"It's not quite cleaned up Mac. We still don't know how the one man died. I'll see what I can do before night fall but I'll head back in the morning and see if I can get a clear picture of what went on up here today."
"Thanks Cody. I knew I could count on you and the Rangers to see this to the end." Frank landed with the rest of the fishermen, Matt and Izzy. "Tell your brother I owe you guys one."
"I know how you can make it up to us. I'll call you on Monday and tell you how." Cody patted the older man on the back. "Take care Mac. We'll call when we find anything." Jess and Cody turned back toward the helicopter where Matt and Izzy were waiting.
"Frank's headed back to base. Let's get the sleds and see what we can turn up before sunset." The four Rangers got into the helicopter and headed back into the wilderness.
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Jess pulled on her second jacket and slid back into her boots. They had stayed out and comb the area from where they had found the five fishermen to where they found the body. Jess looked for the fishermen's SUV along the winding roads and found no sign of it or the camp site that they had stayed in for three days. There were a few holes in the ice of the lake but that was it.
"How was it this morning?" Cody stood at the door of the bunk room.
"Not entirely mind numbing like most mornings. How are Sarah and the kids?"
"Missing you. I called Mac this morning and told him we found a whole lot of nothing yesterday. I also asked him to cover for us next Friday. So we could all enjoy your wedding." Jess smiled.
"That was nice of you but you know something's going to come up that only the Rangers can handle."
"Oh I'm sure. Matt will put three or four of us on call."
"Should I be getting scared or something?"
"How should I know?"
"You're the only married person in the room."
"I never had second thoughts about Sarah."
"Really?"
"Not a single one. I knew from the moment I opened my eyes and saw her at my bed side holding Ava and singing the silly nursery rhythm that I would always have those two girls in my life." Jess's eyes welled up with tears. "Hey, your still one of my best girls." He knelt down and pushed her chin up.
"I know. Everything makes me cry lately. I was watching an ice cream commercial last night and I broke down. Cutler didn't know what to do with me."
"We all are thankful for that." Cody smiled. "You better eat something before we go up. I would hate for you to starve to death on us." Jess laughed.
"Give me a minute. If Robin's cooking bacon can you please bring some toast out to the front desk?"
"You got it." Cody stood up. "If you love him Jess, there's nothing that will go wrong." She smiled.
"I know." Cody went downstairs as Jess put up her hair and headed downstairs. As she hit the bottom a dark haired woman came in the front door. "Hi, can I help you?" The woman was pale and looked vaguely familiar.
"I'm looking for someone in charge." Jess looked at the clock.
"He's not in for another half hour. I can get his second in command if you like." Cutler came from the kitchen with a plate.
"Jess here's your toast. I thought…Molly." Jess looked at Cutler and then at the woman.
"Jimmy." Jess took the plate from Cutler before he dropped it.
"And I'm Jess. Cutler…" He looked at the woman for a second longer then he turned to Jess.
"Sorry, ah Molly this is my friend Jess, Jess this is my…sister Molly."
"I thought you were dead Jimmy. They called…"
"Two weeks ago and said he had an accident." Cutler took a step to be between Jess and his sister.
"Jess…"
"Two weeks Cutler. Two weeks and she couldn't call." Cody came in the room when he heard his sister's voice from the kitchen.
"Cody please get her out of here." Cutler knew how Jess felt about his family. She hated them almost as much as he did.
"Jess, come on." Cody took her shoulder but she stood firm. "This isn't your fight Jess." She looked at Cutler. He nodded his head. Jess knew he was hurting and she wanted to help. She also knew he had to handle this his way. She pulled out of Cody's grasp.
"You know where to find me when you want me to throw her ass to the curb." She grabbed her plate and headed to the safety of Matt's office. Cody followed.
"She seems a little tense." Molly was a year older then he and she had always been dad's favorite.
"Loyal is what she is. You should take some lessons."
"Still the smart ass I see."
"It keeps me from being a cynic. What are you doing here Molly?"
"You were hurt. I didn't get a call after the first one and I was worried."
"Haven't changed my phone number in twenty years. You could have called."
"I wanted to see for myself that you were okay."
"Why start caring now." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Those two people in there cared more about me in the last twenty years then you and mom and dad did in forty two."
"He wasn't the monster you think you remember Jimmy." Cutler took a step forward and uncrossed his arms.
"Don't call me that. You don't have the right. Next time I get hurt you don't have to worry about getting a call from anyone here. I'll make sure of that." He looked into his sisters blue eyes that were a reflection of his. "He wasn't a monster to you." Cutler pulled his black t-shirt out of his jeans and showed her the scar that ran down his ribs on the right side. "This is what your loving father did to me." He let his shirt down. "You don't ever have to come back here Molly. Ever."
"Mom is dying Jimm…Jim."
"I'm sorry."
"She loves you."
"If she loved me so much she should of stopped him. Now get out." Molly looked at her brother.
"These people aren't your family Jim."
"They have been there for ever moment of my life for as long as I want to remember. They've seen me at my best and at my worst and they have never once judged me or told me I was going to burn in hell because of what I believe in. Can you say that?" She looked at the floor. "If I die I'm being cremated and Matt Hawkes can do whatever he wants with the ashes but give them to you. Get out Molly before I say the word and let Jess kick your ass like she's wanted to for the past two weeks." She looked him in the eye one more time.
"I'm sorry." Was all she said before she turned and headed out the door. Cutler sat down on the couch and let out a deep breath. Jess was next to him and without saying a word she pulled him close.
"You did it. You stood up to her."
"I could have said so much more."
"You said just enough." She held him close. "I'm proud of you Jimmy." He laughed. Matt walked in the door.
"Sorry I'm late…what did I miss?" Jess shook her head and Cody raised his hands.
"Just the normal High Mountain drama." Cody went into the kitchen. Cutler stood up.
"Hey buddy you just missed my sister." Matt looked at Jess.
"Jess has no visible scaring so that's a good thing."
"You know she would have kicked her ass if I gave the word."
"Thank you for not giving her that. I'm still doing paper work from the last time you two got into a…thing." Jess laughed.
"I'm going to finish my toast before we leave." She went back into Matt's office.
"You want to talk about it slick?"
"Nothing to talk about. I told her to screw off." He looked at his boots. "If I haven't told you lately, thanks for everything. The job, the friendship, your sister." Matt laughed.
"Over thanking my friend." Matt looked at the man who had been with him thought most of his career. "If you need to talk…"
"Yeah, I know where to find you." He headed toward the kitchen. Matt wished he would have been five minutes earlier. But then he might have kicked Molly Cutler's ass. Grabbing the mail he headed to his office and to make sure his sister was okay to fly.
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Jess sat on the couch in Matt's office eating her toast and a yogurt that Cody had thrown to her. She watched Matt as he sat behind his desk. For being seven thirty in the morning he was moving mighty slow.
"Long night?"
"Kind of." He sat behind his desk. "When we get back today can you get started on the paper work for the overtime?"
"Sure. Big plans?"
"No just a meeting with the sheriffs. I want to get them in sync with our new schedules and make sure they know that I don't have to be here for things to run smoothly. Cody, Cutler, Hart, Robin and you can run a rescue just as well as I can." She smiled.
"But we don't look as good in the uniform." Matt laughed.
"I got a letter from the kennels. Our dogs can be ready by April." He looked at her. "I can take one and take the other in the fall if you're not up to it right now."
"Now, I'm up to it. Will I be in three or four months? I don't know." She looked into the bottom of her yogurt cup. "Get one and I'll do what I can to help Cutler."
"Now's the big question, which do you want?"
"We need a rescue dog her more then the drug dog. But if his is cuter then mine I might change my mind." Matt laughed.
"From what you did for him today Jess I think that man would give you his kidney if you asked for it." Jess smiled.
"I do have that affect on men." She looked at her brother. "How are things with Robin?"
"Good. It's been a week and a half and no blow ups. It's got to be a record."
"Good." Jess got up. "I'm going to do my preflight. I should be ready to go in fifteen."
"Good. I'll round up Cody and Flynn and we'll head out." Jess left and Matt watched her go. The last few days had been good. He knew it was because Morgan would be here in three days. He also knew his sister was feeling better in the morning and that helped her disposition. Cody came in and handed him some coffee and a file.
"Weather sucks as usual. We won't be out there long today."
"You're always such a ray of sunshine."
"You try sleeping when your wife's pushing a screaming baby and a bottle at you at three a.m. and then come to work and pull your sister out of a potential cat fight only to find out the job you need to do is going to be weigh laid by another freaken snow storm." Cody sat down across from Matt. "So how was your night?"
"Not as eventful as yours but it was okay. Mom and dad asked me how Jess was doing. Seems she's avoiding them."
"Tomorrow's Sunday. She can run from a family dinner. Especially when she's not working."
"Yeah. I know she wants to run Beckum tomorrow. Knowing little sister she'll fain getting lost to avoid whatever it is she's avoiding."
"Not if you go with her." Matt looked at his brother.
"Maybe I have plans." Cody raised his eyebrows.
"Oh really. On a Sunday?"
"Yes, on a Sunday. Jess said she was going to leave after church. Maybe I can get Flynn to go with her."
"Little sister will not think kindly of a baby sitter."
"No one should be out there alone."
"Look whose paranoid now." Cody got up. "I'll just tell her I need her to baby sit after church till dinner. She can't soy no to the kids." Matt grabbed his jacket. "Why do you think she's avoiding mom and dad any way?"
"Who knows with her? Get Flynn and let's get up in the air before the weather hits."
"I'm beginning to hate weather."
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The sun was bright and the air was crisp but Cody knew it was going to turn on them in a few hours. They set down close to where they had ended the search yesterday and continued from there. Jess took another path and headed to check the deeper foliage for the fishermen's SUV. There was no sign of it or any tracks. If they didn't find it today, chances were they weren't going to till spring. Jess landed in an empty field that was only a mile or so from where she had left the three men.
"Time to call it a day boys." She said into the radio. "Lunch is on me."
"I think hell has frozen over Ace?" Matt said in return.
"Give me fifteen minutes and be headed your direction." Cody answered.
"I'm three miles out from you Jess. Don't leave without me." Jess laughed at Flynn.
"I would never leave you behind Benji." Jess sat and watched the clouds. Matt was the first to arrive. He got in next to her. "You're pretty fast for an old man."
"I could still run circles around you little sister." He watched the horizon. "Mom called me this morning." Jess didn't look at him and her glasses hid her eyes so he couldn't gage her reaction.
"I just can't talk to them right now."
"Not talking to them is making whatever it is that's bothering you worse."
"I keep remembering them."
"Them? You mean Lee and Hale?"
"Yeah."
"Why does that make you afraid to talk to mom and dad?"
"It would kill them to know."
"Know what Jess?"
"How they treated me."
"Jess mom and dad know it wasn't always good for you with them." Jess looked at him.
"Always Matt. That's the key word. It was always bad when I was with them. Mom and dad paint this picture of my birth parents and it's not the people I went home to every September. I can't be the one to crush that. They were friends. Best friends." Matt looked out at the snow covered mountains that had been his home all his life. Sure he went to college and traveled now and then but it had always been his home. He didn't know what it was like not to feel that way.
"Tell me."
"They never loved me Matt. They always had someone else to take care of me. Hale never liked the nanny or Lee was looking at her the wrong way so she would fire them. I went though six of them that I remember then I turned five and she found a boarding school in Colorado that took kids from kindergarten on. I stayed then from the first week in September till the first week in June when they would take me here. I spent two nights a year in my room. At Christmas. Christmas Eve and Christmas night and then they would send me back. Other school breaks I never saw them."
"The letters you wrote Cody, you never said how bad it was."
"If I told they wouldn't let me come back. The year I broke your jaw was the only time they ever laid a hand on me. They told me I would never come back here."
"You were eight."
"I was a shameful ingrate. No one should be saddled with such an ungodly disrespectful child. That's what they told be before whipped me with a belt." Matt looked at the woman that little girl had become. She had been strong and confident and ruthless when she had to be. Matt had never once seen her weak. All those years she had been hiding the pain of the first twelve years of her life.
"Why do you think this would make mom and dad think anything less of you Jess?" He took her hand. "They love you so much. They have since the day you were born. You have to see that."
"I just don't think they would look at me the same."
"No matter what happened when you were with Lee and Hale it would not change the way mom and dad feel about you Jess. If anything it would give them the insight of why you pulled away those first couple of years."
"I didn't know how to act. I never had parents twenty four seven. I was afraid that they wouldn't love me like they did if they had to have me all year long." Matt held her hand tight and reached over and made her look at him.
"After twenty years Jess there can't be a doubt in your mind that Jesse and Jackie Hawkes don't love you every single day of their lives."
"I know but that little girl still feels that she can't do enough sometimes."
"That little girl doesn't have to worry Jess. She's loved by so many people that Hale and Lee McCormick shouldn't mean a damn thing. But I know you think that because they were the people who gave you life that you'll be more like them then the people who raised you. You know better then that Jess. You have books and research papers that tell you that it's not in your blood. You know it's in your heart. "Jess looked at her big brother. He would always be hers, just like Cody and Jesse and Jackie. She hugged him close and let twenty years of tears fall. Cody opened the back door and got in.
"Oh crap, what did I miss?" Matt turned and laughed.
"More of that High Mountain drama your so fond of." Cody rolled his eyes and Jess laughed as Benji got into the chopper, clueless as always.