Grace's Journey

Grace’s Journey

CHARLES HIGGINS

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

Grace’s Journey

Copyright © 2012 by Charles Higgins.

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ISBN: 978-1-4697-3633-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4697-3634-1 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

iUniverse rev. date: 01/13/2012

Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Acknowledgements

My heartfelt thanks to all my family and friends for their support and requests for a sequel. The completion of this novel would have been impossible without the fine-tuned editing of my oldest daughter, Beth, and the constant positive attention of my loving wife and life companion, Helen.

Prologue

The school bus driver stopped across the road from Georgie’s driveway.

The trees here are beautiful. I like the way your drive winds up through them to your house. I understand your folks developed this association. Right?

Yeah.

All those houses and condos along the ridge north of here?

I think so.

Quite a project. That’s a cave up there to the right of the trees. Right? And is that huge mound below the cave something special?

That’s a swimming pool. Hey, look, like I gotta go. See ya tomorrow.

Georgie jumped off the bus. Man, he thought, have a question. That was sure a waste of time. He crossed to his right through a vacant lot and took the sloping driveway up to the pool parking lot and up the stairs to the swimming pool.

He looked around. Clear. Good, there’s no one here. I’ve wanted to check this out for a long time.

He walked up additional steps to reach the cave deck. After another quick glance to be sure he was alone, he moved into the cave and stuffed his backpack into one of the cabinets in the serving counter.

This is awesome. Uncle Jack has done a great job. Wish I could have spent more time in here while he was working on it. Still can’t figure why Mom kept me out.

The bar and grill were built in front of the left wall, nothing on the right wall. He was fascinated. The floor was pretty flat back about thirty feet before the walls started sloping upward as they reached for each other.

I remember hearing Mom and Dad talk about seeing smoke come out of a hole in the ground as they drove by on the road above.

He stood and looked up at the hole in the ceiling of the cave.

Bet I can climb up there, he thought. I want to see that hole. What fun if I could climb through it.

The room contained two showers with changing rooms, tables and chairs in the center, and a tall, back wall faced with cabinets and closets.

If I could just get over that wall, I bet I could find a place to start my climb. He thought about it for a while and then pulled a table into a changing room tight against the wall. He stood on the table, jumped to catch the top of the wall and pulled himself up so he could swing one leg over, then the other. While hanging on the other side, he pushed off with his feet and dropped to the ground.

Gees, it’s darker in here than in the cave. There’s, like, no way to get back over. I’ve got to get to the top now. He started climbing the rock face. It was actually easier than the one at school because it sloped slightly rather than going straight up. About three quarters of the way up, the walls started to come together. The wall on which he was climbing started to reverse curve—he couldn’t climb any more. He noticed the left wall was now much closer so he reached with his left foot for support over there. He tried to turn so his back was against the left wall but the protrusion under his left foot broke loose.

He fell, arms flailing, to the bottom striking his head on a rock.

Chapter 1

Grace Hamilton, at work, answered the phone.

Jack asked, Have you heard from Georgie?

No, why?

I can’t find him.

That can’t be. Were you late to soccer?

Grace, shut up and let me finish. This is not a soccer pick up day. This is a bus day. He should have been home by 3 or 3:30. I stopped by your house about 5 to see him but he wasn’t there.

I can’t believe it, Jack.

I checked the school—no Georgie anywhere. You sure he didn’t change plans?

He might have, but he didn’t tell me if he did.

Jack, Grace’s half brother, was extremely fond of Georgie. What should I do?

I don’t know. I’ll call you.

Grace started to panic. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Hit by a car? Kidnapped? Her mind started to conjure up all kinds of disasters. Grace—stop it. This will get you nowhere. Develop a plan of action.

Grace drove home, swirled into the driveway, slammed on the brakes, and ran into the house. Nothing on the answering machine, no message on the computer.

She sat down and stared out the window. She was near panic—she tried to logically think of the activities Georgie would have gone through during the day but her mind kept imagining things that could have happened. Phone calls to his good friends produced nothing. The bus company checked with the driver and he advised that Georgie was on the bus this afternoon. She ran back to her car and drove much to fast to the police station.

She hurried inside and asked Is Lieutenant Scanlon on duty?

The officer on duty checked his roster and said, He’s just leaving.

Please, please I must see him. He knows me, Grace Hamilton. I need him—please.

Her fervent plea produced Lt. Scanlon who, despite being stopped at the back door, faced Grace with a big smile and a gracious, Hello, Mrs. Hamilton. How’s my favorite investigator?

Other than being promoted to Lieutenant, he hadn’t changed much in the nine years since she and her husband, Hank, helped him capture a man they had nicknamed Scar. She felt secure when dealing with him.

My life is out of control right now. I can’t find my son. I need your help.

Come here and sit down. Lieutenant Scanlon pulled out his note pad and pen. Tell me what you know.

Grace told him all she knew and what she’d done. She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. Where can he be? What can I do? She wiped her eyes and stared at him.

What time does he normally get home?

Between 3 and 3:30 on the bus. I called and the bus company checked and said he was on the bus today. My brother stopped by my house about 5:00 p.m. and he wasn’t there. He checked the school too. No information.

Better have some facts so I have it correctly. How old?

Fifteen.

How tall?

Oh gosh. I can’t think. About this tall. Grace gestured with her hand.

Weight?

Um. He’s really lanky?

Okay. How about hair color then?

Light brown.

Eyes?

Blue.

What was he wearing this morning when he left for school?

Blue jeans, short sleeve green shirt, and blue zippered jacket.

Sure about the jacket?

I know it seems warm right now but this morning it was cold and we argued about the jacket.

Any strong confrontations with him? Any severe discipline meted out recently?

Grace shook her head.

Any outstanding physical characteristics? What’s he like?

Grace thought for a moment. Very athletic—maybe a little taller than his friends. His hair is a bit longer than I think it should be. Very curious and I think he’s very smart.

Okay. That’s a start. Now—what are we going to do about you?

What about me?

You’re strung tighter than my Aunt Minnie’s violin. You have anyone that can come over and sit with you? You need a clear head so you can produce your usual crisp thinking.

How long will this take for you to find him?

I don’t know and you don’t know. You said he was curious and bright. He may have found something intriguing that demanded his follow up. He might come walking in tonight or it may be days. We don’t file a missing persons report for 24 hours after we receive the information.

24 hours? I’m a wreck now. How can I last that long?

That’s why you need someone to be with you. It could take even longer than that.

To help calm her, Scanlon asked, By the way, Grace, how’s your brother?

Jack’s fine. Hard to love sometimes but I do anyway.

My records show he’s been clean since he got out.

That’s what I figured since I’ve heard nothing negative. I’m glad to have your confirmation.

So, what’s he been up to since then?

Grace continued, Well, going back—as Hank and I got to know him while he was in jail, we realized, especially after hearing all the information from your inquiries into his past history, that he had some imagination and good capabilities in carpentry and mechanics. Remember that cave he lived in? We asked him to design it for use as a gathering spot for members of the housing association we were building along the ridge. His ideas and drawings were so good we asked him to build it for us when he was released. ‘The Cave’ is completed and I’m delighted with what he produced. I just wish Hank were alive to see the results. You’ll have to stop by and see it—I’ll give you a call. Sorry, I’m talking too much… .

I heard your husband died in a car crash. How long ago?

About two years. He always drove too fast. She stared at the floor.

Grace, I’m serious about someone staying with you for a while. Someone for you to talk to and to answer the phone if you need to sleep.

Grace sat quietly, thinking. Hank always drove too fast. I don’t know why he didn’t see the other car come out of that street.

Mrs. Hamilton. He touched her shoulder.

Grace looked up. Yes?

Please give me your brother’s phone number.

Scanlon called Jack. This is Lieutenant Scanlon at the police station. Do you have time to sit with your sister? She’s distraught about her son’s disappearance.

Yeah, sure. Where?

I’m driving her home right now.

Okay. Meet you there.

The lieutenant led Grace through the squad room, where he passed along the information about Georgie and told one of the officers to follow him to the Hamilton house. When he asked Grace for the keys to her car, she came alive.

Why do you need my keys?

I’m going to drive you home.

I can drive.

"Mrs. H., let