A Story to Remember

Chapter 7 The Truth Comes Through

Chelsea-

I never thought I would be in the back of a squad car. Austin and Jason on either side of me. “Officer, when we get to the house, we’ll have to get the jeep, it sits five legally so one of you may have to stay back. I want all my brothers going. We can throw one of you in the back, or you could hold onto rail in the back.” I explain, “Austin and Jason will have to either hang on or stay back.”

“We’ll make an exception for the day.” Detective Sinclair says keeping close behind John, “We’re going, all eight of us. No exceptions.”

“Squad 48, what’s your status?” the dispatcher’s voice calls through the car radio.

“Squad 48 in transit to Ridgewater Ranch.” Officer Thatcher says picking up the radio.

“Affirmative Squad 48” the dispatcher answers hanging up.

“Where were you when the letters started?” Officer Thatcher asks,

“Working on my last movie The Mist of Dreams Hero in the Dark Woods. It was four months from the final filming date.” I answer remembering that first letter.

“Thatcher, write down to check the cast list for the movie.” Officer Sinclair says, “We’ll run the names through another background check.”

When we arrive back at the ranch, I follow Austin out of the squad car. “I hope I never have to ride in one of those again.” I mumble Austin nudges me with his elbow with a playful smile on his lips. I head to the back of the house the rest of the group following behind me. Seth, David, Austin, Jason, and I throw our school stuff in the stables. I go around starting up Blue-Jay and the rest climb in. Austin on my right and the officer right beside him. John and David sitting in the back seat. Jason and the other officer hanging on standing in the bed of the Jeep. Seth is left holding onto the driver’s side bar standing on the step up. I take the specially designed jeep slowly to where I took Jason yesterday. I park it and begin digging to get the box of letters and the other parts of the threats. I hand the officers the box, “That’s all of it.”

“Officer is that all you want?” John asks. The officers nod and we all pile back into the Jeep. I drive it back to the stable and park it. John, David, and Seth walk the officers back to the house. I walk over to my riding students, Anthony Rivers, who is standing in front of my family’s’ stable with his older brother Reed.

“Hey Anthony.” I greet, Anthony, age eight, smiles before hiding behind Reed. “Hey Reed, did I miss anything in Chorus?”

“No just chorus 101.” He answers, “You both however missed the low down on our Chem teacher. And Chem has now been blessed with a state mandated test!” he says with a fake smile. “Anthony saw the police car, is everyone okay? He's kinda scared.”

I kneel down where I’m standing so that I’m eye level with Anthony, “Anthony, every things okay. Austin and Jason aren’t going to hurt you. Neither my my brothers nor I. Come on, we’ve got to go groom and tack up Honeybunny.” I stand up and hold out my hand for him, “We just needed to take care of some issues from school. The police had us come home and helped us work some things out.”

“Before or after the code red?” Reed asks

“After. They escorted all of us out to come here. Because of the lock down.” I explain leading Anthony to the stables and unlocking Honeybunny’s stall located toward the back of the stable. As soon as Anthony sees the cream-colored mare, he perks right up.

“Chels, do you mind if I hang around and wait for Anthony?” Reed asks, “He’s probably still a bit jumpy.”

“Sure, I could get you a horse and you could ride with him. Brady’s really anxious to get out for a walk.” I tell him. “I’ve got to get Jason on a horse, so your example as a former student and how well you turned out would be a big help. What do you say?”