The Lost Bones by Kendra Elliot

10

Cate eyed the two men with rifles slung over their shoulders who stood at the end of the survivor island’s decrepit dock the next morning.

“Not good,” Henry muttered under his breath.

Cate’s outlook was more positive. “That’s a friendly carry. The guns are on their backs, not pointed our way.” But she kept a sharp eye on the men after sending them a casual wave.

Adam Jacobs had piloted her and Henry to the little unnamed island while Tessa and Logan had taken a boat to check on the residents of Elias Island. An unofficial boat and seaplane “taxi driver,” Adam had greeted her and Henry as they had joined him at the plane in Harlot Harbor at the crack of dawn, and Cate was pleased that the young man had been on good behavior and not leered at her once.

Now he helped unload the boxes of surplus medical supplies that she and Henry had scrounged together. Cate had made a trip to the grocery store late last night and bought most of their supply of prenatal vitamins, antacids, and a few other things. If Ashlee was pregnant, Cate hoped that one of the products would draw the woman out.

Cate didn’t see any people other than the two men, but she knew far off to their left and now out of sight was a “marina.”

She had seen the marina in a small protected cove as they had flown over the island and didn’t know what else to call the three little rickety boats tied to a slightly more stable-looking dock. She’d also seen two bleached and battered rowboats pulled high up the rocky beach. Cate had wondered how seaworthy any of them were. She and Adam had agreed to tie up at their current dock instead. It was easier for him to approach and felt more open to Cate.

“Morning,” Henry said to the men with rifles as he walked to the end of the dock, two cardboard boxes in his arms. “I’m Dr. Powers. We’ve got some medical supplies we thought some of your residents could use.”

“We don’t need nothin’,” said the man wearing a Seahawks baseball cap. “You can load those boxes right back up in your plane.”

Cate grimaced. Dammit.

The younger man stepped forward, curiosity in his eyes. “What’s in the boxes?”

Good.

“Sterile bandages. Medical tape. Acetaminophen. Benadryl. Topical antibiotic cream. Rubbing alcohol.”

“Got anything stronger than acetaminophen?” the second man asked hopefully. He was missing several lower front teeth.

“No, sorry,” said Henry. He’d told Cate to expect one of the first questions to be about painkillers. Everyone wanted free narcotics.

“We’ll take the boxes for you,” said the man with the toothy smile. “You can be on your way.” The Seahawks fan glowered at his partner.

“I’d prefer to hand them out,” said Henry. “Anyone on the island need looking at? Any infections or sicknesses going on? Kids healthy?”

“We don’t need any doctors,” said the first man. His partner, who had agreed to take the boxes, gave him a side-eye.

“Everyone feel that way?” Henry asked. “Seems like people should decide for themselves if they want me to take a look at something for them. Or do you make the decisions on everyone’s health?”

“He’s not in charge,” said the man with missing teeth. “We’re all free men here. If you follow me, I’ll take you in and put the word out that a doc is visiting.” He gestured for one of the boxes, and Henry handed him a large carton of bandages.

Henry turned around and met Cate’s gaze. She nodded at him, pleased he’d gotten them onto the island. They’d agreed that the type of men on the island might respond better if Henry appeared in charge.

Twenty minutes later, they’d hiked to a small clearing with their load of supplies. Adam stayed with the plane, at Cate’s request. She didn’t want anything hampering their plan to leave—like a resident deciding they wanted a seaplane for themselves.

“No cell service,” Henry muttered.

“Nope,” said Cate, unsurprised. “That’s why Tessa gave me a sat phone.”

The Seahawks fan spoke into a beat-up walkie-talkie as they were leaving the plane. She heard him explain that a doctor was on the plane everyone had seen fly over the island. The doctor was bringing in a few supplies and was willing to take a look at any problems.

Now in the clearing, nearly a dozen people waited. Cate studied the men; none of them had any resemblance to Rich Causey. She tamped down her disappointment.

Rich wouldn’t come to see a doctor.

On the hike in, Cate had glimpsed some large tents linked together deep in the woods and an assortment of chairs and rusted barbecues set up near the tents. Tarps stretched between the trees, offering more cover. Cate wondered if all the residents lived in tents or if some had fashioned any homes out of wood. The docks were proof that some sort of construction had happened on the island at one point. Here in the clearing were a few chairs and large logs that had been dragged to surround a firepit. It was clearly a central meeting place of some sort.

Cate counted three guns tucked into holsters on the other residents and wondered how many weapons she couldn’t see. Where there’s a gun, always assume there’s another. No one looked upset to see Henry and Cate. In fact, several looked quite eager.

“Shit,” Henry said. “Look at his leg.”

The calf of one of the waiting men was swollen to nearly twice the size of his other. Somehow he had acquired an actual medical crutch and leaned heavily on it as he watched them approach. Cate made eye contact with the two women who were present and nodded. Neither was Ashlee Garnet.

Is this a wild-goose chase?

She hoped Tessa and Logan were having better luck.

Henry headed straight for the man with the bad leg, and Cate carried her box over to the women. She’d thought carefully about what to pack to break the ice, knowing she would probably need to gain a bit of trust before anyone would answer her questions. Both women appeared to be in their thirties. One was thin and wore stained jeans. The other wore navy yoga pants with a hole in the knee. They both had expressions of curiosity, their gazes locked on the large box Cate carried.

“Good morning,” Cate said. “I’m with Dr. Powers, and we’re just checking in to see if anyone has any health needs on the island.”

“What’s in the box?” asked the woman in yoga pants.

“Women’s sanitary products and—”

“I’ll take some of those,” the woman said immediately, and the thin one nodded, her face lighting up. “The men will never buy those on supply runs.”

“They’re chicken,” said the thin woman, rolling her eyes. “Also claim it’s a waste of money.”

Cate had suspected basic women’s care would be much-needed products.

She squatted as she set down the box and unslung a large bag from her shoulder. She dug out a few packages of pads and tampons, which the women eagerly took. “Any medical issues you’d like to talk to Dr. Powers about?” Cate asked as she also gave each one a bottle of generic acetaminophen and a box of Band-Aids.

“Nah. Healthy as a horse,” said the thin woman. The other nodded in agreement.

Cate thought they both looked run down and exhausted but didn’t argue. “What about the other women who didn’t come. What do they need?”

The thin woman shrugged and didn’t meet Cate’s eyes. “What else do you got?” she asked.

Cate gave her some of the topical antibiotic cream. “I’ve got prenatal vitamins,” Cate said. “Children’s vitamins too.”

“No kids on the island,” said yoga pants.

“That’s good,” said Cate. “Anyone pregnant?”

The women exchanged a glance and didn’t answer.

I’ll take that as a yes.

“She doing okay with the pregnancy?” Cate asked, even though the women hadn’t confirmed. “I’m sure she’d benefit from some vitamins at the very least. I brought antacids too. According to my friends who’ve been pregnant, these are like gold.”

More furtive looks passed between the women.

“Is she all right?” Cate asked, inserting concern into her voice.

“She’s fine, but her husband’s an ass. He’s not going to let her have any of that stuff,” the first woman finally said, gesturing at the bottles of vitamins.

Cate deliberately looked at all the men in the clearing. “He here?” she asked softly, hoping she sounded like someone the women could confide in.

“Nah. He’s fishing today.”

“Then now is a good time to see if she can use some of these things.” Cate dug into her bag and pulled out a handful of Snickers bars. “Shhh,” she said with a wink as the women’s eyes bulged at the sight of the chocolate. “Don’t let the guys see.”

The bars vanished into their pockets.

Chocolate to grease the wheel.

“Can you show me where to find her?”

The women looked at each other and nodded. They headed toward a well-worn path that led into the woods. Cate caught Henry’s eye and held up the prenatal vitamins, tipping her head in the direction the women had left. He nodded, but concern flashed in his eyes. She gave him a thumbs-up, noting that two other men had joined the group and were also accepting supplies from Henry. She turned and caught up to the other women.

The walk took ten minutes. Cate had glimpses of a few other tents but didn’t see more people. She learned the thin woman was Michelle and the other was Selina. Michelle had been on the island for almost six months and Selina a month. Both lived with their husbands. Cate inferred that Selina’s husband had brought them there to avoid law enforcement, but Michelle and her husband simply didn’t want to answer to anyone.

“Too many stupid laws,” Michelle said. “Why do politicians get to tell us what to do? That’s not the American way.”

Cate made noises of agreement as Selina emphatically nodded at every word Michelle said.

The women finally stopped several dozen feet from a large dark-green tent. “Hello! Leigh! You in there?”

Leigh. The same name Tammy said.

Bulging black garbage bags leaned against one side of the tent, and Cate wondered if they contained belongings or actual garbage. She noted a beat-up bicycle under a tree and a large wagon with two broken wheels. The air was still and humid and smelled of damp wood and dirt. The tent had several patches, and Cate spotted two long slashes that still needed to be patched. The slashes looked deliberate, as if someone had been angry and stabbed at the tent.

How does anyone live like this?

A hugely pregnant woman ducked and stepped out of the tent, her hand supporting her belly.

Ashlee.

Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but its pale-red color was discernible. Pregnancy had rounded her face, making her look much younger than in her photos. If Cate hadn’t known she was eighteen, she would have guessed she was closer to fifteen.

“Hey, Leigh,” Michelle said. “This doctor’s got some antacids and vitamins for you. You can have those, right?”

“What the hell?” said a man moving out from behind Leigh.

Michelle and Selina audibly gasped and froze.

It was Rich.

He had aged considerably. He looked as if he should be Ashlee’s father—not her baby’s.

Cate was thankful she’d put on a ball cap that morning and pulled her hair into a messy bun at her neck. She’d never met Rich in person, but there was a possibility he’d seen her on TV in press conferences or searched out her photo online years ago, looking for the face of the woman who was hunting him.

“Hi!” Cate said brightly, as if the women she was with hadn’t frozen in surprise. “I’ve got something to help your wife with heartburn—”

“We don’t need it,” Rich announced, stepping in front of Ashlee.

“How about some vitamins that are for pregnant women?” Cate said rapidly. “It’s so important that she’s getting all the vitamins she needs. That baby is stealing them from her body.”

“Vitamins are just a ploy to get your money,” said Rich. “They’re bullshit. Our bodies make what we need.”

Cate wanted to get something into Ashlee’s hands. “That’s true. But babies are greedy. Every little bit helps.”

Rich took a step toward Cate. “Get the fuck off my property.”

Cate was tempted to argue the validity of that statement.

“I understand,” she told Rich. “A lot of people feel that way. I’ll just leave some women’s hygiene products. She’ll need them for all the heavy bleeding after—”

“Fine! Jeez.” He grabbed Ashlee’s arm, hauled her forward, and then gave her a shove in the back. “Go get your women’s shit.”

Ashlee stumbled forward, her arms out for balance. She was gigantic, making Cate wonder if she was pregnant with twins. Rich stood back and watched, his arms crossed on his chest, disgust in his eyes. Cate had hoped he’d keep his distance when she gave Ashlee the hygiene products.

Cate quickly set down her box and dug out the sanitary pads. She slipped a small piece of paper out of her pocket. Ashlee approached and Cate stood, holding the paper on the plastic-wrapped pads so that Ashlee could read it.

It was a photocopy of what Ashlee—Cate assumed—had written on the newspaper article. Just the handwritten portion. Seeing her huge belly and Rich’s attitude, Cate had little doubt that it was Ashlee who had described her fear for her unborn child. The young woman froze as she saw the photocopy, and then her gaze leaped to Cate’s.

“Here you go,” Cate said conversationally but loud enough for Rich to hear. “I hope these are helpful after your baby is born. Have you had any contractions?”

“Yes,” whispered the girl, raising a hand to her forehead. “And my head and back hurt all the time.”

Alarmed, Cate looked at Rich. “Did you know your wife has been having contractions?”

“She’s been bitching about pain for months. It’s normal.”

Ashlee winced and put both hands on her belly. Cate swore the abdomen seemed to rise and tighten under Ashlee’s snug shirt.

Holy shit.

“She’s having a contraction right this second.”

“It’s those fake labor things,” snapped Rich. “Leigh, get over here. Now.”

“Can I leave her some acetaminophen for her—”

“No. Nothing else. Just the female crap.”

Confident that Ashlee had recognized the note, Cate crumpled the paper back into her hand and passed her the pack of pads. “Hopefully help for the baby will come soon.” She held Ashlee’s gaze, praying the young woman understood that someone would get her out of this horrible situation soon.

“I hope so too,” the young woman said. Her eyes were bloodshot, and exhaustion surrounded her. But there was a hint of trust that hadn’t been there a few moments before.

“You can count on it.”

I’ve got to get her out of here today.

Cate nodded at her and returned to the other two women, who hadn’t said a word during the entire exchange. The three of them headed back toward the clearing.

“He’s a real asshole,” whispered Selina. “We’ve felt so sorry for that girl. He doesn’t let her do anything.”

“I took them some leftovers a few weeks ago, and he blew up at me,” said Michelle. “Told me his wife didn’t need help taking care of him.”

“Sounds like a real winner,” said Cate. “I’m sure he’ll get what’s coming to him.”

“She looks like she could pop any day,” said Michelle. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when she goes into labor. I’m no help. I can’t be around that type of pain.”

“Me either,” agreed Selina. “And the men won’t be any help.”

“Rich claims he knows what to do during a birth,” said Michelle. “But I wouldn’t trust him.”

“Fuck no,” said Selina.

“I think she might be in active labor right now,” Cate said.

“Dammit,” muttered Michelle. The woman stopped and looked back the way they had come, frustration on her face. “I don’t know how to get Leigh away from him. He’s such an overbearing ass. If we could separate them, there’s a boat that could get her to the clinic on Widow’s—oh . . . that’s where you’re from, right?”

“I’d take her right now in the seaplane,” said Cate. “And leave him behind.”

The health of her baby is far more important than bringing Rich to justice.

Cate touched Michelle’s arm. “How do the other men on the island feel about Rich and her pregnancy?”

Michelle grimaced. “They say it’s Rich’s business. I’ve talked to my man about Leigh a few times. He tells me to keep to myself.”

“Same,” said Selina.

“And if that baby dies because Rich won’t let her have help?”

The woman looked away.

“Leigh could die too.”

“What can we do?” Michelle threw up her hands, anger in her tone. “We’re powerless.”

“No, you’re not,” said Cate, making the women look at her in surprise. “And you’re exactly who can help. Trust me.”

I have an idea.