WFW-The Broken Lock

This weeks Words for Wednesday is hosted by our good friend River over at Drifting through life. The purpose of the words is to encourage us to write, a story, a poem, or whatever comes to mind.

If you post a story on your blog, please drop by Rivers blog at Drifting through life and let her know so everyone can read it.

I'm going to continue a story that I started a couple weeks ago, if you've missed them you can find the first one here Sitting on the window sill and the follow up here Two miles from town.

This week's words are:
dusk, apples, sauce, knitting, amethyst, window
and/or:
itching, silk, gossamer, security, exquisite, turbulent

Let the Creativity begin!  😎

The Broken Lock

Tammy walked about half way to town before she finally saw the front of a truck coming towards her; she was hoping that it was her father coming to take her home. The truck just blew right past her, the driver never seeming to notice her; it wasn't her Dads truck after all. She continued walking dropping pedals from the bouquet of wild flowers she had picked along the way.

Dan ran out the front door to his truck, he couldn't believe Tammy had called, he felt both panicked and relieved at the same time. He was now going to pick her up and was really itching to find out where she had been. At this point Dan didn't know if she had simply ran away by herself, or if Todd was somehow involved since no one had seen him in awhile.

Todd is an idiot as far as Dan was concerned, twenty-three years old and messing around with a teenager, gave her some fake plastic amethyst that she still thinks is real, if Dan had any proof he could get Ole Todd arrested for statutory rape, and if he had any part in Tammy's disappearance then that boy will be getting himself a surprise.

Dan had already ran the boy off late one night, caught him creeping up to Tammy's window it was kind of funny watching Todd fall all over himself trying to run back to his car and watch Dan's shotgun at the same time, that was the last time Dan had seen him, but he was positive that Tammy was still talking to him.

The sun was sitting high in the sky and it was really hot, if she were to step off the road and into the woods for shade her dad would never see her, so she decided to just keep walking, that’s when everything went black.

Driving toward him from the other direction Dan saw the blue lights on top of a Sheriffs car light up and at the same time he saw what looked like someone lying in the road, he slid his truck to a stop and jumped out to pick Tammy up from the hot pavement. The Sheriffs Departments Crown Victoria pulled up and stopped sideways blocking any oncoming traffic that may come by.

Deputy Woodrow Davis jumped out of his cruiser and sprinted towards Tammy while all the time yelling something into the microphone attached to his shoulder. Hey Woody give me a hand here, we gotta get her cooled down, can we put her in your car? Dan yelled to the Deputy. Woody replied, Just hold on Dan I have an ambulance coming, lets give them a chance to help her properly.

Dan had known Woody since he was a kid and was good friends with his dad. Old man Jefferson called in and said he saw a half naked girl staggering up the road here, said he passed her but didn't have time to stop. I wonder how she got all the way out on this side of town, Woody rambled to Dan.

I bet Todd is in on this, Dan said mostly to himself. Todd? What's this Todd's last name, Woody asked. Vickers, Todd Vickers Dan replied. Oh my Lord, we have to find that boy, he's bad news, every time I lock him up he gets out so fast it's like the jail cell has a broken lock on the door.

Todd had been in jail a good many times but always had an alibi good enough to get him released.

She has been smacked around pretty badly Dan, she is dehydrated, malnourished, scraped up, cut, bruised, and worn out completely, on top of being about fourteen weeks along, the Doctor told Dan. I'm going to keep her here a few days to get her hydrated and some food in her system. besides we need to get her some prenatal care started, How long has she been gone anyway Dan? Going on four months Doc, Dan replied to the floor.

Woody had questioned Tammy and she had confirmed Todd was the one that had taken her, she however was not answering any questions that pointed to where he was last seen. She smiled to herself thinking "Let the boy suffer for a few days and then I'll consider talking about it."

What are you smiling about Tammy? Dan playfully asked his daughter, she looked at her dad and said, I was just thinking how good it was going to feel once I get to sleep in my own bed again, she spooned another bite of the sauce from her tray, it was OK but it didn't taste much like apples.

Three days later Woody made a special trip out to Dan Hayes's house to talk with Tammy one more time. He waited until late in the day so he could devote his attention completely to her,  just at dusk Woody knocked on the door.

He began his questioning with; Tammy we really need to know where Todd was holding you. She offered no reply, Come on Tammy you haven't even told me if you know where it was or not, Why won't you talk to me about this? Woody asked. Tammy just shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

Woody pleaded, Tammy you want this baby growing up not knowing where its daddy is? Even as sorry as Todd is he should be made to at least help you support this child! Come on Tam help me out here, I'm trying to help you, but I can't do it if you won't talk! I'm beginning to think that you are protecting Todd!

Tammy suddenly became so angry that Woody could see the turbulent shake that his line of questioning was causing in her.

OK OK Woody! Todd's ass is locked up in the same damn trailer he kept me locked in! and I hope he has starved to death by now, or even better suffocated from the heat, do you know how hot it gets inside a little trailer when you have no electricity to even turn a fan, and all the windows are bolted shut? Tammy shouted, she continued shaking with anger.

Thank you Tammy, now relax and tell me where he is and we will go out there and pick him up, he won't be skipping out of jail on a technicality this time, I promise you that. Woody spoke to her quietly now. I can't tell you, but I can show you where it is, as long as you give me some kind of security and promise you won't let him see me. She whispered to herself as much as to Woody.

Three Sheriffs Department cruisers followed Woody's Crown Vic down the highway, Tammy sat in the back seat with her dad, pointing the way back down the road she had walked. There is a little creek off the road on the right hand side up here Woody, right there in the trees is a driveway that is really hard to see. She said out loud, Thanks Tam, I see it Woody replied.

The four Sheriffs Department cars drove slowly over the washed out road, twisting and turning, and creeping slowly through the kudzu vines that was covering the trees. Man it's dark in here Woody said, are you sure this is it Tammy? Yeah Woody just keep following the road and we will run right into it.

All of a sudden they drove into the clearing that held the little trailer, The Nova was still sitting where Tammy remembered, and Woody made note of the license plate number and exclaimed, Well I'll be damned.

What is it Woody? asked Dan. Woody laughed, We have been looking for this Nova for six months, it disappeared one day from Carlisle Auto sales, when somebody took it for a test drive and never came back, you know old Tom has been calling in everyday wanting to know if we have found it yet. It looks more like a piece of junk than "the exquisite classic muscle car" Tom described it as.

Woody gathered all the Deputies together and briefed them with his plan, they were going to surround the trailer and approach with their weapons drawn, just in case Todd caused any trouble, they would then break the lock, make entry, and then take Todd Vickers into custody.

They crept up to the trailer, giving hand signals to one another in precision, it was amazing how quiet they were as they moved through the gossamer of silk like webs the little spiders were knitting that covered the ground behind the trailer, they went around the sides from the back and then around front ready to break the front door and bring Todd in.

After about ten minutes Dan and Tammy saw Woody motion for them to approach. I don't want to see him Daddy! Tammy yelled, Woody waved for them to come to him, Please Daddy I don't want to see him! Dan took Tammy by the arm and marched to the front of the trailer.

Woody pointed, This is what we found Dan. Tammy looked and saw the front door hanging by the lock hasp with the hinges broken from the door, What, Whe.., How, W-Where is Todd? Tammy asked, He ain't here Tam. Woody answered, the door was like this when we got here, we already searched the place, and he ain't here. Tammy sank to her knees.

"Pleeesssee Daddy, I don't wanna see him" he mocked as he peered through the trees at the commotion in front of the trailer.