Post by papaof2 on Aug 11, 2019 14:41:20 GMT -6
The Waif
Chapter 1
Monday, 14 July, 8:20AM CDT
She's hardly an abandoned waif in this higher end farmers' market, but that ghost of a snaggletoothed smile and an almost invisible hand wave tell me she's not in a good place in her life. If I drop my cheap plastic reading glasses, I'm almost certain she'll jump to pick them up - she has the look of 'They'll hit me if I don't help.'
Clatter!
"Here, Mister."
Down on one knee on the horse blanket here on the floor so we'll be at eye level.
"Thank you, precious girl."
"What's precious?"
"It means rare and valuable, like diamonds and rubies are precious stones because there aren't many of them. They are also rare and valuable because they are beautiful things."
"Me? Uncle Joe says I'm just a stupid, useless bitch."
"Do you have a name, precious girl?"
"I'm Lisa Bonner. That's my Uncle Joe with the six beers on the table. I think he's too drunk to see me or he'd be yellin' about me talking to someone he don't know and tellin' me how useless I am. I guess I am useless with this cast on my arm. He had to take me to the ER this morning because I broke it when I 'fell out of the truck's bed'."
"Hello, precious Lisa. I'm Mr. Wilson - and I don't think you 'fell'."
"You believe me?"
"Yes, precious girl."
"Why do you keep saying I'm precious? There ain't nothin' special about me."
"Are you part of a set of twins or triplets?"
"No."
"Remember that I said precious included rare?"
"Like the rare steak that I never get any of?"
"No, this is the other meaning of rare as in there being very few of something. If you don't have a twin, then how many of you are there in the world?"
"Just me."
"Then if you're the only one of you in so many people you haven't yet learned to count that high, aren't you rare?"
"I guess."
"Then if you're that kind of rare, you must also precious."
"You're nice. Can I live with you?"
"YOU USELESS LITTLE BITCH! I'LL TEACH YOU TO TALK TO PEOPLE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH YOU, YOU'LL THINK THIS MORNING'S TRIP TO THE E.R. WAS A PICNIC!"
Sur-chink!
"Joe, in case you didn't recognize it, that was the sound of me chambering a round on my .45. You try to hit this girl again like you did earlier today and you won't be in the ER - you'll be in the morgue."
"BIG TALK, OLD MAN! I CAN TAKE YOU APART WITH ONE HAND BEHIND MY ... HEY! LET GO OF MY HAND! GET THESE HANDCUFFS OFF ME!"
"Shut up, Joe. I have you for drunk and disorderly plus assault. Maybe more if Lisa verifies what we heard."
"I DIDN'T DO NOTHIN'!"
"Adams, put him in my cruiser."
"Sir, I'm Deputy Thompson and it seems our stop for coffee was at a good time. We've heard enough to justify arresting Joe on several charges, including assault on a child and suspicion of child abuse. I'd appreciate it if you'd follow us to the Sheriff's Office. Your input could be very helpful."
"Be glad to Deputy. I also recorded my conversation with Lisa. If we're leaving, what about her?"
"Let me ask. Lisa, we're taking your Uncle Joe to jail. Do you want to ride in the Sheriff's Cruiser with Deputy Adams or with Mr. Wilson?"
"Mr. Wilson."
---
"Deputy, a moment of your time before we talk further."
"Yes, Mr. Wilson?"
"You don't think I'm making something up to get contact with a child?"
"No sir. I saw the security video. You never touched Lisa. You never asked her to do anything. You recognized a frightened child and stepped between her and her source of fear. That's what a caring adult does regardless of possible consequences. In this case, Lisa disappeared at the County Employees' July Fourth picnic on Saturday, the 3rd, and Judge Bonner has been looking for his granddaughter since then - even posted a $20,000 reward. Why were you at the farmers' market?"
"My youngest daughter mentioned their selection of jams, jellies and preserves and I'd stopped to look for pear preserves before I headed back to Georgia."
"Since that's the table you were in front of from the security footage - which also includes Lisa's tiny scared smile and wave at you - it's obvious you were just in the right place at the right time for her. We will be checking into who saw Lisa at the hospital and why they didn't notify us - there are 'Missing' posters with her picture in every public building."
"I wondered about that. Out here, $20,000 might be more than a year's income for many people."
"You're correct, which makes me suspicious of either threats from Joe or another family member being involved. The Judge is in the Sheriff's office there on the right and would like to meet you."
"Deputy, I'm not looking for a reward and having her safe is thanks enough."
"Mr. Wilson, I'm Judge Bonner and I might overrule you on how much thanks is 'enough'."
"Pleased to meet you, Your Honor."
"Unless you're in my courtroom, I'm Paul."
"Paul, I'm Jack."
"You're also richer than you were this morning and you have a job if you're interested."
"Job?"
"Lisa needs a full time parent and while I'm her next of kin, I'm certainly not qualified as I've never been involved in raising a girl and, in my late son's opinion, I wasn't a good father to him. However, I understand you're the father of some successful daughters."
"One is an engineer. One is a librarian at a state university. One teaches middle school. Each is doing what she wants to do and is good at what she does."
"You're hired!"
"Maybe you better walk me through what my 'job' is?"
"These are the guardianship papers for Lisa. I saw the security video and heard her ask 'Can I live with you?' In the more than three years since her parents died, she's never wanted to live with any of the family members who have had temporary custody of her - she's just been passed around hoping for someone that 'fit'. You obviously come close to that 'fit' because she asked to live with you. That's the first part of your job. The second part is that I know you're an excellent author because I've read most of your works - including the small things online that never made it to even an ebook. I want you to take my mostly hand-written memoirs and put together a book about the interesting cases I've presided over. Working title of 'My Favorite Cases' by Paul Bonner and Jack Wilson. We split the royalties 50/50. That's something you can do when Lisa's at school and there is no time limit, other than I want to hold a paper copy before I die."
"I can live with you, Mr. Wilson? For real? Forever? And you'll read me a bedtime story and tuck me in every night? And…"
"If that's what you want."
"I do! I do! Where do you live?"
"At the moment, I'm looking for a place. My late wife and I were in the process of having a new house built on our existing lot and we'd moved a travel trailer to the property to live in during demolition and construction but then a semi hit her car as she was leaving the grocery store…"
"The tanker that ran a red light and the explosion was captured by a traffic camera?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry, Jack. Let me know if you have any problems with that trucker's insurance company. They're based in this county and sometimes get a bit big for their britches."
"Thanks, Paul, but I just want to get past that event. Maybe a new responsibility in my life would be a very good thing."
"And possibly new surroundings? Lisa loves being out in the country and you can do the work anywhere that has power and communications, so how about the pictured 150 acres that's been in my family a long time but the house hasn't been lived in for several years? Why don't you and Lisa drive out and check it? If you like it, I'll lease it to you for $1 a year. If you decide that you want it, tell me what it needs and I'll see that any maintenance or repairs are done ASAP. I'm sure you probably have furniture and other things in storage that you need to take care of, so do you want to take Lisa with you to Georgia while you do that or do you want me to keep her until you get back?"
"Lisa, do you want to go do boring house things with me or stay with your Grandpa?"
"You!"
---
The house is old - and BIG - but parts of it can be closed off so we're only heating or cooling the space we're using. Other than some years of collected dirt and grime, it seems to be in reasonably good condition. A metal roof can last 50 years or more and this one looks OK. The power is off so I can't check lights, the well pump or the central heat and air but the hand pump still works after priming it with a bottle of water from my vehicle. The wood stove in the family room needs cleaning but isn't that old. The wood-fired cookstove is a classic in brown enamel and chrome and looks OK except for the dirt. The propane tank is empty so I can't check the LP cookstove or even the pilots on the water heater and the central heat. Adding central heat and air to a house this old would have been a major undertaking. At least it was done in zones, as there are three condenser/compressor units outside. That probably means wiring the house for AC was another major undertaking.
Lisa was fascinated by the horse-drawn equipment in both barns. I am also. I took some pictures and I'll ask a knowledgeable friend about whether that equipment can be used or repaired. I'm not interested in running a completely horse-powered farm but I'd like to learn how things were done when the house was built and Lisa has asked "Can I have a horse?" at least five times so far. So maybe a horse for a little riding and a little farm work?
Text my list of repairs, updates and improvements - and a visit from Maxi-Maids as I don't think Mini-Maids can do that much work in a day.
First, it's back to Georgia for me and I should get a car seat before I leave Smithville, where the sign says 'Population 1570 in 2010'. Local law enforcement isn't likely to stop me but the Highway Patrol might - and maybe I want to keep her safe.
---
Chapter 1
Monday, 14 July, 8:20AM CDT
She's hardly an abandoned waif in this higher end farmers' market, but that ghost of a snaggletoothed smile and an almost invisible hand wave tell me she's not in a good place in her life. If I drop my cheap plastic reading glasses, I'm almost certain she'll jump to pick them up - she has the look of 'They'll hit me if I don't help.'
Clatter!
"Here, Mister."
Down on one knee on the horse blanket here on the floor so we'll be at eye level.
"Thank you, precious girl."
"What's precious?"
"It means rare and valuable, like diamonds and rubies are precious stones because there aren't many of them. They are also rare and valuable because they are beautiful things."
"Me? Uncle Joe says I'm just a stupid, useless bitch."
"Do you have a name, precious girl?"
"I'm Lisa Bonner. That's my Uncle Joe with the six beers on the table. I think he's too drunk to see me or he'd be yellin' about me talking to someone he don't know and tellin' me how useless I am. I guess I am useless with this cast on my arm. He had to take me to the ER this morning because I broke it when I 'fell out of the truck's bed'."
"Hello, precious Lisa. I'm Mr. Wilson - and I don't think you 'fell'."
"You believe me?"
"Yes, precious girl."
"Why do you keep saying I'm precious? There ain't nothin' special about me."
"Are you part of a set of twins or triplets?"
"No."
"Remember that I said precious included rare?"
"Like the rare steak that I never get any of?"
"No, this is the other meaning of rare as in there being very few of something. If you don't have a twin, then how many of you are there in the world?"
"Just me."
"Then if you're the only one of you in so many people you haven't yet learned to count that high, aren't you rare?"
"I guess."
"Then if you're that kind of rare, you must also precious."
"You're nice. Can I live with you?"
"YOU USELESS LITTLE BITCH! I'LL TEACH YOU TO TALK TO PEOPLE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH YOU, YOU'LL THINK THIS MORNING'S TRIP TO THE E.R. WAS A PICNIC!"
Sur-chink!
"Joe, in case you didn't recognize it, that was the sound of me chambering a round on my .45. You try to hit this girl again like you did earlier today and you won't be in the ER - you'll be in the morgue."
"BIG TALK, OLD MAN! I CAN TAKE YOU APART WITH ONE HAND BEHIND MY ... HEY! LET GO OF MY HAND! GET THESE HANDCUFFS OFF ME!"
"Shut up, Joe. I have you for drunk and disorderly plus assault. Maybe more if Lisa verifies what we heard."
"I DIDN'T DO NOTHIN'!"
"Adams, put him in my cruiser."
"Sir, I'm Deputy Thompson and it seems our stop for coffee was at a good time. We've heard enough to justify arresting Joe on several charges, including assault on a child and suspicion of child abuse. I'd appreciate it if you'd follow us to the Sheriff's Office. Your input could be very helpful."
"Be glad to Deputy. I also recorded my conversation with Lisa. If we're leaving, what about her?"
"Let me ask. Lisa, we're taking your Uncle Joe to jail. Do you want to ride in the Sheriff's Cruiser with Deputy Adams or with Mr. Wilson?"
"Mr. Wilson."
---
"Deputy, a moment of your time before we talk further."
"Yes, Mr. Wilson?"
"You don't think I'm making something up to get contact with a child?"
"No sir. I saw the security video. You never touched Lisa. You never asked her to do anything. You recognized a frightened child and stepped between her and her source of fear. That's what a caring adult does regardless of possible consequences. In this case, Lisa disappeared at the County Employees' July Fourth picnic on Saturday, the 3rd, and Judge Bonner has been looking for his granddaughter since then - even posted a $20,000 reward. Why were you at the farmers' market?"
"My youngest daughter mentioned their selection of jams, jellies and preserves and I'd stopped to look for pear preserves before I headed back to Georgia."
"Since that's the table you were in front of from the security footage - which also includes Lisa's tiny scared smile and wave at you - it's obvious you were just in the right place at the right time for her. We will be checking into who saw Lisa at the hospital and why they didn't notify us - there are 'Missing' posters with her picture in every public building."
"I wondered about that. Out here, $20,000 might be more than a year's income for many people."
"You're correct, which makes me suspicious of either threats from Joe or another family member being involved. The Judge is in the Sheriff's office there on the right and would like to meet you."
"Deputy, I'm not looking for a reward and having her safe is thanks enough."
"Mr. Wilson, I'm Judge Bonner and I might overrule you on how much thanks is 'enough'."
"Pleased to meet you, Your Honor."
"Unless you're in my courtroom, I'm Paul."
"Paul, I'm Jack."
"You're also richer than you were this morning and you have a job if you're interested."
"Job?"
"Lisa needs a full time parent and while I'm her next of kin, I'm certainly not qualified as I've never been involved in raising a girl and, in my late son's opinion, I wasn't a good father to him. However, I understand you're the father of some successful daughters."
"One is an engineer. One is a librarian at a state university. One teaches middle school. Each is doing what she wants to do and is good at what she does."
"You're hired!"
"Maybe you better walk me through what my 'job' is?"
"These are the guardianship papers for Lisa. I saw the security video and heard her ask 'Can I live with you?' In the more than three years since her parents died, she's never wanted to live with any of the family members who have had temporary custody of her - she's just been passed around hoping for someone that 'fit'. You obviously come close to that 'fit' because she asked to live with you. That's the first part of your job. The second part is that I know you're an excellent author because I've read most of your works - including the small things online that never made it to even an ebook. I want you to take my mostly hand-written memoirs and put together a book about the interesting cases I've presided over. Working title of 'My Favorite Cases' by Paul Bonner and Jack Wilson. We split the royalties 50/50. That's something you can do when Lisa's at school and there is no time limit, other than I want to hold a paper copy before I die."
"I can live with you, Mr. Wilson? For real? Forever? And you'll read me a bedtime story and tuck me in every night? And…"
"If that's what you want."
"I do! I do! Where do you live?"
"At the moment, I'm looking for a place. My late wife and I were in the process of having a new house built on our existing lot and we'd moved a travel trailer to the property to live in during demolition and construction but then a semi hit her car as she was leaving the grocery store…"
"The tanker that ran a red light and the explosion was captured by a traffic camera?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry, Jack. Let me know if you have any problems with that trucker's insurance company. They're based in this county and sometimes get a bit big for their britches."
"Thanks, Paul, but I just want to get past that event. Maybe a new responsibility in my life would be a very good thing."
"And possibly new surroundings? Lisa loves being out in the country and you can do the work anywhere that has power and communications, so how about the pictured 150 acres that's been in my family a long time but the house hasn't been lived in for several years? Why don't you and Lisa drive out and check it? If you like it, I'll lease it to you for $1 a year. If you decide that you want it, tell me what it needs and I'll see that any maintenance or repairs are done ASAP. I'm sure you probably have furniture and other things in storage that you need to take care of, so do you want to take Lisa with you to Georgia while you do that or do you want me to keep her until you get back?"
"Lisa, do you want to go do boring house things with me or stay with your Grandpa?"
"You!"
---
The house is old - and BIG - but parts of it can be closed off so we're only heating or cooling the space we're using. Other than some years of collected dirt and grime, it seems to be in reasonably good condition. A metal roof can last 50 years or more and this one looks OK. The power is off so I can't check lights, the well pump or the central heat and air but the hand pump still works after priming it with a bottle of water from my vehicle. The wood stove in the family room needs cleaning but isn't that old. The wood-fired cookstove is a classic in brown enamel and chrome and looks OK except for the dirt. The propane tank is empty so I can't check the LP cookstove or even the pilots on the water heater and the central heat. Adding central heat and air to a house this old would have been a major undertaking. At least it was done in zones, as there are three condenser/compressor units outside. That probably means wiring the house for AC was another major undertaking.
Lisa was fascinated by the horse-drawn equipment in both barns. I am also. I took some pictures and I'll ask a knowledgeable friend about whether that equipment can be used or repaired. I'm not interested in running a completely horse-powered farm but I'd like to learn how things were done when the house was built and Lisa has asked "Can I have a horse?" at least five times so far. So maybe a horse for a little riding and a little farm work?
Text my list of repairs, updates and improvements - and a visit from Maxi-Maids as I don't think Mini-Maids can do that much work in a day.
First, it's back to Georgia for me and I should get a car seat before I leave Smithville, where the sign says 'Population 1570 in 2010'. Local law enforcement isn't likely to stop me but the Highway Patrol might - and maybe I want to keep her safe.
---