A Whisper of Secrets

By Merlene M. Allison

Ramona Rain Rainey Moses has known that she is different since her first day of school.

A quiet, introverted, and brilliant young woman, she excels in school and in college. But the bullying and misperceptions that taint her everyday life have grown to be more than she can stand, so diploma in hand, she returns to her beloved home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains to build a new life for herself. There, cloaked in solitude and her mysterious mountain ways, she carefully gathers a small community of like-minded mountain folk. Together, they form a new kind of family, safe and strong in the wilderness.

But despite Raineys best attempts to protect them from the terrors of the outside world, strangers occasionally wander into her secretive worldand she deals with these unfortunate intruders accordingly. And on the day when four men with evil intentions attack the camp, they soon learn that even though they have eluded the police, there is no hope for escape from justicethis time, at Raineys hands.

In the mountains, they will soon learn that there are fates worse than prisonand even worse than death. When the sun goes down in the deep, wild mountains, everything you thought you knew becomes a deadly mystery.

Rainey and her friends will do what it takes to protect their own, and legend has it that the haint who terrorizes locals is actually one of her strange new kinor is it something even more sinister?

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469738109

Merlene M. Allison

Merlene M. Allison, a child of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, learned of the old myths and legends of the mountain people from her grandparents. A civil engineer, she enjoys gardening, quilting, and storytelling. She has three children and six grandchildren and lives in Georgia with her husband.

Book preview

1

There are two of them; men who have became buddies while incarcerated in adjacent cells in a local jail in North Georgia. You wouldn’t know that they are friends because they hardly ever speak to each other and that is the way they want it to seem because they would be watched closely if they got too chummy. Yet they planned to escape together and run for the wild mountains of North Carolina to live out their life in freedom.

One is in for life, the other headed to death row. With multiple murders including the death of a State Trooper and sex crimes under their belts along with armed robbery these are dangerous men. Not anyone you would ever want to meet in broad daylight much less in the dark of night. They are soon to be transferred from the local jail to a maximum security prison. With time running out they need to act soon.

Benny Cornell and Deacon Deke Sloan both thought they could slip away and make it to the mountains. To a deep wilderness area and live off the land maybe find a cave and live there at least until they could come up with new identities and quietly slip back into society.

Benny was born with a bad gene; his mother knew something was wrong with him from the start. He was quite as a child but would do things that were wrong and find ways to cover it up. He was her son and she loved him in spite of it. She didn’t realize that by allowing this to go on she contributed to his life of crime. His family was wealthy and he was their only son. His parents could not see where covering up and paying his way out was wrong.

Benny was a good looking young man until he got caught up in drugs. He was a tall slender man with dark hair and blue eyes. You could look at him and see a genteel upbringing. That is one of the reasons he had gotten away with so much through his teenage years but crystal meth had taken that away from him.

Deke’s mother had named him Deacon in hopes that it would keep him from following in his father’s footsteps sadly she was wrong. Deke’s father had gotten killed in a drug deal that had gone wrong when Deke was a small boy. Deke was not as lucky as Benny in the looks department. Deke had always been on the small side in size and had never grown over five feet and five inches tall. He was also mousey with thin greasy black hair and dull brown eyes. After getting involved with meth he was a picture of death, almost like a walking skeleton.

Both men are thirty years old but with the life styles they have lived they looked much older. Drugs, alcohol, and fast living had taken a harsh toll on both.

Both men are slated to go to the same prison, one to spend his life and the other to be placed on death row. They are being transferred from the county jail where they have been incarcerated since they were sentenced to the prison when they overtook the two deputies assigned to move them. It was a long drive to the prison down south and because of the distance the deputies have made the mistake of cuffing their hands in front of them instead of behind their backs.

The group exited the jail and headed for the transport car when disaster fell upon the officers. A dumpster had been placed beside the transport car cutting off the view from the building. The prisoners saw this as their chance. Waiting until they were between the car and dumpster the prisoners acted shoving the deputies to the ground and overpowered them. Only one officer was qualified to carry firearms the prisoners saw this and used it to their advantage.

The unarmed deputy led while the armed officer walked behind the group. When they were behind the dumpster Benny pretended to trip over something unseen on the ground and fell to his knees.

Shit exclaimed officer bringing up the rear as he bent to pull Benny to his feet.

This proved to be a major mistake. When Benny felt the hand on his arm he swung around shoving the officer to the ground. Meanwhile Deke fell into the man in front of him shoving him to the ground also.

Benny instantly jerked the gun from the officer’s side and holding it in his cuffed hands shoved it into the startled face of the officer.

Silently motioning with the gun Benny forced both officers to sit next to each other against the large brown dumpster. While Benny held the officers in place Deke took the cuff keys along with the keys for the car from them. After removing the cuffs from Benny and himself he placed them on the officer’s wrists. He then bent down and removed his shoes and socks using the socks to stuff into the mouths of the officers.

Benny and Deke then shoved the officers into the dumpster. Deke grabbed his shoes then the two convicts jumped into the police car and drove off.

It took the deputies several minutes to work their way out of the dumpster and send out an alert. By the time the alarm was sounded and a manhunt underway the two had broken into a home five miles away killed the elderly couple who lived there taken their car and were well on their way to the mountains. A few hours later the police car was found in the old couple’s garage along with the prison jumps suits they had been wearing when they exited the jail and the gun they had taken from one of the officers. With no more bullets for the gun it was worthless to the men. Inside the house the bodies of the elderly man and his wife were found both had been shot in the head. Mr. Gordon Tillis and his wife had died for a car, a few dollars in cash, a credit card, and guns.

It was assumed that the escapees would head for the nearest city where they would try to find a place to lay low for a while.

2

H ey Betty did that car stop out there, Sally Silas asked her sister?

Betty answered as she started toward the front of the store. Yeah looks like a fairly new one I don’t think I’ve seen it before must be some of them foreigners. I don’t think anybody’s told them that the season is over yet there just ain’t no colored leaves left.

Looking out the front window Betty the cashier spoke again, no they must be hunters. There are just two men. I hope they don’t want much I hate for you to have to cook extra tonight Sally.

Betty and Sally are sisters who ran a local market their daddy had left them when he passed away several years ago. They had worked hard to build the store up had even added the restaurant in the back and finally paid off their father’s entire debt and were seeing a little profit. Along with the usual milk and bread they also sold hunting gear and winter wear. Hunters often stopped in to buy coveralls and heavy coats. The weather in the high mountains could get pretty cold in November. The sisters were proud of their little store on the north end of town. This was not the best of locations but it was where daddy had built the store forty five years ago to serve mostly the mountain people and short of selling the property and buying somewhere else, which they were not financially able to do they were stuck here.

It was getting late almost five o’clock and they wanted to close the store and be home by ten. They hoped to get a few people for supper but with the unseasonable weather were not sure if anyone would stop except for maybe a gallon of milk.

The men walked into the store and began looking around choosing several items that could be used on a camping trip.

The taller man asked, Are those red wagons underneath the front window for sale or are they just there for display?

Betty replied’ yes they are for sale I’ll take ten dollars each for them.

Great we would like to buy both of them and we would also like two pairs of those coveralls he said as he pointed to the coveralls displayed on the wall.

The other man asked, Is it possible for us to get about six of them burgers to go?

Course you can. I’ll have them for you in a jiffy Sally spoke from the back of the store.

They continued to gather supplies while Sally cooked the burgers and wrapped them. The first man spoke again saying, Well ladies, I hope you can take a credit card.

Sure we can Betty replied, Let’s just add this all up and I’ll take care of it.

When the man handed Betty the card she froze for a second then continued to process the card which was refused but she continued on as if it were approved. Pulling the register tape and folding it over the card she handed it back to the man and said, It sure is going to be cold tonight. The weather man said we could even get some snow. Mr. Tillis you fellows be careful out there tonight.

Sally spoke up saying, "I threw in some French fries and a few packets of hot cocoa mix.

Thanks little lady that’s mighty nice of you this comment came from the tall man who carried the credit card.

Yeah thanks again the second man said as they walked out the door.

When they had gotten into the car Betty who was shaking like an autumn leaf in the wind again walked over and looked out the window. This time she had a pen and pad of paper with her.

What on earth is the matter with you Betty you act as if you have just seen a ghost?

I’m getting the license number off that car Sally. God I hope they hurry and leave as she spoke the car drove away.

Running back to the counter where the cash register and phone sat Betty grabbed the phone.

Sally grabbed her hand asking, What are you doing?

I’m calling the Sheriff’s office Sally. That is the two men that escaped from jail over in Georgia Tuesday.

How do you know that Miss Smarty Pants?

That credit card belonged to the old couple that was killed just after they escaped and you saw them they looked just like the men on TV. And that car was the same kind that was stolen that is how I know replied Betty.

Betty punched in the number to the sheriff’s office and when Mattie Wicks answered Betty hurriedly told Mattie what she thought about the men. Mattie told Betty to put on a fresh pot of coffee because Sherriff Martin would be over in a few minutes.

Betty asked Mattie, What are we supposed to do if the men came back?

Mattie responded, Just act as if everything is fine and offer to help them with anything they need. After a short pause she added, Pray that they don’t come back.

Sally still not believing said, Brian will be mad if he comes come all the way up here tonight and it ain’t them, especially with the weather bad.

It was them Sally I just feel it in my bones and that card did not go through it was reported as stolen. What could be taking Brian so long? I don’t like this at all what if they come back what will we do?

With that Sally began ranting, Why in the hell did you not say something you just let them take four hundred dollars worth of merchandize we can’t afford that kind of hit. What were you thinking of all the…

Sally would you shut up Betty yelled. You know what they done over in Georgia what do you think they would have done to us? We could be dead and they would have taken everything they wanted anyway."

Well they wouldn’t have gotten those burgers or if I had known I would have flavored them with rat poison Sally yelled back.

Sometimes Betty wondered if Sally; who was her twin, didn’t have a few links missing in her chain. Her train of thought seemed to suggest it.

Finally after what seemed like hours they heard a car pulled into the parking lot. Betty looked out and seen that it was the Sheriff’s car, thank God she thought.

Sheriff Brian Martin walked into the store and asked, "You girls ok?

I guess we are but Betty has got herself worked up over some hunters that came in here. Course they did steal all that stuff and Betty just let them take it complained Sally.

Trying to calm the angry woman Martin said, now Sally let’s just have a look at that credit card information and I will see if there is reason to be concerned.

Suddenly Martin’s radio went off, Brian you there?

Yeah Mattie what’s up?

Mattie replied, "We have just had a call from that FBI agent up at Ashville and it appears that a credit card was used here in town that belonged to a Mr. Gordon Tillis.

Brian felt the short hair on his neck began to rise and a chill went down his spine. That was the name of the man that had been murdered along with his wife over in Georgia the day those prisoners escaped.

The radio cracked and Mattie’s voice came back, Brian you there?

Okay, yeah Mattie I’m here and it looks like we got a real problem. That card was used just about thirty minutes ago out here at the Silas sister’s store.

Brian was looking at the card information as he said this. He turned to the sisters and said, Okay ladies I think you need to close the store and just quietly go on home. And by the way Betty you did the right thing you could both be dead right now if you had not.

We need to clean up and get ready for tomorrow morning Brian. We have a pretty big crowd in here on Friday for breakfast, "griped Sally still not happy about losing money.

No Sally for your own safety you need to clear out now. Go on I’ll wait until you lock up and start home Brian told her.

Betty started locking up and Sally continued to grumble about lost sales tomorrow but helped her sister close the store.

Once they were on their way Brian walked around the building then returned to his car. If these two guys got into the mountains it would be hell to catch them and they already had at least half an hour on him. He still had to go back to the office and call some of the deputies in to help.

Once he returned to the office he told Mattie, Call in Melvin Blass and Doug Totherow. They are the only deputies who have not worked doubles this week and they know the mountains better than anyone else.

Mattie replied, Agent Miles Carrington called and wanted you to call him before you did anything he said this is a federal case and would be handled as such.

Brian couldn’t help himself for feeling that the big boys did not give the locals enough credit, seems like they think we don’t know how to do anything. Oh well I’ll just call him and let him handle this. Let him hunt through those damn mountains see if he can find them.

Call Blass and Totherow back Mattie. I have decided that I will not send them up that mountain tonight. I had rather have them safe at home until we need them. Brian knew it was an act of futility to send anyone up there tonight anyway.

Okay Sheriff she replied.

Mattie I would like for you send a message out for the regulars to keep an eye open for that tan Oldsmobile? Call in two more deputies to come on duty tonight. When they get here have them set up a road block up at the Silas store

Mattie sighed then said, Brian you are confusing the hell out of me. Do you want Blass and Totherow tonight or not?

Brian lifted his hands and massaged his forehead with his fingers before answering her. No not now. They know the mountains and I will want them when we have to go up there. I don’t want them to be worn out before then. Just let them know to be on stand-by.

After going into his office he picked up the phone and dialed a number. When the call finally went through to Agent Miles Carrington Brian wasn’t given the chance to do more than identify himself before Carrington cut