Itsy Bitsy Spider

By Dale L. Pitts

Jon Paul Gordon losses his wife on an auto accident. There is no way he can get over her while living in the house they built as their dream home. She was the love of his life and now she’s gone. He escapes, moving to Appleby, a small remote town in west Texas. He begins to lean heavily on the liquor bottle to soothe the pain of his loss.<

• Language: English
• Publisher: TOPLINK PUBLISHING, LLC
• Release date: Dec 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781948262590

Dale L. Pitts

Dale L. Pitts was an educator for forty-four years and also served as a special agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He holds a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s and doctorate from the University of Houston. He lives near Houston, Texas.

Book preview

Chapter 1

What in the world is that?

At first it looked like water on the floor, near the water well, but on closer inspection it had a darker color than water.

Homer, get in here!

Now Homer was a dog smart enough to know this tone of voice from his master meant something bad was about to happen. Instantly he made a run for the back bedroom and his favorite hiding place—under the bed. His master had not scolded him very often, and hiding seemed to be the prudent thing to do until he decided whether or not he was in big trouble.

Homer, come here!

The voice had softened a little, and the dog cautiously crept back into the kitchen and sat at his master’s feet. Homer, did you wet on the floor? Jon Paul asked.

Sitting perfectly still, Homer cocked his head to the side and looked devotedly into the eyes of his master as if to say, I don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.

Jon Paul could not bring himself to be angry at the dog, who had been his best friend for three years.

You know, old buddy, this is really my fault. If I had not been so drunk last night, I would have let you go outside and take care of your business. Jon Paul said to himself, This is the first time since I’ve had this dog that he has wet on the floor. I think I remember hearing him growl last night but that half-pint of whiskey I drank left my brain a little cloudy and I can’t be sure. He certainly deserves the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll assume he tried to tell me he needed to go outside.

Since the auto accident three years ago, which had taken the life of his wife, Dahlia, drinking had become part of Jon Paul’s daily routine. They had been married for twenty-three years, and in the blink of an eye she was gone. He often rationalized that he drank to help himself adjust to this solitude of an existence without her, but in reality, he knew he drank to help himself forget or at least to get drunk enough that he would not constantly think about the fact that she was no longer by his side.

Jon Paul mopped up the wet spot on the floor, as Homer sniffed around the base of the indoor well. When he had first looked at the house, the well was one of the features he liked most about it. It was an older house, probably seventy to eighty years old, and had charm and ambiance that blended in perfectly with the town.

Homer seemed to be very engrossed in the wet spots on the floor, which made Jon Paul wonder. If Homer had not wet on the floor, then how did they get there? He looked at the ceiling and it was obvious there were no leaks, and it certainly had not rained last night. He knew he had not spilled anything on the floor, especially not in the area of the well since it was on the back porch. Maybe he had been a little unsteady on his feet last night, but if he had spilled any of his drink, it would have been near the sink where he mixed his favorite beverage.

Jon Paul made his morning coffee and toast and spent a few minutes looking at the pictures of Dahlia and their daughter, Tina Marie. Tina looked so much like her mother with her beautiful, long, midnight-black hair and glistening emerald-green eyes. Each time he looked at the pictures, his impulse was to rush to the telephone and call Tina. Tina was twenty-four years old now and, as had her mother, taught the fifth grade. He always felt better after talking with Tina, but he knew it sometimes upset her when he would start crying. It was not fair to her to have to start her day in a somber mood.

I’ve got to be stronger and do a better job of dealing with this pain, Jon Paul thought to himself. He put his breakfast dishes in the sink and knelt down to scratch Homer between his ears. Now, pooch, don’t you dare do your business on the floor again. I’ll be home at noon to let you out, so, old buddy, give me a high five.

Homer raised his right front paw for Jon Paul to shake and excitedly wagged his nub of a tail as if to say, Yes, sir, I fully understand and I’ll be right here guarding our castle until you return.

As Jon Paul walked from the kitchen, he paused to look again in the direction of the well and the area where the wet spots had been. For just a moment he hesitated and thought, I wonder if some kind of animal could have come up through the well? I’ll have to ask some of the natives here and see if that is possible.

With that thought, he was out the front door and in his car. Homer watched the car from the front window of the house until it was out of sight.

Jon Paul had a three-mile drive to town and his office. He was in his second year as superintendent of schools of the Appleby School District.

Chapter 2

Several years ago when they had moved to Granite City, Jon Paul and Dahlia felt they had moved to their dream home. It was a lovely home on a hill overlooking Canyon Lake in central Texas. He had just been hired to be the superintendent of schools in Granite City. Not only was this one of the most beautiful places on earth, it was only a short drive from where their beautiful daughter would be attending college. Their new home was in the center of the famed Hill Country of Texas.

Millions of years ago, the part of Texas known as the Hill Country was under a vast sea. Limestone and other sedimentary rock formed layer upon layer at the bottom of this sea. A geologic fault pushed some of these layers up nearly two thousand feet high to form a plateau. Over a period of a million years or so, erosion wore away some of the soil and bedrock, and some areas sunk due to a geologic phenomenon. This created an area known as the Edwards Plateau. In some areas, steep hills were created with gorgeous rivers flowing at their base, and because water was relatively plentiful here, many towns sprung up along the rivers. Granite City was one of these towns.

State highway 12 followed the course of the Colorado River, and where there was a break in the cedar, live oak, pecan, cottonwood, and majestic cypress trees, magnificent views were there for the taking. Back from the river basin, the broad meadows and rolling hills showed remnants of a tall grass system, which gave life and protection to a vast array of wildlife species. An abundance of whitetail deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, javelinas, and quail gave the entire region an aura of wonderment unsurpassed anywhere. It was as if Mother Nature was the personal caretaker of the Hill Country, and she was working twenty-four hours a day to ensure its continued beauty. Add to this the overabundance of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and other wildflowers along the highway, and one could easily understand why Jon Paul and Dahlia had planned to stay there a long time.

The Gordons spent as much time as possible on their back patio. They enjoyed looking at the beautiful sights and countryside. Each day seemed to get off to a better start if they shared small talk and watched for their wildlife neighbors. The wild animals often made appearances at the edge of the woods, which was about fifty yards from the house. Part of Dahlia’s daily routine was a thirty-minute time period each morning sitting on the back deck, drinking her coffee, relaxing, and mentally preparing for the day ahead. Jon Paul usually had too many projects working at school to spend a lot of time admiring Mother Nature. He did, however, pause each morning for a quick cup of coffee with Dahlia, just to be in her company.

One November evening, Dahlia told Jon Paul she had been invited to the University of Texas at Austin to present a program on Successful Writing Strategies for Elementary Students at the annual elementary teachers conference. She would leave on a Wednesday morning and return on Friday. It was an honor to be invited to present at the conference, and since Austin was only a little more than an hour drive from Granite City, he felt he could live without Dahlia for two days, even though he would not like it.

On Wednesday morning, when Dahlia left Granite City to drive to Austin, she promised Jon Paul she would call him each evening. After she left for Austin and as he was getting dressed for work, he noticed that the television weatherman was predicting cold, rainy weather for the weekend. That evening when they talked, he would be sure to tell Dahlia about the weather, but he felt sure she would be home before the weather turned nasty. Weather in the Hill Country this time of year was usually pretty mild, so he felt there was no real need to worry.

At five fifteen Thursday afternoon, Jon Paul decided he had had enough for one day, and he prepared to go home. It had been a long, tiring day, and it seemed that the day had been three weeks long. He felt that everyone and his brother had come to see him today to complain about something. As he locked his office door behind him, he noticed that a light mist had started to fall. His first thought was, I’m glad Dahlia is driving home tomorrow. Maybe the rain will have passed through by then. He was also aware that the temperature had dropped considerably since the last time he had been outside at about three thirty that afternoon.

He smiled as he thought to himself about the old Texas saying concerning weather: If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait five minutes and it will change. There had been no prediction of freezing weather, which was a blessing. However, in central Texas, when the weather changed, it was sometimes unpredictable and dramatic. As school superintendent, Jon Paul would be out at three o’clock the next morning to check driving conditions to see if there was a chance of ice on the roads. With all the hills in the area, no chances could be taken with school buses on unsafe roads.

The Gordons lived almost three miles from town, out loop 27 to the turn on state highway 12, and then it was two more miles to their home. The closer Jon Paul got to home, the harder the rain fell. As he turned into his driveway, he noticed how dark the house looked. He thought, I sure like it better when Dahlia is home to greet me.

Jon Paul was not very handy in the kitchen, and when he had to fend for himself, he usually warmed up some leftovers or ate a sandwich. After checking the contents of the refrigerator and finding nothing that appealed to him, he made a quick sandwich and sat down to eat it while he watched the news. Tonight he watched the local news, then the national news, but as a rule, he watched only the local news. It seemed that there was too much happening in the world that was not good, and it was depressing. As the news ended, he picked up his dishes and headed to the kitchen to put them in the sink. He had just finished rinsing the dishes when the telephone rang.

He answered the phone and the voice he heard immediately brightened his day. It was the love of his life, Dahlia. Hi, baby, I’m coming home early and wanted to surprise you.

Jon Paul was elated but immediately thought about the heavy rain coming down and the slippery roads. Where are you? he asked.

I’m on loop 27, just past exit 9, she replied.

This stretch of road was very winding and hilly and dangerous even under good weather conditions. Jon Paul was excited that she was only a couple of miles from home, but he was concerned about the road conditions. Sweetheart, you be very careful in that rain. He was trying not to sound alarmed and scare her about driving in the rain.

Yes, sir! Dahlia replied in a very curt, mockingly military manner. They teased a lot and he could not help but laugh.

Baby, I’ll be home in about five minutes. Almost in the same breath and in an alarmed voice, she added, Jon Paul, there’s a vehicle following me real close. I think it’s a pickup. There’s lights on top of the cab.

Trying hard not to say anything to scare her, he started giving her instructions. Slow down, be very careful, don’t take your eyes off the road—and don’t stop for any reason.

She heard his instructions and made every effort to follow each of them, but she could not stop glancing in the rearview mirror at the vehicle that seemed so close she could almost feel her rear bumper being nudged by this maniac driver.

Jon Paul, it’s a pickup. I think it’s black and has the number 55 at the top of the windshield. Dahlia was quickly reaching the panic level. She was trying hard to listen to what Jon Paul was saying and follow his instructions, but it was difficult to listen to him when all she could think was, Why is that driver doing these crazy things?

The night air outside was very cool, but Dahlia could feel perspiration building on her forehead and starting to trickle down her cheek. She could hear Jon Paul’s voice but could not tell what he was saying. Then what she feared would happen, did. The car behind her nudged her rear bumper. It was not a hard bump, but just enough to add panic to her already existing fear. She could not stifle the scared scream. She knew she needed to control her emotions and actions even though it was getting harder and harder. Dahlia wanted to scream loud and long at the other driver, but then she heard her name being called.

"Dahlia! … Dahlia! Jon Paul had raised his voice in an effort to get her attention so he could try to calm her. Quit looking in the mirror and watch the road." He was doing his best to sound calm so as not to add to her anxiety, which was quickly turning to terror.

Jon Paul, I think he is going to pass me.

The seemingly out-of-control truck and its crazy driver had pulled alongside Dahlia and was almost past her when it swerved hard to the right to get back in the right-hand lane. In so doing, its right rear bumper clipped the left front bumper of Dahlia’s vehicle. She knew how wet the road was and held on for dear life. As her car went into a spin, she could not stop a long, loud, terror-stricken scream. As her scream ended, she knew she had lost control of her car and clutched the steering wheel in a death grip. Dahlia’s vehicle spun around twice before careening over the embankment and into the ravine.

Jon Paul could hear noises over the phone but could make no sense of what was happening. He called her name repeatedly, Dahlia! Dahlia! Can you hear me?

He got no response. Nothing. Nothing but silence. Long … deafening … nerve-shattering silence.

He immediately grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911. He held the cell phone to his left ear while still clutching the home phone and holding it to his right ear with hopes that any second, Dahlia’s voice would come back on. They lived outside the city limits, so the 911 call went directly to the county sheriff’s office.

Hello, this is the 911 operator for the Hill County Sheriff’s Office. Do you have an emergency?

Yes, ma’am! His mouth was so dry he could hardly speak. This is Jon Paul Gordon. I’m superintendent of schools at Granite City. I was talking with my wife on my cell phone; she’s in her car and it’s a white SUV. She said there was a pickup following her real close and she was very scared … and then her phone went dead. She said she was on loop 27 at exit 9. Please send an officer; I’m on my way there now.

The operator had all the information she needed and responded, Mr. Gordon, Sheriff Bobby Lewis is close by and he will meet you there.

Jon Paul heard nothing after Bobby Lewis is close by. He was running out the front door toward his car. When he reached it, he jumped in and headed for exit 9.

Many times, Jon Paul had heard it said that in a time of extreme crisis, a person’s entire life flashes before him. There must be some truth to that saying because visions of Dahlia and Tina flashed in his mind like dynamite explosions. He relived their entire married life in a matter of seconds. The outside world seemed to be floating by, and he saw image after image of sweet, beautiful Tina. He did not know that anything bad had happened to Dahlia, but his thoughts were jumping around uncontrollably. If something bad had happened, what would Tina do without her mom? What would he do without the most important part of his life?

Jon Paul was approaching exit 9 and realized he must have driven there on pure instinct because he could not remember any of the trip. He could see the emergency lights of a police vehicle parked on the side of the road. Sheriff Lewis had beaten him to exit 9 but was nowhere to be seen. What could be seen were skid marks that ran off the road and into a deep ravine. The falling rain and the overcast sky made it virtually impossible to see down into the ravine.

Jon Paul ran to where the skid marks left the road and he peered into the darkness. He could see someone with a flashlight coming up from what seemed to him to be a dark cavernous abyss.

Sheriff Lewis, is that you? This is Jon Paul Gordon.

Yes, sir, Mr. Gordon. The car is down here.

Jon Paul started down the embankment saying, Is my wife okay? I’ve got to get to her!

Sheriff Lewis immediately replied, Please don’t come down here, Mr. Gordon.

Jon Paul was oblivious to anything anyone could have said to him. In spite of the darkness, the slippery rocks, and the treacherous climb down to the car, he started down into the ravine. Again Sheriff Lewis said to him, Please don’t come down here, Mr. Gordon. Jon Paul continued his climb down. Stumbling, slipping, falling, then rising and trying again, he continued to descend into the dark, steep, forbidding ravine. He did not know exactly where Dahlia’s car was, but he knew it was somewhere down there in the dark. Dahlia was alone, scared, and she needed him. He had to get to her.

Sheriff Lewis felt it would be useless and probably dangerous to try to stop Jon Paul from getting to the car. All good lawmen carry an extra flashlight just for situations such as this. The sheriff handed Jon Paul his larger service flashlight so he could see how to get to Dahlia’s car without hurting himself. As he shone the light down into the seemingly bottomless black hole, Jon Paul could see the car headed down and resting with the front of it against a large boulder. The ravine was approximately one hundred feet deep, and the car was almost to the bottom.

Jon Paul continued to climb down with Sheriff Lewis close behind. The sheriff had already been down to the car and knew what to expect. As he neared the car, Jon Paul could tell it had not rolled over but had gone straight down over the rocks.

As he got closer, he began to call his wife’s name. Dahlia, I’m coming. … Hold on, baby, I’m almost there. … Dahlia can you hear me? I’m coming. … Dahlia. When Jon Paul got to the car, he pointed the light into the driver’s side. She was still sitting behind the wheel but was motionless. Dahlia, answer me. Are you okay? There was no response.

The door window had been broken out, and Dahlia’s head was drooping forward at an unusual angle. He reached in the window to touch her. Dahlia? She was unresponsive and her skin was already cold to his touch. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he turned to look at Sheriff Lewis. The sheriff had a very somber look on his face and slowly shook his head. He needed to say nothing. Jon Paul knew and he could not stop the tears from flowing.

Chapter 3

Her nearness, her softness, her tantalizing aroma, the way she seemed to float across the floor as they danced made Jon Paul think, This has got to be the way it feels to be in heaven. He did not care a lot about dancing, but an opportunity to hold Dahlia, even if it meant dancing, was something he could not pass up.

At the high school junior-senior prom, Dahlia Reyes was truly the most beautiful girl in attendance. The only problem for Jon Paul was that Dahlia was the girlfriend and date of Francisco Cantu. Most of the members of their senior class had attended school together for the full twelve years, and from the time they were in the fourth grade, Jon Paul had thought Dahlia was the most beautiful girl in the world. Once they had gotten into high school, he had often wanted to ask Dahlia for a date but cross-racial dating was not accepted in this small Texas town. Anglos and Hispanics simply did not date each other. Francisco was one of Jon Paul’s best friends and they often double-dated. He sometimes wondered if he enjoyed double-dating with them just so he could see Dahlia. He knew the answer was yes.

Three weeks after the prom, Jon Paul and his classmates graduated from high school and each set out to conquer the world. He had been awarded a football scholarship to North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. As is the case with many college football players, he dreamed of playing professional football. He told people he was attending a larger university outside his home area in order to get more exposure in hopes of getting drafted by a professional team. He knew that realistically the chances of this happening were slim, but he still dreamed it might happen. Jon Paul knew in his heart that the real reason he wanted to get as far away as possible was because he felt Dahlia and Francisco would probably get married soon after high school and he wanted to be somewhere else when that happened.

Jon Paul arrived at college in the fall and became an instant success on the football field. The headlines of the Denton-Record Chronicle often read, Jon Paul Gordon Scores 3 Touchdowns, or Gordon Does It Again. He was enjoying college life and North Texas State was enjoying him. He enjoyed the college experience so much that he went home only a few times a year to visit his parents. They came to all his home football games and he felt no real need to go back to