The Shift

By Michael Harris

Sedona is well-known as a very spiritual place. It is also known as a congregation ground for crystal crunchers, self-proclaimed visionaries and mystics. There are a few true healers here, but they shun the media and the publicity that others come here to seek. Two of them feel a shift in balance one evening, and know something bad has come to this healing spot.

A father and son serial killer team has stopped by in Sedona on the way north to Canada. With them, they bring all the hate that drives them to keep killing. They have a well-refined method of finding, keeping and finally killing their subjects, and are experts at leaving no trace. They have remained at large as they perform these acts while travelling through seven states.

This story is about the healers, and how they, with the help of a USFS volunteer and his search/rescue dog, Sam find out what has happened and how to make it go away before more killings occur.

Mike and Linda Harris are residents of Sedona, Arizona. They relocated to Sedona in 2003, leaving California for a less-structured and more healthful lifestyle in a peaceful, beautiful place.

Both are graduates of SDSU, and Mike has authored several books under his name on technical subjects, including some which remain in the classified domain. He is from a Business Development background with emphasis on contract electronics for Defense Electronics companies.

Linda has a Business degree, and was most recently a Director of Resident Programs at one of the largest multi-level senior care facilities in Southern California. She has been on television, and is credited for assisting in the establishment of the ethics committee under which many of the senior care facilities operate today. Both, with the assistance of Sam, co-wrote this book.

Both Mike and Linda are active in the Sedona area, volunteering under USFS programs which are dedicated to preservation of the Sedona wildlife preserves and trail systems. These include the Adopt-a-Trail program, Mountain Bike Patrol and Friends of the Forest programs. Sam is included in these efforts, and routinely can be seen walking in the forest with patrollers, trail management personnel and volunteer search and rescue groups.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483658957

Michael Harris

MICHAEL HARRIS is a contributing editor at Western Living and Vancouver magazine. His award-winning writing appears regularly in magazines such as The Walrus and Frieze and has been featured in several books. He lives in Vancouver.

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Copyright © 2013 by Michael Harris.

Library of Congress Control Number:           2013911380

ISBN:                 Hardcover                978-1-4836-5894-0

                           Softcover                  978-1-4836-5893-3

                           Ebook                       978-1-4836-5895-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 06/27/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

129780

I would like to thank the following individuals who either helped with this manuscript or were influential in some manner to its origination.

Linda Kay and Carla, who provided inspiration for this manuscript by performing unselfish acts of goodness for those who needed help.

Sam’s hiking partners Wes, Molly, Vincent, Holly, Zach, Kunda, Simba, and especially Ellie for helping teach Sam how to be a dog.

Carissa Ninneman, the model who subjected herself to inhumane treatment in order to provide a realistic cover. She’s currently in therapy somewhere…

And most importantly, Linda Kay, my wife and Sam’s favorite female human, who added her hard work and personality to this manuscript.

*Sam can be reached at this e-mail address shown on his web page:

themiracleofsam.com.

[e-mail]

and also

Facebook: Sam Harris

This is not a fact-based book. It is fiction in every respect. Where actual names are used, I have intentionally altered them and left out last names. In fact, I have made minor changes in names, incidents, and locations in order to protect all parties involved, so any direct resemblance to specific persons, either living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental.

This book is dedicated to

Sam

who saved my life

and to

Linda Kay

who makes life worth living.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Shift

Chapter 1

Arrival

Mona

Chapter 2

Off to Texas

Collaboration

What Happens in Dallas Stays in Dallas

Eva

Another Ripple

Discovery

Feelings

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Snap

A Dream Within a Dream

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Say Goodbye Eva

The Note

Chapter 5

The Arrival Place

Sandy Eggo

Chapter 6

The Blue Jacket

Chapter 7

Mike and Deb

Dena

More Money for Me

Rita

Gum

Gene and Roger

Chapter 8

Discoveries

Leann

Getting Somewhere

George and Willy

Mona

Chapter 9

Gum, and Texas, Anyone?

Interstate means FBI

Great News

Chapter 10

Five Days Ago

Rita

Oregon It Is

Chapter 11

Insane Diego

Earl

A Dream Within a Dream

Sam Meets Willy

Chapter 12

Here They Come

Where Are They

Almost

Chapter 13

A Bad Day for Carrie

Chapter 14

Campsites

Billings

Try Again

Chapter 15

Gina

Uh Oh

A Little Too Late

Not Again

Chapter 16

Missed It by This Much

Grim Realization

Star

Chapter 17

Decision Time

Tina

Chapter 18

Boom

Close but No Cigar

Proposal

Time to Go

Chapter 19

Back to Boise

Arizona

Kelly

Chapter 20

Ginny

Dena

Leaving Again

Stalemate

Dena in Sedona

Chapter 21

Recharging

Discovery and Realization

Time to Act

Chapter 22

Here Comes Sam

Wrapping Things Up

Finding Tina

What Sam Said to Willy and George

The Understanding

THE SHIFT

Something%20is%20Wrong%20in%20Sedona.jpg

Something is wrong in Sedona

Sedona is well-known as a very spiritual place. It is also known as a congregation ground for crystal crunchers, self-proclaimed visionaries, and mystics.

There are a few true healers here, but they shun the media and the publicity that others come here to seek. Two of them feel a shift in balance one evening, and know something bad has come to this healing spot.

A father-and-son serial killer team has stopped by in Sedona on the way north to Canada. With them, they bring all the hate that drives them to keep killing. They have a well-refined method of finding, keeping and finally killing their subjects, and are experts at leaving no trace. They have remained at large as they perform these acts while travelling through seven states.

This story is about the healers, and how they, with the help of a new sheriff, a USFS volunteer and his search/rescue dog, Sam, found out what has happened and how to make it go away before more killings occur.

CHAPTER 1

Linda awoke suddenly. Something was wrong. She listened carefully to the noises she was accustomed to, eliminated them in her mind, and listened beyond. Nothing seemed to be out of place.

She looked down toward the end of the bed, and saw Sam sleeping peacefully, and knew she had imagined the sound, if that indeed was what awoke her. If anything was out of the ordinary, Sam would have alerted and would be found staring in the direction of the disruption.

Mike was in the living room, still writing something to someone, somewhere, on his keyboard. She could hear the clicking and occasional muttering when the keyboard didn’t behave as expected. Cautiously, Linda went back to sleep, still wondering what had awakened her.

Carla slept alone tonight. Her husband was out of town visiting sick relatives, and had a full calendar off site, leaving Carla alone for a few days to do what she did best. She was considered to be one of the most intuitive people in Sedona due to her extensive training in understanding human personality and behavior. Everyone who knew her would come to visit and discuss this and that, and Carla would make things better with a few kind words, or carefully thought about advice.

Carla opened her eyes in the middle of the night. Something had changed, but she could not put a finger on the specifics. The temperature seemed to drop a bit, but no measuring instrument would show any such change. Some kind of shift had occurred. It could not be measured by any conventional means, but Carla had just felt the shift, just as Linda had, even though Linda lived more than a couple of miles away.

After looking around the home, finding both cats sleeping on the couch and carefully listening for sounds not normally heard, Carla reluctantly went back to bed. It was more than an hour before she could close her eyes and reenter the dream state. She would sleep tonight, though uneasily.

Both Carla and Linda have a gift, one which allows them to help others. Each of the two women can heal with a touch or few words, thus allowing their subjects to begin healing themselves. They help take away pain, eliminate bad thoughts, and cleanse their subjects of the bad elements in their life. In turn, they receive recommendations from their subjects. Word of mouth is sufficient for each to have a constant influx of clientele.

Today, both of them shared a unique look at something going wrong in Sedona. It will be a while before either of them have enough information to act on what they have experienced, but both of them will have a part in fixing the wrong which has just invaded this serene and peaceful area.

Something is about to change the quiet undisturbed beauty of this place, and something must be done about it very soon.

Arrival

George and Willy Shank made it to Sedona on the last breath of gas in their little Honda, and took up residence in a field just off 179 a bit south of VOC. There, they contemplated where they would pitch camp and how they would find work that would last long enough for them to make sufficient money to get moving again.

Well, were finally here, George said as he pulled off the road and into good country dark.

Exactly where is here? Willy replied.

Don’t know for sure, but the city is up that away a bit. We need to get rid of some garbage, and here’s where we’re going to do it. We need to rest up a bit too.

The boys had been in a hurry to leave Phoenix, primarily due to observation by a questioning authority. George told the officer he was heading to San Diego for a job with Mayflower Moving, and that appeared to satisfy the patrolman. Good thing a look in the trunk wasn’t mentioned. Instead of heading out Hwy 10, they turned north up Hwy 17, as originally planned but not disclosed to the patrolman.

The officer was running on instinct. Up to no good, those two, he thought to himself as he overtook and passed the pair as they reentered the highway. He had pulled the out-of-state car over on a hunch, and it unfortunately fell through. He’d watch for them again as he made his rounds heading west.

Their final destination was to be Canada, where they could find solace in the fact that no one would be after them. It was long after dark when they pulled in, so they made their way down a dirt road into an unoccupied area well off the sealed road, each contemplating in their minds how they came to be here.

They both shared a recently soiled past, starting with the punishment administered on Willy’s mom, who had been a very bad girl. Others followed, measured by their resemblance to Mona, Willy’s mother. Each received similar treatment, and each was disposed of appropriately, as determined by George.

Willy felt no remorse for what happened to his mom. In fact, he assisted. There was the money and jewelry available to be taken too, which enabled the pair to travel without detection. No cards, no paper trail, and most importantly, no clues as to their ultimate destination were left to follow.

We’ve got enough stuff to pick a spot out here to set up camp. The less we are seen in the city, the better off we’ll be. George offered. I know a guy with a ranch over in Cottonwood, and he runs cattle through here. Let’s see if we can hook up with him for a few months. Best to leave the country after things cool off a bit and people stop looking for us.

Sounds good to me, Willy replied. I’m OK with hanging out here. Kinda nice and quiet.

I’m going to find a nice place to bury the garbage, George said as he opened the trunk. Here, help me get this outa here.

The garbage consisted of a well-wrapped female body. No time or appropriate location to dump her in Phoenix fell into their laps, and that policeman had been watching them for several hours as they packed and prepared to leave, so in the trunk she went.

Once the little lady was buried in a convenient low-lying area a short distance from Beaverhead Flat Road, the boys finally relaxed.

Willy was going over the last few years in his head. He was at home in his new role, and actually enjoyed a life without commitment—work and such things. He knew that a job in Canada with the railroad or with one of George’s friends awaited him at the end of the trail, and he was OK with that choice. Life without being on the run would be a nice respite.

Willy was content with his father’s decision process. It enabled him to express his dissatisfaction with Mom’s behavior on a regular basis, something his slightly bent psyche needed, at least for now. When they reached Canada, it would be necessary to put his anger behind him, and start healing the wounds left by his mom and her many friends, all of whom were cruel to Willy.

George was never quite right in the head. Mona knew that after their first year together. He was possessive, cruel, and abusive, both physically and emotionally to her, and often put her in uncomfortable positions with his friends. It was not uncommon for him to ask her to share herself with several of his male coworkers at a time, while he watched and filmed. After a few times of this, she divorced him.

After several years travelling from state to state, living an independent lifestyle without Mona, George found out he had a son, and that his son was having a hard time adjusting to Mona’s new-found lifestyle. She entertained constantly, and none of her suitors wanted anything to do with Willy.

George’s son was physically abused or ignored completely by her boyfriends and Willy was also ignored by Mona as well. She was angry with him because of his father, and never gave him any affection or attention. After finding out about this and locating Mona and Willy, George planned on changing this situation, and then finally did something about it.

Mona

Willy’s mom was a beautiful woman, who exuded charm and drew longing looks from any male and many females between the ages of eight and eighty. She was never lacking of personal companionship, both intimate and friendly. Her five-feet-six-inches frame was amply endowed by bumps and curves, all in the right places, and because of this, she would always be in control of her destiny. So she thought…

Willy was the mirror image of his dad, with the exception of his jet black hair. That attribute he inherited from his mom. At nineteen, he was every young girl’s dream, both in poise, politeness, and personality. Willy had his share of suitors, and because he treated all of them like princesses, he never got an unfavorable review. One thing stood out about Willy, however. He never allowed a relationship to go the distance. He had other outlets for that type of affection.

At just a bit over six feet tall, George felt small alongside Willy, who stood a good two inches taller. Except for that distinction, they were so similar in appearance that the two were often mistaken as brothers, and they often took advantage of that fact. It was an excellent concealment mode, once George dyed his hair black to match Willy’s. This small change in appearance had gotten them through several acts of very tight scrutiny as they moved from state to state.

George met Willy by accident. While he was searching for his son, he stopped at a restaurant in the town where he suspected Mona was currently residing. Middleton, Ohio was where he first met Mona so many years ago, and he suspected she would return to her friends and what family remained. He was correct.

Jonnie’s Steak House looked inviting, and George was hungry. Behind the counter at the restaurant stood someone who looked so much like him that he audibly gasped, catching the eye of Willy, who repeated the noise himself. After a few brief attempts to make conversation, they both agreed to meet after Willy’s shift was over. George had a steak burger and eagerly anticipated talking with Willy.

What transpired was a miracle in George’s mind. Young Willy had no animosity for George, who was never there for him as he grew up and fought his way to his current age and stature. Instead, Willy’s anger was focused on his mom, who actively hated him and showed it both in action and feeling.

Mona’s promiscuity gave Willy an intense disgust for woman, all of whom seemed to be frail but extremely controlling and self-centered to him. The warped set of feelings he developed from proximity to Mona provided Willy with enough insulation to protect him from those evil creatures.

Because of this, he never had a lasting relationship with anything female. Unfortunately, Willy’s relationships with women would take a disastrous turn after a short time with his dad George. As it turned out, George and Willy both had the same feelings toward women, and it was exposure to Mona which triggered this attitude in both men.

Something had to be done. Both men conspired, discussed and planned just how to make Mona pay. It took more than a month after George met Willy for the pair of them to agree on an appropriate method.

Willy had been living on his own for more than a year now and never allowed Mona to visit, even when her curiosity about him overrode her indifference and she asked him. He would take the next opportunity she presented to make it happen, now that he had an idea what to do with her. Both George and Willy would ensure that everything would be in place for her visit.

Willy, I’ve been thinking about you. How have you been? Do you need anything? were the first words from Mona’s mouth when she called once more, presumably to attempt a first visit.

Willy said truthfully, I’ve been thinking about you too. Maybe it’s about time for you to see this place.

I’d love to stop by for a bit, if it’s OK with you, son, his mom replied to Willy. Can I come by today?

George smiled as Willy offered directions to Mona. He was looking forward to getting his hands on her for what she did to Willy. His anger rose within him and his face flushed with color as he listened to the conversation. When it was over, the boys started making preparations.

They had everything they needed. All that remained was to set the stage. Willy had a nice basement beneath a ground floor apartment, with neighbors who always looked the other way when they were around. Tape was placed in the correct measure where required, as was rope, a ski mask with the eyes sewn shut, pliers, a baseball bat, and several whips in varying sizes. A big paddle from the local school’s office wall wrapped up the ensemble.

A knock on the door signaled Willy that his mom was here. He asked her in, and immediately asked her if she had told anyone where she was going. She answered in the negative, just as she received a rap on the back of the head from George.

Mona awakened to darkness. Something was over her head. She tried to scream, but found her mouth was taped shut, and she immediately and frantically tried to get up and run. It was at that moment she realized that she was bound to something that felt like a small bed.

Hello, Mona dear, George said, as he stroked her head over the ski mask. Bet you thought you’d never hear from me again.

Mona moaned something unintelligible and pulled on her bindings. She wet her underwear.

Now we can’t have that! Willy said as he ripped off her panties. In his mind, he travelled back to the time his mom locked him in the closet until he did the same thing, and then punished him for it. Willy wasn’t looking at his mother. He was looking at a monster that treated him like dirt for nearly two decades.

George took over. Son, please give me a few minutes alone with your mom. We have some catching up to do. He was looking over the top of Mona at Willy, who was lost in anger and needed to cool down a bit. Willy opted to take a walk around the block at George’s insistence.

Mona was in hysterics. She knew this wasn’t going to turn out anything close to good, and frantically tried to break free of her restraints. She heard the door open and close, and suddenly there was silence.

George took out his knife and slowly cut the clothing from Mona. She writhed and tried to scream as he slid the knife under her skirt and slowly slit it from her knees to the beltline, and through the cloth belt holding it on. He folded it back, revealing what lie underneath.

Mona was crying now. Her generous tears soaked into the ski mask, and she flung her head from side to side. George popped her