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Trouble on Candlepin - Chapter 2
Chapter 1: Borderscry
Chapter 2 : Reports
Yule
2 years later
Buck County
4 p.m. December 21st, the longest night of the year, four days before Christmas and everything was already shutting down. Sheriff Lee had already left for his annual two week vacation in the Bahamas, nicely timed to avoid the holiday confusion.
That left Deputy Caleb Murdock to do the end of year statistic reports for the county. Outside his office, his cousin, Marie Dubois, was manning the front desk and the emergency lines. Deputies Mason and Titus Woodward, cousins, not brothers, were out on patrol. Murdock's partner, Deputy Lila Sanderson, was filling out paperwork.
Murdock has his private phone turned on, against department policy, because he was expecting his mother to call about Christmas plans. When it rang, he thought it was she.
"Murdock here. What'd ya'll decide?"
"Beats me. What're ya'll decidin' about? Iffen it's Aunt Ellen's Christmas party, though, my Angela is bringing some sort of rum-soaked cake."
Frowning, Murdock looked at the screen of his phone, reading the caller ID number. It was a familiar one, belonging to his cousin, BJ Sawyer.
"That you, BJ?"
"Yep. Listen, Murdock, got something I think you should know 'bout. I'm at that ABC store on Riley. You know, the one off Mountain Road? Yeah, well, there's a coupla young guys in there, buying up a boat-load of liquor. From that survivalist compound up on Candlepin."
Murdock was instantly alert. The men who stayed at the place on the mountain mostly kept themselves to themselves but local law enforcement kept a pretty close eye on them. They were heavily armed and into hunting and ... as BJ said ... survivalist training.
"Are they causing trouble?"
"Naw, just buying liquor. One of 'em's the Walker boy. Jace Walker? Went away to college and came back with ideas. No good comes of leaving Buck County."
"I left Buck County, BJ," Murdock reminded him drily.
"Yeah, well ... you were smart, you went military. Jace went up to University. Anyhoo ... Like I was sayin', Jace aint old enough to buy liquor yet, so the other guy ... big bruiser of a guy, looks like a brick wall, if ya know what I mean ... he takes out his ID. Says the clerk ought to know the name 'cause by all rights, this county should have the same one. He said his people came from around here. So I slipped around and asked Sammy ... he's the one clerking here ... what the name was and as soon as I heard, I came out to tell you."
"Buckminster," Murdock said flatly.
"Buckminster," BJ confirmed. "Heading up Candlepin. He and Jace are loading up a Hummer. License plate Big Mike 3. I'm watching 'em now. Want me to do something to stop 'em?" There was the sound of a slamming car door.
"No. Thanks for the heads-up." Murdock huffed out a breath, shook his head, frowning. "You know it's just superstition, right BJ? There's no real proof that the Buckminsters ever did anything."
BJ snorted. "That's not the way Grand-da taught us, Murdock. And he taught you special which is why I'm tellin' you now ... We got us a Buckminster on Candlepin and that means trouble's comin'. So what you gonna do about it?"
Murdock came to a decision, nodded to himself. "I'll handle it. You get yourself home, BJ, and I won't let Angela know about you being there at the ABC."
BJ snorted. "Who do ya think sent me? I told you she wanted some brandy for some special dessert for your mother's Christmas do."
"Thought you said it was rum-soaked?"
"Rum. Brandy. Couldn't recall so I got her both. Anyway, Merry Christmas, Murdock. See ya later."
The phone went still and Murdock put it away. Saving the document, he locked his computer and got up. He collected his gunbelt, hat and coat and headed out.
Before he got very far, Marie hailed him.
"Oh, Murdock! I was about to get you. I'm getting calls about snow."
Deputy Sanderson looked up, amusing lighting her face. "I can't believe this place. People are actually calling 911 about SNOW? My kids'd be thrilled to have snow for Christmas!"
Murdock gave his partner a quick look before focusing attention on the dispatcher. "On Candlepin?" he queried.
She nodded, very seriously. "I've had three so far."
"Anywhere else?" he asked, knowing his cousin well enough to know she'd have checked.
Marie shook her head. "It's concentrated on Candlepin."
"Send Titus and Mason to set up detours." He paused and cleared his throat before saying, "There's a Buckminster of Buckminster up on the mountain tonight."
Marie fell back in her seat with a look of dismay. "You sure?"
He nodded.
Taking a deep, bracing breath and squaring her shoulders, Marie gave him a sharp nod. "Well, then, I 'spose I should get on the horn and let ev'ryone know." She gave a snort of unamused laughter. "Good thing we got that witch store open on Main then, hmmm?"
Murdock had turned to go. At his cousin's comment, he stopped and turned around.
"Witch store?"
"Yeah, you know. The place Annie's girl, Carol, works ? Opened about a year ago. You musta seen it! It's called The Broom Closet."
"I thought that was a cleaning supply store," Sanderson said. Murdock had almost forgotten her presence. He turned to look at her, finding her wearing her hat, coat and gunbelt. She caught his eyes widening in surprise and huffed at him. "You thinking of leaving without me, 'partner'?"
"That's the place," Marie replied, speaking to Sanderson. "You should go in there, she's got some amazing things." She directed her attention back on Murdock. "Including some kind of windmill things that Annie said Carol said were ... " She paused, her face screwing up with thought before shrugging and shaking her head. "Magic meters. I can't remember the exact name."
A sudden thought came to her. "Oh! Wait, I got something from there." Marie opened a drawer and pulled out a box. "I got this for Andy, he's always wandering off, but I think you need it more."
Opening the box, she took something out and held it out to Murdock. An intricately braided cord bracelet with various stones woven into it.
Murdock took a step back. "I'm not big on wearing jewelry, Marie."
"It's supposed to keep you from getting lost. No! It's supposed to keep you on the right path." She pushed it toward him. "Here. Take it. You'll need it up on Candlepin." When he hesitated, she added, "You know you're one-eighth Buckminster."
"Don't mean a thing," he retorted, but he took the offering and slipped it over his hand. Almost immediately, it felt tighter, as if it had adjusted to fit his wrist. Twisting it in place, it moved easily enough, but when he tried pulling it off again, it was too tight. Shrugging, he accepted it as it was and inclined his head to his cousin. "Thanks, Marie. I'll be careful."
Then he turned to Sanderson. "All right, let's roll." They left the station together.
Chapter 3: Christmas Dance
Chapter 2 : Reports
Yule
2 years later
Buck County
4 p.m. December 21st, the longest night of the year, four days before Christmas and everything was already shutting down. Sheriff Lee had already left for his annual two week vacation in the Bahamas, nicely timed to avoid the holiday confusion.
That left Deputy Caleb Murdock to do the end of year statistic reports for the county. Outside his office, his cousin, Marie Dubois, was manning the front desk and the emergency lines. Deputies Mason and Titus Woodward, cousins, not brothers, were out on patrol. Murdock's partner, Deputy Lila Sanderson, was filling out paperwork.
Murdock has his private phone turned on, against department policy, because he was expecting his mother to call about Christmas plans. When it rang, he thought it was she.
"Murdock here. What'd ya'll decide?"
"Beats me. What're ya'll decidin' about? Iffen it's Aunt Ellen's Christmas party, though, my Angela is bringing some sort of rum-soaked cake."
Frowning, Murdock looked at the screen of his phone, reading the caller ID number. It was a familiar one, belonging to his cousin, BJ Sawyer.
"That you, BJ?"
"Yep. Listen, Murdock, got something I think you should know 'bout. I'm at that ABC store on Riley. You know, the one off Mountain Road? Yeah, well, there's a coupla young guys in there, buying up a boat-load of liquor. From that survivalist compound up on Candlepin."
Murdock was instantly alert. The men who stayed at the place on the mountain mostly kept themselves to themselves but local law enforcement kept a pretty close eye on them. They were heavily armed and into hunting and ... as BJ said ... survivalist training.
"Are they causing trouble?"
"Naw, just buying liquor. One of 'em's the Walker boy. Jace Walker? Went away to college and came back with ideas. No good comes of leaving Buck County."
"I left Buck County, BJ," Murdock reminded him drily.
"Yeah, well ... you were smart, you went military. Jace went up to University. Anyhoo ... Like I was sayin', Jace aint old enough to buy liquor yet, so the other guy ... big bruiser of a guy, looks like a brick wall, if ya know what I mean ... he takes out his ID. Says the clerk ought to know the name 'cause by all rights, this county should have the same one. He said his people came from around here. So I slipped around and asked Sammy ... he's the one clerking here ... what the name was and as soon as I heard, I came out to tell you."
"Buckminster," Murdock said flatly.
"Buckminster," BJ confirmed. "Heading up Candlepin. He and Jace are loading up a Hummer. License plate Big Mike 3. I'm watching 'em now. Want me to do something to stop 'em?" There was the sound of a slamming car door.
"No. Thanks for the heads-up." Murdock huffed out a breath, shook his head, frowning. "You know it's just superstition, right BJ? There's no real proof that the Buckminsters ever did anything."
BJ snorted. "That's not the way Grand-da taught us, Murdock. And he taught you special which is why I'm tellin' you now ... We got us a Buckminster on Candlepin and that means trouble's comin'. So what you gonna do about it?"
Murdock came to a decision, nodded to himself. "I'll handle it. You get yourself home, BJ, and I won't let Angela know about you being there at the ABC."
BJ snorted. "Who do ya think sent me? I told you she wanted some brandy for some special dessert for your mother's Christmas do."
"Thought you said it was rum-soaked?"
"Rum. Brandy. Couldn't recall so I got her both. Anyway, Merry Christmas, Murdock. See ya later."
The phone went still and Murdock put it away. Saving the document, he locked his computer and got up. He collected his gunbelt, hat and coat and headed out.
Before he got very far, Marie hailed him.
"Oh, Murdock! I was about to get you. I'm getting calls about snow."
Deputy Sanderson looked up, amusing lighting her face. "I can't believe this place. People are actually calling 911 about SNOW? My kids'd be thrilled to have snow for Christmas!"
Murdock gave his partner a quick look before focusing attention on the dispatcher. "On Candlepin?" he queried.
She nodded, very seriously. "I've had three so far."
"Anywhere else?" he asked, knowing his cousin well enough to know she'd have checked.
Marie shook her head. "It's concentrated on Candlepin."
"Send Titus and Mason to set up detours." He paused and cleared his throat before saying, "There's a Buckminster of Buckminster up on the mountain tonight."
Marie fell back in her seat with a look of dismay. "You sure?"
He nodded.
Taking a deep, bracing breath and squaring her shoulders, Marie gave him a sharp nod. "Well, then, I 'spose I should get on the horn and let ev'ryone know." She gave a snort of unamused laughter. "Good thing we got that witch store open on Main then, hmmm?"
Murdock had turned to go. At his cousin's comment, he stopped and turned around.
"Witch store?"
"Yeah, you know. The place Annie's girl, Carol, works ? Opened about a year ago. You musta seen it! It's called The Broom Closet."
"I thought that was a cleaning supply store," Sanderson said. Murdock had almost forgotten her presence. He turned to look at her, finding her wearing her hat, coat and gunbelt. She caught his eyes widening in surprise and huffed at him. "You thinking of leaving without me, 'partner'?"
"That's the place," Marie replied, speaking to Sanderson. "You should go in there, she's got some amazing things." She directed her attention back on Murdock. "Including some kind of windmill things that Annie said Carol said were ... " She paused, her face screwing up with thought before shrugging and shaking her head. "Magic meters. I can't remember the exact name."
A sudden thought came to her. "Oh! Wait, I got something from there." Marie opened a drawer and pulled out a box. "I got this for Andy, he's always wandering off, but I think you need it more."
Opening the box, she took something out and held it out to Murdock. An intricately braided cord bracelet with various stones woven into it.
Murdock took a step back. "I'm not big on wearing jewelry, Marie."
"It's supposed to keep you from getting lost. No! It's supposed to keep you on the right path." She pushed it toward him. "Here. Take it. You'll need it up on Candlepin." When he hesitated, she added, "You know you're one-eighth Buckminster."
"Don't mean a thing," he retorted, but he took the offering and slipped it over his hand. Almost immediately, it felt tighter, as if it had adjusted to fit his wrist. Twisting it in place, it moved easily enough, but when he tried pulling it off again, it was too tight. Shrugging, he accepted it as it was and inclined his head to his cousin. "Thanks, Marie. I'll be careful."
Then he turned to Sanderson. "All right, let's roll." They left the station together.
Chapter 3: Christmas Dance