Outside Forces

  ***

  Things in the Crowder home were not going as well as Richard had hoped. Pushing Michael harder and harder for answers seemed to be working until Michael erupted, full of anger.

  “Please sit down, Michael,” Michelle prompted.

  Michael’s weight shifted from side to side as he stood to defend himself. “You really don’t believe any of what I’ve said, do you?” His fists clenched and relaxed rhythmically as if he was trying to keep his young, hormonal anger under wraps. His eyes watered and he wiped them repeatedly. “You think I’m making this up!”

  “I’m trying to believe you, Michael,” Richard said. “And there’s still another thing that’s been nagging at me.”

  Michael blinked rapidly, his anguish and disillusionment present. “Now what?”

  “I’m supposed to be picking you and all of your gear up from your dorm next Friday. How is that supposed to happen if you’re supposed to be halfway into a ten-day hike along the coast next Friday with your new girlfriend?” The question sounded offensive as he spoke the words, but it had to be said. He stared at his son and waited for his response.

  Michael reeled, whispered a few unintelligible words, and his mouth dropped open. “I was going to tell you about that.”

  “But you didn’t tell me. You see why I have questions about this whole thing? When were you going to tell me about this?”

  “Richard. Please.…” Michelle said.

  “I’m trying hard to believe you, Michael, but some things just aren’t adding up.” Richard stood and moved towards Michael.

  “No, they’re not!” he shouted, and squeezed his eyes closed for a second. He mumbled under his breath.

  “Michael.…”

  Michael’s eyes appeared in narrow black slits as he shouted back in anger. “I knew it! You think I’ve been lying about this whole thing since the beginning—about Lucy!”

  “Is she really your girlfriend or…?” Richard asked.

  The question was too much for Michael and he struck out at Richard with a closed fist. Richard dodged to the side but not before Michael’s fist caught him in the side of the head and sent him staggering backwards.

  “Michael!” Michelle screamed and she rushed to Richard’s aid.

  Richard stumbled back and fell onto the end of the couch, clutching the side of his head.

  “Fuck you, Dad!” Michael shouted as he continued to shift from foot to foot, fists still clenched at the ready. “Was my punch real? Huh? Did that feel real, Dad? You think I had something to do with her fucking disappearance?”

  Richard slid down into the couch and pressed his hand against the side of his head. His ear burned and he checked his palm for blood. “That’s not what I was suggesting. You’ve been acting strange, Michael. Ever since you came home.…” He couldn’t help but burn his eyes into his son. “The voices, Michael. Have they.…”

  Michael gritted his teeth and slapped one palm against the wall. “I knew it!” He glared at his father while shaking his head rapidly. He turned away and stormed off down the hall to his old bedroom, shouting the entire time. “I’ve told you what happened a hundred fucking times now! Just leave me the fuck alone if you don’t believe me!” He stopped as he reached the end of the short hallway and glared down defiantly at his father again. He wasn’t finished screaming.

  “You know, you’re right! I killed her, Dad! I did! I just made up this story to cover myself. Want to know how I did it? Huh? I chopped her up into little pieces! Chop, chop! And I buried her in the back field where we buried the dog last year! Go in the garage, check the shovel! I know you want to. The dirt on the shovel is probably still damp!”

  “Michael…” Richard pleaded.

  “Fuck you, Dad. Just leave me the fuck alone!”

  The bedroom door slammed and Michelle gave Richard a pernicious stare. He knew that stare, and immediately felt all the blame for Michael’s outburst land on his shoulders. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Michael, he was just trying to make sense of it all.

  “I never said I didn’t believe him.…”

  “Oh, Richard,” she replied and shook her head, “…you didn’t have to.” She excused herself in a huff. Purse in hand, she was out the door, explaining that she had some errands in town to take care of.

  He hadn’t meant to upset anyone. Michael was holed up in his room and Michelle was now pissed enough to vacate the house. The tension in the room remained and it filled his heart with angst. He was certain there was more to Michael’s behaviour than just the disappearance of this new girl. Michael’s past loomed in the background like an eerie monster. Was it possible that Michael was lying about some of it—maybe all of it? But what if this girl is real and has gone missing? What then?

  Richard had to get his mind around it. He opened up his laptop and googled Lucy Carter. He laughed, disillusioned, as there were pages and pages of Lucy Carters in all walks of life, different ages, and from all parts of the world on the web.

  He added the word Victoria to his search but knew even before the page loaded that it was just going to be more people from everywhere. He tried adding other words and names, BC, U of C, student, but none seemed to point him anywhere near a young girl Michael’s age going to school in Calgary. He gave up after fifteen minutes.

  “How about Tawnie’s news, then,” he muttered. The news article Tawnie had spoken of was easily found and had since been updated. The article was short and exploding with new details.

  Heart Mountain Hiker Identified

  RCMP have identified the hiker that died while hiking on Heart Mountain early Saturday morning as Lucinda Gail Carter, 19 years of age, originally from Victoria, British Columbia. She is the daughter of Harvey and Cindy Metcalf and had been attending the University of Calgary for the past year.

  “What?”

  Something was very wrong here. He wanted to run up to Michael and shake him, demand an answer from him. Adrenalin pumped madly through his veins and his head felt a rush as if it was about to burst. He read on.

  A camera and ID belonging to Miss Carter was recovered from the side of the mountain early this morning. Photos recovered from the camera indicate that she was hiking alone.

  “The photos found on Miss Carter’s camera confirm that she missed an important marker on the trail and wandered the wrong way onto a seldom used path. This path is full of very steep scree slopes halfway up the side of the mountain. We believe she fell from where the trail ends on the cliffs above Heart Creek,” Sgt Baxter said.

  Richard’s mouth dropped open. “This is impossible,” he whispered. All he could think of was the Crux and how easy it was to go off the main trail. He stared down the hall towards Michael’s bedroom. Was it possible? He reread the article a number of times before leaning back in his chair to let his mind drift to make some sense of it.

  He picked up his cell phone and texted both Tawnie and Michelle, correcting his words multiple times as his fingers were shaking badly.

  Can you please both come home right away? It’s about Michael.

  Tawnie's response was immediate. What’s up?

  Richard: Just come home now. It’s important. I’ll explain when you get here.

  Tawnie: I’m on my way. 45 min : )

  Richard tucked the phone into his pocket as he waited for Michelle to reply. Could it really be the same Lucy Carter Michael was so distressed over? It had to be. But if it was, then.… Did that mean Michael was with her on the mountain on Saturday? He didn’t believe it. His thoughts turned to the two vehicles in the parking lot. What would he have seen had he wandered over and looked inside.

  Could Michael have purposely…no. He wouldn’t accept the thought.

  He needed time to think before he barged in on Michael for an explanation. Eight months ago, Michael moved into the dorms. He was back home for Thanksgiving, then Christmas, a few other weekends, and spring break. That was it. His brain ached as he fought for an explanation to it all. He looked out the window tow
ards town.

  “Come on, Michelle. Reply already.”