Here is part eight of The Ties that Bind, a Deep South mystery. If you’re here by mistake, you can find the rest of the parts here.
Recap part seven: Lee talks to his grandmother and learns something important.
In part eight: Lee drives to confront his father and flashes back to the last time he saw Sarah
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Photo by Alan Labisch on UnsplashOh, the storm and its fury broke today
Oh, the storm and its fury broke today
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear
Clouds and storms will in time pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear
-The Carter Family
Lee trekked north with his thoughts swirling. His grandmother was convinced his father had the missing girl and that it was imperative that Lee find her. What was his grandmother so worried about? Was she important somehow? If Boss Black did indeed have her, where was he keeping her? For every mile he drove closer to his father’s estate, the deeper his heart sank. Yet underneath all of the dread, a skein of hope wound its way around his heart, shimmering with a golden warmth.
He had hope.
The last time he’d had hope was with Sarah. That had come crashing down and was what drove him from his family. This hope felt different. This hope wasn’t tied to a person, or an event, or a particular set of beliefs. This hope was in the truth that you are not the sum total of your past if you choose to turn from it. He eventually found himself wondering if things with Sarah would have gone differently if he’d realized this truth back then. In the late morning sunshine on I-65 North, the end of his relationship with Sarah filled his mind.
“Lee, what the hell is going on?” Sarah was panicked, the quaver in her voice was still present despite the anger.
“Yes Lee, please do explain to your lovely lady what exactly is going on.” Lee’s father smiled his black smile. “I merely dropped by to welcome your young paramore into the familial fold. I assume, rightly so it seems, that she is the reason you have been shirking your duties to the business. Of course, I made mention of this to her and also your particular role in my organization.”
Lee was frozen in the doorway to Sarah’s apartment, Mexican carry-out in one hand and a six-pack of Pacifico in the other. He kept looking at his father, then at Sarah, back and forth in metronomic shock.
She knew.
Lee stepped inside and sat down on the couch, beer and food forgotten.
“I was waiting on you to come over for our date night, when this man came up to my door. He said he was your father. That can’t be true I said, because Lee told me his mom and dad died in a car crash when he was young. He then proceeded to prove that he was, in fact, who he said he was.”
“Sarah, I can explain.”
“You do not need to explain anything,” her tone cracked like an iceberg. He’d never heard her like that before. His fingers started to go numb.
“It’s not what you think it is,” Lee was scrambling. Of course it was what she thought it was. In fact, it was probably worse. Lee felt the gaping maw that his heart was slowly spiraling into. This was it. It was over.
“So it’s not organized crime, torture, the abuse of a magical gift to exploit and harm other people?” Her voice snapped like a whip. Then she continued, her voice barely above a whisper, “It’s not you bold-faced lying to me for the past year? It’s not you choosing to not trust me with the things you’ve done? It’s not you disqualifying yourself to be a father to this baby?” She had placed her hand on her belly in a protective gesture.
“Father to –?” The maw opened even wider. Lee’s whole body was numb now.
“I was going to tell you tonight.” Sarah replied, her voice distant.
Lee just blinked. Disbelief and grief engraved on his features.
His father clapped his hands, a gleeful grin stretched across his black teeth. “Progeny! What a momentous moment this is for you son! You have done your duty to continue our line for yet another generation. I must admit I’ve long had my doubts. Especially given the solitary nature of your work.” Boss Black’s eyes glittered sadistically.
“I have to go. Don’t call me. Don’t reach out to me. Don’t follow me. Just—don’t.” Sarah grabbed her purse and keys and rushed out the front door.
Lee’s father walked over to the still-open front door. As he stepped outside to leave, he turned back to his son, “remember boy, nothing happens with you that I do not know about. And I will not allow anything that I do not approve of to transpire within this family. Now I have a mess to clean up with that girl and the child she’s carrying.”
“You will not touch her or the child.” Lee’s voice was razor sharp and carried an unveiled threat that made Boss Black raise his eyebrows.
“It appears you have some spine after all,” he said. Then he turned and strode out the door to his waiting SUV.
Lee’s attention came back to the present as he crossed the state line into northern Georgia. The morning after Sarah had left, Lee reached out to his grandmother to help him disappear. She hadn’t pried after hearing the despondency in his voice. Two weeks later he was driving away from his father’s estate with no intention of returning. He spent several months hiding in the woods and doing all he could to evade his father’s men and ignored any and all contact.
After about a year and a half, he heard about a missing person’s case that the Sheriff's department was struggling with. Lee, being good at finding people, gave an anonymous tip that led to the authorities finding the missing housewife. After three or so anonymous tips, he finally talked to the Sheriff about helping on a more consistent basis. Lee wished to remain anonymous to everyone but the Sheriff in regards to the cases, and the Sheriff – wanting to best utilize his new asset – agreed and never asked why.
It had all been going so smoothly until Dove went missing. His reality of anonymity was shattered with the realization that his father’s words were still true, “nothing happens with you that I do not know about.” Lee was past the point of running now. In fact, he was driving as quickly into danger as he could. His grandmother’s urgency about finding the girl and a new sense of dread about what his father was capable of, put blinders on Lee. He would not be deterred. It was time to confront his father.
It was time to do the right thing.