The Hollow Hills - 18. Chapter 18

Liam

Tigger wove between my legs, purring loudly. I picked him up and held him close to me. He head-butted my chin, squirming in my arms until I set him down. Galen loved that cat. He wouldn’t leave without making arrangements for Tigger’s care, no matter how upset he was. A feeling of cold dread settled in my stomach, and I went into full-on cop mode.

I fished my cell phone out of my pocket and scrolled to Kevin’s number. He answered on the third ring. “Kev…I need you to come to Galen’s apartment immediately.”

“I just pulled a guy over for speeding. Shouldn’t take long to finish up and then I’ll head over. He’s on Main and Third, right?”

“Yeah. Tell that guy to slow down, and today is his lucky day. I need you here now.”

“Sure thing, boss. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”

After disconnecting with Kevin, I called Galen’s cell phone provider to get a copy of his phone records. I then called my department secretary, Marie, and told her to contact any hospitals along the route he usually took from Boston to see if there were any John Does reported.

I picked up a picture of my cousin and Buck, taken shortly after his birthday. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as happy as he was in that picture. I snapped a pic with my cell phone and sent it to Marie. There was another frame next to the one I just set down, and I picked it up, a lump forming in my throat. It was of Galen, Jody, and me when we were in college. I held it to my chest, willing the tears not to fall. I had to be strong. I couldn’t fall apart now.

I set it down when I heard a sharp knock on the door. I let Kevin in, relieved to have some help.

“What’s going on, boss?”

“Galen hasn’t been heard from since Friday night. He was driving home from Boston, but never made it back.” My voice hitched.

Kevin let out a low whistle. “Damn. I’m sorry to hear that. So you want to file a missing person report?”

“I want to find him!” I snapped.

“Well, the first step is filing the report,” he replied, unfazed by my temper. “You know you need to step back, right? I’d be happy to take point for you.”

I shook my head. “Hell no. I’m not sitting back on this one.”

“Yeah, boss, you are. There’s no way you can remain objective on this. I’m not going to let you give the courts a reason to throw out any evidence, if it comes to that.”

I clasped his shoulder and smiled grimly. “I knew there was a reason I made you my second in command.”

He grinned. “And don’t you forget it.”

“This is what I’ve done so far.” I outlined the steps I had taken and Kevin jotted them down. I stopped by the landlord’s apartment to let him know what was going on and to ask if he’d take care of Tigger. He was very concerned about Galen, so he said he’d be happy to take care of the cat.

Kevin and I headed to the precinct to start the paperwork. Marie had no luck with the hospitals she had contacted so far, and there were no hits on the BOLO (be on the lookout) on Galen’s Kia. I wanted to get the State Police involved, but Kevin reminded me that it was too soon. We needed to have solid evidence that something was wrong. I knew he was right, but patience was not my strong point.

Two days later there was still no sign of my cousin. The hospital search continued to yield no results, and the Kia wasn’t in any impound lot in Vermont, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts. While we waited for his phone and credit card records to be released, I decided to retrace his route, looking for any signs of a car going off the road. There were none.

Galen last used his credit card at a gas station just outside of Boston. I wondered if he ever stopped for dinner like he planned. Maybe he never had the opportunity. Or else paid cash. I needed his phone records so I had an idea of where he called me from that Friday night.

It took another two days to get the phone records. In the meantime, I drove back to Massachusetts and stopped at the gas station where Galen had most likely fueled up the Kia to see if anyone remembered seeing him. No one did, and their security footage was only kept for forty-eight hours. It was now over a week since Galen disappeared, and I had no leads as to his whereabouts.

When we finally received the phone records, we had a starting point of where to look for my cousin. Kevin and I were planning on driving to the area where he called me Friday night. It was the last call made on his phone.

Kevin didn’t want me to go, but I think he realized that his protestations were futile. He had sympathy for my situation, but wanted to make sure we did things by the book. I had spent every night the past week in my office, reviewing maps and possible routes my cousin could have taken to Boston. Kevin finally insisted that I go home and get some rest. With much protesting, I headed to the farm. I didn’t want to be alone. I called Jody on the way to give him an update. He was just as concerned as I was.

After dinner, Alannah stood behind me, massaging my shoulders. “C’mon, love. You need to get some rest. Stay here tonight.”

I shook my head and moaned. “Mmm…that feels good. I can’t rest, though. I want to go over those phone records again.”

She grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet. “It can wait. There’s nothing ye can do with that information ‘til tomorrow anyway. Now let’s go to bed.”

We headed upstairs, and I stripped to my boxers while she changed into a pair of soft pajamas. I held her close, but remained wide awake despite my exhausted state. I was sick over how long it took me to realize that my cousin was missing. The more time that passed, the less likelihood there was of a positive outcome.

Ever since we were kids, I was Galen’s protector. We’d always been close–he spent a couple of summers at my house when he was eleven and twelve. We had a lot of adventures with Jody during those months. My cousin was a joy to be around as we explored the woods around my house or played sports in my yard.

A year later my mom was getting ready to run some errands when she opened the door and found a shivering Galen sitting on the porch steps. He wasn’t the same boy I knew from previous summers. He was battered and bruised and acted afraid of us. We were shocked to see him. We had no idea he was coming or what had happened to him. He refused to tell us. My mom wrapped a blanket around him and made him a cup of hot cocoa. I sat next to him on the couch, but he barely acknowledged me.

He tried to run when he realized that my mom had called his parents. I was closest to the door, so I caught him and held him, despite his struggles. My mom was actually yelling and swearing into the phone. My mom, who washed our mouths out with soap for saying “damn”, was letting loose a string of profanity that nearly made me let go of my struggling cousin.

She actually threw the phone instead of hanging it up and ran over to us, pulling Galen close and telling him we loved him no matter what and to never be afraid to be who he was. I was confused, but her words made my cousin break down into a sobbing mess.

After getting him set up in the spare room, my mom came downstairs and told my father and me what had happened. My uncle had found Galen kissing another boy and threw him out of the house. He wanted nothing more to do with his only son. I was shocked that anyone could treat my sweetheart of a cousin that way. My mom told us we’d have to give him all the love and support that we could. I don’t think my parents even discussed the fact that Galen would live with us. It was understood.

That night I had to take a piss and walked by Galen’s door. I could hear muffled sobs. I opened the door, and he was crying into his pillow. I slipped into bed with him and held him until he calmed down.

“So you like boys,” I said.

He nodded and sniffled. “Yeah. Do you hate me?”

“If I hated you, would I be holding you in your bed?”

He laughed. “I guess not.”

“If anyone ever gives you shit about it, send them to me. You’re my little brother now, and I’ll keep you safe. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

His arms tightened around me. “Thanks. That really means a lot to me.” He paused. “Do you like boys, too?” he whispered.

“No. Not in that way, but you’re my little bro, and I love you. Never forget that.”

“I won’t. I love you too, big bro.”

*****

Kevin and I spent the next few days driving to all the restaurants in the vicinity of where he made his last phone call to me. No one remembered seeing him. I grew more and more uneasy with each negative response. I had never felt more hopeless or inadequate in my life.

We got our first lead a week and a half after Galen’s disappearance. Marie called to tell us that the Kia had been found. It had been towed from a bar in Grafton, Vermont, just past the New Hampshire border to an impound lot in Bellows Falls. It had been there for over a week. It didn’t show up on our search because whoever entered the license plate transposed the last two numbers. I was livid.

On one hand it was good news, because it was our first tangible lead. The bad news was that it most likely meant there was some form of foul play. Galen would never have voluntarily left his car behind. It was in good working order, but contained no evidence that something happened to him. There was no blood or exterior damage to the car. His briefcase was still in the car, as was his cell phone. It had been towed from a local bar/restaurant after sitting in the parking lot for the weekend.

Kevin and I headed there immediately upon hearing the news. I called Alannah and Jody on the way to keep them up to date.

The bar was nondescript and in a fairly rural area. The bartender recognized Galen immediately when Kevin showed him his picture.

“Yeah, I remember him. Nice guy. We chatted a bit before the late rush. He was having guy problems. Apparently he’s in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same way. I felt bad for him. I hope nothing bad happened to him, but since you’re asking about him, I’m assuming something did.”

“He hasn’t been seen since last Friday night. Is that when he was here?” Kevin asked.

The bartender nodded. “Yeah, around ten o’clock. Our late rush usually starts around ten-thirty.”

“Do you remember how he paid? Did he use a credit card?”

“He didn’t pay. The man he was with did.”

Alarm flared through me. “He was with a man? Who was he? What did he look like?” I demanded. Kevin put a hand on my arm.

“Easy, boss.”

“I have to say that guy gave me a bad feeling. He’s a bit of a regular, although he only shows up every couple of months or so. He’s always alone, but sometimes chats up guys that come in, especially if they’re by themselves. He chatted with your friend there for a while after I did. They left together. Your friend seemed pretty drunk, even though I only served him one beer. I was going to check on him, but I got swamped with orders. By the time I thought of it again, they were gone. It’s his car that they towed from here, isn’t it?” The last question was more of a statement.

“Yeah, it’s his. What can you tell us about this guy?” I asked. A feeling of cold dread had passed through me at the bartender’s words. Galen wasn’t a big drinker. Even half a beer meant that he was feeling pretty stressed. Which was understandable after Josh’s actions.

“Not much. I don’t know his name. He’s average height, black hair and beard, looks like he stays in shape. Good looking guy. Very personable. He’s always polite and pleasant when he orders.”

“But you said he gave you a bad feeling,” Kevin stated.

“There’s something about him that always felt a bit off to me. Nothing I can pinpoint.”

“Shit….” I swore.

“You talkin’ ‘bout that black-haired guy that comes in every few months?” one of the servers asked.

“Yeah. You know anything about him?”

“Not too much. He has a hunting camp up north. His name is Michael, but I never got a last name.”

“Did he pay by credit card last Friday?” I asked.

“Nah. Guy always pays in cash. Sorry, man. Wish I could help more.”

They both agreed to sit with a sketch artist, and later that day we had a picture they both agreed on.

Even though it wasn’t a solid lead, we now at least had somewhere to look. I finally felt like we were making progress. Something about the sketch lingered in the back of my mind. The man looked familiar. I shrugged it off. The man was fairly non-descript, so I supposed it wasn’t too surprising he reminded me of someone I’d met before.

Galen left his car behind, which meant he’d most likely left with the man who dragged him out of the bar. The waiter said that this Michael had property “up north” so Kevin and I decided to split up to cover more ground. I stayed in Grafton and did a computer search for property records of hunting camps owned by someone with the first name of Michael. It was a daunting task, but at least it gave us a starting point. The closest hunting supply stores were in Brattleboro, so Kevin headed there with the sketch of our suspect.

I expected the process to be lengthy and tedious; however, Kevin called me with good news after visiting only two stores. The owner of the second store recognized the man in the sketch as a customer who frequented his store every fall. He remembered him because he was a fellow bow hunter in an area mostly used by rifle hunters. He had frequented the store only two weeks ago and had used a credit card. We now had a last name. Michael Sullivan.

I ran a property record search under that name and found a ten-acre parcel of land in Groton owned by a Michael Sullivan. The land was adjacent to the Groton State Forest. It was a very secluded area and popular with hunters. Kevin agreed we now had enough evidence to contact the State Police. There was a barracks just north of town, so we headed there to speak with the captain.

After telling our story and presenting the evidence we had accumulated, the captain agreed that we had enough information to open a case. He assigned Detective Adams to work with us, and we headed to Groton to speak to Michael Sullivan.

The camp was in a very remote location. So much so, that we had to backtrack a couple of times to be sure we were following the right road. There was a vehicle parked next to the building—a silver SUV. Smoke drifted from the chimney, and the smell of a wood fire was unmistakable. Two large propane tanks rested against the side of the building. Whoever was there was ready for any weather condition. My uneasiness grew with every step we took as we approached the cabin door. I was missing something that should be obvious—I was sure of it.

Detective Adams knocked on the door, and we waited several minutes before the door slowly opened.

“Can I help you?”

The uneasy feeling I had been pushing away slammed into me like a freight train when I saw who opened the door. I knew immediately who “Michael Sullivan” was—if that was even his real name—and felt sick I hadn’t recognized him sooner. I pushed past the detective and into the cabin, looking around frantically.

“Where’s Roger?” I demanded.

“What are you doing here, Liam? What’s wrong?” Josh’s surprise at seeing us was evident.

“Where the fuck is he?” I yelled.

“Out hunting. What the hell is going on?”

“Where’s Galen?” I asked.

“Galen? Why would he be here? I think this is the last place he’d want to be. Why are you here?”

I grabbed Josh by the front of his shirt. “I swear to God if you knew….”

Josh’s eyes widened and his face paled. “Knew what? Liam, you’re not making any sense! Let go of me. What happened to Galen?”

I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder tightly. “Boss! Let him go. There’s no one else here,” Kevin said.

I released Josh, eyeing him suspiciously. I saw nothing but confusion and genuine concern on his face.

“Are there any other buildings on the property?” Detective Adams asked.

“Just a shed out back where Roger processes the deer he gets.”

“Show us.”

We exited the cabin and headed to a small shed behind the building. It contained an assortment of tools and machines used to maintain property, but no deer, and no Galen or Roger.

“Are there any other buildings?” I asked.

Josh shook his head. “This is the only one I know about. There’s a generator near the camp, but no other outbuildings.”

“Spread out. See what you can find,” I said. I headed east of the shed as Kevin headed west. Josh followed me.

“Liam…I don’t understand why you’re here. Can you stop a minute and tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Boss! Over here!” Kevin yelled. “I found a bunker.”

I ran to him. There was a heavy, metal door set into the side of a hill, camouflaged by dense shrubbery. It was unlocked. I leaned down to open it, but Kevin stopped me.

“We should call for back-up.”

I shook my head. “No way. It will take too long for them to get here. I’m going in.” I opened the door and saw a lit stairway leading underground. Someone was down there.

The stairs ended at a large, underground room. There was a bed on the far side of the room occupied by a blond man lying face down, motionless. He was naked and covered in blood. My heart felt like it stopped when I saw the irregular birthmark on his left thigh. There was no doubt it was my cousin.

The sound of a faucet turned my attention to the right. Roger stood at a utility sink, washing something I couldn’t see. Music played from a CD player set next to the sink. He hummed quietly as he worked, oblivious to my presence. Chains hung from the ceiling with shackles on the end, and next to Roger was a metal cart with a variety of knives and other instruments I didn’t recognize. It looked like a scene out of a bad horror movie.

I yelled in rage and was across the room before Roger even registered the intrusion. I threw him to the ground, landing on top of him, pummeling him in blind anger.

“Liam! No!” Kevin pulled me off him before I could kill him, which I most certainly would have done. “He’s not worth ruining your career! Take care of Galen! I’ve got this piece of shit.”

I ran to my silent cousin. I had to refrain from attacking Roger again when I saw that Galen was chained to the bed. My hands shook as I felt for a pulse. I released the breath I didn’t realize I was holding when I felt the faint thud of his heart. I undid the wrist and ankle restraints, freeing him from his prison. The areas of skin underneath them were rubbed raw. “Galen? Little bro?” I asked. I touched his shoulder and his eyes flew open, filled with terror.

He flailed his arms and legs, screaming “No!”, trying to fight me off.

“It’s me! It’s Liam! You’re safe now. It’s ok…you’re safe!” I repeated over and over until recognition flashed in his emerald eyes. His face twisted, and he reached his hand out to me.

“Liam? Is it really you?”

I nodded, tears falling down my cheeks. “Yeah, cuz. It’s me.”

He threw his arms around me and started sobbing into my chest. “I thought…I didn’t think…anyone would find me. I thought…,” he whispered, then went silent.

“Galen?” I leaned back so I could look at him. His eyes rolled back and he went limp in my arms. Alarm flared through me. There was no way I was going to lose him after finally finding him. “Somebody call an ambulance!” I yelled.