"Murder in the Harbor" Chapter 2.Cabin in the Woods

Jolene turns onto a one lane dirt track leading to the National Forest behind a long abandoned farm and woodlot. She pulls her car around behind Jake’s cabin even though the cabin is in the woods abutting the federal land and isn’t visible from the county road. She drives the only bright yellow VW in the county and everyone knows it’s her car. She isn’t going to take any chance on someone seeing her car at Jake’s cabin. She needs this time with Jake and if someone sees her car there it’ll get back to her husband in a flash.

As she walks around to the cabin door she thinks about recognizing the red haired Jake outside the Corner Bar in Sturgeonville three days before. “My God, Jake Black! When did you get back to town?” She exclaimed on seeing him.

“A few days ago, Jolene. It’s great to see you. You’re still the gorgeous blue-eyed blonde I remember. How have you been? Come into the bar and have a beer with me. We can catch up.”

“I can’t, Jake, I’m married now and it’d cause gossip. Where can I meet you privately later? I have time Thursday afternoons.”

“Do you remember my grandfather’s old hunting cabin in the woods where we used to go to have sex when we dated in high school? I’m living there now that I’m out of the Army and back home. I’ll make a point of being there Thursday afternoon.”

“I’ll be there.  We can do more than catch up, be ready for me,” Jolene says in an inviting voice as she turns and walks away as though she has no further interest in Jake.

When Jolene reaches the front of the cabin Jake is standing in the open doorway wearing jeans and a T-shirt that exhibit the muscular athletic body Jolene remembers so well. “Come on in, Jolene. I’ve been waiting for you.”

As soon as the door is closed Jolene throws her arms around Jake and kisses him passionately. “Oh, how I’ve missed you, Jake. Take me to bed now. We can talk after.”

A half-hour later Jake asks, “Do you want a beer while we talk?”

“No, I can’t go home with beer on my breath. Carson will want to know what I’ve been doing.”

Jake gets up and gets a beer from the old refrigerator. He comes back and lies down beside Jolene. “Now tell me what you’ve been doing while I was in the Army.”

“I should have accepted your marriage proposal, Jake. After you were injured in the last high school football game and didn’t get any scholarships I got cold feet.  We could have moved to a college town. I could have worked while you went to college. I’ll bet you would have realized your dream of becoming a pro football player.”

“I wish you had married me too, Jolene. I joined the Army to get over your rejection. I wouldn’t have PTSD and this bum arm if I hadn’t had to go to Iraq. I doubt I could have made the pros but playing college ball would have been far better than the Army. With a college education I could have a job in Detroit instead of existing on my disability pension and what I‘ll earn plowing snow in the winter. What did you do after I left besides getting married?”

“I learned hairdressing and barbering after you left. I work at Erin’s Cut and Curl salon on Main Street in town. Shorty’s barbershop closed a couple of years ago. With no other barbershop in town I got most of his customers. I prefer cutting men’s hair. Erin O’Shea let me set up an area for the men in the back of the salon. Men are more comfortable if they can’t see or hear women customers. Come in when you need a haircut. I’ll give you a haircut experience you’ve never had before.”

“I’ll bet you will, Jolene, especially if you’re wearing the tight shorts and the low cut top you came in with today. I’ll be looking forward to that haircut. When did you get married and who did you marry?”

“I’ve been married nearly a year to Carson Crenshaw. You don’t know him. He moved here from downstate a couple of years ago. He came to Sturgeonville for the salmon fishing and to look for vacant land to develop. He keeps a big fishing boat in the harbor and we live in a beautiful beach house near the lighthouse. I met him when he came in for a haircut. He’s handsome and a sharp dresser. I could tell he had money, so he got my special treatment. He asked me out and I liked him even though he’s ten years older than me. I liked being married at first, but not now. Carson’s more interested in making money than making me happy. I wish he could thrill me in bed like you, Jake.”

“You’re more than welcome to come here anytime you need to be thrilled, Jolene.”

“I’d like that, Jake. I can come every Thursday about 3:00. Carson thinks I work until 5:00 and then do our weekly grocery shopping on Thursdays. I can spend a couple of hours with you every Thursday, if you want. We can’t go anywhere but we can have fun here.”

“Sounds good to me. Tell me more about Carson. How does he make money in this area? Does he have a business here?”

“No, he inherited a lot of money and he plans to make more by developing land. He’s always looking for some land he believes can be developed. Currently he’s trying to buy the Wellborne beach on the south edge of town.”

“Is that beach still undeveloped? I assumed someone would have built condos or cottages on it by now.”

“It’s still undeveloped. David Wellborne, who inherited it from his grandfather, won't sell it at a fair price. At least at a price Carson thinks is fair. Carson thinks Wellborne wants to make enough on that prime beachfront land to give him a comfortable life when he retires here from his job at GM in Detroit. Carson’s been trying to come up with some idea that will make Wellborne willing to sell at a price Carson believes makes developing the beachfront profitable.”

“What do the townspeople think about that land being developed?”

“Only a few people know about Carson’s plan. Oh, I didn’t tell you. I am in the Sturgeonville Art Society. We put the Art on the Lake exhibit on Wellborne beach every 4th of July. It’s where I met Erin O’Shea, the leader of the Art Society. She owns the Cut and Curl salon and hired me. You know art was my favorite class in high school. We meet every Monday evening to draw or paint together.”

“Yes, I remember you liked art. What do you think will happen when people know Carson plans to develop the beach they’ve used for years?”

“Knowing our townspeople some will not like it if that beachfront is developed. Everyone is used to using the beach. But Carson says the town’s businesses will benefit from more residents or more tourists so he expects they’ll back his plans.”

“At least he won’t have to deal with a bunch of activists opposed to any development like happens downstate.”

“Don’t be so sure. Carson is getting threats to stop the development. I suspect Violet Green is behind the threats. Violet also works for Erin and is one of the few people that know about Carson’s plan. I told her one day after Carson left me home alone at dinner while he entertained a business associate knowing she’ll radically oppose his plan. I doubt you know Violet. She’s ten or fifteen years older than us. She went to Michigan State but flunked out when she got so involved with some activist group she didn’t study. She came back to Sturgeonville, became a hairdresser and works with me at the Cut and Curl salon. I imagine she’ll throw a fit and try to get Carson’s plan stopped.”

“Isn’t he worried she’ll succeed?”

“No, he thinks she’s a hick he can handle. I’m not so sure, but he doesn’t pay attention to what I think. Now, tell me about your time in the Army and why you’re living in this crummy old one-room cabin with an outhouse and wood stove.”

“I don’t want to talk about my time in the Army. My right shoulder got hit during my tour in Iraq. The field hospital did their best but I’m left with a weak arm that limits the work I can do now. With my PTSD I can’t take crowds or loud noises so living here is best for me. I’ll have to go downstate during hunting season to a motel in a quiet town until the hunters leave. At least I don’t have to pay rent here.”

“When I come next Thursday do you want me to bring groceries so you don’t have to go to the IGA?”

“No, you don’t need to. I go early in the morning when it’s not crowded. I do need to get out some.”

“Okay, well, I’d better go. This was wonderful, Jake. You have no idea how much I needed this. I still have to get my groceries and get home when Carson expects me. So, I’d better get dressed and be on my way. I’ll be thinking about you until next week when I come back. Goodbye for now.”

“Goodbye, Jolene. I’ll be looking forward to next week too.”