Excerpt
Chapter 1
The Accident

Jack Carpenter got into his F250, started the engine, and eased out of the gravel parking lot adjacent to the job site of Inyo Concrete Construction Company. It was the first Friday in March 1959 and his company was in the process of pouring a new warehouse slab for a local food distributor. He was tired and not anxious about the long drive home to Shoshone, California. It was damn near a five hour drive and if he stopped for dinner he’d be lucky to be home by midnight. Ordinarily he’d have gotten a motel for the night and then left at the crack of dawn when he was fresh and well rested, but he’d promised his son, Jake, that he’d take him hiking along the Armagosa River on Saturday and maybe do a little fishing.
Divorce had not set well with Jack. He loved his wife, Angela, and was totally shocked and dismayed by her sudden desire to be free of him. He thought she’d been happy but he’d been wrong. She said she was tired of being alone all the time and he could understand that, but a man had to make a living. He’d thought she understood that. Angela was a school administrator and they’d met when he was pouring the foundation for a school in Bishop. It had been love at first sight, at least for him. When he saw those big brown eyes for the first time and felt the warmth of her smile he simply melted. He knew immediately she was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
Unfortunately, Angela wasn’t as taken with Jack and it took a long courtship to convince her to marry him. Perhaps that was the mistake he’d made. She liked him but didn’t love him the way he loved her. He was so happy when she finally said yes, he couldn’t think of anything else but getting a ring around her finger and having her wake up next to him each morning. He’d spent a lot of time with her the first few years but his business grew and prospered demanding more and more of his time.
Jake had been a surprise. He came about a year and half after they’d been married. Jack was ecstatic with the news that he was to be a father, but Angela wasn’t so thrilled. She wanted children but not immediately. She said she had some living to do before she got saddled with children. In time, however, she came around and seemed to be happy about the prospect of being a mother. At least that’s what Jack wanted to believe.
When the baby came it was hectic as it always is with a newborn. When Jack was home he took care of Jake at night so Angela could sleep. But when Jack was gone for a few days and Angela didn’t get much rest, she was angry and bitter when he returned home and they were often at each other’s throats. Eventually Jack had to hire a nanny as Angela made it clear she couldn’t deal with the baby alone.
This worked pretty well for four or five years but it was expensive and there were times it was difficult for Jack to pay the nanny. The construction business was erratic. Sometimes it would be booming, but just as often it would crater leaving him with little work or income. Fortunately, ICC had a good reputation and was the first company called by the locals when there was a foundation needed or a driveway to be poured. But when Jake reached his eighth birthday, Jack refused to pay for a nanny anymore arguing that Jake didn’t require that much extra care to justify the expense. Angela complained bitterly about his decision because over the years the nanny had become more of a housekeeper and cook than a nanny. Her attitude toward Jack took a nose dive when he refused to reverse his decision.
In retrospect, Jack realized he’d made a mistake marrying Angela. She was outgoing and social and he was more introverted and laid back. It was a good combination when they were alone together. He was a patient listener and tried hard to make her happy, but when she wanted him to go out to social events or out with her friends he wasn’t happy. A lot of times he was tired and simply wanted to sit down in front of the TV and relax. If he refused to go out Angela would be angry and not talk to him for days.
It was while they were apart that trouble would brew. Angela couldn’t stand sitting home, so she’d get a babysitter sometimes and go out with her girlfriends. Shoshone was a small town and there wasn’t a lot going on, so they would sometimes drive to Las Vegas to see the shows and do a little gambling. It was on one of these trips that Angela met Curt Lawson. Lawson was a well-respected deputy sheriff working out of Independence, California. He was in Vegas with some of the other deputies letting off a little steam. They met at a blackjack table and hit it off immediately. Angela was attracted to Lawson’s rugged good looks, recklessness, and cocky disposition. Lawson was married too, but that didn’t stop him from taking Angela to his room and having his way with her.
The affair lasted over a year before Jack found out about it. It probably would have gone undetected much longer had Curt not put in for a transfer to the Sheriff’s Substation in Shoshone. Living now in close proximity, they saw more of each other and people began putting two and two together. Jack was well liked in the community so he was quickly informed of Angela’s betrayal.
Jack would have probably forgiven Angela for the indiscretion but Angela was too proud to continue the marriage with infidelity hanging over her head. She filed for divorce immediately and kicked Jack out of the house. She blamed him for what had happened—his long hours away from home and neglect of the family.
Jack was devastated by the divorce and fell into a deep depression after it became final. The only thing that kept him from burying himself in a bottle was his love for Jake and his determination to continue to be a good father. Jack’s father, Andrew, had been a good father although Jack hadn’t appreciated that fact at the time. It was only after Andrew’s untimely death at age fifty-two that Jack realized how lucky he’d been to have such a fine person as a father. Jack wanted Jake to feel the same way about him when he died. One of Jack’s deepest regrets was that Jake had never known his grandfather. The thought of that often brought tears to his eyes.
At 8:30 p.m. Jack stopped at Mona’s Café for dinner. He was a frequent customer there and knew all the waitresses. Dolly Watson perked up when she saw him walk in the door. She was divorced like Jack and silently hoped to connect with Jack someday, however, Jack had yet to show any interest.
“Hi, Jack,” Dolly said as he sat down in a booth. She put down a cup and filled it with coffee.
“Hi, Dolly,” Jack replied with a heavy sigh.
Dolly frowned. “Tough week, huh?”
“Yeah. One of our trucks broke down, so I had to babysit the job for three hours until another one could be called in. I was supposed to be on the way home at three not six.”
“That sucks. You look tired. Maybe you shouldn’t try to make it home tonight.”
“Oh, I’ll be all right. Two or three cups of coffee and I’ll be wide awake.”
“You know, I have a place just down the road. I’ve got a guest room. You’re welcome to crash there anytime.”
Jack smiled at Dolly. He’d always liked her but never thought of her in a sexual way. Her bright blue eyes, long blonde hair, and pleasant smile were alluring enough, though he’d usually gone for brunettes. He gave her a hard look. Was she flirting with him? Had she just invited him home? In the past he’d been a happily married man and had resisted the natural urges to flirt with women. But, those days were over now. He was free to flirt if he wanted to. He wondered what caused Dolly’s divorce and why she didn’t have a steady boyfriend now.
“That’s really nice of you to offer, but I promised my boy I’d take him hiking in the morning. He’d be devastated if I didn’t show up.”
“You could call. I’m sure he’d understand.”
“Oh, he’d understand, all right. He’d understand he wasn’t the most important thing in my life.”
Dolly shrugged. “Okay, just a thought. What can I get you?”
Jack smiled broadly. “I’m sorry. It’s—”
“No. You’re right. Kids are important. What can I get you?”
“One of those big juicy hamburgers and a large fry.”
“How about some apple pie for dessert?” Dolly suggested.
“Yeah. That sounds good.”
Dolly forced a smile. “Coming right up.”
Jack silently screamed. He’d offended Dolly and felt badly. He was angry with himself for not being able to accept that his relationship with Angela was over. He knew he needed to get on with his life and that there was no reason for him to feel guilty whenever he talked to a pretty woman. He took a deep breath and when Dolly returned with his hamburger he looked up at her anxiously.
“Hey. . . . Ah. . . . You know. I’ll be coming by this way on Sunday.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh. . . . Ah. . . . You got anything going on Sunday afternoon?”
Dolly studied Jack a moment and then cocked her head. “Well. Let me think.”
“You like rock climbing? We could head up to the Alabama Hills. It’s beautiful up there.”
“I don’t climb mountains,” Dolly advised sternly.
Jack smiled. “This isn’t rugged mountain climbing. It’s more hiking and sightseeing. We could have a picnic. Or, if you prefer we could go to Lone Pine and catch a movie.”
Dolly smiled broadly. “Okay. A picnic and a movie. That sounds like fun. I’m supposed to work Sunday night, but maybe Barbara will trade shifts with me.”
Jack grinned. “Okay, then. It’s a date.”
“Yes, it’s a date,” Dolly agreed.
Jack felt exhilarated as he drove off from Mona’s Café. He hadn’t had a date since the divorce and it felt liberating to finally be free of Angela’s yoke. And if things went well Dolly would invite him back to her place when the evening was over. The thought of that put a smile on his face. But his euphoria didn’t last as the monotony of the road finally overcame his caffeine fix and he began to yawn. The clock on his dash advised that it was 11:08 p.m. He flipped on the radio and turned to some hard rock to help keep him awake. That worked for a while but soon even the harsh noise couldn’t keep his eyelids opened. He dosed off but was quickly awakened by the drumming of his tires on the shoulder of the highway. Instinctively, he swerved to the left to avoid going off the road, but his momentum was too much and his truck rolled right off the highway and down the side of the mountain.
Remarkably, the truck righted halfway down and, after plummeting down the mountain for more than half a mile, Jack managed to slide to a stop just before striking a huge red boulder. He got out of the truck dazed, walked away a few yards, then blacked out. When he awoke, hours later, he was lying flat on his face and ached all over. After rolling over and sitting up, he touched his tender nose and discovered dried blood on his mouth and chin. Suddenly remembering he had to get home to pick up Jake, he struggled to his feet and started looking around in the darkness for his truck, but could see nothing. Disoriented, he began walking away from the highway and into the desert. As he walked he worried about his truck and wondered if it would still run when he found it. He dreaded the thought of having to call a wrecker and explain what had happened. He was glad he wasn’t bleeding and didn’t seem to have been seriously hurt, but still his body ached all over and his ribs were sore from where he’d hit the steering wheel.
Soon he regretted that he’d started walking. He realized he should have known better, but blamed his imprudence on the horrible headache he was experiencing. Now he was hopelessly lost and had no idea which way to go. It was pitch-dark and he had only the stars and a half moon to provide him light. Frustrated, he decided to sit down at the foot of a large boulder and wait until morning when he could see where he was going. He knew he shouldn’t sleep after suffering a head trauma so he vowed to stay awake. His mother was a nurse and had given him that advice on many occasions. She’d left Shoshone when his father had died and now lived and worked in LA. He hadn’t seen her for a while and made a mental note to find time to do that soon.
At first light he was up and heading north where he thought he’d would find the main highway. He had no idea how far he had wandered during the night or what direction he’d gone, but he figured it couldn’t be too far. A half hour into his trek his stomach growled and, for the first time, he thought of water. He was in the middle of the Mojave Desert without any! He shook his head, thinking what an idiot he’d been. He knew he couldn’t have been that far from the highway when he got out of his truck, but now he could be miles from it. It was his practice to always carry plenty of water in his truck but that would do him no good now. Luckily it was spring and though the temperature would easily reach 90 degrees it wouldn’t be the 110+ degrees that summer would bring. Either way, though, he knew he was screwed if he didn’t find water within a few hours.
As he reached the top of a hill he looked off in all directions hoping to see the highway or some sort of civilization. He didn’t see a highway but he did see,off in the distance, what appeared to be some kind of structure or the remnants of one. If there had been a house there he figured it was possible that there might be a well or a road he could follow back to civilization. He immediately set off in that direction praying he would find a way out of his predicament.
When he got to the structure he was very disappointed. It looked like someone had built a foundation and began to build the walls but had stopped. It was an unusual material, he thought. It looked like rock but there were no seems or veins of cement holding the rock together. It almost looked like the material had been poured into molds like concrete and then left to set. But he’d never seen that kind of construction before and couldn’t imagine that someone would use something so advanced out in the middle of nowhere.
Jack looked around for a well or a road leading up to the structure but saw nothing but undisturbed terrain. He walked around the foundation and was astounded by its rectangular size. He guessed it was about the size of a football field. Surely nobody in their right mind would build something like that out here. The cost would be astronomical and what would be the purpose?
The sun was up fully now and he could feel the temperature rising. He knew he had to find water soon or he’d get dehydrated and his energy level and general health would deteriorate rapidly. He took off in a northerly direction again, still believing he’d have to come soon to California Highway 127 which ran right through Death Valley. He could have gone a different way and avoided such a desolate terrain but he loved the desert and enjoyed the scenery.
He walked another hour and was beginning to feel a little light headed when he heard the noise of traffic in the distance. A wonderful wave of relief washed over him as he knew the highway must be just ahead. Ten minutes later he stepped over a ridge and saw it below. A smile crept over his sunburned face. He skidding down the embankment and stumbled onto the highway. A motorist swerved to miss him and honked his horn irritably. Another car slowed and rolled down the window.
“You all right, mister?” A middle aged woman asked.
“No. No, I’m not. I was in an accident. Can I get a lift into town?”
“Sure,” the lady replied reaching over to unlock the passenger door. “What happened?”
“Fell asleep and ran off the road.”
“Where’s your car?”
Jack shrugged. He explained what happened as they took off toward Shoshone. Thirty minutes later the woman dropped Jack off at his doctor’s office. He thanked her and then went inside and took a seat. A woman at the front desk recognized him.
“Jack?” What are you doing here? I didn’t have you down for an appointment today.”
Jack looked up and tried to smile. “I know, Melba. Sorry, but I rolled my truck and I’ve been wandering in the desert for the last three hours. You think the doctor could take a look at me.”
Melba got up quickly and called the doctor. Then she opened the inside door and rushed over to him. “You don’t look so good, honey. Come on back. I’m sure the doctor can squeeze you in.”
“Thanks,” Jack said as Melba helped him up. “You wouldn’t have a glass of water, would you?”
“Yes, of course.”
Melba took Jack back to a treatment room and then went to get him a glass of water. When she gave it to him he drained it and handed her the glass back for more.
“Don’t drink too much at one time,” Dr. Fairchild advised as he stepped into the room.
Jack nodded “Hi, Doc. Sorry, to bust in on you like this but it was kind of an emergency.”
“No, problem. So, what happened to you?”
Jack explained the situation while Dr. Fairchild examined him. When he was done he said, “Well, you were lucky to walk away from an accident like that. You could have easily been killed. I’m still worried about your head. I want you to stop in at the hospital in Bishop and have them run a cat scan.”
“Okay. I’ll be near there on Monday. Can you set it up?”
“Yes. Melba will take care of it for you. In the meantime, you should go home and rest.”
“Right. I will,” Jack lied. He knew there wouldn’t be any resting. He’d have a lot of explaining to do to Angela. And Jake would be disappointed if they couldn’t at least go out for a while. He thanked Melba and left.
Angela and Jake were just pulling up outside when Jack walked out of the doctor’s office. Jake jumped out of the car and ran over to his dad. “Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“So, thanks a lot for ruining my day,” Angela spat. “I was supposed to be in Vegas right now with Lynn and Shirley. They were pissed that I had to bail on them.”
“I’m sorry, Angela. The reason I was on the road at midnight was so you could go out with you girlfriends. I obviously didn’t want to fall asleep and total my truck. I damn near died.”
“Hmm. Too bad you—”
“Mom!” Jake protested.
“Okay. Okay. I didn’t mean it. It’s just so typical of your father.”
“Can we go home? I need to lie down and rest for a bit. I’m not feeling so well.”
“Sure, Dad,” Jake said giving his mother a scathing look. “Come on. We’ll take you home.”
Jake helped Jack into the car and they headed to the home that Jack had actually built himself with the help of a few of his contractor buddies. He thought having a house he owned free and clear would provide his family with a measure of security, but the court had awarded the home to Angela and left Jack with nothing but his truck. It didn’t seem fair, but Jack hadn’t hired a lawyer and was so sick about losing Angela that he hadn’t felt like fighting.
“After I get a little rest, maybe your mother will let us borrow her car and we can go look for my truck.”
Angela sighed. “You shouldn’t be driving in your condition. Melba said you had a concussion.”
“I have to find my truck and it would be better if Jake were with me in case I faint or something.”
“You’re crazy if you think—”
“I’ll stay on the highway. Don’t worry. There’s plenty of traffic. You can come along if you want.”
“No. I’ve got plans.”
When they got home Jack slept for a few hours and then he and Jake loaded up Angela’s car with plenty of food and water and took off. It was mid-afternoon and the temperature, according to the sign in front of the bank, was 93°. After about forty minutes they got to the area where Jack figured he’d ran off the road.
“Okay, I’ll drive by slowly and you look off to the right side of the road and see if you see my truck.”
“Got it,” Jake said getting on his knees and poking his head and shoulders out of the passenger-side window. After about ten minutes he pointed and screamed, “There it is? Over there.”
Jack pulled the car to a stop and they both got out. The embankment was steep but not too difficult to climb down. It only took them about five minutes to get to the truck. When they got there Jack examined it carefully. The roof was caved-in pretty badly from the truck rolling and it would definitely need a new paint job, but Jack figured it would be salvageable. At least he hoped it was as he only had liability coverage and if it was a total wreck he’d have to buy a new truck.
“Let’s see if she’ll start,” Jack suggested.
“You got the keys?” Jake asked.
“No. But they should be in the ignition.”
“Can I try to start it,” Jake asked.
Jack smiled. “Sure, just leave it in park and put your foot on the brake.
“I will,” Jake promised and tried to open the cab door. It wouldn’t budge.
Jack grabbed the door handle and yanked hard but it wouldn’t move for him either.
“Shit!” Jack exclaimed. “Try the other side.”
Jake ran around the truck and opened the passenger door without any trouble. He climbed in and crawled over to the driver’s seat. The key was in the ignition, so he put his foot on the brake and tried to crank it. Nothing happened.
“Let me look under the hood,” Jack said moving to the front of the truck. “Pull the hood latch.”
Jake had helped his father work on the truck before, so he knew his way around the cab. He pulled the hood lever and it popped up. Jack slipped his fingers underneath the hood and lifted it up. After a moment he stuck his head out and said, “The battery cables came loose. Now try it.”
Jake focused on the brake and the ignition again and tried to crank the engine one more time. This time the engine began to turn, but it didn’t start. Jack waived his hand to wait a moment and then made sure all the sparkplug wires were tight. When he signaled he was ready, Jake cranked the engine it finally turned over and came to life.
“Yes!” Jack exclaimed. “Thank God!”
Jake turned off the engine and then got out of the truck. “Can you drive it out of here,” he asked.
Jack looked up at the road in the distance. “I’ll need a wrecker to pull it up the embankment. Let’s just lock it up for now and then you and I can go get some dinner. I’m starving. I’ll get a wrecker out here tomorrow morning to pull it back on the road.”
Jake agreed and they hiked back to Angela’s car and headed back to Shoshone. The next morning Jack went to a local wrecking yard and body shop where he knew someone with a tow truck. Joe Small had been a childhood friend and they’d hung out a lot as teenagers. He didn’t usually work on Sundays but since Jack was an old friend he made an exception. When they got back to the yard with the truck, Jack asked him for a favor.
“Listen, can I borrow your Jeep until you’re finished with the truck. I’ve got a date this afternoon and I’d hate to have to cancel.”
“You’ve got a date?” Joe asked seeming amused. “Yes. My first one since the divorce. I’d hate to miss it, plus I want to do a little exploring. I found a rather strange foundation out in the desert and I’d like to check it out a little closer.”
“A foundation? Why would you care about a foundation?”
“I don’t know. It just wasn’t right. I’ve never seen this type of building material before. I’d like to try to identify it. It might be something I could use in the future.”
“Okay, you can drive it next week and when you come home on the weekend your truck should be as good as new.”
“Thanks, Joe. You’re a lifesaver.”
On the way to Mona’s Café to pick up Dolly, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He’d have been heartbroken had he been forced to cancel on Dolly. He liked her and, despite aching all over, couldn’t wait to go out on their first date.