17.3 Croaker Hole

The dinghy beached on the shore. Nothing could be seen in the immediate surrounding. Rain continued. It tasted salty, their faces brine. Natalia carried the gun, the leather briefcase and a torch. Angela too, carried a torch, a flare gun with a bandolier of four cartridges, food and water.

At twilight, they saw the horizon in a panorama, nothing standing in between. A vast pasture of grassland and flat plains, low-lying to the eyeshot.

“What on earth is this place?” uttered Angela.

“I can’t see a bird!” said Natalia, “It’s cold.”

“Do you want a sip?” Angela passed the bottle.

They were on a trail. Grey clouds began to show some reddish glow creating shadows in the sky. At some point they passed an observation post with few trees and palms around but they did not even catch a light mostly due to the pouring rain.

“I can’t believe I ran into this! And whose fault is that?” shuddered Angela, “You didn’t even say sorry.”

“I am awfully sorry, Angie! I don’t know what to say. I’ve lost my money and my phone. I left some credit cards in the Bronco.”

“I’ve lost my money too. All gone.”

“Looks like wheels made a rut here.”

“Look at that! Feeder poles! Electric cables!”

“Oh yes, they are,” echoed Natalia, “There must be a track!” They began to trot.

“That’s water!”

“It’s a mirage.”

There they saw a light moving at fast speed. “It’s a vehicle. It is speeding away from us.”

Natalia took the gun into her hand, “Stay behind! Behind me! It could be them!”

“What?” Angela gave a shrug.

“I mean it,” cautioned Natalia, “They’ll shoot at us. It is coming this way. Get down! Get down!”

They lay down on the grass to watch the moving vehicle. Rain lessened to a drizzle.

“A police car would have a siren, don’t you think! Some beacon lights…overheads!”

“It is moving away from us!”

“Shall I fire a flare?”

“Yes,” Natalia said because she was desperately in need to find someone in this vast pastureland.

Angela loaded the pistol and shot a flare into air. In seven seconds, that glow was gone in the reddish grey clouds of the rising sun.

The truck came towards them over the meadow. A Park Rangers truck without a light bar. They began to wave. On its side, it was written; ‘Police’.

“What took you so long?” asked Natalia.

“We were called to check the other side. They did not tell us you were in the Croaker Hole.”

“Croaker Hole!”

“Yes, this side of the mile is a no-go zone,” said the lady ranger in green shirt, “Nobody comes here. Are you two alright?”

“We are fine. There is one man on the boat.”

“A rescue team has reached the boat. Where do you want to go now?”

“Take me to the Sheriff’s Department in Corpus Christi. Here is the gun I took from the boat crew,” Natalia passed the Colt and kept the briefcase under her arm.

“Where are we?” asked Angela.

“A mile from Texas 361,” Ranger Lane told them. “How did you manage to get free?”

“I kicked him in the face,” replied Natalia, “I’m a kickboxer.”

 

When they arrived at 901 Leopard Street, Officer Torres received them. He checked with the North Coastal Sheriff’s Department in San Diego and Jonathan Simms cleared everything about Natalia. US Coastguard passed information for a background check. Simultaneously, he passed information to the US Coastguard about the same boat gone missing reported by a man named Paul Clancy.

“Where is Paul Clancy?” asked Natalia.

“Police will see to that,” replied Officer Torres.

“And the boat?”

“It will be taken care of.”

“Linda?”

He shook his head, “Not at the moment.”

“I left forensics in the boat, my hair, her hair, my blood and our urine…and I peed in the white van too.”

Officer Torres smiled.

“These are documents I picked from the boat. I submit them to you as it is. Sheriff Mayron would want to have photographic prints and floppies for me as well, very sharp and clear.”

“We will do what we can,” said Officer Torres.

They took a glance at the documents. There were three original testaments, correspondence with George Crape, Jadon Quinn, Linda Linz, Noth Edwidge Wellinois, even Thomas Cyril among others. Bank transactions and agreements with persons of interest like Wellinois over 69 Church Street property and even a letter sent to Savon Martin from Hulsen & Quinn.

Those three wills were raised on three different terms to bestow the property and belongings of Sidney Martin Cyril, first to Noth Edwidge Wellinois only, second to Savon Martin only and third, to both of her sons; Savon Martin and North Edwidge Wellinois. Witnesses signed by Laura Hudson and Cindy Lockwood in all three wills. All stamped, dated and registered at Hulsen & Quinn.

“Take a break,” said Officer Torres, “Come in the afternoon to submit your statements.”

 

They were all going through the trauma of the incident that took place at Days Inn. Silence was observed in the aftermath of the tragedy, the irreplaceable loss of the Grammy-winning singer, rising star and the Queen of Tejano music.

Shanna at the counter whispered, “Your luggage has been recovered beside the swimming pool in the rain. If you did not take them out, someone else did. I thought you were checking out, Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m okay,” hissed Natalia, “My phone?”

“It is there,” she added, “your room key was left on the counter here.”

“Who brought it?” asked Natalia.

“No idea,” she frowned behind reading glasses.

She looked around for a camera and caught one on the right, “You have a camera. Do you record?”

Shanna nodded.

“That’s a good thing. Thank you.”

One thing missing was the Bronco keys. Natalia called the auto garage for help. They opened the door and drilled the ignition. Replaced and programmed a new key for 150 dollars.

In many ways it caused uneasiness to stay at the motel. It took another day for them to get clearance from the police.

On the following night, at a late hour, they heard thousands gathered to mourn at the Bayfront Convention Center.

Early next morning, on 3^rd April, they queued up to pay their respect. The City of Corpus Christi mourned. It took three hours for them to get the chance to pass the casket placed for public viewing of the demise.

Natalia observed the ceremony as if she passed through a halo that transcends the light of the brightest star.