Desolation - Chapter Two (draft)

Chapter Two

Gripping his steering wheel like a bar bottle at closing time, Charlie Grayson briefly peered out the drivers’ side window of his pick-up truck to get an idea of how much snow had fallen on Lake Loop Road in the previous two hours. With temperatures hovering near freezing just above lake level, the new snow had turned the road into a thick layer of cream cheese and Charlie was struggling to maintain control.

The steady flow of warm air from the dashboard vents along with the white knuckle tension from the dangerous road conditions had formed a thin line of sweat above his eyes, but he feared that taking a hand off the wheel for a mere moment could cause his truck to veer off the road and plummet over the 300 foot cliff that dropped off from the other side of the road.

And while the pending road closure was more a matter of when and not if, Charlie was of the mind that his call to the state police may speed up the process before any cars passed north towards Tahoe City.

As he pulled into the rest area above Eagle Bay, Charlie noticed a pair of headlights cutting through the driving snow, heading below Avalanche Pass, just to the south.

Sitting a couple miles north of Crystal Falls, California, at the southwestern corner of Lake Tahoe, Eagle Bay offered the last safe turn around between the south shore and Tahoe City.

With a quick glance at his watch and then back towards the oncoming vehicle, Charlie had a feeling of unease at the thought of anyone passing north of him, open road or not.

Charlie reached for the VHF receiver, depressed the small people on the side, and said, “South shore base, come in. Sammy, you there?”

“Copy, Chief,” a raspy voice responded. “Been wondering when we’d hear from you. Where you at?”

“Yeah, Sammy, I’m at the Eagle Bay Rest Area,” he responded. “Any word on road closures?”

“That’s a negative, Chief. Still mixed precip down here in town and no word from the Staties. Billy just came down from the lodge and said they’ve got about six inches. What’s the road like up there?”

“Not safe to drive on, that’s for sure. About four-six wet inches. Dangerous stuff.”

“Any traffic?”

“I’ve got a vehicle heading north right now.” Chief Grayson sighed. “Only going about twenty but still all over the road. I really don’t want this guy passin’ the gate.”

“So turn ‘em around.”

“You know how those troopers get when we step on their toes.”

“You want me to try to reach someone on the horn?”

Charlie paused, panned across the bay, and said, “Listen. I’m gonna try to turn this guy around. If you can reach someone in Truckee of Tahoe City, try to get the OK to close this road. I may not be able to stop this guy, but this storm’s only gonna get worse and I could use one less headache.”

“Copy, Chief. You take her easy on the way back”

As he flung the door open and jumped out of the truck, Charlie reached back into the cab, flicked a switch on the dash, and suddenly the snow-filled sky was illuminated with alternating flashes of blue and red emanating from the lightbar.

While the light of day had come and gone, the low cloud ceiling and white out conditions provided an eerie orange hew that lit the road light like a dull street light.

Charlie stood in the middle of the road and waved at the nearing sedan with his flashlight. He walked to the far side of the road and watched as the drivers’ side window of the cherry-red AMC Matador slowly opened.

“There a problem, officer?” The voice was low yet smooth.

“Where you heading, friend?” Charlie said, pointing his flashlight into the car. Directing the light back to the front of the car, he was surprised to see a boyishly-round face with cobalt eyes staring back at him. His light-brown crew cut and broad shoulders seemed out of place with his fair complexion. He looked like a boy in a man’s body and to Charlie, something seemed off.

“I’ve got to be in Truckee in the morning and wanted to beat the worst of the storm.”

“Yeah, well, you’re heading right into the worst of it and I’m about to close this road.”

“I’ve got chains, officer.”

“Chains or no chains, one slip on those switchbacks and we’ll being scraping you off the cliff walls. Besides, you can swing around the backside of these mountains and still make it by morning.”

“We both know that after tracing back to the south shore, Echo Summit will be shut down and I can’t afford to wait out this storm in Crystal Falls.” The man said assertively. “Besides, you said you were about to close the road. That gate looks pretty open to me.”

Charlie stepped back from the car and gave it a once over with his light. He stepped around to the back of the car and noticed the New Mexico license plates.

“Not from around here, friend?” Charlie asked. “What’s so important about getting to Truckee that you feel the need to risk your life?”

“My son, officer,” he said, his voice softening.” I just got custody and his mother’s leaving town tomorrow. I don’t trust her not to run off with him. You got kids, officer?”

“No I don’t, but I know the importance of family.” Charlie signed as he stepped back to the open window. “This is totally against my better judgment, but I’m gonna let you pass. You got supplies in case you get stuck?

“Yes, sir,” the man replied, a slight smile crossing his face. “Right here in the back I’ve got a sleeping bag, water, a bunch of warm clothes, and even a couple of Hershey bars.”

“Well you’re a regular Boy Scout.”

“Yeah, well, my Sergeant taught me well, officer.”

Charlie nodded approvingly and said, “Good to hear and thank you for your service.”

“Just doing my part, officer, just like you.”

“Hey, you take it slow, especially this next mile or so.” Charlie stepped back from the car, waved his flashlight forward, and watched as the Matador’s rear tire chains dug into the snow.”

Charlie followed the car up the road as it passed by the gate and closed the gate behind him as the taillights rounded the first hairpin. He stood there for a moment before making his way back to the truck.
After switching the lightbar off, he restarted the truck and picked up the VHF receiver. “You there, Sammy?”

“I’ve been trying to reach you, boss. I was about to come up there after you.”

“I’m fine, Sammy. Besides, you wouldn’t really risk missing Danny Terrio to come after me,” Charlie said, laughing.

“Very funny, boss,” Sammy replied. “And just for that, I’m pouring out the coffee. Hey, I was able to get through to the State Trooper barracks in Truckee and they said to go ahead and close that road. Fella up there said they’re getting hammered by the storm and lost radio for a while.”

“And they don’t have a trooper down here?” Charlie shook his head.

“One, apparently, but she’s been up at Echo all afternoon.”

“She?” Charlie asked rhetorically. “It’s going to be one long storm. Hey, I’ll see you within in the hour.”

Copyright © 2011 by Jerry Graffam