I didn’t expect to sleep. I thought I was going to spend a few hours staring at the tray ceiling above my bed, replaying all the scenes, conversations, and open-ended issues. Instead, I worked out a plan for beginning my day, and then, somehow, I fell asleep. When the alarm chimed, I jumped, startled from the deepest sleep I had in days, disoriented that these few hours had passed so quickly.
While still in bed, wrapped protectively in my smooth sheets and soft comforter, I knew I had to reach out to Julie. We traded several texts, one right after the other. She and her team would arrive at my house in about one hour and we would talk in person. There was so much to share. We didn’t say what we each had found in the hours we spent working, but she said her time had been very productive.
I promised, “And, wait until you hear what I found!”
Slowly, almost painfully, I moved from the bed and started to get ready. The lack of sleep, the adrenaline, the weight of the discoveries, and reality were weighing on me. I felt burdened, achy, and foggy. Buddy, bless his heart, must have sensed something was way off, because he kept me in his line of sight. He watched protectively, following me to all the rooms I moved through. His concern touched me and I went to reassure him. Rubbing that special spot under his left ear and the white fluff on his chest, we restarted our day in a much better way. He gently licked my face and nestled his little head into my neck. We would be okay, together.
“Let’s get breakfast ready. Are you hungry, little boy?” I asked him cheerfully. Buddy had worked his own version of Mongin Island magic. I prepped some coffee, made a big batch of pancakes, and filled a plate with a pile of bacon while I waited for Julie’s team to arrive. If this day was going to go as I anticipated, we would probably be sitting here together for some time. While things were cooking, I called Tripp to confirm he would be able to watch the store—yet again.
“I am sensing last night was successful for you, Carr?” he asked.
“Tripp, yes, without a doubt. Julie is on her way over and I think we will be in a much different place by tomorrow. That’s all I am saying for now,” I said. “Thank you so much for holding down the fort, once again.”
“No worries at all, Carr, not a problem. My house is being power washed. I would rather be at the store than smell bleach and listen to the water on the siding all day. Do you want to bring Buddy by? He can keep me company if you want. You know, funny thing, I was thinking we may want to add him to the store’s webpage. People are asking about him. He has quite the following around here.”
“Tripp, great idea, I love it. Maybe that will encourage some of the children to stop in, too. If you wouldn’t mind, I think Buddy enjoys being with all the people, rather than sitting alone in this house. Let’s plan on it, but if we can’t get there, I will text you. I am not exactly sure what is going to happen today or what the schedule will be, to be honest.” I said, once again offering up a silent prayer of thanksgiving for Tripp.
Next call was to Barb. “You will not believe all that has happened. Julie is on her way over to my house. Can you come too?” I blurted out as soon as she answered.
“I’m on my way,” she said without asking any other questions. Hearing her voice made me immediately calm. I called and she came—no questions asked, no formality, no explanation needed. Just a friend, a true friend, showing up. We were perfectly imperfect people but we knew what mattered and we made sure we each knew what that was. She would be here to support me, she knew I thought I needed her strength, and she would give it to me. It was as simple and as pure as that.
Barb got there first. She knocked and walked in. “Carr, you look exhausted. Have you slept at all?” Her face showed her concern.
“A little, not much, to be honest,” I said as I fixed her coffee and started another pot. “Barb, look, before everyone gets here, I want to tell you how much I appreciate you, all you have done, you tolerating my crazy, half-baked ideas. I am not sure where we are heading, but I think we are close to the finish line. I just want you to know, I want you to hear how much I appreciate you.”
She didn’t say anything at first but then she smiled and said, “Thank you, Carr. I thought you may have been a smidge angry or maybe disappointed that I wasn’t as fearless as you are. I have a feeling your impact on Mongin Island is just beginning and I am, honestly, glad to be part of it. I think Tripp is right, I think you are a softy.”
As I finished getting ready, I heard the cars pull up. Voices soon filled my kitchen. Barb was getting everyone started on breakfast and coffee. I took one last look in the mirror and gave myself a brief pep talk. “We have come this far. We need to push a little more to get across the finish line.” With that, I shut off the light and joined the team.
Every available surface in my kitchen and screened porch now was covered with some kind of laptop, printer, or other device. Every outlet had multiple plugs stuffed into it and there were surge protectors draped across the floor like criss-crossed roads. People were eating, talking, and busy setting up, but that came to halt when Julie stood up and asked for everyone’s attention.
“Team, I know we have a lot to cover and a lot to report. I asked Cole to document our time together this morning. He will keep a running tally of all we discuss and will be creating this live document to share on the whiteboard. Cole, is the whiteboard ready to go?” she asked. Cole was setting up some kind of integrated technology that let his computer display what he typed on the board.
“It will be, one more minute. We are having trouble with the encryption on this network, but we are about there,” Cole said, fiddling with the cords behind the portable board.
Julie continued, “Excellent. Here is how I want to do this. I will start, then I want the group with the forensic and pathology reports to chime in. After that, let’s hear from those who worked with witnesses, and I think your group included some financial analysis, right? Last and certainly not least, Carr can tell us what she learned, and then we should have a good go-forward strategy. Everybody ready?”
I made eye contact with Barb, who was leaning over my kitchen island. She winked and gave me a thumbs-up, which seemed wonderfully ridiculous given the gravity of our discussion. I loved it, she knew exactly what I needed. Our session began and continued for at least one hour before it was my turn to speak. While I waited my turn, I listened to the reports and the numerous specific details we had collected. I was in awe of how much work had been done by this entire team. In just a few days, we had pieced together an almost complete picture of Carl and the people who rotated around him in his world. The sheer volume of information was beyond impressive. Cole’s list, displayed on the screen set up in front of my fireplace, was scrolling from page to page as he typed quickly. When it was finally my turn, I took a deep breath and began our story, starting from finding the cart over the embankment at the Beach Road property and finishing twenty minutes later with the introduction of Dr. Edward Easton, who, like his son, was captivated, perhaps obsessed, with Mongin Island.
I spoke in almost a trance, entirely focused on relaying the facts in the same sequence I discovered them. My goal was to present the evidence to the professionals so they would direct the next step. Near the end of my contribution, I looked up from my notes and found the faces of the team gathered here, in my home. While I had been reading and speaking, I had not noticed the intensity of the team or the way their eyes were glued to me. People were literally on the edges of their chairs. The room was completely silent, except for Cole’s typing.
Finally, Julie stood up and walked over to the doors out to my porch. With her back to our group, she said, ever so quietly, “My God, Carr, you did it, you solved the case.”