Who'll Watch the Watchers-Part IV (Conclusion)

Fatal Mistakes

Rolling across the Everglades at a leisurely 75 mph, Sean and Jim rode in silence. Both were deep in thought, considering what they knew so far. An hour earlier, they'd learned that a possible hero who'd found a missing six year old girl, had suddenly, inexplicably disappeared. Where was Jeanie's bike? Where was her camera? Those items could possibly bring this case to a quick end. They'd wanted to talk to Swank about how he found the child and if he's seen anything that could help, but running in the middle of the night put him on the top of their suspect list. Orin Swank was an expert Everglades survivalist and both detectives knew they wouldn't be able to hunt him down alone.

As they neared the place Orin had 'found' Jeanie Strong alive and called 911, they passed a woman driving a black Nisan Titan heading out of the 'Glades. She'd have gone unnoticed but for the flaming shock of auburn hair billowing out of the Titan's open window. She must have recognized that the Crown Vic was a police car because she threw a snappy salute as they passed, which Sean, who was driving, automatically returned. After discussing how pretty she was, neither detective gave the Titan or its red haired driver another thought.

Liz Smyth, six feet, titian haired, and blue eyed, was on vacation. She had five cute freckles on her nose, and a heavy black belt with mace, a baton, and a Glock 9 under her seat. She was a third degree black belt in Karate, and carried a gold badge from the Maine State Police Investigation Unit.

Liz had earned this Florida vacation and decided to spend it in solitude in the Everglades, communing with alligators and snakes instead of the two legged animals she routinely had to deal with on the job. Her last big case involved a murdered antiques dealer from Upstate New York, and she ended up killing the suspect when he'd tried to kill her boyfriend to get to her. Following the resolution of that case Liz was promoted to Sergeant. Three days later she was on the road to Florida's Everglades for some R & R.

Liz had just set up her camp near Lake Okeechobee and was heading into Moore Haven for ice and supplies for the week. She was surprised to see two plain clothes cops heading in the direction of Okeechobee. Since they were in a county unit and it was early afternoon, she figured they weren't going fishing.

In Moore Haven, Liz quickly grabbed her supplies and high tailed back to her isolated camp on the edge of the lake. She couldn't put humanity and the horrors of her most recent case behind her quickly enough. She only wanted some serious relaxation, exploring and shooting Everglades wildlife with her digital 35mm Canon.

A quarter of a mile north of Liz's camp, on the shore of Lake Okeechobee, the white smoke of a campfire rose lazily through the gumbo limbos and mangroves. A well worn iron skillet held a sizzling catfish, freshly caught and covered in hot Cajun spice. Nearby, as the fish fried, a burly figure fashioned a dark green 10' X 10' nylon tarp into a makeshift lean-to. As he worked he was thinking seriously dark thoughts about his future. Orin Swank reached for his 30.06 rifle. He checked the chrome 38 revolver tucked in his belt, and nodded to himself. A small pink girl's bike was tied to the back of the big Kawasaki. He covered the machine with brush and went back to his frying pan. Patting the pocket of his cargo camos he felt the lump of a pink digital camera and grinned. He had gathered all the evidence, and the rest of the loose ends would be tied up real soon

“This'll be over soon,” Swank muttered aloud. He knew he had to get rid of Jeanie and get away for a fresh start. In Orin's sluggish brain, that was the only solution. Kill the witness and go somewhere nobody knew him. “Nobody 'round here 'll miss me nohow. Like folks say, Good riddance to bad rubbish.”

Next morning, break of day, the search party met in a diner parking lot on FL 27 outside of Moore Haven. Detectives Bailey and Yamamoto led the party into the Everglades from Moore Haven. The FDLE Profiler said that the place where little Jeanie had been kept was probably a very familiar and favorite spot for her kidnapper. The dogs would look for the bike and camera. If they were right, Orin Swank may have returned there to grab the evidence and figure out his next move.

As the task force of fourteen FDLE agents, eight Glades County deputies, and two bloodhounds went into the dense forest, they considered the possibilities. Maybe Orin didn't know he was a suspect and just happened to go on an impromptu 'glades camping expedition. Then, he'd probably be easy to snag. But, if he suspected he'd been found out, he'd be hard to bring back alive. A death sentence awaited a convicted child kidnapper and rapist in Florida.

Orin saw the cloud of dust rising from the trail into the 'glades about the same time Liz Smyth pushed her kayak into the lake.

Liz stepped into the yellow plastic craft and backed it away from shore. She squinted in the bright morning sun rising above Okeechobee. She let her mind go free, enjoying the sounds of the Everglades and being surrounded by such intense natural beauty. Pulling her new Wayfarers down and grabbing the paddle, she headed North along the shore. The best pictures of birds of prey and other animals slaking their morning thirst would be along the shore, so that's where Liz decided she'd be shooting today.

All that dust meant only one thing to Orin. The cops were coming! He had to get away! No boat, no way to swim across the huge body of water, and the posse is getting closer by the second. Orin's mind spun as quickly as it could, as he ran toward the lake. Then he saw his salvation. God had answered his hastily uttered prayers. Coming silently toward him close to shore, was a woman in a small yellow kayak. Swank quickly jumped into the water and began floundering, waving his arms and yelling. “Help! Help! Help!”

Liz was startled by the sudden appearance of someone in the lake. Seconds earlier she'd scanned the shore and there was nobody there. Now, a big man in camouflage clothing was in the water and apparently drowning. Without hesitation, Liz began paddling toward the man as fast as she could. As she reached the quickly sinking man, she sprung from the kayak into the lake to haul him to shore. His weight was not an issue for the fit six foot Maine State Trooper, and she quickly pulled him to safety. She rolled the big fellow onto his belly and pressed on his back to push out any water he'd taken in. He began to mumble, “I'm ok, get off me! I'm ok!” Liz helped him roll over onto his back and was looking right into the barrel of a shiny Colt 38 revolver.

“Whoa, big boy!” Liz said calmly. “You're gonna hurt someone with that thing. I'd really hate to eat lead for breakfast.”

“Get back!” Orin shouted. His eyes were the size of saucers and the blood vessels were bulging in his temples. The confusion and anger of not scaring this young woman made him hesitate for just a split second.

In that second, Liz kicked the 38 away with a long leg simultaneously pulling her pistol from the back of her belt. Swank saw the big black automatic and God at the same time. His fingers were grasping for the missing 38 and praise for The Lord was spewing from his slack mouth all at once.

“Praise the Lord! Please God, save me from this crazy bitch!” he prayed at the top of his lungs.

“You didn't pull a gun on me because I saved you, mister,” Liz said backing away from the hulking swamp man. “What the hell is going on here? Let's see some ID”

“Ain't got none! Wouldn't give it to you if I did, bitch!” The fat man lay thrashing around on his back, feet kicking struggling to get up. “Who the hell you think you are, pulling that gun on me? I'm just campin' here and fell in is all.”

“Pulling that gun on me after I saved you looks pretty damn funny.” Liz was not about to let the big man get off the ground until she knew she had him under control. Then she heard people crashing through the heavy underbrush, and the baying bloodhounds. That gave this scene a whole new meaning. This hulking brute was a wanted man!

Liz had no cuffs or anything else to secure the man. She figured she could hold him at gunpoint until the searchers arrived. Suddenly in a surprising display of agility, the giant flung himself off the ground and and knocked her flat on her back in the mud. The Glock spun through the air and into Lake Okeechobee with a sickening splash.

Orin grabbed the chrome Colt off the ground and spun toward Liz's supine form. In his excitement he didn't hear Sean Yamamoto order him to drop the gun. As he swung the muzzle toward the female trooper, nine rapid shots resonated through the forest. Liz saw a red trickle start to run down the side of Orin's head. His eyes, wide with surprise, stared unseeingly at her as he fell hard on his face a foot from where she lay.

Epilogue

The evidence was overwhelming. There was no question that Orin Swank had kidnapped and molested Jeannie Strong on the shore of Lake Okeechobee. Luckily Swank had no idea how to operate the small pink Canon digital Jeanie had been carrying. Swank's face, his car, his shotgun, and even the alligator tattoo on his left forearm were clear in several digital shots. The distinctive stumps and tree carvings around the clearing where she'd been left to die were in many photos on the camera as well. After learning what her late husband had done, even Nellie Swank didn't sympathize with Orin. His guilt certain, nobody wished Orin Swank had lived to stand trial. No trial, no chance to get off. Orin got justice and the price was right.