Henry Franks A Novel - By Peter Adam Salomon Page 0,62
is restored, utilities management has said. The U.S. Department of Energy, concentrating most resources in Camden County, which suffered a direct hit, says that power has already been restored to 38 percent of those residences in Georgia that lost power in the storm.
Mayor Jim Monroe of Brunswick, helping local businesses clean up the island, praised the efforts of law enforcement and the citizens of Glynn County. “The Golden Isles should be incredibly proud of the men and women who serve here.”
Damage estimates range into the tens of millions, but thanks to the efficient evacuation of the islands, the human toll was remarkably low. “A couple of fender benders and minor accidents,” said police spokesperson Carmella Rawls. “The tragic death of local resident William Franks, who died during the storm, has led to the successful resolution of the vicious murders which have plagued Glynn County this summer.”
“Blunt force trauma,” said Major Daniel Johnson at a hastily called press conference in the aftermath of the storm. “Mr. Franks is the final victim of Richard Adims.”
Adims, 41, a former resident of Waycross, had been institutionalized at Georgia Regional Psychiatric Hospital after being found unable to stand trial for a series of beatings due to mental incompetence. In May, Adims was transferred to Turning Point Hospital after biting off a part of his tongue in an apparent suicide attempt. After attacking a guard on the transport, Adims escaped and had been on the loose ever since.
Dr. Jason Rapp, Chief of Staff at the GRPH, released a brief statement to the press: “Due to a computer error, Richard Adims was mistakenly classified as an N-VO, Non-Violent Offender. In the confusion after the unfortunate situation earlier this year concerning the supervision of patients, this misclassification went unrectified. Funds have been requested from the State discretionary account to assure this does not happen again.”
Repeated calls to the Georgia Regional Psychiatric Hospital for additional information went unreturned.
The body of Richard Adims was found in the debris after the storm in a subdivision on St. Simons Island. The alleged cause of death is puncture wounds that police spokesperson Carmella Rawls says Franks was able to inflict upon his assailant.
“It appears that the suspect, Richard Adims, intended to seek shelter with relatives, who, unfortunately for William Franks, live next door to the Franks’ residence on St. Simons. But Mr. Adims went to the Franks residence instead, where he once lived with his first wife, Margaret Saville, a local psychologist. In the struggle,” Ms. Rawls said, “Mr. Franks suffered a severe blow to the head from the pipe that allegedly was used by the suspect in previous attacks. In self defense, the victim was able to fatally wound his assailant.”
“The people of Glynn County and the Golden Isles are eternally grateful for all of the hard work and dedication of FLETC, the various police departments, and the many people who gave of their time to aid us this summer,” said Mayor Monroe.
William Franks is survived by one son, Henry, 16.
thirty four
The funeral was larger than he’d expected. Police officers coming to pay their respects, a sizable contingent of journalists following behind local politicians, and numerous strangers coming together as a community after the storm. Relatives of other victims attended; most left without saying a word but some approached, resting a hand on the casket or offering Henry a tentative hug.
He stood with Justine and her parents as William Franks was laid to rest. Bandages still covered Justine’s arms, but her fingers were soft and warm and never far away.
As the casket sank into the welcoming earth, Henry looked around, shading his eyes from the sun. September’s heat burned down, erasing the memories of the storm despite the broken trees and the blue tarps covering homes that had lost roofs. In the distance, a lone woman leaned against a grave until long after the other mourners had left.
They found her sitting in the freshly turned dirt, facing the space where a tombstone would be someday. The sun was low in the west and his elongated shadow fell across her as Justine’s fingers slipped out of his hand.
A twig or two was caught in her hair, the dirty brown strands hanging limply against her shoulders as she rocked back and forth on the ground.
“Mom?” he said, the word soft and quiet in the stillness of the empty cemetery.
Her rocking stopped and her head jerked up. The scar around her neck caught the fading sunlight as she turned to look at him. A smile