by Olive Balla
Dix scooted her chair back from the table and started toward the house. “I’m going to the library.”
“A suggestion before you go out in public,” Lil said. “You might want to re-do your eyebrows. One of the joys of sitting across the breakfast table from you is tracking their migration. The left one’s not only a full inch higher than the right, it’s arched way too high. Makes you look like you just saw Elvis in pajamas roller blading down Main Street.”
Dix snorted. “At least I’m careful of my appearance, as opposed to your extraterrestrial alien, slab-of-meat-with-eyeballs look.”
“I don’t pretend I’m not getting older. A woman’s hair thins with age, it’s the natural order of things. I would have thought you’d prefer the natural look.”
Dix lifted both hands, cupped and palms up. Her right hand raised as if she were a scale weighing something, she said, “Fake, but somewhat human in appearance?” Lowering her left hand, she said, “Or natural, yet scary enough to frighten children and stampede cattle.”
“Says you.”
“You don’t see your face; everyone else does. Have a little compassion, why don’t you.”
“Hypocrite.” Lil stepped into the house.
“Skin flint,” Dix shouted after her.
In a few minutes, two vehicles pulled out of the garage at the side of the house—one small and tan, the other a red convertible. The tan car moved slowly, but the red car’s tires squealed as it sped away.
Her backpack slung over her shoulders, Jillie climbed down the ladder and glanced around the yard. Morning sunlight sparkled off green, yellow, and red vegetables growing in the garden she’d spotted the night before. In near-perfect rows, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, green beans, and other plants she didn’t recognize called to her like the Sirens she’d read about in mythology. Her stomach growled.
She pulled up two carrots, plucked a huge tomato from its fragrant vine, and then gathered a fistful of green beans. After washing the vegetables with the garden hose, she ate them, drank her fill from the hose, then washed her face and hands. She pulled her treasure chest from her backpack, selected some things from it and returned to the garden.
When she’d finished her task, she again hurried toward the gate. But she stopped in her tracks at the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.
Holding her breath, she edged backward and plastered herself against the side of the house. Hopefully, whoever it was would find no one home and go away.
The sudden electronic beep, beep, beep of someone punching numbers into a cell phone wafted through the open window above Jillie’s head. “I forgot the library’s closed today; I’m going to work the garden. Lunch will be ready at noon sharp. If you’re not here, you either don’t eat or you fix it yourself.” Dix’s voice grew fainter as she moved away from the window.
Without thinking, Jillie scooted back to the tree and up the ladder where she hunkered down against a wall.
Immediately, she reflected on the stupidity of that move. Why had she not run when she had the chance? She could easily have outrun the little old lady. But with only an instant to decide what to do, panic had taken over. If Dix had heard the squealing gate again, she’d most likely have called the police. Then they’d have discovered Jillie, and the nightmare life at the Elliotts would never end.
How long would the hospital keep Beth’s body before taking it to wherever they burned people up? Or did the hospital do the burning?
The double glass door slid open and Dix came out, her arms filled with gardening implements. She carried the tools to the garden and dropped them onto the ground. Slowly, she moved up the rows, emitting sounds of surprise.
Dix stood in the center of the garden and looked around the yard. As if sensing Jillie’s presence, she stared up at the treehouse, pulled a lanyard from around her neck, took a cell phone from the tiny attached bag and punched the screen. “I don’t care what you’re doing,” she said into the phone, “you have to come home right now.” Pause. “No, now!” Dix jabbed her finger on the tiny screen again, slid the phone back into its little bag, and dropped the whole thing down the front of her blouse.
Chapter Eighteen
Jillie held her breath, her cheeks pressed against the wood below a knothole, as cotton-headed Dix walked slowly around the yard. Clutching her rake, she studied the ground and mumbled to herself. In a bit, she dropped the implement and headed back into the house.
Within a few minutes, a car door slammed, and The Bun Lil came out onto the porch.
Dix motioned for her sister to follow and marched toward the garden. “See?” She pointed to the tomato plant.
“All I see is a garden that’s costing us more to water than the same stuff would cost at the store.”
An offended look on her face, Dix said, “You’re not paying attention. Someone’s taking our veggies. Our organic veggies.”
“What? You sounded like it was a matter of life and death. You’re losing your chili over missing carrots?”
“If by losing my chili you mean I’m upset, then you’re right. For such a cynic, you refuse to accept what happened here.”
Lil snorted. “That’s rich coming from a woman who believes extraterrestrials walk among us.”
Dix lifted her head and pointed her chin at her sister. “Anyone who believes we’re the only planet out of the billions in the universe that can support life is just plain ignorant.”
“Heard it all before.”
“Here’s something for you to chew on, Puma Punku.”
“Poo…what?” Lil said.
“Puma Punku.”
“What the hell is that, some kind of Hippy bean dip?”
“Ha! Shows how much you know. Puma Punku was built thousands of years ago out of blocks of rock weighing several tons each.” Dix jabbed her index finger toward Lil’s nose. “Solid rock, squared to within something like a millionth of an inch. And it was built when our ancestors were still chipping flint into spear heads. Now where do you think those folks got that kind of technology, huh?”
“Here it comes, the aliens-walk-among-us speech.” Lil shook her head.
“At least I’m open to new ideas. Why can’t you accept that there are things that defy explanation?”
“Just because we haven’t found an explanation yet doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”
“You always have an answer.”
“Pretty much. It’s all about mathematics.”
Dix mumbled something.
Lil pointed her index finger heavenward. “Wait, wait. Just to be clear, are you suggesting your veggies were taken by a gang of extraterrestrials?”
“Go ahead, make fun.”
Lil flapped her arms like a bird. “After they’ve crossed a galaxy or two to get here, surely you don’t begrudge them a few veggies. Maybe they think they’ve abducted native life forms. Maybe they’ve lined your tomatoes up on a table to probe…
“Enough already,” Dix said. “I’m telling you, someone’s been in the garden.”
“Ah, has Gumshoe Granny detected footprints?”
“Pretty hard to leave footprints on mulch. But there are at least two carrots and one tomato missing.” Dix held up three jewel-colored plastic beads. “And I found these in their places.”
Lil peered at the beads. “So what? And how do you know how many carrots are missing, anyway, do you count them? Lord, you need to get a life.”
Dix shot back, “I don’t care what you say, tonight I’m keeping watch. When our burglar returns, I’ll be ready.”
“And what will you do if you actually catch someone pulling up a carrot? Hold him at bay with your gardening shears?” Lil stood, adopting a fencing pose, legs splayed and bent at the knee, one arm above her head, and the other holding a make-believe weapon.
“Of course not.” Dix lifted her chin, her face reddening. “But I’d confront him. He might be a homeless person down on his luck, but whoever he is, he’s hungry.”
&n
bsp; “You don’t have what it takes to confront anyone,” Lil said. “I don’t even think you know the meaning of the word. Now me, I’d pepper his backside with rock salt and teach him a lesson.”
“That’s so like you. Violence never settled anything.”
“Really? Tell that to General George Custer. Violence settled his hash pretty well.”
Dix shot a defiant look toward her sister. “I’m going to find something to wear.” She headed for the sliding back door.
“Something to wear? You got a hot date? More important, has he asked you for money yet?”
Dix glared at her sister. “You’re never going to let me forget that, are you? At least I’ve loved someone. You’ve never even really liked anyone.”
Lil laughed. “Now you’re just trying to cheer me up.”
Dix cocked her head to one side, a thoughtful look on her face. “I think I’ll wear my black turtleneck and leggings. Maybe smear some of that Halloween camouflage makeup on my face so I’ll blend in with the darkness.”
Lil lifted her hands to her face and opened her mouth wide. “Horrors,” she said. “You mean some poor unsuspecting schmuck will be subjected to the retina-searing vision of you jumping out at him in your ass-hugging, black spandex leggings? You’re too cruel for words.”
“Smart aleck,” Dix said.
“Wimp,” Lil answered.
Tossing snotty comments at each other along the way, the sisters went into the house.
With all the curtains in the house opened, Jillie didn’t dare move from her spot. The morning wore on, during which the sisters moved back and forth from the house to the patio.
She could hardly keep from pulling her hair in frustration. Should she run regardless of the little old ladies? Or should she stay put and wait for the chance to escape?
As far as the knot holes and gaps in the tree house walls would allow, she scrutinized the tall wooden backyard fence. Near a corner, one of the boards stood at an angle to its neighbors, exposing a small gap. A few seconds was all she’d need to shinny down the ladder and squeeze through.
Dix stepped onto the patio. “I said I think I’ll hide out in the tree house tonight,” she yelled over her shoulder.
Jillie’s heart thumped so hard it felt like it would jump out of her chest. She held her breath until gray dots swam in her vision.
“Right, and how long has it been since you’ve climbed a ladder?” Lil’s voice rang out from inside the house. “You’ll break your neck. Find someplace else to hide.” Pause. “Good Lord, I’m beginning to sound like you.”
Dix went back into the house then returned carrying a hoe and rake. For at least a couple of hours, she worked in the garden digging, weeding, and watering.
As if talking to a class of kindergarteners, she spoke to each plant. She promised plenty of water and fertilizer and commanded the garden to live long and prosper. She sang songs about the sun and happy people; she even whistled.
Smells of cooking food wafted up to the tree house, taunting Jillie’s growling stomach.
“Dinner’s ready,” Lil shouted through the open kitchen window.
Dix propped her garden tools against the side of the house and went inside. Almost immediately, the women brought plates heaped high with food onto the patio.
They argued about whose turn it was to do dishes, griped about how the changing weather was making their joints ache, and complained about their bowels. They tossed snide jabs at each other and argued about the state of world affairs.
Jillie consoled herself with the knowledge that she still had a couple of hours of daylight left. It might be possible for her to get to the station yet. If the little old ladies would just go inside for the night…
When the women finally finished dinner, picked up their dishes and went into the house, Jillie scooped up her backpack and headed for the ladder. She’d just stepped onto the top rung, when Lil returned with a book and cup of something hot.
Her stomach in her throat, Jillie fought down the urge to tear out her hair. The train station couldn’t have been more than two or three miles away, but it might as well have been in China.
She stepped back to the knothole and pressed her face against the wooden wall.
Lil had pulled a crocheted quilt over her legs, propped her book on top of the table and began to read.
Daylight dimmed, and with it Jillie’s hopes of getting away. At that rate, the station would be closed before she could get there. Another night gone.
Sometime later, Dix stepped onto the patio and sat in the empty chair across from her sister. “If you’re going to stay out here all night, you can stand watch, and I’ll sleep all cozy and warm inside like nothing’s going on right under our noses.”
Lil hooted. “Not bloody likely. This is your game.” She shook her head and shot a sideways glance at her sister. “What a waste of time. But then, I suppose everyone needs a hobby. What I don’t understand is how you can ignore the news report that someone was murdered not three miles from here. Now that’s worth worrying about.”
“And if whoever came into our yard had murder in his heart, we wouldn’t be just sleeping like the dead. It’s obvious that someone was hungry.”
Until the sun went down, the sisters wandered back and forth through the glass double doors, never staying inside long enough for Jillie to get away.
When the moon and stars came out, so did Dix. With her body completely covered in black, the bright moonlight highlighted her hair, making it look like a low-hanging, floating white cloud. She mumbled something about Lil’s messed up outlook on life and squatted behind a huge chest from which she’d pulled lawn furniture pads earlier.
Twice during the long night, Jillie assumed Dix was asleep and started down the ladder. But both times the old woman either sat up or shifted her position and muttered something.
Between Jillie’s hunger, her body’s high-pitched hum to get moving, and random ground-shaking snores, barks, growls, and whoops coming from behind the trunk, she got little sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
The sun was barely up when a loud voice woke Jillie out of a fitful sleep.
“Yo, Mutant Ninja,” Lil shouted through the back door, “breakfast’s ready.”
Dix, huffing and puffing like a bear, got to her feet. She rubbed the small of her back and groaned then headed into the house.
Immediately, Lil came out carrying two plates heaped with food. Dix followed carrying a pair of steaming cups. The smells of coffee, bacon, and toast set Jillie’s stomach to howling.
“So, what did you learn last night, Grasshopper?” Lil said.
“Don’t start,” Dix said. “I didn’t get a wink of sleep.” She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands, smearing black greasepaint upward and into her hair.
Lil chuckled. “Now there’s a sight.” She took a bite of food. “Have you counted your carrots yet?”
“I watched all night, and no one showed up. Maybe he got cold feet.”
“Or maybe he saw you in that fetching outfit, decided this was a house of horrors, and gave up his life of crime. He’s probably turning himself in to the police as we speak.”
“More likely, he caught a glimpse of you taking a shower and decided to become a monk. You really should close the bathroom blinds, you know.”
Chewing between remarks, the women finished breakfast and headed back into the house.
Within a few minutes Jillie thought she heard both cars leave. She flew down the ladder, ran to the garden hose, turned it on full blast and drank until her stomach felt it would burst. After washing her hands and face, she refilled her water bottle, stuck it in her jacket pocket, and raided the garden again. As before, for every vegetable she took, she left a selected bit of treasure the crows had left for her.
As she turned toward the gate, a huge cucumber nestled under the vine’s leaves caught her eye. But just as she reached for it, Lil stepped out the back door.
“Gotcha, you little brat.”
She sprinted to Jillie and grabbed her arms. “Who are you?”
Dix rushed out the door. “Stop that. You’re hurting her.”
Lil held Jillie’s arm up high, like she’d just won a prize fight. “Here’s your thief.”
“I said let her go. What harm can a child do? Just look at the little thing.”
“You obviously don’t know your history. Children have been known to commit the most heinous crimes imaginable. Look it up online.” Lil squinted down her nose at Jillie. “Type in evil children. You’ll find enough stuff there to keep you awake nights.”
Dix moved to stand between Jillie and Lil. Her eyes kind, she said, “What’s your name, Sweetheart?”
“Jillie.”
“Nice to meet you, Miss Jillie. I’m Dixie, but you can call me Dix.” She pointed to her sister. “And this is Lillian.”
“Why don’t you give her our Social Security numbers while you’re at it.” Lil frowned at her sister.
Ignoring her sister, Dix continued, “Where did you come from, Miss Jillie?”
“I used to live—”
“Don’t let her get away.” Lil pulled her cell phone from a scabbard attached to the belt of her blue jeans and began punching in numbers. “We’ll let the police deal with her.”
“Please don’t,” Jillie said. She tried to stop her lips and chin from quivering.
Dix knocked the phone from her sister’s hands. “Stop that.” Tiny pieces of glass and plastic skittered across the brick patio.
Lil’s head snapped up, a surprised look on her face. “You broke my phone. You’re going to pay for that.”
“So, add it to my tab already.” Dix pulled the pink crocheted lanyard from between her breasts, snatched her own phone from the pouch and jabbed it toward her sister. “Here. Take mine until you get a new one.”
Lil ignored the outstretched phone, turned and took a step toward the house. “I’ll use the landline.”
“You’ll do no such thing.” Dix wrapped her arms protectively around Jillie’s shoulders. “We’ll have a chat; then I’ll make a nice lunch.” She stooped to bring her eyes level with Jillie’s. “How’s that sound?” She stood, and turned toward her sister, her smile gone. “You know what’ll happen once she gets caught up in the legal system. If you make one move to call the police, I’ll pack up and move out tonight.”