The Silent Scream of the Straw Man

by Corinne F. Gerwe

  He had planned this night from the very beginning and had not relied on Danny to be there in the end. Danny had been helpful but lost his nerve. Trent had predicted he would. He thought most people predictable, and that by learning their habits and routines he could outsmart them. That was how he had accomplished his goals to this point. His grand finale would rely on taking a well worked out calculated risk.

  Trent was unaware of the scarecrow phenomenon going on in town. His home was not on the Halloween Stroll route. He had gone to the hideout directly from school, packed what he needed in a canvas tent bag, and hidden it under a pile of leaves near his house for later that night. He’d been careful not to be seen, which was possible because his route to and from the shed could not been seen from the road.

  He’d told his parents he was getting too old for trick or treating and pleased them by coming home early for dinner. They’d been relieved and told him he was using common sense, considering Chief Farley had unfairly targeted his age group regarding the recent sightings. They’d tried to make the evening special by carving a pumpkin and putting a candle in it, a first for them considering they considered Halloween a pagan holiday. He’d wondered why they had bothered, and why they thought he cared. He’d quit caring years before when they’d decided to quit celebrating birthdays and Christmas for reasons he still didn’t understand. He’d learned to celebrate in his own way. The Scarecrow taught him how.

  His parents would be in bed by ten o’clock as usual, but old Thelma Lucas would be up until midnight. She lived on the other side of the community garden, a straight shot from his window, through the back yard, down the slope of the ridge coming out at the far end of Church Street, crossing it to enter a section of forest sloping down to Henderson Street, which he’d have to cross to get to the garden. Henderson Street was the tricky part because it was a well-traveled road right above downtown and one of the streets chosen for the Halloween Stroll. The stroll would be over by then, but he’d have to be careful about timing the patrols. Once across, he would creep through the tall dried cornstalks rows stretching across the garden, hike up the pine-covered rise to the modest home of Thelma Lucas and scare the wits out of her.

  Thelma Lucas had taught elementary school for many years in Serena until being forced to retire. Her reputation as a strict disciplinarian who adhered to punitive outdated methods was recalled with aguish by many of her former pupils, including Trent. Leaving his regulated home environment to attend her third grade class had been torture for Trent. Memories of her harshness toward him had not been forgotten. Miss Lucas had been his main target from the beginning. Scaring the others had been for fun and a ruse worthy of his hero. If everything went as planned, she’d have a heart attack and die. The Scarecrow understood why people like her had to be punished.

  The best part of his plan was the knowledge that no one would be watching her house. The fact that she hated kids had become well known after her retirement. No one dared to cut through her yard or play near her home. She wouldn’t have given out treats on Halloween if her road had been included in the stroll. The police would be on the lookout for someone lurking around areas where families lived, which would give him the edge he needed. He’d leave just enough straw by her window to let them know the Scarecrow had been there. His hero had to be acknowledged for the deed.

  Miss Lucas might not be found until morning or the next day, unless she survived the fright. Whenever, his parents would verify his alibi. The Scarecrow would achieve legendary status, remaining a phantom in the minds of Serena citizens young and old, and not re-emerge until next Halloween.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  THE SERENA EVENTS CENTER WAS the place to be that night. While Trent was in his room plotting revenge, and Devlin was welcoming the last of the straw-stuffed urchins, and Chief Farley was giving his final instructions to Deputy Purdy, the doors were opened for the grown-up party of the season. The Women’s Club had decorated the large dance hall in keeping with Halloween traditions. Purposely, there was an absence of scarecrows and instead an abundance of ghosts, goblins, witches, and skeletons in various forms hanging on the walls, from the rafters, or positioned in unlikely places to give a delightful scare to the guests.

  An autumn motif prevailed, with floral displays on every table, dried cornstalks in every corner, and multi-colored Indian corn hanging on every door. The best local band in the county would be performing music from the golden age of rock and roll from a playlist guaranteed to entice guests onto the dance floor. Spooky soundtracks and Halloween classics had been programmed into a sophisticated sound system as background music beforehand to set the mood. A one thousand watt fog machine with timer was set to release a foggy mist at regular intervals.

  The vampire tending the large semi-circled hand-hewn pine bar in the corner of the room was prepared to make a very Bloody Mary upon request. Monster-themed appetizers were generously displayed for consumption along with black and orange waxed paper wrapped saltwater taffy ordered from the coast. The cares, concerns, and fears of the past few weeks had been put aside to make the night special for the honored guests.

  Dev’s job at the front door was mercifully done, and he’d received a call from Farley. His mood was lightened by Jeff’s report of an uneventful night as the stroll was winding down, and his amorous feelings were once again renewed by Kate helping him dress. She’d kept his costume simple; black pants and a white shirt, which she unbuttoned almost to his waist. Embarrassed by his display of chest hair, he insisted on re-buttoning upward.

  Ignoring his obvious enjoyment of her attentions, she produced a vest which she had decorated with bangle-like buttons and an embroidered trim. Then she added a pleated sash around his waist with a scarf looped around it on one side, hanging almost to his knees. A black floppy hat placed over a scarf wrapped around his head and tied below his ear was the crowning glory of her creation. She thought him the handsomest gypsy imaginable and hurried them along in fear of being interminably delayed.

  In her suite at the Serena Mountain Lodge, Megan stared at her reflection in the mirror and could see only Evangeline. Evangeline had never had a dress so fine or jewels that shimmered like the blue waters of Raven Brook Falls. She was dressed as a woodland princess, with hues of green and blue glistening from the sparkles in her dress. She’d found it in the wardrobe trailer and had the attendant make the necessary fitting adjustments. She also wore a garland of wine-berry leaves that Mamma Phoebe had made into a forest crown for her head, and an interwoven strand of tiny crystallized blue rocks that glittered like sapphires around her neck. The old woman had somehow known what she needed, what she had envisioned for Evangeline. The garland and necklace had been delivered to her that afternoon by one of Miss Pen’s trainees.

  Megan moved away from the mirror as if in a trance and yet with purpose. This night was her gift to another; the only completely selfless act she’d ever done, not truly understanding the concept until now. She turned and checked the mirror once more and smiled. Richard Sherwood and Miss Pen would be arriving any minute to escort her to the party. Buddy had promised to be there when they arrived, in fact, he was probably already holding court at the bar.

  Her leading man would also join them upon arrival. Other members of the cast and crew had already left the lodge, transported in film company vans and the shuttle bus made available to them by the lodge. The mayor and his wife and the town commissioners and their spouses were waiting to greet them. The parking lot at the Serena Events Center was filling up quickly. Darkness had fallen and excitement was in the air.

  Richard had allowed Penelope to influence his costume. She’d shared with him her desire to represent the ancestry that had made possible the winery land. He would dress as the frontiersman who had saved and married an escaped Gullah slave from the coastal lands. She would be that Gullah slave who had produced her maternal lineage. Sherwood was so moved by her idea that he went all out on his costume and had it made to order by the wardrobe seamstre
ss.

  When he arrived at the winery to pick up Pen, he was stunned by her appearance in native Gullah dress. He easily understood how the man who had settled this rugged magnificent land, having been accepted as a friend by the Cherokees, had chosen an escaped slave for his wife, for he was certain that Penelope Cather was the living image of her ancestor.

  Kate and Dev were on their way to the party. As Dev drove along the highway from town, he looked for Farley’s patrol car and felt a twinge of worry. The night was still young and he was leaving the tiny town of Serena in Farley’s care. He had no reason to feel guilty. He was not trained in law enforcement and Deputy Purdy was there for back-up. He could best help by keeping an eye on Eleanor, who Farley no longer suspected, but hadn’t cleared.

  He became suddenly curious and asked, “Katie, were you surprised that Eleanor agreed to go to the party tonight? It does seem a big step considering what she’s been through.”

  “You must be reading my mind, darling. Yes, I was surprised, and also that Steve invited her. Other than Eleanor and us, he’s been socially reclusive since moving into our guest room. Of course, he’s expected to be there as a member of the film company. I think their friendship has done wonders for both of them, but even so, Eleanor seemed more excited about the party than I had expected. She was like a different person when we were sorting through the old trunk for costume ideas. It was as though dressing in costume allowed her to become another person; someone who could go to parties and have fun and look beautiful and even dance. I don’t think Eleanor would have accepted Steve’s invitation had she not been able to go in disguise.”

  “We need to stay close to her and Steve tonight. After all, he is our guest and the murder of her husband doesn’t seem to be at the forefront of his mind. We’ve all given Eleanor the benefit of the doubt, but the shadow of this unsolved case hangs over her head like it hangs over Jeff Farley’s. I’ve been concerned about him, Katie. This scarecrow business has had an unsettling effect on him, and on his town. I saw it tonight in the children, the way they were dressed, and the way they acted. It was having its effect on me, too, until I saw you standing in the hallway looking as you do,” Dev replied.

  Kate replied, “Which brings me to the subject of the effect you are having on me. When you consider that in the midst of all this mayhem, Miss Pen and Richard Sherwood have become an item, and Eleanor and Steve are having a date, I see no reason why, with all this romance in the air, I cannot have, in the words of Van Morrison, my Gypsy soul rocked tonight by you, my darling, in spite of the dreadful circumstances.”

  Dev gave her the mischievous grin she loved and said, “As you wish, my love.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  MARGARET HAD IN THE PAST twenty-four hours gone through various stages of frustration, anger, fear, and dread. She’d tried to convince herself that she hated Zack and wished he were dead, swearing that when he returned, she’d throw him out for good and be done with it. He’d used her and abused her and now it seemed that he had forsaken her for someone on that cursed movie set. She’d heard about the big to-do they were having tonight up on the mountain. All the big deals in town would be there. But where was Zack?

  In all the time they had been together, he’d always come home, even if it was to change clothes and go back out again. He’d never been gone this long, and she couldn’t face another night of worrying. Halloween was creepy enough in the deep crevice of the river gorge without facing it alone. Loneliness could take hold of the senses and run the imagination wild. She could bear anything but loneliness, even Zack’s brutality. Where was he? If he didn’t come home by midnight, she’d make the call.

  Deputy Purdy had been watching Trent Williams’ house since nightfall. It was nearing ten o’clock when he saw the lights in the bedroom windows go out. He’d parked the patrol car out of sight some distance away and used his night binoculars to observe the house and surroundings. Chief Farley would relieve him at ten, at which time he would patrol the neighborhood as Farley was doing now. It had been almost too quiet, unearthly, Purdy thought.

  He wasn’t one to be easily spooked, but felt unusually jumpy without apparent cause.

  Farley had driven down from the upper ridges of town to stop by the station before relieving Purdy. As he turned the corner onto Main Street, he saw flames rising from the center of town. He put a call into the Serena Fire and Rescue Squad immediately, but didn’t bother with his siren. The fire was coming from the center of town and he pulled right up to it and jumped out of the cruiser. Fire and Rescue sirens blasted through the silence, and Deputy Purdy heard the alarm and headed for town. They all converged on three of the city’s large recycle containers, which had been roped together and moved to the center of the street. Smoke billowed from the containers as the firemen doused the flames with their hose. Farley was sure the fire had been set as a distraction and was about to go to Trent Williams’ house to make sure he was there. A minute later, a call came in from Margaret Bowling, reporting a missing person. He knew who she meant before she said the name, Zack Tanner. The night had suddenly come alive and Farley felt an adrenaline rush. Calmness overtook his demeanor as he assigned Purdy the task of driving down the gorge to bring in Margaret Bowling to make a report. After all, Zack had been on Purdy’s watch and Farley had pulled him off it. Trent Williams had become a nuisance, but he made the necessary check by waking the early-to-bed Williams and rousing Trent from what Farley suspected to be pretended sleep. What fifteen-year-old would be asleep this early on Halloween night? They all swore he had not left the house. Purdy had been watching, too. But if Farley had the time, he would take Trent downtown and keep him there for the night on suspicion of arson, he was so irritated. Instead he left the clueless parents and their deceitful son to drive out to the McCabe compound, look around, and then check out the remote stunt car parking lot.

  A missing person report and unsolved murder investigation were more important than some kid starting or getting someone else to start a fire in town so he could pull off another prank. The home visit had better keep Trent in his bed tonight or he’d have him in his office in the morning.

  Trent couldn’t believe his luck. Whoever had started the fire in town had given him a wide-open-window of opportunity and there was no time to waste. Chief Farley thought he had scared him and his parents were already back to sleep. He’d seen the lights of the patrol car leave when the deputy had been called into town. He’d been watching and it had not returned. He knew that it would and took advantage of its absence to go through the window and stay in the shadow of darkness until reaching the fence where his knapsack was hidden.

  It was more difficult to dress in the dark without Danny’s assistance, but he had done it before and took extra pains with each detail. The overall effect was in the details, made more effective by Danny’s talent with wardrobe design, the stitching, the way the straw was woven into each sleeve and the way he had made the death-mask expression on the burlap face. All he had to do was act the part, all with intent to shock. He could hardly contain himself. Excitement gripped him as never before. He stood quietly for a moment, feeling intensely alive, powerful, and omnipotent.

  In the meantime, Farley had driven around the compound, finding no one on site. Then, he’d driven to the remote parking lot and within minutes found the Ford Ranger, empty and locked. There were no signs of a struggle and nothing to indicate foul play. It was possible that Zack was in the company of someone who was driving him from place to place. But why, when he had Margaret’s vehicle? According to Richard Sherwood, the extras had not been considered part of the movie company honored at the gala, but were invited as special members of the community and had been expected to RSVP. Zack had not. Perhaps he had intended to go anyway, ignoring the rules. Farley headed to the Events Center to find out if Zack had made an appearance. After checking, he’d question Margaret Bowling.

  The Halloween party was in full swing by then and most of the guests were on the dance fl
oor. The highlight of the evening had been Megan Murphy’s entrance. Everyone felt they were in the presence of a star when she arrived. She was stunningly beautiful, more than she had ever been. There was something ethereal about her, accentuated by her shimmering forest green and sapphire-blue attire, and yet an earthiness to her presence, something real and tangible, warm and inviting. She moved through the crowd like an enchanted creature, and smiled at each person with genuine warmth. In response, people stood back in awe. Before long, she became part of the evening, like a princess among them, to be admired and not intruded upon. Megan had indeed become something beyond herself.

  Upon on their arrival, Kate and Dev found the other two members of their gypsy band waiting outside for them. A table had been reserved for their party, which was positioned near the table reserved for Richard Sherwood and his guest. Each table sat six, but most of the seats were empty because people were either dancing or mingling with the crowd. Richard and Miss Pen were at their table engrossed in conversation. Megan had excused herself to find Buddy Larson.

  Kate was relieved to see Eleanor enjoying her gypsy role. She had brought with her a prop she had designed to go with her costume; a round glass globe glued onto a small square box covered with cloth, giving the illusion of a crystal ball. Kate found this spurt of ingenuity a step forward for someone who had been so recently withdrawn. She thought Steve’s attentions had brought out this creative facet of her personality.