The tractor was delivered early in the morning. Liz had been up awhile and had seen Deb go off to work on her red Honda as usual. She had been gone only a few minutes, before the flat bed truck carrying the tractor arrived. It was a good thing, for if they had come before Deb left, she may not have gone to work after all. It would have been too much of a temptation for her to stay home.
Liz stood outside on the front stoop while the truck backed into the gravel driveway that led to the two story barn shaped Duro Shed, on the far side of the house. Deb had left the doors open for the tractor to be parked inside.
Two men got out of the cab and Liz was surprised that Martin Callan, himself had accompanied the driver for this delivery. He waved to Liz and walked across the yard to meet her, while the driver lowered a ramp from the rear of the flat bed and proceeded to release the chains that held the tractor in place.
“You deliver now, do you Martin?”
“Not usually,” He said as he stepped up to her. He had a clip board in his hand.” It’s such a nice day. We’re not going to have many more of them.” He looked up at the sun, already halfway to the apex of the clear blue sky.” Thought, I’d like to get out of the office for awhile.”
The tractor engine started as the driver, now mounted on the seat of the tractor started to back the machine out of the truck bed and onto the ramp.
“I just need to get your signature on this delivery receipt, if you don’t mind,” Martin said, handing Liz the clip board. There was a pen tied to it with a string.
Liz took it and looked at the document.
“Just sign at the bottom where the X is,” Martin said.
“Good morning, Liz.” A man’s voice sounded from next door. Liz looked up as she finished signing. She saw Lew Drum coming from his house toward his car. He was dressed up as usual with dark suit and tie. He carried a thick satchel like brief case. She waved, “Morning, Lew.”
Lew Drum was a big man and the suit made him look even bigger. The suit coat tended to hide the bulging pot of a belly that protruded over his belt and sagged. He had a thick head of black hair, flecked with streaks of gray, but overall he was an impressive good looking man for his age.
“So, that’s the new tractor, you were buying,” he said.” Nice.” Then as he saw Martin turn and look in his direction, he said,” Martin? Is that you?”
“How are you doing, Lew?” Callan shouted back as he took the clipboard back from Liz, and waved it in the air as a friendly salutation. Then he said” Good to see you. Got a minute?”
“Sure,” Lew answered, motioning him to come on over.
“Thanks, Liz,” Martin said starting to turn away.” If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to Lew for a moment.” He smiled broadly.” My man will leave the keys to the tractor in the ignition and close up the barn for you. Okay? I hope you enjoy the tractor.”
He hurried across the yard into the Drum driveway.
Liz watched as the tractor rolled down the ramp into the driveway and continued on toward the barn. As it passed by the side of the house and she could no longer see it, she glanced back toward the Drum’s place. Martin and Lew were having a discussion of some sort and it didn’t look like casual small talk. Both men were quite animated with arms and hands flailing about with emphasis. Neither man had a friendly expression on his face.
“I wonder what that’s all about,” Liz thought to herself as she fished a lollipop from her sweater pocket and unwrapped it. Lime.
The discussion ended and Lew Drum hurriedly got into his car, started the engine and backed out of the driveway. Martin Callan stomped across the yard, passed Liz without looking at her and got in the truck. The driver had already finished putting the tractor away and was waiting in the cab. The engine roared into life and the big vehicle lumbered out into the street, straightened out and headed off down the road.
Liz watched until the truck disappeared around the corner at the end of the street. She turned to go inside. She was suddenly feeling a chill that she had not felt earlier. A numbness started to seep into her leg muscles.” The weather’s about to change,” she thought. Today may be starting out to be one of those days that she would have to host the monster.
The light was flashing on her phone answering system when she got back inside the house. She pushed the button and the voice came on saying” You have one new message.” She pressed the listen button and a man’s voice came on.
“Liz. This is Roger. Please call my office as soon as possible and make an appointment. I have something important to discuss with you.” He left his number. Liz already knew it by rote.
Liz quickly picked up the phone and dialed. Doctor Callan’s receptionist came on and Liz told her she was returning the doctor’s call. The receptionist said there was an opening at one o’clock this afternoon and could she make it. Liz agreed and hung up.
She would need to get nap in and she would have just enough time for a short one. With Deb at work she would then drive the Cherokee herself. She just hoped she would be up to the task when she got up, if she had to,
She started to shuffle off to her bedroom, then thought of something. She went back to the phone, took it from its cradle and punched in a number. It rang at the other end four times before a young female voice came on.
“Hello, Jennifer?” Liz said as she recognized her niece’s voice.
“Oh, hello Aunt Liz.” She had recognized Liz’s voice immediately, also.” But have you forgotten, I’m not Jennifer any more? I’m Daisy Mae now.”
“Oh, yes. Of course. How silly of me to forget. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. Mom and Dad keep doing that all the time.”
“Well, I’ll remind them when I see them,” Liz said.” Is your Dad there?”
“Yeah, sure. You want to talk to him?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go get him. Nice talking to you, Aunt Liz.”
Liz could hear the girl setting the phone down and heard her shouting in the background.” Dad. It’s for or you.”
“Nice talking to you too, Daisy Mae,” Liz said to herself as if the girl was still there
After a few moments, a man’s voice came on the line.” Hi, Liz. How’re you doing? Tom told me you had a little trouble out there, the other night. I’ve been meaning to call, but with football season and all, I hadn’t got around to it?”
Hal Hall was Liz’s brother and Tom Hall’s dad. He had retired from the Mandalyn High School, where he had taught Chemistry for the last thirty years. In addition to his teaching duties, Hal had also coached the high school football team. This was a job he continued on a contract basis after retirement and the season was now in full swing. The boys had always thought a lot of Hal and because of the sound of his name,” Hal Hall” and his grittiness on the football field, his name had become slurred as” Hell Hole.” The name was aptly suited for him, although he
was a diminutive looking man of slight build and narrow shoulders. The top of his head was completely bald with a wraith of hair along the back of his head between his ears. He let several strands grow long and he tied it in a sort of spindly pony tail.
“Hal,” Liz said getting right to the point.” Would you be able to take me to the Doctor’s today. I need to be there at one. So I would need you to pick me up at noon.”
“Sure, Liz. Have you got a problem. ?”
“I’m not sure, yet. I’ll tell you later.”
Hal Hall rolled his canary yellow Volkswagon up to the curb in front of the Tilton residence. The piles of boxes containing free stuff were practically empty now and there was litter all around the half strewn boxes.
Liz had purposely asked Hal to pick her up early enough so they could stop off at the house where Liz had picked up the photo album two days before. She had not yet had time to explain to Hal what was going on.
Hal was already out of the car and over on Liz’s side by the time she eased herself out of the seat and propped herself up on her
cane. She was standing shakily and her legs were aching with pain. This was turning out to be a real bad day. Nonetheless, she held the album tight under her free arm while she trudged forward on the long driveway to the house. Just two days ago, when she was feeling much better, she had sent Deb up the walk for her. Today, she was determined to do it herself.
The same woman came to the door that had greeted Deb on Tuesday. She held the screen door open only part way as if not sure she should be opening it to strangers.
“Hi,” Liz said with a smile.” I was here the other day and picked up this photo album from along side the road and I was wonder. . . . . . . . . . . .”
“So that’s where it went,” the old lady interrupted her and pushed the door open wider, practically pushing Liz backward into Hal, who was standing a pace behind her. She whipped the album out of Liz’s hand, pulled it inside the door and was letting the door swing shut, when Liz shot her free hand forward and gripped the edge of the door, holding it open.
“I just want to ask you a question about one of the pictures,” she blurted quickly before the old woman went away.
“You should be ashamed of yourself going through other people’s personal memories.” She snapped the door shut with a clang, as Liz released her grip and pulled her fingers away just in time to avoid getting them pinched. She felt the metal brush her fingertips.
Liz rubbed her fingers together and said dejectedly, almost to herself, “That’s what Deb said too.” She turned slowly and started back toward the car. God! What a long driveway, she thought.
Hal had just driven them away, when another car approached, slowing down; its engine almost idling. The black Chevy rolled up to the curb and stopped.
The engine died and the door opened. A shiny black boot emerged from the car and was placed firmly against the pavement.
*****
Chapter Thirteen
Monsters and Lollipops Page 14