The Tree Goddess

by Tom Raimbault

  * * *

  12 hours later, shortly before heading to work for Saturday night, Kelly watched the news. The story had evolved and was soon overshadowed by a discovery made during the incident investigation.

  The news anchor reported, “During a public statement earlier today, Mapleview's Detective Tom Morehausen warns that the game is over, after what appears to be a tragic ending of a chase in the early-morning hours on Route 4.”

  The TV switched to the public statement made by the Mapleview detective. “No woman should have to be concerned of her safety when traveling roads near the community late at night. It's been a lonely and often unpatrolled area in the evening hours, but local and county police will be in the area from now on. Harassing any motorist is considered aggressive driving and such people will be prosecuted if found.”

  Did this game explain Kelly's encounters with the red pick-up truck each night? She didn't travel Route 4 on the way home, but it was a possibility. Why would players of the chase game limit their pursuits to Route 4? There were plenty of other dark roads late at night that surrounded the town of Mapleview.

  Chapter 10

  Hotlicks is located at the very edge of Mapleview and only a block from where Route 4 begins its stretch to the neighboring town of Sillmac. Being that the gruesome discovery was some half-mile down the road from the popular bar and grill, Mapleview Police asked Hotlicks to step up security and observe any suspicious activity from customers.

  Initially, the group of early-twenties girls who served as flirtatious waitresses found Carl's announcement of “stepped-up security” to be the most absurd thing ever heard. Whispering and giggles in the corner questioned the bouncer's reasoning. Why in the word would he step up security for a pack of wolves that devoured two injured motorists? The young girls lived in a world where the news was truthful and shed light onto the events of local and world affairs. As far as they were concerned, the discovery was a freak-accident that could only be blamed on the natural phenomenon of famished wolves that devoured a helpless meal. And although police didn't know the real truth behind that early Saturday morning discovery, the fact remained that someone had rammed into the car belonging to Mark Cornblack and drove off. The public announcement of the game on Route 4 was only a response to satisfy residents of Mapleview and neighboring communities. And it was intended to bring a sense of closure to the tragic finding. If one took the time to carefully evaluate, the supposed game on Route 4 did not supply a good explanation for what was found in the early morning hours. There had to be a vehicle out there with paint and dents originating from Mark Cornblack's car. Needless to say, the owner of that vehicle would have much explaining to do.

  Tricia, the bar tender of Hotlicks, is a woman who knows much about the town of Mapleview. And while listening to Kelly relay the common belief, in partial laughter, that Carl was a useless bouncer who would report any suspicious wolves to authorities; the slightly older bartender reminded the young Hotlicks girl that someone in a white vehicle had actually observed the victims' last moments alive. Hopefully Kelly would understand that this was the meaning of “stepped up security”. As Tricia continued to explain, people needed to be on heightened alert for any unusual discussions, unexplained injuries or even a dented vehicle with the paint from Mark Cornblack's car.

  And there was more that the seemingly carefree Kelly needed to be aware of. Tricia continued, “Look, I know you haven't lived here all that long, but a lot of weird stuff happens here. The discovery of early this morning was just one of them. There's some kind of spirit or negative energy that hovers over Mapleview. Supposedly, something really bad happened in the area hundreds of years ago.”

  Kelly interrupted, “The wolves carrying off Grandma Trivelli? That legend was disproved. My cousin bought that house and found my grandmother's hand in a vase. She was killed by her husband. I actually lived in the Trivelli house for a while.”

  “Did you? Well I saw the news and am very well aware that the Mapleview Police solved one of the oldest murders in this town. But that's not what I was about to tell you. Something happened here hundreds of years before the Trivelli house even stood. The region was populated by several tribes of Native Americans; and at some point, a huge massacre took place between one tribe and another. It wasn't a war; it was an evil murder to appease the wrong set of gods, or whatever. There's an evil spirit or vibe that remains hundreds of years later. Some say it feels as though an un-rested presence watches us while planning more vengeance.

  People see things out there—strange animals, unrecognized spirits. Others become possessed.

  You lived at the Trivelli house?"

  For a moment, Kelly was mesmerized by Tricia's revelation. “Yeah, I lived there while waiting to work here. And you know that was the weirdest story I ever heard. Is all that true?”

  “It's supposed to be. Now, I'm sure much of it is exaggerated and urban legend, but you really need to take care of yourself out there. I mean, when you lived at the Trivelli house with your cousin, didn't you notice something odd about the walls?”

  Kelly thought for a second. Outside of the peep hole, nothing unusual stood out. “No; what's wrong with the walls?”

  “I guess the woman who owned the house rented it out.”

  Again, Kelly interrupted. “Loraine Trivelli; that's my aunt.”

  “Well, she rented it out to people, and one of the tenants swore that the walls changed colors. They sent paranormal investigators in there who concluded that no consistent color could be seen on the walls and ceiling. If you looked away, the color would change!”

  As far as Kelly recalled, nothing unusual was noticed about the paint while living there. “Hmm; I'll have check that out the next time I visit.”

  Just then, a loud, unfamiliar alarm could be heard from Kelly's cell phone. She quickly pulled it from her pocket and discovered that neglecting to charge the device for two nights in a row resulted in weak batteries. She quickly powered it down in case needed on the ride home.

  * * *

  It was a cold, near-autumn night with a light, misty rain. Kelly drove home with the heat and defoggers on high. Perhaps it was best to dress for cooler weather now that summer had ended. Perhaps it was best that she take care of herself in many different ways, such as keeping her cell phone charged and paying attention to strange phenomenon that could be dangerous. These were the things that Kelly thought of during her late night cruise home. But what did Tricia mean of people “seeing things” like strange animals and unrecognized spirits? Kelly would soon find out in a chilling moment of terror on that dark, isolated road.

  It was human in form, wearing the skins of animals and stood a height much taller than people, perhaps 10 feet. Its face was fierce and grotesque with features that of an animal. Kelly didn't know who it was or what; but it stood in the middle of the road as she approached and chucked a long object, almost like a spear, at the driver-side tire of her car. The tire went flat as evidenced by the “flub, flub, flub, flub” of the road. Then the creature ran back into the forest before Kelly would run into it.

  Instinctively, she coasted to the side of the road. But the thought of the strange creature on the road suggested that if Kelly exited the vehicle, another encounter would be experienced. Maybe it was best to travel the shoulder with hazards on for about a mile before getting out.

  It suddenly became difficult to maneuver and steer. Did Kelly blow another front tire? How far could she travel like this? Kelly was in need of help and she reached for her cell phone.

  “What a great time to be low on batteries!” She powered up the device; heard the trademarked jingle as it booted; and then read the disheartening message, “Recharge Batteries, Powering Down!” On a cold, rainy, dark, isolated road with two flat tires and a frightening creature somewhere in the woods, Kelly was without a phone!

  If only someone could have driven by and saw her in trouble, that person might have stopped to help. And although accepting help from a stranger m
ight open the possibility to danger, it was the lesser of two evils in comparison to being alone with whatever had whipped the spear at her car.

  Just then, a set of headlights could be seen rapidly approaching from behind. As the vehicle drew closer, Kelly's anxiety spiked upon recognizing a red pick up truck that pulled over to the shoulder and slowly followed behind. This was not the help she wished for! And instinct told the young girl not to let the mysterious driver come close. She continued to slowly travel the shoulder with difficulty maneuvering and the red pick up truck flashing it's brights from behind. And in a moment of unbelievable irony, Kelly would discover that the phrase, “when it rains, it pours” could be taken literally. It became impossible to drive as she suspected one of her rear tires had deflated. And the rain came down harder than ever before!

  Chapter 11

  Early Sunday morning, Mary was startled awake by a rapid pounding at the door which immediately brought anxiety and concerns for her husband's safety. She often wondered if while traveling in his job Daren would become injured, be involved in an accident or—worse—killed in a plane crash. Mary nervously dashed down the stairs and to the door where the terrible certainty of an officer-of-the-law stood.

  “Yes?” Her face froze, waiting for terrible news.

  Although it was relieving to hear that the news didn't involve Daren, the sickening anxiety shifted to Mary's cousin. The officer spoke of an abandoned Chevy Cavalier with 3 deflated tires that was parked on the shoulder some ways down the highway. Since Kelly's license plates and owner registration listed the Trivelli house as the residence, the officer was there to inform her of the vehicle impoundment. Apparently, Kelly had yet to change the address after moving. Mary now had to explain that her cousin no longer lived there. In Mary's world, Kelly was in trouble and missing.

  No answer to Kelly's cell phone was a very bad sign. But was the young girl simply ignoring Mary? The last time seen was the day she moved out. But why hadn't Kelly contacted Mary, since? The reputation of being “misguided and misunderstood” filled the mysterious gaps, only bringing speculation back to that of horror. Mary fought her instincts and wouldn't dare allow the materialization of the most obvious thought.

  When it comes to missing adults, Mapleview follows state laws that are fuzzy and unclear. As unfair as it may seem, a legal adult has the freedom to suddenly leave home and start a new life. Only in evidence of foul play is it necessary to actively investigate the disappearance of an adult. Fortunately, the town of Mapleview had Detective Tom Morehausen who was full aware that the missing Hotlicks girl was not yet considered foul play. But he became actively engaged in the casual Sunday morning investigation, collecting pieces of information and noting how eerie the Chevy Cavalier looked with 3 deflated tires. Detective Tom was well aware that something happened in the late night hours. It would only take time to uncover evidence of foul play, forcing the Mapleview Police Department to open a serious investigation. In his lengthy career, Detective Tom had witnessed chases gone cold, simply because facts weren't obtained earlier. He refused to see that happen now that he was the lead detective on the force.

  Waiting patiently until Hotlicks opened for lunch, Detective Tom finally had the opportunity to request viewing video of the premises and parking lot of the previous evening. He wanted anything unusual on tape; such as customers who were drawn to Kelly, lengthy stares from patrons or even a vehicle that may have followed the Chevy Cavalier out of the parking lot.

  As seen on video, at exactly 1:11am, the parking lot was seemingly void of any patrons' vehicles as Hotlicks had closed for the night. Emerging from the forest behind the lot, an individual dressed in dark clothes with a baseball cap and sunglasses quickly approached Kelly's car. Spending less than 10 seconds at each tire, the mysterious suspect removed a tool from his or her pocket and did something undetectable by the camera. Apparently, the individual sensed being discovered, perhaps a noise, and neglected to sabotage the 4th tire of Kelly's car. Whoever it was quickly ran back into the forest. The last time Kelly was officially seen was 2:07am as she entered the Chevy Cavalier with partially deflated driver-side tire, as seen on the video.

  Detective Tom was well aware of what the mysterious suspect had done to Kelly's tires. But he was amazed with the fine precision and perfect timing. It is possible to slowly deflate a tire by barely loosening the valve of a tire's core stem. Only a 360 degree turn, provided by a valve stem wrench, would ensure a gradual deflation. Back at the vehicle impound, Detective Tom (and now Detective Larry) inspected the tires. Sure enough, the valve cores of the three tires had been barely loosened.

  * * *

  By the time Daren returned in the late afternoon from a weekend convention in Alabama, the disappearance evolved into a serious investigation that certainly appeared to have involved foul play. Kelly's new apartment had been located and entered by the Mapleview Police for examination. And upon noticing that the young girl had no furniture or no bed—only a modest collection of clothes and small items scattered on the floor—Detective Tom stood back and made his initial assessment. “She was running away from something.”

  “What makes you say that?” asked Detective Larry. Detective Larry, had worked the force a number of years, himself. But he was younger than his partner and valued the knowledge and experience provided by his senior.

  Detective Tom was eager to share his intuitive knowledge for detective work. “Larry, for weeks she was living at the fully furnished Trivelli house with Mary and suddenly moved into an apartment with no bed. Why would she do that?”

  Detective Larry tested his partner's theory with other possible scenarios. “Overstayed her welcome? Maybe there was tension between her and Mary?”

  But Detective Tom's argument was persistent. “Larry, when we visited Mary back in the spring, she was engaged. Remember that? What's to say that her new husband didn't have something going on with this girl?”

  Being the next logical step, the two detectives paid the Trivelli house a visit.

  This was an afternoon that Daren would find himself in boiling, hot water. For starters, Aunt Loraine greeted the man as he entered the house with baggage in hand. Before the loving husband could embrace his worried wife and offer emotional support, Aunt Loraine simply asked, “Back from your trip from Alabama?” Nothing outside of that question was said. But she maintained a tone of suspicion on the man, almost implying that he had something to do with Kelly's disappearance.

  Adding heat to the situation, the hot water would soon boil as Detectives Tom and Larry drove up to the house. The three of them; Mary, Aunt Loraine and Daren; walked outside on a cloudy, brisk, September afternoon to greet the Mapleview detectives.

  After brief greetings, Detective Tom changed his mood to that of a grave tone. “Alright, I'm leading this investigation and we suspect foul play. And just to make sure we've covered all possibilities, I want to look around and ask a few questions. Fair enough?”

  Mary was most open and welcoming to the detectives as being hospitable and generous was part of her nature. She had nothing to hide; only wanted answers. But Daren secretly dreaded the investigation of Kelly's bedroom as he dreaded the discovery of the peep hole. This would surely make him a prime suspect.

  Divide and conquer: that seemed to be the reasonable approach of the pair of detectives. Mary and Daren sat downstairs in the living room while Detective Tom investigated the bedrooms upstairs. Aunt Loraine sat outside in the unmarked police car while answering the questions of Detective Larry.

  Of course Aunt Loraine was more than happy to share her wealth of knowledge. “If you ask me, I think that Daren had something to do with her disappearance. I've warned my niece about him! Seems like a nice man, but… Well, he's a binge drinker and borderline psychotic. And just like Grandpa Trivelli, Daren desired to build a mausoleum in this backyard. And look! He did it!” She extended her aged, bony arm and finger to the newly constructed building.

  “He recently built that mausoleum, L
oraine?”

  “Why yes! He built it this summer.”

  “Is there anyone in it?”

  “Well no one has died, recently, but I suppose… Oh good Heavens! You don't think?” Aunt Loraine raised her hands to her mouth—the famous overwhelmed Trivelli expression that the women in the family, including Mary, used for many generations.

  Moments later, Aunt Loraine rotated locations with her niece so that Mary now sat in the unmarked police car with Detective Larry.

  Mary did her best to provide any and all information along with shared observations that she found peculiar and odd. “Kelly announced to me one afternoon that she found an apartment and was moving out that day. She lugged two suitcases out the door with only a short goodbye. Something told me that it would be my last time ever seeing her. Why didn't I stop her? Why didn't I check on her to see how she was doing? I only explained her leaving with the belief that Kelly was the problem child of the family.” Poor Mary wiped the tears from her face while secretly blaming herself for the disappearance of Kelly. In her mind, she was the one who brought Kelly to Mapleview. She was responsible for her safety. Instead, Mary let the young girl walk off without offering persuasion to stay.

  Detective Larry did his best to be empathetic while offering sympathy. But he was curious of information that Loraine Trivelli provided. “One other question I have for you; did your husband build that mausoleum?”

  Mary exhaled in annoyance, “Yes…”

  “Is there anyone in there?”

  “No, he built it for us and our kids so that we could always live here, forever. His family has a history of mausoleums and I guess he wanted to continue the tradition.”

  Just then, Detective Tom walked up to the car. For some reason, this was the cue to end the questionings with Mary. The two exited the vehicle and Mary was instructed to wait in the house while the two detectives discussed findings in private. Daren had yet to be interviewed.