by R L Delaney
“I don’t know,” Justin shrugged. “Maybe there’s just a real simple solution for it all.”
“Maybe,” Amy replied while thinking about it, “but until I have found a better theory, I think I will choose to believe Father Gálvez’ words.”
Just then the police station came into sight, and Justin dropped the subject. “I wonder what Uncle Harry will have to say about all this.”
“Me too,” Amy replied. “Strange things are happening in the town where nothing ever happens.”
Justin scowled. "Whatever is happening, I am convinced our school is involved. At least, Sternfoot has something to do with it.
As he turned to Amy, a smile appeared that forced the scowl off his face. ”I guess you were right about dreams.”
“How’s that?” Amy blinked her eyes.
“My dream, remember. That horrible dream I had about Sternfoot. You said dreams sometimes are a message, and we shouldn’t just discard dreams as a bunch of random images. I am beginning to believe you were right.”
Amy pressed her lips together. “I wasn’t much of a help in interpreting it though.”
Just as they climbed up the steps and were about to reach for the glass door to the office, it swung open and Uncle Harry stepped out, almost banging into Justin and Amy. When he saw his nephew in the company of his girlfriend, a broad smile widened his face. “Justin and Amy. Listen, I am just on my way to the gym again. I’ve heard that Carl Billows is there right now. I need to go talk to him as I am convinced he can tell me more about what happened to Rodeo.”
“Rodeo’s still gone?” Justin asked while frowning. “How can he have escaped like that?”
“Beats me,” Uncle Harry said. “That's what I want to find out. By the way, did you find out something about that Latin stuff, while talking to Father… eh… Garbles.”
“Gálvez,” Amy corrected. “His name is Father Gálvez. And, yes Mr. Ames, we did find something out. It’s all rather spooky.”
“Spooky huh?” A grin appeared on Harry’s face and then he nodded and said, “Every crime is spooky. Tell me about it later, Justin. I really have to run or I might miss Carl Billows. Who knows, he may disappear as well.”
Without waiting for a response he brushed past Justin and Amy and descended the steps of the police station.
“Be careful, Mr. Ames,” Amy called out after him. “You are dealing with a very strange bunch.”
“As I said, all crimes are spooky, and all murderers are strange….” Harry shouted back over his shoulder while waving goodbye. “That’s why I am after them.” He cast them one last grin as he reached his car and hopped in. Within seconds the motor of the police car sprang to life and Uncle Harry roared off with screeching tires.
“Wish we could help your Uncle more,” Amy whispered as she stared at the disappearing car. “He doesn’t know what he is up against. I suppose Father Gálvez would say we should pray for him.”
Justin raised his brows. “Pray for him?”
Amy shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Who knows, it may help, except I don’t know how to pray about this stuff.”
Justin shook his head. “It won’t be necessary, Amy. Uncle Harry is not afraid of anything. He’ll be all right.”
The words Justin heard were alarming, and caused him to stop in his tracks.
"H-How bad is it?"
That was Mom's voice. How bad is what?
Justin had been walking the dog and had just come back in the house. After he hung the dog leash back on the wooden knob at the coat rack, and Balthazar had gone off to the kitchen to see if somebody had dumped something edible in his dog bowl, Justin picked up his schoolbag and was about to step out the door when he heard Mom’s words. She was talking to Dad in the living room.
"He lives. That's all I heard." Dad’s words sounded dark and depressing.
There was the voice of his mother again. "When did it happen, Dick?"
"Don't know," Dad answered. "Last night, I suppose."
It was silent for a moment, and Justin dropped his school bag.
Then Mom's voice echoed through the room. The tone of her voice had changed and now had a sharp edge to it. "That's what you get when you take a walk on the wild side. It was bound to happen."
Who had been taking a walk on the wild side?
Her next words shocked Justin. "He needs to stop going over there. He's no good for Justin." Mom was now speaking in that irritating, and overly concerned, high-pitched voice of hers that he hated so much. He dearly loved Mom, but when she got all panicky and bent out of shape like this, she could be most unreasonable.
He needed to know what his Mom and Dad were talking about. Thus, he stepped into the living room and cleared his throat.
"Who is no good for me, Mom?"
Mom looked up, a guilty expression flashing over her face.
"It's your Uncle Harry, Justin," Dad said. "He's in the hospital."
Justin gaped at his father, the blood draining from his face. "Why?"
Father shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know the details, but apparently some thugs beat him up."
"Where?" Justin's breath came in short gasps.
Father shook his head. "I don't know, son." He licked his lips and produced an apologetic little cough. "Your mother thinks it's best you no longer hang out with Uncle Harry. After all, you are no detective and you have no business nosing around crime like that."
“What does my seeing Uncle Harry have to do with him being in the hospital?” Justin blinked, and he couldn’t follow the logic.
“It’s dangerous, son,” Dad explained. “He’s always been the irresponsible one in our family, and your mother and I don’t want him to drag you along in stuff you have nothing to do with.”
"That's right," Mom added. "You need to focus on chemistry rather than on crime. That nice chemistry teacher of yours is concerned you might flunk the whole year."
Justin's brain did not compute, and he stared wide-eyed at his mother. "W-What do you mean, Mom?"
Mom cleared her throat. "Well, yesterday I had a phone call from your school. It was from your chemistry teacher, Mr…," she frowned and then shrugged her shoulders. "I can't remember his name…"
"Sternfoot?"
Mother nodded. "That's right. He called. Such a nice man. Well spoken, soft, and so polite. He said you are not taking his class seriously. He said that if you don't start sticking your nose in your textbook, and only your textbook, things may end up real bad for you." Mother clearly had no idea who Sternfoot really was, and her words were like a harsh slap in Justin's face. Sternfoot had called his house? Images of his nightmare began playing in his mind again and he wanted to yell and scream. Should he tell Mom and Dad what was going on? He decided against it. His parents would not understand.
"So I want you home right after school today," Mom continued. "Mr. Sternfoot said you have plenty to do for your test, and then, if you are done studying, you may watch TV with us. Tonight is another episode of Romancing on the Bored-walk."
"Thanks, Mom," Justin grunted. "You are a great help."
"You are welcome, son," Mom replied, "I knew you would be reasonable." She walked over to Justin and placed a kiss on his forehead. "By the way, how's your girlfriend? Do we get to meet her some time?"
Justin blushed. "M-My girlfriend? How would you know about that?"
Mom smiled. "Your chemistry teacher again. That man is so concerned about you young people. That’s really the sign of a great teacher. Good teachers like that nice Mr. Sternfoot, do not only look at their students, but they look into them too." Mom gave Justin an affectionate smile, causing Justin to break out into a sweat. "I know how it is Justin,” Mom babbled on. “When the heart's in love, schoolwork suffers. When I first met your Dad—"
"—Thanks Mom," Justin interrupted her. “I’ve got to go.” He did not want to be rude, but clearly Mom had no idea what was going on, and at this moment, he had no time for the lessons of life from his overly concer
ned mother. He turned to leave and as he stepped out of the living room, Mom called after him, "Remember, Justin… I want you home right after school."
Justin did not answer. He grabbed his bag again and opened the front door. As the fresh morning air caressed his cheeks he heaved a deep sigh.
The day was already turning weird, and it had barely started. His first two hours were biology. Those he could skip without serious consequences. First things first. He needed to find out what happened to Uncle Harry. Thus, instead of taking a left, which was the way to school, he took a right which would lead him to Dewsbury Community Hospital.
Minutes later Justin arrived at the hospital. The nauseating, sweet smell of antiseptics mixed with cleaning products made him shiver. He hated hospitals.
One of mankind’s necessary evils. A bald man with a silly grin at the reception desk told him there was a Mister Harrison Ames on the second floor.
“Just take the elevator near the drinking fountain.”
At first, the nurse that sat at the reception desk of the nurse’s station had not wanted to give Justin the information he needed, saying that visiting hours were only in the late afternoon, but after she saw Justin’s distraught face and had heard that Harrison Ames was in fact Justin’s uncle, she had reluctantly given Justin the number of the room. They had admitted him in section C, room number 35.
As soon as he marched into section C, he already heard Uncle Harry’s voice booming through the hallway. “Of course I can leave. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
Justin couldn’t help but chuckle. That was Uncle Harry all right. Thank God his uncle was not seriously injured.
As he came to room 35 he peered in through the glass window. Harry was sitting up in bed and two nurses, dressed in their white uniforms and sensible shoes, were trying to hold him down. The man in the bed next to him, a balding old fellow, seemed to enjoy the scene, and was staring at the commotion as if he was watching the Super Bowl.
“I don’t want to wait for the doctor,” Harry cried out, almost yelling. “I’ve got more to do than slobbering up hospital food and taking up your valuable time. You need to help patients who really need your help.”
Justin figured it was time to step in.
“Hello, Uncle,” he said as he walked through the door of the ward.
“Justin?” Uncle Harry looked up and the nurses shook their heads. “Tell these good ladies to let me out.”
One of the nurses let out a sigh and scratched her head. “It’s your own responsibility, Mr. Ames. If you leave now, you will have to sign a paper stating that the hospital is not responsible for any injuries you may still have.”
“I’ll sign anything, as long as I can leave,” Uncle Harry said with a victorious smile, and he swung his legs over the edge of the hospital bed. He turned to Justin and said, “Just give me a minute, son. I’ll get dressed. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Twenty minutes later Justin sat next to Uncle Harry in his police car and they were driving off the hospital grounds. Justin stared at his uncle. His face around his left eye was badly swollen, and carried an unnatural black color. There was a deep gash on his forehead that was stitched up, and Uncle was limping, due to some bad kicks he had received around the waist and on his legs.
“Tell me what happened, Uncle?” Justin did not like to see his uncle like this. “Who did this to you?”
“I am not sure,” Harry grunted as he started the motor. “I told you I went to see Carl Billows yesterday. The man was there when I got there. Polite, but nervous as all get out. He served me some coffee.” Uncle licked his lips. “I hammered him some more about the death of Alvaro Ironbark, and asked him straight out if he knew anything about match fixing, but of course, Billows acted as if he were Holy Joe.” Harry mimicked the suave voice of Carl Billows. “Sorry, Detective, I confess to having organized prize fights, but I would never resort to such low things as match-fixing. Never!”
Uncle’s personification of Carl Billows sounded real enough and produced a smile on Justin’s face.
“Then, when I confronted Billows with the fact that Alfred Rodeo had escaped, he began to stammer and told me he didn’t know anything about that either. He almost shouted out that he had not seen Rodeo for over a week, and that he had nothing to do with whatever I was investigating.” Harry shook his head as he recounted what had happened. “After that, Billows grew much more hostile. I asked him if I could see his books, but he told me I needed a warrant for that, and that he had no more time for me.” Harry’s face turned dark as he relived the scene. “I left the gym, but then when I wanted to get back into my car two hooded persons walked up, just like that. They came out of nowhere, and attacked me.”
Justin blinked. “Two hooded persons? What does that mean?”
Uncle shrugged his shoulders, causing his face to contort in pain. “They wore black balaclava’s to hide their faces. They were strong as bears. I stood no chance.”
“You must go back there, Uncle, with a search warrant for the gym,” Justin said. “It’s obvious that Carl Billows gave the order to beat you up.” There was concern in his voice. “Amy and Father Gálvez think we are dealing with a secret society called the Shadow Walkers. It may not have much to do with match fixing after all, but it possibly goes a lot deeper.”
“What do you mean?” Harry frowned. “A secret society? You mean a bunch of lunatics that dance around the fire when the moon is full and they howl like wolves while they communicate with the dead?”
“Sort of, Uncle… How did you know?”
Uncle shook his head. “Come on, little nephew. I thought you’d be smarter than that. Who believes all that hocus pocus? Secret societies are a bunch of baloney. If they are even real, they are created to swindle money away from ignorant people.”
Justin glanced at his wounded uncle. “Looking at your present condition, I am not so sure you are right.”
“Of course, I am right,” Uncle Harry shot back. “People like that use fear to take control over people’s minds and emotions.”
“What about those weird Latin phrases, Uncle? ”Justin understood very well where his uncle was coming from. In many ways, he was just like his uncle, but after having talked to Amy and having heard what Father Gálvez said about those Latin sentences, he began to believe there was more going on than people could see with their physical eyes.
“What about these phrases?”
“Those Latin phrases were very revealing.”
Uncle Harry listened for a moment. Then he wrinkled his nose and said, “OK. What did it say about those… Shadow Walkers?” He hissed the name, clearly showing his contempt.
“It used to be a group in 1600 something, and they wanted to create portals… Openings in the spiritual realm. It’s like creating a door between two worlds. Amy and Father Gálvez believe some evil fellows revived the group and they now seek to create such a door here in Dewsbury.”
“Why would they do that?” Uncle asked.
“I suppose, so that evil entities can enter our world.”
Uncle Harry shook his head. His jaws tightened as he stared at the road before him. “Do you hear what you are saying, Justin?” he said with a scowl. “That sounds like those far out stories some leftover old hippy would talk about after he stuffed his belly full of chemicals you wouldn’t even want to give to your enemies.”
Justin nodded. “I know it sounds weird, Uncle, but what if it’s true?”
Uncle Harry wasn’t convinced. For a few moments neither of them spoke. Justin noticed they were coming close to his school.
“Did you know that Sternfoot called my house?” he said, breaking the silence.
Uncle looked up. “Who was that again?”
“My chemistry teacher. The one I had a nightmare about and that I saw at the prize fight, the night Ironbark got killed. He told my Mom that I needed to stick to my Chemistry textbook or something dreadful was going to happen.”
“Really? That is weird, inde
ed,” Uncle Harry narrowed his eyes while thinking it over. “Sternfoot, huh? Maybe I need to question him too.”
“And go see Father Gálvez,” Justin added. “I know, he’s a bit strange and old, but he really understands Latin.”
Harry nodded again. “Maybe you are right, Justin. I’ll think about it.”
Justin glanced at his uncle. “I am so glad you are not seriously injured, Uncle, but Amy says we need to be careful.”
Uncle Harry laughed. “So Amy is now the standard? But thank you for your concern, Justin.” He took his foot off the gas pedal, slowing down the car. “Do I have to drop you off here?”
Justin nodded.
“Come by later today, Justin.”
Justin sighed. “I’d like to, Uncle, but my Mom… she’s a bit funny, and I had to promise I’ll go home right after school. I don’t want to make matters more complicated.”
Uncle Harry gave him a weak smile. “I understand, Justin. We’ll stay in touch… and give my love to Amy. Tell her I’ll be careful.”
“She said she would like to pray for you.”
Harry broke out laughing. “Well, isn’t that sweet.” He turned to Justin and winked at him. “Tell her I appreciate it… very much.”
Chapter Ten
The day at school was rather uneventful. Justin talked briefly with Amy about what happened to Uncle Harry, and when he told her Sternfoot had actually called his house, she stared at him with big, round eyes.
“What did he say?”
Justin scoffed. “He has wrapped my Mom around his grubby, little finger. She couldn’t stop talking about what a gentleman he was, and such a good psychologist. It made me sick.” Justin curled his lips. “But the gist of it was a clear warning. Mom of course, did not catch it.”
Amy looked concerned. “What did he say?”
“I should stick my nose in nothing else but the chemistry textbook, otherwise things could turn out really bad for me.”
Amy pressed her lips together and inhaled deeply. “I suppose we weren’t careful enough. We should not have challenged him about his fever.”