by J A Whiting
“And they knew we were staying here at Maribeth’s house.” Jenna’s eyes had narrowed. “It’s so confusing and complicated.”
“I don’t like it.” Angie frowned. “I just don’t like it.”
8
Early the next morning while most everyone else was still sleeping, except for Angie and Jenna who had taken the babies for a walk in their strollers, Courtney and Mr. Finch were outside on the patio with the two cats.
“Let’s try again. I’ll take a card from the deck, Miss Courtney. I’ll look at it, return it to the deck, and then shuffle the cards.” Finch went through the process and then handed all the cards to the young woman.
“Take my hand now and close your eyes.”
Courtney held the older man’s hand and shut her lids.
“Just breathe in and out slowly and imagine the card in my hand. Try to let your mind go blank. Now let’s begin.”
Courtney opened her eyes.
“Keep your mind calm and empty and answer my question with the first thing that comes into your head.” Finch paused. “What is the suit of the card I chose from the deck?”
“Clubs.”
When Finch shook his head, Euclid hissed.
Courtney glared at the orange cat. “You try it, if you think it’s so easy.”
“Let’s try a different deck of cards.” Finch went to the patio table and picked up a different deck and walked back to Courtney. “In this one, the four suits are colored differently. It may assist you when you attempt to visualize the card I draw from the deck.” Finch showed that the hearts were red, the diamonds were blue, clubs were green, and spades were black, and then he chose one randomly from the pile.
Shuffling the cards, he handed the deck to Courtney, she held Finch’s hand for a moment, and then opened her eyes. “Okay, let’s try again.”
“What color was the card I chose?”
“Red.”
“Hearts.” Finch beamed. “That’s correct, Miss Courtney.”
A wide smile crossed her face as she shot Euclid a look of triumph.
Euclid wore a grim expression as he swished his tail over the grass, but Circe trilled her encouragement.
Finch caught the look on the cat’s face. “Our fine orange boy thinks what we’re doing are only parlor games and of no value.” The older man explained to the feline, “But this is a simple way to activate the brain and the paranormal abilities that lie within. It is an exercise in skill development and confidence.” Finch nodded to the cat.
“The card I was holding was indeed a heart. What card was it?” he asked the young woman across from him.
Courtney’s face scrunched up in thought, and then she groaned. “I almost had it, but it slipped away. I was so close. I could see it, but it was blurry. The blur almost cleared. I could almost see it.”
Angie and Jenna came around the side of the house pushing the strollers and greeted Finch, Courtney, and the cats who came over to say good morning to Gigi and Libby. The little girls beamed and babbled at them.
“What are you doing with the card deck?” Angie asked.
“Developing my skills,” Courtney said. “So far it’s a failure.”
“We’ve only just begun, Miss Courtney. Time will bring great results.” Finch told the twin sisters about the exercise he and Courtney had been working on.
“Can I try?” Angie asked. “It sounds like fun.”
Finch chose his card, shuffled the deck and handed it to Angie. They held hands for a moment while she closed her eyes.
“The Ace of diamonds.”
Finch’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s correct, Miss Angie. Well done.”
Euclid trilled his approval winning him a death-stare from Courtney.
“Of course, it’s easy for her. She had a baby. Orla told us Jenna and Angie’s skills would become stronger after the babies were born.”
“They also are both older than you are, Miss Courtney, and have had more years for their skills to mature.”
“Let’s see if I can do it,” Jenna suggested.
She and Finch went through the process and when he asked her what card he’d chosen, she hesitated for a few moments, but then said, “Oh. It’s the five of spades.”
“Wonderful,” Finch smiled. “You are correct.”
Euclid trilled for Jenna’s success.
“Okay, okay. I have to work on it.” Courtney went into the house to make tea for everyone and when she returned she was carrying a tray with mugs, a teapot, and a plate of blueberry muffins.
“Do you feel that your powers have increased?” Courtney asked her sisters.
“Sometimes.” Angie held Gigi on her lap. “I can pick up on little things easier, but I haven’t had anything bigger to try my skills on.”
“I feel the same.” Jenna knelt on the grass with Libby showing her some tiny wildflowers growing on a spot in the lawn.
“Well, maybe Mom’s case will put your skills to the test in some way.” Courtney passed around the mugs of tea.
“What’s next on our investigative agenda?” Finch asked.
“We need to finish reading through the case notes the detective gave us,” Jenna pointed out.
Angie set her mug on the patio table. “We have a meeting in a couple of days with Orla’s friend on the North Shore.”
“And tomorrow is the meeting Detective Owen set up for us with a witness who was at the scene before and after Mom’s accident,” Jenna reminded them.
“Let’s hope the witness can give us some information we don’t already have,” Courtney said.
“Seven years have passed since the accident,” Finch told the sisters. “We must be on guard for false memories and comments from this person. Time can change our perception of things and can toy with our memories.”
“We should read over this witness’s statements from the case files that the police took at the time,” Angie suggested. “That way it will be fresh in our minds and we can point to any discrepancies that might come up during the interview.”
“Always thinking.” Courtney patted Angie’s head as she walked by her sister. “I’d better go get ready.” Courtney was returning to Sweet Cove for the day to check on the candy store, Angie’s bake shop, and the B and B, and was riding home with Chief Martin and Lucille. In the evening, she would take the train to Boston and rejoin the family.
Finch stood and leaned on his cane. “I will go in and speak with Ms. Orla about when we’ll take the children to the Public Garden.”
When they were alone with the babies, Angie looked at Jenna. “I’ve been thinking. Whenever I have the vision of Mom’s accident, it’s always a little blurry and in black and white.”
“It’s probably your mind’s way of protecting you a little. When a crime scene is shown in black and white, it lessens the reality and awfulness of the situation … a tiny bit.”
“I bet you’re right. I’ve been wondering if I could make the colors come out.”
Jenna’s eyes widened. “Why would you want to do that?”
“To see the color of the car that hit Mom.”
“Oh.” Jenna looked down at Libby and then asked, “Are you sure you’d want to try?”
“When Mr. Finch and Orla take Gigi and Libby out to the gardens, why don’t we go down to the intersection again. If I can see the color of the car, it would be really helpful to us.”
Jenna sighed and tilted her head as she made eye contact with Angie. “Are you sure? It’s bad enough to see the accident take place in black and white.”
Angie took in a long, slow breath. “I’m sure.”
The day was hot for early June and some beads of sweat showed on Angie’s forehead as she and Jenna stood at the crosswalk on the street where Elizabeth was killed.
“I’m ready.”
“Good luck,” Jenna whispered and moved closer to her sister.
Closing her eyes, Angie tilted her head down and thought about the scenes of the incident she’d experienced previo
usly. Slowly, an image filled her mind.
Elizabeth was walking along the sidewalk and approaching the crosswalk. Three people stood in front of her waiting for the light to change. A few stood behind her.
Elizabeth’s blond hair reflected the sunlight. Angie could see a little bit of the chain that held the cabochon around her mother’s neck.
A thought raced through Angie’s mind and she directed her unspoken question to the necklace her mother was wearing. Why didn’t you protect her?
The image was still in black and white, but it seemed clearer than it usually was.
When the light changed in her vision, Angie braced herself. She knew what was coming next.
The pedestrians stepped into the street to cross. The terrible roar of an engine could be heard. The car raced up the street.
Angie willed the image to take on color, but nothing changed. She wanted to blur the vision like she always did before her mother was hit, but she forced herself to witness the awful incident.
Someone yelled right before the impact.
Angie saw her mother turn towards the car, but it was too late. The car hit her and Elizabeth was tossed into the air.
Angie kept her focus on the car, and right before it sped through the intersection, the vision filled with color. She saw it. She saw the color of the car.
As her vision began to swim, she spotted some people running to her mother’s aid. A short man, a taller men wearing a suit, and a woman coming from the opposite sidewalk.
Angie saw the short man’s face, but couldn’t make out his features, and just as the image turned blurry and fogged over, she caught a quick glimpse of the side of the tall man’s face … and then, the vision was over.
Losing her balance, Angie took a step back and Jenna caught her arm to steady her. “You’re okay. I’m here. It’s over now.”
Angie covered her eyes with her hand and took in deep breaths. “I’m all right.”
After a couple of minutes, she took a swallow from the water bottle Jenna had brought and poured some of the water into her hand so she could splash her face.
“I caught a glimpse of the people who ran to help Mom right after she was hit.”
Jenna nodded and waited for what else her sister would tell her.
“I saw the color, Jenna,” Angie said softly. “It was dark red, almost maroon. I know what kind of car it was, too.”
A few tears gathered in Jenna’s eyes and she wrapped her sister in her arms.
9
The next morning, the family assembled at the police station to meet the woman who was a witness to their mother’s accident. Forty-five-year old Grace Addison was of medium height and slender build. There was a soft wave in her shoulder-length brown hair. She had a professional appearance and a kind-looking face. She stood to shake hands with the sisters and Mr. Finch.
“Despite it being seven years ago, I’d like to offer my heartfelt sympathy on the loss of your mother,” Grace told them.
Everyone took seats around the police conference room table and Detective Carter Owen sat at one end. “Thanks very much for coming in,” he said to Grace. “I know the family appreciates it. I’m going to let them lead the discussion today.”
Angie straightened her shoulders and thanked Grace on behalf of the family members. “Would you be able to tell us your account of that morning?”
“I’d be glad to. I had been in my position of financial adviser and planner for two years. The office is in the building across from the hospital. I lived within walking distance and took the same route to work every day. Once in a while, if I was running early, I’d stop into the coffee shop that’s on the street where the accident took place. I was inside sitting on a stool at the bench that runs along the big window sipping my coffee. I had a slight headache and thought the caffeine might help relieve it. I’d been working late for about a week so I didn’t feel the need to rush into the office that morning.”
Grace took a sip from her water cup and pushed a strand of hair off her face. “It was a sunny morning. It felt like it might be a hot day. I was watching out the window sort of in a fog. People were passing by and I watched them, but wasn’t really paying attention. I was thinking about the tasks I had to accomplish once I got to the office. I heard someone outside shout and I turned my head to see what was going on. The next thing I saw was the speeding car come flying up the street heading straight for the people crossing the street.”
Grace paused for a few moments and then said, “I saw the car hit your mother. I raced out of the coffee shop to see if I could help. I ran to your mom. She was laying in the street. She was unconscious.”
“Did other people come to her aid?” Jenna questioned.
Grace nodded. “Yes, several people rushed to her.”
“You mentioned seeing someone you described as a mean man,” Angie prompted the woman.
“I did. That’s the sensation I got from him. At first, I thought he might be the driver of the car, but he wasn’t. He had a strange look on his face. His eyes were pinned on your mother like lasers. He was staring at her necklace. I had the feeling he wanted to steal it. I didn’t get the impression he was there to help. I wanted to push him out of the way.” Grace shrugged. “This all happened within a second or two.”
“Did he stay there until the ambulance came?” Courtney wanted to know.
“No. He might have, but another man who came into the street when I did, noticed him, too. The man barked something to the odd guy that made him back away.”
“What did he say?”
“It wasn’t really what he said, but in the way he said it. He was firm and stern and clearly he meant business. It reminded me of someone who might have been an officer in the military at one time, or something like that. Anyway, the weird guy went away.”
“Do you think they knew each other?” Ellie questioned.
“I would say no, definitely not. They didn’t seem to have any connection. Of course, that was only my impression of the situation.”
“Did the mean one stay around watching or did he leave?”
“I don’t know. My attention was on your mother. I know he wasn’t nearby, but he might have lingered on the sidewalk watching.”
Angie asked, “What did the helpful man look like?”
“He was tall, over six feet, I’d say. I’d guess he was in his mid-fifties. He had light brown hair. He was dressed in a suit. He had a kind way about him.” Grace suddenly blinked and her facial expression became serious. “You know what, I didn’t recall this until just now. I think he said your mother’s name. Elizabeth. Talking about that day must have brought it back to me. He knelt beside her and said her name.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“No, that was all.” Grace rubbed at her neck trying ease the ache caused by reliving the terrible morning. She glanced around at the family members. “I’m not sure if you want to hear this, but if I was a relative I’d want to know. I don’t think your mother suffered. I think it all happened so fast. She had a serene look on her face when she was unconscious. There was no fear or pain on her face. She looked peaceful.”
Angie’s throat tightened with emotion. “Thank you,” she squeezed out the words.
“How long did you stay near our mother?” Courtney asked.
“Until the ambulance came. If your mom woke up, I didn’t want her to be afraid. I wanted to tell her everything was okay.”
“And what about the professional-looking man?” Ellie asked. “Did he stay as well?”
“He stayed right there beside me. He took off his jacket and slipped it under your mother’s head. He checked for a pulse. He ran his hand over her hair and he spoke gently to her, reassuring her that things would be fine, that she was fine. He was a very kind person. I wondered if he was a doctor because of the way he checked her eyes and for a pulse and all that.”
“Did you leave when the ambulance arrived?”
“Not right away. I went and stood on
the sidewalk and watched what was going on from there. I was numb, and I think in shock. When I did get to my office, I broke down in tears and couldn’t stop shaking. I had to take a week off from work because I couldn’t concentrate at all. I couldn’t sleep. My heart would jump into my throat whenever I was standing at a pedestrian crosswalk ... that happened to me for a full year. I finally went to my doctor and she prescribed some anti-anxiety medication for me to take for a couple of months and I saw a counselor for about eight weeks.”
Angie nodded. “We forget how stressful witnessing an incident can be. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
Grace thanked Angie for her kind words.
“Did the tall man leave once the ambulance arrived?” Ellie asked.
“He spoke with the emergency personnel, but I don’t know if he stayed longer than that,” Grace said.
“What did the weird man look like?” Jenna asked.
“He was short, but he had broad shoulders and muscular arms. He looked like he must work out. He had very light blond hair, cut short and close to his head. His eyes were very dark brown, and intense. I didn’t like his eyes. There was an odd look in them.” Grace said, “Oh. He had a skinny scar on his right cheek, very thin and like a line. Right here, like this.” She traced along her face from high on the cheek bone almost down to the lip.
“I don’t remember seeing anything about a scar in the case notes,” Detective Owen said.
“Well, he had one,” Grace said. “Maybe I forgot to mention it back then. My mind was in such turmoil from seeing that accident. I know he had the scar though. I can see it in my mind as clear as day.”
“Had you ever seen either of those men before that morning?” The detective asked.
“No. I don’t remember seeing them. They were unfamiliar to me.”
“What about the car?” Angie brought up the vehicle that hit Elizabeth. “Do you remember what color it was?”
“Sure. It was red, a dark red, almost like a deep maroon color.”
Angie and Jenna exchanged glances.
“Do you know what kind of a car it was?”