Secrets of Innocence

by V.

  “Whoa, a menage a trois. Boy, she really plans to devour your purity. Whereas I am happy having a little taste.”

  “C’mon, I’m being serious.”

  “So am I. Okay, I’ll be quiet and listen.”

  “They came to visit me when I was sick a couple of days ago.”

  “You were sick? Is that why you haven’t visited me?”

  “To be honest, I wasn’t really sick. I was pretty shook up about Tent City and—”

  “Say no more. I get it. Tell me about your women.”

  “Mrs. Foster came over to visit me and invited Ellie to come as well. Then she began to taunt us about why we aren’t a couple and stuff like that. I told her why I couldn’t be with Ellie. She played with us as if we were her toys.” “Then what happened?”

  “I got angry and left them with my mom.”

  “Well done, my boy. Well done.”

  Danny faced Alexander. “What should I do?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Nothing, I guess.”

  “Nothing is also a way of doing. Do nothing, then.”

  “Nothing?”

  “That’s what you said.”

  “But—”

  “Well, what is it, then?”

  “I’m all confused.”

  “Good.”

  Danny splashed water on Alexander. “Stop it. You’re toying with me, like Mrs. Foster.”

  “Hey, I’m being supportive.”

  “You don’t know how to. It’s not who you are.”

  “Then you need to teach me if I’m going to write a book about friendship.” “That’s all I am to you, isn’t it, research for your book. Forget it.”

  With that, Danny swam back to the shore, dried himself with his shirt and got dressed.

  Alexander remained in the water. “Danny,” he called out at last. “You’re more than research, believe me. You’re my teacher. My friend. I’ve forgotten how to treat a friend.”

  Danny turned to him and smiled. “Okay, but it’s better if you’re you. Don’t pretend.”

  Alexander joined Danny on shore. He picked up his clothes and patted his hairy chest dry, threw his wet shirt on the ground and sat on it. “I’ve lost track of how not to pretend. I lost myself to pretense years ago.”

  “Read Rainbow again, you’re there on every page, in the heart and soul of Wesley.”

  Alexander reached over and placed his hand on Danny’s back. “What a dreamer you are. Didn’t I tell you that book was a fluke?”

  Danny shook his head. “You wrote it. That’s who you really are.” “Touche. Anyway, let’s get back to you and your ladies. What are your plans? Who do you choose to be with? Or should I say who do you want to fuck?”

  Danny shivered and Alexander pulled back his hand.

  “Don’t tell me I’ve ruined the joy of sex for you. I must’ve been quite a sight.” Danny remained silent, his head down.

  Alexander nodded and sighed. “Then by all means do nothing until the urge returns. Believe me, it’ll come back.” He got to his feet, slipped on his pants, and offered his hand to help Danny. “It’ll never be the same for you, though. Please forgive me, if you can.”

  Danny stood on his own avoiding Alexander’s gaze. “You were drunk.” “Yeah, that’s it,” he said sadly.

  “So give me some friendly advice.”

  “I did.”

  “What? Do nothing?”

  “Sometimes it’s good to distance oneself from the heart of things.”

  “You mean, run away?”

  “No. No, no, no. I’ve done that and it doesn’t help. I mean, detach for a while.”

  Alexander threw his arm over Danny’s shoulder and guided him back to the cabin.

  The Amaray sunshine was in full splendor as Danny trudged up the steps and knocked on Ellie’s door. He wiped his hands on his pants and took a deep breath as she opened the door.

  “Hi,” he blurted out.

  “Hi,” she responded with a forced smile. “This is unexpected. You feeling better?”

  “Yeah. A lot better.” He shuffled about as he searched for words. I.. .uh... need to say that you and I.. .that maybe we shouldn’t—”

  “Just say it. You came to break up with me.” Her eyes filled with tears.

  He avoided her gaze. “Yeah.. .for a while. Maybe later on we—”

  Ellie slammed the door in his face.

  Danny heard her sob through the door. He dropped his head in shame and shut his eyes.

  “What a shit I am,” he mumbled, and then shuffled off the porch and down the street.

  Danny made his way to Mrs. Foster’s house where he stood several feet away from the front door. After a deep breath, he straightened up and resolutely knocked.

  Moments later, Mrs. Foster appeared wearing a baby-blue summer dress which, like most of her clothing, accentuated her considerable cleavage. She smiled with genuine surprise.

  “Danny, darling. Welcome.” She stepped to one side to allow her lover entrance.

  “I’m not coming in. I’ll never come in again. I’m going to keep working on the roses because that’s what Mr. Foster hired me for, but that’s it.”

  Mrs. Foster’s eyes widened, a look of disbelief across her face. “Why? What’s happened?”

  “I don’t want to sin.”

  “Oh, you’ve talked to your father. He’s forcing you to do this.”

  “No! I could never tell him. It would kill him. I can’t do it anymore. That’s all.”

  “But—”

  “Mrs. Foster, please, let me be.” He turned and walked away.

  “You promised.”

  He stopped to glance back at her. “I promised not to forget you, and I never will.”

  “You said you loved me,” she said.

  Danny walked away from her, and without turning back, waved good-bye.

  Conrad’s truck had come to a stop in the midst of several police vehicles, a coroner’s van, and other official cars parked before a secluded, somber-looking house in the middle of a wooded area. A small army of men traveled to and from the house.

  “That’s it?” Conrad asked. “I expected Alexander to give you something a bit more helpful on our way to his house.”

  Sarah’s eyes scanned the house and its surroundings before settling on her husband. “Nope. That’s it. Alexander’s very stingy with his help.”

  “Why is he making it so difficult?”

  “That’s his style.” She leaned back on the headrest. “How long did I detach this time? Were you talking to me when I drifted off?”

  “No more than a minute.”

  “I wish you could have seen the finished portrait of Danny. It’s truly magnificent.”

  “He should’ve given you a heads up.”

  “He orchestrated this entire scenario so that I would react in a given way.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s pushing me to feel fear, or shock, so that I’ll connect with something deeper, something he doesn’t dare share with me. He has a flair for the dramatic.”

  “That he does. Well, c’mon, let’s find out what he has in store for us.”

  Sarah jumped down from the truck and stared at the three-story house. Built in the gothic style with grey and black tones, it had a steeply pitched, gabled roof, carved asymmetrical side panels, and pointed-arch windows. A stained glass door served as the focal point of a one-story porch adorned with gothic arches. An obvious and purposeful statement of individuality, the design of the home didn’t resemble anything else in the area, yet it somehow looked perfectly comfortable in its surroundings.

  Sarah stood transfixed, her hand resting on the open door of the truck.

  Conrad waited a few seconds before asking, “Are you okay?”

  As if awakened from a dream Sarah focused on him. “Yes. Can you believe this house?”

  “Eccentric, isn’t it?” Conrad said as he shut the door.

  “Looks like its owner.”r />
  “In what way?” Conrad took Sarah’s arm and they walked to the front porch.

  “Its boldness—a uniqueness that borders on arrogance.”

  Sheriff Williams emerged from the house and clambered down to meet them.

  “Thanks for coming,” he said as he tilted his hat. “Be prepared, folks. There’s lots of blood in there. No bodies, but lots of blood. I need you to put these disposable booties on over your shoes, and make sure you don’t touch a thing.”

  They slipped on the booties and followed Williams up the stairs to the front porch. Sarah hesitated for a moment, and then clenching her husband’s arm cautiously, she entered the house.

  As advertised, spatters of dry blood covered the foyer and stairs. Police officers and crime scene investigators milled about the elegant vestibule, collecting evidence.

  Sarah froze and released her husband’s arm as she stared up the stairs.

  A flash of mixed images flooded her mind—Alexander descending the stairs gripping his chest, the tornado of violence around Daniel, the blood, the knife, and the pain.

  “Sorry, Sarah,” Williams called, “we can’t stop here now. We’re going to the library.”

  Sarah blinked and realized that Williams stood right in front of her. Conrad stood behind her, a hand gently resting on her shoulder. Cautiously, she followed Williams into the library.

  Sarah gasped as she caught sight of the magnificent room. It featured a wall-to-wall window that gave a spectacular view of the surrounding forest, and overflowing floor-to-ceiling bookcases, one of which framed the door to the library. Every available surface in the room was piled high with magazines, books, notes, manuscripts, and papers. The fourth wall framed an enormous antique mahogany desk and three paintings.

  “This room has been processed already, so you can touch things or sit if you need to,” Williams said as he closed the door behind them.

  Sarah’s eyes rested on the painting in the middle and momentarily lost her balance. She reached for something to steady herself as both Conrad and Williams rushed to her side.

  “What happened?” Conrad asked.

  “I’m okay. A bit startled is all.”

  “May I get you something?” Williams asked.

  “Yes, I could do with a bit of water, if you don’t mind.”

  “Be right back.” Williams rushed off.

  Sarah whispered to her husband, “That’s Danny. That’s the painting Alexander did.”

  “That means that—”

  “Danny is our Daniel.”

  And without warning the movie took hold of Sarah’s mind.

  It was the middle of the night when Danny burst through the door to Alexander’s cabin, breathless and pale.

  Irritated by the interruption, Alexander glared at the boy from his typewriter, but before he could complain, Danny hissed with unusual urgency. “My dad is here! He went to hide under the bridge!”

  “Calm down, calm down. What bridge?”

  “The one over the creek. He’s going to sneak up on us and try to catch us.” “Okay.” Alexander sounded perplexed.

  Dumbfounded, Danny looked at him. “Okay? What the hell is wrong with you? This is bad, really bad. He’ll find out that I’ve been sneaking away. He’ll discover you’re here.”

  “And?”

  “Are you serious? I’ll be in real trouble and you can forget about the town not finding out who you are.”

  Alexander laughed. “Why in the world would he hide under the bridge?” “Isn’t it obvious? He’s waiting to spy on us and catch us.”

  “Catch us at what? Talking?”

  “Drinking, skinny dipping, smoking, Tent City, and.. .everything.” “We’re not doing any of those things right now, are we?”

  “No, but—”

  “You know we’ve done those things, but he doesn’t, and now we’re simply talking. So why is he hiding under the bridge?”

  “To give us time to get into trouble.”

  “That’s pretty damn decent of him. But I don’t buy it. It doesn’t sound ministery.”

  “Ministery? What the hell does that mean?”

  “Ministers don’t hide under bridges they attack head on. Maybe he isn’t after you. Maybe he’s looking for someone and went under the bridge instead of over it. C’mon, let’s go find out.”

  Alexander ran out the door snatching Danny on his way.

  Only the moonlight that filtered down through the trees lit their way as they neared the bridge. The two slowed down and cautiously approached it. They could hear voices somewhere below. Alexander turned to Danny and beamed with superiority at having solved the puzzle.

  “Told you so,” he whispered. “You stay here. Hide under those bushes so he won’t see you. I’ll take a look and find out what’s going on.”

  Alexander stealthily climbed down the side of the bridge and peeked under it. The minister and Mrs. Foster were on a blanket by the stream making love. He slammed his back against the bridge and climbed back up, shock etched on his face.

  Danny noticed Alexander’s reaction and rushed to join him. “What is it?” he whispered.

  Alexander pushed him away. “Let’s go.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. Let’s go.”

  “I want to see.”

  Alexander stared into his friend’s gentle eyes and smiled ruefully. “Truth sometimes kills, but it also liberates. What the hell, you’re entitled. Go ahead.” Danny sneaked down to find his father copulating with Allyson Foster. Horrified, he leaned against the bridge, breathing heavily.

  Alexander placed his hand over Danny’s mouth and signaled him to be silent. He then dragged the disheartened boy away from the bridge and back to the cabin.

  In shock, Danny dropped to the floor in front of the fireplace, sobbing. Alexander placed a blanket over the boy’s shoulders and poured him a glass of whiskey.

  “Gulp it down.”

  Danny obeyed. Alexander took the glass from him, poured a couple more drinks, joined him on the floor, and then draped his arm around his shoulders in a gesture of consolation.

  “I shouldn’t have looked under the bridge,” Danny whispered at last. “You insisted.”

  “You shouldn’t have let me.”

  “I tried to stop you, but you can’t hide from the truth.”

  “Why not? You do.”

  “Yes, I do, but you shouldn’t. You needed to face it.”

  “Why?”

  Alexander remained silent for a moment and handed him the drink. “Because you don’t want to become me. Because you needed to find out who your father really is.”

  “Why is he with her like that?”

  “Same reason you are.”

  “But I’m not married. I don’t have a kid and I’m not a minister. Hell, I couldn’t even bring myself to be with Ellie after I was with her.”

  “That’s what sets you apart from him.”

  “How could he? What about my mom? What do I tell her?”

  “That’s his mess to deal with, not yours.”

  Danny turned teary eyed toward Alexander. “I shouldn’t tell my mother what they’re doing?”

  “That truth lies between them. It’s not your duty to deal with; it’s your father’s.”

  “Are you saying I shouldn’t do anything?”

  “No, you must tell them that you know.”

  “Them?”

  “Your father and his lover.”

  A couple of tears trickled from Danny’s eyes. “What for? You’re saying I can’t do anything, anyway.”

  “You can rid yourself of their corruption and force them to confront themselves.”

  The boy gulped down his drink, then collapsed in tears. He cried in Alexander’s arms.

  “It’s up to you to decide how any of us are going to affect your life, but one thing is clear, you are not your father. Remember that. You’re far superior to him and her, and certainly to me.”

  Daniel looked up at Alexande
r. “I wish I was five again, and I could shout across the street for Robert to come out and play. I wish all of this had never happened.”

  Alexander embraced him with fatherly tenderness, kissed his forehead, and wiped away his tears.

  “Sarah, what’s the matter?” Conrad held his wife in his arms, her eyes focused on the painting of young Danny, tears running down her cheeks.

  She dropped her head on her husband’s shoulder and quickly recounted the scenes she had witnessed. Just then, Sheriff Williams entered.

  “Here,” Williams said as he handed Sarah a glass of water. “My God, Sarah, you’re shaking. What in the world has happened to you?”

  Sarah took the glass with both hands, and after a few sips, placed it on top of a pile of papers that lay on a small table, and slumped onto a nearby chair.

  “She’s shaken up by all that blood we had to walk through,” Conrad said quickly. “You were right in asking me to accompany her.” He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

  “This library doesn’t fit in,” Sarah muttered as she reached for her husband’s hand.

  “You’re right,” Williams said as he looked around the room. “Not only because the violence didn’t carry into this room, but we also found no evidence of anything missing.”

  “Missing?” Conrad asked.

  “It doesn’t appear as if anything of value was stolen. Other than our search for evidence and moving things about, this library is exactly as he left it.”

  “Alexander died of a heart attack, where did all that blood in the foyer come from?” Sarah asked as she rose from the chair with Conrad’s help and walked over to Alexander’s desk.

  “How did you know he died of a heart attack?” Williams asked.

  “I got an image of him dying as he came down the stairs in the foyer.”

  “I’ll be damned,” Williams said with a shake of his head. “I still can’t get used to her coming up with stuff like this. Anyway, you’re right. His housekeeper found him at the bottom of the stairs. His death certificate indicates a heart attack.”

  “So, where did all that blood from?” Sarah asked again.

  “I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.”

  Sarah shook her head. “All I get are shadows and lots of violence. Nothing helpful. May I look around this room? Have you learned anything new since you called us?”

  “Yes on both counts. Guess who’s his heir?”