The House at Hull

by Karl Tutt

  Chapter 5

  When we got back to the house, I settled on the porch swing while Eleisha had a peanut butter sandwich with sprouts on whole wheat bread. She brought me a glass of the jug red and sat down.

  “I know it’s early, but I thought you might need that.”

  “You read my mind . . . not the first time. So what am I thinking now?”

  “You’re thinking we ought to try Joe’s. Sometimes the best place for local knowledge is the local bar.”

  She wiggled her nose a bit like Samantha in the old 60’s TV series “Bewitched”. The woman was amazing. I drained my glass and we headed across the street. Joe’s was in the basement of a warehouse that looked like it might have housed an old boat building shed. A young woman with long brown waves cascading down her back was exchanging the sign that said closed for one that said open. We followed her down the steps into what was indeed a basement. A long varnished bar lined the wall on the right. There were photos of guys grinning, holding freshly caught fish --- mostly large ones --- plastered on every inch of the walls. I walked down to the far end to see a short flight of stairs leading to a patio with tables, chairs, and umbrellas. The view of Boston and the surrounding waters was spectacular. We went back to the bar and sat on the stools. The brown haired beauty smiled at us.

  “I’m Lindsey. What can I get you?”

  Eleisha requested a pint of Guinness and I settled for a glass of the house Cab. We were the first customers of the afternoon. A good chance to talk.

  “Did you know the Shipleys?” I asked.

  “I guess I’ve answered that question a dozen times in the last week. But, yeah, I did. Oscar came in here regularly when they were in town. Liked to watch the Patriots, rooted for them to cover the spreads, but he followed all of the games. He always had money on them. Todd and the ladies, not really fans, but the whole clan was damned nice people. Nothing fancy about them. Just plain ol’ folks getting away from the fuss and the traffic in Boston. Bothered nobody. Oscar always left a nice tip. The girl, Cherie, was a doll, giggly and sweet. She’d order some sort of Princess drink. No alcohol, but lots of sugary, fruity stuff. Polite, friendly --- all of them. I hope nothing bad has happened.”

  “Was Shasta ever with them?” Eleisha said and smiled.

  “A few times . . .”

  Lindsey scanned the space to make sure no one had come in, then continued, “now she was a little snooty, but not down-right rude. I guess she was okay.”

  She said it like she was trying to convince herself. We talked through the one drink and ordered another. It was a long shot, but not much good. Lindsey had told us everything she knew, which was damned near nothing. She wiped the bar with a snowy towel, then went to the sink to wash out some mugs.

  “Okay,” I said to Eleisha, “what am I thinking now?”

  She wrinkled her nose again. It happened when she was about to announce some tidbit of prescient information that you thought was well hidden.

  “You’re wondering whether we should catch the late ferry back to Boston or stay one more night. You want to feel confident we haven’t missed something.”

  I dropped my head and spoke quietly into the bar. Eleisha tuned in.

  “Captain James was the ultimate life saver. Obviously his spirit is somehow connected with this house. He tried to tell me something, but I don’t know what. I sort of doubt he’ll appear again. So we have to figure out his message. Will it help to spend one more night? I don’t know, but the last ferry doesn’t leave until late this afternoon. We’re in no hurry, but then again, maybe we are. The longer this mystery plays out, the more the trail goes cold, and that may lessen chance we’ll find out what’s driving it.”

  “Okay, my noted seer. I have nothing else to contribute, but I’ll stay if you like. If I do, you’re going to have to conjure up some serious sexual gymnastics to keep my mind and body sharp and agile.”

  I nodded and smiled. That was a promise I intended to keep, if not here, at my place back in town. We went back to the house at Hull and sat on the porch for another hour, no words passing between us. I studied the water, bathed in the sunshine and the breeze. I was hoping for something, but nothing came. I was about to suggest we pack up when I heard a rap on the door. Rich? Maybe another neighbor, but no. I went to the screen to see Todd and his fiancée perched on the landing.

  “Come in. Maybe I can rustle up a cold beer or a glass of cheap wine.”

  Their smiles were both polite, but definitely forced.

  “Mr. Dombroski, this is Shasta Shipley, my fiancée.”

  I had seen her at the MIT library, but she was definitely stunning up close. Her teeth gleamed like she was doing an ad for Crest on TV. The hair was raw blond silk. She looked down a perfect nose, pursed full ruby lips, and tried on her best “I am most gratified to meet you” expression. Something fleshy and sexy was trying to tumble over the edge of her tight red spaghetti top. The hips and legs were the perfect match. Her browned feet were barely covered in leather thongs with a bright gold medallion on each. Her eyes glinted with a blue intelligence, but there was a hint of something flinty. I pretended to ignore it.

  Todd was wearing his best casual yuppie outfit. Khaki shorts, Topsiders, and a bright yellow shirt with that little alligator on the chest. He carried a small canvas bag while he attempted cordiality and command at the same time. Neither of them was working very well. I could feel Eleisha’s radar honing in on the entire scene. It was certainly something neither of us had expected.

  I rousted a couple of Naturals and mineral water from the fridge. Red rotgut for me. We sat uneasily around the kitchen table and waited. Todd got us started.

  “I’m sure you’re wondering why we are here. I must apologize for coming unannounced, but the circumstances are somewhat dire. It’s been over a week now. To be quite honest, my mind is in a constant state of torment.”

  His voice dropped an octave and Shasta turned to peer out of the window. The breeze caught wisps of her hair, but she shook it off her face like a thoroughbred racehorse. He glanced at her. She barely nodded and he went on, his voice now quite demonstrative.

  “My family and I spent many happy weekends in this house. It is a part of all of us and we are part of it. I know why you are here, but I must admit I find it intrusive. I’ve done some research, contacted some people, and I am aware that both of you claim quite remarkable sensibilities. The bottom line is you are in my house.”

  There was total emphasis on the “my house”.

  “That notwithstanding, you are welcome, but only if we can be certain that you have harnessed any powers that you possess.”

  Shasta nodded again and turned back to the table. Eleisha watched her out of the corner of her eye with an intensity, or perhaps a hostility, that I hoped only I noticed.

  “I told Billy I could promise nothing. Eleisha and I want to provide any assistance we can. Nevertheless, neither of us is any sort of magician. We can only place ourselves in a space in time and hope for positive results.”

  “And have you had any?” she asked pointedly.

  I was reluctant. It was too early. I wasn’t sure of anything. There had been other times when I thought I had a breakthrough, only to find that my mind had been playing cruel tricks on me. These people were in pain. I had no intention of toying with them. I decided on a short version of the facts.

  “I will tell you this. A man came to me in the twilight of the morning. I believe it was Joshua James.”

  They each looked at me incredulously. The word “fool” seemed to linger on their lips.

  “Mr. Dombroski, James has been dead for over a hundred years.”

  “I am quite aware of that,” I said.

  I hesitated again, but I told them about the apparition, the way he pointed toward the Brewsters, and our discoveries upon visiting the museum. Shasta placed her hand on Todd’s forearm and shook her head.

  “Todd, let’s leave the house and the hocus pocus with
it. These people know about the reward. They’ve done their homework and now they want us to believe that they have exhumed a man whose corpse has been in the grave for a century. At best they are self-delusional charlatans, at worst, unconscionable frauds. We really don’t have to put up with it.”

  Todd removed his hand from the table. It was visibly shaking. He placed it on his thigh in a feeble attempt to steady the appendage. Eleisha’s dark eyes had become pools of poison. I was sure that one more comment from Miss Shipley and my dark lady would collar her and throw her off the landing. I didn’t want that to become part of the scenario.

  “Okay,” I said, “I understand your skepticism and your discomfort. We will leave immediately and catch the late ferry. Perhaps we have nothing to offer. I am sorry for you losses, if that’s what they are. I hope your family is safe and that you will all be reunited shortly. Certainly, you owe us nothing.”

  Todd seemed to calm a bit while Shasta hadn’t ceased to seethe. I pushed away from the table. The sun was setting behind the city and we would soon miss the ferry.

  “Wait,” he whispered.

  He took his fiancee’s hand and squeezed a bit. She sighed and shrugged, her eyes full of fire, but she said nothing. Then he turned to Eleisha.

  “I know you read Tarot, and palms, as well. Perhaps you could read mine.”

  Shasta snatched her hand from Todd’s.

  “Come on,” she snarled.

  He looked at her with eyes of stone. I thought he was going to tell her to shut up, but the words weren’t necessary. She bit her lip. Then she turned from him and focused a glassy stare on the wall.

  A hard line appeared above Eleisha’s brow and the muscles in her jaw tightened. I don’t think Todd or Shasta caught it, but the dark lady’s mouth twitched in a way I thought only I would recognize. She stared at Todd and spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

  “You need to make sure what you’re asking. I may see something. I may see nothing. And what I do see may cause you great pain. Your fiancée has called us charlatans. Never mind the insult. That kind of negative energy can block or distort any reading. You don’t have to believe us, but your mind must be open. You must be willing to listen to the cards, and prepared to at least consider their import.”

  Todd looked at Shasta. She wasn’t backing down. The word “shit” tried to escape from her red lips, but she held off.

  “Shasta, I know what you’re thinking, but this is my family . . . my dad, mom, and Cherie. We know this is the last place they were seen. The Spook says he has been contacted. Maybe he has. We’ve got to find out, regardless of the risks. Back me on this.”

  She focused on him and placed her hand palm down on the table. He covered it with his and closed his fingers over hers. Her body slumped slightly and she seemed to soften. Then she nodded.

  The sun had set behind the city with a brilliant orange glow and the breeze had picked up. Soon it would be dark. We’d miss the ferry. I waited for Eleisha’s pronouncement.

  “Okay,” she said, “let me prepare.” She got up and left the room. I knew where she was going. She came back down the stairs with the Deviant Moon Tarot in her right hand. There many different decks favored by expert readers, but this was her constant choice. She went to the counter and poured a glass of the red. She never drank my jug wine unless she was trying to relax enough to meld with the proper energy state. She took a candle from a cabinet. She lit it and dripped some hot wax in the center of a saucer. Then she placed it before us on the table. Instantly the small room filled with the scent of candlewood and a hint of cinnamon. She turned out the overhead light and sat, placing the cards directly in front of her on the table. She closed her eyes and began to rock slowly from side to side. The rest of us watched incredulously.

  Todd was ready . . . or at least her thought he was. I knew what Eleisha was capable of. I tried to be patient. Shasta tried to hide it, but she squirmed uncomfortably in the hard wooden chair. My dark goddess spoke.

  “This is not a séance. I don’t pretend to connect with some sort of spiritual world. I will give you what I can . . . tell you what I see. That is all.”

  She passed the cards quickly back and forth through the flame. I had seen her do this before. It was supposed to cleanse them of any negative energy. Then she placed a crystal in the center of the table. The many facets caught the light from the flame and danced across our faces and the stained ceiling. She handed the cards to Todd.

  “Shuffle them three times. Concentrate on a question you want answered,” she commanded, “and place them before me.”

  He stared at her for a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes to a squint. His jaw was taut and his teeth snapped together a couple of times. He did what she asked. The clattering of the pasteboard faded into silence. She picked up the deck and clutched it to her breast, eyes tightly shut. She sunk her teeth into her lower lip. Then she brushed her black mane behind her ear and put her fist to her forehead. We were only disturbed by the sound of the breeze and the ruffling of the browned curtains. It hesitated for a moment, then seemed to increase. A low howl assaulted our ears. The candle flickered, but recovered to cast an eerie glow on our faces. Eleisha shuffled the cards herself and seemed to chant something from deep within. Then she dealt.