The Hay Fort

by Judith Ann McDowell

  “Yeah, that’ll work. I don’t care to be overheard with all the shit we gotta talk about.”

  The girl taking the money seemed to take forever as she rang up what they had. “You two are sure in a hurry,” she giggled, her upper lip pulled down to hide the braces she had on her front teeth.

  “Yeah we’re in a hurry, Peggy, so we don’t have time to shoot the shit today,” Butch said, dropping three one dollar bills into her hand.

  Willie gave him a sideways glance and tried not to laugh.

  With their food in tow, they headed out the side door to look for an empty place to eat and discuss their problems.

  “All right, you go first with what happened during the night.”

  “The old witch came to my house and let herself in.”

  “Don’t you guys lock your doors at night?” Willie chewed around his chicken salad sandwich.

  “Yeah, we lock our doors, but she didn’t come in the door. She came through my bedroom window.”

  “You’re telling me that not only did she climb the tree outside your window, but she reached out and lifted the window?”

  “She didn’t have to lift the window. She scratched on the window, and it opened itself.”

  Willie spit out his mouthful of food. “Oh my God,” he gulped, “she can let herself in anywhere then.”

  “She was gonna try and kill us. I know she was, but Donna got pissed and ran her off.”

  “Donna went up against the witch? Go, Donna!” Willie snickered, making a new respect for his cousin known.

  “Oh she was fucking cool the way she did it too,” Butch bragged. “She was ready to kick the ever-loving shit outta that old bitch.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “We woke Mom and Dad up and told them what had happened.”

  “And they believed you? Man, I find that hard to believe, especially with Uncle Bill.”

  “My dad had a story of his own to tell, about another family, and what he had to say, you ain’t even gonna believe.

  “Did it have anything to do with Eddie and Fran Reesher?”

  Butch’s eyes grew large and frightened. “How the hell did you know that?”

  “While I was at the mansion, the ghost kids told me that the old bitch was going to your house to begin the haunting like she did on Eddie and Fran, who live down the road from you.”

  “They said she’s the one who caused Fran to have a stroke, and Eddie to be a drunk?”

  “They didn’t say what all she did, just that she was going to haunt you guys the same way she haunted Eddie and Fran.”

  Butch jumped to his feet. “We gotta call our parents, Willie. She ain’t gonna stop until she destroys all of us. When you hear what she did to the family down the road, you’re gonna be scared shitless!”

  ***

  “Mr. Coby, can you hold a moment? I have someone on another line. I’ll get right back to you.” He quickly clicked over.

  “Brad,” he said, “I’m going to have to call you back. I have Bill Coby on the other line and I don’t want to keep him waiting. I’ll get back to you.” He hung up without giving Simmons a chance to respond.

  “All right, Mr. Coby, what can I do for you today?”

  “My brother and I are gonna be bringing the boys in to talk with you later today.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I think you and your brother are making a wise decision.”

  “You said you would give the boys immunity from prosecution on this matter if it turns out they found the jar on the Prescott property. Is that right? You do remember saying this, right?”

  “Yes, I remember saying that, but the more I think about what I said, I think I may have been a little rash in making that promise before clearing it with the prosecuting attorney.”

  “So what you’re saying is you might not be able to protect the boys from being charged with stealing and trespassing if they did take the jar from the old lady’s property.”

  “Yes, I’m afraid that’s what I’m saying.” Jenkins could feel the guilt creeping over him.

  “Then I guess we won’t be needing that appointment later on after all. If I can’t trust you to keep your word, then we have nothing more to talk about. We’ll just assume the boys found the jar out in some weeds downtown just like they said.”

  “Hold on, Mr. Coby. We don’t want to be too hasty here. If your son found something of importance while trespassing that involves an ongoing case, I’m sure we can go with the lesser of the two evils here.”

  “And just who the hell is going to have to make that call? Not you, I hope, because I don’t trust you worth a fuck where the well-being of my son and nephew are concerned.” With that said, Bill hung up the phone.

  Jenkins punched in some numbers and waited for the person on the other line to pick up.

  “Yeah, this is Jenkins. I need to speak with the prosecuting attorney, is he available?”

  “Yes, he is, I’ll patch you through right away, Detective Jenkins,” dispatch said.

  “What’s going on, Detective?”

  “I need to come down and talk with you about an important matter, if you’re not too busy.”

  “Never too busy to talk with one of the department’s finest, Jenkins. You know that.”

  “Would ten minutes be too soon?”

  “I’ll have a cup of coffee waiting on you when you get here,” was his answer.

  Jenkins made a hasty call, and when he heard Simmons pick up, he said hurriedly, “I’m on my way to talk with the prosecuting attorney to get the okay on the boys being safe with anything they may have done in getting that jar with the deformed baby. We need their help too much in nailing that bitch to let something like a few days in juvenile detention stand in the way.”

  “Glad to see you’re finally pulling your head outta your ass, buddy,” Simmons said. “Be sure and let me know what you find out.”

  “You’ll be the second one I tell.”

  “Who’s the first?”

  “Bill Coby, the one responsible for jerking my head out of my ass!”

  ***

  Donna and Butch sat in the driveway with the car windows rolled up and the doors locked.

  “I’m so scared, my hands are shaking,” Donna murmured, taking deep puffs from the cigarette she held between her fingers.

  “I can’t be in here with that damn smoke, Donna. I can’t breathe.” He quickly pushed the button to roll down the window.

  “Are you nuts?” Donna screeched, pushing up on the automatic button. “The witch could be lurking around and jerk you out the window.”

  “Then I would die quicker than wasting away from lung cancer!”

  “I can’t help it, Butch. I’m scared shitless!”

  “Of all nights, how come Mom and Dad have to be late getting home tonight? You’d think being our parents, they’d feel that things ain’t right and hurry home.”

  “After what happened last night, they should already know things ain’t right.”

  She had no sooner gotten the words out of her mouth when their mother drove into the driveway with their father right behind her.

  “About damn time,” Donna breathed, pushing open the door and flicking the half-smoked cigarette into the air.

  “Thank God! I can breathe again.”

  “Why aren’t the two of you in the house? You could have already had a pot of coffee brewing for us.” Rita said, handing over the heavy sack of groceries into Butch’s waiting arms.

  “We have some things we need to talk about,” Butch told her.

  Rita stopped where she stood, one hand going to her throat. “I hope whatever it is doesn’t have anything to do with Eddie and Fran.”

  Donna unlocked the front door, pushing it wide to walk inside. “Sorry, but it does.”

  “If you don’t mind, I would like to relax with a drink and read the paper before we have to hear about anymore shit that is gonna piss me off,” Bill said, heading to the portable bar in the dining room.
Sami ran into the room, barking like his tail was on fire. “And what the hell is wrong with that dog?”

  “I thought I heard him barking when Butch and I were sitting in the car.”

  “Sami, come here.” Butch scooped him into his arms.

  The little dog went from barking to whining as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. “What’s up there, boy? A moving spider web the maid neglected to get?”

  “I don’t see anything up there,” Donna said. “He’s just being Sami. So, do we have anything that I can fix for all of us that won’t take long?”

  “At the moment, all I want is a drink and a chair. After that, I think there’s a pizza in the big freezer. That should do us.” Rita nodded her thanks and pulled the drink Bill sat on the table over in front of her.

  “That won’t feed seven people. I’ll keep looking.” Donna walked into the kitchen.

  “What the hell’s she talking about, seven people?”

  “Did you invite some people over for dinner this evening, Donna? If you did, I really wish you had okayed it with us first. After the sleepless night we all had, I don’t think we’re in the mood for entertaining.” Rita raised her voice to be sure she was being heard.

  “She’s referring to Aunt Julie, Uncle Dave, and Willie coming over tonight so we can talk.”

  “What the hell do they have to do with all this? I am dead ass tired, and I don’t feel like visiting with family tonight.”

  “Dad, we’re all tired, but I talked with Willie today and he has things to tell you and Mom that you need to hear.”

  “Butch filled me in on what Willie has to say and believe me, you definitely are gonna want to hear this,” Donna said, peeking around the corner.

  “Then I guess I better go and give Julie a call and get them over here,” Rita said just as the door bell rang.

  “I think you can forget about calling,” Bill said, heading to the door.

  “I’ll make the drinks.” Rita got to her feet as her in-laws and nephew walked in the door, their hands filled with bags of food.

  “We stopped and picked up some take out. Willie said none of you got much sleep last night, so we thought you could do with some help,” Julie said, setting the bags down on the table.

  As soon as Willie walked into the dining room, a terrible sense of not being able to breathe hit him full force almost as though someone had a hand over his nose and mouth. As quickly as he could, he sat down in one of the chairs.

  “What’s the matter, Willie?” Bill asked him, coming forward. “You don’t look too good.”

  Everyone in the room came forward, and it was too much. Instead of making it better, he was finding it more difficult to catch his breath. Stumbling to his feet, he ran out the front door, closely followed by almost all in the room.

  As soon as Butch set Sami on the floor, he started in with his barking.

  Bill turned back, going to the dining room. “Sami, if you don’t shut the fuck up, I’m gonna stick a boot in your ass!” He snatched the dog up in his arms to take him outside with the rest of the crowd. “Take him so he’ll shut up.” Bill handed the dog into Butch’s outstretched arms.

  Willie drew a few deep breaths and turned to the people watching him. “Sorry about that.” He grinned. “Guess you have something I’m allergic to.”

  “You and Sami both. You’re breathing all right and Sami’s finally shut up.” Butch laughed.

  “Okay, let’s go back inside and get something to eat. I haven’t had anything to eat all day, and I am getting hungry.” Rita latched her arm with Julie’s as they headed back inside. “This drink will probably go right to my head.”

  As they stepped through the door, Willie found himself backing up, and Sami started in just like before.

  When Willie could speak, he told them, “I don’t care if anyone believes me or not, but there is a bad presence in this house. I already knew you were going to be haunted, but this is bad.”

  “All right, here’s what we’re going to do,” Dave said. “I want all of you to go inside and pack enough clothes to get you through for a few days, and then you are coming home with us. Thank God it’s Friday, so we will have the weekend to figure out what we’re gonna do from here.”

  “Any other time, I would refuse, but right now all I want to do is get the hell out of here,” Rita said, grabbing a hold of Bill’s hand and letting him guide her toward the stairs.

  “Hold up, you two,” Donna said, coming forward. “I don’t care to be alone.”

  “If you would, pack me a few things too, Donna,” Butch called out to her. “I want to stay with Willie and make sure he’s all right.”

  Donna thumbed her forefinger over her shoulder.

  Butch glanced at his aunt and uncle as they sat down on the living room couch, then continued on his way outside.

  “What the hell’s going on with you, man?”

  “There is something in there.” Willie looked pale and drawn. “Whenever I’m around an evil presence, I have a hard time catching my breath.”

  “What do you think it is?” Butch’s voice dropped to a whisper.

  “Like I told you earlier, the ghost kids said that the old bitch was coming here to begin the haunting just like she did with the family down the road.”

  “You think it’s her in the house?” Butch whirled, staring back through the door. “She sent something here to kill us?!”

  “I don’t know if she sent something to kill you. But I think she sent something over here to spy on you.”

  “Willie, we need to go and talk to Father Hannity. He needs to come over here and get these fuckers outta here!”

  “I agree with you, Butch. If Father Hannity could come here and bless the house, then whatever’s here’ll be forced to leave. Evil can’t go up against a priest and hope to win.”

  “It sure as hell can’t. A priest can come and just kick the shit out of evil!”

  “We need to find out what she left here so we can tell Father Hannity.”

  Butch backed up, looking to the windows upstairs, and watching the shadows of his parents as they walked around the room.

  “Since you’re gonna be staying with us, we can walk to the rectory and talk with Father Hannity tomorrow.”

  “I think we should go tonight. The sooner we get on this, the faster it can all be over.”

  “I told the ghost kids I’d see if I could help them to go to the light.”

  “Do you think you can do that without help?”

  “I didn’t mean I can take them to the light. When I said that, I was thinking of Father Hannity. He should be able to help them.”

  “If he believes they exist.”

  “All we can do is tell him. If he don’t believe us, then I give up.” Willie threw his hands into the air.

  “This just keeps getting worse and worse. Now we’re being chased from our home.”

  “Would you rather stay here and take a chance on meeting whatever it is that’s been sent here to watch you?”

  “Hell no, I don’t wanna stay here. Who knows what she’s conjured up?”

  “Do you know what scares me?”

  “What?”

  “If she can’t find out what she wants to know now that all of you are moving in with us, don’t you think that she’ll just move her demon to my house?”

  “Don’t say that! Damn!” He shivered. “That just scared the hell outta me.”

  “You don’t think that’s what she’ll do?”

  “I think we need to go and pay Father Hannity a visit as soon as possible. He needs to know what we’re up against.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mrs. Allen tapped lightly on the door, and then pushed it open enough to poke her head in.

  “Father Hannity, the Coby boys are here to see you. Would it be all right if I send them in?”

  “Of course. They’ve probably decided to accept my invitation for them to be altar boys.” He chuckled outright. “You can get the booklets ready fo
r them.”

  When the boys walked through the door, Hannity motioned them to have a seat.

  “What a nice surprise.” He leaned back in his chair. “Do I need to wonder what brings you here to visit with me today?”

  “You couldn’t guess in a million years,” Butch said, shooting a glance over at Willie. He was surprised to see him aiming a sour look his way.

  “Then you aren’t here to start taking lessons to be altar boys like I thought?” He sat forward in his chair.

  “No, Father Hannity, we’re here to talk with you about something completely different,” Willie said.

  Hannity picked up a pipe, filling it from the pouch he pulled from his drawer. “And what is it you want to discuss with me? Doesn’t have anything to do with girls does it?” He smiled.

  “You need to get rid of a demon for us.” The words shot out of Butch’s mouth in a rush.

  The priest shook out the flame of the match and stared at them. “Are you trying to be funny, Butch? Because if you are, I don’t find you very amusing.”

  “We ain’t here to play games, Father Hannity,” Willie told him.

  “All right, then suppose you start at the beginning and tell me what’s going on with the two of you.”

  ***

  Dell Bragg, the prosecuting attorney, sat behind his desk watching the nervous man sitting across from him.

  “What’s up, Jenkins, you’re fidgety as a teen with his first hooker.”

  “Probably pretty close.”

  “Let me see what you got there.” He took the paper Jenkins handed him, read a few lines, and then laid the paper down on his desk to reach for his pen.

  “You couldn’t have read it that fast, Dell. Hell, for all you know I’m asking for the hand of your oldest daughter.”

  “Don’t get my hopes up.” He scrawled his name, dated it.

  “What I need you to okay is immunity on two teens that might have some evidence for us about the old lady who lives in the Prescott Mansion.

  Bragg pushed the paper across the desk. “What was it they took?”

  “We think they took a jar with a deformed fetus in it.”

  Bragg stared at him then shook his head. “Say what?”