by Alexie Aaron
I frantically looked for an entrance to the field. The drop from my perch would more result in my breaking several limbs than aiding Angie. I climbed back down and ran down the road looking for a break in the flowered rocky wall.
“Come on. How did Angie get the tractor in there?” I screamed in my head. I was just about ready to give up and run the other way when I spotted a break in the wall and steps worn into it. I climbed over the wall and ran, or tried to run, in the fresh tilled earth. Every step seemed to go in slow motion. I didn’t know what I was going to do when I reached the tractor, but right now I was having one hell of a time getting to it. A stitch in my side and one lost shoe later I drew up level with the circling machine. Angie’s belt had saved her from being tilled under. Her head fortunately wasn’t hitting the ground. One of her arms dangled in the air, and it looked sound. The one dragging in the soil was a mess. I knew she didn’t have much time.
I thought I could pick her up and try to untangle her, but I seriously doubted I could stay on my feet long enough to avoid the blades. The only solution was somehow I had to get on that tractor. The main obstacle to my intended heroics was the height of the machine. I had no idea how the hell I would get up there, let alone stop it.
It was the moan escaping from Angie that launched me. I ran and grabbed at the bottom of the seat. My right foot found purchase, and soon I was up in the driver’s seat. “How do I turn you off?” I asked the tractor. “Damn, hey how do you like this?” I pushed the gearshift forward and it slowed to a stop, although it was still running. I feared it might only be in neutral, and as soon as I got down to help Angie it would roll over me.
“Fools and their arms and legs...” I jumped down. I lifted up Angie’s head, then her shoulders. I held her in my arm until I could undo her belt. Once I had her free, I put her over my shoulder. I looked for the road. Damn! It was too far for me to carry her. The tractor was still running, so I hefted both of us back onto it. I carefully laid her across my lap and pulled the gearshift back. It made a horrible grinding sound, but it did start to move. I balanced Angie with one hand and with the other caused major destruction of that field. I found if I used the clutch the tractor didn’t make that awful sound. I turned the wheel and headed towards a light. I hoped it was Angie’s house. It wasn’t.
Chapter Four
The Comstocks later told me that they thought Angie had tied-one-on and was joy riding. It didn’t concern them until the tractor headed into their fields. I don’t know how I missed the hedgerows that carefully separated most of the fields. All I saw was a well-worn track and followed it. I followed it right up to the Comstocks’ back porch. I was a bit put off by Mrs. Comstock yelling at me for tilling up her flowerbed, backyard and most of the early asparagus, but I forgave her. She, however, would not acquiesce.
A large young man jumped off the porch, came over and reached up to turn the tractor off. “How did you do that?” I asked. He didn’t answer me. “Angie fell off the tractor. I think it dragged her for some time,” I explained.
"Dad!” the young man called. He jumped up and carefully handed her down to the burly man that had arrived.
The woman stopped yelling at me and ushered her husband into the house. I tried to get up, but the young man was in the way.
“You’re not leaving this here,” he said gruffly.
“Hello, since I barely made it here and your mother is so pissed about her asparagus, I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to do anything with this machine, ever!”
“American?”
“Yes, and contrary to popular opinion, we don’t all drive tractors. Now...”
“Billy,” he supplied.
“Billy, could you help me down so I can see to my friend?”
He jumped down and helped me off the tractor. I walked towards the door Angie had disappeared into. I felt gravel bite into my shoeless foot, but I was beyond pain right now. I was jet-lagged, my arm hurt, my thighs would never talk to me again, and I had to pee. I am surly when I have to pee. I found my way into the house and to where the couple was ministering to Angie’s injuries.
Angie was lying on a couch. Billy’s dad had done his best to straighten her arm and tied it securely to a makeshift splint. The asparagus woman had cleaned up Angie’s face and was examining her head.
“Will, look here, looks like she just missed being shot in the head.”
I pushed myself in, and sure enough there was a shallow gully cutting through her scalp. I could barely see it because of the dirt that was mixed in with the blood. In the dark on the field I hadn’t even known she was bleeding.
“Who are you? And why did you shoot Angie in the head?” asparagus woman accused me.
“I didn’t shoot her. I saved her. At least I hope I did.” I looked at the couple that was still waiting. “Oh, I am...” why not, I thought. “I’m the detective Bobby Bathgate sent. Cindy Fin-Lathen.”
Angie moaned.
“Sorry about the asparagus, but I just arrived and no one ever taught me how to shift and tractoring and...”
“It’s alright...considering the emergency and all. I’m Dorothy Comstock and this is my husband Will.”
“Mrs. Comstock, where are we with her care? Shouldn’t we call an ambulance?” I fished.
“Helicopter’s already on its way.”
I sat back on my heels amazed. And then I heard a roaring overhead and the night sky lit up. I walked out on the back porch to watch it land. Mrs. Comstock groaned as it landed, right in the asparagus. I thought, “Might as well, since I had already tilled most of it under.”
The medics stabilized Angie and asked me several hundred questions of which I wasn’t much use. Mrs. Comstock went with Angie to the hospital in Truro. I opted to stay back and wait for the constable that had yet to arrive. Needing fresh air I left the house and eased myself down on the back porch. I knew somewhere in the dark there were chairs, but with my fatigue growing I couldn’t chance it.
“Cindy?” Will Comstock called from the kitchen. “Whisky?”
“Fine,” I answered. I almost sang it as I was so pleased at finally finding some Cornwall hospitality.
He handed me a pint jar full of amber liquid. He had even come up with ice cubes. In England ice for drinks is almost a myth.
“Bless you. For this you can call me Cin.”
“Cin, do you mind if the boy and I join you?”
I brushed off a yard of porch next to me. Will and Billy sat down. We hung our legs over the end and drank in silence. I suspected this wasn’t normal behavior when the missus was around, but I knew it was far too late to get into Mrs. Comstock’s good graces. I might as well corrupt the men of the household while I was at it.
The night air smelled of asparagus and fresh turned soil. It was a crisp night, but with the warmth that was being generated by the whisky flowing through my veins I didn’t feel a thing.
“I normally walk up to the door and introduce myself,” I began. “I actually hoped I was heading for Bathgate. I saw your light and headed for it.”
“What light? Billy did you leave the yard light on?”
“No, sir.”
“Maybe it was the moon?” Will volunteered.
“Nope, moon was over my shoulder. Gee, I could have sworn there was a light.”
I heard the sound of wheels crunching in the driveway and a small blue car made its way around to the back of the house.
“That would be Constable Cayne. Be nice to him. He isn’t too smart.”
“Ann Cayne’s husband?”
“Oh, you met Ann?” he asked as he got up to greet the constable.
“On the bus this afternoon. Lord, it feels like a week has gone by.”
“Tilling does that to yah,” Billy snickered as he followed his father.
I waited on the porch. I hope I didn’t need my passport. It was back at Bathgate, and I didn’t know where Bathgate was right now. Constable Cayne walked gingerly towards me. I took another drink and tri
ed to straighten up. It was a wasted effort.
“Ms. Fin-Lathen?”
“Yes, I’m Cindy Fin-Lathen.”
Ann’s husband wasn’t a bit intimidating. He was a small, thin man who I imagined must be more comfortable with sitting behind a desk than being outdoors. He swatted uncomfortably at the night insects that were trying to get comfortable with him. “Can you tell me what went on this evening over at Bathgate?”
“Sure, do you want to write this down?”
The constable patted himself down until he found a pen. A little notebook appeared out of his back pocket. “Go ahead.”
“I met Angie about six this evening. We sat down and talked. She went out to finish some chores and I headed upstairs to unpack. I came back down right after sunset. I couldn’t tell you exactly when because my watch is still on Florida time. Angie wasn’t in the house, so I went looking for her. I found her...are you getting all of this?”
Constable Cayne looked up from his furious scribbling. “Yeah, I am. Learnt this shorthand at business school. Go ahead.”
“I found Angie dangling from her tractor in the field across the road from the house.”
“Did yah call anyone?”
“I didn’t have time, besides I just got here. Who would I call?”
“Good point.”
“I ran out and managed to stop the tractor. I untangled Angie. She was caught up in the metal because of her belt.”
“Hold on a minute. Angie was what?”
“Billy, where did you put the tractor?”
“It’s back there beyond the asparagus.”
“Do you have a flashlight?”
“What?”
“Flashlight, ah, light, ah...” I looked at Billy.
“She means a torch.”
“I have a torch.”
I hopped off the porch, tried not to scream as my muscles woke up and limped in the direction of the tractor. “Come on. Bring your torch, and I will show you.” I heard him run back to the car. Doors opened and slammed for a few minutes before he found his torch. I was already at the tractor by the time he found good batteries and the torch was lit.
He tried to hold the light and write. This was almost too much for me. I didn’t want to laugh at him. Besides, Will told me to be kind. “Here give it to me.” I kicked the dirt until I had a nice base in which to place the torch so it would illuminate the tractor and tiller. “Angie was upside down being held up here,” I pointed to the side fender of the tractor, “by her belt. I got her loose and put her over my shoulder and climbed back on the tractor and drove it here for help.”
“Wow. Over your shoulder,” he said awestruck.
“Yes, she wasn’t that heavy.”
“Still...how did you know you could find help here?”
“I didn’t. I just aimed the tractor towards a light and prayed I was right.”
“When did you know Miss Bathgate had been shot?”
“Not until Mrs. Comstock examined her.”
“Do you know who would try to hurt Miss Bathgate?”
“No, I just got here. I understand she was attacked before.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Do you have any idea who attacked her before?” I asked.
“Nah...no...not presently.”
“Do you know what I think?” I said softly.
“What?”
“That the fire, the previous attack and tonight’s attempted murder were done by the same person.”
“I...I can see that. The Chief Superintendent will want to talk to you but not tonight. He’s at his granddaughter’s recital.”
“I’ll be at Bathgate.”
“Hey, did you meet that lady that Ann rode the bus with?”
“Lady?”
“She bought Ann and Marjorie tea. Rich lady. Maybe she had something to do with Angie. I think she said her name was sin...S I N.”
“Constable Cayne, I’m Cindy Fin-Lathen, Cin, C I N for short.”
“Yeah?” Blank brown eyes looked at me.
“I’m the same lady that was on the bus.”
“Oh, I see. You was in disguise.” He was awestruck again.
I caught the laugh and swallowed it. “Can’t fool you can I.”
“Nah, been a constable for nearly five years now.” He pushed at the dirt. “What was we talking about?”
“I was telling you that you could reach me at Bathgate.”
“Yes, I will be by tomorrow to drive you in. I’ll call first.” He started to leave and tripped over something in the dark. I didn’t say anything. I just reached down, picked up the torch and handed it to him.
I walked back to the porch and found my whisky glass had been refilled. I sat down and took a deep drink. Will waited until Constable Cayne left before coming out.
“Dorothy called. Said Angie woke up at the hospital.”
“That is wonderful!” I raised my glass, Will clinked it.
“There’s more.”
“Quit teasing me and tell me.” Yes, I had too much to drink and it was showing. One shouldn’t flirt with a Cornishman.
“Angie has a broken arm. And she has a headache, but that is all the damage the bullet did. They want to keep her overnight. Angie’s fit to be tied. She is real concerned that your daughter and her friend are coming and the house isn’t ready. Women.”
“The house is fine. I’m concerned for her safety though. Tell me, can you reach this Chief Superintendent?”
“Not till after the recital.”
“Well after the recital, tell him I need to talk to him.”
“You weren’t much impressed with Cayne, huh?”
“He’s a nice person but...”
“I am in complete agreement.” He took another drink. ”Don’t worry, the Chief Superintendent will impress you. Are you going to drive the tractor home? Billy took the car to pick up Dorothy.”
“No. Just point me in the right direction and I can walk.” Now that was the whisky talking.
Will pointed. “Just head straight up the hill, keeping this house to your back. When you get to the top, look for the three bluish lights. That’s Bathgate.”
“Sounds easy.” That was the whisky thinking.
Will being a gentleman and all walked me as far as the tractor. He offered me a torch. I said I couldn’t hold my drink and a torch, so I left the torch with him. I was halfway up the hill before I considered Angie’s assailant might still be out there. I took another deep drink and it didn’t bother me anymore. When I got to the top of the hill I scanned the valley. Three bluish lights were down the hill and to the right of me. Halfway down I pondered whether the tan man was waiting for me at the house. It was a big house. I wonder why it didn’t have a dog. A farm with no dog? Sad. I finished off the whisky and tripped over something in the field. I looked down to find my missing shoe. It was ruined. Justice had been done. As I had tilled under the asparagus so fate had me till under my shoe. I picked it up and stuck it in my back pocket. I’d give it to a dog, but there wasn’t one.
It took me three passes to find the steps over the hedgerow. I was so pleased with my balance on the way up that I just plain lost it on my way down. I heard the pint jar hit the ground but it didn’t break. I fumbled around until I found it and walked up the road to the house.
I approached the house with caution. Did you ever try to be quiet when you just drank a pint of whisky? On top of that the only meal I had that day was those tiny teacakes and finger sandwiches at the hotel. Plus the Scotch, plus all the booze on the plane. I think I need to cut back a bit. “Ouch!”
I slammed into a tree. “Shhhhh,” I told the tree.
I tried the front door. “Stupid. No one used the front door.” I walked around and hesitated a millisecond before walking in. “Hey, if you are here to kill me,” I announced, “do it quick cuz, I hate sus...sus...oh hell.” I waited in the kitchen and no one came to kill me. I shut the door and turned the lock. “Hey, if you are here to kill me, you ha
ve to wait till after I use the little girl’s room. Hey, do you know where the bloody bathroom is?” Nothing. “How rude.” I proceeded to open up anything that remotely resembled a door, looking for the bathroom. Under the stairs I was rewarded. “Hey, I’m under the stairs in the bathroom. You will just have to wait to kill me.” I called and shut the door.
I dreamt I was on the airplane and had to go to the bathroom. I opened up the door and there was Father Michael using it for a confessional. I was so mad. Pee dreams are dangerous. Because if you pee in the dream, odds are you’ll wet yourself. I woke up. I was sitting in complete darkness in a room where I could feel three of the walls from where I was sitting. Sitting? Yes, I was sitting down with my pants around my ankles? Now I remembered I was in the bathroom. I fumbled for a light switch and confirmed it. I finally got to pee. It was wonderful.
I left the bathroom and walked into the kitchen. Why were all the pantry doors open? Oh yeah, that must have been me. My mouth was all fuzzy and my head. “Crāpulae gravēdinibus labōrō.” I closed the pantry doors. “What a bad guest.” My stomach growled. I rummaged around in the refrigerator and came up with some ham. The breadbox donated bread to the cause, and I had a wonderful sandwich. I drank two glasses of water. I risked having another pee dream, but I was already dehydrated.
I turned off the light and walked up the stairs. Funny, the darkness didn’t bother me but my achy body did. I found my room and another bathroom. I opened up the mirrored cabinet and found Paracetamol with codeine, over-the-counter Paracetamol with codeine. “I love the British,” I said and popped two, no, three in my mouth. I remember taking a shower, walking naked down the hall to my room. I don’t remember anything else but the music. It seemed to come from the very walls. I fell asleep.
Chapter Five
I dreamt I was floating on a black sea. My hair spread out in the water and surrounded my body like an aura. I assumed I was clothed because I wasn’t trying to cover anything up. A thought filled my head, “As long as I look to the heavens I will be safe. If I close my eyes I will sink.” The light left and the stars came out. A larger light burned across the night sky which I tracked with my eyes. “Lux in tenebris,” I heard myself say, light in the midst of darkness. A roar was building in the distance, and I felt the water surrounding me being pulled towards a great wave that was building. Things are going from bad to worse, “Rēs male inclīnant.”