by Alexie Aaron
“Feeding New Roses” also had amendments to the text.
Richard passed away a few days ago. Heart attack the doctor said. I requested the undertaker not to embalm him. He lay in the coffin for the service in the living room. After I sent everyone but my dear Robert away, we took Richard’s body down to the pit where Robert had put the new wood chipper. We fed the Roses with blood, sinew and bone. Now Richard can lie with his whores for an eternity. We put several bags of fertilizer in his coffin that will be entombed in the mausoleum. Seems ironic.
Alan and Audrey looked at each other.
“I think I could use a drink before we continue,” Alan said.
“I think there is still some brandy in the pantry. Would you like some of that?” she offered.
“Yes, please. While you’re gone, I’ll look out the window and pretend this isn’t real.”
“You do that, Alan,” Audrey said and walked quickly out the door. She looked up and down the hall and wasn’t disappointed she didn’t see the maids. They no longer reminded her of the genteel life but of servitude and being preyed upon by unscrupulous males.
She was deep in thought as she passed Burt. He whistled to get her attention.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Burt, did you need me?” she asked.
“I just asked how things were going up there, with the book I mean?”
“We are getting some answers. Mary was a horrible demented woman.”
“I got that from her performance in the basement. Believe it or not, I’ve met worse,” he said, his eyes twinkling.
“I want to hear all about that. Once this horror is over, would you like to have dinner or something?”
“Yes, yes, I would.”
“Great, then it’s a date,” Audrey said before continuing on into the kitchen.
CRACK!
Burt jumped. “Stephen Murphy, you scared the crap out of me.”
There was a light scratching of blade on wood.
“Yes, you may be right. Would it be such a bad thing?” he asked but didn’t need an answer.
Audrey breezed by with two glasses and a freshly opened bottle of brandy. “Medicinal, I assure you,” she said as she went by.
CRACK!
“Mia, be advised, Murphy is in the building, over.”
Mia touched her com and said, “That’s because Father Santos is outside.”
“Still dodging the great reward? over.”
“I think of it as he isn’t ready for retirement,” Mia said and added, “Over.”
Mia sat with her legs propped up against the bars of the subbasement. Richard if he chose to come this way would not get past her. She took off her gloves and looked at her nails. It was amazing, but they still held the color the manicurist put on at the spa. Mia wrinkled her face as she tried to remember how long ago it was.
“Miss,” a timid voice broke into her thoughts.
“Yes, sorry, I was daydreaming. Can I help you?”
“Dr. Nam would like you to look at this scrap of cloth. We found it on…”
Mia looked at the scrap of faded paisley and said, “You found it on Elly. Tell Dr. Nam he has found Elly Bonner. We need DNA done to make sure, but this one will be buried in the family mausoleum.”
“Thank you, Miss,” the tech said and left her to her thoughts.
“You don’t have your gun, bitch,” Richard said from beyond the bars.
“Nope, but I have this.” Mia pulled a string and a bucket full of sidewalk salt fell on Richard’s head. She looked at her watch. “Two hours, without Mary’s power it takes two hours.”
“Burt, come in, over.”
“At your service, over.”
“Put in the log, Richard recharges in two hours, over.”
“I take it the bucket thing worked, over.”
“Like a dream. But the guy is smart; he won’t fall for it again, over.”
“I’ll pool the pranksters for more ideas, over.”
“I’d appreciate it. Speaking of pranksters, have you seen Ted around? over.”
“Said he had an errand to run. Perhaps ammo for your shotgun, over,” Burt suggested.
“I do need it. Richard is getting on my nerves, over.”
Burt smiled as he gazed upon the box of rock salt cartridges Ted brought in from the command truck before he left. Only he and Murphy knew where he had gone. The problem was keeping the information away from Mia.
~
Ted stood there in Bernard’s office, waiting for Ralph to arrive from the theater where he was working on a new set decoration. Sweat poured from Ted’s palms, and he had to result to jamming his hands in his back pockets to dry them. Bernard looked over at the nervous young man and smiled. He had a feeling why he was there. Bernard, however, was very curious about the black PEEPs sack Ted had brought in with him.
Ralph breezed in and apologized, “The traffic was horrendous. Now what’s this all about?”
“Sirs, Mia considers both of you her god… Well her fathers actually. I’ve come to ask your permission to ask her to marry me. Father Santos approves of the match. He suggested I give you these to show you my intentions are true.” He handed Ralph the bag, and he opened it at Bernard’s desk. He pulled from it two mechanical camels, he had made himself, and a receipt for six cases of wine to be delivered to their residence.
“Oh my,” Ralph’s eyes teared up. He fanned himself to regain control.
Bernard addressed Ted, “Could we have a moment alone?”
Ted nodded and fled the office.
Bernard’s executive secretary Mary smiled at Ted. “Don’t worry. Ralph’s got to have a little cry.”
“How do you know what’s going on?”
Mary pointed to the intercom which her headset was plugged into and said, “If I don’t listen, how am I going to know what’s going on?”
Ted took this as a good omen.
“I’ll send him back in,” she said, listening to the intercom, and nodded for him to return to the inner office.
Ted walked in, wishing he had dried his hands when he had the opportunity.
“Ralph and I discussed it, and we accept your gifts on the condition that she accepts your proposal. As a dowry we are prepared to offer you season Bears tickets and two roundtrip first class plane fares to the Comic Con of your choice.”
Ted started crying which broke Ralph’s reserve, and he started crying too. Mary burst in with four tiny champagne bottles from the café downstairs. She opened them with the aplomb of a wine steward, and they drank a toast to Mia and Ted.
Bernard cleared his voice and unbuttoned his Brooks Brothers shirt to reveal a t-shirt which read, “Team Ted.”
~
Mike worked elbow to elbow with Father Santos. They pulled plants and dug away layers of topsoil. Once they had hit bone or uncovered what could be part of a grave, they stepped aside and let Dr. Nam’s professional forensic people take over.
“It’s so sad, all this waste of human life,” Mike commented leaning on his shovel.
“Lives not fully realized are hard to come to grips with, even for me,” Father Santos said sadly. “I know the ones that have already have passed are in His arms, but the lost ones, they sadden me. Mary and Terrance asked some hard questions of me that I wasn’t able to answer at the time. I’ve kind of been a rebel in my chosen profession. I believe that God is the creator and Man is the destroyer. But in my years, I have been painfully aware of an evil that influences our kind to do horrific things.”
“But at least you are on the front lines…”
“No, Mike, I’m not. I’m like the women of old, after the battle. I pick up the pieces of those already passed. It’s the teachers, social workers and men of the cloth that really fight the battle.”
“I meant you are on the front lines of fighting evil that festers with the dead,” Mike clarified.
“I’ve never thought of it that way. I think Mia put it into perspective when she said, ‘I’m pointed in this direction, I may
as well continue.’ God has pointed me in the direction of the lost, and I will continue to do his work.” Santos looked at Ted’s map and paced off until he found the next grave. Mia and Cid had marked it with a day-glo orange skull. The ground was opened a crack. “What’s this?”
“Spinner Spazinski,” Mike replied. “While we dig, let me tell you how Mia saved my life and ended up underground, trapped inside of this guy. Murphy liberated her with his axe. I expect to find a split ribcage.”
“Murphy’s here?” the father asked looking around.
“Oh, don’t bother looking. He’s maintaining quite a blessed distance from you, Father.”
Santos chuckled. “Stubborn farmer.”
Chapter Forty-one
Ted staggered through the door carrying ten deep dish pizzas. “Not only are these babies hot but heavy.” He set them down on the counter and walked back to the truck for the cases of bottled water and assorted soda pop.
Burt watched with amusement and notified Mike to tell Dr. Nam and his crew that pizza was being served in the kitchen, courtesy of Ted Martin.
Ted set the last bag down and began to place paper plates and plastic ware out. He served up two plates and put a few cans of soda in his hoodie pocket before he headed down to Mia.
He passed a few hungry techs on their way to the kitchen. By the time he reached Mia, there was a steady stream of them coming in from the garden. “Those are the largest ants I’ve ever seen,” he remarked, handing her a plate of her favorite pizza.
“Very industrious, don’t complain. Obviously not PEEPs material,” she said, rising up to kiss Ted on the lips before sitting back down to enjoy her meal.
“First desert then lunch, I approve,” he said as he sat down beside her. “Not sure I like the ambiance of this restaurant.”
Mia looked at the rusty bars and stone walls and shrugged. “Could be worse. The wine steward could show up and disturb our conversation.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” Ted got up and dug into his pocket and produced the case of cartridges Burt jammed in his back pocket as he walked by him.
“You think of everything.” Mia set her plate down, quickly loaded the shotgun and got back to eating. “I can’t wait until Santos starts on the pit so I can get off guard duty.”
“You’ve been here all this time?”
“Yes. People have stopped by from time to time to show me scraps of cloth and skulls. You’re the first to think of bringing me food. This is why I love you.”
Ted smiled and opened his Dr. Pepper. “I’m glad you do, I love you too.”
“Ah get a room. Fact is, there are several upstairs,” Mike commented as he walked over. He was carrying a large slice of pepperoni pizza. Ted offered the tired man a seat, but he declined. “If I sit now, I’ll never get up.”
“How are they progressing?” Mia asked.
“Almost finished with the garden. They are having a bit of a trial getting Gerome Humphries free of the yews. Once this is done then we split up. Half come down to the other garden and half go to Terrance’s grave.”
“Let me guess, you’re headed for Two Tall Terry and the gold coins,” Mia teased.
“Yes, indeed, and I’m bringing Burt along with the big camcorder. Do you think one of you could ask Murphy to hang around just in case Terry gets upset?”
“He won’t come if Santos is there,” Mia warned.
“Santos will be with poor Richard and his bevy of beauties,” Mike informed them.
“I’ll talk to him. I saw him walking through the wall of the living room on my way in,” Ted said. He looked at his watch and frowned. “Time for me to spell Burt and get back to work.”
“B U R T,” Mia said, sounding out each letter with a schoolmarm’s bearing.
“Cute, kid, cute,” Ted said as he got up. He leaned over and kissed Mia before walking away.
Mike watched him leave. “He’s a good guy, Cooper, don’t ruin him.”
“I’ll try not to, but I am a bad influence.”
“That you are. Do you need to run to the john or anything?”
Mia looked at her watch and frowned. “I better hang here a few minutes, shoot the fucker, and then we will have another two hours of peace.”
“I’m getting the idea you’re enjoying torturing him.”
“I don’t like him. I don’t like what he did. The thought that Father Santos is going to offer him a free pass nauseates me. But I am a team member, and Burt says I have to accept the things I cannot control. However, I can fill that monster full of rock salt at every opportunity. Murphy says it burns like fire.”
“Let me guess one shot to the chest and…”
“One to the jewels,” Mia filled in. She gave Mike a wicked smile that made him laugh.
~
“Be advised, campers, if you want to participate in grave robbing 101, it will be taking place at the foundations of the hog barn in ten minutes,” Ted’s voice announced to the PEEPs wearing ear coms.
Audrey repeated the information to Alan who was happy to get away from the barrage of atrocities penned neatly between gardening tips by Mary Bonner.
“We are almost to the end of Mary’s reign. Aren’t you curious about what faux Eleanor has to say?”
“Yes, but the idea of buried treasure trumps a mad old woman and her hots for an axe-wielding boy,” Alan cleverly pointed out.
Audrey nodded and followed him out of the library. Alan stopped and mentioned, “The banshee hasn’t made an appearance.”
“I think they found her grave. She’s headed for the family mausoleum. I understand Father Santos blessed her body. That may keep her happy until she is entombed with her family.”
“Then that’s three down, two to go, I hope.”
“Actually there is the whirlwind…”
“Outdoor ghosts don’t count, Audrey, really,” he said in a snobbish way.
She laughed. They had come to the bottom of the stairs, and she was surprised to find Burt gone and Ted manning the console again. He was talking and raised his hand to have them stop. “Sorry about that. I have a present for you from PEEPs. He produced two black hoodies with the PEEPs logo emblazoned on the back. Audrey giggled as she saw Alan pull it over his head. The marshmallow chicks chasing the video game style ghosts looked incongruous with Alan’s four-hundred-dollar suit pants and Italian shoes.
“Dude, what size shoes are those?”
“Eleven. Why?”
“You’re in luck. Mike had an extra pair of boots in the command truck. He’s an eleven and a half. I wouldn’t advise heading out there in those shiny numbers.”
“You’re right.” He accepted the boots and sat down next to Ted to put them on. Audrey pulled on her hoodie and fluffed her long red curls. “Ted,” she said, handing him her iPhone. “Take a picture of me. I want to send it to my dad.”
Ted liked her enthusiasm. He took a few shots and handed the camera back. He asked Alan if he wanted a few photos.
“Nah, I think I’ll pass.”
“How about putting an ear com in, dude?” Ted asked. You’re unwired and out of the loop otherwise.”
Alan put the com in.
“I can’t get Father Santos to wear one. I suspect he already has a vanity hearing aid in one ear. He however has a micro walkie-talkie pinned to his jacket.” He motioned for them to come nearer. “This is what I caught just moments ago.”
They listened as they heard Mia’s string of colorful euphemisms followed by two shots of rock salt.
“Mia Cooper! You’re language is appalling! If I were your father, I’d wash your mouth out with soap. Your parents did you no favors condoning that kind of linguistic tribute.”
“That’s a new one. Linguistic tribute,” Alan mused.
“Mia’s linguistic tributes tend to shock the ghosts and give her an edge,” Ted said proudly. “I’m a bad influence because I think it’s cute, but it is.”
“It’s only language. My dad’s cop friends, now that’s a group t
hat is used to their own kind of linguistic tributes.”
“They pick it up on the streets,” Alan said, “probably from some of my more earthy clients.”
The two continued to discuss cussing as they headed out the door and over to the hog barn.
Mia walked in and sat next to Ted. She set her loaded shotgun down on the ground and her head on the table, explaining, “I’m in time out.”
“I heard. I thought you were going to use your company language?” Ted asked.
“I was, but I didn’t know he was standing there when Richard appeared and made a comment about me being a dried up old spinster with cobwebs in my… Well you get the idea.”
“I support your right to use linguistic tributes anytime you want,” Ted said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Mia didn’t say anything.
Ted put his face near hers and saw that her eyes were closed. He checked her heart rate on the computer. She was just sleeping. He got up and pulled his blankey out of his duffle and put it around her shoulders.
~
“Eight women in various stages of decomposition,” Dr. Nam reported to Father Santos. “We also found bone fragments in the dirt covering the area of their graves.”
“This validates other information I’ve received. After we remove the bodies, I think we need to take the topsoil also. How far down do you recommend we dig to retrieve most of the bone fragments?”
“The ground was pretty hard at the time of the dispersal. I think two inches ought to do it.”
“Thank you.” Father Santos walked the line of empty graves after the team had removed the black body bags that the team had labeled The Roses.
He felt a rising of cold from the earth around him. Not gifted with the sight, he had to rely on his other senses. There was a faint odor of cigar smell, and he heard a metallic scratching. Suddenly two doors dropped down from the ceiling. They swung on rusted hinges. It resembled the trapdoors under hanging platforms of the 1800’s.