by Edward Es
“This was to be expected. An Internet site was anonymously set up: www.melodybaxter.com. It already received forty-six thousand hits in less than a day from all over the world. There’s a letter directory with thousands of prayer letters they’re undoubtedly forwarding to Wilson. I think he’s in for more than he imagined.”
Jonathan smiles. “Jack can handle it. He’s worth more than most third-world countries.”
“My Lord. The Superhighway. Little Melody’s on it, and she doesn’t even know,” Dr. Cole says.
“Do you want to see more, Mr. President?”
“No, I think I get the picture. Let’s just hope she doesn’t decide to run for President. Then again, maybe we’d all be better off.” Laughter escapes from his guests, followed by eyes darting away.
Noelle’s car pulls in front of the Noah House and she gets out with the dress bag and a bouquet of flowers. The weather is moving in again and wind gusts around her, buffeting her hair and clothes as it rotates dead leaves in vortices on the ground. She stops a moment to stare at the statue of Noah.
Inside the Starbridge, Melody sits quietly reading a book propped on a music stand when Noelle enters. She lights up. “Hi, Miss Crane. Did you get it?”
“Yes, I surely did, right here.”
“Oh my gosh! You did?” Noelle pulls the dress out of the bag and delicately extends it out. Melody touches the material as if it were made of spun gold. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life. Thank you so much.”
“You can thank Mrs. Barry. It’s a gift from her.”
“Mrs. Barry. She’s always been so kind to me. She promised she’d save it, but I didn’t think she would actually give it to me. What a big present to give somebody.”
One would think she’d been given the royal gown of a princess instead of a simple, inexpensive cotton dress made for a pittance by Native Americans on a reservation. To Melody, this is indeed a royal gown, and once again Noelle is convicted of her own perceptions, centering in the depth of that conviction.
“You’re right. And how beautiful it will look on you. Oh, and I brought you these.” Noelle produces the bouquet, withered and drooping, composed of tiny wildflowers gathered around a few miniature sunflowers, all surrounding one tired red rose. “They’re not doing too well, but it’s all the market had this late. I hope you like them.”
This time Melody is overcome and speaks in a trembling voice. “Oh, Miss Crane.” She reaches for the flowers. “They’re beautiful. No one’s ever brought me flowers. You’d think it was my birthday.”
“We’ll just call it your... unbirthday.”
“Like Alice! It’s my very merry unbirthday! Maybe I’ll get to go through the looking glass and come out in Wonderland!”
“If anyone deserves to be in Wonderland, sweetie, it’s you. Would you like to try the dress on? I can help you.”
Melody ponders. “I don’t think so. I’m not quite ready yet. Maybe tomorrow.”
“Whatever you want, angel. I’ve got a dinner date. Would you like to come with me?”
“No, thank you. I had some Spaghettio’s already. Roberta made them. They’re my favorite. Next to the cinnamon toast, I mean. But you have fun. Will you come see me tomorrow?”
“Of course I will. I’m thinking of going to that nice little church tomorrow morning, but then I’ll come over.”
Melody moves her wheelchair toward the window. “Maybe I’ll see you at church. I go sometimes, if I feel good enough. Right now I don’t feel very good. Mommy told me she’d see me there. So I think I’ll probably try.”
Noelle looks down in fear. “That would be nice. Goodbye then, Melody. I love you very much.” She takes Melody’s hand and kisses it.
“Thank you so much for everything.”
Noelle walks out, once more having to bolster herself. This foreboding wellspring of choking emotion that began when she met Melody has come to the point that the slightest encounter engages her heart in a battle between weeping and unexplainable joy. She walks out of the House and stops again in front of the statue, looking up at it and the boiling sky behind Noah’s outstretched hand. Another wave crashes over her as she suddenly senses his presence where she hadn’t before. She looks down, and her emotions manifest in an eddy of swirling leaves. A short outburst of tears cleanses her as it passes through.
Looking westward from Watchman plateau, the few scattered lights of Springdale reflect off a low overcast that filled the canyon halfway up the cliffs. Lightning radiates in random spots, faint explosions from above, glowing through the clouds. Thunder echoes off the canyon walls, but rain is still not there.
Noelle and Sid approach the door to 211, laughing at something said during dinner. They stop at her door and a sweet quiet fills the moment. Noelle takes his hand. “Dinner was very nice, thank you. I needed that. It’s been a long time since I was out with anybody.”
Sid lifts her chin with his other hand. “You know, if a girl thanked you after the first date in high school, that was the kiss of death.”
Noelle leans up, kisses him softly on the lips, and ends the kiss with a stroke of his cheek, looking him in the eyes. “Was that the kiss of death?”
“More like the breath of life,” Sid says, light-headed from her touch. He kisses her back and they melt away, then return as their lips part in warm billows of breath. “Want to call it a night?” he asks, hoping not.
“I don’t know. Not really. I kind of get room fever here after it’s dark. It’s strange, I sit in the room and look out the window, and it’s just black. But I feel this enormous, majestic canyon towering outside, as if I can feel the shadows of those huge walls weighing down on me. Sound a little looney?”
“I know exactly what you mean. Last night I woke up at three in the morning and sat straight up in bed. I don’t know what woke me, but I had this urge to step outside, so I did. I just stared at these giants all around and suddenly I could breath easier. I swear, I almost heard them whispering.”
“The Paiutes who lived here believed everything had life. Rocks, mountains, everything. Legend has it each of these great mountains was once a brave warrior in heaven that their God Tobats placed here when he made the Earth. They called the Earth Tu-weap.”
“How do you know all this stuff?”
“I was just reading about it. Melody gave me a book.”
Sid hesitates. “Listen, want to go on a little... adventure?”
Noelle makes a half-scared, half-smiling face. “Adventure? I don’t know, Agent Knowles.”
“Come on. You’re an investigative reporter. I’m an investigating officer. Let’s do some—”
“Let me guess. Investigating?”
He pulls her by the arm. At first she’s barely moveable, then tilts and allows herself to be dragged off.
Watchman trail is black-dark but for the flickering ray of a police grade Maglight from behind a bend, becoming a hand-held light shaft as it turns the corner. Noelle fusses, pointing her own Barbie flashlight, a pencil-beam compared to his. “Now this is looney. I’m not so sure—”
“Shhh! Shush now, Miss Crane. You’ll wake up the rocks.” She glowers at him, pushing him forward.
They negotiate a steep little switchback and come upon a flat stretch of trail that passes under an outcrop of deep red rock, cracked in large, checkered patterns. It forms a natural shelter, imposing in its stillness. Sid moves his flashlight up the rock face, inspecting the fissures. “Moenkapi formation.”
“What?” Noelle asks, surprised.
“I bought this great book today. It’s called Sculpting Zion. If you look across the canyon during the day, you’ll see this layer. It sticks out, different from what’s above and below. It’s dark red and has this pattern. Look.”
She contemplates his observation, following the beam of his light, then looks at him. “Well, I’m pleasantly
surprised.”
“If I remember right, it’s about two hundred fifty million years old. Used to be mud at the bottom of some sea.” He stops to look back at her and aims the light in her face, his heart blinded by the flash of green from her eyes. “Surprised? Why?”
“I mean, surprised in a good way. I didn’t think you were into… appreciated this kind of thing. This is coming out all wrong.”
“I’m listening.”
She scratches her nose. “It’s just that, I’ve been trying to figure you out. In the time we’ve spent together, I’m seeing a side of you that doesn’t fit the… It’s just you and that Meyerkamp. The two of you seem like—”
Sid touches her lips. “Let me take it from here. Seem like… Laurel and Hardy?” She spits out a laugh through his fingers, which he wipes on his coat.
“I’m sorry. I’m embarrassed,” she says, trying not to laugh.
“Mutt and Jeff?” Laugh turns to giggle. “Dumb and Dumber?”
This time she snort-laughs. “What the heck was that?” he says, imitating her snort.
Noelle belts him on the arm. “Stop it!” She fumbles her flashlight and traps it with her arm, causing it to shine straight up her chin, making the campfire monster-face.
“Oh!” Sid exclaims.
“What?”
“It’s the campfire monster-face. You’re really scary. Yikes.”
Noelle crinkles her forehead at him, still shining the light up. “Campfire monster-face? What are you talking about?”
“Come on. Are you trying to tell me you didn’t do that on camp outs?”
“I never camped out. I grew up in Nebraska. Where do you camp out in Nebraska? Let me see... the flat place?”
“Well, what about sleepovers? You know, the fuzzy slipper, up-all-night, hair-in-curlers, giggle fests with your girlfriends? No sleepover monster-faces?”
“Who are you, and what have you done with Sid?”
Sid stares at her. “Here, watch.” He shines his light up his chin and makes a ridiculous face, more like he’s about to throw up than any monster.
Noelle stares, blinks a few times, then comes out with a halfhearted, “Aaaaa.”
“Pretty scary, huh?”
“No, not really. Unless you call seeing your nose hairs scary. I guess that’s pretty scary.” This time he belts her arm. “HEY!” she protests with a startled laugh, rubbing her arm. “Are you just a little psycho?” She walks under the overhang and sits on the ground with her back up against the rock wall. “Sit down here before we start throwing punches.”
He complies, snuggling up next to her, to her pleasant surprise though she’s trying not to show it. Noelle reaches in her purse and pulls out a small candle in a glass holder and lights it with a match from the restaurant. Sid’s eyes get big. “That’s the candle from the restaurant table,” he accuses.
She looks at him, leaning slightly away, shrinking. “I’m going to bring it back. I swear! I just wanted it for tonight. I love candles and the one I bought broke.” He looks at her with a one-eyed squint. “It’s not stealing if you’re going to bring it back. Is it?”
“Larceny. It’s a misdemeanor. The wrongful trespass of another’s property without consent. It doesn’t matter if you intend to bring it back. You’ve committed a crime, Miss Crane.” He rubs his chin. “Won’t that look great? ‘ABN anchor-princess jailed for heist at local restaurant. News at eleven.’”
Noelle looks at him like he’s lost his mind, or she’s losing hers. Same look either way. “Well, gee. Are you going to arrest me then?” He reaches behind his back and produces his handcuffs. She looks at them, then back at his impish grin. “You’re going to handcuff me?”
“Why? You like being handcuffed?” This time she really hauls off and thumps his arm. “OK, OK. Truce. I might actually need this arm tomorrow. Good grief. You’ve got quite a right hook there, Missy,” Sid complains, rubbing.
They sit quietly for a moment, watching the flickering candlelight dance off their rock shelter. Noelle asks softly, “So, really now. What got you paired up with Meyerkamp? Why are you still out here? Why are you a cop?”
“Agent. Please.”
“Sorry, Agent… Laurel.”
Sid smiles, but gets a little serious. “Actually, I’d been behind a desk too many years. Right out of the academy, I got recruited into forensics, mainly because I got a Ph.D. in microbiology. DNA research was my specialty in grad school.”
Noelle is truly amazed. “Are you serious? A Ph.D.? I’m impressed. I’m… Wow.”
“Oh, don’t be too impressed. Ph.D. stands for ‘piled higher and deeper.’ I know a lot about every cell in your body, but I spent too much book-time, missed out on a lot. I don’t know much about people. It was time to get out in the world, be a real… ‘cop’.
“Agent.”
“Right. So, Meyerkamp needed a partner. He goes through them pretty fast.”
“I can imagine.”
“He’d rather work alone, but they force people on him. Try to keep him… tamed a little. So, I volunteered. Bud’s actually a pretty good guy when he lets his guard down, which is almost never. He’s been through a lot, and he’s got a good heart in there. Reminds me of Dad some. Anyway, I heard he was working on something out here and I wanted to see this place. It’s hard to explain. I knew I had to come here. I didn’t even know why. Now I understand why.”
“Why?” Noelle asks, really looking at him.
He scratches at the dirt with the handcuffs. “I lost my dad last year. He went into congestive heart failure and I realized how much I’d taken him for granted. We never got along very well, all the typical things between an overbearing father and a perfect son,” Sid says, shaking his head. “But we had time to start all over again, at least for a few weeks.”
“I’m so sorry, Sid,” she says, taking his hand. “My brother had the same thing going with my father. Daddy passed away before Jimmy, my brother, made it back from overseas. I never saw Jimmy cry until then. Always the tough guy. He still hasn’t gotten over it, the regret, what he wanted to say. People wait until it’s too late. Nobody comes and knocks on the door and says, ‘Hey, it was all just an act. It didn’t really happen. Now you get to do it right.’”
“No kidding. I got lucky. My dad and I became friends. He’s the one who told me about this place. He always loved it here and I never listened to him. Now, I do. I feel like he’s here with me, and I decided life’s too short to sit behind a desk. So, here I am. Sitting with a sexy criminal under a rock. Isn’t life great?”
“And here I was really getting to like you. Now I’m not so sure.”
“Hmm,” Sid contemplates. He shines the flashlight back up his nose. “She likes me...” He feigns pulling a hair out of his nose, flinch and all. “She likes me not.” Noelle looks at him in utter astonishment. He pretends to pull another. “Ow! She likes me.”
“Yuk! Stop that!” she demands, laughing against her will. He does it again, to accompaniment of another blow to the arm. “Dork!”
He looks at her like she’s the psycho. “Brat!”
She gets an oh-yeah? look on her face, glancing sideways. “Creep.”
“Goof.”
“Butthead.”
“Supergoof.”
“Peabrain.”
“Nobrain.”
She barely falters. “…Pizzaface.”
He looks truly insulted. “Skank.”
“Skank?” she horrifies.
Sid rethinks. “Sorry. Withdraw skank. Replace with… perfect angel,” he says, really meaning it.
She smiles.
They finally reach the top and walk onto level ground of the plateau. “Look at this view,” he says, pointing to the widening canyon and the lights of Springdale below. The clouds have parted in places and the moon’s glow feathers them. Where th
e night sky is visible, stars shine brilliantly in patches.
“That’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen,” Noelle says as a burst of wind nearly pushes her over.
“Dad used to do this to us when we were driving at night. It scared the daylights out of us, pardon the pun.”
“More flashlight games?”
“Watch.” He holds the flashlight out in front of them like a headlight, then turns it off. Darkness falls from the sky and Noelle shrinks into his arms.
“Now that’s scary. In an awesome way.” Sid turns her toward him and they drift into a passionate kiss. Still in the kiss, Noelle opens her eyes to half-mast and notices a faint glow from behind a knoll on the trail ahead. It takes a moment to sink in, especially since her mind, and lips, are elsewhere. When it does, half-mast goes to full wide-eyed stare. She pushes off the kiss, leaving Sid in tranced confusion.
“Sid?”
“What? What is it?”
“Over there. What is that? That light.”
He’s forced back to the world, unwillingly. “Light? What light?”
Noelle grabs his shoulders and turns him around, pointing. “That. Over there.”
He scans, then sees what she’s talking about. “You’re right. It looks like a campfire. Let’s go check it out.”
As he starts to walk, she grabs him. “Sid! What are you doing? I don’t think we should go over there. We don’t know who it is.”
He looks at her with a pout, tapping his side under his jacket. “Did you forget? You were just necking with an Officer of the United States, and he’s packing. Now, come on.” Once again he drags her along, giving her the shhh sign.
They walk half hunched-over to a boulder that sits on top of the knoll, around which the trail continues toward the sight of the glow. They approach the boulder and flatten up against it, Sid sliding to the edge. What appears to him when he pokes his head around is indeed a campfire, bordering on a bonfire. The most striking figure is Tall Tree standing across the flames, wearing only deerskin pants and war paint. He stands with his arms folded, staring up at the sky. Four others sit around the fire with their legs crossed and blankets around their shoulders. Sid strains to see who they are, finally recognizing Matt, and then Sam. He turns to Noelle.