by Alexie Aaron
“Very commendable.”
“Other contractors toss everything out. I prefer to recycle whenever possible. I used to deal with antique warehouses, but they are predominantly in urban areas.”
Kiki walked into the kitchen. “Now, in this room, all I have left to do is have the floor refinished and bring the new appliances in. The old ones go to a homeless shelter. Hal likes the old-world feel of the kitchen. His nutritionist has been out here and made a few suggestions but is pleased with the space.”
Jesse strode in. “Who are you talking to?”
Kiki pointed to her phone.
“Hello, Jake, old man. What’s new in the world wide web?”
“Lame,” Jake said in Kiki’s ear but voiced through the phone, “The world is not stopping for you to catch up, Scrub.”
“That it isn’t. I’m on supper duty tonight. Sorry, I know all were hoping Saint Cid would cook, but I’ve got a flatbread pizza in mind. So clear the room, Jesse is on duty.”
“I’m on my way out,” Kiki said.
“Rather full of himself. He reminds me of someone,” Jake said in Kiki’s ear.
“Give the guy a break. He has a bitch for a boss,” Kiki said. She turned around and put her hand on the banister.
“Stop!” Jake called. “I see an apparition on the stairs.”
“In that case, we’ll take the east stairs,” Kiki said. “Thanks for the warning.”
“He’s just leaning against the wall.”
“I hear that’s where he hangs out,” Kiki told him.
“I wonder why. Is he stuck there?”
“Not if he is the same asshole that hung himself in front of me in the east sitting room.”
“Interesting,” Jake said and ran several scenarios through his logic software.
~
Cid got up off the floor and stretched. “That’s all I have today. I’m bushed. Come on, Faye, walk me home.”
Faye materialized. “How did you know I was here?”
“You grind your teeth.”
“I do.” Faye nodded. “The coffin looks… like a coffin,” she said, struggling for a compliment.
Cid laughed. “You don’t have to be nice to me.”
“I have manners,” she said, moving through the wall.
Cid stopped and locked the door. “Have you seen Gwen lately?”
“No. I think she’s satisfied with what you three are doing for her. She’s crazy, not stupid-crazy.”
“I think she experienced horrible heartbreak and loss.”
“Yes, something tipped her over the edge. Don’t go down through the center of the house,” Faye warned.
“Why?”
“Grumpy Pants is in one of his moods.”
“Okay,” Cid said and opened up the west stairwell. He held the door open for Faye.
She giggled at the futility of the action. Faye could just drift right through. “Why can’t I get into your rooms?”
“It’s because I laid a line of salt at the threshold and the window sills.”
“Why does salt make a difference?”
“I’m not sure, but for hundreds of years, it has in most cases. Salt will cause a ghost pain. Something you haven’t felt since you were alive I bet.”
“That and hunger,” Faye said.
They walked through the west wing corridor. The aroma of sauce cooking caused Cid to detour to the kitchen where he found Jesse extracting a large rectangular pizza from the oven.
“That smells heavenly,” Cid said.
“Wash your hands.”
Cid wrinkled his face and did as he was told. Faye watched the two for a moment before fading away.
“Call Kiki,” Jesse said as he sliced through the flatbread crust.
Cid picked up his phone and called. “Kiki, supper is served.”
“I’m on my way.”
The men set the kitchen workspace table with paper and plastic. Jesse had stuck some wildflowers in a rinsed beer bottle and lit a few candles. He poured them all a measure of wine.
Kiki walked in wearing clean sweats and tennis shoes. She had her long hair braided and wound in a low bun behind her. She looked comfy.
They ate in silence, each caught up in his or her own thoughts. Appreciative murmurs of gastric delight were heard.
“So what are you guys doing this evening?” Kiki asked.
“I’m going to explore those circular stairs,” Cid announced.
“The ones you have to go through clown-doll hell to get to?” Jesse asked.
“The very same. Wanna come along?”
“That would be a no.”
“I’d like to,” Kiki said. “I hope it leads to passages between walls or hidden treasure.”
Cid laughed. “I have to warn you, there’s going to be spiderwebs.”
“And why is this a problem?” Kiki asked.
“I’m just used to wom… people who aren’t fond of spiders.”
“You were going to say women, weren’t you?” Kiki accused.
“Caught me.”
“I’ll give you a pass since it’s after hours. But I do understand. Mimi freaks when she sees spiders, cockroaches, and she’s not fond of mice either.”
“Ah, the contractor’s pests,” Jesse said. “How many jobs have I been on where one of the trio of pests didn’t cause a problem? None.”
“What are you going to do with yourself?”
“I’m going to listen to a ballgame and wait to rescue you two idiots when you get stuck,” he said calmly.
“It could happen,” Cid admitted. “Did the heating and cooling guys find any passages?” he asked.
“No, why?” Kiki asked.
“They usually are the ones to make use of them when they do find the hidden passageways.”
“It would have been nice. I hated to lose all that space in the east wing,” Kiki confessed.
“They did a nice job,” Cid assured her. “This house has so much extra space, a few feet in the east wing will not be missed.” Cid got up and discarded his garbage. “I’m going to get my gear. Shall I meet you here in fifteen minutes?”
“I’ll be here.”
Cid escorted Kiki down the stairs to the subbasement. He fitted the key into the door and opened the clown-doll room. He flipped on the lights and was patient while Kiki examined the dolls.
“They are so well crafted. I couldn’t appreciate the quality in the cell phone video.”
They walked into the workshop. There too, Kiki stopped and looked around. “I imagine these materials cost a pretty penny. I wonder whose secret passion was making dolls?”
Cid opened up a few drawers. Each drawer spoke of the neatness of the hobbyist but gave no clue to the name of the individual.
“I think it must be because we’re under the east wing that I’m getting the idea that our artist was a woman,” Kiki said. “I’m going to take one of the dolls upstairs and see if Jake can search Ebay for similar creations.”
“Ebay?” Cid questioned.
“You would be surprised, the antiques that show up there,” Kiki said. “I found a sideboard to finish off a set of furniture my grandfather brought over from China. A woman was selling it in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Her husband’s father was a diplomat and purchased it for his wife as an anniversary present.”
“I admit to being a snob. Because when I hear Ebay, I think Elvis.”
Kiki smiled. “Well, I finally taught you something. I don’t know the value, but I’ll be satisfied with it. And there is nothing wrong with Elvis or those who love him.”
Cid looked at her oddly.
Kiki dusted off her hands. “You do know a tremendous amount of things, Clark.”
“I’m a voracious reader, Boss.”
“I’m not your boss now. It’s after hours. Call me Kiki.”
“Then call me Cid.”
“Cid,” Kiki said his name as if it took great effort.
“Gee, Clark sounds better now. Why do you call us these r
idiculous names?” he asked.
“Promise this goes no further?”
“No further than a subterranean clown-doll workshop. I promise.”
Kiki laughed. “Okay. I’m pretty young to be a contractor on a project this big, and I’m in charge of a mostly male workforce. If I start thinking of your guys as, well, guys, available, attractive, touchable men, then I’m doomed. This way, you’re Clark, Jesse is Scrub, and Wayne is Walrus.”
“Pete is What the Fuck, really?”
“He’s always saying it. It all started with Carl, also known as Gut. He was working with me on a ranch renovation just south of Lake Havasu. I was walking around the corner of the pool house, where he was working on the patio tile, and he pulls off his shirt. It was a hundred degrees and sweat dripped off his body. I had never seen ripped muscles like that in person. My mouth dropped open and stayed there. I became aware that a few of his workers were staring at me. So I said, ‘Gut, you’re getting a little flabby,’ and walked off. The best acting job of my life. I came this far from walking on water over to that body, and well, I don’t have to go there.”
Cid smiled. “You have a uniqueness that is all you.”
“Backhanded compliment, but I’ll take it, Cid.”
“Let’s continue the search. I want to give you a few things. I duplicated my go bag. Inside here is a box of salt, a mountaineering rope, holy water, regular water, mini cams, a first aid box, and a Day-Glo sharpie. Here’s a small shaker. Always carry one in your pocket. And last, but not least, a nerd’s best friend, a head lamp.”
Kiki took the small pack and slid it on. She then pulled the head lamp on.
“If we’re in close quarters, you can push this button. It will release the backpack, so you don’t get hung up on a nail,” he said, tapping her chest.
“You’re touching my boob, Clark.”
Cid’s hand shot back. “Sorry.”
Kiki shook her head and grinned.
“Also in that pack is a device that is tracking us. Jake has a blueprint of the house and will track where we are within the building. If we get into trouble, he will contact Jesse and/or the fire department.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything. It kind of takes the adventure out of this,” she commented.
Cid ignored her and put his head lamp on, adjusting the angle. He pulled on his pack and walked through the workshop door.
They found themselves in the easternmost room of the subbasement. The circular stairs were situated in the middle of the room. Cid started up the stairs, remembering Mia’s words that letting a lady go first wasn’t always a kind thing to do.
Kiki followed Cid, amazed at how her nerd light illuminated the seat of his jeans so nicely.
“There is a hatch above me. Hold on,” Cid said. “It looks like a submarine hatch.” Cid turned a wheel and the hatch moved upwards. He cautiously stuck his head through and moved up the stairs. “There’s a wooden floor here. Try not to walk in the middle. If the wood is rotten, we stand a better chance keeping to the bits connected to the walls,” he instructed.
Kiki accepted his hand up and watched as he lowered the hatch. He opened it again and closed it, confident that they could get out this way. “It seems to me, Kiki, that this had to have been installed by a professional and within the last seventy years. We could come back later and look for the forger’s stamp. It may even have a date on it.”
“It would impress Hal if we had more history on this house.”
“Oh, I probably should warn you. I’ve been in a few of these places, and there have been booby traps in them. However, I sense that this was just a way for someone to move about without notice. Look how tidy it is.”
“Well, there are the webs…”
“I thought spiders didn’t bother you.”
“Just pointing out the webs.”
“That tells you that no one has been actively using this passage in quite some time,” Cid stressed.
It was a short walk, and they were presented with a sliding door and a ladder to choose from. Cid slid the door. “As I suspected, this opens into one of the basement storage rooms.” He stepped aside and Kiki looked.
“This is where we found all the broken furniture. We cleaned it out before we started the renovation.”
Cid closed the door and started up the ladder. It was made of iron, but at one point, it may have had rubber treads added. They had long since dried up and broken off. “Watch your eyes, there are still some rubber pieces. They may break off as I climb,” Cid warned.
Kiki waited until he disappeared through the ceiling before following. She moved up through the space, and instead of there being a landing on the first floor, the ladder continued up into the second floor of the house.
Cid gave her a hand up and closed the hatch he had found open. He leaned against the wall catching his breath. “The air is bad in here. Let’s look for a way out and get some fresh air before we continue,” he advised.
“Alright.” Kiki and he moved in opposite directions testing the walls. Kiki tapped the walls, and when she was rewarded with a hollow sound, she looked for some kind of panel to slide.
Cid’s hearing was picking up his and her knocking. He had to stop to differentiate between the two. Kiki was sliding her hands along wood.
“I think I may have found something,” Kiki said. “It’s a bit tricky but…” She screamed as she fell forward into the darkness.
Cid was there in seconds and carefully stepped through the opening. He felt the confines of a low ceiling and hit his head on a bar. “We’re in a wardrobe,” he said, picking Kiki up off the floor. He fumbled around and opened the door.
The moonlight came through the moth holes of the old drapes, shooting laser-like projections into the room. Kiki stepped into the room and found her feet on a thick, rich carpet. “I don’t know this room,” she said. “I know all the rooms in the mansion, and I don’t know this room.”
“Let’s get some light in here. Close your eyes a moment. I’m going to use a light disc Ted sent along.” Cid activated the disc and tossed it a few feet from where they were standing.
The room came to life. Beautiful dolls sat on shelves that filled the walls with color. A small but comfortable bed was pushed along the opposite wall. A dressing table with dust-covered cut-glass jars and bottles was paired with the bed. Kiki walked to the window and opened up the drapes. She opened the window to let in fresh air. She leaned out and orientated herself.
“We’re between the two suites. I think there should be a door to another room.” Kiki lifted several wall hangings feeling her way along the wall. “Yes, here it is,” she said. Kiki tried to twist the knob to no avail. “It’s locked on the other side.”
Cid looked around and found a piece of piano music printed on thick paper. “Allow me.” He got on his knees and slid the music under the door. He next pulled out a few slender files, poked them in the lock, and was rewarded with the key falling out and onto the paper. He drew it slowly back into the room and handed Kiki the key.
She fitted it in the lock and opened the door. They found themselves in the large linen closet in the bathroom of the bedroom suite, Kiki always imagined that Suze would have taken. She turned on the lights. Cid found the switch for the secret room and turned on the electricity. Several table lamps came to life. He picked up the disc and turned off the harsh but brilliant light. The room was cozy.
“I imagine this was a lady’s maid’s room at one time. But there would have been a door to the hall. I get the feeling, whomever occupied this room was being kept hidden.”
“Or wanted to stay hidden,” Cid said, picking up a frame. He showed the picture of a loving father and mother and a little girl with a cleft pallet.
“How sad. She was born too soon. These days that can be fixed.”
Cid sat down in a dusty chair. “It all makes sense now. She had no smile, so she created all those clowns with wide happy ones.”
Kiki looked through t
he dressing table and found a few journals. She flipped them open. “Anastasia Archer. She would have been Kip’s granddaughter. I think our original estimation of the age of the materials used in the secret passages was a bit off.”
“Or they could have been improved upon later,” Cid suggested.
“Do you think she haunts this place?” Kiki asked.
“I’m not a sensitive, but somehow I think she was a happy child and left this world when it was her time. I don’t see her hanging around. She left all those beautiful dolls as her legacy,” Cid said.
“You’re a romantic, Cid.”
Cid smiled. “We have a little more passage to check out.”
“Let’s go.”
Cid shut the window. Kiki turned off the lights, and they reentered the passage. This time, they took the passage to the right and found themselves at a dead end. They knocked on the walls and almost missed the sliding panel. Cid opened the panel and it led to a hatch. He opened it and began to climb down. The ladder stopped on the ground floor level. The exit to the space had been bricked up.
“This would have led into the greenhouses,” Kiki said. “I recognize the bricks.”
They retraced their steps and climbed back up, choosing to exit through Suze’s suite.
The two went in search of Jesse. They found him still in the kitchen, drinking a beer with his feet up on the table. He looked over at the dusty duo. “Find anything interesting?” he asked, turning down the volume of the radio.
The two took turns to tell him their tale. He got up, opened the refrigerator, and gifted them each with a beer from his secret stash. “For Stanley and Livingston, long may you wander.”
“How do you feel about the clown dolls now?” Cid asked him.