A Short Time to Die

by Susan Alice Bickford

  Denise rose and made herself another gin and orange juice and stumbled to the living room on wobbling legs. Marly gripped the kitchen counter.

  Marly turned to her sister. “I know Mark and Pammy aren’t Del’s kids. It’s basic biology. I’m going to leave after I graduate and you need to build a new life that isn’t here. And by the way, I see you didn’t leave me any dinner.”

  As Marly made a couple of ice packs wrapped in clean towels, Charlene shouldered her sister aside and pulled out a covered plate of food from the refrigerator.

  “Marly, I’m glad that life for you is so black-and-white. For me it’s always a gray fog,” Charlene said. She wiped off the remains of the children’s dinner from the table. When the microwave signaled the food was warm, she pulled out the plate and set it down in front of her sister. She handed Marly a knife and fork.

  Marly ate, chewing with care to avoid sore spots, and started her homework at the kitchen table, swapping ice packs and wiping away tears.

  Despite the food, Marly felt hollow inside. She had perpetuated the same evil Del had brought to this house when she threatened to hit her mother. Now that she knew how that felt, she knew she could never unlearn it. She would have to guard against it forever.

  The rhythms of homework were soothing and distracting. She bent over her calculus book, absorbed in solving problems that were so simple compared to the rest of her life. She knew that her future could not be here. She would escape and that required discipline, even on a night like this one.

  8

  Marly: Alliance

  November 8–12, 2000

  Despite makeup, Marly’s appearance on the bus the next day was greeted with quiet gasps and whispers.

  Marly stiffened her back and marched to the rear of the bus, taking her usual seat. She ground her teeth and pretended to study for her upcoming Spanish test.

  During the break between second and third period, she rushed up the staircase to the third floor and stopped short of bumping into Elaine Fardig. They both started. Marly hadn’t realized that Elaine was out of the hospital and back at school. She stared at Elaine’s black eye patch.

  “Watch where you’re going,” Elaine said. Her voice was petulant. Frowning, she stepped back. “Nice black eye.”

  “I fell off my bike.”

  Elaine broke into a grin. “Yeah. Me too.”

  Marly grinned back, and they went their separate ways. Marly turned to watch Elaine inch down the stairs, leaning heavily on the banister for balance. She noticed Elaine still wore a light cast on her right wrist. Perhaps her old rival had some redeeming qualities after all. She was certainly resilient and had stood up to Rosie.

  By Saturday—shopping day—Marly’s bruises had turned green and yellow. A year ago, she had been thrilled to take on this family chore. Saturdays with the car had provided a liberating alternative to riding the school bus in and out of the Springs every weekday. Now it felt like one more noose around her neck, tethering her to the bottom of this valley.

  Marly contemplated her mother’s pockmarked Honda. The damage from winter salt was not limited to appearances. The suspension was almost rusted through. Lifting up the carpet under her feet, she checked the size of a hole that gave her a clear view of the mud below. Yes, the hole was larger.

  Deep in thought, she wove her way up and out of the Springs. At the top of the long hill, she turned at the Fardigs’ mailbox. She followed the driveway up another winding incline and pulled into a broad gravel parking lot.

  No wonder the Fardigs don’t think they are part of Charon Springs. She stepped out of the car to survey the view. From this angle, the steep hillside down into the village had disappeared and all she could see were the soft, rolling hilltops formed by the moraines left from the ice age.

  Marly had never been to Elaine’s house before. The broad pastures and large, empty barn next to a watering pond indicated that this had been a dairy farm at one point. The lines of the two-story house were elongated vertically so that the windows appeared narrow and tall. She was more attuned to the short, squat lines of her mother’s house.

  She straightened her jacket and wondered what sort of reception she’d find here. Most folks in these parts didn’t care for surprises, particularly from the Harris family.

  “Hi, Mrs. Fardig,” she said as Elaine’s mother opened the door. “I was on my way into Avalon and wanted to stop by to see Elaine.”

  Helen Fardig, Elaine’s mother, frowned, studying Marly’s face, probably assessing just how dangerous this girl was to her daughter.

  “Marly! Thanks for stopping by. Right on time.” Elaine appeared from a back room. She offered Marly a wink over her mother’s shoulder. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Marly stepped around Mrs. Fardig into the spacious kitchen. Elaine could think on her feet. A good sign.

  Mrs. Fardig was baking something sweet that smelled fabulous. Elaine handed Marly a hot oatmeal cookie, scooping up one for herself, and beckoned for Marly to follow.

  Marly trailed after Elaine and took in every detail. Elaine’s house wasn’t plush or elegant like Andrea’s place, but it was pleasant and clean. And it didn’t stink of mold.

  Elaine’s room was at least three times as large as the room Marly shared with Mark and Pammy, with tall ceilings and long windows that looked out to the north and west. Marly gave a small sigh as she caught sight of the double bed made from some kind of light-colored wood plus a matching dresser and desk. Elaine even had her own computer, complete with monitor and printer.

  “How’s it going?” Marly leaned forward to study Elaine’s left eye, which was not covered by the eye patch that morning. “I heard you’d lost your sight and I thought you’d lost the whole eye. It looks normal.”

  Elaine offered a lopsided smile. “Right. Just can’t see worth shit. It might improve a bit if they try some surgery, but it won’t be normal again. I keep bumping into stuff. Going down stairs is torture. Reading is incredibly hard. And forget driving.”

  “Hmm. You’ve lost your depth of field perception. I hear that most people adjust with some time.” Marly coughed. “Sorry. That sounds cold and analytical. I know it must be hard.”

  Elaine sighed. “You sound like my doctors.”

  Marly rocked back on her heels, studying Elaine, who sat on the bed.

  “We have lots in common. Two smart girls from the Springs. And now we’re pariahs, you and me. I’m a Shaw but tied to the Harrises. And you’ve crossed them, so you’re toxic too.”

  “Hey. Not true. My friends helped me. They knew that Laurie was one of the bunch who attacked me. They tailed Laurie. She was scared when they touched her up.” Elaine’s eyes were narrow and angry. “I didn’t tell the police anything, but I remember that it was Laurie who kicked the side of my head right here.” She pointed to her left temple.

  Marly stared at Elaine for a bit. “Still, Rosie and them punished Laurie again for being caught off her guard. She didn’t deserve to get beaten to death. It’s not your fault—it’s not even your friends’ fault—but I know the way the Harrises think. They thought Laurie had been sloppy and someone had talked. Rosie had her punished for real.”

  Elaine paled. “I didn’t want her dead. I wish the police would arrest Rosie and her crew.”

  Marly sat down on the bed to wrap her arms around Elaine. “Rosie and Louise—they’re evil. Sick. I don’t think they even wanted Laurie dead, but they just didn’t care enough to stop. In a way, it’s a good thing that your friends were under observation for that little bit or they’d be the ones suspected when she was found in that ditch.”

  “Same ditch as me.”

  “Why’d you tell Laurie that you were thinking of talking to the police? Are you crazy? You should have known she’d tell Rosie. Look at me. I got this for doing nothing.”

  “My dad. He just disappeared last year. My mom cries all the time and I know she’s worried about money. She can’t even collect his life insurance.”

  “My d
ad disappeared too. Almost ten years ago. He didn’t have insurance.”

  “Yes, but your dad was part of the Harris clan. My dad is—was—an aircraft mechanic. I wanted to know where he went and get the police to do something to help.”

  Marly stood and leaned in, looming over Elaine on the bed.

  “Elaine, Beanie wasn’t part of the Harris clan. He just made a living dealing a few drugs, and they didn’t like the competition or thought he might blab. Your father had access to allow them to move drugs and stuff, but he said no and threatened to turn them in. I know where he went. He went where Beanie went and where Johnny Martinson went. He’s not alive. They’re all buried someplace in those hills down there. That’s the way it works. As far as Rosie and Zeke are concerned, we are all part of the Harris clan because we live in Charon Springs. They think that makes us their property and they want to suck us all down into their mucky world.”

  Elaine started to sob. “I can’t cry. I shouldn’t cry.”

  Marly went to get a wet washcloth from the hall bathroom. No sulfur water, she noticed as she ran the tap.

  She checked to make sure Elaine’s mother wasn’t hovering, then slipped back into the bedroom and pressed the washcloth to Elaine’s face.

  “I can’t believe you had the nerve to say anything. Now we need to plan for the future, and we need to help each other.”

  “What?” Elaine hiccupped.

  Marly sat in the desk chair and reached out for Elaine’s good hand.

  “Things are going to change and we need to get ready to bust out.”

  “Hunh?” Elaine pushed back farther onto the bed, yanking her hand free.

  “Del and Zeke have disappeared. Did you hear that?”

  “Yeah, I heard. But what about Rosie?”

  “First of all, Rosie, Troy, and Louise are all under suspicion for killing Laurie and for beating you up too. They are very nervous. Plus, Rosie doesn’t have much support without Zeke and his money to buy loyalty. The word is that Zeke’s secret money stores came up short.”

  “I’m still scared of them.”

  “Good. That’s okay. We need to be alert. Meanwhile, we—you and me—we have a small window of opportunity to get out while those Harrises are tied up.”

  Elaine flopped back on the bed and pressed her palms to her face. “I won’t graduate in the spring at this rate. I’ve missed too much school and I’m so far behind. I was going to go to SUNY Albany. But I think even a state school is out. We don’t have the resources for me to put in extra school time. I guess I’ll get my GED, but I can’t even get a basic job flipping burgers.”

  Marly stood up and paced with the rhythm of her thoughts. “I know we aren’t great buddies. We didn’t even like each other that much way back in elementary school. Still, we have a common cause and I owe you. If it weren’t for you, I might be dead now myself. I’m going to help you. I’m going to tutor you to catch up. And I’m going to take you to basketball practice. We need a scorekeeper for the team. You can practice with us to improve your adjustment to one eye.”

  Elaine blotted her face. “I don’t get why you want to do this. Why do you want to help me?”

  “Because I need your help, too. I’m not going to escape the Springs without the help of someone I can trust. You’re smart and brave. I know I can trust you. And I’m going to get you a job.”

  Elaine stopped crying. “What job? How do I help you?”

  Marly smiled, happy to reveal her plan. “First of all, you can code. I’m better, but I know how good you are. Plus, you’re better at the design side. I’m working part-time for this startup out of Syracuse University. It’s just piddly stuff. They pay okay, and it’s great experience. I work for them when I go to the library. The problem is they’re doing more and more business and I’m overloaded. I need someone who can pick up the slack. I know you can do this. And you have an extra car. Your dad’s old car.”

  Elaine sat up. “I can’t drive,” she said, and motioned to her eye.

  “Hey! I can drive. And you’ll be able to drive sooner or later. You work it out with your mother that I can take your car. Tell her we need to avoid the school bus and she can’t be your chauffeur. She’ll buy that because it’s true. She needs to go to work, right? I’ll pick you up in the morning and drop you off at the end of the day. We’ll also need to work in the library for Internet access. I’ll take you home after that. Plus, we’ll need to go to some meetings with these grad students in Syracuse.”

  Elaine looked puzzled. “Internet access? We’ve got dial-up. Doesn’t everybody?”

  Marly laughed. “No. We don’t even have cell phone coverage.” She sat down at Elaine’s desk and ran her hands over the keyboard. “We can work here, too. I have a laptop. It’s just that I get to double-dip at the library. Mrs. Haas doesn’t mind if I do other work as long as things are slow and I’m caught up.”

  “Could I work at the library too? Mom would like that.”

  Marly sat back and studied Elaine. “I doubt it. The library has almost no money. But if you help, I’ll work out a split with you.”

  * * *

  Elaine’s mother refused to let Marly have access to the car on that day but relented several days later, worn down by Elaine’s persistence.

  On Tuesday, Marly’s mother was alarmed to find the addition of a clean Nissan in her driveway. Denise was mollified by Marly’s glib explanation that Helen Fardig was trading use of the car in exchange for help and tutoring for Elaine.

  After some encouragement from Marly, Mrs. Haas agreed to a few hours a week of employment for Elaine at the library.

  The girls got their way and the plan moved ahead.

  9

  Vanessa: Family Matters

  January 29, 2013

  Vanessa and Jack met Chip in the police chief’s office the next morning after breakfast, where they were joined by Paul Daniels, the officer they had met the day before.

  Chip suggested that Vanessa call Carl Harris to break the news about Louise and Troy and ask for a meeting.

  “He’ll be more friendly if a woman calls,” Chip said.

  Vanessa had her doubts, but dialed the number Paul provided.

  “Harris here,” said a deep voice after four rings.

  “Mr. Carl Harris? I’m Detective Vanessa Alba from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office in California, calling from Avalon.”

  Carl waited to speak. “What’s this concerning?”

  To Vanessa, his voice sounded neutral. Studied.

  “Mr. Harris, our office recently identified two sets of bones that have been found in the Santa Cruz Mountains, just south of San Francisco in California. We have determined that they belong to Louise Rasmussen and Troy Rasmussen. I believe that they are relatives of yours, is that correct?”

  She heard a faint cough. Carl answered. “Louise was the daughter of my brother Zeke. Troy was her son.”

  “Yes, sir, we’ve been checking on that. My colleague Detective Wong and I are assigned to work the case. We’re here in Avalon to see if we can determine why they might have been in California.”

  “I don’t know that I can help you much.”

  “I see, sir. Nevertheless, we need to make sure we’ve covered all the bases. We’ll plan to stop by in about an hour.”

  Carl uttered a grunt and hung up.

  “How did he sound?” Jack asked.

  “I couldn’t tell. He didn’t express emotion one way or the other.”

  Vanessa was glad they’d picked up better boots and outside gear.

  “Minus forty degrees last night,” Paul said. “Do you know that’s the only temperature that is the same in both Fahrenheit and Celsius?”

  “Fascinating.” Vanessa wondered if Paul tested on the autism spectrum, or if this was his idea of small talk. “Well, it’s minus ten now. Fahrenheit. I wonder what that is in Celsius?”

  Paul fell silent. “Minus twenty-three,” he said at last.

  Vanessa was surprised when Ja
ck got into the backseat of Paul’s squad car, leaving her the front passenger seat. Maybe Jack was a good guy after all.

  Chip came down to see them off. “Warming up, folks.” he said, and clapped his palms together. “That means we’ll probably see snow tomorrow, so it’s good to get the trip to the Springs over today. Meanwhile, remember not to set the parking brake or you’ll wait a long time to get moving. Paul knows.”

  They left the village and picked up the road heading south toward the Springs. At last Vanessa had a chance to check out the landscape in daylight.

  The road started on the flat, curled and rose with hills on their right and rolling country to their left.

  “It’s pretty in summer,” Paul said. “This is all green then.”

  “So we’ve heard. It’s pretty now,” Vanessa said. “It’s just a bit stark with the snow. Oh, look. There’s a round barn.”

  “Octagonal,” Paul said. “That means it has eight sides. Lots of barns like that around here.”

  Vanessa wondered if Paul was going to treat them to this detailed description of every tree and building. She looked over her shoulder at Jack, who smiled.

  Such a monochromatic world. Even with the bright blue sky, the landscape around them was stark white, rimmed by lines of gray, leafless trees and punctuated by evergreens so dark they appeared black. Many of the older houses were white too, with black or dark green shutters. Others were made from gray stone or red brick. She had not seen a single stucco house yet.

  After four miles, Paul nodded to a road leading up a hill to their right. “Up there is Fardig’s place.”

  “Do you mean Elaine Fardig? The girl Louise and Troy beat up?” Jack asked, craning his neck.

  “Yeah. Of course, she doesn’t live there now. Her brother, David, took over the place after her mother left.”