Dhampir Secrets

by Lewis, Shirlee

  I was officially home.

  Tony put on his program while I found something to eat. I wasn’t hungry, so I ate an apple. I sat down on the sofa, when sirens blazed near the house. At first I thought they were coming down our road, but shortly they ceased. Tony and I went out on the porch. We smelled smoke but didn’t see a fire. I went back in and switched the television over to the news.

  Annette Burke came on. “We are live outside MaryAnn Cartwright’s home. Detective Cooke appeared in front of the camera.

  “Detective Cooke, can you tell us anything about the fire?” Annette asked.

  “We believe it is arson. We found a gas can. At the back of the house we found a burn trail leading to the alley. That’s all we know at this time.”

  The camera panned back to Annette. MaryAnn walked across the screen to Detective Sean. Annette ran to catch up with her.

  “MaryAnn, Annette here. Could I have a word with you?”

  MaryAnn was crying hysterically, grabbing Detective Sean to keep from falling. He helped her to the curb on the other side of the street. Annette rushed over to her. Detective Sean told Annette, MaryAnn was in no condition to talk. Annette gave the cameraman the signal to cut the camera.

  Tony walked up behind me and watched. I turned around to go tell him bumping into him. “Sorry, honey, I didn’t know you were behind me. Do you think it’s the same person who burned our house?” I asked.

  “I don’t know, Jess. Tomorrow we’ll go talk to Detective Cooke and see what he thinks. I do wonder if they found a gas can here or not.”

  “Poor MaryAnn has nothing left.”

  In the morning we went the police station. Detective Cooke was in, and we talked to him.

  “Was there a gas can found at our house?” Tony asked. “We heard the news last night about MaryAnn’s house and were wondering.”

  “Let me get the file on your house,” Detective Cooke said, opening the filing cabinet. He pulled out a folder that read “Pearl house” and opened it up. Looking over everything, he said, “Looks like there was a gas can found out the back near trees,” he said, rubbing his chin.

  All three of us looked at each other.

  “I had this case closed, but I think I just reopened it,” he said. “I have a suspicion these two cases have something in common.”

  Tony and I went to look at MaryAnn’s house. It was completely burned to the ground. “Let’s go have lunch at the diner,” I said. “I’m a little hungry.”

  Before we got out of the car at the diner, Tony drank his lunch. He put the flask back under the front seat. We sat at our table. I ordered a salad and tea.

  “Can you believe it? MaryAnn’s house went up just like mine. Who in the world could have done this?” I asked Tony, knowing there was no answer.

  Tony shook his head. “She didn’t have much. Let’s finish here and see if she’s at the bowling alley. I’d like to talk to her.”

  We drove to the bowling alley. MaryAnn and Kelli were talking behind the desk when we walked in.

  “Hey guys,” Kelli said, with a smile. “Did you come to bowl again?”

  “No, we need to talk to MaryAnn,” I said.

  MaryAnn came from behind the counter. “Did you hear about my house?” she asked.

  “We did. Tony wants to talk to you if you have a minute.” I said giving her a hug.

  “Sure, what’s up?” she asked as we sat at a table.

  “Did you have insurance on your home?” Tony asked.

  Tony was a straight forward guy. He never beat around the bush about anything.

  “No, I never had it insured. Why?”

  “I’d like to help you rebuild and furnish it,” he said without blinking. “Would you let me help, MaryAnn?”

  MaryAnn and I nearly fell out of our chairs. MaryAnn looked at me and I shrugged. We both looked at Tony.

  “I don’t know what to say,” MaryAnn finally said. “Can you afford it?”

  “Don’t worry about that,” he said calmly. “Will you let me help?”

  “Sure if you want, but I will pay you back.” MaryAnn stuttered.

  Tony laughed. “Do you need a place to stay?”

  “Mother and I are at the motel. It’s a little crammed, but we get by.”

  “My house is empty and I can’t think of anyone who needs it more than you.”

  “Seriously, I can!”

  “If you’d like, you can move in today.”

  MaryAnn came around the table and hugged Tony. “Thank you so much. Jess, you’ve got one heck of a man.”

  “I know, right,” I said, and then looked at Tony.

  MaryAnn bounced back to the counter with a huge smile. She picked up the phone, called the motel and told her mother to start packing. Tonight they’d be in a real house.

  “Tony, you could have told me instead of shocking me.”

  “I wanted to surprise you both.”

  “You sure did.”

  Back at home, Tony went to his recliner and turned on the television to watch the news. Annette Burke was standing outside a house on fire. The cameraman panned the camera to the house and back to Annette. “We’re standing outside the home of Sharon Wilson. We happened upon the scene when I saw someone running from behind the house and down the street,” Annette said, pointing west.

  “Oh my gawd when is it going to end,” I said, standing behind Tony’s recliner. Reaching up for me, he took my arm and guided me onto his lap. I put my arms around him and watched the television. Tony moved my hair away from my neck, gently kissing up and down with his lips.

  Both police cars and the only fire truck in Mayville pulled up to Sharon’s house. Detective Sean and Cooke were getting out of their patrol cars. When Annette saw the Detective’s she ran to where they stood. “I saw someone come from behind the house and run down the street,” she said.

  “Did you get a description?” Detective Cooke asked.

  “I saw a person about five foot six and skinny wearing a hooded mask, dressed in black-and-white tennis shoes.”

  “Which direction did they run?”

  “Toward Alameda,” Annette pointed.

  Detective Cooke took off toward Alameda.

  Detective Sean asked, “Could you come down to the police station and give us your statement?”

  “I’ll meet you there,” Annette said. The camera cut off.

  “Tony, have you noticed all the houses the burglar hit are going up in flames?” I asked. “First it was my house, then MaryAnn’s, and now Sharon’s. Who will be next?”

  “Jess, they’ll catch whoever is doing this,” Tony said, moving his lips away from my neck.

  “I hope soon,” I said turning to Tony kissing him passionately on the mouth.

  Chapter Fourteen

  An anonymous call came into the police station. Before the dispatcher could identify herself, the caller said, “You need to check out that girl whose boyfriend is locked up,” the man’s voice stated.

  “May I ask whose calling?”

  “Just check out the girl,” the caller said and hung up.

  Annette Burke entered the police station straightening her hair.

  “I’m waiting on Detective Cooke. He said he’d be here shortly,” she informed the dispatcher, taking a seat in the lobby.

  Detective Sean walked into the police station and asked Annette to go into his office.

  “Detective,” Kylee said, interrupting him. “A call came in from an anonymous male caller a few minutes ago. They said to check out the girl whose boyfriend is locked up.”

  “Thank you, Kylee,” Detective Sean said, getting a blank statement form from his desk.

  He walked over to where Annette was sitting rolling his eyes. Annette was sitting straight-backed, looking at herself in her compact mirror and didn’t notice the Detective approaching. She was no beauty queen. Annette jumped when he laid the form on the table in front of her. “Annette, write down everything you saw.” Leaning against the desk, he watched her
write and sign the statement.

  “Thank you Annette.” Detective Sean escorted her out of the building.

  Detective Sean looked over her statement. It didn’t help at all.

  “Kylee, I’ll be at the Pierces’ for a bit,” he said, and left.

  Megan and her father, Wayne, were sitting on the porch when Detective Sean drove up. Megan eyed the Detective suspiciously, got up and went inside the house.

  “Howdy, Detective, what can I do for you?” Wayne asked.

  “Could you have Megan come out here? I need to ask her some questions.”

  Wayne called for Megan to come out on the porch several times with no answer. Wayne excused himself and went inside to get Megan. A few minutes later, he came out on the porch looking dumbfounded. “She’s not here,” he said.

  “When you see her, could you bring her to the station? I need to ask her a few questions about the recent fires.”

  “Megan wouldn’t know anything about fires.”

  “I’d like to talk to her nonetheless,” Detective Sean said, heading back to his car.

  Detective Sean was backing out of the driveway and noticed Megan peeking out from behind the house. Wayne was standing on the porch. With the car in park, Detective Sean exited the car.

  “Is something wrong?” Wayne asked.

  “Megan is behind the house. She saw me and ducked around the corner.”

  Wayne went on one side of the house; Detective Sean went on the other. Megan ran toward the trees as fast as she could. Wayne saw her and yelled, “Megan, stop right there!”

  Megan didn’t look back as she ran into the trees before disappearing. Detective Sean and Wayne ran after her.

  “Megan?” Wayne and Detective Sean called at the same time.

  They spent thirty minutes looking for Megan without any luck.

  Megan and Max had dug a hole in the ground, four feet by four feet in the middle of brush. Looking right at it, you’d never know it was there. It was Megan’s and Max’s secret hideout to do their drugs and have sex. The only place they could go where they wouldn’t get caught.

  Back at the station Detective Sean went to Max’s cell. Max was lying on the cold bed.

  “Max?”

  Max sat up.

  “Have you talked to Megan recently?”

  “No I haven’t. Her father won’t let her visit. Is anything wrong?” Max asked.

  Ignoring Max’s question, Detective Sean asked, “Do you know where Megan would go behind her house in the trees?”

  “We have a hideout there.”

  “What do you and Megan do in the hideout?”

  Max looked at him with a worried expression, for fear of the Detective finding their drugs.

  “Where is the hideout located in the trees?”

  Max fidgeted and scuffed his feet on the floor. “You’ll never find it. I’ll show you?”

  “How about you draw a map, surely it isn’t that hard to locate.”

  Detective Sean handed Max paper and pen through the bars. Max drew the tree line with shrubbery behind it and then a square. Max handed the paper and pen through the bars, went to the cold bed and sat wringing his hands with his head down.

  “Thank you Max,” he said going back to his desk.

  Detective Sean called Mr. Pierce.

  Mr. Pierce said Megan still hadn’t shown up yet. He had tried again to find her with no luck.

  “Do you mind if I come back and walk the tree line again?”

  “No not at all. I’ll help you look.” Mr. Pierce offered.

  Detective Sean drove out to the Pierce’s eager to find the hideout. Mr. Pierce waited on the porch. Looking at the map, Wayne knew where the shrubbery was located. They didn’t waste time going to the tree line. Wayne pointed to a circle of shrubbery and it began moving. Megan popped her head out and froze, saw her father and fell back into the hole.

  “Megan, get your butt up here now!” Wayne said firmly. “Do not make me come down there and get you.”

  Megan popped her head out again and the smell of marijuana was strong coming from the hole. She looked at her father and started crying.

  “Not going to do you any good, young lady. Why did you run when you saw Detective Sean?” he asked, pointing over to him.

  Megan looked to where her father pointed. Her face turned a shade of white. With nowhere to run, Megan climbed out of the hole. Her father grabbed her arm and started walking her to the house.

  “Megan, are there drugs down there?” Detective Sean asked.

  Megan’s father stopped abruptly with Megan turning to look at Detective Sean.

  Megan shook her head.

  “Drugs? What drugs?” Wayne asked a little peeved.

  Megan hung her head and turned to look at Detective Sean.

  “Do you mind if I look, Mr. Pierce?” Detective Sean asked.

  “No not at all. We’ll wait right here,” he said, holding on to Megan’s arm tight.

  Megan tried to free her arm from her father’s grip, but he only gripped tighter.

  Detective Sean moved the board from the hole. A ladder led the way to the bottom. Once inside the hole, Detective Sean got on his hands and knees to move around. In a corner was an igloo cooler. Opening the lid, he found methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine individually bagged. Closing the lid, he moved the cooler to the ladder. “Wayne, could you grab the end of this cooler for me?” he asked. Wayne walked over to the edge, grabbed the cooler while holding on to Megan.

  “What’s this?” Wayne asked, looking at Megan.

  Megan pulled her arm against her father’s grip and started crying harder.

  Once outside, Detective Sean picked up the cooler and the three of them walked back to the house with Mr. Pierce practically dragging Megan by her arm. Getting to the porch, he sat Megan down hard in the chair. “You stay there! And don’t you move a muscle,” he growled at her. Megan put her head in her hands and didn’t dare move an inch.

  “I’m sorry about that, Detective. I had no clue. What’s in the cooler?” Mr. Pierce asked.

  “It’s drugs.” Detective Sean sadly said. “Can you bring Megan to the station?” Detective Sean asked putting the cooler in the trunk.

  “I’ll meet you there,” he said, grabbing Megan by the arm. They followed Detective Sean to the police station.

  Tony, MaryAnn and I met with the cleanup company and the house builders in Portland. MaryAnn wanted a simple two-bedroom home. She was afraid to spend too much on the house, afraid to abuse Tony generosity. But he persuaded her to look over all the plans before choosing one.

  One particular plan caught MaryAnn’s eye. It was a two bedroom, one bath, with a front and back porch, and a fireplace. Plenty of space for her and her mother. MaryAnn loved the floor plan and it was decided this would be her home.

  Tony put up the deposit with the balance due after the home was built. MaryAnn couldn’t thank Tony enough. She offered to pay Tony back, but Tony, of course, wouldn’t hear of it.

  On the way home, just outside of Portland, a car came hurtling out of a driveway hitting the side of our car. MaryAnn was tossed around in the back seat and I was thrown into Tony. Tony came out of the wreck without a scratch. MaryAnn had bumps and bruises. I had shattered glass in my right side. My head hit the steering wheel, which left a goose egg. My left side hit the console hard. I moaned and groaned. Tony came around to my side of the car trying to open the door, but it was crushed in and wouldn’t open.

  The ambulance took MaryAnn and myself to the hospital. Shortly after arriving we were treated and released. Tony had my car towed back to Mayville and rented a car to get us home.

  When we got home, I looked in the mirror. “Great, a black eye, just what I didn’t need,” I said.

  “You’re beautiful to me no matter what,” he said, kissing my lips.

  “Why did you decide to help MaryAnn?” I asked.

  “I know she doesn’t have anyone to take care of her. She’s always been there for y
ou, and bends over backwards to help any and everyone with no complaints. I felt she needed some kindness returned.”

  Tony went to his recliner and turned on the television. I sat on the floor scrubbing a stain from the carpet.

  The phone started ringing. I looked over at Tony who was asleep in his recliner, lightly snoring. Getting up, I hurried to the phone. Making sure the phone hadn’t woke him, I answered before the next ring.

  “Hello,” I said, into the receiver.

  “Hello, Jess. How are you?” Jennifer asked.

  “I’m fine. How are you?”

  “Fine, I’m just fine. Is Tony around? I need to speak with him.”

  “He’s asleep, is there something I can help you with?” I asked.

  “I need to talk to Tony.”

  “Hang on. I’ll go get him.”

  Laying the phone down, I went to wake up Tony but he was awake with the sound turned up on the television. “Your mother’s on the phone,” I said, and went to finish scrubbing the stain.

  “Hello, mother,” he said, walking out the backdoor. Finished with the stain, I went to the backdoor to find Tony sitting at the gazebo with a worried look on his face.

  I went to my bathroom and ran water to fill the tub for a bath. My stomach started churning. And Charlotte came to my mind giving me the shivers. I had never seen her, but the conversation behind the wall came to mind. Shaking my head to forget, I turned off the water, stripped and climbed in. Easing myself into the water, I heard the back door shut.

  “Jess, sweetie.”

  “I’m in here.”

  Tony came around the corner, sat on the edge of the tub and started pushing my hair back away from my face. I looked up at him and he smiled.

  “Is everything okay with your mother?” I asked.

  “Everything is fine. She called because it’s been a while since we’ve spoke.”