“You said Sara is here? Is she well?”
Lydia took it.
“She’s only been here since yesterday. She had a fever when she was in the swamp, but she’s on the mend, just really weak still. Josephine has been taking care of her.” Josephine got another eyebrow from her long-time teacher.
“I see, so all four of you are together then.” The older woman seemed to be considering this before continuing. “It’s a bit of a long story, you know. I am your mother, each of you came from this womb.”
Wiola pressed both hands to her abdomen. For a woman of fifty who’d given birth to four daughters, she was in remarkable shape. And obviously knew it. She glanced at the young artist. So did the sisters.
“I came to Key West just a few days after you moved here. I have a little house on the other side of Duval. Mr. Dali here is a friend, he stays with me sometimes.” She waited to see if this would draw a comment.
“But how can you be our mother? Rosa was our mother!”
Lydia wanted to know what was going on, now, and the look in her eyes made this very apparent. Wiola had vanished without a word about the same time Rosa had died. There was so much tension in the room Orange Dali’s knees were beginning to shake. Wiola made a dismissive motion with her hand and continued.
“You see, my dears, I was not always the model of impeccable style and grace you see here before you today.” She gave her soaked and disheveled hair a little push with the palm of her hand. “I had a bit of a bad period. For several years I was quite mad, you know.” There didn’t seem to be anyone in the room who was going to question this.
“Other than I never knew who my parents were, I was a fairly normal child by rural Mississippi standards. I was raised, along with several other orphans, by dirt-poor foster parents. I knew poverty and hard times, and my future was bleak. But I was fortunate to meet, and eventually marry, a very wonderful, and very rich, man. We were quite happy together, and were blessed with a healthy, though painfully ordinary, daughter.
“My husband’s work with the family business required him to travel occasionally, and he always took Sara and I along with him. One time in Mexico, the three of us were walking to a river for a picnic outside of the town where we were staying. It was a beautiful day when we left the hotel, but a storm came up suddenly and there was tremendous lighting and thunder. No many people lived in the area, and we were fortunate to see a large hacienda not far away.
“The lightning was intense, so we started to run towards the house. I stopped to pick up little Sara just as a huge lighting bolt hit my poor husband in the top of the head.” Wiola pointed a finger at the crown of her head. “Killed him instantly, of course, and nearly killed Sara and myself we were so close.
“When I came to several days later I was in the hacienda. There was a man there, an American, and several others of different nationalities, but mostly Mexicans and Indians. I had no memory of what had happened, so when they told me my husband was dead I nearly lost my mind. They said that while I had been unconscious his relatives had been notified and had already taken the body back to the states. Since the relatives had never approved of our marriage, it was convenient for them to leave a woman and child, neither of whom would probably ever fully recover, to fend for themselves.
“But we did recover, mostly. Sara healed faster than I, and the people who lived in the hacienda had one of their maids, a woman named Rosa, take care of her. Besides my poor physical condition from the lighting strike, I was nearly overwhelmed with grief from losing my wonderful husband. The American man saw that I had lost my will to live as well as my sanity, so he tricked me into getting better.
“He told me that Rosa was really a sorceress who was going to do all kinds of terrible things to my little girl. I was horrified at the thought of someone hurting this poor child who had already gone through so much. I was a superstitious and ignorant woman in those days who was frightened spitless at the thought of witches or sorcerers.”
Everyone in the room looked at once at a short bald man standing in the doorway behind the front desk. He had just walked up and was frozen, listening. The look he got from the four women almost made him lose control of his bowels.
“Uh, I think I’ll go around back and see what’s banging against the building.” And was gone.
“Anyway,” Wiola said, “the American convinced me that the only way I could save my daughter from the evil witch Rosa was to learn sorcery from the other people living there who, as it conveniently turned out, were also sorcerers.” Wiola smiled at her three daughters who were hanging on every word.
“But the trick worked. With the man’s encouragement, I became obsessed with learning sorcery from the people in that house, and started recovering. Of course, it turned out that Rosa was the only one there who wasn’t a sorcerer. But by the time I figured that out, I didn’t care. I spent four years with those people and discovered worlds I never in my wildest dreams knew existed. Sara had become close to Rosa, so when the man from the hacienda took us with him back to the states, she came along as nanny.” Wiola paused, she seemed to know it was coming. Lydia spoke up.
“Rosa told us our father had died soon after Josephine was born.”
“Ah yes, probably the only lie that dear soul ever told. She did love you girls, and she was a much better mother to you than I would have ever been.” The older woman sighed, then smiled before she went on.
“The American was a seeker who had come to that house only a few days earlier looking for a sign from spirit. He was looking out the window when he got his sign: a lightning bolt hit three people running towards the house he was in.
“He took it as his task to help us. After we came back to the US with him, Rosa and Sara stayed in California while we traveled the world together. After a few years, and three children, he traveled more by himself. His name was Logan, and yes my dears, he was not only your other teacher for years, but he is also your father.”
The banging coming from the back of the hotel stopped, followed by a muffled yell. The only sound was the wind and rain trying to get inside the old hotel.
“Before he left for the Orient a few weeks ago, he suggested I come here to enjoy the change of air and to make sure you girls were all right. You see, we may not be the most normal of parents, but we do love you, and worry about you.”
The wind outside kept at it, but it was eerily quiet in the old hotel lobby. Wiola clapped her hands together and brought her daughters out of their thoughts and back into the room.
“I almost forgot! The reason we came by is because dear Dali saw two suspicious men carry someone out of your hotel yesterday. He was so upset about it the poor dear couldn’t bring himself to talk about it until this morning. Are you missing anyone?”
♦
Jeremy is like a walking bruise these days. Man has enough trouble with ladders and heights without trying to get a limb away from the hotel during a storm. I even kind of felt sorry for him, watching out the window as he blew off the ladder with the limb in his hand.
Then I saw him pull a bucket out of the bushes and stand on it peeking in one of the windows. The window to the bathroom Josephine shares with her sisters. My feelings of pity turned into thoughts of plots.
∨ Key Witch ∧
14
Brad
The wind and rain behaved like a couple of teenagers arguing over a pinball machine. Neither one was right, but neither would admit to being wrong. It was a boring argument that had been heard a thousand times, but the wind and rain argued on just for the sake of arguing.
“I gotta take a dump. Let me have the key to your room.”
That was the only thing about this job Louie was having a problem with now. Gustov using his bathroom. Man was an animal. A big smelly animal.
“Guess I’ll check-in with the boss down at the pay phone while I’m at it.”
Louie made a big production of handing over the key. He had an extra one he could give the big man, but he
liked making him ask for it. Louie picked imaginary lint off his jacket and changed the channel on the television. His partner was one of those people who could watch the Weather Channel for hours at a time. It was driving him nuts.
“Hey, you think you could at least flush the toilet over there this time?” Gustov gave him a snort as he headed out the door.
Louie started watching some crazy shit on the Food Channel about cooking eels. He had the sound turned down, and was listening over the wind for Gustov to slam the door when he finished abusing his bathroom. When he heard the door, he peeked out the curtain and saw his partner heading down the stairs towards the phone. Time for a quick freshening-up himself that Gustov didn’t need to know about.
♦
Brad’s heart was pounding in his throat. He’d still been a little out of it when they put him in the bathroom, so he didn’t know if these guys were armed with anything other than the stun gun. He had no clue why they’d kidnapped him. They must have thought he was someone else.
He couldn’t hear what was being said through the bathroom door, but he knew one of them, then the other, had left. It was his chance. After furiously cutting the tape the rest of the way through on the edge of the shower door, Brad got his feet free, the gag out of his mouth, and his pants on. He was a little wobbly after being tied up for so long, but the adrenaline was getting him carefully out the bathroom door, four steps to the room door, and then running through the wind for the stairs.
♦
Louie still had the bathroom vent fan going trying to get rid of Gustov’s residual odors while he was soaping-up his hands and wasn’t sure. Was that the wind, or did he hear the door to the other room?
♦
Joey Two Thumbs sounded a little lit. He was going on about how pleased his client, MegaDrug, was with the way things were going so far. Gustov figured this was a little unusual. Joey must be in an extra good mood to be hitting the sauce so early and talking about a client by name, two things he rarely did. A few raindrops found Gustov and he looked up at the stormy afternoon sky. The clouds were really moving. He noticed it was getting darker when he saw something in the deserted motel parking lot that made his heart skip a beat.
“Yeah, look Joey, we might have a little problem here. I gotta go.” The ass-chewing he was sure to get for hanging up on his boss was the least of his worries at the moment.
♦
Brad had had plenty of time to plan his escape, but hadn’t thought past getting out of the room. He figured the roads would be packed with cars leaving the island, but the streets were deserted. When he got to the other side of the parking lot he did a quick turn around to get his bearings. He wasn’t that far from the police station, figured he’d run in that direction and hopefully get a ride. Someone had to come along.
♦
Must have been the wind blowing something against the building. Louie was glad to see his partner hadn’t come back to the room yet. Maybe he was getting some ice from the machine. Maybe he was shooting the shit with the boss still. Whatever.
Probably ought to check on the guy in the can. Seemed to be sleeping every time they looked in there. Most likely faking it, but hey, makes it easier on everyone that way. Check on him the next commercial. These Jap guys were still cooking the fucking eels. Some people will eat anything.
♦
Gustov thought his heart was going to explode. The run to the car and the panic he was dealing with was just about too much. He needed to start going to the gym, maybe lose a few pounds.
Up ahead. Guy was running, stopped and put out his thumb like he was hitchhiking. Nobody else on the road. Wind and raining hard enough the guy can’t see inside the car. Slow a little, drive past. Turn around and go back to the guy. Get up close like you’re going to roll down the window, ask him what’s up. Slow, but don’t stop. Open the door instead, catch the guy in the knees, he’s down. Jump out. Guy’s all flopping around, not cooperative. A foot to the back of the neck, then tape him up again and put him in the trunk. Nice size trunk. Always pays to get the full-size rental in this line of work.
♦
Louie couldn’t believe these people were eating this eel shit. They seemed to really get off on it. Give him a steak and potatoes any day. Gus is back suddenly, all wet.
“You fuck!”
Gustov slammed the door and went for his partner’s throat. Louie fell back in his chair and started kicking the big man as hard as he could.
“Get the fuck off me! The fuck is wrong with you!”
Louie got his gun out and started hitting the big man in the side of the head with it. After a few whacks the pressure around his neck started easing up. Gustov let go and fell back on the bed holding the side of his head with one hand and going for his own gun with the other.
“Go ahead, Louie! Take a look in the bathroom!”
Both men had guns pointed at the other. Louie didn’t want to look in the bathroom. He was in deep shit. He looked in the bathroom.
“How the fuck – ”
“You went next door to screw around instead of staying here while I was gone, didn’t you?” There was murder in Gustov’s eyes. Louie could only think about those little eel-eating Jap fucks. Somehow this was their fault.
“I ought to just whack your sorry ass and throw you to the crabs! When I tell the boss you almost let him get away, he’ll probably wet you himself.”
The frantic thoughts flying around inside Louie’s head grabbed onto one thing.
“You said almost? You got him?”
The fire died down a notch in the big man’s eyes.
“Yeah, I saved your skinny ass. Boss told me earlier we might want to get rid of him when this is over. Maybe you should do it now, by yourself, since you got your gun handy. Think you could cap a man tied up in the trunk of a car without fucking it up?”
The gun in Louie’s hand had been slowly coming down, but this insult brought it back up. The two men locked eyes and pointed guns. The only sound was the wind and rain outside and some Japanese guys laughing their asses off on the television. Gustov’s gun hand tightened and Louie slowly brought his other hand up for a better grip.
There was a knock at the door. The two men looked at the door and then at each other.
“Who is it?”
A female voice.
“Housekeeping!”
♦
First thing I did was drag Jeremy’s bucket over a few feet in the bushes under a big wasp nest. He’ll probably think the wind blew it. Next time he wants to use his bucket to get an eyeful, he will.
∨ Key Witch ∧
15
Guests
The wind droned on like a college professor up for tenure. The clouds sat in the front row and hung on every word like a fifth-year student needing a passing grade to get a degree in meteorology. The rain was bored to tears and wanted to sneak out for a smoke. The rain had its sights set on a career in shutting down sporting events.
“Housekeeping?”
Louie was pretty sure everyone was gone from the hotel except the clown André up front in the office. Guy was always there. Joey Thumbs was the only other person who knew they were in the room, and a personal visit from Joey was never good news.
“Louie, see who the fuck that is!”
Louie kept his eyes on his partner as he put his gun back in the shoulder holster under his linen coat. He stood and straightened his clothes while Gustov slipped his gun under the bed pillow. The big man on the bed motioned toward the door. Louie opened the door just a crack.
“You gotta take theese towels, ees motel rules! Clean towels everday!” There was a fine set of knockers just under the voice. Not big, but nicely displayed knockers, barely restrained by a maid’s uniform trying to flap open in the wind. Louie opened the door a little more for a better look. The owner of the knockers pushed a maid’s cart against the door and Louie stepped back.
“Here, you take theese towels, meester!”
As the cart came
into the room a stack of towels was shoved roughly into his chest and the maid’s hands touched his jacket. As soon as the cart was through the door a little blond came out of it and went like a crab on all fours towards the man on the bed. Before Gus could get his hand from under the pillow she was on him. Two strong hands grabbed his wrist and he got a solid head-butt.
“Get on the floor!”
The maid had Louie’s gun pointed inches from his face and the blond was on her feet with the other gun. The big man looked dazed and out of it on the bed.
“The fuck is going on here?”
Louie was still holding the towels.
“Face-down on the floor! Now!”
The maid looked so wired he was afraid she might start shooting. Blondie motioned with her gun for him to go down. He did.
“Check the bathroom, Lyd.”
When the maid came back out of the bathroom, she didn’t look like she’d found what she was looking for.
“He’s not in there!” Gustov was moaning on the bed and sat up holding his forehead. The blond stuck the man’s own gun in his face.
“Where is he? Where’s Brad?”
The big man came out of it enough to groan an answer.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The two women looked at each other and shrugged. The maid took a step toward the door and spoke loud enough for the lookout outside to hear.
“Guess we’ll have to bring in the negotiator!”
A small, dark-haired beauty slipped into the room and closed the door. She was smiling in a very unsettling way. There were a lot of nice things to look at on this one, but Louie couldn’t stop staring at her eyes. They were as black and shiny as polished obsidian.
Key Weird 03; Key Witch Page 11