by Wendy Wang
“I think I’ve got everything I need. Thank you for your time. It’s been very enlightening.”
“Glad I could help.”
Jason reached into the front breast pocket of his uniform, pulled out one of his cards and left it on the desk. “If there’s anything else you can tell me about Charlie, don’t hesitate to call.”
Scott glanced at the card as if he was afraid to touch it. “I will.”
Chapter 16
“Is this it?” Lisa pointed to the screen of her laptop. Charlie leaned in to take a better look. There it was. The turtle and hare logo she had seen in her dream.
“Yeah that's it,” Charlie said.
“Hare's Swifty Mart and Gas,” Lisa scoffed. “I guess this guy didn’t really understand the tortoise and hare fable.”
Charlie chuckled and wrote down the address. “I guess not. It's way out near the causeway leading to Talmadge Island.”
“I don't think you should go out there. Especially not by yourself. You could just pass this info on to your little deputy friend, right? Let him check it out.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, like he'd take me seriously now. I'm going to have to gather some sort of evidence before he listens to me.”
“So you don't think giving him the message from his father made him a believer?”
“No.” Charlie shook her head. “Not by a long shot. I think it freaked him out, but it certainly didn't change his mind.”
“Well you tried.” Lisa shrugged. “I still don't want you going out there by yourself.”
“Are you volunteering?”
“Maybe. What time are you thinking of going?”
“In my dream, it was night. And the digital clock read 11:39. I figure he must be a third shift worker.”
Lisa sighed and frowned. “Sorry, I’ve got a meeting at seven-thirty in the morning.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine. It’s a public place, right?” Charlie's phone began to ring with Scott's ring tone. “Hang on. I have to take this.”
“What the hell is going on with you?” Scott barked in her ear before she could even say hello.
“Well good afternoon to you too,” Charlie quipped.
“I just had a cop in my office asking me questions about you. Said you had gone to him with some crazy dream.”
“Did he?” Charlie directed her gaze to Lisa. She held the phone away from her mouth. “Looks like deputy dogged is being nosy again. Evidently he just questioned Scott about me.”
“Who are you talking to?” Scott snapped.
“Lisa.” Charlie said. “I'm sorry he bothered you, Scott. This really isn't about the information I gave him from my dream though. He's just convinced that I'm going to take advantage of his mother.”
“Abusing his power is more like it,” Lisa grumbled under her breath.
“What did you tell him?” Charlie asked.
“He thinks you’re unstable. He asked me if you could actually see ghosts.”
“I bet you just loved that didn’t you?” Charlie chuckled. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him I don't know what you see. So you're not acting as some sort of psychic consultant?”
“No,” Charlie said. “Like I said, he is hell-bent on proving I’m some sort of con artist.”
“Oh,” Scott grew quiet and his silence nagged at her.
“Scott — did he tell you I was a consultant?”
“He may have implied it. He had questions about you.”
“What questions?” Charlie pinched the bridge of her nose. “What did you tell him?”
“He wanted to know if I believed in your special abilities.” Scott sounded bitter. “He knew about your time at MUSC, by the way.”
“Oh my God, did you tell him why I was there?”
“No.” Something in his tone said otherwise. Maybe he didn’t say the words, but he didn’t defend her either, and she knew in heart that he didn’t take responsibility for his part. Anxiety snaked around her heart and gave it a squeeze.
“You know sometimes I really hate you.”
“Charlie—” Scott started.
“I've got to go.” She tapped End on the screen of her phone, not giving him a chance to finish his response. Icy dread dropped from her chest into her stomach. Now that Jason knew, she had no doubt he would dig in and try harder to discredit her. Crazy and Con-artist. No matter what he thought, she wouldn’t let him stop her. There really was a missing girl out there and a malevolent spirit really was haunting his mother. She couldn’t just turn away from those things.
“You okay?” Lisa placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
“So sounds like Scott's still a jackass.”
“Yeah, some things never change, I guess.” Charlie’s mouth curved into a weak smile. Thank God for Lisa and her levity.
Sugar leaned against the banister of the corner porch overlooking the golf course. She watched as a party of four men took turns hitting the little ball and shook her head. It might have been good exercise if they’d walked to the next hole, but they all climbed into a golf cart and drove off. She’d been afraid to go back into the pool since Monday. Thankfully, Honey had not made another appearance, at least not in person. Her dreams were another story. Honey seemed hell-bent on making her relive that long-ago night when she had run into the man who had killed her.
Susan had suggested that she talk to the young woman with the gift, but she wasn't sure what good would come from it. She took a sip of iced tea from the sweaty glass balancing precariously on the top of the banister.
Her cell phone rang inside her small apartment and she went to answer it. She frowned when she saw her daughter's picture and number on the phone. Susan had given her hell about buying the expensive piece of technology.
“What do you need with a smart phone?” Susan had nagged.
It came in handy for looking things up on the Internet. She didn't drive anymore and sometimes she and a couple of her friends would book an Uber to take them shopping. She also liked using it for Facebook.
“Hello Susan,” Sugar said.
“Hey Mama,” Susan answered. “How are you doing today?”
“I'm doing very well, thank you. Is there something I can do for you?”
“I had lunch with the psychic lady the other day, the one I told you about, and she mentioned that she really would like to meet you.”
“I already told you I don't need to talk to that woman.”
“I understand Mama but she needs to talk to you. I think she has questions that only you can answer. I've done my best but some things I just don't know.”
“I thought she was psychic. Shouldn't she know these things?”
“I don't think it works quite like that. So will you meet with her please?”
“Oh I don't know Susan. I don't think there's anything I can tell her.”
“I don't believe you Mama.”
“Excuse me?” Sugar said, a little offended by her daughter's accusatory tone.
“I’m serious. Now if you won't call her, then I may just bring her over to see you. Do you want that?”
Sugar fiddled with the pad of paper she kept on the table with her cell phone charger. She considered her daughter's threat. Susan had become bold in her middle age. “All right. Fine.”
“So you're going to call her?”
Sugar sighed. She could have held out, but Susan could be so persistent and she just didn’t want to deal with it. If giving in meant a little peace, then she’d take it. “Yes.”
“Good let me give you her number.”
Chapter 17
Jason pulled into the parking lot of Hare's Swifty Mart and Gas. It hadn't taken him long to find the convenience store with a turtle and hare on the logo. It was a tiny place with only four pumps but the location near the main road leading to Talmadge Island made it a hot spot for teenagers. He glanced at the stainless-steel diver’s watc
h on his arm. It was just after three p.m. and already a car full of teens had parked along the edge of the parking lot to hang out. He took the photo of Daniela from his pocket and approached the car. Silence fell over the four teens — three boys and a girl. One of the boys and the girl were apparently a couple by the way their bodies tangled together.
“Good afternoon,” he said using his best authoritarian voice. “I was wondering if any of you kids have seen this girl?”
They passed the photo around, each taking a good look. The girl looked shocked when it was her turn.
“This is Daniela,” she said.
“You know her?” Jason asked.
“Sure we go to school with her,” the girl said.
“Have you seen her recently?”
The girl's dark eyes widened, and she shook her head. She handed the photo back to Jason. “No, sir.”
“Do you know if she had a boyfriend?”
They all exchanged glances.
“You know she’s missing, right?” Jason said. “Her aunt is going out of her mind with worry. If you know something, I'd really appreciate it if you tell me. I'm not trying to get her in trouble. I just want to make sure she’s safe.”
“Yeah, she's got a boyfriend,” the boy sitting on the tailgate said. He pushed his baseball cap up farther on his head and frowned. “He's an older dude though.”
“College boy,” one of the other boys said.
“Does college boy have a name?”
The boy with the cap shrugged. “I think she called him Tony, but that's all I know.”
“All right,” Jason said reaching into his pocket. “Listen if you hear from her or from this Tony I want you to give me a call okay?” He handed each one of them a card. “Like I said, I'm not trying to get her in trouble. I just want to bring her home.”
They each gave him a solemn nod.
“Yes sir,” the girl said. “Do you think—” she started but a look from one of her friends stopped her.
“What's your name?” Jason asked.
“Haley.” The slim, pretty girl pushed her shoulder-length, brown hair behind one ear.
“You were gonna say something Haley. I'd really appreciate it if you'd finish. Especially if it's a question you have, or a concern.”
“It's just — you know she's not the first girl that's just stopped coming to school.”
“Yeah,” Jason said. “I know. So you know some of the other girls have gone missing recently?”
“Just one, but I've heard about the others. It's kind of scary.”
“Yeah,” Jason said. “It is. That's why it's really important that you hang out with your friends and don't go off by yourself. And don't communicate with strangers on-line.”
“You think this is about some dude she met on-line?” baseball cap boy said.
“That's what her aunt speculated. Do you know something different?”
“Me? Naw,” the boy said. “I don't know anything about that. Just seems weird it's only been girls from the islands around here. Seems like an on-line stalker might have a wider range of opportunity.”
“That's an interesting theory you have,” Jason said. “I’ll keep that in mind. Y’all be careful. You hear?”
“We will,” the girl said. “I hope you find them.”
Jason let his lips curl into a brief smile. “Me too. Call me, seriously, if you think of anything else.”
Jason gave them a nod and headed inside to talk to the manager.
“Yeah, I’ve seen her here,” the manager said. “But I can't tell you the last time. Maybe last week? Sorry.”
“I have a source who says she was here last Friday night,” Jason lied.
“Really? Well, I can always give you the surveillance for Friday night if you want it. I just got these new cameras about a month ago. Totally high-def. Really crisp images.” The manager shrugged. “We got robbed last year and the old video was pretty worthless.”
“Yeah, that would be great,” Jason said. “Can I have video for the weekend?”
“You betcha,” the manager said. “Give me about ten minutes. I'll burn you a copy.”
“Great,” Jason said.
Ray Kurtz walked in to the Swifty Mart and zeroed in on the cop standing near the counter. He'd come in to get his paycheck so he could run it by the bank before they closed at five. There were two ways he could play this — he could be totally cool or he could just turn right around and come back later. He took a step backwards and started to pivot.
“Hey Ray,” Mikey, the day shift counter clerk called. “You want your check or what? Because if you don't want it I'll take it.”
“’Course I want my check.” Ray stepped up next to the officer not looking at him. Mikey opened the register and lifted the cash box out. He pulled a stack of four or five envelopes held together with a paper clip from beneath and thumbed through them until he found Ray's.
“Here you go,” Mikey said. His eyebrow piercing glittered in the afternoon sun shining through the front window.
Ray snatched the envelope from Mikey's hand.
“So you work here too?” the cop said.
Ray's jaw tightened, and he forced a smile.
“Yes Sir,” he said. No need to raise any suspicions.
“Have you seen this girl?” The cop held out a photo of a young Latina girl. Her long dark curls cascaded over her shoulders and he was mesmerized by her bright white teeth, frozen in a smile forever.
“No sir,” Ray said shaking his head. “Can't say as I have.” His lips curved into a half smile and he met the cop’s gaze straight on. Where was the damn voice when he needed it? It was all for getting him in trouble, but was completely silent when faced with the possibility of the consequences from its yammering. Sweat dripped from the back of his hair in an itchy line down his back. The cop studied his face for a moment and he fought the urge to rub his hand across his neck. The cop’s eyes narrowed.
“All right Deputy,” the manager said, emerging from the back offices of the store. He handed the cop a shiny DVD in a paper sleeve. “Here ya go. Hope this helps you find the girl.”
“Thanks,” the cop said. He gave them all a nod and disappeared through the front door.
“What’s wrong with you?” his manager asked. “You’re as white as a sheet.”
“Yeah,” Ray said, fanning himself with the envelope in his hand. “I think I’m just a little overheated. Hot in here.”
“Well, you better not call out sick,” his manager said. “I don’t have anybody else to cover the night shift.”
“Don’t worry boss,” Ray said. “I’ll be here.”
Chapter 18
Charlie pulled up to the first pump and filled her nearly empty tank. She scanned the parking lot, taking note of the video cameras on the exterior of the building. She removed her phone from her back pocket and glanced at the time. Her screen read 11:30 p.m. When the pump clicked off, she returned it to its cradle and reached inside her car for her wallet. Glancing up she noticed him standing at the glass door watching her. Her heart hammered in her throat. Aldus Talmadge. What was he doing here?
She had seen spirits attached to people and things, but she never encountered a spirit that could roam freely the way he did. Some part of her wished she could sit down with him and ask him questions, but she squashed that, letting her desire for him to just move on — preferably to hell — take over. She took a deep breath and headed in to pay for her gas.
Once inside the building, she pretended not to see him. It took real work not to flinch when he put his hand right in front of her nose.
She took a good look at the clerk behind the counter. He was not the man from her dream.
“Where's the candy aisle?” She asked.
The young man behind the counter looked up from his hot rod magazine and pointed to the aisle near the soda cooler. She took the long way around, winding her way past the bread, peanut butter, saltines, and cans of soup. She spotted a box of salt and picke
d it up.
There were four cameras that she could see — one in each corner. She wondered how many times this place had been robbed for the owner to make such an investment. This place was so far out she couldn't imagine it was that lucrative. But what did she know about running a convenience store? Maybe if she came back and spoke to the manager she could somehow sweet-talk him into letting her look at recent footage? That was a stab in the dark though. She wasn't even sure the girl had gone missing yet.
The doorbell sound rang out across the store and she looked up to see the man from her dream walk through the door. Aldus Talmadge had followed her around the store but had stopped trying to speak to her when she ignored him. It surprised her that he didn't try to get her attention by throwing something at her but maybe he was not quite that powerful. She had certainly encountered spirits who had learned to focus their energy on a particular task. In her experience, though that ability was usually tied to great emotion. Fear. Anger. Even love.
Aldus disappeared from beside her and reappeared right behind the man from her dream.
“You're late dude,” the young man behind the counter said. He scowled.
“Not your problem Dave,” he said, slipping on an orange and green vest with a nametag attached to it.
Aldus whispered something in the man's ear and he stopped the argument with Dave before it really started. A feeling of déjà vu washed through her. Aldus leaned in close to the man and both the man and the apparition shifted their gaze toward her. An arrogant smile played at the corners of the spirit’s lips.
Charlie refused to be intimidated. It had only been a dream. She had nothing to fear from the spirit and as far as the man was concerned, she didn't think he would try anything with a coworker present and all these cameras recording his every move.
She glanced down at the candy again and picked up a bag of Skittles. They were Evan's favorite. She walked with her head held high, ignoring the staring man and glaring apparition.
“I had gas on pump two,” she said putting the salt and the candy on the counter. The man continued to stare at her, standing a little too close for comfort. She scowled and mustered her best imitation of Lisa. Staring him directly in the eyes she said, “Can I help you with something?”