by Wendy Wang
“Can you help me?” the girl asked.
“I’ll try,” Charlie said. “Can you tell me your name?”
“Honey Talmadge.”
Charlie offered a wan smile. “My name is Charlie. You're Ms. Blackburn’s sister, the one she told me about. Right?”
“Yes.” The girl's voice quivered. “She married Frank. She thought she could leave me behind.”
The girl let out a groan that morphed into a bloodcurdling keening. So much pain in that sound. It made Charlie's bones ache. She pressed her hands against her ears. “Honey—I know it hurts. But I can't help you if you're screaming.”
The girl closed her mouth and fixed her stare on Charlie. Her lip quivered, but she did not cry again.
“That's better. Was Frank your boyfriend?”
“No, of course not. He was too young for me. But he took my sister away.”
“I'm sorry that happened. Honey, can you tell me how I can help you?”
“You have to stop him.”
“Who?”
“Talmadge. You must stop him.”
“You mean Aldus Talmadge?”
Girl nodded her head. “He won't stop collecting them.”
“Is that what he's doing? Collecting the girls? How is he collecting them? How do I stop him?”
The jiggling of the door handle drew Charlie’s attention. She didn’t want to look away. She wanted answers. Muffled voices came from the hall.
“Honey. Please. Tell me,” Charlie whispered. The door opened behind her and the ghost disappeared.
“Thank you, Henry.”
Charlie recognized the old woman’s voice from their phone conversation. She took a deep breath and turned to greet Sugar Blackburn.
“Ms. Blackburn? Do you know this woman? Should I call security?” An older man wearing gray coveralls appraised Charlie with wary eyes.
“Charlie?” Sugar asked.
Charlie called up a smile. “Yes ma’am.”
“I’m so sorry I’m late.” Sugar carried a plastic basket with neatly folded clothes. “There was a problem with the dryers.”
“No worries. I hope you don’t mind that I let myself in.”
“Oh no, of course not. I thought Jason was coming with you.”
“He did. He just—” Charlie’s gaze shifted to the man in the coveralls lingering behind Sugar. “He needed some fresh air.”
Sugar’s sharp, hazel eyes scanned the room. “I see.” Sugar turned to the man. “Thank you again for all your help Henry.”
Henry nodded and gave Charlie an uncertain glance before heading down the hall out of sight. Sugar put the basket down and closed the door behind her.
“Are you all right?” Sugar asked.
“I am. I met your sister.”
“She showed herself to you?”
Charlie nodded. “She’s in a lot of pain.”
“I don’t understand. She’s dead. How can she be in pain?”
Charlie sighed. “Sometimes spirits hold onto emotions for people and things. It’s one way they bind themselves to this world.”
Sugar covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes became glassy. “Poor Honey.”
“Can you tell me more about how she died?”
“Of course, I’ll tell you anything you want if it will help her find some peace.”
Chapter 23
Charlie leaned her head against the window of Lisa’s BMW and watched the world blur by. Sometimes when she listened to people's stories, images popped into her head — like a movie — only what she saw was their thoughts. It wore her out, especially when there was pain involved. Listening to Sugar’s story left her feeling raw and exposed. The poor woman had been haunted by her sister for nearly seventy years. In all that time she had relived that night over and over. Charlie admired her for her strength. She wasn't sure she could have dealt with it as graciously. Hell, she could barely deal with her marriage imploding. There was no way she would've been able to handle it if her dead sister had made a habit of showing up to make her feel bad for not doing more to help her.
“Are you all right?” Lisa asked.
“I'm fine,” Charlie said. “I just keep thinking about Honey’s story.”
“Yeah,” Lisa said. “It's really sad.”
“You know Sugar told me that the man who killed her claimed he was told to do it by a voice in his head. They still electrocuted him though.”
“Well of course they did. It was the forties, right?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Charlie nodded. “But, it's not just Honey that’s on my mind.”
“What do you mean?”
“I keep having this dream. It's about a young girl — a worker. It's like I’ve stepped inside a historical movie or something. She's young and black, working on a potato farm.”
“What happens to her?”
“She dies at the hands of Aldus Talmadge.”
“Aldus Talmadge.” Lisa practically spat his name. “I wish that SOB would just cross on over to hell.”
“Me too. I know Susan’s counting on me, but I don’t know how to make him go.”
“Maybe we should all put our heads together.” Lisa said. “Call a family meeting. I’m sure Jen and Daphne will have some ideas.”
“At this point I’ll take all the help I can get. There’s something I can’t figure out.”
“What?” Lisa's hands tightened around the polished wood of her steering wheel and her knuckles whitened.
“Honey told me Talmadge is collecting girls.”
“The ones you saw in the woods?”
“I guess. I just I’m not sure exactly how he’s collecting them.”
Lisa shrugged. “Maybe you should go talk to them.”
Charlie groaned. “I don’t want to go back until I know how to get rid of him.”
“Yeah but, what if the only way you can get rid of him is by talking to them?”
“Damn you and your logical brain.” Charlie's phone buzzed in her hand and she flipped it over and glanced at the screen. “Sorry. This is my realtor.”
Lisa flashed her a hopeful look. “Did you get it?”
“I don’t know yet. We’ve been going back and forth with offers.” Charlie pressed the red phone icon with her thumb. “Hi Evelyn.”
“Hi Charlie.”
“Any news?”
“Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?” The woman's cautious tone caused panic to flutter in Charlie's chest.
“What's wrong?” Charlie braced herself.
“Well honey, I'm sorry to have to break this to you but another buyer outbid you.”
“What?” Charlie clenched her jaw. Great. This was just exactly what she needed on top of everything else. “I really need to get into a place of my own.”
“I know, I know and I'm so sorry.” Evelyn’s voice oozed regret. “The good news is I have a few other listings that meet your criteria that you haven’t seen yet.”
“So we have to start over,” Charlie muttered. “Maybe this is a sign.”
“Nonsense.” Evelyn turned upbeat. “I promise we will get you into a house or a condo or something. I am on top of this and I promise you, Charlie, we will find you the perfect place to live.” Evelyn’s can-do spirit could be grating but at the moment Charlie was grateful, because it meant Evelyn’s attention would be focused. Charlie just didn't know when she would find time to look at houses with everything else that was going on.
“Well I appreciate that, Evelyn. Just call me when you have some information.”
“I sure will. I am pouring over the MLS as we speak.”
“Great. Thanks.” Charlie pressed End and sat back with her head against the headrest.
Lisa looked over at her. “Well that didn't sound good.”
“I was outbid,” Charlie said dully.
“Oh honey I'm so sorry.” Lisa patted her cousin’s arm. “I'm sure something will come up.”
“I really, really hope so. I don’t really feel
safe going back to my apartment, even once the locks are changed.”
Lisa sighed, and they drove the rest of the way back to Palmetto Point in silence.
The blue-haired young woman approached their table. “You want another glass of tea?” Charlie glanced at her nametag. She could never remember the girl’s name. Charlie smiled.
“Thank you that’d be great.” The young woman picked up her glass and poured in more tea and ice. Charlie watched her walk away, letting her gaze scan across her cousin’s busy diner. She had decided to take Lisa’s advice to talk to Jen about her confusion with the case and stopping in for a few minutes before heading out to pick up Evan for their weekend together.
Jen was behind the counter talking to the evening manager, giving her last-minute instructions. Poor Jen had already been here since four-thirty this morning and it was going on four p.m. now. Charlie had no idea how Jen did it six days a week. Of course, maybe that’s why she was so successful. Sometimes Charlie wished she could find something to dedicate her life and energy to. Something she loved as much as Jen loved this restaurant. A pang of jealousy wound around her heart and she hated herself a little for it.
Finally Jen untied her apron, slipped it over her head, and shoved it into a cubby beneath the register. When she approached Charlie’s table a wide smile was painted across her face.
“Sorry about that,” Jen said pushing into the seat across from Charlie.
“No problem, Jen. It’s great that are so busy here.”
“I know. I can’t believe how much we’ve grown.” Jen leveled her gaze on Charlie. “You know I am so happy you and Evan are spending the weekend at the house. Ruby hasn’t stopped talking about it since I told her. She just loves her cousin Evan.”
Charlie smiled. “Evan adores her.
Charlie picked up her glass and took a sip of tea, trying to figure out how to bring up her question.
The blue-haired waitress walked over. “Can I get you anything ma’am?”
Jen rolled her blue eyes. “Arden will you just bring me a piece of pie?”
“Of course — ma’am.” A grin playing at the corners of Arden’s mouth as she teased her boss. “What sort of pie would you like? We have several varieties.”
“Just bring me piece of the chocolate pie with two forks.”
“Yes ma’am,” Arden said, writing it down on her pad before she walked away.
“We’ve been working on her manners with customers,” Jen explained.
“Charlie tried to suppress a smile. “I see that. Looks like she still needs some work.”
“Yeah, no kidding. If she wasn’t Ellen’s daughter, I wouldn’t have hired her, but you know how those things go.” Jen sighed.
“Yeah, especially in a town like this.” Charlie nodded.
Jen leaned forward with her arms on the table. She laced her fingers together and steadied her gaze on Charlie. “You know I like having you at the house. So does daddy by the way.”
“Come on it’s only been a couple of days. And I’ve been nothing but a royal pain in the ass. It was almost midnight when I got there Wednesday night and then your father insisted on redoing my bandages.”
“I know but he loves having you. He thinks of you and Daphne as his other daughters and you know how he feels about his daughters.”
“I do.” Charlie traced the rim of her glass. Her Uncle Jack liked having his girls close. “Once I go home, I’ll try to do better about coming around for Friday dinners and stuff.”
“Lisa said you lost the condo.” Jen kept her eyes on her, unwavering.
“Lisa has a big mouth.” Charlie chuckled.
“Well that’s beside the point. But it means you don’t have a place to live.”
“I still have a place to live.”
“I mean a safe place to live.”
“My landlord is changing the locks on Monday and since the intruder didn’t try to steal anything—”
“What if I gave you an alternate solution?”
“Jen—”
“How about you move into the cottage? Rent-free.”
“No.” Charlie sat back hard against the booth. “No. That’s crazy.”
“Why?” Jen asked. “It’s not the main house so you’ll still have your privacy. You know the property has protections in place and it has two bedrooms so there’s a place for Evan when he comes to visit on weekends. It’s perfect. Plus, I’ll get to see you more. And I’ll know you’re safe.”
“I thought Uncle Jack was gonna turn that cottage into a man cave. You know, to get away from all the estrogen in your house.”
Jen laughed out loud. “My father loves all the estrogen in his house and couldn’t live without it. And he always has his boat if he really needs a break.”
Charlie quirked an eyebrow at her cousin. “Really? That doesn’t put a damper on your love life?” Charlie smirked and for a moment it felt like they were in high school again. “What happens when you meet a boy?”
“Who has time for boys?” Jen snorted. She patted Charlie’s hand. “We’ll jump off that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, I couldn’t have this restaurant and live my dream if it weren’t for my dad helping me take care of Ruby.” Jen’s blue eyes softened. “He loves you Charlie and he just wants to take care of you.”
“I love him too but I don’t need him to take care of me. If I wanted to be taken care of, I could’ve just stayed married.”
“No, you couldn’t have. Don’t get me wrong. I like Scott. He’s a great dad and I know that he still cares for you deeply but, he was never going to fully accept who you are.”
“Who I am?” Charlie scoffed. “Nobody deserves this kind of crazy. Truly. If I learned anything being married, it was that.”
“You know it burns me up sometimes how much Scott is still in your head. What you have is a calling, really. A blessing.”
Charlie fiddled with the saltshaker, spinning it in a circle between her thumb and forefinger. “It’s more curse than blessing. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life trying to ignore it.”
“I know. And it almost killed you — literally.”
Charlie met her cousin’s unwavering gaze. How was she supposed to respond to that? There was no denying that trying to be who Scott thought she should be had led to her depression and the ultimate destruction of her marriage, but she didn’t quite know how to be as comfortable in her own skin as Jen was. She envied Jen’s total acceptance of herself.
Jen’s phone buzzed in her bag. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen. “Okay. Lisa says Jason is on TV.”
“What?” Charlie asked.
Jen got to her feet. “Come on. Hurry.”
Charlie followed her cousin into the back kitchen where she had a tiny office. Evangeline had already left for the day. A small flat screen television hung on the wall above the desk. Jen picked up the remote and clicked the power button. They barely caught the tail end of an interview with Sergeant Jason Tate.
“He’s cute,” Jen said. Charlie threw a ‘whatever’ look at her cousin and continued to watch.
“Yes ma’am. If anyone has any information, they should call the police at this number.” Jason looked at the reporter instead of the camera.
An 800-number flashed across the screen in bright red. The reporter turned back to the camera.
“This is the second young woman to go missing in less than ten days.” The reporter used her smooth reporting voice. “The police could use any leads on finding these two girls. It’s believed they’ve been taken by the same man.”
Two photos of two different girls appeared on the screen, followed by a still shot of black and white security footage.
Charlie cursed under her breath.
“What is it?”
“That’s the guy from the gas station, the one I dreamed about. The one I saw with Aldus Talmadge.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Do you know if they’re a
live?”
Charlie squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on their faces. She just wanted something, some sign that there was still hope. She clenched her teeth and growled before blowing out a heavy breath. “I can’t tell. I need more of a connection.” Charlie glanced at the clock on the wall. “Hey, I have to pick up Evan. Any chance you could take care of him for me for a little while? There’s something I need to do.”
“What?”
“Honey Talmadge told me I had to stop him from collecting.”
“Collecting what?”
“Girls.” Charlie pointed to the television, even though the newscasters had moved onto a different story.
“How is he doing that? He’s dead.”
“Yeah, he is — but I don’t think that made him less powerful.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sugar told me that the Talmadge’s once owned property on the other islands as well as Talmadge Island. I think he’s moving in the boundaries of their old property lines because in his mind he still owns it. That convenience store is right over the bridge from Talmadge Island. How much you want to bet the property it’s on once belonged to the Talmadges.”
“But then how did he go to your apartment?”
“Maybe he attached himself to me and followed me home.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna suck it up and go talk to the girls in the woods. I think that’s what Honey meant. They’re the ones he’s been collecting. Hopefully they can tell me something.”
“You’re not going alone.”
“I don’t think they’ll talk to me if I’m with someone else. I’ll be fine.”
“Dang it Charlie.” Jen frowned and pulled a bag from a large file drawer in the desk. “I was gonna give these out when we all went over there together.” She pulled a taupe linen bag from the large tote and pushed it toward Charlie.
“What’s this?”
“Every tool I have in my arsenal for dealing with evil spirits. I made a bag for each of us. You know for cleansing the house.”