Remmie watched the two men. There was something similar about them that was only evident as they stood together. A sense of calm observance, of an ability to see things hidden. The strange quality of respect mingled with a lack of understanding that she had always felt for Richard… no, Parley… Gardiner expanded to include this self-possessed native at his side.
Her father’s voice jolted her out of her newfound awareness. She looked at her father, and could see that he was warring with himself on some issue, his face working as it seemed to attempt an embrace of two discordant ideas at once. Hope and fear, perhaps?
She saw the moment that one of those ideas appeared to be rejected.
“That is impossible. You are a savage.”
The native ignored Remmie’s father, focusing instead upon the rest of the congregation. “My name is Squanto, and I lived with your people for many moons. I traveled across the great waters with John Smith to your homeland, and came back to find my people all dead and gone.”
He seemed to sink into himself for a moment, his body and face emanating a pain that was more vast than Remmie felt she could comprehend. A pain that she had only contemplated when she thought of the Savior and His infinite sacrifice.
Then Squanto straightened up.
“I would live with you. I would help you. If you will allow it.”
Something about the softness in his gaze, the pain that was so evident there, spoke to Remmie. She found herself on her feet without being sure of how it had happened.
But when she glanced to both sides, she saw that she was not the only one. The entire congregation had stood as one, and was now surging forward to welcome this dark-skinned man into their society. It was an outpouring of empathy that was miraculous to behold. Surely this was a Godly moment she was witnessing.
But when she turned back to share the experience with her father, she saw something quite different in his countenance. Where all around him was acceptance and love, in his eyes was something darker, quickly seen and then just as quickly hidden.
He looked at her and smiled, but the expression did not reach his eyes. There she saw only a growing focus. The focus of a cat as it stalked a mouse.
Remmie turned away, stilling within herself a sudden chill.
* * *
Parley moved away from the grouping of Saints outside the meetinghouse. He felt the need to gain some distance, from which to observe the interaction of these good men and women with this fascinating man, Tisquantum.
He had feared that the native’s reception at their hands would be cold. But something about the man’s innate simplicity and direct honesty seemed to have won them over.
As he walked a bit apart, his head down in thought, he almost ran into a woman who had also separated herself from the crowd. He lifted his head to apologize for his lack of attention and found himself face to face with the Pastor’s daughter.
Remembrance.
Recalling himself, Parley extended his hand. “My apologies, Mistress Wilkes. I did not watch my way.”
She smiled, and Parley felt his heart surge and stutter within his chest. What was it that so afflicted him? The woman were not unattractive, that were sooth. But not such as to cause his distress.
“’Twere nothing, Goodman Gardiner,” she said, the timbre of her voice creating an even deeper response in Parley. “I too was much distracted.” She took his hand, and there was a shock that travelled through his fingers.
Looking to her, he could see that she appeared troubled. After an extended moment, in which their hands remained connected, she suddenly removed her hand from his and wiped it against her dress. Parley cursed himself for overstepping the bounds of common courtesy.
Yet there seemed to be no withdrawing on her part. She stayed her place, with no indication that she wished to move away. Her expression was one of inquiry, not of disgust or disdain.
Her eyes were large and luminous, a dark blue color that appeared almost violet. Framed by her dark hair, they shone with an inner joy of which Parley found himself envious. There was aught in her eyes that seemed to view the world with wonder.
She cleared her throat. “Your pardon,” she said, using the formal you that was appropriate for unmarried men and women to take with one another. “But may I ask you a question?”
Parley found himself irrationally bothered by her formality. There was a desire in his heart to hear from her the familial thou. What were it that troubled him so?
“It appears to me, Mistress Wilkes, that you already have,” he responded with a smile.
“Indeed,” she said, appearing flustered. “It is just… I have much wondered…” She stopped, straightened her shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. “Why do you not attend Sabbath services?”
For a moment, Parley had no response. It seemed that his mouth hung slack, like one who was suffering from damage to the brain. A gulf appeared to be appearing between himself and this lovely creature before him, and he could think of no way to narrow the gap.
“I… have trouble in the company of men and women,” he answered, in as truthful a fashion as he could manage under the circumstances. “I am by nature a solitary man, and find other ways to worship.”
Which was true, after a fashion. His views on God were unclear at best, but his acknowledgment of some divine hand in the creating of the intricacies of the human body was sure. His work as a physician brought him closer to that awareness.
And his other reason for his tenuous relationship with God was too painful for him to think on. He turned his attention back to this lovely woman as she spoke again.
“I would… I beg pardon… we would greatly love to have you join us in our devotions, Goodman Gardiner.” For the first time, she dropped her gaze, staring at the ground before her. It might have been the imaginings of his heart, but it seemed to Parley as if a slow flush were creeping up her neck and face.
He felt a responding heat rise within himself, and he wrung his hands together in his discomfort and uncertainty. His assertion that he was not at his ease in the presence of others was naught but the purest truth.
“I will consider it, Mistress. If for no other reason but that you have requested it of me.”
“Please,” she said, lifting her eyes to his once more. “You must call me Remembrance.” She stopped for a moment and swallowed, staring back at the ground. “For we are all brothers and sisters before God, are we not?”
A war sprang up within Parley. He felt a thrill go through him at this confidence shared. But he had no desire to think of this woman as a sister. His disgust for himself rose up within his throat, like food that sat unpleasantly in the gut. There was no hope in her for such as him. He forced himself to respond.
“I thank you, Remembrance. And you must call me Parley.”
“I will,” she said, giving him a short bob of a curtsy. Once more, her cheeks had colored red. She nodded to him and rushed back into the company of the congregation.
Parley watched her leave, determined to at least attempt Sabbath observances from here on out. There was much to admire in this young woman. And if she set such store by her worship, then it must be of some worth.
That were the only reason. None other.
But as he turned to leave, he found himself looking back over his shoulder, trying to catch another glimpse of the young woman. It was ridiculous, he knew, but he could not seem to help himself.
And when he caught her looking directly at him, the only explanation he could find was that she found him fascinating in the way one would find a new species of frog. He stumbled over a root in the ground, almost tumbling to the ground. When he glanced back at Remembrance, she had covered up her mouth, but her eyes were laughing.
He sighed. At least his attendance at the services would provide some amusement.
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CHILD’S PLAY – A prequel short story to Amber Alert
CHAPTER 1
Star jasmine, dew
and gasoline. If there was an odor that embodied Southern California in the pre-dawn hours, that was the one that it had to be.
Early mornings. There was a push-pull to them that drew Cameron Holdon. Sitting out on the stairs of the apartment complex she managed, she breathed in the lack of perpetual voices. Their lack was a tight place in her chest that was both welcome and a bit panicky. Even being just this far from her girls made her feel like an irresponsible mother.
This was an hour Cam never would have seen back in her youth, and not much more even up to about seven years ago. She was a night owl by natural preference, but years of being a mom to her triplets had successfully trained her to be an early riser in a way having Ryan never had.
It was the day after tomorrow. The anniversary.
Her mind veered away from a closer examination of that thought. Better to look out on the landscape before her as it brightened in tiny increments.
Soon enough she would be called back inside. Soon enough the world would intrude. The world of carpools, second grade, dance class, soccer practice and Brownie troops.
Right now, she could be at peace with the city.
San Diego contained the best of what So Cal had to offer—ethnic restaurants, pleasant weather and beaches—without some of the nastier things found a couple of hours to the north in Los Angeles. Earthquakes, fire season and rampant crime. She almost pitied those who had to live their lives up in Hollyweird. Traffic? Sure, there was traffic here and then some. But the rest of it was almost perfect.
Great reasons to stay, and there were even moments that she could convince herself that there was no other compelling force keeping her rooted. Nothing or no one that made leaving an impossibility.
It was fall, and there was a bite to the air. Cam’s favorite time of year. If she turned her head just so, she could almost pretend she saw her own breath. That was the one downside of living here. No real winter, no snow, no white Christmases.
Meh. Small price to pay for the paradise that was San Diego.
She sighed and pushed herself upright, turning to face the apartment complex. Not nearly so paradisiacal when you viewed it from this angle. Being a single mom wasn’t easy here in one of the most expensive cities in the US.
As she trotted down the hall, she heard a fight break out in 12C. Again. Those two were either busy knocking boots or breaking dishes. Didn’t seem to be much in between for them. At least there weren’t any kids in the picture. Yet.
Cam neared the door to her own apartment and stood outside for a moment, gathering her internal forces. A tiny metal strip proclaimed Manager for anyone who cared to tilt their head sideways. One of the nails used to attach the strip to the door had fallen out, and no one had ever pushed to get it fixed.
The managing gig was a good one. The landlords of the property lived in Hawaii, almost never came stateside, and still thought that the manager of an apartment complex should get free housing and a small salary.
It was the only thing that kept Cam’s family afloat these days. There sure wasn’t much coming from her ex. Take a night security guard’s pay and subtract an alcohol addiction and what did you get? Not a whole hell of a lot.
She winced, regretting her own vitriol. Robert did what he could. But what he could do just didn’t amount to much these days. He had been a fine specimen of masculine virility and pride, back before…
In those days, it had been her that had worried night and day that her police officer husband would up and leave. She’d been a bit of a mess. Her college days of partying had turned into mommy’s morning cup of coffee laced with vodka.
No longer. Clean and sober for seven years. It was like she and her ex had traded places. Well, except for the whole penis thing. Yikes. Peeing standing up was not an equal trade off for being saddled with a dangling appendage that made you buckle over double when the wind blew too hard.
She pulled out her keys, the large ring jangling in the near silence. 12C had finally stopped screaming, which either meant they had passed out or they were on to the lovemaking phase. Cam had no intention of sticking around long enough to find out.
Pushing open the door, she was enveloped in the smell of her home. Part old-apartment-mildew, but that just set off the other, more pleasant aromas. The smell of the pumpkin bread she had made last night in one of her rare cooking fits that mingled with the spiced cookie candles she loved to burn after the kids were in bed. A slight whiff of the strawberry shampoo that everyone in the family used.
One nice thing about them all being girls. They didn’t have to worry about boy soaps or boy toys or boy TV shows. It was convenient to not have to manage fights over the remote control.
The lack of anything masculine in the apartment sometimes felt like a black hole. Some kind of cosmic vacuum that was slowly sucking the soul out of Cam. She didn’t need a man to survive. But it was undeniable that it had been nice to have one around.
Before…
A blinking red light called her attention over to the kitchen counter. The message light on the phone was showing a voicemail. Cam was ninety percent sure she’d checked last night, and she didn’t remember seeing the red light on her way out of the apartment.
Who the hell had called her at 5:30 in the morning?
Picking up the receiver, Cam dialed for the voicemail. The message came through, but wasn’t much. An intake of breath, a cleared throat, then a hang up.
Weird.
Maybe it was a wrong number. That’s what made the most sense. Someone from a different time zone, maybe? But when she checked the caller ID, it was a number from here in San Diego.
Well, if they wanted to talk to her, they’d call back. It wasn’t the first hang-up she’d received in the six years since she’d started the Empty Crib Organization with her best friend and partner, Harper Pembroke. It wouldn’t be the last.
When your child had been abducted, it didn’t take long before you wanted to reach out to someone who’s been through the same thing. That’s how she and Harper had met, after all.
A sound of padding feet caused Cam to spin around. It was Michaela. Mickey, the only towhead of her three. The only one of the gang who looked like her. The rest all favored their dad, dark haired and dark eyed. Especially Ryan…
“Hey, Mouse, what’re you doing up?” she crooned as she scooped up her little girl. The nickname was their private joke. Mickey Mouse. She was small still, but getting bigger by the day. It wouldn’t be too long before she couldn’t snuggle the girls at all. The thought gave her a pang.
“I heard the phone ring,” Mickey said, yawning and rubbing her hand through her rat’s nest hair. Had she gone to bed chewing gum again? Cam tried to smooth the hair down with little success.
“Sorry about that, sweetie. I was just out on the front stairs. Did you get scared?”
“Nope. I didn’t come down until I heard the door open and shut. You okay?” Mickey turned and gave her mother a solemn look. It was a question that never would have occurred to the other two girls. They were wrapped up in their worlds of girlfriends and dresses and dolls. But not Mickey.
Cam gave her a squeeze. “’Course I’m okay, Mouse,” she said. “I’ve got you for a daughter. How could I not be okay?”
Mickey shrugged and gave her a sad smile. “I just know it’s coming up.”
“What, sweetie?” Cam asked, but she knew. It wasn’t something she talked about with the girls much, but they’d seen pictures, of course, and somehow Mickey had picked up on it.
“The day Ryan was taken. When is it?”
“That… is not something that you need to worry about,” she answered, the response sticking in her throat. She looked at her little girl and saw the disappointment and concern written across her forehead in tiny little lines. No seven-year-old girl should have worry lines. Cam cleared her throat. “It’s the day after tomorrow.”
Mickey nodded. “I thought so. Do you want me to stay out here with you?”
Time to make a decision. S
he could wallow in the pain, share it with her daughter who was way too young to worry about things like that. The temptation to do so was strong.
Or she could be a grownup. Suck it up for the sake of her little ones. The choice wasn’t tough, once she really looked at it.
“Oh, I see what’s going on here,” Cam said with a smirk. “You’re just looking to stay up, aren’t you? Little stinker.” She gave Mickey a squeeze and a tickle, making her squirm and giggle. “Now go on back to bed. You’ve still got a couple of hours before you have to be up.”
Mickey sighed and nodded again, slipping out of Cam’s arms to the floor. After a quick glance at her mother’s face to make sure everything was truly all right, she trotted back down the hall to the master bedroom that she shared with her two sisters.
That was a concession that Cam had made right from the first. There was only one of her. There were three of them. They got the bigger of the rooms.
The door had just barely shut behind Mickey when the phone rang again. Cam swore and darted over to grab the receiver before the entire household woke up. Not that there was much of a chance of that. Jules and Meg slept the sleep of the dead. Or deaf. Not much short of a nuclear apocalypse could wake them. Made school mornings tough.
“Hello?” Cam said in a low voice, not wanting Mickey to get curious and come back out.
There was a pause on the other end of the line, during which Cam glanced at the caller ID. Same number as before.
“Can I help you?” Cam said, a tone of sharpness creeping in. “It’s very early in the morning.”
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” came a timid voice on the other end. A woman’s voice, high pitched and trembling. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I was up. My girls on the other hand…”
“This is a mistake. I apologize,” the voice said. Her embarrassment screamed through the connection. It was clear she was about to disconnect the line.
“Don’t hang up,” Cam urged, suppressing a sigh. Something told her this was well outside of this woman’s comfort zone. Which meant it was probably important. “What can I do for you?”
The 2nd Cycle of the Darc Murders Omnibus (the acclaimed series from #1 Police Procedural and Hard Boiled authors Carolyn McCray and Ben Hopkin) Page 79