Kayla's Chronicles- Will Travel For Murder

by Candy O'Donnell

  Tyler sat on a bench across the sidewalk from where they just ate. “It’s kind of like what I endured myself. While at the police academy, my father was stabbed while investigating a house not far from here. I heard the news and freaked out, literally. It was like enduring a stab to the back, then to the heart all at the same time. A wave of anger rampaged through me, and there was nothing I could do about it, but withstand what was taking place in my life.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that. When I lost my mother, I kind of felt the same way, even though I knew it was coming.”

  “What? You knew your mother would die.”

  “Five years before her death, I dreamed about it in great detail, and that’s exactly what took place. I even told her about it on her death bed, like it helped her or me during that sad time. I couldn’t do anything about it. She was dying, and not even my dreams could save her.” Kayla wiped a tear from her eye.

  “That’s horrible. I’m sorry you had to go through that too.” Tyler went to touch her hand, but he pulled it back and sat up straight.

  “My dreams are not supposed to save people. They are warning me of what’s to come. Each one is filled with what life is about to dish out. How can one know for sure when such things are about to take place? How is a child supposed to deal with seeing her own mother’s death in a dream beforehand?”

  “We are never given more than we can handle, Kayla. I had to realize that when I stood over my father’s casket three days after he passed away.” Tyler lifted his head and stared at the street teeming with cars and foot traffic. “Life throws everything it can at us, and it still expects us to stand tall and overcome whatever comes at us.”

  “I agree.”

  “If we give up, we give up on ourselves and our dreams. Kayla, if you say you have dreams about death and murder, I believe you. I believe you’re going through something unique few actually see and feel. You let me know what else I can do to help you through this.” He looked at Kayla, and this time, he touched her hand with his.

  “Belief is the first step with what’s happening to me, detective. My father has faith in me, and now I need to have absolute faith in myself. I want to find out who killed Harris and why. Whoever did this wanted no one to know who they are.”

  “Kayla, whoever the killer is, we will find out together. Always keep me in the loop with whatever you dream, please.” He pulled his hand back into his lap.

  “Thanks, Detective Tyler.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “Whoever is telling me to leave needs to know they don’t know me very well.” She was on her feet with eyes staring around her. “I’m not scared that easily. I will not stop. I will not halt my investigation of this case.”

  “Technically, it’s not an investigation for you.” Detective Tyler reminded her of that fact.

  “Yes, but I can look into this on my own. Every darkness eventually comes into the light. Nothing is ever hidden for very long, and I’m only shown individual pieces of the puzzle a few at a time.” Kayla shook her head. “I think I’m ready to go back to my hotel now. Waiting for that disc is going to become a long, drawn-out waiting game.”

  “Have patience, Kayla. Everything good comes to those who wait.” Detective Tyler was walking by her side along the busy sidewalk. They didn’t know the slime guy was watching them from the corner of the building.

  Kayla stopped in her tracks when they arrived at Detective Tyler’s car. “Thanks for taking me to the library and thanks for lunch.” She climbed into the car when he held the door open for her.

  “Yeah, no problem, Kayla.” He hurried around to the driver side and got inside himself. When he started the car up and turned his head to look at her and whispered, “You want to see something amazing, really amazing?”

  Kayla nodded. “That would be great right now.”

  “I want to show you where my father is honored in the park. It isn’t what you think, but you’ll see.” Tyler wheeled his car over the streets and headed past the Hotel Monteleone to the park.

  “The hotel was there.” Her hand pointed at the large building with her voice low, and when Tyler shook his head, she wondered where he was taking her.

  “Don’t worry. You’ll love it.” Detective Tyler reassured.

  When they spotted a sign that read, ‘Woldenberg Park,’ Kayla smiled at the view of the waterfront as it encapsulated her vision. Low lying purplish pink clouds hovered within her vision. “It’s gorgeous.” The car’s engine cut as Kayla, and the detective got out of the vehicle, and inhaled cold air they were dipped in.

  “Not far up ahead is a white gazebo with paint peeling, and soon you’ll see a mature tree sitting in front of it.” Detective Tyler pointed.

  “Yes, I see it. What a great place with wonderful views.” Kayla took it all in with a grin rising on her face to show the detective how happy she was to be in such a calm place without voices to interrupt them or slime to inhibit their view.

  Tyler went to the trunk of the tree and held a hand on the bark with his head tilted down. “This is the place my father was stabbed by that criminal. A blue ribbon is sometimes tied around it, but it’s been torn off, again.” Detective Tyler tipped his head up to see through bare branches. He stared at the sky above with eyes creased into small slits.

  “I bet its lovely when these leaves fill in during warmer months. It’s quite a place to be, detective.” Kayla stepped up to the tree and placed her left hand on it too.

  Silence replaced their tones as a breeze swept through bare brown branches. It was as if someone quiet were whispering to them from high above. Kayla spied the movement of the water as it washed over the edges of the river. A few droplets became caught in the wind and brought them to Kayla as they washed over her face, and when she inhaled, dampness and dirt were all she smelled. The scent reminded her of a place back home, when she longed for it, a lonely tear made its way down her cheek where she washed it away with her hand.

  “Are you okay?” Detective Tyler went to move in her direction, but she backed away and walked to the gazebo with her lips held in a thin line.

  Kayla went to sit on one of the tan wooden steps hidden below the peaked roof. When she relaxed and crossed one leg over the other, her senses took her for another ride. This time, she smelled old wood. It was one of those smells that came to the onlooker whenever they least expected it. This also reminded her one home. This time, she held in what attempted to wash out.

  “That odor is all too familiar. I come here often to feel close to my dad and perhaps to understand what happened the night he lost his life. Every time I’m here, a cold feeling washes over me, and I’m unsure of what to think about it.”

  “Maybe coming here is not where you will find him, Detective Tyler. They are found within us.” Kayla pointed at his heart. “They will always be in our hearts, and that’s where I like to know where my mother is.”

  “It’s peaceful, right?”

  “Very much so. It reminds me of home. There’s a place near the American River where I live, and that’s where my mother and I would take walks along the riverbank before she passed away. It’s a lovely place where birds sing high in the treetops, and the river runs in a winding path.” Kayla closed her eyes and tried to remember a time in her past where she felt absolute peace, and while comparing it to the present, she began to feel those harmonic emotions all over again. When she looked up at the detective who gazed out over the water, she couldn’t help but appreciate how accepting he was of her unusual gift.

  Chapter Ten

  “She did what, dad?” Kayla asked with surprise. The sun was shining brightly through the curtains.

  “Callie came by the station to let me know she left Stan, for good this time. Can you believe that?” Thomas announced. “I’m not so sure she convinced herself. I sure wasn’t persuaded by her words.”

  “She told me she left him too. I can’t believe Callie until I see it for myself.” Kayla twisted her hair with one hand as she sat on t
he hotel bed watching the news. A weather report was on, and it appeared as if the sunshine was going to play peekaboo for a few days.

  “I doubted she had a change of heart with Stan. After sitting down with Callie, her mind was set on never seeing him again, Kayla. Let’s at least give her the benefit of the doubt, sis. She’s at least trying to change. Whether she will, is up for debate.”

  Kayla thought for a moment. “I guess so. We will play the wait and see game, dad.”

  “How is the case going? I know it can’t be easy on you, sis.” His question penetrated her brain.

  “I’m not sure, dad. A few loose ends are still floating out there just out of my reach. It’s like I’m grasping at straws and none are coming up short and to the point, dad. I still don’t know what happened to Harris.” She tumbled around a few things first before completely distrusting her intuition.

  “Try not to be skeptical about what is surfacing, Kayla. Our inner qualms have a way of pulling us into misgivings about what we’re seeing. I’ve been there way too many times to count. Trust yourself.”

  “I’m trying. The weird thing is, I’m wavering on a few people here, dad. I have learned to trust Detective Tyler, and that’s about it. Detective Bernard isn’t someone I wish to offer that to yet.” Kayla exhaled out loud. She pulled a lock of her hair and curled it over her lips. “There’s still too much to take in for me too pin down who killed Harris Blackwell. I feel there are too many loose ends to this story.”

  “I know where you are with all this. As an officer of the law, all I can say is keep tugging on those strings. Sometime soon, one of them will scream. When that does happen, you’ll have your guy… or gal, whichever the case may be.”

  “I know that Liz’s family is Eliza and Henry Blackwell, but the rest is still a little hazy for me. After looking as deep as I could, nothing has floated to the surface about if this killer is him or her, and I don’t know if this is premeditated or not.”

  “Let’s go over the facts of the case first. You have Harris Blackwell who is dead, correct?”

  “Yes, and his fiancé, Mary. He just proposed to her not long ago. I know they were found in the Mississippi River and no clues were on the body as of yet.” Kayla inserted.

  “Okay, and you have Liz who sold the table to Tabitha’s antique shop along with a few other objects, correct?” Thomas wanted to be sure he was on the right path.

  “Exactly, and her grandparents were Henry and Eliza. I still think they might have been her parents because I have not been able to pin them down yet. I also have a photo of Henry and Eliza with the family sitting around the exact table that came into the antique shop.” She went on to explain what it showed and who she believed was in the picture.

  “Liz told you they were her grandparents, right? Or did she waver on that too?” He naturally leaned back in his chair when a loud squeak occurred and told Kayla that was where he was.

  “Precisely, dad. You’re good at this stuff. When she talked about them and her dead parents, I never thought for a moment everything she said was the truth.”

  “Years of practice at being a cop. That particular side of the Blackwell family is deceased, and what about Harris? How does he fit into that family or do you know yet?”

  “I don’t know yet. I have not found any fingers pointing to Harris as of yet. The internet might be vast, but what it contains isn’t going to help me. Locating who Harris’ family is frustrating for me. I know this can be found, and I know they will reveal themselves to me, but I’m skeptical as of right now, dad.”

  “That’s good, Kayla. It shows you’re on the fence about all this. You cannot pinpoint early on what the outcome will be, especially when you don’t have every piece yet. Once you receive another piece to this confusing puzzle, the picture will become clearer with each passing day. You’ll get there.”

  “I met a lady named Mel Blackwell today. Her family is strewn across the United States, and she could not recall everything by speaking to me for a few minutes. I have her cell number, and I could ask her whatever I wish. She will let me know what she can.” Kayla laid on the bed and closed her eyes.

  “Find out about this Henry and Eliza and how they are related to Harris. However, you need to dig, just dig deeper than ever before. Harris deserves justice for what happened to him, but you know that already. His full name is what again?”

  “Harris Green Blackwell is his full name, dad. Why?” Kayla queried with her hand releasing her hair.

  “Have you checked out the name Green yet? I bet something might balloon for you once you have his nearest relative. That will help you greatly when you get to know every player to this mystery.” Thomas tossed something for Muddles with a laugh. It could be heard hitting the floor through the phone. “This cat is keeping me on my toes, and I love every minute of it.”

  “I will try harder to find out who Harris is related to. I could go by the local cemetery to see if I can find out anything on the Blackwell family.” Kayla popped open her eyes wide and leaped to her feet as a head rush almost dropped her to the bed.

  “That’s a great idea, Kayla. I bet you could cross-reference who’s there and how each is related. Most headstones or mausoleums have names and dates written on them, and most of the time they are online too. Please be careful. Detective Tyler let me know what is taking place and why. Please take your pain pills and take care, Kayla.”

  Kayla winced. “I have been taking my pain pills, dad. I’m fine, by the way. Everything is okay with me. When I get off the phone with you, I need to jump in the shower and catch a taxi to the cemetery. I’ll text you when I find something. Don’t stress, dad!”

  “You’re my only daughter so of course, I will stress in abundance. Love you, sis.” He waited for her to say it back.

  “I love you too, dad. Take care of my kitty. I miss Muddles a lot.” Kayla hung up and sat staring at the traffic update on the television. Numerous accidents were everywhere, and she hoped to avoid them on her way to the cemetery.

  ~~~

  Kayla stood just outside the St. Louis Cemetery on Esplanade Avenue. Beautiful mausoleums, tombs, and gravestones were crumbling around the edges from lack of care. Kayla noticed a few graves were marked from the 1700s, even though it wasn’t established until 1854. One casket was actually poking out of the ground. The resting place of the dead gave Kayla shivers, and her mind reeled when she stepped onto the land to investigate this place further, but her mind cried for her to leave this desolate place.

  Cross-shaped headstones protruded from the ground like granite foliage. White and darker rock swelled one after the other. Roof toppers showed everyone who passed by intricate details with personal touches added. The first thought Kayla had was mesmerizing that such things could occur in such a magnificent city like New Orleans.

  Broken stone crosses sat atop many of these hidden gems and enticed one to snap photos of what religion the person within adhered to. The splendor and significance of each overwhelmed Kayla by the beauty of this final place of rest. “So, adorning.” She whispered.

  “They are.” An older woman walking with a cane impressed upon her when she passed Kayla. “Many generations of my family have been laid to rest here in the place of the dead. I pray you vacate this place with prayers and wonderment. Don’t forget to not remove anything from here nor don’t leave anything.” She kept moving forward with the cane guiding her path.

  “I certainly will remember that,” Kayla mumbled after her.

  Kayla made her way up and down each walkway searching for any Blackwell family burials. When she came across a few, the names didn’t match up with what she had. Instead, she became enamored with each stone structure she saw. Kayla snapped photos of headstones she perceived, and she held them close to her mind even though they didn’t seem plausible to her.

  Kayla left that cemetery and headed to the graveyard named St. Louis Cemetery number 1. It was guided by a woman wearing dark clothing and a lace veil. She possessed conside
rable knowledge of who was buried as Kayla mingled in with everyone else fascinated by what the place had to offer. These stones were just as lovely as the last one, and when she came across the familiar name of Elizabeth Blackwell and W. L. Blackwell, Kayla had to get a photo of those graves. The dates lined up, and that was when she began to relax and enjoy the tour.

  Browsing through each gravesite seemed to enhance Kayla’s experience of the place even more now that she was gazing upon them. Everyone within the tour appeared distant and out of touch with what she saw until the group left her to stand and stare down a row where a woman moved lightly over the walkway in her direction.

  Fear never struck her when Mel approached, curled an arm through hers and slowly stepped to where her parents were buried. “What are you searching for, Kayla?” Her question fell around them. The tour was a mere twenty feet ahead, and Kayla felt stuck in time with these gravesites glaring back at her.

  “I’m not sure, Mel. They’re intriguing.” After speaking those words, one woman in the back of the tour motioned for her to rejoin them. Kayla glanced around her, and no one was there. She shook her head and rejoined the group as they quietly listened to what the tour guide was telling them.

  “Are you okay, young lady?” The woman who motioned to Kayla asked. After looking past her at the empty path, she shrugged. “You act as if you were talking to someone, but nobody is there.”

  “I thought a woman was there, I must have been mistaken.” Kayla stood so still when fear crept up the back of her shirt and down both arms.

  “You look as if you have seen a ghost.” She responded with her hand rubbing Kayla’s arm.

  “I’m not sure what I saw.” Kayla shook it off and listened to what the tour guide talked about. Words tumbled out of her mouth, and everything about the cemetery felt off when Kayla stared into the distance, she could have sworn she saw a woman dressed in black with long dark hair staring back.