by Ink Blood
“Fine, let me know the minute you find something.”
“We’ll do so.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Nothing more than necessary, there’s no need to apologize.” Mr. Craft assured.
On the recording William and Ivan’s voices were clear, asking questions to establish presence. Andrew’s facial expressions changed with the sound of a female voice.
“That voice.” Andrew’s voice was a breathless whisper.
“I can make it clearer so only her voice comes through.” Mr. Craft said and changed the settings on the audio and played it again.
Andrew sat on the edge of the chair hoping she would name her killer. He needed to help her, bring her peace and the rest that’s taken from her so wrongly.
Janet’s voice came through the speakers in response to the questions Ivan and William asked. “I’m the one you killed and threw away like garbage... Find us or I’ll keep taking others... You and your kind...” A soft weep echoed from behind her as a child came into focus.
Silence fell hard in the van, on one of the screens her image was in full view of the camera.
Janet continued filled with rage. “Your reign had end. I shell not fear you and you’ll come with me to the bottom of the lake to live through my pain for all eternity, just as you expected me to. You can no longer silence me. I will not be alone in this torment. You’ll pay for your crime as my son and I have suffered for some time now.”
Moments later she swept past the cameras. She appeared seconds later the other side with Ivan and William forcing them under the water. They never reappeared.
Andrew struggled to find the words. “This can’t go unpunished.”
“What do you need to make it happen?”
“Can you get your divers to search around the rock face as well? I do believe if there’s something under the water, it’ll be there.” Andrew asked and stood up.
“Sure.”
“If you want to continue your investigations go ahead. Understand the sheriff’s department can’t hire you or take responsibility for any damage or loss of any equipment, or injury to you or your staff.”
“I understand.”
“You’ll show me any evidence. No-one’s to see any of this until I give you the okay, even if the president himself comes with a court order.”
“Sure.”
“Where do I contact you?”
Mr. Craft handed him a business card.
“My cell phone’s on twenty-four-seven. Once again thank you. You don’t know what this means to me and my sons, and if they were here right now they would’ve grabbed and kissed you.”
“They sound like great men, I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to meet them.” Andrew left the van and turned to Tom.
“I suggest you close the lake as soon as the divers are out of the water. I don’t want to find anyone around here, especially on the water. I’ll deal with the mayor. You’re in charge of this Tom except for Mr. Craft.” Andrew commanded and walked to his vehicle and stopped midway.
*~*~*
*V*
A black sedan blocked the path between Andrew and his vehicle. It stopped in front of him. The rear tinted window descended and the door clip opened. Andrew slipped into the backseat with a sigh. The window closed again.
Andrew looked at the short stocky man that seemed more than comfortable in his position. Until recently he had thought of the mayor as sensitive to the needs, safety and freedom of the people who had elected him to his position. He accepted a cold drink from the driver poured from a minibar in the front and held it for a moment in his hands to feel the cold.
Andrew stared at the glass in his hand, he felt dizzy and distant.
“Janet and her son are still here.” Andrew said softly and handed Gibbs the photos.
Gibbs took them and studied them thoughtfully while giving Andrew time to talk.
“I’m sure Martin did something to them. He’s more on edge as any man I’ve ever met whose wife walked out on him. There’s something not right about his behavior, even worse every time he was near the lake. Its possible accidents occurred, but then why hide it. I mean he was the sheriff. He’s respected and seen as an upstanding member of society. At any rate, something’s not right and I believe we need to find him even just to hear his side of the story.”
“How can you be so sure that he committed this crime?” Gibbs asked looking up from the photos.
“It's possible that his wife and child left town as he claimed and he was not aware of their disappearance. By now he should’ve relished something’s not right. On the other hand, he must’ve known, because something horrifying was haunting him for days before he left. Somehow he even received calls from someone who we believed was his wife. Even I’d heard a one-sided conversation that sounded like him speaking to her the day he left. Who would call him if not his wife?”
“Maybe he has someone pretending to be his wife or you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“I know I’m not, I can feel it in the pit of my stomach and it's making me sick to think of it. I’d love to know that I’m wrong, but the only way to settle this is to find Martin.”
“I assume you have a way to find him.”
“Yes.” Andrew replies coldly.
“You’re planning to do this when?”
“As soon as humanly possible, I intend to start the search as soon as I get to the office.”
“What will you do if he turns out to be innocent and your ghost isn’t, Janet?” Gibbs asked handing the photos back to Andrew.
“Then I‘d have hit a brick wall.”
“Will you be leaving town as soon as you find him?”
“Yes. I’ll have to tie up some loose ends before I can leave. First we need to close the lake for the public. I’ve got a paranormal investigator that will gather information on the ghosts. Just the investigator and Tom can to go on the lake if it's necessary.”
Gibbs looked at Andrew over the rim of his glasses. “I know that you and the Parkers have a close relationship for a long time. I don’t want it to cloud your judgment and force the sheriff’s department into an embarrassment that would harm the reputation of the town. Did she actually name him as the killer?”
“No, but if he’s guilty he belongs behind bars, broken and dishonored as much as any criminal. Everyone ought to see him destroyed after all he had done.”
“That’s fare and well, but did he do it, do you have any other prove than a ghost that didn’t name him and your gut feeling?”
“No.”
Gibbs emptied his glass and handed it to the driver. “No matter what, before you accuse him, you need good solid proof that would tie him to the crime that you don’t have proof of either. This would be difficult. Your only evidence is a ghost that doesn’t even points to him as her killer. You do have your work cut out for you.”
Andrew sat for a moment in silence thinking. He finished his drink and passed the glass to the driver.
“I don’t have to remind you that Martin’s a resourceful man. He’s not today’s child, not your average person on the street. He’s the best sheriff’s we had because of his background in the military, and his ability to get the job done. He’s thorough. He demanded a quality of life and in return gained respect most longed for even never seen. But you see, put that aside. He could also be a criminal of the likes we hadn’t seen in this community. Of all the evil he might’ve done to his wife and kid he had that great, hero stigma behind him. These qualities are more powerful and immeasurable than you’ll ever wrap your mind around. If anything goes wrong with his apprehension. Even if you can proof him guilty, you might be a punching bag for the community angered by his dismay. You must be strong and absolutely certain before bringing him down. Even if guilty and he fights the charges using the people of this town, they’ll make him innocent and you guilty. You need to know this before chasing after a legend.” Gibbs warned.
“If his guilty I’ll proof it beyond
a shadow of a doubt.” Andrew admitted insistently.
“I believe you’re a capable man, better than many. Even you need to admit that you’re not in his league for instance, with great effort you can build a strong case with everything in the correct way to convict him. You might even be able to convince people outside this town of his guild. The moment you put your feet here and rumors start to build, you should brace yourself for more than a war. It could cost you more than you’d like to offer up.”
“Regardless of that, if he’s guilty I’ll seal his fate, even if it costs me everything. I owe it to Janet and Christopher.”
“Now, you didn’t forget about the festival next week, we need the lake open by then.”
Andrew opened the door and swung one leg out then paused. He turned to the mayor. “It’s in the best interest of all involved that I wrap this up long before then.”
Andrew left the sedan and heads to his own vehicle. Tom’s walked over to the driver’s side door.
“You can put up your signs to close the lake. If you find anything call me on the radio. I need to follow up a lead.”
Andrew got into his vehicle and followed the shoreline slowly to the Northern side of the lake. His mind raced with thought as he looks out for anything unusual. Silently he hoped to catch a glimpse of who he now believed to be Janet.
*~*~*
*VI*
The door to Helen’s kitchen was standing wide open. Laughter came from next to the house where a little girl played with a large dollhouse and an assortment of furniture and dolls to fit the house. Now and then she poured tea from her set. She shared the tea with an imaginary friend. Someone was fiddling in the kitchen.
Andrew parked under the large tree in front of the house and walked to the kitchen door. Helen moved back and forth in the kitchen. She noticed Andrew and invited him in before he had a chance to knock. He entered and stood next to a small table set against one of the walls. Helen finished the coffee she was busy with and invited Andrew to sit at the table. Helen called Olivia through the kitchen window to eat lunch. Olivia came skipping in, climbed onto one of the chairs and started eating. She didn’t pay attention to the conversation between Andrew and Helen.
“Sweetie, why don’t you tell the sheriff about your friend?”
“Are you going to help him? He’s so sad, but he’s scared to come to anyone. He says people will hurt him.” Olivia started.
“Why’s he so sad. What’s his name?”
“Christopher doesn’t want to talk about it much.”
Andrew’s heart skipped a beat. “That’s a pretty name. We have to make him happy again. Will you tell him that I’ll do anything to make him happy again?”
“Sure. I think he’d be glad to hear that.” Olivia said smiling.
“Will you tell him that Uncle Andrew said so?”
“Sure.” Olivia assured.
After eating, Olivia ran outside to the dollhouse. Andrew turned his attention to Helen.
“Sheriff, I asked to see you because you see, I don’t exactly know how to explain this without thrown into the mental institute, but I feel something’s wrong.” Helen said softly, her voice was trembling. She played with the cup of coffee in her hands. She didn’t look at Andrew.
“Try me, after the last few days I’ve had, I can believe just about anything.” Andrew invited.
“I don’t want to waste your time or mine.” She paused.
“What do you mean?”
Helen stood up and walked toward the window “If you feel I’m wasting your time, tell me, and then we can consider this conversation as never happened and go on with our lives.”
Andrew joined Helen at the window. “Currently there’s a search underway at the lake. Nothing of the last couple of days had been making sense until this morning. And this house could offer more to the investigation then you’re aware. So let me put you at ease, whatever you’ve got to share with me, I’m sure it’s important enough for me to waste some time.”
“She’s so happy to be playing with someone.”
Andrew turned away from the window. “Even if he’s a five-year-old brutally murdered boy murdered by the one person he had trusted, and I could do nothing to help him.”
“He’s murdered?” Helen asked shocked.
Andrew tried to hold back the tears. “Yes.”
“That might explain the strange events.”
“Like what?”
“Olivia’s friend and his mother I think need help.”
Helen looked out the window again. Olivia ran circles around her tea set, laughing and calling out for her friend to catch her. Her long blond locks bounced and flew gently through the light breeze.
Helen turned to Andrew. “She’ll be fine there. I need to show you something.”
“Lead the way.”
“Do you know what happened to them?”
“Not exactly, all we know is that they‘ve left town and suddenly they appear in the lake attacking anyone in reach.”
Helen walked upstairs. “I just don’t understand why they insist on me helping them.”
“Probably because the boy has attached himself to your daughter, because they shy away from men.”
“Maybe, but I think there’s more to it.”
“Whatever it is, we need to work it out and fast.”
Helen climbed the stairs quickly. “The woman spoke to me.”
Andrew got the feeling she didn’t want to feel trapped on the stairs.
“She spoke to you?”
Helen stopped in the passage and turned to Andrew.
“Yes, she was in my room and she blocked me in the passage, right here.”
“What did she say?”
“She wants me to find them and him and make him pay. Do you make any sense of this, because I don’t have a clue what this means.”
Andrew felt weak and dizzy. “She didn’t say anything else?”
“No, but she’s insistent that I help her.”
Helen stepped into the room, Andrew trended carefully fearing an attack from Janet. The room was empty. The curtains are wide open and the bed neatly made. The room’s neatly kept.
“How many times had she spoken to you?”
Helen turned into the passage. “Only once, but her voice was strong she didn’t need to repeat herself. I also sensed something in the basement although I think it was her.”
Andrew followed.
“And the boy, did he speak to you.”
“No, just showed me something.”
“What did he show you?”
Helen walked to Olivia’s room. “Follow me and I’ll show you. Yesterday afternoon Olivia and I were in the lounge watching TV. Olivia was playing on the carpet alone when I heard something upstairs. I came up here and found the room in a total mess. Someone pulled the clothes from the closet and scattered it around the room. The curtains hung off the rail and the toys stacked into two piles, toys that appeal to boys and the rest. The carpet had wet marks and the bedding pulled off the bad. I turned around and saw the boy.” She stopped just outside the door.
Andrew hung on her every word. “He showed himself to you?”
“He stretched his hands out to me as if he wanted me to comfort him and then he showed me.”
Andrew swallowed hard. “Showed you what?”
Helen pointed to the room. “Please, after you.”
Andrew walked into the room. Olivia’s room was a typical little girl’s room. He turned his attention to the wall, where colorful markings were out of place.
“Olivia didn’t do this herself?”
“No.” Helen replied.
“Children do strange things.”
Helen entered the room. “Do you think she could’ve reached? Besides last night after her bath, that wasn’t there and she was with me downstairs. After all, the boy showed it to me, and I believe he messed up the room to get attention.”
“Then only he could’ve done this.”
“Why they�
��re insisting I should help them is beyond me. I never knew them. Plus I just moved here.”
“This was his room.” Andrew admitted in a soft voice.
Helen stepped back in shock. “You must be joking?”
Andrew walked out of the room choking on the words. “You bought the house from Martin Parker, Janet and Christopher was his wife and son.”
Helen struggled to catch her breath. “What on earth would push a man to do something like this, he seemed so decent. That explains why he wanted to leave so quickly. He probably knew she was haunting and wanted to get away before someone figures out what he had done. It seems like you knew them better than I did. You know a lot about them. Where you close to them?”
Helen and Andrew returned to the kitchen.
“Too close.” Andrew admitted sadly.
Walking towards the kitchen they noticed Olivia was playing in the lounge with her friend. The heat had finally gotten to her. Distracted by her friend they continued their conversation in the kitchen.
Andrew sat at the table again his legs weakened by the thought that Christopher was so close by. Helen stood at the counter again. He remembered the counter. It was the same one Martin had burned when he came home late one night from the pub. Janet refused to make him dinner so he did it himself on a small two plate stove. He passed out before the meal cooked and burned a ring into the counter. After he got rid of the smoke he had to replace the entire counter. Janet appeared more amused than angry. That was just the person she was, she didn’t get angry much. What could he possibly do to them, why to them?
Andrew fell silent, trying to calm himself before he spoke.
“I never believed in ghosts or the supernatural.”
“Neither did I, but I believe we’re forced into something so a revealed hideous crime that would otherwise could’ve gone unnoticed. Please let me help release them, and find whoever did this. I can't help feeling that I made a promise. That’s all I ask.”
“This is a police matter that I can’t involve civilians in.”
“I understand. Then make me your deputy for a while. It’s not just me but it’s also my daughter and the entities. They didn’t reach out to you but to us. I feel if I don’t help they might get desperate and harm Olivia or worse.”