Dreams and Reality Set 3: Cannibal Dreams and Butchered Dreams

by Hadena James

  “So, she takes in strays,” I shrugged.

  “You care, you just don’t realize how deeply you care. Remember, you cried when Xavier died via clerical error and you cried at Michael’s funeral.”

  “I still think caring might be overrated.”

  “I would be upset if you died. Is that overrated?”

  “No, I would expect you to cry if I died.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s me. Who else is going to stab guys in the knees to make sure that you get visits to see your children via your jack-ass brother-in-law?”

  “How do you know that’s why I keep him around?”

  “Because he serves no other purpose in the universe.”

  “Good point.” Gabriel smiled.

  “Oh fruck,” I said.

  “What?” Gabriel jumped up.

  “What if August isn’t a month, but a person?”

  Twenty-Two

  Certain events leave more of an impression than others, particularly on children. Housing an orangutan for a time had been one of the more impressive moments. Coming face to face with a mountain lion also ranked up there. The fact that my father’s cousin, August, had been the one harboring both animals during an illegal animal fight, was not.

  However, August’s death had been rather spectacular and fitting. He’d been mauled by a leopard. The leopard had then dragged his carcass into the roof rafters to rot. At the time, I had considered it poetic justice. Nearly ten years later, my opinion on the matter hadn’t really changed.

  Needless to say, the funeral had been a closed casket ceremony. I had attended with my mother and Nyleena, as was dictated by my duty to family. Secretly, I was pretty sure that most of those in attendance hadn’t wanted to be there. Sure he was a Clachan by birth, but in a family whose hierarchy was dominated by matrons and money, August had been a bit of a black sheep.

  The farm had been inherited. Any money that had come with it had most likely been turned into nose candy for August’s addiction. Anything left was used to start his illegal importing business. The animal fights were just an added bonus to line August’s pockets.

  The farm had remained in the family. Twin cousins bought it. It was a nice addition to the land already owned by their parents across the road. As a matter of fact, travelling south between Columbia and Sapp, Missouri, better known as Hoop-Up, one could find a disturbingly large number of Clachan family farms. Something in our ancestry made the idea of giving up land revolting.

  There was one big problem with the notation meaning August the person and not August the month. August the person was dead. He’d been suffocated by the jaws of the powerful predator clamped to his throat. At some point, the cat had taken a good sized bite out of his face. Then he’d dragged him to the roof rafters in the barn, where he’d been gnawed on for a couple of days before someone thought to check on the lonely, middle aged man.

  Obviously, August wasn’t our serial killer. He had no children to pass the murderous gene and technique onto and as far as anyone knew, aside from family, he didn’t have friends. That lead me to believe the notation, while referring to August, was more likely to be about who bought the jaguar. In a city the size of Columbia, illegal animal importers weren’t exactly numbering in the hundreds. There was a good chance it wasn’t even in the double digits.

  This would require a fishing expedition of sorts. I needed to talk to my family about it. However, I wasn’t sure my family would be forth coming with information. They were a closed, close-knit group who guarded family secrets like crown jewels. There was a reason my father hadn’t personally arrested August. Instead, he’d hidden in the shadows, awaiting back-up as the animals were set free. All the spectators had gotten away because my father was a Clachan first and a cop second.

  Not me. As far as most of my family was concerned, I was barely a Clachan. My great-aunt had once tutted at me and told me I had too many of my mother’s genes. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, but sitting around the table, looking at my team mates, I understood. I had balked at the strategic course of life laid out by the family matrons. It had been their plans that I go to school, return to my hometown and settle down. Nyleena had broken the mold too, refusing to marry after law school and moving to Kansas City. We were more outcasts than even August.

  “You look pensive,” Xavier said.

  “No one uses the word pensive,” I told him, fiddling with a pen. “So, I think my family might know who is illegally importing animals. It used to be my cousin, August, but he’s dead. It would make sense that someone else in the family took it over. That’s sort of the way things work.”

  “Then you’re frowning because we need to interrogate your family?” Gabriel asked.

  “No, not in the least. I’m frowning because my family is a little like a cult,” I told him and paused, thinking about it. “No, they are a lot like a cult. Don’t you think it’s weird that Nyleena and I don’t talk about them?” I corrected myself.

  “You, no,” Xavier answered.

  “I can tell you how to go about it, but I can’t sit in on the interviews,” I told them.

  “Ok,” Gabriel frowned.

  “You’ll get nothing out of the older generation, especially the women. You’d have better luck going after the younger ones. Of those, I’d say go hard at the men. The Clachan women are really good at hiding the family’s dirty laundry. It’s sort of a tradition. Even when a woman marries into the clan, they are given instructions for a harmonious family life by the matrons. My mother didn’t fit the typical Clachan wife, but she was pretty good at it.”

  “Hiding the dirty laundry?” John asked, suddenly curious.

  “Well,” I shrugged. “My grandfather up and disappeared after my grandmother was murdered. I’d say there is about an eighty percent chance that my grandfather murdered her. But no one knows where he is or if he’s still alive even. Of course, nobody says he did it. They don’t even whisper about it. I was told exactly what I needed to know by a great-aunt and nothing more. My mom eventually elaborated after she moved to Kansas City.”

  “Why can’t you sit in?” Xavier pressed.

  “I’ll throttle someone. The crones made my life miserable when I was a child. They won’t be happy to see me now.”

  “Why do you think that?” Xavier prodded.

  “When I was ten, my great-aunt told me she had picked me out a husband and that she only hoped I didn’t get uglier as I got older because I wasn’t much of a prize. I thought she was crazy, but then this boy started hanging around me. Turned out, she had really picked me out a husband. My father put a stop to it, but that just pissed her off. For a year, my father was not welcome at any of the family gatherings and he stopped making me go after that. As you will soon see, most of my family members are nutty.”

  “Should we be concerned?” Gabriel asked.

  “Probably not,” I said. “But you should know, that everything lives in a huge grey area with the Clachan clan. Nyleena, my dad, me, we are the exceptions because we don’t like grey areas.”

  “Great,” John groaned.

  “Just remember that while they seem cooperative, they are going to be quietly hostile and consider you an interloper. They will do their best to be evasive and misdirecting without actually breaking a law. I’ll watch and give you information while you talk to them. Also, I think Xavier and John should do the interviews. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re too much of a good ol’ boy for it, Gabriel. Xavier will make them uncomfortable. John will get under their skin because of his appearance of superiority. If one does request to speak with a supervisor, treat them with contempt. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but if you want to watch my family get their hackles up, put them in a room with Malachi. His contempt for them is not disguised and it pisses them off to no end.”

  “You want us to treat your family badly?” Xavier raised an eyebrow.

  “If Lucas was here, I’d use his size. Unfortunately, he’s not
, so I’m hoping your issues will make them uncomfortable enough to start flopping their jaws. If that doesn’t work, then I’m relying on John’s ‘good guy’ status will do the trick.”

  “What if they don’t think Xavier is off?” John asked.

  “They will,” I answered staring at my colleague. Xavier looks like a professor that just woke up from a multiple week bender. His hair is dark and disheveled, his clothes are always wrinkled, he has an odd smell and there is intelligence in the face and eyes along with something else. I don’t know what this something else is, but I can see it. My family would as well. “I think you should start with the younger ones. Round them all up before the matrons have the ability to intervene.”

  “What are you going to do while we haul all your cousins in for questioning?” John asked.

  “Read a book.” I told him.

  “You’re going,” Gabriel said. “We might need you.”

  “I’m not,” I defied him.

  “Sure you are,” Xavier handed me a helmet with a hood that covered my face.

  “They are going to know it’s me. A face mask isn’t going to stop that.”

  “Do you like your family?” Gabriel asked.

  “I like Nyleena.”

  “Then does it matter that they know you are helping with the investigation?” Gabriel continued.

  “The matrons are evil.”

  “I didn’t think you believed in evil?” Gabriel said.

  “You haven’t met the great-aunts yet. They’ll make you believe in evil. An hour or two with them and you’ll find you believe in all sorts of things.”

  “Like the evil eye?” Xavier stifled a giggle.

  “No,” I answered. “But other things.”

  Twenty-Three

  Somehow the Clachan family knew we were coming. Since we had only told a handful of people, I was pretty sure I knew who had warned them. Several of my aunts, great-aunts, uncles, great-uncles, and cousins were already gathered at the farmhouse of my cousin, Josh. His brother, Kyle, had built a house on the same property after the twins bought it from whoever had owned it after August’s death.

  I had agreed to the full tactical suit, including face mask. The bulky body armor hid my figure and all the scars that might have identified me. The mask was generic, leaving a small hole around my nose and eye slots large enough for me to see through, but not show my eyebrows.

  My hand was on my Taser. The urge to use it was strong. I didn’t particularly care for most of my father’s family. The feeling was mutual.

  They had gathered outside the house. Cars filled the driveway, forcing us to park on the two-lane highway that ran between southern Columbia and Hoop-Up. Lawn chairs proliferated the yard, making it look like a family reunion. Coolers were set around in different places and two large barbecue grills were both emitting heat. Considering it was the dead of winter and everyone was in coats and warm clothing, it was hard to buy the whole set-up.

  “This is a private gathering,” my great-aunt, Gertrude, stood up and walked over to meet our group.

  “And you can return to your private gathering, after we’ve talked to a few of you regarding a matter of importance,” Gabriel was showing his badge and identification to the old woman. The fact that all our clothing was labelled US Marshals wasn’t enough. Even the badge wouldn’t hold much sway over the family.

  “Do you have a warrant?” She asked.

  “We don’t need one,” Gabriel informed her. “We are the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit and we are here to discuss a serial killer. You can talk to us willingly or we can arrest all of you for hindering the hunt for a serial killer.”

  “That’s a stupid law that violates my rights,” my cousin, Kyle, said from a place near one of the grills.

  “It doesn’t violate your rights,” Detective Russell stepped up. “Under this law, if you are suspected of having information regarding a serial killer, your rights are suspended. As of now, the only right you have, is the right to have an attorney present during the inquiry.”

  “You can’t arrest all of us,” Kyle boasted. I narrowed my eyes, hoping the stare would burn through him or make him spontaneously combust. I was fairly certain that we could arrest all of them. It might require Tasers, but I was good with that.

  “Stand fast,” Gabriel said, this was directed at me and I knew it. I stayed completely still. “We can and will arrest all of you. At this time, we only want to talk to five of you. If you press the issue, we will arrest all of you, using force, if necessary.”

  “We have the right to defend ourselves against unlawful arrest,” my uncle, Joe stood up. I hadn’t realized he was out of jail. I wondered when that had happened.

  “Joe,” Detective Russell shook his head. “It’s just a couple of questions, you do not want to take on the Marshals over this.”

  Detective Russell was a good guy. The sort that was very law and order, but was quick with a smile and he made people feel comfortable. He’d been brought along because he knew most of the Clachan family. He’d even almost married one, but he’d gotten out of it, relatively unscathed, before it was too late.

  “What sorts of questions?” Gertrude narrowed her eyes.

  “The sort that we ask,” Gabriel answered, staring back at the old woman with an unwavering gaze.

  “We aren’t involved with serial killers,” Gertrude snapped. I snorted. “Aislinn Clachan! This is your doing.” The woman was suddenly storming towards me. I pulled the Taser without thinking.

  “Don’t,” Gabriel’s voice was barely audible. I didn’t Taser my great-aunt, even when she got within inches of my face.

  “How dare you bring your people here with these absurd questions?” My great aunt slapped me. Her hand hit my helmet with a thud that I barely felt. It hurt her a whole lot more than it hurt me. However, my reaction was immediate. I grabbed her, twisting her arm behind her back and spinning her around. I held her close, like a mother comforting a child, keeping her arm between us. She yelped.

  “You just assaulted a federal officer,” I whispered. “I don’t care if you are older than dirt, when I let you go, if you make any attempt to step towards me again, I‘ll break you in half and arrest you. I might Taser you just to see if your heart is as cold and dead as I think it is. Do you understand?”

  Gertrude said nothing, so I didn’t let go. A few people stepped forward but stopped. The helmet was obviously pointless now. I removed my arm from over her shoulder, but kept the other pinned between us. With the free hand, I yanked off the helmet and face mask as if I were doing a magic trick.

  Xavier took the gear from my hand. Detective Russell stared at me for a few moments, his mouth slightly ajar. I was pretty sure I was going to break Gertrude’s arm if I kept her held this way for much longer, but I had no desire to release the witch that had tormented me as a child.

  “I’ll play nice, if you do,” I let her go. “We want to speak to Kyle, Josh, Joe, Phil and Rich. Everyone else can stay here and enjoy your freezing barbecue. We’ll return them by the end of the day.”

  My great-aunt glared at me. I glared back. She flinched first, turning away from me and walking towards the house.

  “Why would you want to talk to those five?” My other great-aunt, Nina, asked.

  “Just a few questions,” Gabriel informed her.

  “I’m going too,” Nina announced.

  “Why?” Gabriel asked her with a sneer. “You won’t be allowed to listen in.” I shook my head and leaned into him.

  “Nina’s a lawyer,” I whispered to him.

  “But she can’t represent family.” He whispered back.

  “We aren’t arresting them, so she can technically sit in on the interviews as their representation.” I told him. “If we arrest them, she can make arrangements for them to have different counsel.”

  “Any other lawyers in your family I should know about?” Gabriel asked.

  “Just Nyleena.”

  “Why didn’t you mention you had
another lawyer in the family earlier?” Gabriel asked.

  “She does tax law,” I told him. “Not criminal law. I didn’t think about it.” I didn’t mention the fact that she had her law degree and had passed the bar long before I was even thought of being born, but had never practiced a single day in her life.

  “Peachy,” Gabriel looked back at the group. “Are you guys going to step forward or are we going to have to pick you out?” None of the five men mentioned had come forward, only Nina had made any moves towards the vehicles.

  Kyle and Josh came first. They both set down spatulas. Joe, who was already standing, muttered something under his breath but started walking forward. We still needed Rich and Phil. I motioned for both of them to come on. They got up out of their chairs, Rich handed something to his wife.

  “Search them before you put them in the SUVs.” I told Xavier. “How many of you are currently armed?”

  Several of them started pulling out guns. John’s hand moved to his own weapon and he began to look nervous. I shook my head.

  “If you have a weapon, take it out now, slowly, and put it down,” Gabriel was also reaching for his gun. I shook my head again and let out a long sigh.

  “Ok, this is how it’s going to work, you can keep your guns and knives on you, unless you’re supposed to go with us. However, if any of you even pull out a weapon and give us a weird look, I’m going to start shooting. I’ll ask questions while I fill out paperwork.” I told the Clachan clan. This seemed to make them all stop and think. Kyle took a gun out of the back of his pants. “Don’t you know that’s a stupid place to keep a gun?” I asked my younger cousin. “You could paralyze yourself.”

  “Why are we letting them keep their weapons?” John asked.

  “Because,” I answered. “If they were going to shoot us, they would have done it when we pulled up. Black SUVs with tinted windows and no lights or sirens. They could have claimed they were defending themselves against unknown suspicious persons. They didn’t, because they knew we were coming. The weapons were meant to intimidate us into not taking any of them.”