She laughed as she hugged him, “Yes, you big fool. I’ll start putting my stuff by the door, and you can load it in the truck. Then we’ll look for that lawyer’s name.” She yelled back at him as she went to the kitchen, “Don’t forget to pack my Christmas present!” He heard her laughing. She really did like the new mop!
Truck loaded, they found Nettie’s little address book with Attorney Devon’s phone number and address. Joy looked through Nettie’s paid bill basket and found the receipt from Devon showing paid in full. She didn’t want some slick lawyer trying to say she owed money for Nettie. “That’s funny,” she said mostly to herself.
Jack turned around, “I’d like to hear something funny about now.”
“Not funny ha-ha, funny weird. You know that shit house Nettie used to rent to that loser Clyde?”
Jack thought a minute, “The one where the garage caught fire and Nettie said he had been making drugs out there?”
“Yeah, Nettie gave that house to this Devon guy to pay for her bill.”
“I think she made a good deal,” Jack said, “That place was a certified dump, and Nettie said she paid more taxes on that house than it was worth!”
Joy folded the bill and put it in her purse. “I haven’t thought about that place in years. Guess I always thought Nettie had just let it go back to the county or something.”
They turned off the lights at the front door and stood in the dark in the foyer. “It feels like she’s still here doesn’t it? She never deserved this. Nobody deserves to be killed.” Joy locked the door, and as they pulled out of the driveway, Nettie’s recliner began to slowly rock.
* * *
Attorney James Devon prided himself in his ability to manipulate situations. As he packed his car for his trip to South Bend from his office, he made a mental list of the items he needed from Lowes. He wasn’t going to want to go to the ‘house’ any more than he had to now that Sandy was there, instead of one of his Pretty Girls. He decided to board up the window in the bedroom, and devise a long chain and lock that would let Sandy walk around the bedroom and get to the bathroom without him having to be there. Like his own prison. He smiled at the thought of hundreds of women in cages just for his pleasure. His thoughts went back to Sandy. He could just leave food for her on the dresser. He didn’t have to spend time with her at all! He only had to keep her alive another two weeks and then “Happy Birthday” time! He still hadn’t figured out what kind of accident was going to happen to her. It had to look good because of the trust money. This was the only bad part about his new hobby, getting rid of them. There were so many.
He figured if he could get this all done tonight, he would actually have all Christmas Day to lay back and enjoy. Think about his new “love”, Ashley.
* * *
Ginger Hall’s supervising nurse, Jenny Camp, had packed several personal items from Ginger’s locker at the hospital and brought them to the police station. Nothing that looked very important, but she didn’t know what else to do with them. She understood Ginger had a brother who was making funeral arrangements, but no one at the Hospital seemed to know anything. It was Christmas Eve, and she was already late getting home. This was something she felt she needed to do.
When she walked into the stark building, she was surprised at how many people were there. Of course, she thought, certain jobs have no holidays. It was a fluke she was able to leave tonight, especially since they had been short one RN, Ginger.
She walked up to an officer sitting at a desk and placed the paper bag of Ginger’s belongings on the top of the counter. He looked up from his slow typing at the computer and said, “Can I help you?” She told him she had some personal belongings of Ginger Hall, one of the women who had been missing and then was found murdered.
He peered into the bag and then rolled the top of it closed again, and just looked at her. “I was thinking that the detectives on the case would probably want these.” She said.
“Oh, yeah, probably,” he mumbled as he took the bag and placed in on his desk. “Was there anything else?” he asked her with a look that said, say no.
She looked at him and just said, “No, I guess that’s it. Have a nice Christmas.” She turned and walked out of the building to her car. She was thinking that Ginger’s belongings will be in that bag a very long time. He didn’t even ask her for her name. No wonder they are clueless about who is doing all of these murders. She made a mental note to call someone connected to the case after the holiday to make sure they got the bag.
* * *
Paul had stayed at the PUB about a half hour longer than Roger and just watched people coming and going. This could be anywhere in America he thought. It is so easy to read people sometimes. He thought in general people seemed sadder these days. He heard a lot of people talking about the murders, and a lot of them were angry with the police. He couldn’t blame them. The killings started in early November and here it was Christmas. The entire community was shocked to the core.
Ellen sat next to him at the bar, but he didn’t know it. She was listening to his thoughts and realized that unless something drastic happened, these killings in South Bend could go on for a very long time. She imagined the stress he felt and decided to give him a little Christmas present too. She put her hand on his shoulder and felt almost every health issue she had felt with Roger. One by one she removed them all, and she ‘lent’ him the same stress screen she had provided Roger. She also assured his mortal mind he could sleep whenever he wanted without fear of past demons entering his dreams.
Paul had been waiting for that slice of onion he had on his burger to start tearing up his stomach and realized that he felt fine, better than fine. When the juke box blasted a good country line dance song, he and Ellen were in the front row. EEE Hah! They danced for about four more songs. Ellen was feeling a little uncomfortable being between Paul and the good looking blonde gal he was slow dancing with, so she decided to leave. Paul couldn’t remember the last time he felt so good. The bartender Larry was smiling. That cop had it goin’ on!
* * *
Mrs. Brooks, Nettie’s neighbor, had heard Jack pull up next door in that loud, beat up truck. She had seen Joy over there a lot lately and figured she might have moved in. No respect for the dead, she thought. We just buried poor Nettie, and already using her stuff. Then she heard Jack pounding on the door saying, “I ain’t no KILLER! I ain’t no KILLER!” Now that got her attention! She stood freezing by the window she had cracked open to hear better, but that fool Joy let him in. They were in the house about an hour. She could see them through her kitchen window. Seemed like they were getting along okay, but she knew what she heard. She would wait until after Christmas and let that handsome Agent Dance know about this. She decided she would make some cookies tomorrow for when he visited.
* * *
CHAPTER 11
* * *
Ellen was expecting the gals to call her. It had not happened yet. She looked at her guide watch and realized they were talking to each other. She went to speaker and heard Vicki, “Kim is asleep. I am bored. Do you guys think we sleep?”
Linda answered, “I don’t think so. I am not tired at all. Bob and the boys are all asleep so is Mom.”
Teresa chimed in, “I had my hands full with my mom, but she is good now. She always thought she kind of had powers, so I put a special ‘angel’ necklace on her she has always loved. Now she is convinced I am there and okay. It really helped a lot, but yeah, I’m bored too.”
I spoke again, “Mary are you out there?”
Mary answered with, “Can you hear me now? Hello?” Ellen made a long distance adjustment, and Mary said, “Hey, I can hear. What’s up?”
I answered, “We’re bored.”
Silence, then Mary, “Yeah, I can see that. Nothing ever happens to us.” I noted a little sarcasm.
Ellen decided to have a little fun. “Girls?” We all stopped talking.
Finally Teresa said, “Ellen?”
“Yup. Why don
’t you all meet me at your old bar where you used to have lunch every day?”
“REALLY?” we all said at the same time.
“Yeah. If you get there first, no messin’ with people, no moving stuff. You know what I mean.”
Linda answered, “I’ll personally watch her!” Everyone laughed. Hey, I think they are talking about me!
When we all got to the bar it was about 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve. The corner of the bar where we all used to sit (the Shallow End) had little napkins laid out just how Carol used to do it for us. The reserved sign was on top of the napkin dispenser and someone had written under reserved, “For our four angels.” We all said “Awwwwwwwwwwww” at the same time and sat on our usual stools. “Gosh this feels good,” Linda said as she stretched her neck to see who all was there. Then she pointed her finger at me. “Don’t make me come over there.” Geesh!
“Are you trying to read my mind again?” I asked her.
“Don’t ask me why! You think like an internet search engine, but yes.”
“Self-defense,” Mary answered. I could tell Teresa was going nuts. The first thing she would do when we got to the bar was move the napkin dispenser and the salt and pepper shakers where they weren’t in her line of vision. She was staring at them now.
I looked over at her, “Don’t do it. Dooooon’t do it.” We all started laughing, and Ellen showed up and sat on the late comer’s stool next to Teresa.
“Howdy,” she said. We all looked at her. Howdy? “Been line dancing at the Pub.” We all looked at each other. Okay…..
“Okay, I have been giving this some thought on the way over here. We can do this a couple of ways. Number one. We can watch everyone and listen and just enjoy the environment and leave when we are ready. Or Number two. We can create a time bubble; no one else can come in or leave. Everyone can see and hear you, but when we leave we pop the bubble. They think they dreamed it all, but they will share certain parts of the dream with each other. This isn’t a fine science with the mortal mind involved.”
“NUMBER 2!” We screamed at the same time!
Ellen laughed. Then suddenly she was standing on the bar. We were not visible yet. “Hey everybody!” Glasses dropped and hit the floor. Everyone stopped drinking and talking. Ellen stopped the juke box.
Carol, the bartender, asked, “Aren’t you Ellen DeGeneres?”
“No, but I have been told I look like her. Ellen is actually very much alive. I am an Angel, and I have brought four Angel buddies here to see you. We can have some fun, but then we have to leave. When we go, you are only going to remember you had a good time, and you may dream a little of this. Are you ready to play?” Everyone was slowly nodding and looking like they were already in a dream. Then we could tell that they could see us.
Carol came running over crying, “Oh My God. You’re back! You’re back, and you brought Ellen!” She didn’t know who to hug first. She had her Grinch costume on, and her hat was falling all over the place and knocking drinks over. Ellen took Carol’s Grinch hat, put it on, turned the juke box to a country song, and started a line dance. Four big dudes moved the pool table against the wall and half the bar started dancing with her. The other half were all people we knew. They wanted to hear what it was like to die and almost make it to heaven. Most of them were surprised and kind of bummed out to find out there were classes and stuff.
Every time we looked to the other end of the bar, Ellen was doing something different with people. One time it was magic tricks, then break dancing. Some lady about seventy was doing the splits. Then I think they were playing games like the REAL Ellen does on her show. They were moving paper wads that were balanced on a spoon to a big bowl on the other side of the room. Ellen was timing them, declaring the winner, and giving a piece of someone else’s clothing as a prize.
We were just sitting there talking to everyone when Betty came in!
We all screamed “Betty” at the same time.
“Just look like her, just look like her,” Betty nodded and smiled at everyone as she made her way down to Ellen. She whispered something in Ellen’s ear then came back to us, “You gals have been busy since I left you.”
Mary looked at her, “Are we in trouble?”
Betty smiled, “Oh gosh no girls. Your progress has been unprecedented!” She raised a glass of what I guessed was pretend booze and drank it in one gulp. Then she twisted her head a little to each side and declared, “Now that has been a while.” Then poof. A whole bottle appeared in front of her glass. “I don’t mind if I do!” she said.
Carol rushed over, “Allow me, Ms. White.” Betty winked at her.
When Betty’s bottle was about three quarters gone, Ellen danced her way down to our end of the bar still wearing the Grinch Hat. She was being followed by a lady wearing at least five layers of clothing. Ellen looked at all of us, at Betty, and declared it was probably time to get Betty home, and for us to get back to our families. We hated to say goodbye to everyone, but we knew it was part of the deal. As we walked through the door to the outside Ellen said, “That was a blast! I forget how much fun mortals can be.”
Betty was hanging onto Ellen’s shirt sleeve. She belched and then said, “That one gal is going to wonder tomorrow whose clothes she has, and the others will wonder where their clothes went. At least two people are going to give up drinking after tonight, see? A good thing!” With that we heard her say, “Merry Christmas! Now go home!”
A minute later Ellen popped back. Betty was gone. Ellen said, “Tell everyone what you are thinking Vicki.”
I was surprised, but glad she had asked. “I don’t see how us being here is helping anything. I don’t feel like we have made any discoveries that matter.”
Ellen just looked at us. “Do you all feel that way?” Everyone nodded. “This is your mortal impatience. Okay then. Your families will be sleeping for a while. It IS Christmas, so many mortals will totally change their behavior just for tonight and tomorrow. It is a good time to do a little eavesdropping. Are you gals game for this without my help?” We all nodded again. “Split off in pairs. One set go see what is on the mind of Joy Covington’s boyfriend, Jack Simpson. Neither Roger nor Paul knows anything about him yet. The other set go to the lawyer Devon’s house. We only know a little bit about him, but he was the last person seen with Darla Phillips.”
“You are there to hear their thoughts and maybe catch a little of their dreams. If you are lucky enough to catch them dreaming, you may get a peek at their souls. This isn’t always pretty. Are you sure you want to do this?” We all nodded again. Ellen looked at us and said, “Be careful, and report to me anything you find out. Tomorrow may be the last chance you have with your families for a little bit, so I do want you to enjoy this time. Okay?”
“Okay!” we all said. Then she was gone again.
Teresa spoke up, “Well who wants to go where? Do we even know where to go?”
Linda said, “I have everyone’s addresses and phone numbers written down and on lists.” I rolled my eyes and she caught me. “Guess I managed to do something at the meetings besides play Frogger.” Fair enough, I thought.
Mary said, “I want to go with Linda.” (surprise, surprise) Then, looking at me, she said, “You make me nervous.” Teresa was laughing and said she and I would check out the lawyer. Linda said fine, she and Mary would check out the drunk. It was settled. We all got our little list from Linda and took off.
Linda and Mary found Joy and Jack asleep at home. Flea Bag was whining under the front porch. Eventually he decided it wasn’t his job to be a watch dog and went back to sleep. Mary started tiptoeing through the living room toward the bedroom door.
Linda whispered, “They can’t hear us.”
Mary looked at her and said, “Then why are you whispering?” They inched their way to the foot of the bed and were straining to hear. “I think I’m getting something,” Mary said, “It’s more like a mumble. Darn drunks.”
Linda was leaning over Joy, “I think Joy is dreaming
. She is in a pretty garden somewhere.”
Linda looked over and Mary was leaning way over the bed with her ear right next to Jack’s. “What are you doing?” Linda hissed.
Mary put her finger to her lips to motion for Linda to be quiet. “He is worried the FBI is after him. Says he doesn’t remember doing anything, but he doesn’t remember a lot of things. He is worried about what he doesn’t remember…. ooooooo…. He loves Joy…. awwwwww…. He has a kind soul. I don’t think he did it!” Mary exclaimed as she started to get up. Just then Jack rolled over and his face went right through Mary’s face! “Eyoooo,” she said as she jumped away from bed. “Bad breath!” She adjusted her sensor watch as she shook her head. Jack slowly threw the covers off himself and yup, stark naked, started walking down the hall to the bathroom. Mary looked at Linda, “I am not going in there!”
Linda said, “He’s awake more now, maybe we can get more thoughts from him. I’ll go, I raised two boys.” Mary stood outside in the hall whistling. Linda popped her head back into the hall, “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” Mary answered.
Jack started walking back toward the bedroom, Mary put up her hands almost covering her eyes and asked Linda, “Well, anything?”
“Nothing I want to repeat. I think we are done here. Let’s go find Vicki and Teresa.”
Teresa and Vicki had watched James Devon click on the TV and sit in a dirty recliner. Teresa was closest to him and frowned. “This guy is a piece of work.”
“I can’t hear anything,” I told her.
“You are probably distracted by this pig sty, Miss Clean Freak!” No kidding. The place was filthy. He was filthy. Only one corner of the living room looked tidy. It had a small office desk, computer, and a credenza, holding files and a scanner. It was an island of clean.
I went over, sat at the desk and started quietly looking through papers. I didn’t want to get caught moving them around. All of a sudden Teresa said, “Oh Dear God!” She had her hands over her ears. “You wouldn’t believe what this guy wants to do to the girl in the perfume commercial.” Linda and Mary materialized in the kitchen and were making their way to the living room.
Alcohol Was Not Involved : A Shallow End Gals Trilogy Page 8