Martin turned and looked at Carter with a surprised gaze, but it accompanied a smile.
“Are you tryin’ to tell me somethin’, kid?” he asked.
“Oh no, no, no,” said Carter, turning all sorts of red shades. “Not at all. I…I’m a painter, and you know about lead-based paint. I make it a habit of mine to educate people about the dangers of lead-based paint.”
Carter knew nothing about paint, except for this fact, and hoped he wasn’t further prodded about painting.
“Oh, no,” said Martin. “These been painted some five years ago, kid. Nothin’ to worry about.”
Carter chuckled as his sweeping glance again brushed the portrait, further igniting his curiosity. Martin again headed to the kitchen, and Carter knew that he had to act fast or wait for the next opportunity that may never arrive. He now hated waiting for second chances, so his interrogation began.
“Martin,” he said, “I can’t help but notice the beautiful portrait here. She’s quite…”
Martin spun his body around faster than Carter thought possible. He took three giant steps towards him, and with gigantic eyes, grabbed Carter’s arm in a death grip and said in a threateningly deep and evil voice, “That’s my wife. Her name is Shirley. She may be gone, but she’s with us in spirit.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The stranger that things became at that old white house, the more Carter wanted to delay his departure. At this point things needed explanations. This was the very reason Carter agreed to spend the night at Martin’s house. He needed answers in life, and he was determined not to leave any stone unturned. Besides, Martin felt terrible about the way he had roughed Carter up over a simple question, and seemed sincere in wanting to make it up to him. His behavior certainly shocked Carter, but not enough to overpower his quest.
Carter headed out to his car to see if he would be able to push it into the driveway by himself. It was out of the road enough, but he didn’t know if there would be traffic in the morning, and just wanted to play it safe. The late afternoon sun fought the cool air as early evening neared.
After pushing his car off the road, Carter had difficulty getting it into the driveway. Since he was satisfied that his car was at least out of harm’s way, Carter started heading back to the house when he thought that he saw something dotting the horizon.
He noticed a girl walking along the side of the road which ran past the front of the house. He blinked his eyes a couple of times and rubbed them to assure himself that he wasn’t dreaming. It was Brenda. Carter had no time to calculate the odds before she noticed him. She broke her stride, approaching him swiftly with a broad smile.
“How…who…what are you…” Carter had to stop talking, then begin anew so he wouldn’t sound like more of a fool than he already did. “I’m surprised to see you,” he tried.
Brenda flashed him a wide smile. She was looking better than ever, he thought, admiring her designer jeans, which seemed made to order. She had replaced her leather with a heavier green down jacket, bundling up for what she said was her nightly stroll in the middle of nowhere.
“Brenda, my God,” he said. “Did you walk this whole way?”
“I love walking,” she answered with another flashing smile, “but I’m hardly far from home. Maybe a mile…tops.”
“Oh, really?” Carter said, somewhat shocked, very much exalted, but mostly curious. He envisioned Brenda’s argument at the green, hoping that the guy wasn’t her boyfriend, or isn’t anymore. But it wouldn’t be right for him to mention the green, so he decided to keep quiet on that point so she didn’t think he was weird.
“The house?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah,” he began. “I ran out of gas on my way out of town, and this old man was just sitting there on the porch. I walked up to him to ask for gas, and ended up taking a tour of the place and getting dinner.”
Carter noticed that Brenda had been staring at the house the entire time he was talking. He wasn’t even sure if she was listening to him, so he waved his hand in front of her eyes to break her concentration.
“Oh, I’m sorry Carter,” she said. “It’s just that ever since I’ve been in Boulder, I’ve always been fascinated by that old house and the old man on the rocker. I just can’t believe that you are here…in this very house. I actually made a point to include it in my walking path. There’s just something about it. ”
“You’re telling me,” said Carter.
“Why do you say that?” she asked.
Carter tried to bite his tongue.
“Oh, you know, it’s just…old. I mean…the paint’s pretty much falling off the place inside and out.”
“What’s the guy like?” she asked.
“Well,” said Carter, “I know he likes chicken.”
Brenda let out a loud chuckle and pushed Carter softly.
“No, really,” he continued, “he’s…okay, I guess. I don’t really know him, but he seems pretty cool. Got his problems, but who doesn’t?”
Brenda smiled at Carter, her eyes still on the house.
“Yeah, yeah, we all got our stuff, don’t we?”
“Yes, we do,” said Carter with an embarrassing chuckle. He looked at Brenda, and again she was gazing at the house. He knew that the old house was fascinating, but Brenda could not take her eyes off the place. She became mesmerized, and stopped talking, so Carter again waved his hand in front of her face to break the concentration.
Brenda flashed a cute, silent smile, and then went on to explain how she hasn’t gotten much sleep since he dropped her off. Apologizing profusely, she moved to him and gave him a half-hug, explaining that she has been feeling really spaced out these days.
“Another thing, hon,” she said. “You have no idea how many times I’ve passed this old house and wondered about it…you know…what it looks like on the inside. Ever since I’ve been here, that particular house has caught my attention each and every time. It’s just one of a kind. I have a thing for different.”
“Well,” Carter replied, “it is quite different, but you should see the inside. It’s kind of creepy, if you ask me.”
“Why do you say that?” snapped Brenda, almost as if Carter had offended her.
“I don’t quite know,” he said, “but there’s just a chill that I got when I was inside. I don’t really know how to explain it. But whatever it is, it’s got my attention.”
Brenda’s attention was captured as well. She was all ears, and wanting to know more about that house. He had tapped into her curiosity, and he knew it. He was a bit taken aback by her enthusiasm, and even more so when she asked him a question that he couldn’t answer, or didn’t really have the right to answer.
“What are the chances that you can get me through the door?” she asked.
Carter’s eyes grew. He felt very uncomfortable with the inquiry. After all, he didn’t even know the old man. He’d only been around for a couple of hours, and was stumped as to how to answer Brenda, let alone get her inside.
“Oh, honestly, I don’t know about that,” he said.
“Please Carter,” she begged. “I really want to get into that house. Come on, I’ve been wanting to for years, and this is my chance.”
“Brenda, I just don’t know how to…”
“Come on, Carter, just get me in the door,” she said in a soft baby voice. “Just tell the old man that I’m a friend of yours, and I’ll try to charm my way in.”
Carter scratched his head, trying to think of the possibilities.
“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “I’m staying here tonight, so why don’t you stop by. I’ll tell him that you’ll be stopping by to pick me up.”
/> “Yes, oh thank you,” she said. “Let me buy you a beer tonight for all you did for me yesterday with the ride home, and then this. Oh this is huge! You really helped me out, and I know of a great little place where we can throw darts.”
“Oh, Brenda you don’t have to…”
“I know I don’t,” she cut him short, “but I want to. I feel bad that I wasn’t able to repay you yesterday, but you wouldn’t accept my money. Besides, this will give me a reason to return to this house.”
Carter smiled widely. The girl that he so madly wanted had proceeded to ask him out. It was love at first sight, yet again.
“Sure,” he said. “Sounds great.”
“Couple of hours I’ll be back here?” she suggested.
“Yeah, that sounds like a plan. We should be done with dinner by then.”
“Ok,” she said. “That’ll give me time to finish up my walk.”
Brenda pinched him on the cheek and strutted off. Turning around, she called out, “See you tonight.” She giggled, and then she was off. Carter watched every strut that he could until Brenda was out of his sight. He smiled the entire time she was in sight, and even after she had disappeared. He felt Brenda was meant to be, especially since he couldn’t remember running into anybody so many times in a 24-hour period. Maybe this is what the term “meant to be” is all about, he thought. Perhaps it was fate. Then again, maybe she was following him?
As he approached the house, he could see Martin peeking out the window at him. He thought it odd, but it could certainly be coincidental, and he bought into that explanation for no other obvious reason than he wanted to stay.
Carter entered the house and noticed that Martin was no longer looking out the front window. He was on the other side of the house. Carter knew this because of noises he could hear from afar. He slowly worked his way to where the sounds were coming from and found himself sharing the living room with Martin.
Carter appeared in the living room as Martin went about his business of straightening out magazines on the shelf. He had no idea Carter was in the room. In fact, Carter could actually hear Martin mumbling to himself unintelligibly. Once the moment got too awkward, Carter announced his presence.
Just looking at Martin was uncomfortable for Carter. Martin’s eyes reflected a man without a soul. There was an emptiness that echoed through his eyes, but Carter was well aware that he did not know Martin and should never judge a book by its cover. However, as Carter peered through that emptiness, Martin peered back. Carter could feel his returned look slicing through his eyes and into his soul. Maybe he was in search of a soul, since he had none, Carter thought, jokingly though. Either way, Carter was creeped out by the man. As creeped out as he was with Martin, he was more intrigued by him, and at least would try to stick around to find out why.
Carter stood there staring at Martin, wondering what it was about this man that so intrigued him. He also wondered about himself. Was he was suffering from fatigue, or perhaps the lingering effects from the car accident? As hard as he concentrated, he was unable to give full attention. He continually wondered about everything going on in his life. He wondered about the screwdriver incident, all the while having his mind on Brenda. If it weren’t for the screwdriver fiasco, then Brenda would not have crossed his path. Miraculous, he thought. Carter now had a new interest, and that was to solve the Brenda phenomenon. What made her tick, and was there underlying meaning penetrated these chance encounters?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Carter sat down to dinner thinking of ways he could delay his departure, but wondering if he even had to considering the old man’s apparent loneliness. Living minute to minute at the old house was also a thrill for Carter, because it made his life exciting for a change. He never knew where he’d be an hour from each moment.
Carter paid close attention to Martin, making light conversation with him as he put a plate of chicken legs in the center of the table. Then he returned with a couple of small baked potatoes in a bowl, and another bowl with corn. There wasn’t exactly a feast in front of him, but Carter wasn’t much of an eater, so what he saw just might do the trick.
“Wow, Martin,” he said. “This looks and smells great.”
Martin forced a smile and replied, “Oh kid, it ain’t nothing but a thing. Still cookin’ for two, so just leftovers really, but you looked like you were hungry.”
Carter let out a small courtesy laugh as they both began to dig in. He had something to ask of Martin, and as he prepared his plate, he thought of a good way to put it.
“I hope you don’t mind me being here, Martin,” he began. “It is getting kinda dark out there, but I’ll try to get into town after dinner to get some gas and get out of your hair.”
Carter closed his eyes after saying this, remembering that the old man hardly had hair for him to get into. Hoping to brush by this comment by further talking, Carter continued on.
“I met up with a girl I know who wanted to come here tonight to help me out. I hope she’ll be able to take me to get gas. I just have to find a container to put it in.”
Carter finally looked up and noticed that Martin was busy gnawing his chicken leg to the bone, and he wasn’t exactly sure that Martin even heard him. Apparently, Martin felt Carter’s eyes on him and looked up.
“Listen to me kid,” Martin said. “Ain’t no hurry for you to get outta here…lessen of course, you have to get going. I don’t mind if you stay the night, the next couple of nights, whatever. I don’t mind the company. I’ve been all alone in this house for an awfully long time…probably as long a time as you’ve been on this planet.”
“Thank you sir,” said Carter. “That’s very kind of you. My friend had planned to pick me up tonight anyway, but it’s nice to know that I’ll have a place to go tonight until I solve my problem. She’s gonna show me a little bit of Boulder while I’m in the area. I’ll introduce you to her when she comes over.”
Carter watched as Martin shifted around uncomfortably in his wicker chair. He wasn’t sure how to read the old man. Maybe he wanted Carter all to himself, being lonely and all, he thought. Perhaps he had already seen Brenda through the window.
“That’ll be fine,” he gruffly mumbled, and shoveled a lump of potato into his mouth.
Carter began to discover a pattern with Martin’s behavior. He seemed to have an aversion to women. First, it was just a picture of a woman that caused him to freak out. Now, he was grumbling over the future visit of a woman. Carter thought maybe this was a reach, but he’d like to keep the theory alive until it’s killed by an aversion to a man. Then maybe he hated people, but he seemed to tolerate Carter.
Nothing that Martin did made sense. Carter was always one step away from a solid lead. It made Martin hard to track and figure out.
“If…it’s…going…to be any trouble?”
“No trouble at all,” Martin replied sincerely, enough so for Carter to believe him.
“Ok then,” Carter said. “I’ll introduce you to her, and I’ll be back tonight after we go out. You are a very decent man.”
Carter was quite happy that things were going along as planned. Martin wasn’t the easiest man to read, but somewhere within the rough façade was a heart. Maybe his dinners weren’t fantastic, but Carter had bought more time in that old white house with that old man, and just received permission to have his girl enter her fantasy house for the first time. The thought of pulling something like this off and making everyone happy in doing so thrilled Carter to no end. He couldn’t wait for Brenda to ring the doorbell or knock, so he could go to the door and invite her in. He wanted to do this even just to see her reaction.
Carter took it upon himself to do the dishes, against Martin’s will. He insisted, being unable to help
Martin with dinner at all up to this point. Carter needed to feel some sense of worth, so he would not have it any other way. This time Martin sat at the kitchen table as Carter scraped chicken bones into the sink, and talked over the garbage disposal, which was grinding away and launching bones into the air.
“I really appreciate you taking me in like this,” screamed Carter.
Martin put his hand up to his ear, so Carter turned the disposal off and repeated his gratitude.
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all,” Martin replied. “Ain’t no big thing. Ain’t nothin’ but a chicken wing. Besides, like I told you earlier…it’s just nice to have company for a change. It gets kinda lonely for an old guy out here in the country. And I’m even looking forward to meeting your friend. Why there hasn’t been a woman step foot in this house since…”
Martin stopped and put his head down in his hands. Carter only watched, unable to think of the right thing to say, or gather up the right thing to say in a hurry. But he was soon saved by the bell.
“Oh, that might be her,” he said, and dried his hands as he moved away from the discomfort and towards the front door. He opened the door, and Brenda was all smiles as she waited to see if she was going to be let inside. Carter opened the door, and told her what she wanted to hear, and had been waiting for since her arrival in Boulder, Colorado.
“Hello, Brenda,” he said. “Come on in…there’s someone who wants to meet you before we go out.”
Carter spoke loud enough for Martin to hear in the kitchen. He held the door open for Brenda, and then led her through the rooms to the kitchen. Martin had been there. Martin was not there now. He was nowhere in sight, and Carter started calling out his name, but to no avail. He led Brenda around from room to room in search of the missing old man.
Carter was very curious as to the whereabouts of his old friend, but he still could see the astonished look on Brenda’s face as she made her way through the different rooms. He knew that she had always wanted to see the inside of this house, but the look on her face intrigued him, as if she was seeing things that he was not, but he let it go as he was more intrigued about Martin’s disappearance.
Desert Son Trilogy: Desert Son, Wayward Soul, Spiritual Intervention (Books 1-3) Page 10