Blood Sisters

by Melody Carlson

  I was sick and that they needed to take me to the hospital.”

  She scowled.

  “Yes, I came to see you at the care facility, and I had no idea what was up then. But the next day they wouldn’t even let me in. And after that you were gone, and I didn’t know where you were.”

  “They were hiding me away. Trying to keep their dirty little secrets silent.”

  Judith looked down on the pale, wrinkled face. “Oh, Aunt Lenore, I hate seeing you so worn out like this. I worry about your health. Why don’t you just sleep for now, and you can tell me the rest when you’re stronger.”

  “Yes, dear. That sounds wise.” Judith stood.

  “I’m glad you’re safe now.”

  “Thank you, dear. Thank you for your help.” Just as Judith turned out the light and closed the door, Jack stepped out of his room.

  “Judith,” he said in a hushed but urgent voice. “I’ve been listening to my radio and it sounds like they’ve gone completely nuts out at the lake.”

  “Oh, dear. That’s what Adam was predicting.”

  “Sounds like the whole place is ablaze right now.

  They’ve called in the forestry firefighters and everything. I heard it all on my CB.”

  “Do you think the fireworks started the fire?” she asked.

  “I noticed what looked like flames within minutes after the fireworks show had ended.”

  jack frowned. “Maybe, but I don’t know. I heard a couple guys on the radio saying it was another Ruby Ridge.

  They said someone blew up an arsenal, and it’s like a war zone in there.”

  “You’re serious?”

  He nodded. “Sounds like trouble. Bad trouble.” Judith swallowed hard. “Is there anything we can do?”

  He frowned. “I wish there were. But Adam gave me strict orders to stay here and protect you two women. Now all we can do is just pray and wait.”

  “You’re supposed to protect us? Do you think we’re really in any danger?”

  “Maybe not. But you never know.”

  “Jack, where’s Josh right now?”

  He shook his head and grimaced. “Stubborn boy—he’s with those folks who’ve been meeting with Eli Paxton of late. Now, don’t get me wrong. Ain’t nothing a matter with what Eli’s trying to do in this town, but I just worry about Josh hanging around the jail all night long.”

  “He’s in jail?”

  “No, he and the other protesters, as well as a bunch of media folks and civil rights people—well, they’re all down there at city hall keeping a vigil of sorts until the prisoners are released.”

  “So, Eli and his sons are still locked up?”

  “Yes. As ridiculous as it seems, they are. But their lawyer is here and he’s madder than a wet hen about the whole dirty business. But that crooked police captain says that since it’s a holiday they don’t have the right person to process the bail and get them released until tomorrow.”

  “Release them?” Judith laughed at the irony. “They had no right to arrest them in the first place. Nobody else had a permit for that stupid parade.”

  “Yeah, that’s just what everybody thought. But unfortunately for the Paxtons, the police won’t do nothing about it until tomorrow. Their lawyer threatened to get the governor down here, but Josh said he decided to hold off since this is turning out to be a real media event. Did you know we were on national news tonight?”

  “No, but that’s great. Exposure like this might help to make the people in this town think for a change. So will the whole group spend the night down there at city hall?”

  “Yeah, some of the older folks will take shifts so they can get some sleep. But they’ve got all kinds of camp gear and food, and I think they’re having a pretty good time of it, in spite of everything. And it sure does help having those news media folks around. The place is starting to look like a three ring circus with vans and satellite dishes all over the town. Come to think of it, I suppose the protesters are safer than anyone else right now.”

  “Well, that’s a relief.”

  “But this fire business has got me worried, Judith. I wish I knew what was going on in there. If only there were some way to be in touch with Adam.”

  She felt the wire and transmitter still taped to her abdomen. “Guess my wire’s no help with this.”

  He shook his head. “No, I’ll bet they’ve all got their hands pretty full right now. And even though I’m sure Adam’s called in for reinforcements, you just never know how these things can go. Those hothead militant types can be totally unpredictable. I’ve heard that they’ve always had this crazy idea that the government is gonna come in there and get them some day, so just as soon as they get the slightest whiff of trouble they can go completely nuts, holing themselves up with enough weaponry to start World War III.”

  “Oh, dear.” She bit her lip as she remembered Hal’s room full of firearms. How many others had stockpiled such things?

  “Well, you just keep on saying your prayers.”

  She nodded soberly. “Of course.” Then she remembered Jasmine’s box. “Say, Jack, do you think it would be okay if I ran over to Aunt Lenore’s for just a little bit tonight? There’s a box over there. I told Adam about it—on the wire, I assume he was listening—but I don’t know if he’s had a chance to go over and get it yet. It belonged to my friend,

  Jasmine, and according to Aunt Lenore it contains some sort of clues as to what happened to Jasmine.”

  “Well, why don’t you check his office first, just in case,” he suggested. “To be honest, I’d really rather not have you running around in the dark on a night like this. I’ve got everything locked and bolted right now, and even so I’m feeling a little uneasy about your and Miss Barker’s safety.”

  “Sure. I understand.”

  Jack opened the door to Adam’s office, then waited as Judith glanced around. It didn’t appear quite as orderly as before, but then he’d been pretty busy lately. She looked across his cluttered desk, then over to the shelves against the wall, and then finally to a narrow table over by the window where she finally spotted the familiar box. “That’s it, Jack!” she exclaimed.

  “Well, I don’t s’pose it’ll hurt any for you to have a little look-see. Adam’s been so busy, I seriously doubt he’s had a chance to do much with it yet.”

  She picked up the box and fingered the inlaid top. “It’s pretty. It’s amazing to think how this actually belonged to Jasmine. That she actually held it in her hands and placed things of importance inside.”

  “Do you want some time to yourself with it?”

  She looked up at him, tears already building in her eyes. “Do you mind?”

  “Nah, I want to go keep tabs on my radio anyway.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Go ahead and make yourself at home, Judith. I doubt, especially considering all you’ve been through, that Adam’ll mind much.” He chuckled as he closed the door.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  JUDITH SAT DOWN IN Adam’s leather desk chair, leaned back, and slowly opened the box. On top was a yellow film processing envelope with the name Jasmine Phillips penned on the front flap and the date from more than a year ago. So her last name had been Phillips. Judith remembered the pretty ring set. Her married name perhaps? She opened the envelope, almost reverently, and removed a stack of glossy color photos. They appeared to be mostly shots of preschool-aged children at a birthday party. She slowly thumbed through the candid photos of kids and balloons and crepe paper in what appeared to be a nicely landscaped backyard with a slightly sloping green lawn, surrounded by beautifully blooming rhododendron bushes, until she came to one with only one child looking pensively at a large cake with four burning candles. She was a pretty little girl with light brown skin and a soft looking halo of dark, curly hair. She had a look of intelligence in her sparkling eyes. Judith flipped the photo over to see the words “Pearl Marie, fourth birthday” penned on the back. She continued to the next photo. This one also had the birth
day child, as well as a pretty woman smiling next to her. Jasmine!

  Judith stared at the photo in wonder. She knew it was Jasmine, had to be Jasmine. But it looked nothing like the Jasmine in the two photos that Hal had given her just a few weeks ago. Yet this was Jasmine as Judith would have imagined her, happy and smiling and looking as if life had treated her fairly well. She flipped to the next photos— more shots of children playing.

  Then she came to a photo with Jasmine, the pretty child, and an attractive African American man. She flipped it over to see the words “Daddy, Mama, and Pearl” written on the back. Judith turned the photo back around and studied the face of the man. So this was Jasmine’s husband. He had a warm, friendly smile and sincere-looking eyes. And the threesome looked incredibly happy. Jasmine’s left hand was visible, resting over the shoulder of the man, and on it was the expensive ring set that Judith had found hidden behind the sink. She looked to see the man’s left hand, and it too was visible, just barely, resting on the sofa arm. He also wore a platinum band, for all purposes suggesting a marriage that was real and vital just over a year ago.

  So what had happened? Judith quickly looked through the remaining photos, more candid shots of the children at the party: Pearl blindfolded and swinging a stick at a pretty piñata, kids eating cake and playing games, some shots with a few other adults mixed in here and there. And Judith couldn’t help but notice that there was a pleasant mix of cultures present, and all looked well dressed and somewhat affluent. And the photos that showed interior glimpses of the house revealed that whoever lived there had plenty of money and good taste, too. She flipped the processing envelope back over and saw the name “Flash Fotos, Edmonds, WA” printed across the top. Was that where Jasmine had lived? And if so, where were the child and the father now? And did they have any idea what had become of Jasmine?

  Judith felt that too familiar lump burning in her throat again. And she felt her heart breaking for her dead friend. Jasmine had not only had what appeared to be a loving husband but a beloved child as well. And it wasn’t too difficult to imagine what had torn this little family apart. Burt had told Judith how Jasmine had messed up her life, and Judith had simply assumed that he meant with drugs or something equally harmful. But of course to Burt, marrying an African American man would surely have to be the very worst sort of blunder possible. Certainly, he would rather see his own daughter dead than married to someone from a differing ethnic background. And for a moment Judith felt thankful she was nowhere near Burt Morrison right now, for she had no idea what she might say or even do to him. Right now he seemed more evil than the devil himself. She felt a real and violent wave of hatred growing inside her. If there was serious trouble at the lake tonight, she hoped that he’d be caught in the very worst of it; she even hoped that he’d be killed. And, worse yet, she hoped he’d die a slow and torturous death. Even though these dark and gruesome thoughts shocked her, she couldn’t help hoping this miserable man would have to answer this night for all the harm he had caused.

  And then, at the same time, she also hoped he’d live long enough for her to lash into him, to yell and to scream and to hurt him deeply for the ways he had hurt and betrayed his own daughter. And how responsible was he for her death anyway? Like Aunt Lenore said, he might as well have pulled the trigger. And perhaps he had. For how could Jasmine have given up like that? How could she have killed herself knowing she had this beautiful daughter and husband waiting for her somewhere? And why would she have let her father bully her into marrying Hal when she was already married? Or was she?

  Judith wiped the tears with the back of her hands and began to pace back and forth in Adam’s small office. Instead of finding any answers or comfort in these photos, she only found more disturbing questions. Haunting questions. She went back to the box still sitting open on Adam’s desk. Surely there must be something more. Something with real answers.

  She looked inside to see a small hair barrette with a little white lamb on it. Probably Pearl’s. A keepsake perhaps. There was also a large heart-shaped locket with a diamond set into the front. She opened the locket to see what appeared to be a tiny wedding photo of a smiling Jasmine on one side and the man on the other. She flipped it over to see the words “Two Hearts Become One” and a date of almost eleven years earlier engraved on the back. So, they had been married.

  Beneath these items she found an envelope with the name “Pearl” written simply on the front. The back was sealed. It seemed odd that it wasn’t for both Pearl and the father, Mr. Phillips, or whatever his name might be. But only Pearl’s name was on it. Judith considered opening it, but then stopped. It seemed wrong to read a deceased mother’s letter to her only child. And yet, if she didn’t read it, she might miss some important clue. And then how would she ever get this letter to the child? She wondered what Adam would do? She wondered what had he thought when he saw the strange contents of this box? Or had he been too consumed with all the other troubles brewing at the time? Then she wondered, how was he doing right now? Was he okay?

  She sank down into his chair once again and tightly closed her eyes. True to her promise, she began to pray once again. This time she prayed with desperate determination and fervor she’d never known before. She prayed and prayed, losing complete track of the time, until a soft tapping on the door brought her back into the world.

  “Judith?”

  She looked up. “Yes, Jack.”

  “Everything okay in here?”

  She nodded. “How about everything everywhere else?”

  He frowned. “I don’t know, but it sounds pretty bad to me. They’ve called in the National Guard. It’s turning into a horrible mess.”

  She sighed. “I’ve been praying.”

  Jack slumped down into the chair across from her. He ran one hand through his gray hair, making it stand out in rumpled tufts. “Guess that’s about all we can do.”

  “You look exhausted, Jack. Maybe you should try to get some sleep.”

  He stubbornly shook his head. “Nope. Can’t sleep. Not with things like this.”

  She looked at the clock. It was past 2 a.m. now. “What a mess hatred makes of things.”

  “Yeah, people like that ought to be taken out and shot.”

  She looked at him curiously. “You really think so?”

  He shrugged. “Well, I dunno. But when your kid’s in danger, you tend to think like that, you know what I mean?”

  “Yeah. I’ve had some pretty nasty thoughts myself tonight. In fact,” she wondered if she could even admit it out loud, “I think if I’d had the opportunity, I could’ve almost killed a certain man, myself, tonight.”

  “Really? You don’t seem like the violent type, Judith. But you said ‘could’ve’—does that mean you wouldn’t do it now?”

  ”I don’t know for sure. Maybe.” She clenched her fists. “I’m still furious. And I feel like I hate him. I mean, really, really hate him. I’ve never felt such deep hatred before, not for anyone. And the weird thing is, I just spent three days in his home, acting as though I was part of his family. But it’s strange, because I don’t really hate his wife. Although I sure don’t feel very good about her right now.”

  “You talking about those Morrisons?”

  “Yeah. My friend’s parents. I feel pretty certain her father destroyed her life. I’m not sure how much he actually did himself, but I do believe he’s morally responsible. The

  whole thing makes me absolutely furious. And yet I’ve been sitting here praying just now. At one point, I actually asked God to spare all the lives of everyone out there. Now, where did that come from? Because earlier I was sincerely hoping that Burt Morrison would be killed, and even that he’d suffer horribly before he died.”

  “That seems understandable, under the circumstances.”

  “But maybe it’s not right.”

  “Well, the Bible does tell us to love everyone, including our enemies—it also says to pray for them. But sometimes I have a pretty tough time with those k
inds of things, especially times like right now when I think certain enemies could be putting my own boy’s life in serious danger.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “And, to be perfectly honest with you Judith, I have no desire to pray that God will protect the likes of Burt Morrison or any of his extremist buddies. I’d just as soon see them all burn in the lake of fire.” He rubbed his chin.

  “I know exactly what you mean, Jack, but at the same time, I also realize how these awful emotions are making me feel absolutely sick inside—sort of like I’m being poisoned or something. It makes me feel kind of hopeless and dead. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “Maybe so. But just the same, I don’t think I can be praying for my enemies’ safety tonight.”

  “I know.” She thought a moment. “Maybe we just need to pray that God will deal with them in his own way.”

  Jack brightened a little. “Yeah. That’s a good idea, Judith. I think I could do that. I’d sure like God to deal with them. Of course, I’d like him to deal with them the way I would, by knocking their narrow-minded, bullheaded noggins together. But then he’s God; he probably knows what’s best. Yeah, I think I could pray for him to deal with those hateful fools in his own way.” He stood and punched a fist into his open palm. “In fact, that’s just what I’m gonna pray.”

  “You sure you don’t want to get some sleep, Jack? You might be all worn out before morning. And who knows what tomorrow will bring?”

  “Nah, I won’t be able to sleep. I might lie down for a little while, but I’ll keep my ears tuned into the CB. How about you? You’ve got dark circles growing under those pretty eyes of yours. Maybe you should go rest a bit.”

  “I don’t think I can sleep right now either. But I might lie down on the couch.”

  “Yes, you do that. And if you hear anything—anything at all, you come running and get me. I got a gun and I’m a pretty decent shot if I do say so myself.”

  She took in a quick breath. “Oh, let’s hope we don’t need a gun.”