Johnson Junction

by J. W. DeBrock

  “Shit, man. What the hell are you DOING here?”

  Rafe turned around, jittery. He put his hands on his hips, then dropped his arms, pacing the foyer like a caged animal. He pointed his finger in Tony’s face. “We have to talk. NOW.”

  Tony backed up from him. “Okay, okay, Rafe. C’mon, let’s go in the kitchen.”

  Rafe followed him. He took a seat at the kitchen counter while Tony prepared his coffee maker. “Why are you here – and why so early?”

  “Let’s just say I couldn’t sleep last night.”

  “Did you take something you shouldn’t have?”

  Rafe laughed, a short clipped sound from the back of his throat. Tony turned around and looked at him. “No, no junk, no women, no booze.” There were very dark circles beneath Rafe’s eyes.

  Tony looked confused. “Then – what?”

  Rafe drummed his fingers on the granite countertop. “Mind if I have something stronger than coffee?”

  “Help yourself, man.”

  Rafe got up and went to the bar in the den. He poured a glass of bourbon and came back and sat down. “I had visitors last night.”

  Tony frowned. “Manny? Waverly?”

  Rafe shook his head, and drank deeply.

  “Who?”

  “Ghosts.”

  Tony laughed, and shook his head. “Man, you are losing it.”

  Rafe looked at Tony intensely. “Tony, look at me. Do I look like I am fucking lying about this? I’m a goddamn wreck!”

  He startled Tony, who backed away, shrinking toward the other counter where his coffee was brewing. “Okay.”

  Rafe took another sip and shook his head. “I saw what I saw.”

  The coffee maker sputtered and burbled, finished with brewing. Tony reached for a tall latte cup and filled it full. He came around Rafe and sat beside him in the other bar chair. “What happened?”

  Rafe cleared his throat. “I went to bed and was sleeping really good – I’d had a couple of drinks while I watched some late tv, but nothing out of the ordinary. I was sound asleep, like I said – and then I felt the bed shake.” As Tony watched him, Rafe’s face lost its color. “I know I felt it shake. It woke me up. And when I opened my eyes, there they were. The faces.” His hand shook as he picked up his glass, and he had to grab the glass with both hands to take another drink.

  Tony just looked at him.

  Rafe continued. “Hey, I know you think I’m nuts, but think about it. We’ve known each other for a long time. We’re buddies. I have always had your back. Would I come over here at the ass crack of dawn and make something like this up?” His eyes were clear, if haunted.

  Tony shook his head. “Nah, man, you wouldn’t. You’re always right on, and I trust you. Otherwise, we wouldn’t BE working together.” He sipped his coffee. “Faces, huh?”

  “Faces. The room was full of fucking faces.”

  “Just faces?”

  Rafe nodded. “Transparent faces. Bright eyes. Women’s faces, and men’s. Just fucking faces.” He drained the last of his drink with a little steadier hand, and got up for a refill.

  Tony leaned on the counter. He sipped the coffee and watched Rafe return.

  “Tony, I know. The faces are from the House.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I recognized some of them. Some of the women. Ones I got for you and Waverly. Ones that are dead.”

  Tony’s breath stopped in his throat, and he sucked in a breath through his nose. “You’re shitting me.”

  “No.” Rafe sipped his liquor more slowly. His hands had stopped shaking.

  “You’re sure.”

  “Man, they were as plain to me as you are.”

  Tony sat and watched the steam rise from his coffee.

  Rafe sat and swirled the alcohol in his glass.

  “It’s got something to do with the Pit, I think,” said Rafe. Tony looked at him. “I came here to tell you I’m OUT. I’m cleaning out my account – TODAY – and getting the fuck out of here. Things have gone too far.”

  Tony watched him, and Rafe matched his gaze. “You can stay, you can find someone else to do what I did, I don’t give a fuck. I’m gone. You know me well enough,” he said as he put his finger in the middle of Tony’s chest, “to not talk me out of it. Don’t come looking. Don’t fucking call. In fact –“ Rafe stood up, pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and ran water into a bowl in the kitchen sink that had been left unwashed. When the bowl filled he dropped the cell phone into it. It landed with a thunk. He watched air bubble out of the casing. “There. That’s done.” He turned back to Tony, leaned against the counter, and crossed his arms.

  “Okay, you’re done. I accept,” said Tony.

  “Thanks. You know I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had with you. But this – this, is just over the top. I believe in that kind of shit, you know. I believe, I do, on my sainted Mother’s grave, I believe.” He headed out of the kitchen, Tony behind him.

  Rafe offered Tony his hand in farewell. “Goodbye, old friend. Have a nice life. Stay the fuck away from that crazy bastard Waverly. Get out while you still can! GUARDELO !”

  Tony watched as Rafe peeled out of his driveway, never looking back.

  28

  Evelyn stayed at the trailer with us while Cora and Lupe went back to the House to see if Mr. Waverly was still around. I didn’t envy them. Evelyn was in the chair, Auggie and I on the sofa. He was closest to her and he reached out his big hand and patted her knee. In his best bedside manner he said, “Well, dear Evelyn, two things. Number one, something is happening up at, or to, the House, and number two, it’s also apparent the time is nigh for you and Richard to part company.”

  She sighed, nodding. “I know, Auggie. All things end eventually.”

  “It’s not so bad, Evelyn,” I added. “I believe you have everything you need. There’s nothing left here for you. You’ve got to walk away. The only catch is we’ve got to clean up this place before you – and me, and Auggie – can leave.”

  Auggie added, “On a happier note, we have good news too. I’ve asked Madeleine to marry me, and she accepted.”

  Her face lit up and she jumped from her seat, hugging us both tightly. “That is just wonderful. I couldn’t be happier for you both. I knew there was something special here! Wonderful!” She sat back down, smiling her beautiful smile. “Well, that’s settled. We all want out of here. Now we need a plan to make that happen, and to help the girls who are still stuck here.”

  We sat there, each of us brainstorming silently. Finally, Auggie looked up. “You know,” he paused, “what about starting by talking to the girls themselves? Get their side of the story? That might point us in the right direction.”

  “I think that’s the smart way to go,” I agreed.

  Evelyn concurred. “But how will we do it without arousing any suspicion – at least until we are ready to take action?”

  “That’s the next problem,” said Auggie.

  We sat in silence a few minutes more.

  I broke the silence. “I take it we don’t want the gift shop manager to know. He’s the one who works most closely with Richard.”

  Evelyn nodded. “Exactly. I need a way to get the girls alone, even if it’s one at a time, to talk to them. Something that I can take them away from their work with for a few minutes. Before they go back to the House for the evening.”

  Auggie thought a bit longer. “What about flu shots? It’s that time of year when most people get them. And, pregnant ladies are always at risk.”

  Evelyn and I sat forward, hopeful. She said, “That is an excellent suggestion. It’s a viable excuse. We can use my private office. Absolutely excellent. Do you have vaccines?”

  He shook his head. “No, of course not. Richard doesn’t let me purchase anything useful like that. But,” he added, winking, “I think I can figure that part out. You make the arrangements, I’ll dig up some syringes.”

  She stood up, consulting her watch. “Okay. It’s two o’cloc
k now. Let’s say, meet in my private office at three. I’m going to go over to the gift shop right now and set this up.” We rose with her and shared embraces.

  Auggie saw her to the door, but touched her arm on her way out. “Evelyn, are you committed to this until the end of it? You know Richard even better than I. Once he’s been violated, he’s a maniac until he gets total control again. He has no conscience, no remorse.”

  She placed her hand over Auggie’s. “Yes, Auggie. To The End.”

  He closed the door behind her. I said, “So, Doctor Blackburn, now what?

  He smiled knowingly. “I think I have just the thing, love.” He led me into his back bedroom. “Once upon a time, one of the fellows Bertie hired for the cafeteria was diabetic. He’d run out of syringes, and as a favor I ordered some for his insulin. I think I still have some of them left. What do we need, a dozen?”

  I nodded. “Think so.”

  “I also have around here –“ he pilfered some boxes in the closet – “A bag of IV solution. It’s clear, we can fill each syringe with a bit of it, and no one will be any the wiser – harmless to the girls.” He located the bag in question and lifted it carefully out of a box. “Care to assist me, Nurse?”

  I bowed. “After you, Doctor.” He chuckled and I followed him to the kitchen.

  I held the bag carefully for him while he filled each syringe with the same amount of liquid. He replaced each needle cover, laying the shots on a small medical tray. They were very convincing. “I think we’ve done it!” He exclaimed.

  “I would never know any difference,” I said. “And the girls surely won’t. You are probably the first real doctor many of them have ever seen.”

  “You’re right, but that’s a story I can share with you later. Right now, we both need to get dressed up so we look official. I’m going to grab a shower and put on scrubs. Dash home, love, and put on your best office wear.” We kissed goodbye and I darted out the door.

  At home, I found one of the good shirts and a pair of pants Evelyn had generously given me. I washed my face, dabbed on some makeup and lipstick, dressed carefully but quickly, slipped into my black sandals, and pulled the door shut behind me as I left. There was still an hour and a half until Bry and the girls came home on the bus.

  I walked back to Auggie’s and let myself in. “Hey, big man,” I called out. I could smell the freshness of the shower, the scent of his cologne. The aromas I liked on him.

  “Here, love,” he called from the bedroom. He came out and looked so official in his clean green scrubs and white lab coat, a stethoscope around his neck for effect. I was impressed.

  “Wow! You look like a real doctor.” I giggled.

  He cleared his throat. “Actually, I still am a real doctor, love.” He straightened his coat and checked his pockets and I realized I had made him a little sad.

  “Oh, Auggie . . . I was just teasing. I know you’re for real – always.” He kissed me, and I had to wipe my lipstick from his lips as he smiled.

  We found Evelyn in her office. “The girls will be coming every fifteen minutes, two at a time. Starting at four. That’s the best arrangement I could make. We’ll have to make it work.” Auggie explained and showed her our little fabrication. “That is very convincing, Augustus. Clever.” We arranged her office so the small conference table she had would seat the girls comfortably, and enable us to clearly hear what they would have to say. We got three cups of coffee from the restaurant and waited for the minutes to tick by.

  At precisely four o’clock, a knock. Evelyn opened the door, Auggie stood up, and Alicia and Miranda entered, the two who were the farthest along in their pregnancies. “Hello ladies,” Auggie said cheerfully. “Please, come in and sit down.” He pulled the chairs out for them. I could sense they were a bit nervous at being in Mrs. E’s private domain, and I glanced at Evelyn who’d obviously picked up the same feeling. I also tuned in on some worry that went way beyond the nervousness – something that had once been terror, relived from the night before.

  “Welcome, ladies, thank you for coming in. As I mentioned, Doctor Auggie has a flu shot for you today.” Auggie picked up a syringe, bled the air from it, and gave Alicia her injection once he’d cleansed the site with an alcohol prep. He gave her a cotton ball to hold over the tiny hole. He repeated the process with Miranda.

  Evelyn sat in the chair closest to the girls. Auggie and I stood nearby, but not hovering. She began.

  “Alicia, Miranda, I know that both of you have known Doctor Auggie ever since you have been here. You have other friends – especially the other girls who live up at the House – but you would agree with me, yes, that both of you like and trust this man?”

  The women looked at each other and nodded, rapidly, positively.

  “Good. And do you know my assistant here, Madeleine?”

  The girls looked at me and nodded again. “Si, Senora.”

  “Very good. Ladies, Doctor Auggie, Madeleine, and I all know about what happened up at the House last night. Corazon and Guadalupe told us earlier this morning.”

  It looked as if a palpable weight was lifted from their shoulders – but something else was still holding them in place. “They told you of the faces?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did they also tell you that we all saw some of the girls who had their babies before us? The ones who were supposed to have made it out?”

  Evelyn sighed. “Yes, they did.”

  “The Doctor, Madeleine, and myself all want to help you. We know there are some bad things going on up there. I want you both to know that just because Mr. Waverly was once my husband, I have not been involved in his plans.”

  They looked at each other, questioning.

  She went on. “We – the three of us – would like to know if there is anything you can tell us about what happened to you since you have been here that we might not know. For instance, do you have family here?”

  The ladies looked at each other. Alicia spoke. “Senora, I have some family. My mother and two younger brothers live in the apartments in town.”

  Miranda spoke after. “And, I have my abuelo – grandfather – and my mother there, too.”

  Evelyn, puzzled, looked at Auggie and me. “Apartments?”

  “Si, Senora. The apartamentes where the familias live while they wait for our babies to come. When the babies are born, Manny picks up our familias and brings them to the House, so we can get our money and papers and leave together.” The women looked at each other, and grasped their hands together. “Now we are all doubting this to happen. We are so worried and frightened.”

  Auggie shrugged his shoulders imperceptibly as Evelyn glanced at him. “Can you tell us where these apartments are, girls?”

  “In town, not far from the truck stop. There are two buildings next to each other. Adobe, two stories. They look pretty good, the familias keep them clean,” said Alicia. She added, “There are some old cars in the parking lot. When we come here no one has much money.”

  Evelyn was so trustworthy, so endearing. I would have bared my soul to her if she’d asked. I could feel the girls warm to her, trusting through their discomfort.

  “That’s very good information and I thank you so much. Do you ladies think any of the families would mind if the Doctor and Madeleine and I were to visit them?”

  Miranda exchanged a glance with Alicia. “We don’t think they would mind, Senora. All of them know who you are, as you have always been so kind, and they all know of Doctor Auggie.” She smiled, shyly. “Tony and Rafael are the only ones they ever see besides us. They do things for the familias like shopping and food and stuff. Manny takes each of us by there to see them every two weeks, just for a little visit.”

  Auggie and Evelyn and I paused, holding our collective breath.

  Evelyn stood up, the consummate actress. “That’s just fine, ladies. Probably we will go and visit. But girls, could we keep that a little secret, just between us? Don’t say anything to Donna, or to the manager, or esp
ecially to Mr. Waverly if he happens to come in. Let us pretend this is our own little plan. We want to help you, so much.”

  The girls smiled with relief, nodding. They said their thanks to Evelyn and Auggie, smiling at me with eyes a great deal happier then when they’d come in. I could feel a wisp of hope from them, nonexistent when they’d arrived.

  We repeated the same performance with the four other sets of girls. Each of them seemed relieved Mrs. Evelyn had finally spoken to them privately, and all were happy to see Auggie – their trust in him was absolutely implicit. Estrella came in alone as the last girl, and actually cried as she spoke of her brother Miguel. She was so worried about him by himself in his apartment, without any other family. Relief overwhelmed her when she realized we would be checking on him ourselves.

  I’d excused myself for a few minutes when I saw the school bus arrive, and caught the kids as they exited the bus. They played the rest of the afternoon safely in Donna’s room.

  29

  The field of septic leach lines belonging to the House was extensive. The designers had laid the lines according to a plan of major need – seven bathrooms, a large laundry, substantial kitchen. The lines reached to, and beyond, the Pit. In fact, they were designed to cleverly distribute the waste water, hoping to foster green growth in the desert acreage surrounding the House.

  The open sores that touched the Pit had spread their wounds. All of the lines were infected. The House sat in the middle of a mine field.

  In the daytime when the sun was bright, spirit moved through the lines, heard by the ground and the rocks and the briars and cactus. The leach lines in turn infected the skeleton of plumbing within the House, a web of piping that touched nearly every room, whether in fixture or in passing through walls.