The Total December Experiment

by J.T. Lewis

  Kate watched with a smile as Manda hurried into the hotel.

  “Nanny May, I do believe that maybe you’re this angel she’s talking about. Welcome home, friend.”

  ***

  Manda , refreshed, with a surge of energy and excitement, selected an outfit and accessories suitable for her meeting at the First National Bank with Mr. Snell, the auditor.

  She glanced at her watch; she had plenty of time and there was no need to rush. A nice, warm shower and shampoo was the first order of business. She stepped into the shower expecting to relax under the warm spray of water, but the anticipation of viewing the contents of the safe deposit box gave her a feeling of excitement and urgency. Her patience became a thing of the past and her appointment felt as though it was scheduled a century from now instead of three hours. Those three hours were going to be endless.

  “For God’s sake, Manda!,” she muttered, “slow down and act like a sane responsible adult instead of a child on Christmas morning.”

  Finishing her shower, she dried with the luxurious towel and forced herself to slowly smooth lotion over her body; determined to quell the effect of the adrenalin surging through her bloodstream. After shrugging into the soft robe, courtesy of the hotel and wiping the condensation off of the mirror, she tackled her hair with her brush and blow dryer. She wasn’t surprised to see curls emerge instead of waves. The thought crossed her mind that the humidity was so high in the bathroom from her shower, that she wouldn’t be shocked to feel raindrops pelting her body! Chuckling at her fancy, she applied a little mascara, blush, and lipstick and topped off her ablution with a light touch of perfume.

  “Now I’m ready to take on anything…after I get dressed, of course.”

  Moments later she stood before the full length mirror. Grinning with satisfaction and high on confidence, she studied her reflection. She saw an attractive trim young woman with adequate, if not substantial, curves in all the right places. The jacket of her light weight navy blue suit was slightly fitted at the waist, complimenting her figure.

  Underneath her jacket she wore a bright red silky camisole. Completing her stylish look was a large red enameled deco brooch pinned to her lapel.

  “Not bad, Manda; not bad at all.” With a little luck, she might even cross paths with Detective Haworth while she was lookin’ good. She laughed at her wishful thinking as she slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder. Manda glanced around the room to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything, then headed for the dining room for breakfast.

  ***

  Gem felt the heat of probing fingers at the synapses of his brain the same instant as she startled in mid stride. She began to cast glances around the dining room so he quickly raised the newspaper, which he had been reading, higher in order to cover his eyes. He concentrated on placing a protective shell around himself and began to feel relief from the probing sensation but also felt fear at the realization of a weakness in his arms and hands.

  He desperately wanted to rise and leave but was fearful of drawing her attention to him and increasing her awareness of him. He felt panic as he realized that he would have to stay until she left. He lowered his head and stared blindly at the newsprint before him.

  ***

  There is that strange jolting sensation again, thought Manda. She glanced around the room in an attempt to find a possible source, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The feeling began to subside and by the time she settled herself at a small table in the corner, the memory had vanished from her mind.

  “Good morning, Ms Harris,” said the waitress. “Are you ready to order ?”

  “I’d like some coffee right away, but I need a moment to look over the menu. I was going to just have toast and coffee, but I suddenly feel very hungry,” Manda said with a laugh. “I’m going to have to diet if I keep gorging myself.”

  “You have a lot of eating to do before you have to worry about that,” the waitress said, laughing with Manda.

  “Take your time. I’ll be back in a minute or so.”

  “ Thanks,” Manda said, as she opened the menu.

  After her appetite was sated, the tip placed on the table, and the tab added to her bill from the hotel; she stood and began to weave her way around other tables toward the lobby. As she drew closer to the wide doorway, she was swept by a chill coursing through her body causing gooseflesh to prickle on her arms. She turned around to sweep her gaze over the dining room. Nothing.

  ‘Manda, stop this right now!’

  With determination, she turned toward the doorway and passed into the lobby, shedding the prickles from her skin and the apprehension from her mind as she walked.

  ***

  Gem exhaled very slowly, realizing that he had been holding his breath. He lowered the newspaper to the table with arms so leaden that he could no longer hold them up. He knew that the time had come to place distance between them until he could replenish his energy. Otherwise, he and his mission were doomed.

  Chapter 38

  Mr. Lanier and a woman of about 40 were waiting for her in

  the lobby of the bank. They met in the center of the lobby

  where Mr. Lanier introduced Manda to Ms Carol Walker,

  the auditor. After a few amenities, they walked to the

  counter where the bank president waited.

  “ Manda, I’d like you to meet Mr. Lewis. He’ll be doing

  the honors. Manda studied him as they shook hands. He was a

  rugged man with craggy features. He appeared to be more

  of an outdoor type than a president standing before her in

  a suit and tie.

  “ It’s very nice to meet you, Ms Harris. I want to offer

  condolences for the passing of your aunt. She was a

  delightful woman.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Lewis.”

  He offered Mr. Lanier coffee and indicated a chair where

  the lawyer could wait.

  “ Please,” he said, opening and gesturing Manda and Ms

  Walker through a doorway that opened into a small foyer. He

  opened a second door with a key and led Manda and Ms

  Walker into a small room completely filled with lock boxes.

  He produced keys from his pocket and selected one.

  “ Ms Harris, take your key and insert it into the keyhole

  adjacent to this one and we’ll turn our keys at the same

  time.”

  As they turned their keys, the lock released. Mr. Lewis

  pulled the large box from it’s receptacle and carried the

  box to a small room with a large table. After Manda and Ms

  Walker entered behind him, he turned to leave, telling them

  to take their time, closing the door to give them privacy.

  Ms. Walker smiled at Manda. “ I don’t like this part of my

  job, Ms Harris. I feel like’ big brother’ and you probably

  feel the same about me. It is the law, though. I’m sorry.”

  “ Please don’t apologize. I do feel weird though. This is

  so…cloak and dagger.”

  Ms. Walker laughed and nodded her head in agreement.

  “ What do we do ?”

  “ Just remove the items one at a time. I’ll list and

  examine each one as you remove it.”

  Manda lifted out what looked to be a very old journal and

  placed it on the table.

  The auditor rifled through the pages and laid it aside.

  Manda removed the rest of the contents as directed. After

  everything had been checked, Ms Walker grinned. “ I don’t

  know if this is good news for you or not, but there’s

  nothing here that requires taxation. If you’ll just sign

  this inspection paper, my job will be over.

  These items are yours. Free and clear.”

  Manda signed and then thanked Ms Walker as t
hey shook

  hands.

  “ I want to welcome you. I knew your aunt. She was a dear,

  sweet woman. I hope you’ll be happy here.”

  “ Thank you, I’m sure I will.”

  Manda began to put the items into her briefcase as the door

  closed behind Ms Walker.

  Excitement flowed through her. She couldn’t wait until she

  could examine them back in her hotel room. Among the

  treasure trove was a photograph album !

  Exiting the little room, she had to restrain herself from

  practically skipping over to Mr. Lanier-a delighted look on

  her face.

  “ There are photos in here; a journal too !”

  “ This calls for a celebration, Manda. How about letting me

  buy you an early dinner followed by gourmet coffee !”

  “ Thanks for the offer, Mr Lanier, but I’m too excited to

  eat. I would like to have coffee though.”

  He took her to a tiny coffee shop where they spent a

  pleasant hour after Manda convinced him that she suffered

  no lingering effects from the day before. They both relaxed

  with the knowledge that all the legalities had been

  accomplished. The briefcase lay beside her on the bench of

  the booth. She glanced down at it periodically to assure

  herself that it hadn’t disappeared.

  “ Do you have any plans yet, Manda ?”

  “ Well,” ticking off on her fingers,” I have to arrange for

  the staff to return, contact Mom about Dad’s family and

  fill her in about everything, check out the carriage

  house…I’ll probably stay there for a while, check out

  everything from the lock box and – make a list of

  everything else to do.” She dimpled with a grin, shaking

  her head at her compulsive habit of lists. “ Then I can

  move in !”

  ‘ Sounds like hard work, but enjoyable. Remember, call me

  if you need help of any kind-and, I sincerely offer my

  services to you as your lawyer.”

  “ No question about it. Consider yourself my lawyer.”

  “ I accept, Manda and I’m delighted.”

  He reached into his suit pocket and withdrew a business

  envelope, handing it to her.

  “These are copies of the resumes and histories of your

  security team.” He then reached into his briefcase to

  produce a small book, handing that to her, as well. “ This

  is a book of the training techniques used for the guard

  dogs plus individual information on them. Names, signals,

  etc.”

  “ The head of security will go into this with more depth.”

  A crease between her brows alerted Mr. Lanier to the fact

  that Manda had probably temporarily forgotten, in all the

  excitement, the crime that had prompted the hiring of the

  guards.

  “ Things will be fine, Manda,” he said with sympathy.

  “ I hope the police catch him right away. Then I can really

  relax.”

  “ We have a good police force. Try not to worry.”

  “ Mr. Lanier, thank you so much for everything you’ve done

  for me. For a little while I felt that I was in a ‘ sink or

  swim’ situation and I figured I’d sink. Thanks for keeping

  me afloat.”

  “Any time. I can tell you’re getting impatient to see what

  you have there. Right ?’

  “ Yes, I am. I’m sorry; I’ve really enjoyed this time with

  you, but I would like to return to the hotel, if you don’t

  mind.”

  “ I don’t mind at all,” he said with a hearty laugh. He

  watched, with thinly disguised anxiety and speculation, as

  Manda left the coffee shop. After a brief moment sitting

  with an intense, thoughtful expression on his face, he

  stood and sauntered from the shop.

  …………………………………………………………………..

  This field has to be mowed very soon, she thought.

  The blades of grass had grown enough to tickle her ankles

  as she moved with grace down the embankment toward the

  shore. She stood gazing out over the water for a moment.

  This hour before darkness is so special. It feels as though

  this vast earth and every living creature on it is

  releasing a pent up breath of tension. The grueling day is

  almost at it’s end. There will be a respite during which

  taut muscles can loosen, jittery nerve endings can repose,

  and mental and emotional debris from sadness, fear, anger,

  and grief may gentle its stranglehold on the soul long

  enough for the essence of life to renew its strength for

  the next day.

  She wandered over to the chaise and eased herself onto its

  cushions, fitting her body into the soft contours. The

  cooler air of dusk pulled the heat from her body as it had

  from the cushions.

  “ Ahhh..this feels so wonderful.”

  It had been a hot day, but with the sun lowering behind the

  trees, an occasional breath of cool air fondled her flesh.

  She dozed.

  When she awakened, the moon had risen above the treetops,

  spreading its full skirt of silver over the surface of the

  water. Light and shadow skated and leapt over the tiny

  ripples of the lake.

  So very lovely….

  She turned her head toward a quiet rustling sound. She

  smiled up at him, reaching for his hand as he reached for

  hers. He knelt in the grass beside her, stroking her

  hair..murmuring to her as he gently kissed her eyelids. He

  framed her face with his palms and leaned over her to graze

  her lips with his tongue, then settled his mouth over hers

  in a long gentle kiss. He moved his hands from her face to

  stroke her arms, shoulders, throat and breasts...deepening

  the kiss.

  Her heart swelled with love for this man of hers. She lay

  awash in waves of love and passion. Placing her small hands

  on either side of his face, she pushed him back from her

  slightly so that she could look into his eyes…she loved his

  eyes. They each smiled.

  She felt a slight tug on her neck…seconds later…another.

  He lowered his lips to her mouth again

  She felt slight stinging sensations on her neck but her

  emotions were stronger than a little discomfort.She opened

  her eyes and saw the moon smiling down on them.

  The sweet scent of roses filled the air and she could

  envision them trailing over the white picket fence.

  How odd--I didn’t know the moon is a shapeshifter, she

  thought. It dimmed and brightened, dimmed and brightened as

  its outline wavered and rippled. The trees on the other

  side of the lake began to writhe and thrash in the sudden

  onslaught of wind that caused white caps to form on the

  lake She began to feel chilled and the warmth of his body

  was comforting. He continued to stroke her and murmur in

  her ear.

  As the moon dimmed even more and began to swing and twist

  back and forth across the sky, her slowing thoughts

  recognized faint sounds of anguish, pity, guilt, and rage.

  She began to feel a tingling
sensation as the ability to

  feel surrendered to numbness. As the moon dimmed to grey

  and then to black, the stars began to explode. The last

  thing she saw was a glowing tear slipping down his cheek-

  the last thing she felt was her body being gently lifted

  and drawn upward by many gentle hands-the last sound she