by Marja McGraw
“Klutz?” Daniel asked.
“It’s a word we use in the future. Carrie is prone to accidents. She’s not overly graceful.”
“Ah, just like Caroline.” Daniel smiled at me and I saw a small dimple on his cheek.
I frowned. “Well, I…”
“You know it’s true. It’s one of the endearing things I loved about you. You were always so down-to-earth.”
I smoothed out my skirt and didn’t reply, but I smiled at her. “Now, would you please tell me what’s going on? Why would you need my help?”
Elsbeth and Daniel both sobered.
“There’s someone here who knows.” My aunt nodded her head while she spoke.
“Knows what?” I asked.
“Someone sees her for herself,” Daniel explained.
My aunt glanced down at her hands. “Yes. And that someone has been sending me threatening notes. Whoever it is seems to think the devil sent me, or some such ridiculous thing. This person sees me as I really am, but apparently they’ve seen my reflection in the mirror, too. Or maybe they’ve seen my reflection in a store window. I don’t know. This person seems to think it’s their mission in life to get rid of me. There was already an attempt on my life.”
“Well! I guess it’s a good thing you sent for me.”
“The first time I traveled, Daniel had just moved here. We met at the park, over by the bandstand. We talked, and he walked me home. When we passed the general store, he saw my reflection in the window. He stopped suddenly and kept looking back and forth between me and my reflection.”
Daniel took a deep breath. “At first I thought I’d come down with… I thought maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. Your aunt took my hand and as we walked she told me about traveling in time.”
“And it didn’t scare you?” I couldn’t imagine someone from the turn of the century taking the news casually.
“No, it didn’t. I’d read some books by Jules Verne and Mark Twain. I wanted to believe that anything was possible. I actually wished it had happened to me. There was no denying what I was seeing.”
“I was such an anomaly to Daniel that he stuck with me. While I was only here for a short time by modern standards, I was here for a long time by time travel standards. Does that make sense?”
“Not really,” I said, “but since I’m here now, I can’t argue the point.”
My aunt nodded. She’d probably been through the same contrary feelings I was having.
“Why do you think someone wants to kill you?” I asked. A chill ran down my back when I asked the question.
Daniel’s face clouded over. “The last note said this person needs to rid the world of evil, and he or she would do whatever it took. The night the note arrived, Elsbeth went for a walk in town. Someone attacked her from behind and knocked her down, but a family who was also out for a stroll scared the culprit off before he or she could do any harm.”
“I ended up with just a bruise on my arm where the person grabbed me.”
“Did you get a look at him? Or was it a her?” There must be something to go on.
“When I was able to pull myself up, the person had already disappeared.”
“Elsbeth feels that if we start asking too many questions, this heathen will be more careful. We – I – might not figure out who the scoundrel is until it’s too late. Your aunt feels like you’ll have a freer hand in working things out.”
“What if the person sees two of me, too? We’d both have to watch our backs.”
“We can always test the waters,” Elsbeth said. “You and I will go for a walk, arm in arm, and stop along the way to look into shop windows. If this person is following us, which I have a feeling will be the case, you’ll start receiving notes, too.”
“Uh huh. Will Daniel follow us, too, to make sure we’re safe?”
Daniel stood and looked down at us before waving someone over. “No. My brother will be near you at all times. He’s got what Elsbeth calls the Second Sight, too. I don’t understand how this has come about, but let’s test him first. Let’s see if he sees you for yourself or as Caroline.”
I glanced up as Daniel’s brother approached. The two men were both tall, but other than that they didn’t resemble each other.
I liked his face. It was a congenial face. He looked like someone who sauntered through life in a good mood, unlike most of the men I knew.
“Nathaniel,” Daniel said, “this is Carrie. Tell me what you see when you look at her.”
Chapter Five
I was still studying Daniel and Nathaniel, while the brother studied me. I couldn’t help wondering if their parents gave them rhyming names on purpose or if they just liked the names. Although there were distinct differences between the brothers, they both had thick sandy-colored hair that was parted in the middle, and mustaches. While Daniel had more defined and sharper features, Nathaniel had chipmunk cheeks, which I found adorable.
He interrupted my thoughts to say, “I see a dolly with blonde hair and blue eyes, and… Would you stand up, please?”
I did, with help from Daniel. Somehow I got tangled up in my long skirt and almost took a header.
Nathaniel continued sizing me up. “Yes. She’s on the tall side, but not too tall. She might have two left feet, but I’d say she’s keen.”
“Keen?” I asked.
Elsbeth looked up at me and smiled. “He thinks you’re attractive.”
I smiled back before looking at Nathaniel. “Thanks!”
Daniel looked at his brother and winked. “My brother, it seems it’s time for the reflection test.”
His brother looked taken aback. “Are you telling me she’s another Elsbeth? Don’t tell me there are two of them.” He made the word them sound almost offensive.
Taking a step toward him, I said, “Yes, there are two of us. Wanna make something of it?”
He stepped back. “No, ma’am. Sometimes I don’t have a lick of sense. I should have kept my mouth shut.” He grinned. “But you are a doll. I can’t help wondering who you are, though.”
“I’m Carrie McFerrin. Elsbeth, or Genny, was once my great-aunt. Oh, that sounds too weird even for me to believe.”
“Well, now, I know Caroline McFerrin, and you’re not her.” Nathaniel leaned back and pulled on the end of his mustache.
“I was named after the original Caroline. Come with me.”
I took hold of his hand and headed across the street to a storefront. I saw him glance back over his shoulder with a huge grin on his face.
“Kind of forward, aren’t you? I like it though.” He turned the tables and tightened his grip on my hand. We’d moved from me pulling him along to him pulling me. “I know where this is headed.”
We stopped in front of a milliner’s shop and looked at the window. The sun was just right to make a stranger’s face leap out at me; that of the old Caroline.
“I’m here to help find a potential killer.”
Nathaniel dropped my hand and turned to me, his eyebrows up and a look of sudden knowledge on his face. “I know who you are now. You’re Elsbeth’s niece and you write books. She told me about you. But how did you get here? What is there? A traveling machine?”
“Believe it or not, it all goes back to the telephone in the kitchen at our house. Beyond that, I can’t explain it.”
“Huh.” He scratched his head. “Elsbeth told me about the telephone, but I didn’t believe her. I guess those gadgets are better for more than just an annoying noise. I wonder if I could use that contraption and travel to the future.”
“You wouldn’t like the era I live in.” I knew it would drive him nuts. He seemed too layback to put up with modern technology. I figured that any second he’d kick the sidewalk with his toe and say, awe shucks.
A faraway look in his eyes disappeared. “Probably not.”
He took hold of my hand and we strolled back toward the blanket and my aunt. I glanced at the ground so he wouldn’t see me grin. I got the feeling he enjoyed holdi
ng my hand. Somehow it seemed like a biggie compared to what men in my own time expected.
He continued to hold my hand as he helped me sit on the blanket. Unfortunately, my foot got tangled up in my skirt again, and I ended up lying on my back. Nathaniel helped me sit up.
“In her day they call her a klutz,” Daniel explained. “She’s just like the old Carrie in some ways.”
Nathaniel laughed. “I can live with that.”
Daniel turned to his brother. “I think the ladies should go for a stroll. I’ll stay here and make myself conspicuous, but I want you to trail behind them. See if anyone pays too much attention to them. We want to try to figger out if the person leaving the notes can see the real Carrie, too.”
Nathaniel nodded. “I’ll go ahead of them so we don’t all walk through town together, and I’ll find a quiet place so I can watch them. Give me a few minutes and I’ll go in the back way.”
We each nodded.
Nathaniel had more to say. “You know, if this traveling in time thing is what it’s cracked up to be, I’ll bet I’d make a great detective. I could go from place to place without anyone knowing.”
“Speaking of cracked, get cracking.” Daniel looked at the sky. “It’s starting to cloud up. I don’t know how much time we’ve got.”
Some things never change. It rained a lot in my day, too.
My aunt hooked her arm through mine and we strolled through town, stopping to look into storefront windows.
“Little Creek sure has grown over the years,” I said. “I recognize some of these storefronts though. I’m glad they didn’t tear down the old town part of the city.”
“I like this better than when it grew. It’s, well, homier.”
My aunt tapped my arm.
“There are a few things we need to discuss before you meet your family, and they are your family. For instance, we call our parents Mama and Papa. Oh, and Carrie is kind of a quiet woman. That’ll make things easier for you because you’ll be less likely to make mistakes.” There was an expression on her face that made me wonder if there was more to the old Carrie than just being a quiet woman.
I tipped my head at her. “What kind of mistakes?”
“You have to be careful about what you say. Modern slang wouldn’t go over well here, and if you spoke about televisions or cell phones, they’d think you’d lost your mind. Think before you speak. They didn’t have the amenities here that you have in the future.”
“Good point. I’ll be as careful as I can, Aunt… Elsbeth. What are their interests? Did the old Carrie have an interest?”
“No, she didn’t. Not really. As far as interests, there aren’t that many. Both parents enjoy reading. Mama likes to knit, and she’s working on a quilt. Papa likes to hunt. He and Daniel have that in common, but they’re still feeling each other out. Papa isn’t sure if Daniel is good enough for me.” She laughed at that. “I have a feeling that Papa is part of the reason that Carrie and I aren’t already married. Most of the women we know were married at a very young age and have a passel of kids now. I think that’s part of the reason Carrie is so quiet. She thinks Papa has held us back. She can be kind of moody. It’s different with nine-year-old Tess, but I’ll tell you about that later.”
“I have a lot to learn about this family.” I took a deep sigh. Honestly, I was a little fearful about meeting these people who thought I was their daughter.
My aunt looked up at the clouds for a moment before turning back to me. “If you start to say something you shouldn’t, I’ll do one of two things. If I’m close enough, I’ll pinch the back of your arm. If I’m not near you, I’ll clear my throat. Be sure to listen for that.
“Something else. Mama’s affectionate, but Papa isn’t. Our mother will expect a hug and a peck on the cheek. Affection seems to embarrass Papa. Hmm. And, yes, they seem quite happy together. Maybe when they’re alone… We won’t go there. That’s not a topic I want to think about.”
“Can’t say I blame you. I wouldn’t want to think about it either. But enough of this small talk. Tell me more about the threat on your life. It sounds like we need to take some kind of action quickly. I mean, someone has already attacked you once. It could easily happen again.”
“There’s more to the attack than Daniel knows, Carrie. He thought my dress was ripped during the assault. Wrong! It was cut. My attacker had a knife.”
“Oh, Aunt Genny! This is even more serious than I realized. You should tell Daniel right away.”
“No. I don’t want him to know. He’d never let me out of his sight, and he’d tell Papa. Papa would probably lock me in the attic to keep me safe. I’m joking, of course, but he’d sure do something I’d be unhappy about. Are you aware that I’ve been here for a year?”
“Now, how would I know that? You just passed away three weeks ago. Oh, I’m sorry!” I stopped and turned, looking into her eyes. “This is just too weird. You died less than a month ago, and yet here you are and you’re telling me you’ve been here for a year.”
I grabbed her and gave her another hug.
She hugged me back. “I don’t understand the logistics of things, but if someone kills me now, you probably won’t have an Aunt Genny in your day.”
“All the books and movies say you shouldn’t do anything during time travel to change history,” I said, a chill running down my back.
“I don’t care what the books and movies say.” Aunt Genny, or Elsbeth, sounded hot under the collar. “I waited a lot of years to come back to Daniel, and he waited for me. Although, in his case it was probably a few days. This whole time travel thing can be very confusing.”
“How did you manage to come back a second time? How could that even be possible?”
“It’s all thanks to the phone and that key. By the way, where are my keys? I need to put them away.”
I reached into the pocket of my apron and pulled out my cell phone.
“Oops.”
Chapter Six
I shoved the phone back in my pocket, hoping no one had seen it. Glancing around casually to see if anyone was looking probably just made me look guilty.
“Plug your ears,” Elsbeth said. “Here comes a Tin Lizzy. Mr. Ryan is probably trying to get home so he can put the car in his barn before the rain starts.”
“Tin Lizzy?”
“It’s a Model T Ford.” She stuck her fingers in her ears.
I followed suit. Turning, I could see Mrs. Ryan holding on to her hat for all she was worth. The car made plenty of noise as it traveled down the bumpy dirt main street. The brim of her hat fluttered as the car bounced past us.
A horse-drawn milk wagon followed in its wake. The milk farmer was grinning from ear to ear from the inside of his enclosed wagon.
I laughed. This was fun, and that surprised me.
“Now that I think about it Elsbeth, what day of the week is it? It seems like there are plenty of people out socializing.” I glanced back toward the park and all the people folding up their picnic blankets.
“It’s Sunday. Any other day, people would be working.”
That explained a lot. “Where are our parents and little sister?”
“Mama and Papa took Tess down to the creek so she could catch polliwogs.”
“Really? Is that some kind of fish?”
My aunt laughed. “That’s how frogs start out. Polliwogs turn into frogs. Oh, sweetie, wait until we’re back at the house. You won’t believe the music the frogs make in the evening.”
I thought that over and decided between meeting my family and listening to frogs, it was going to be an interesting evening.
“Come on, Carrie. We’ve lollygagged enough. We have chores to do at home. Daniel will let us know if Nathaniel saw anything out of the ordinary.”
We walked together, arm in arm, and I suddenly stopped.
My aunt had to stop quickly, too, and she frowned at me.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Wait a minute! It just struck me. If you’re here, and I’m assuming you
’re planning on staying, where’s the real Elsbeth? How can this happen?”
“Of course, I should have told you about her right from the beginning. It’s difficult to explain, but I knew something was going to happen to Elsbeth. Somehow I knew she was going to die, and I knew that when that happened, I’d be coming back to take her place.”
“What happened to her? Wouldn’t everyone be a little suspicious if she died and then she came back to life in the form of you?” Saying this was hard to explain had been an understatement.
We started walking again, with me limping a little because of the tight shoes.
“There was no one in the house when Elsbeth fell down the stairs. At the moment she died, I died in your time and returned to 1909.”
The only word I could think of to describe how I felt was aghast. I was aghast at this information. “You mean she gave up her life for you?”
My aunt pulled me along. “No, sweetie. I know in my heart that she would have died anyway. It was a meant-to-be moment, and somehow I figured into it. I don’t understand any of this, but it’s what’s happened.”
I stopped suddenly, again. My mystery writer’s mind kicked in.
“Oh! What if the person who’s been leaving you notes pushed her down the stairs? What if they tried to kill her and they’re upset because now you’re here? What if they don’t see you, Genny, but they see her and think they failed their attempt?”
My aunt looked up and into my eyes. “Now you know why I wanted you here. I knew you’d come up with something we weren’t thinking of, and I need to tell Daniel about this.”
I nodded. “It gives us a new area to look into. Who might have wanted the real Elsbeth dead?”
The new Elsbeth began walking faster, pulling me along. Determination was written all over her face. While walking, she waved someone over.
I looked up and saw Daniel and Nathaniel watching us and talking.
Apparently they were too slow to move and Elsbeth waved with more insistence.
“What is it?” Daniel strode toward us with purpose in his steps. “Did you see something?”