Scarlet Oaks and the Serial Caller

by Michaela James

  Closing the door behind him, Scarlet muttered, “I won’t hold my breath.”

  When the doorbell rang, Scarlet became aware she’d been immobile on the couch since saying goodbye, no doubt forever, to James. The only part of her that had moved was her right arm, lifting Oreos, far too frequently, into her mouth.

  “Oh dear,” Tom said, as Scarlet opened the door to him and Niles. “Did I not mention one should wear makeup on a first date?”

  Scarlet curled her lip. “If you think I look bad now, you should have seen me when the poor man arrived.”

  Following Scarlet into the kitchen, Niles enquired, “You forgot about the date?”

  Filling the kettle with water, Scarlet sighed, “Yes, but I have a really good reason. The guy the police suspect of killing those two women. He called me last night.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Tom said with both hands over his heart. Niles, wide-eyed stopped petting Prudence and asked,

  “Why didn’t you call us? We’d have come right over.”

  Sipping their favorite beverage, Scarlet told her friends how she’d answered the phone, believing it to be them checking in on her. At this, they all started apologizing at the same time. Scarlet saying it was her job to call them, the men saying they should have called her.

  “That’s it, Scar,” Niles stated, authoritatively, “you are not going to be alone again until they catch this creep.”

  Nodding his head, Tom contributed, “Well done with the light thing.”

  Scarlet smiled. “Thanks, guys, but I was never in any actual danger. I’m being watched around the clock, remember.”

  Pouring more tea, Niles said, “Scar, I know it’s in your nature to be calm and getting all panicked never helped anyone, but … I can’t help feeling you’re taking all this a little too much in stride.”

  Using both hands to tighten her ponytail, Scarlet replied, “I can tell you I wasn’t calm last night. The detectives were here super fast, so that helped. I feel like the San Francisco Police Department has a revolving door into my home these days.”

  Tom, with a sympathetic smile, asked, “So when Bowie arrived, you were exhausted and naturally still traumatized?”

  Scarlet giggled. “We have to stop with the Bowie names. I called him David today!”

  Niles roared with laughter as Tom closed his eyes and put his head back. After shooting a stern look at Niles, Tom, who was clearly taking this dating thing more seriously, said, “Dare I ask how the date went?”

  Scarlet shook her head slowly. “There wasn’t one.”

  Both men looking at her expectantly, Scarlet explained, “He arrived at the same time as Detective Smyth, which wasn’t exactly a good start.”

  “True, he’s a good-looking guy,” Tom said gravely.

  Scarlet frowned. “I don’t think the detective’s looks were the issue, more that he was a detective.”

  Nodding, Tom enquired, “Did you tell James what’s been going on?”

  “How could she not?” Niles interjected.

  Scarlet placed a hand over her eyes, “It was so embarrassing, I looked like nothing on earth. I even managed to drag underwear in here on a blanket.”

  Not understanding what this meant but deciding he may be better off not knowing, Niles declared,

  “Well, if he can’t handle the fact you’ve got some stuff going on through no fault of your own, then good riddance to him.”

  “Here, here,” Tom joined in. “Plenty more where he came from.”

  Scarlet stared into her empty teacup. “The thing is I kind of liked this one. I know nothing about him; he was here maybe fifteen minutes tops. I can’t really explain why, but I just felt comfortable with him.”

  Tom and Niles glanced at each other.

  Detecting their bemusement, Scarlet retorted, “I know he left when he could have toughed it out and stayed. Obviously, what I felt from him wasn’t real, and he’s not interested in me or my predicament.”

  Lifting Prudence off his lap and moving to sit next to Scarlet, Niles volunteered, “You said it, you don’t know him, and he doesn’t know you.” Putting his arm around Scarlet’s shoulders, Niles continued, “Maybe after this is all over, you could give it another go.”

  Tom coughed loudly. “I don’t think so. If the man, and I don’t care how much he looks like Bowie, can’t hang while the hanging’s rough, then he doesn’t get to hang in smooth waters either.”

  Frowning, Niles enquired, “Did you just make up that bit, about hanging in smooth waters?”

  Tom smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, it doesn’t really make sense, does it?”

  Niles and Scarlet shook their heads. Suddenly becoming serious, Niles said, “Scar, we need to talk about the upcoming week.”

  Scarlet, eyes wide, declared, “Oh my word, Christmas is in five days’ time.”

  Niles gently squeezed her knee. “Tom and I are flying to Boston tomorrow. We’re not going to be able to help at St. Christopher’s this year.”

  Scarlet leaned back into the couch. “Me neither. Mom called yesterday, she’ll be all alone if I don’t join her in Aptos.”

  Tom walked towards the kitchen. “We’ll contact the church and let them know, you have enough on your plate.”

  “Why Boston?” Scarlet asked. “You typically go to your Great Aunt Beatrice’s for Christmas.”

  Tom came back in to retrieve the teapot. “My Uncle Victor’s on his last legs. Dad asked my sibs and me to come spend one last Christmas with him.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry, Tom,” Scarlet said as she stood to hug him.

  Putting the teapot back on the table to embrace her, Tom replied, “It’s fine. Uncle Victor’s had a good long life, and besides, he’s really just been treading water since my Aunt Grace died.” Walking back to the kitchen, teapot in hand Tom asked, “What is it with me and water analogies today?”

  “We need to know your plans, Scar,” Niles said determinedly.

  Pausing before she poured milk into three cups, Scarlet said, “I’m at the station for the next three days.”

  At the men’s look of horror, she went on, “It’s fine. I have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off.”

  “Barely enough time to get anywhere and relax,” Niles said with a scowl. “Can’t you just prerecord stuff and play repeat shows?”

  Nodding her head, Scarlet replied, “Yeah, but Brian likes, at least, one DJ and the P.I.B. in the building. He has to be satisfied with just the P.I.B. on Christmas Eve and …”

  Trailing off, she remembered Sylvia was spending Christmas in Hawaii. Typically, Scarlet would have enlisted the weekend P.I.B., but according to Sylvia, Brian had just fired him for doing his medical transcriber job during P.I.B hours. Scarlet had hoped Niles and Tom would be able to hang for a few hours on Monday and Tuesday, but now they would be out of town too.

  Tom broke the silence. “Okay, so you’re at the station on Monday and Tuesday, then on Wednesday, you and Prudence are driving to Aptos.”

  Thankful for the clarification, Scarlet replied, “Yes. Then we’ll drive back here on the twenty-sixth, and I’m back at work that evening.”

  Heading to the front door, Tom said, “Any chance we can persuade you to stay at your Grans until you head to Aptos?”

  Grinning, Scarlet said, “I’ll give it serious thought. Where are you going?”

  Halfway out the door, Tom shouted, “We have gifts!”

  “Oh no,” Scarlet whined, “I haven’t done any shopping yet.”

  “Would you stop?” Niles admonished, “you know we love to spoil you and you also know we have the means to do it.”

  Squeals of delight, from Scarlet and Prudence, were heard into the evening, as box after box revealed clothes, some even matching, for them both. The last box contained shortbread cookies, mince pies, plum pudding and other ancestral favorites.

  Laughing as Scarlet’s eyes rolled back upon smelling a hastily opened jar of brandy butter, Niles looked towards the window. “So, where you go, they
go?”

  “I presume so,” Scarlet replied, gleefully examining a large tin of Quality Street candies. “I feel terrible for the guys who have to follow me to Aptos over Christmas.”

  “I’m sure they’re used to it,” Tom said while wrestling Prudence into one of her new outfits.

  With a heavy heart and some nagging apprehension, Scarlet said goodbye to her friends, thanked them again and wished them a very Merry Christmas.

  The early morning fog had gradually burned off revealing the Golden Gate Bridge, looming high in all its splendor. The sight filled Scarlet with awe, despite the countless times she’d viewed it.

  The man bobbing in the bay was awe-inspiring too. When his face came into view, she realized, awe-inspiring as he might be, he wasn’t her father. Panicking for a moment, as she’d seen her dad’s Honda Accord in the parking lot, Scarlet scanned the white caps.

  Seconds later, his handsome head shot out from under a large cream and turquoise ripple. With a deep sigh of relief, Scarlet waved, then prepared the blanket and drinks for his arrival.

  “Dan, this is my girl,” Scarlet’s father shouted over his shoulder as he walked towards her. The only other man in the bay waved his two arms in the air. Scarlet smiled and waved back.

  “Nice guy,” Joe said as he reached for his towel. “He’s selling me on the Dolphin club; they swim and row in the bay.”

  “You should join, Dad.”

  Lifting his sweats out of a plastic bag and holding them up, Joe smiled, “I keep these bayside in anticipation of my beautiful daughter’s visits.”

  “I love coming here,” Scarlet admitted. “But be warned, I may never join you in that fifty-degree water.”

  Joe laughed, “It takes some getting used to, but boy is it exhilarating. Dan there,” he added, nodding towards the water, “has been in the Dolphin Club for twenty years. He has some stories about what he’s seen in these waters.”

  Scarlet shuddered when, unbidden, she visualized two murdered women, their bodies pale and bloated.

  Sensing her morose, Joe declared, “Can you believe it’s almost Christmas, are you feeding the masses again?”

  Two mugs of hot chocolate later, Scarlet had shared Lisa’s decision to spend the holidays away from Marilyn. Joe expressed his disappointment in Trent’s apparent inability to stand up to his wife and understood the need for Scarlet to be with her Mother for Christmas.

  “Your Gran will understand too of course. She’s doing a smaller bird due to the fact we were eating Turducken sandwiches for a week after thanksgiving.”

  Chuckling, Scarlet said, “And that’s after you gave me two-thirds of the leftovers.”

  Joe blew in his cupped hands. “Mom enjoyed the indulgence, but informed me last night we have an organic, free range chicken, humanely raised on a family run farm.”

  Scarlet pulled a funny face. “Did they play Mozart in this pasture?”

  Slapping her leg gently, Joe responded, “It seems to be making your Gran quite happy, so I don’t question the dead bird’s upbringing.”

  Accepting a half-cup, as Scarlet drained the last of her huge thermos, Joe asked, “You’re done with work until after the holidays?”

  Shaking her head as she placed the thermos in her basket, Scarlet replied, “No, I’m working tomorrow and Tuesday.”

  Joe frowned. “Well, I’m glad you and that young girl are close now. I don’t want you being alone. Did I tell you, I’ve got a work party tomorrow night?”

  Having been about to ask for his assistance, Scarlet hid her disappointment. “Your Christmas parties are pretty fancy from what I remember.”

  Sighing, Joe replied, “Black tie and dancing. I was going to ask you to come with, but thought that might be considered cruel and unusual punishment.”

  Putting her hand on her father’s, Scarlet said, “You skipped the last one. This is your first year going solo.”

  Lifting his other hand over hers and squeezing it gently, Joe replied, “To be honest, it’s quite a relief. Your Mom always made such a fuss about her outfit. What if someone else had the same dress as her? Remember the ear bashing that sweet Vietnamese girl at the hair salon received? However she coifed your mother’s hair, it wasn’t right. Every year, I’d visit the Salon after Christmas armed with a conciliatory gift. What was the girl’s name? I remember she loved almond cookies.”

  Scarlet scrunched up her features. “Veda or Vida. Mom still sees her once a month for a weave.”

  Joe nodded. “I’ll make an appearance at this party, talk to the few people who are responsible for my paycheck, then make a sneaky retreat. I’ll be back in time to trail my daughter, unseen, from the radio station at midnight.”

  Laughing, Scarlet said, “I do have a favor to ask you…”

  Shaking his head, Joe interrupted, “Mom and I love doing it. You wouldn’t take that away from us, would you? Your Gran says it gives her day real purpose.”

  Smiling at her father’s beseeching gaze, Scarlet clarified, “I’m fine with the two sleuths in the parking lot, I have an added favor to ask you.”

  “Anything,” Joe responded with a more serious expression.

  Uneasy with the lie, Scarlet began, “The young girl you mentioned is going to Hawaii and won’t be with me on Tuesday night. Would you mind hanging with me at the station? Gran too, if she’s interested.”

  Patting her knee, Joe said, “Consider it done. I assure you, your Gran will be interested. We’ll meet you on Tuesday, in the parking lot, at say six forty-five?”

  “Perfect,” Scarlet said happily.

  Some forty minutes later, after dissecting the year almost past, Scarlet kissed her father’s cold check and said goodbye.

  During the drive between China Beach and her home, Scarlet decided she wasn’t ready to give up on reentering the dating scene.

  Full of determination, Scarlet kissed Prudence, complimented the little pig on the new outfit from Niles and Tom, then headed to her computer.

  Following five drafted attempts to simply let Gary know she too enjoyed their date and would like to see him again, Scarlet finally decided it didn’t sound needy, too interested, too cold or just plain loopy and hit the send button.

  Christmas was looming, but Scarlet knew Union Square would be a zoo on the last weekend before the holidays. Vowing to get there on Monday and begin and end her gift shopping, she spent the rest of the day tidying and preparing for her trip to Aptos.

  Hanging up the phone, Scarlet made a deduction - Gary did not work until midnight. Prudence, with a decidedly wrinkled expression, mirrored Scarlet’s displeasure at being woken early.

  Gary had said he was so happy to receive her email and was available for another date anytime. The conversation had taken a strange little turn from then on. Scarlet had enquired as to his plans for Christmas, expecting them to be fixed at this point. Her stomach dropped at learning he was free as a bird. She inwardly scolded herself for contacting him before the holidays. But didn’t he know Christmas was for family and people you were in a serious relationship with?

  He said all his family lived on the East Coast, but he had divorced himself from them many years ago. When Scarlet had attempted to lighten the mood by saying didn’t everyone want to do that on occasion, Gary had elaborated. At fifteen years old, he’d taken court action to divorce himself from his parents. His two sisters had tried to stay in touch but, years later after moving to the West Coast, he’d managed to lose them too.

  Experiencing a mixture of horror and pity, Scarlet decided the conversation was too deep and too sad for the early hour. Steering it onto lighter topics, she then felt guilty for skirting an issue he may need to talk about. Self-reproach at exclusively mending men from seven until midnight may have influenced her agreement to meet by the Christmas tree in Union Square that afternoon.

  Scarlet looked at the phone, sitting on her nightstand as if it held some answers to her recently ended conversation with Gary. She visualized him sitting opposite her i
n the restaurant. If memory served, he was a very attractive man. Why would a handsome, successful lawyer be all alone over the holidays? Scarlet didn’t flatter herself with the notion others were kept at bay in the hope of seeing her again. James had practically sprinted away after twenty minutes, and it was hard to forget how easily Max walked out of her life. Deciding she was overanalyzing poor Gary, Scarlet directed her thoughts to gift buying and fell back to sleep within minutes.

  Ninety minutes later, impressed by how much fun it was to start the day in a tidy room with clean clothes hung in her closet, Scarlet danced to Fun’s, Some Nights in between each stage of getting date ready. Unsure whether it was the loud, fast music spurring her on, or the fact she wore less makeup during a day date, Scarlet found she had a good two hours to spare before meeting Gary. The plan had been to Christmas shop together. Upon reflection, that was a ludicrous idea. They barely knew each other. Did she want him there while she chose the perfect eyeshadow for her Mother? Was she ready to admit to him, gifts for her nephews could not be black or red because, per her sister-in-law, those colors represented the devil? Of course not. She’d leave now, get her shopping done, and then maybe save one non-personal gift to purchase in Gary’s company.

  Following the typical struggle to find a parking spot, Scarlet slowly made her way to Union Square. Aware it was high time she acknowledged the joyful season, Scarlet savored the crispness in the air and chose not to be fazed by the crowds drawn to the eighty-three foot Christmas tree. Standing amongst a group of French tourists, Scarlet stood a while and shared their admiration. Almost impossible to see the artificial limbs for the countless balls, Scarlet took a few paces back and managed to take a selfie that captured the star topper and all. Subsequently captivated by a young couple propping each other up on the outdoor ice rink, she smiled at their regular stops for laughter and kisses before continuing around the small oval. Snapping herself out of the pointless exercise of imagining how lovely this holiday would be if she were madly in love, Scarlet crossed the street to Macy’s. Christmas wreaths adorning every window, the store beckoned her with perceived warmth.